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> Wed., Mar. 31, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Welfare Reauthorization Battle in the Senate
Congress Hears Causus on Sexual Assault in Military
NY Drug Store Using Unfair Labor Practices
Colombia River Toxins Uncovered
Privatizing Turkish Oil
FSRN Headlines
5 Killed in Iraq Violence
Four people were killed and dragged through the streets of
the Iraqi city of Fallujah today. Three of them were Americans.
The four worked as contrators for the US-led coalition. Rebels
killed the four men in an ambush that left their vehicle in
flames -- and then dragged the corpses through the streets
before hanging the charred remains from a bridge. In the same
area, five US soldiers were killed today when a bomb exploded
under their armored personnel carrier. The deaths make this
one of the bloodiest days this year for the occupation forces.
Int. Court Says Mexican Prisoner Rights Violated
The International Court of Justice in the Hague today issued
a ruling today that the US violated the rights of 51 of the
52 Mexican prisoners awaiting executions in the United States
and their cases are now subject to review. Vladimir Flores
files this report from Mexico's capital.
CA to Produce GM Rice?
The California Rice Commission has requested that the California
Department of Food and Agriculture fast track the approval
for growing what could become the state's first genetically
modified crop: rice engineered to produce a drug. More from
Kellia Ramares at KPFA in Berkeley.
Nigerians File Suit Against Big Oil
Some local communities to be affected by a gas pipeline project
which will run through West Africa have filed suit against
ChevronTexaco and the Anglo Dutch oil company Shell Petroleum.
Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
US and UK Pressure UN on WMD Policies
The United States and Britain are pressing the UN Security
Council to adopt a draft resolution that would allow the use
of force against nations and political groups suspected of
trying to develop or posses or transfer of weapons of mass
destruction. Haider Risvy is at the UN.
Powell Denies Aid to Serbia-Montenegro
Secretary of State Colin Powell suspended $25 million in assistance
to Serbia-Montenegro today for failing to hand over war crime
suspects to the international tribunal at the Hague. Exempt
from the aid cutoff are humanitarian assistance, funds to
promote democracy in municipalities and for Kosovo. Yesterday
the Serbian government approved annual salaries and benefits
for Slobodan Milosevic and other Serbian war crimes suspects
being tried at the World Court. Jackson Allers reports from
the Balkans.
[top]
Welfare Reauthorization Battle in the Senate
(4:21)
Tomorrow Senate Republicans will try to break a filabuster
on the Welfare Reauthorization Act. The measure has stalled
as Democrats try to amend the act to include provisions that
would extend unemployment benefits and raise the federal minimum
wage. The federal minimum wage has not been raised since 1997,
and supporters of raising it now say it would create a further
incentive for people to leave welfare. Mitch Jeserich has
more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
Congress Hears Causus on Sexual Assault in Military
(3:40)
The Congressional Women's Caucus held a hearing today to
highlight the major problem of sexual assault against women
in the military. As Jenny Johnson reports from our DC Bureau,
advocates say the armed forces must be held accountable for
these crimes against women.
[top]
NY Drug Store Using Unfair Labor Practices
(4:03)
Recently the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled
New York Pharmacy chain, Duane Reade, violated federal labor
laws by engaging in unfair labor practices. More than 2,600
employees at 142 Duane Reade stores are working without a
contract, and Duane Reade's owners are refusing to recognize
the union. Now several labor unions are stepping up the fight
against what they call Duane Reade's "bad neighbor polices".
Sarah Turner files this report.
[top]
Colombia River Toxins Uncovered (4:30)
The Environmental Protection Agency is just now discovering
the extent of a century of toxic discharges into the Columbia
River from a Canadian smelter. The new, conservative Canadian
government has gone to bat for mining giant Teck-Cominco which
has operated smelters at Trail, British Columbia since 1896.
They say the EPA has no jurisdiction. But in a landmark international
1938 case, Teck-Cominco paid US farmers for damage done to
their crops by smoke from their smelter. Now the company is
promising years of litigation if the EPA tries to enforce
polluter pays’ provisions of superfund law. This has
left residents on the US side wondering about human and ecological
health along the river. Leigh Robartes has more from Washington
state.
[top]
Privatizing Turkish Oil (3:26)
Turkey's state run oil refiner Tupras announced a 2003 net
profit topping $300 million dollars. Since the company is
owned by the Turkish government, that profit will go back
to the Turkish people. But that situation probably won't last
long. From Ankara, Aaron Glantz and Ozlem Sariyildiz have
more on the privatization of one of the Middle East's largest
oil companies.
[top]
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