Monday, April 23, 2007

Headlines (5:00)
US/RUSSIAN TALKS ABOUT MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD
American and Russian defense secretaries met in Moscow today to
discuss the Pentagon's controversial plans for a missile defense
shield in Eastern Europe. Elise Hugus reports.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with his Russian counterpart and
President Vladimir Putin today in an attempt to assuage Kremlin
concern about the American anti-missile defense program. Radar and
missile interceptors, designed to hit incoming missiles while still
airborne, are being installed in Poland and the Czech Republic,
despite public opposition. Russia says the installations pose a threat
to its national security, not to the stated targets; Iran and North
Korea. In a speech in Munich last February, President Putin said the
so-called defense shield could force Russia to pull out of
anti-proliferation treaties. U.S. officials say there is no cause for
Russia to be alarmed. However, the impasse has sparked fears of
renewed Cold War tensions. As the ministers concluded their talks,
Russia's first freely elected president, Boris Yeltsin, died of heart
failure in Moscow. The former President, who stepped down in 1999,
orchestrated Russia's transition from communism to free market
economy. He was 76. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Elise Hugus, in
Bucharest.

CHINA AND INDIA ON DISPUTED COMMON BORDER
Another round of talks to resolve the decades-old border dispute
between the world's two most populous countries, India and China,
ended today without resolution. FSRN's Vinod K. Jose reports from New
Delhi.

In 1962, China and India fought a bloody war. The main issue was
border. 45 years later the issue is still unresolved. The Tenth round
of talks on the matter ended today with no breakthrough and no
road map. The only decision both sides agreed to is to hold an eleventh
round of talks in China. India says China occupies 38,000 square
kilometers of its territory in Kashmir, while Beijing claims 90,000
square kilometers of the remote Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. A
formal ceasefire line was never established after the 1962 war.
Growing economic cooperation between the countries has given a sense
of urgency to settle the border dispute. Both the countries are
expected to hit trade figures to $40 billion by 2010. And China and
India both occupy the position of the world's fastest growing
economies, at no1, and no 2 respectively. For FSRN From New Delhi, in
India, this is Vinod K. Jose.

CHARTER SCHOOL PROTESTS "HATE RADIO"
In Los Angeles, teachers and parents of students from the Academia
Semillas del Pueblo Charter school gathered in front of radio station
KABC today to serve the station's management with a legal complaint
against radio personality Doug McIntyre. The protesters say McIntyre
has broadcast hate speech and inaccurate accusations about the school
and its staff which has endangered the school and the safety of its
students. Academia Semillas del Pueblo board member Salomon Zavala
describes what happened when they attempted to deliver the complaint:
(clip). The protesters dispersed soon afterwards but say they will
pursue their complaint in court.

MOHAWK BLOCKADE OF CANADIAN RAIL LINE
Mohawk activists in southern Ontario, Canada, blockaded a major
rail-line over the weekend as part of a land reclamation effort
directed at the Canadian government. Stefan Christoff reports from
Montreal.

Throughout Friday and Saturday, members of the Tyendinaga Mohawk
community blockaded a major Canadian National Railway line; paralyzing
all railway traffic between Montreal and Toronto. The action sparked a
national debate on the issue of indigenous land claims. Just over 1
month ago, the Mohawks community of the Bay of Quinte in southern
Ontario reclaimed a portion of the Culbertson land tract, a 925 acre
piece of territory, which Canadian authorities took from Mohawk
Territory in 1832. Official documents from Canadian governmental
authorities point to the Mohawks's legal ownership of the land, which
lead to a position of non-intervention against the major rail-line
blockade. Shawn Brant is a spokesperson for the Tyendinaga Mohawk
protesters. (audio) "The shut-down of the main was our first hit, it
was considered our soft hit. It was done as a kick-off a campaign of
economic disruption targeting the federal government, provincial
government and the local municipal government of the town." Tyendinaga
Mohawks have announced plans to protest the ongoing work of a
privately owned gravel quarry inside of their territory which removes
100,000 tonnes of land each year. They say their actions will continue
until all digging work has stopped. This is Stefan Christoff reporting
for Free Speech Radio News in Montreal.

Features
Showdown over Iraq War Spending Bill Continues (3:36)
The Iraq war spending bill that Congress will send to President Bush is
likely to include a timeline to start redeploying troops no later than
October 1 of this year – it reflects a compromise between the House and
Senate versions of the bill. The final resolution comes as Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid said that on Iraq, the President is in “a
state of denial.” Washington Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Political Crisis Grips Nigerian Elections (3:30)
Controversy is gripping Nigeria, as the candidate of the ruling party
is declared winner of the presidential elections. Opposition candidates
who say the election was rigged have rejected the result, and are
calling for a re-run. Most foreign and local election observers say the
election was indeed fixed. They warned of a legitimacy crisis for any
government that emerges through the election. Nigeria, Africa's largest
oil producer, has faced a number of political crises - some of which
culminated into military rule. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.

Right-Winger and Socialist Vie for French Presidency (4:00)
France faces two more weeks of intense campaigning before the second
round of voting in its hotly-contested presidential election. After a
massive 85 percent turnout in the first round yesterday, right-winger
Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Ségolène Royal face each for the decider.
Tony Cross reports from Paris.

Palestinian Cabinet Rejects Interior Minister’s Resignation (2:30)
Palestinian interior minister, Hani al-Qawasmi, resigned Monday, 10
days after he announced a security plan to end internal unrest in the
Gaza Strip. His resignation has been rejected by the Palestinian
cabinet. FSRN’s Rami Almeghari has more.

Weekend Invasions in the West Bank (2:00)
Eight Palestinians were killed by Israeli army gunfire in less than 24
hours during Israeli invasions of West Bank areas over the weekend. 14
year old Karem Zahran was shot and killed in the village of Deir Abu
Mish'al, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. He was among
local youths who threw stones at Israeli soldiers who were searching
homes in the village under the pretext that they were looking for
'wanted Palestinians'. Ghassan Bannoura reports.

Gun Control Not on Political Agenda (4:00)
The tragedy at Virginia Tech University has forced the issue of gun
violence to the forefront of the national consciousness. Media focus
has delved into the gunman's background and debates have opened about
whether stronger campus security or more intensive involvement from
mental health services could have averted the tragedy. Some critics say
that the lack of grassroots anti-gun activism is the reason the issue
hasn’t taken hold in the political agenda. Max Pringle reports.