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> Thur., Dec. 1, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
DC Community Comes Together to Confront the Spread of HIV
Migrant Workers Susceptible to HIV/AIDS in Thailand
Connecticut Passes Campaign Finance Reform
New Orleans Tenants Organize for Their Rights
The Case against Sami Al-Arian
FSRN Headlines
KYOTO IN EFFECT
The legal framework of the Kyoto Protocol has been formally
adopted by the ongoing United Nations conference to determine
the future of the environmental treaty. Elise Hugus reports
from Montreal.
The Kyoto protocol has now become legally binding after parties
to the treaty formally approved the agreement yesterday in
Montreal. The treaty aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
to below 1990 levels. Some environmentalists say that this
target is too low to combat the effects of global warming,
which could result in rising ocean levels, irregular weather,
drought and famine. Ratified by 55% of the world's nations
last February, many countries have been unable to meet their
commitments without a legal mechanism to enforce the standards.
As the UN negotiations continue until December 9th, environmental
groups are holding parallel events in Montreal to highlight
the responsibility of citizens in combating climate change.
They say that poor people pay the highest cost of the effects
of global warming, signalling the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes
and last December's tsunami. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm
Elise Hugus, in Montreal.
CHEMICAL SPILL KEEPS MOVING
Nearly three weeks after the explosion of a chemical plant
that polluted a major river in Northern China, local authorities
are asking for help to cope with the public health and environmental
implications. Severine Bardon reports from Beijing.
The fifty mile long slick of toxic benzene that polluted
the Songhua River after the November 13th explosion of a petrochemical
plant has now poured into the Heilong River and is expected
to reach the Russian city of Khabarov in about 10 days. After
a formal apology to Russia last weekend, Chinese authorities
are now offering their neighbouring country monitoring equipment
and help to train Russian personnel in dealing with the massive
pollution. China has requested an international scientific
team composed of World Health Organisation and United Nations
Development Program members to evaluate the situation in Harbin.
Their task will be to provide technical expertise in the area
of water and chemical contamination, as well as to study the
public health implications, according to a WHO spokesperson
in Beijing. Scientists estimate that seventy more cities and
about a million people will be affected by the toxic spill
downstream in Russia. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Severine
Bardon in Beijing.
COKE CONTROVERSY IN INDIA
Two Coca-Cola bottling plants in India are facing stiff opposition
from locals who say the company is depleting local water resources.
Binu Alex has more from Ahmedabad.
Hundreds marched yesterday in northern India to protest a
local Coca-Cola bottling plant they say is damaging the local
environment. This, as the Kerala government in southern India
has ruled that a Coca-Cola plant plant in Plachimada must
obtain special clearance to draw groundwater. Local campaigners
say the Plachimada plant may well face a permanent closure
after the government declared the area's water resources over-exploited.
The plant ? India's largest ? has attracted widespread criticism
after the local village governing council cancelled Coke's
licence in response to complaints of depleting ground water
resources. Even a legal battle could not revive the plant
which has since been out of operation for over a year-and-a-half.
Activists in Kerala are now planning to initiate criminal
culpability and liability cases against Coca-Cola for the
"destruction of lives, livelihood, public health and
the environment". From Ahmedabad in India, I am Binu
Alex for Free Speech Radio News.
HOUSTON JANITORS UNIONIZE
Thousands of janitors in Houston are celebrating their vote
to fight for better wages and health care through a union
contract. From KPFT, Renee Feltz has more.
A mariachi band helped celebrate the vote by about 5,000
of 7,000 janitors to unionize. Most Houston janitors are Hispanic
women who help support low to moderate income households:
( woman announces)
The final votes to become members of the Service Employees
Union ? or SEIU... will be certified this week. Janitors who
clean Houston's office buildings generally work part time,
make $5.50 an hour and lack health care. They hope the SEIU
can help. change that:
(audio clip)
The janitor's next step is to negotiate an area-wide "master
contract". For FSRN, I'm Renee Feltz in Houston.
