Honduras to Pull Out Troops, Thais Look Shaky--New WMW

[Gloria]

Full excerpts, links up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR APRIL 21, 2004

1//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--AUSTRALIAN TROOPS FIRED ON AS IRAQ DANGER WORSENS (Australian troops in Iraq have come under fire in recent weeks from mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. The alarming new picture of the dangers facing Australian military personnel - in particular the security detachment guarding officials in Baghdad - highlights the highly unstable nature of the war-ravaged country. It came as a spokesman for the radical Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr said that insurgents under his control would aim to kidnap and kill Australian soldiers and officials as part of the rebellion that has rocked coalition forces.)

2//Inter Press News Agency, Italy--DECISION TO WITHDRAW HONDURAN TROOPS WELCOMED AT HOME (Civil society groups in Honduras applauded the government's decision to withdraw the country's 370 troops from Iraq, while voices in El Salvador called for a pullout of the Salvadoran forces as well…The Honduran soldiers, along with 380 from El Salvador and 300 from the Dominican Republic, formed the Plus Ultra Battalion in the base located in the Iraqi city of Diwaniya, which was commanded by Spain…President Francisco Flores in El Salvador said the Salvadoran troops would remain in Iraq, and Dominican President Hipólito Mejía said that Central American country would also keep its soldiers there until their term expires, in July. The two contingents will now be under Polish command.)

Related Story: HONDURAS TO PULL OUT TROOPS, AND THAIS LOOK SHAKY (The Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, said of his troops: "If we get hurt or killed, I will not keep them there." The Thai Senate began a debate yesterday on a resolution calling for the troops to come home.)

3//The Daily Yomiuri, Japan--74% BACK GOVT’S HANDLING OF IRAQ HOSTAGE CRISES(The survey result indicates that the majority of the public supported the government's efforts to secure the safe release of five Japanese hostages through negotiations with the Iraqi authorities and other relevant countries, while refusing to comply with the demands of militant groups to withdraw the Self-Defense Forces from Iraq…Sixty percent of the respondents said they strongly or moderately approved of the SDF dispatch, the highest percentage since a similar survey was conducted in January, when the result was 53 percent. Those who had little support for or had never approved of the dispatch totaled 37 percent.)


4//The News International, Pakistan--20 KILLED ON FIRST DAY OF INDIAN POLLS (Up to 105 million people voted on Tuesday as India began the world’s largest election, with the ruling Hindu nationalists hoping soaring economic growth will win them a new mandate.Those opposed to the election launched sporadic attacks leaving at least 20 people dead, as up to 60 per cent of the 175 million eligible voters cast ballots on the first of five polling dates, officials said…India’s 14th general election since independence, and fourth since 1996, is the first carried out on electronic voting machines in the hope of ending allegations of fraud.)

5//The Independent, UK--RUSSIA MAY BE READY TO RATIFY KYOTO TREATY ON CLIMATE CHANGE (Russia may be about to perform a dramatic policy U-turn in ratifying the Kyoto climate change protocol despite months of saying that it would cause irreparable damage to its booming economy. Such a decision would allow the United Nations treaty to finally become legally binding and leave America isolated on the world stage as an environmental sinner.)

[rocktivity]

1. What's Thai for

"HASTA LA VISTA, MORON!"

:headbang:
rocknation