• Progressive Catholics Protest Outside the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
• The FCC Considers BitTorrent File Sharing in the Latest Battle Over Net Neutrality
• Paraguay Could Become the Next South American Country to Shift to the Political Left
• Assassinations in Oaxaca Highlight Mexico as Most Dangerous Country in Western Hemisphere for Journalists
  
• The Clean Water Restoration Act Makes its Waythrough Congres

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Progressive Catholics Protest Outside the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

Today was a big day for American Catholics. The Pope addressed the United Nations in New York City calling for a strengthening of Human Rights around the world. This morning President Bush spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, which brings thousands together every year in Washington, DC. But outside the doors, progressive catholics held a vigil in protest, saying the Catholics who organized the prayer breakfast don't represent them.FSRN's Tanya Snyder was there and Files this Report.

The FCC Considers BitTorrent File Sharing in the Latest Battle over Net Neutrality

The Federal Communications Commission held a public hearing at Stanford University in California on Thursday to determine whether Internet service provider Comcast violated FCC policy by blocking BitTorrent file sharing. Torrent is the fastest most efficient way of transmitting large files over the internet. Comcast claims the transfers potentially eat up large amounts of bandwidth slowing connection speeds for its users. BitTorrent is one of the latest fronts in the battle for Net Neutrality.The FCC hearing is the second in what promises to be a series of debates fueled by public concern that Internet Providers like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are blocking information for financial and political gain. Comcast has recently announced a deal with the BitTorrent and denied charges that they maliciously targeted the file sharing website. Joshua Emerson Smith reports from Silicon Valley.

Paraguay Could Become the Next South American Country to Shift to the Political Left

One more country may join the Latin American march to the Left this weekend, as voters in Paraguay head to the polls on Sunday. The progressive former bishop, Fernando Lugo is leading the pack of presidential hopefuls attempting to break the Colorado party's 60-year grip on the Paraguayan government. But in the days leading up to the election, Colorado candidate Blanca Ovelar is beginning to close the gap. As FSRN's Mike Fox reports from Asuncion, Lugo spoke before a crowd of thousands in the capital city last night.

Assassinations in Oaxaca Highlight Mexico as Most Dangerous Country in Western Hemisphere for Journalists

The recent assassination of two community radio reporters in Oaxaca's Triqui region has triggered widespread international condemnation. Mexico has ranked as the deadliest country for journalists in this hemisphere for years. The two young reporters were from a self-declared "autonomous municipality" in an area characterized by decades of bitter violence. Community activists and the Mexican government's National Human Rights Commission visited the area earlier this week on a fact-finding mission. Vladimir Flores has the Latest from Oaxaca.

The Clean Water Restoration Act Makes its Way through Congress

A group of Democrats and independents in Congress are trying to expand federal protection for the nation's streams and wetlands. They say the Clean Water Restoration Act will return much-needed power to the Environmental Protection Agency and clarify the original intent the 1972 Clean Water Act. Environmental groups like Earthjustice say this is the most important clean water legislation in 35 years. Republicans are pushing back fiercely, saying the legislation is an attempt to inflate federal bureaucracy. Yanmei Xie has the Story.