Tuesday, April 15, 2008

• Resisting the War Tax
• Maoists Win Landslide Victory in Nepal
• Croatian Citizen's Plans for NATO Referendum Fails
• Communities of Color in New York Worry about the Air They are Breathing
• Bicyclists Push for Change in Transportation Policy
• Mumia, Comentary When Courts Go Wrong

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Resisting the War Tax

As people rush to make it to the post office on tax day, war tax resisters across the country are protesting outside many of those post offices, attempting to draw attention to the amount of tax dollars spent on the military. On Capital Hill, lawmakers put forward their own type of protest - tying the cost of the war in Iraq to tax dollars being misspent. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell has the story from Washington.

Maoists Win Landslide Victory in Nepal

Maoists in Nepal gained victory after victory in this weekend's elections – with the Nepali Congress, the nation's oldest party headed by 84-year-old Premier GP Koirala, badly lagging in second place. Political analysts and everyday people are surprised at the Maoists' stampeding march towards the portals of power in a country which has been under monarchy for 240 years. Their victory confirms that monarchy will be soon elbowed out, with hopes that a new Nepal firmly anchored in a democratic culture will flourish. Yet skepticism lingers about the Maoists and their motives. PC Dubey reports from Nepal.

Croatian Citizen's Plans for NATO Referendum Fails

A large scale, two week citizen's initiative throughout Croatia asking that entry into NATO be decided through referendum has failed. Now, it's up to the government to decide. FSRN's Amy Miller reports from Zagreb, Croatia.

Communities of Color in New York Worry about the Air They are Breathing

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is pushing a local bill that would require any organization doing independent environmental testing to get a permit from the police. But a broad coalition of unions, environmentalists and non-partisan advocates are fighting it, saying it will block workers and low income communities of color from protecting themselves. Ari Paul has more from New York.

Bicyclists Push for Change in Transportation Policy

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act or SAFETEA – is the bill that governs federal surface transportation spending through 2010. Signed in 2005, the nearly 300-billion-dollar measure funds the entire transportation infrastructure – especially the highway and interstate system. The 2010 transportation bill is already being discussed on Capitol Hill. Big industry players and state Departments of Transportation are lobbying to get a part of the next multi-billion dollar bill; one group advocating for a policy shift in 2010 are the bicyclists. Kat Shiffler reports.

Mumia, Comentary When Courts Go Wrong

A commentary by death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal