ran marciano is standing by in gulf shores, alabama. new this morning, government investigators confirming a whistle-blower's charge that a cozy relationship between the federal aviation administrationed a northwest airlines compromised passenger safety. a report by the transportation department's inspector general says northwest repeatedly failed to follow federal safety orders for more than a decade while the faa routinely's l lly allowed t airline to avoid fines and penalty. scotch ministers have turned down an invitation to testify next week when a senate committee holds hearings on the release of the lockerbie bomber. senators want to get to the bottom of the decision to free al megrahi from jail last year, allowing him to return home to libya on humanitarian grounds. they want to explore bp's role in that controversy. the energy giant denies specifically lobbying for al megrahi's release to win a