April 05, 2005
Headlines
More $ for Nukes?
The Nation’s top nuclear weapons administrator wants additional money from Congress to develop more advanced systems. Kelly Giddens has more from D.C.
Louisiana Court Says $ Considered in Poor’s Prosecutions
The Louisiana state Supreme Court says that prosecutions of the poor can be halted until there is enough money to pay public defenders. Mabíli Ajaní reports from La Place, Louisiana.
Feminist Party In Sweden
A new party calling itself the Feminist Initiative was introduced in Sweden. Ezgi Sirtas has more.
More Capital Punishment Worldwide Than Ever Before
According to Amnesty International, there are more state sponsored executions world wide than there have been in the past 25 years. China leads the list of nations with more than 34-hundred out of a global total of more than 7-thousand. China, Iran, Viet Nam and the United States perform 97-percent of all state sponsored executions. On the flip side, five countries abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2004 – Bhutan, Greece, Samoa, Senegal and Turkey. Kristin Houle with Amnesty International says the real problem is that it is virtually impossible to know about all executions. (SOUND) 120 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. In the United States six people were sentenced to death and later released on the grounds of being found innocent. Houle says the U.S. Supreme Court also put the United States on the list of countries that outlaws juvenile executions.
Features
Alberto Gonzales Seeks to Make Patriot Act Permanent (4:16)
Congress is beginning its debate on whether to renew over a dozen sections of the USA Patriot Act that expire by the end of the year. While some lawmakers are calling for either the end or the modification of provisions that give federal authorities access to library records and sneak and peak surveillance, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez testified today in the Senate that all provisions set to expire must be made permanent and that some parts of the Patriot Act must be strengthened. Mitch Jeserich was at the hearing and he brings us this report.
Email Center of Controversy in Yucca Mountain Hearing (1:36)
Emails are now at the center of a scandal that could affect the use of Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste dump site. House members of the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization Subcommittee met today to hear whether allegations of false data created by United States Geological Survey employees were true. Selina Musuta of the DC Radio Co-op gives an update from the capitol.
Yucca Mountain Proposal Plagued by Problems (5:01)
As fraudulent science within the US Geological Survey threatens to bury the plan to make Nevada’s Yucca Mountain the nation’s repository for spent nuclear waste, other factors are also under investigation, including cost over-runs and safety concerns in transporting the waste across the country. Alan Naumann has more.
Left-Wing Regional Victories in Italy (1:23)
Regional elections were held in 13 out of 20 Italian regions during the weekend. Given the right wing’s majority in the Italian government, the left wing coalition’s overwhelming gain in 10 regions came as surprise. FSRN’s Diletta Varlese reports.
California Debates Revision to Worker’s Compensation Law (4:17)
Last week, the Texas House of Representatives passed legislation to overhaul the state’s compensation system for injured workers. Missouri governor Matt Blunt signed a similar bill reforming that state’s worker’s comp guidelines. Meanwhile, hundreds of injured workers and their attorneys rallied in San Francisco yesterday, as California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation held the last public hearing on proposed cuts in permanent disability payments for workplace injuries. FSRN correspondent Vinny Lombardo has the story.
Community Launches Low Power FM in Nashville (3:44)
Independent media activists and community members have launched a low-power FM radio station in Nashville, Tennessee. Ingrid Drake from the DC Radio Co-op reports.
