April 27, 2004
Headlines
U.S. aerial gunships are spraying the city of Fallujah at deadline. Resistors are fighting back with rocket-launched grenades. Earlier today, U.S. military forces raided a number of mosques in the city saying that armed resistors to the occupation were using the buildings as cover. Pentagon officials said this afternoon that the cease fire in Fallujah was still in effect. We’ll have more on Iraq later.
Hundreds of Haitians are taking their chances by boat and fleeing to Jamaica. The Jamaican government is set to ask U.S. officials for assistance. Patrick Scudder reports from Ocho Rios.
Please note the following error that was in the newscast and the script below. Our apologies.
Today Nelson Mandela was sworn in for a second term as President on this 10th anniversary of democracy in South Africa. Na’eem Jeenah reports freely from Johannesburg.
Reuters, the Associated Press and other Arab television news sources are reporting explosions and gunfire in Syria’s capitol of Damascus, evening local time. The British Foreign Office in London says the explosions were heard in the diplomatic district near the Canadian and Saudi embassies, and the British ambassador’s home; but the explosions were closer to the Iranian ambassador’s residence. Reportedly, security forces have blocked off that section of Damascus. No word yet on casualties or injuries.
Teaching Assistants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are striking today and tomorrow, after working for 10-months without an agreement. Steve Zelaznik files from the picket line.
This week California election officials will decide if they are going to use electronic touch screen voting machines that caused problems in the March primaries. Christopher Martinez reports from Sacramento.
Features
US Military Enters Najaf – Dozens of Civilians Injured – (3:53)
American troops backed by helicopter gunships have entered the holy Shiite city of Najaf, clashing with the Mehdi Army of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The US military says 64 Iraqi fighters were killed, though hospital officials in Najaf told the Arab satellite network Al-Jazeera that most of the 28 injured received from the clashes appear to be civilians. From Baghdad, Aaron Glantz has more.
Negroponte Testifies in Iraqi Ambassador Nomination Hearing – (4:44)
Today Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced that Spain has completed the withdrawal of its 1,300 troops out of Iraq. Zapatero told lawmakers in the Spanish parliament that they should have not gone to Iraq. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, President Bush’s nominee to become Ambassador to Iraq on July 1st , John Negroponte, who is the current Ambassador to the UN, testified in front of a Senate Committee. In the early eighties, Negroponte served as Ambassador to Honduras and during that time Honduras’s military has been accused, along with the CIA, of hundreds of human rights abuses. Negroponte told the Senate Committee that starting on July 1st, the Iraqi interim government will be given political authority, but it wont have control of armed forces nor will it be allowed to pass laws. Mitch Jeserich has more.
Supreme Court on Cheney Energy Task Force – (4:00)
The U.S Supreme Court heard oral arguments today about whether Vice President Dick Cheney and his energy task force have the right to executive privilege or if Cheney must release documents disclosing how he created the nation’s policy. WPFW’s Selina Musuta reports from the Supreme Court.
Sanctions Lifted for Turkish Cypriots? – (3:50)
On Saturday Greek Cypriots voted overwhelmingly against a reunification plan proposed by the United Nations, the European Union and the US despite much international pressure. And as Ezgi Saritas reports, Turkish Cypriots may see international sanctions lifted after overwhelmingly approving the referendum.
Nicaraguan Banana Workers Legal Battle Against use of Toxins – (4:21)
Banana workers in Nicaragua affected by a pesticide produced and distributed by U.S.-based trans-nationals in the 1970’s may have finally forced the companies to meet them on a legal battleground. Nan McCurdy has more from Nicaragua.
