Report on a shooting down of a cruise missile in Belgrade: Yugoslav anti-aircraft defense's shoulder-launched, technologically inferior and considerably cheaper rocket destroys a deadly, US-made Tomahawk cruise missile guided by four satellites. Footage of the missile debris included.
- Report from Backa Palanka: a rocket damages a bridge and power lines.
- Report from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina: President of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian Collective Presidency, Zivko Radisic, addresses a letter to UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and to head of OSCE in Bosnia, Carlos Westendorp. Radisic: political stability in BiH is worsening-war threatens to spread there; despite warnings that Bosnia and Herzegovina and the peacekeeping forces stationed there should not be used for attacks on a neighboring, sovereign country; it is clear that SFOR forces are being increasingly used in aggression on Yugoslavia. NATO and SFOR should stick to their original mandate - to keep and to preserve peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (cited).
- (04:24:38) Republika Srpska's Minister of Defense, Manojlo Milovanovic: declares SFOR's explanation regarding yesterday's mining of the Belgrade-Bar railway trifling. According to SFOR, the railway was mined to prevent Yugoslav Army troop transfers from Serbia into Montenegro. SFOR, alongside NATO, is involved in the aggression on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As the railway was mined, a railway guard was shot in the back.
- (04:25:13) An Athens daily: bodies of the 19 soldiers, first American casualties, secretly transported from Macedonia to Salonika, Greece, from where they will be taken home in metal coffins. Footage of American troops in the field accompanies the narrative.
- (04:26:27) Macedonia's custom officials confirm that19 coffins, which contain the American soldiers' bodies, left the country and are on the way to Greece. Custom officials inspected the coffins at a border crossing, as required by regulations, and saw the American soldiers' bodies. Several American officers accompanied the transport. No other details could be provided.
- Report on anti-NATO sentiments in the United States: Among those admirable and honest people in the world who oppose NATO-American aggression on Serbia, the most prominent are American Jews, members of a Holocaust survivors' organization. John Rantz, president of the Buchenwald survivors' club (VO translation): American bombing of Belgrade is shameful; Americans are making the same mistake that was made in Vietnam; hopes this mistake will not be of the same magnitude and the bombing will be stopped; Jewish community is working on persuading the American government to cease the bombing immediately and to resume negotiations. Asked if the U.S. public receives objective information about events in Yugoslavia, Rantz replied the public is not informed objectively or adequately. The press is biased, under influence of powerful and big corporations, which want to prevent Serbs from defending their rights in Kosovo. This is why the public is pitted against the Serbs, who are represented as criminals who kill civilians in Kosovo. Rantz and other well-informed Americans do not subscribe to this point of view. Although up to 50 percent of Americans are against the bombing, they are not well organized. Mr Clinton is making a huge mistake by bombing Serbia. (all cited).
- (04:28:46) Report on NATO press conference: NATO's spokesperson, Jamie Shea, repeats the allies' ultimatum - a permanent peaceful solution can be achieved through the Rambouillet agreement, but only after the refugee flow is stopped and once they are able to return home. Shea avoids admitting that the barbarian aggression on our country is causing the refugee crisis and that many Albanians, Serbs, and other ethnic communities seek safe haven in Serbia and other parts of Yugoslavia, not just in Macedonia and Albania. Shea admits the Serbian civilians suffer because of the destruction of bridges. Another lie about Ibrahim Rugova launched in Brussels: Shea says Rugova is under house arrest, that his family is allowed to use the first floor of their house only, and that they have to contact the police several times a day. Shea's greatest lie: RTS' picture of Milosevic-Rugova meeting is supposedly two years old, even though it's clear, based on all available facts, the meeting has taken place (all cited).
ON FOREIGN MEDIA COVERAGE:
- (04:30:10 - BEGINNING CUT OFF) The Washington Post: article on Serbian readiness to fight in defense of their country.
- (04:30:44) Russian radio: on brutal bombing on Belgrade; the aggressor is unrestrained - in yesterday's savage attack newly born babies nearly die. Russian foreign ministry said this brutal war, including the savage bombing of the Yugoslav cities, cynical cover-ups of the criminal actions, and pleas that all this is done in the name of preventing the humanitarian catastrophe, is being waged to destroy the Yugoslav people. Russia still hopeful negotiations will resume and peaceful resolution of the crisis will be achieved. Russian Army leadership says it is ready to obey any order Yeltsin might issue.
- Report from Saint Petersburg. Genady Zheleznov, president of Russian Duma: As NATO's aggression violates all international agreements regarding Yugoslavia, Russia has every reason to boycott arms embargo; criticizes the UN and its pro-American stand; cannot understand Kofi Annan's silence when many UN member-countries are calling for the General Assembly to meet and discuss Yugoslavia’s situation. Zheleznov on foreign troops' involvement in Yugoslavia: Yugoslav Army will be even more efficient than the anti-aircraft defense units. (cited)
- (04:33:04) Sergei Baburin, Deputy president of Duma, states in Budapest: NATO member countries defeated in their aggression on Yugoslavia; they miscalculated, by projecting Yugoslavia was going to capitulate under Western threats; the opposite happened - Yugoslav society has never been more consolidated; discusses potential alliance between Russia, Byelorussia and Yugoslavia.
- (04:33:48) Former U.S. Attorney General, Ramsey Clark: speaks at an anti-NATO panel discussion in New York; receives ovation; analyzes U.S. policy of destruction in detail. Calls on Americans to support the Serbs and Yugoslavia; the bombing must be stopped.
