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> Wed., Mar. 24, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
9/11 Hearings Continue
Ayatollah Al Sistini Urges UN to Say No
WA Nuclear Clean -Up Leaves Workers Ill
Enslaving Working Conditions for Nigerian Tobacco Farmers
Effects of Exxon Valdes Spill Persist
FSRN Headlines
9-11 Hearings
In testimony before the 9-11 commission this morning, a former
FBI translator said she was offered a raise to keep her quiet
about security problems. Karen Mitchell reports from Capitol
Hill.
The European Union has fined Microsoft a record $611.8 million
for violating anti-trust laws in a bid to crush competition.
Naomi Fowler Reports from London.
Palestinians around the world are expressing their anger
and grief at the assassinaton of Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed
Yassin. Gail Walker reports from New York.
As Israel commemorates the 25th anniversary of its peace
agreement with Egypt tension is mounting over the assassignation.
Ariel Sharon's government has announced it will target the
entire Hamas leadership; Hamas Leader Khaled Mashaal said
the group's military wing is looking for ways to assasignate
Ariel Sharon.
Ghason Adoni is the Executing Director of Rappochement Center,
and NGO that organizes nonviolent civil disobedience in the
occupied territories. He says neither announcement bodes well
for the peace process.
Last night Israeli Troops put a village near Jenin under
curfew, and destroyed four Palestinian farms in the Khan Younis
refugee camp. This morning, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
condemned attacks on civilians both sides.
A new report says the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq
have hed to a dramatic drop in the number of troops dismissed
under the "dont ask, dont tell policy." Hekam Akbari
reports.
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9/11 Hearings Continue
Today the 9/11 Commission held its second hearing of the
week focusing on U.S. counter-terrorism efforts before the
September 11th attacks. Today's witnesses included CIA Director
George Tenet and former top counter terrorism advisor Richard
Clarke, who has been critical of the Bush administration's
handling of terrorist threats. While much attention has been
given to the high current and former administration officials
who testified this week, critics contend that the 9/11 Commissioners
missed a golden opportunity to inquire into the U.S.'s relationship
with Saudi Arabia before the attacks. Mitch Jeserich reports
from Capitol Hill.
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Ayatollah Al Sistini Urges UN to Say No
(3:21)
Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric has urged the United Nations not
to endorse the country's interim constitution. Ayatollah Ali
al-Sistani told senior U.N. official Lakhdar Brahimi in a
letter that unless the United Nations rejects the constitution,
he would boycott a U.N. team expected to visit Iraq soon to
advise on forming an interim government. From Baghdad, Aaron
Glantz has more.
[top]
WA Nuclear Clean -Up Leaves Workers Ill
Twenty-five years after a near-catastrophe at the Three
Mile Island nuclear plant exposed lax safety practices, owners
and regulators of the nation's aging fleet of 103 reactors
still face nagging questions about their ability to prevent
mishaps. And ever since the Department of Energy developed
the nation's nuclear arsenal during the Cold War, it has employed
numerous contractors to clean up the toxic mess left behind.
Now some workers are getting sick. In Washington State, The
DOE is blaming its medical clinic, the Hanford Environmental
Health Foundation. But some facts point to the Department
of Energy itself and the numerous private contractors it pays
to clean up Hanford's contaminated tank farms. Workers were
fired when they challenged private contractors to test the
contents of highly toxic uranium filings. Further misconduct
has led to a criminal investigation by the Washington State
Attorney General's office and demands for independent hearings
by members of Congress. Martha Baskin files this report.
[top]
Enslaving Working Conditions for Nigerian Tobacco
Farmers
Tobacco farmers in Nigeria say British American Tobacco,
BAT, is enslaving them. The farmers work under a loan agreement
that leaves them perpetually poor and indebted to the company.
Nigeria's house of Assembly has asked BAT, to respect the
rights of the farmers. Sam Olukoya reports.
[top]
Effects of Exxon Valdes Spill Persist
On the 15th Anniversary of the Exxon Valdes oil spill, residents,
fishermen and researchers came to Washington from the Puget
Sound to publicize the long-term ill effects of the disaster.
Based on a myriad of unintended consequences, they will be
pressing Congress on a list of demands to enhance procedures
in the case of future oil spills, as well as recommendations
for prevention. Jenny Johnson reports.
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