Headlines for Friday, December, 26

• Tennessee Coal Ash Spill Double Original Size Estimates
• Terrorism Suspects Sprung from Iraqi Jail
• Zimbabwe Police Refuse to Release Human Rights Activists
• Kashmiri Friday Prayers Followed by Violent Protests
• Israel Allows Supply Shipments into Gaza
• Prayers and Protests Mark 4th Anniversary of Indonesian Tsunami

Click here for the full newscast for Friday, December 26, 2008

Tennessee Coal Ash Spill Double Original Size Estimates
Utility officials in Tennessee have now tripled their initial estimates of how much ash spilled from a retaining pond that burst earlier this week.  A spokesperson with the Tennessee Valley Authority said the new figure is 5.4 million cubic yards of coal fly ash spilled – that's enough to fill more than 50 football fields 8 stories high with debris.  Coal fly ash is a by-product of burning coal and is known to contain cancer-causing heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and selenium.  TVA officials still maintain their tests show no drinking water contamination.  The Kingston Fossil plant is located on the Emory River, which is a tributary of the Tennessee River, the water supply for the city of Chattanooga and other municipalities.  Crews are still working to remove the sludge that inundated surrounding neighborhoods.

Terrorism Suspects Sprung from Iraqi Jail
Clashes between Iraqi police and militants resulted in the escape of 3 Iraqi terrorism suspects from a police station in the western city of Ramadi early Friday. David Enders, reading for Alaa Majeed, has more.
Reporter:
In what Iraqi officials are calling an organized attack, insurgents fought with police to free prisoners held at a police station. During the fighting, AT LEAST 6 officers were killed, and several others wounded.  At least seven prisoners were killed as well.  The Arabic news organization Sot al-Iraq reports the numbers of dead and escaped are much higher.  Iraqi officials say the three escapees were prominent al-Qaeda leaders.

Following the attack, police restricted the movement of people and vehicles in the area and carried out a house-to-house search.  None of the escaped men were found. Elsewhere in the county, a roadside bomb exploded in Baledrooz, a town in Diyala province.  The blast killed three Iraqi soldiers.  And the U.S. Army announced today the death of one U.S. soldier in Mosul, raising the number of U.S. soldiers killed in the month of December to 10.  For FSRN, I'm David Enders.

Zimbabwe Police Refuse to Release Human Rights Activists
Police in Zimbabwe are refusing to release human rights activists and opposition members despite an order from the country's high court.  Police instead transferred six of the prisoners yesterday to a maximum-security prison.  One of the prisoners is the head of the Zimbabwe Peace project, Jestina Mukoko, who was taken from her home in early December.   The federal judge ordered she be taken to a hospital so health officials could investigate claims of torture.  Embattled president Robert Mugabe's government accuses the activist of anti-government activities.

Kashmiri Friday Prayers Followed by Violent Protests
Kashmiri Muslims congregated for Friday prayers for the first time in two months today in the Grand Mosque in the capital Srinagar.  But after prayers, things turned violent.  Protesters fought pitched battles with Police, who used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd outside the mosque. Shahnawaz Khan reports from Srinagar.

Reporter:
For the last seven Fridays, authorities in Indian administered Kashmir imposed an unofficial curfew preventing prayers at the Kashmir Jamia Masjid, the largest mosque in the region. The government feared large-scale protests against state elections, which ended Wednesday.  Kashmiri separatists had called for protests and election boycotts.  In his sermon today, Kashmir's chief cleric and top separatist Mirwaiz Umar castigated authorities for the curfew.  He called the government in the Muslim majority state of Jammu and Kashmir anti-Muslim, and went on to say that basic religious rights were being trampled in the name of elections and democracy.  Most Kashmiri separatist leaders were detained or put under house arrest ahead of the elections.  Despite the call for a boycott, officials said voter turnout was over 60 percent.  Election counts will begin on Sunday.  For FSRN, I'm Shahnawaz Khan in Srinagar.

Israel Allows Supply Shipments into Gaza
Israel allowed shipments of supplies, food and fuel into Gaza today for the first time in a week.  This happens as its army prepares for a ground offensive in the region. FSRN's Rami Almeghari reports from Gaza.

Reporter:
Residents of Gaza could begin to see some humanitarian relief as three border crossings were reopened today by Israel.  Palestinian sources confirm that Israel let in about 150,000 gallons of fuel for generating electricity.  But the Hamas-run crossings administration downplayed the reopening.  They say worldwide public opinion is being misled, and that the situation in Gaza is still dire because of months of border closures. Meanwhile, Israel stepped up its military presence on the ground, deploying more forces around Gaza in preparation for a large-scale ground offensive.  Last Friday, a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas ended.  Palestinian factions decided not to renew the truce and since dozens of homemade rockets have been fired onto Israeli towns.  For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Rami Almeghari in Gaza.

Prayers and Protests Mark 4th Anniversary of Indonesian Tsunami
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the devastating tsunami that killed more than 200-thousand people in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and other countries in the Indian ocean.  Families in Indonesia gathered for prayers and remembrance ceremonies today in coastal communities, where much of the wreckage of the disaster remains.  Many who survived the tsunami are still without housing.  A small group rallied today after the ceremony, demanding the government do more to aid the victims.