- Chinese media: report on the last night's criminal bombing of Belgrade as well as destruction of another bridge in Novi Sad. Chinese daily: the mercifulness and barbarism of the aggressor, which began to target downtown Belgrade, reflects the West's despair, created by its inability to force the Serbs to accept their solution for Yugoslavia. The results of the aggression are contrary to the aggressor's initial goal. Technologically advanced weaponry is not able to break the Yugoslavs' heroism and motivation to fight (all cited).
- Opinions that pervade various international media: Escalation of violence and increased bombing of residential sites in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Cacak prove that the aggressor is determined to fight a merciless was against a sovereign country. An especially cynical claim: war led under the excuse of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe, which is really a product of aggression on Yugoslavia. Many foreign correspondents from Belgrade increasingly report on Serbian unity. Anti-war mood in Europe is prevalent. Western alliance is slowly breaking up.
- (04:36:53) From the Washington Post and the New York Times: plans to place 6,000 to 8,000 aggressor's troops in Albania to supposedly provide relief. There is some talk 8,000 soldiers will be added to NATO troops in Macedonia. The Washington Post: Wesley Clark, the criminal, gave instructions for placing Apache helicopters for relief in new military base in Albania; Pentagon agreed, while other allies are still considering the proposed idea. US-Russian relations the worst since the Cold War. Russia's critique of the American and NATO action becomes harsher from day to day. Russia and its government are glutted with anti-American attitudes. Russia condemns America for genocide against Yugoslavia, for its support of terrorism and separatism in Kosmet and for attempts to dictate its policy to the whole world; Americans use the Balkans for trying out new weapons. (all cited).
- Pentagon spokesperson, Ken Bacon: lies grossly, says NATO shoots at military targets only (cited).
- American association of international law practitioners states NATO should have not intervened in Yugoslavia's affairs without the UN Security Council's approval. Articles 52 and 53 of the UN Charter emphasize that regional conflicts must be solved through peaceful means and the that UN needs to approve potential use of force.
- (04:39:25) A Budapest daily Magyar Hirlap: western alliance has no clear idea what it wants to accomplish with its unprecedented bombing of a sovereign country - is its aim to weaken the Yugoslav army or to force Belgrade to sign the Rambouillet agreement? Neither of the two tasks have been achieved. Instead of preventing the supposed humanitarian catastrophe, the bombing augments it even further (all cited).
- (04:39:55) Sophia media: media campaign against Yugoslavia in Goebbels' style. British prime minister and minister of defense try to persuade the international public, using the international media, especially CNN, that a sovereign state has no right to resolve disputes according to its laws and regulations within its territory. Yugoslavia offered autonomy to Kosovar Albanians and other ethnic minorities, but the proposal did not suit the Albanians. The international public received no information on this because that was not in the interest of the world's powerful players. Bulgarian envoy concerned: Albanian drug dealers are hailed as heroes and are fully supported by Western powers.
- Israeli daily: NATO bombing senseless. Its results are opposite than originally intended by the criminal NATO. No Serb is ready to give up Kosovo-Metohija, the cradle of the Serbian nation and statehood.
- Sub-Saharan Africa: express disappointment with Kofi Annan's silence with regards to NATO's aggression against sovereign and federal Yugoslavia.
- (04:41:32) Report on 50 years since the founding of NATO: Aggression on Yugoslavia has put an end to the meaning of NATO's existence. Archival footage shown. A celebration of the shameful anniversary was to take place in Brussels, but was cancelled because the aggressor, as it was indicated, had more important matters to consider - a 12-day merciless war against Yugoslavia, destruction of civilian sites, and killing of innocent civilians. According to many, NATO confronts the fifth decade of its existence in the greatest moral lows since it was founded - as the greatest threat to world peace (all cited). (TRANSLATE)
- (04:43:22) President of Russian Duma, Genady Zheleznov: suggests the move of the UN headquarters from New York City to Geneva, Switzerland. If we want to keep the UN, it must not be seated in New York but in Switzerland, a neutral country which is not a member of any military alliance.
- (04:44:21 BEGINNING CUT OFF) . . . Determination of our people, our police, and our nation if defense of their country through all available means is an unconquerable fort that no aggressor's missile can destroy.
- (04:44:36) Report on the Yugoslav United Left (JUL) press conference; Ivan Markovic, party's secretary, speaks. (TRANSLATE)
- Report on Patriarch Pavle: Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, holds a liturgy for Christian Orthodox worshipers. His statements cited (TRANSLATE).
- (04:46:21) Report on Easter mass held in Belgrade's Catholic Church. After over half a decade, Catholic, Protestant, and other worshippers celebrate this great holiday in the midst of war. Belgrade's archbishop, France Perko: regrets the West's failure to take heed to the Holy Father's, John Paul II's, prayer for peace and call to cease the bombing during Easter Holiday at least, both for Catholic and the Orthodox a week later; victory can be achieved through goodness and love and is not on side of the murderers. (TRANSLATE).
- (04:48:07 - BEGINNING CUT OFF) Report on a "Crvena Zvezda" soccer match: Enemy obviously does not see that pride and dignity of a heroic nation cannot be extinguished. A former member of the Yugoslav team, Vladan Lukic, interviewed. Lukic broke his contract with a French soccer team because he sees it as his duty to return to his home country; wants to be alongside his people during aggression (cited). Dragan Djajic, president of "Crvena Zvezda," Vladimir Cvetkovic, general director of the team, and Mitar Mrkela, member of the city government, interviewed. (TRANSLATE)
- (04:51:40) CNN report on Pancevo (live broadcast in English). Brent Sadler: oil refinery aflame; second crossing over the river Danube in Novi Sad also targeted (footage also shown).