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> Tue., Mar. 20, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
World Water Forum Concludes
Less Testing for Mad Cow in the U.S.?
The Impeachment Platform
Udate from Iraqi Kurdistan
PLO Rejects Hamas Program
Oregon Lawsuit Seeks to Increase Education Funding
FSRN Headlines
ETA Ceasefire
The Basque separatist group, also known as Eta, has declared
a permanent ceasefire with the Spanish government. For four
decades Eta has been involved in an armed struggle for the
independence of the Basque region of northern Spain and south-west
France. In a statement the group said its objective now was
"to start a new democratic process". Spanish socialist
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said the government
was cautious but hopeful about the announcement.
AG Gonzales Goes After FARC
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced an indictment
against dozens of members of the Colombian rebel group the
FARC. In addition, State Department officials Wednesday announced
rewards totaling more than $75 million for information leading
to the capture of dozens of FARC leaders. The leftist rebel
group was formed in the 1960s and has been engaged in a long
struggle to overthrow the U.S.-backed government in Bogota.
The United States considers FARC a terrorist organization.
A Spy In Saddam's Palace
NBC is reporting that a top official in Saddam Hussein's government
was a paid spy for the CIA. It also reports that the spy gave
the intelligence agency information that contradicted the
Bush administrations assertions of Saddam's weapons programs.
Jessica Silver Greenberg reports.
More Attacks in Iraq
Also in Iraq, fighters attacked the Mayor's office in Baghdad
and a police station south of the Capitol, killing four officers.
GM Downsizing
General Motors announced it has struck a deal with the United
Auto Workers union to offer GM employees as much as 140 thousand
dollars to leave their jobs. GM also will offer employees
with 30 years of service at the GM spinoff of Delphi, $35,000
to retire. The move comes in part so GM can cut its labor
costs and decrease its losses that are in the billions. But
labor journalist David Bacon also says its a way for the auto
industry to decrease the worker pool here in the U.S. Delphi
says it will continue talks in an effort to achieve a comprehensive
agreement with the UAW.
Budget Reduction Law Unconstitutional
A government watchdog group has filed a lawsuit to stop the
Budget Deficit Reduction Act from taking effect. The Act makes
billions of dollars in cuts to social programs such as Medicare,
Medicaid and student loans. The group, Public Citizen, claims
the bill is unconstitutional because the House of Representatives
and the Senate approved different versions of the bill. Adina
Rosenbaum is the attorney on the case.
[top]
World Water Forum Concludes (4:30)
Today is World Water Day. Today is also the closing day
of the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico City. Inside and outside
of the official forum, the human right of access to water
and how to best provide and administer water have been frequent
topics of debate. Shannon Young and Vladimir Flores file this
report from Mexico City.
[top]
Less Testing for Mad Cow in the U.S.? (2:05)
The US Department of Agriculture plans to scale back testing
for mad cow disease this year…at a time when USDA's
still finding new cases. Washington correspondent Matt Kaye
reports…
[top]
The Impeachment Platform (4:02)
This election year, some candidates are using the impeachment
of President Bush as their central campaign issue. And as
Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from DC, that will be their first
priority when they are elected to office.
[top]
Udate from Iraqi Kurdistan (4:24)
MSNBC reports today the Pentagon is developing plans on
how it would react if a full-scale civil war erupted in Iraq.
US military officials told the network if the sectarian conflict
worsens more American soldiers and Marines could be sent to
fight directly against ethnic militias. Meantime, negotiations
over a new government continue in Baghdad, while local leaders
deal with continued tensions. David Enders files this report
from Iraqi Kurdistan, where riots erupted last week against
the Kurdish government..
[top]
PLO Rejects Hamas Program (2:30)
The militant Islamic group Hamas today moved a step closer
to taking control of the Palestinian government, calling a
special session of parliament to approve its new Cabinet,
sweeping aside objections from the Palestinian president over
its refusal to recognise Israel. The move came as the executive
committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization rejected
the political program of the Islamic movement. Hamas came
to power by sweeping Palestinian elections in late January.
From Bethlehem, Manar Jibreen has more.
[top]
Oregon Lawsuit Seeks to Increase Education Funding
(3:27)
Six public school districts and three families filed suit
against the state of Oregon Tuesday over inadequate school
funding. Lead by the Oregon School Funding Defense Foundation,
the plaintiffs charge the state legislature with betraying
its constitutional duty to allocate sufficient funds to provide
all 550,000 K through 12 students with a quality education.
Kirsten Flagg has more from Oregon.
[top]
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