ROSA PARKS ARREST ANNIVERSARY
Events in a number of cities throughout the U.S. today commemorate
the 50th anniversary of the arrest of civil rights activist
Rosa Parks. Chuck Rosina reports from Boston.
(audio) "We had a moment of Silence for Rosa, now let's
make some noise for Rosa!"
A crowd of several hundred marched from Roxbury to downtown
Boston today to honor Rosa Parks and declare today Rosa Parks
Human Rights day. The crowd grew as it moved the the streets
of Boston on it's way to a downtown afternoon rally. The main
theme of the march was ending Poverty, Racism and War, and
demanding troops be brought home now, and dignity for Hurricane
Katrina survivors, and jobs at living wages. I am Chuck Rosina
reporting for Free Speech Radio News from the streets of Boston.
FORENSIC DISCOVERY IN URUGUAY
A team of forensic experts have discovered the remains of
a person thought to have been murdered by government forces
during Uruguay's military dictatorship. Manuela Aldabe reports
from Montevideo.
Partial skeletal remains were discovered earlier this week
on a farm as part of an investigation into allegations of
crimes committed against activists opposed to the military
regime that ruled Uruguay from 1973 to 1985. This is the first
time that the government has led an investigation into the
fate of the country's more than 180 disappeared leftists.
Shortly after taking office earlier this year, President Tabare
Vazquez ordered the country's armed forces to identify possible
clandestine grave sites. The forensic team will completely
unearth the remains today in order to perform tests to confirm
the identity. Uruguay's government is currently re-evaluating
an amnesty law that protects military officials from prosecution.
Manula Aldabe, FSRN, Uruguay.
[top]
DC Community Comes Together to Confront the Spread
of HIV (4:32)
Events around the globe are commemorating World AIDS Day
today, while in Washington DC, President Bush addressed the
HIV crisis within the US. As FSRN's Darby Hickey reports,
those on the frontlines of the fight against the epidemic
say the US government needs to do more, but that they also
have faith in their own communities confronting issues contributing
to the spread of HIV.
[top]
Migrant Workers Susceptible to HIV/AIDS in Thailand
(3:40)
Each year, thousands of migrant workers arrive in Thailand
from neighboring Cambodia, Laos, and Burma, in search of economic
stability. Along with cross border movement and introduction
to a new environment, there is also an increased vulnerability
to HIV/AIDS. FSRN's Cathy Hoang and Kye Mesa Barnard report
from Thailand.
[top]
Connecticut Passes Campaign Finance Reform
(2:37)
Connecticut has passed the most sweeping campaign finance
reform legislation in the country, and Governor M. Jodi Rell
has promised to sign it. The legislation will remove special
interest money from a state whose nickname became "Corrupticut"
after scandals sent both the former state treasurer and governor
to prison. But it discriminates against would-be candidates
who are not Democrats or Republicans. Melinda Tuhus reports
from New Haven.
[top]
New Orleans Tenants Organize for Their Rights
(3:59)
As New Orleans endures a housing crisis caused by the recent
devastation, local tenants are organizing for their rights.
And with the latest extension on illegal evictions, landlords
are increasingly relying on intimidation and extralegal tactics.
Mayaba Leibenthal reports from New Orleans.
[top]
The Case against Sami Al-Arian (3:28)
The trial of Sami Al-Arian has drawn intermittent national
and international attention. A Professor at the University
of South Florida, Al-Arian was arrested in 2003 and charged
with providing material support to the Palestinian Islamic
Jihad under the cover of various charities. Yet after nearly
six months, the prosecution has failed to prove that the money
was sent for any purpose other than charity. US attorneys
have denied that they are pursuing Al-Arian, along with three
other defendants, for political reasons - but many say the
government's case is built on unsubstantiated allegations.
Lance Robson files this report from Tampa.
[top]
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