Headlines for Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Vermont legislature overrides Governor and legalizes gay marriage
Unexpectedly today, The Vermont legislature legalized marriage legal – from WGDR, Thomas Weiss.
Vermont became the first state to enact civil marriage for same-sex couples through the legislative process this morning. Requiring a 2/3 majority to over-ride Republican Governor Jim Douglas' veto, the Senate voted this morning 23 - 5. Less than 2 hours later Vermont's House of Representatives voted 100 - 49 to override the veto, just barely eking out the necessary margin. Thus, through a series of steps carefully choreographed between the governor and the General Assembly, the civil marriage bill, allowing same-sex couples to marry, was passed, vetoed, and the veto over-ridden in less than 24 hours. This is the first time that the Vermont legislature has overridden a veto by Governor Douglas in his seven years in office, which will change the tenor in the State House. Thomas Weiss, FSRN, Plainfield Vermont.

DC City Council recognizes gay marriages from states
And in Washington DC today, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of legislation that acknowledges same-sex marriages from other states as legal marriage in the District.

Fujimori guilty – sentenced to 25 years
A special Peruvian tribunal today found former President Alberto Fujimori guilty of "crimes against humanity" – for death squad activities during his decade in power. Alfredo Cuadros and Pamela Cueva report.
Chief Judge, Cesar San Martín:
"The Tribunal declares that the four charges have been proven beyond any reasonable doubt, therefore the sentence issued is condemnatory…”
Former President Alberto Fujimori was convicted today for being the intellectual author of the murder of 25 people of the Barrios Altos and La Cantuta massacres, which occurred in 1991 and 1992 respectively, and for the kidnapping and torture two people. He has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Chief Judge, Cesar San Martín, said that the Tribunal’s members were unanimous in their sentencing decision. The three judge panel analyzed every detail of each case. Fujimori has denied all the charges and says he will appeal his sentence. Fujimori’s daughter Congresswoman Keiko Fujimori, daughter of the former president Alberto Fujimori, condemned the sentence against her father and said it shows that the tribunal is not an independent body. She said that this 16 month trial, with 160 hearings and some 90 witnesses, was held for the benefit of Fujimori’s opponents.  She also asked her supporters to take to the streets and demand freedom for her father.   Outside the courtroom, after the verdict was read, relatives of the victims clashed with Fujimori’s sympathizers.  Alfredo Cuadros and Pamela Cueva, Lima, Peru.

Strong aftershocks in Abruzzo – search and rescue continued today
Tremors continue to rock the Abruzzo region of Italy and are being felt as far away as Rome. Reports say at least one aftershock this afternoon registered at 5.3 on the Richter scale. And the death toll continues to grow – 228 people are dead as a result of the earthquake that hit early Monday morning. Federico Mastrogiovani reports from Rome.
More than one thousand people are wounded and 17 thousand are now homeless.
Rescue workers and volunteers from all over the country are still arriving in Abruzzo. Fund raising efforts for relief aid are underway in all sectors of society.  The Council of Ministers has allocated almost 40 million dollars for emergency relief. L'Aquila, the biggest city hit by the earthquake, today is a ghost city. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited the area twice in the past two days. Many European countries have offered aid to Italy, but Berlusconi, while thanking them for their solidarity, has turned down most offers of financial support. However, in the last few hours Berlusconi accepted an offer by US President Barak Obama to rebuild some churches and restore ancient buildings. Democratic Party leader Dario Franceschini, is urging the government to accept the international aid. For FSRN, I'm Federico Mastrogiovanni, in Rome,Italy.

Palestinian killed at Jerusalem roadblock while Israel demolishes another home
Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian man today at a roadblock in East Jerusalem. They say he tried to run them over while nearby, Israeli forces were demolishing a home – Ghassan Bannourra is in Bethlemhemm.
Witnesses said Azmi Ewisat, 20, was driving his car near a police checkpoint in the Palestinian dominated neighborhood when officers opened fire and killed him. Mohamed Amera, 20, who was in the car with him, was critically injured in the incident. Israeli police sources said the two men where trying to run down police with the car and that this caused the officers to open fire. A number clashes between Palestinian youth and police were reported following the shooting. Police and troops surrounded the Surbaher neighborhood earlier on Tuesday morning as the Israeli Authorities demolished the home of Hussam Doyat, who was killed last July when he attacked Israelis with a bulldozer, killing three. During the demolition, witnesses reported Israeli forces attacked members of the Doyat family and forced them from their home. Medics said the parents of Hussam sustained light injuries and were moved to a nearby hospital for treatment. Earlier this month the Israeli Supreme Court gave the Israeli military the green light to demolish the Doyat home. The Israeli government says destroying the homes of attackers will deter future attacks. Ghassan Bannoura, FSRN, Bethlehem.