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Last Updated: May 1st, 2008 - 12:06:03 |
ABC Criticized Over Handling of Democratic Debate
ABC News is coming under intense criticism for its handling of the Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. It was the last before next week’s primary. Media critic Greg Mitchell said it was “perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years.” During the first 45 minutes of the debate, the moderators focused on Obama’s comments that some voters in Pennsylvania were bitter, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Clinton’s Bosnia “sniper fire” story, flag pins…and the Weather Underground.
Groups Call for Rice to Resign Over Role in Approving Torture
A group of liberal advocacy groups have launched a campaign calling for the resignation of Secretary State Condoleezza Rice after ABC News revealed Rice personally oversaw meetings where top Bush administration officials selected specific torture techniques. As part of the campaign, a new TV ad has been produced by Brave New Films.
GOP Congressman Describes Obama as a “Boy”
In other campaign news, a Republican Congressman is coming under criticism for calling Obama a “boy” during a campaign fundraiser. Congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky questioned Obama’s fitness to be president and said, “That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button.” A spokesperson for Davis claimed that the remark was not meant to be racist.
Report: 300,000 Iraq & Afghan Vets Suffer PTSD & Depression
300,000 US troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. This, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation. Researchers say nearly 20 percent of the troops who served in the war zones are suffering PTSD and depression, but only half of them have sought treatment. RAND researcher Terri Tanielian said, “Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for the nation.” The study also estimates that 320,000 service members had experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed. Researchers say female soldiers and reservists had the highest rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression. Meanwhile, in Texas, the Dallas VA Medical Center has been forced to close its psychiatric ward to new patients after the suicides of four veterans this year.
Mistrial Declared Again in Miami Terror Case
In Miami, federal prosecutors have been dealt another setback in a closely watched terrorism case. For the second time, a mistrial has been declared because of a deadlocked jury in the trial of six Miami men accused of providing material support to al-Qaeda to destroy FBI buildings and Chicago’s Sears Tower. University of Miami Law Professor Bruce Winick said, “The jury doesn’t trust the government’s credibility here. It’s a trumped-up, overblown case.” The US attorney’s office in Miami has until Wednesday to decide whether to seek a third trial.
Outgoing HUD Secretary Accused of Ignoring Housing Crisis
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| Alphonso Jackson, shown with his boss, is accused of ignoring the housing crisis while at HUD |
Criticism is mounting of outgoing Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson’s handling of the national housing crisis. Jackson is said to have ignored repeated warnings from within his agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, that the rise in subprime mortgages was increasing the risk of home foreclosures. During Jackson’s tenure, foreclosures on government-insured housing loans and default rates have hit a record high. In interviews with the Washington Post, HUD officials revealed Jackson used agency money for perks including a personal chef and a full-time security detail. Jackson’s office also opened a $7 million auditorium and cafeteria at HUD’s headquarters despite calls to use that money for low-income housing. Jackson also solicited an emergency bid for oil portraits of himself and four other HUD secretaries—at a taxpayer cost of $100,000. Housing experts say Jackson will be remembered as so committed to President Bush’s stated goal of increasing homeownership that he brought mortgage risks to new highs.
Barrick Gold Threatens Canadian Book Publisher
The world’s largest gold miner, Barrick Gold, is threatening to sue a small Canadian book publisher over a new book detailing abuses Canadian-owned businesses have committed in Africa. The book links Barrick Gold to the deaths of fifty-two Tanzanian miners who were buried alive in 1996. The mine was owned at that time by Vancouver-based Sutton and sold to Barrick in 1999. But the authors of the book suggest that Barrick acted with Sutton to prepare the deposit for large-scale development. According to the Canwest News Service, the Quebec publishing house has decided to go ahead with publishing the book despite the threat from Barrick.
Home Foreclosure Filings Surge 57 Percent
In economic news, home foreclosure filings surged 57 percent in the twelve-month period ending in March, and bank repossessions soared 129 percent from a year ago. The real estate data firm RealtyTrac is predicting the number of foreclosures will continue to rise in coming months. One in nearly every 500 US households living in a single-family dwelling received a foreclosure filing last month. The hardest hit states have been Nevada, California and Florida.
Senate Foreclosure Bill Includes Corporate Tax Breaks
The New York Times reports a new Senate bill meant to help American homeowners in danger of foreclosure will actually provide billions of dollars in tax breaks to automakers, airline companies, alternative energy producers and other industries. Consumer groups and labor leaders say the tax breaks amount to government handouts to big business. One lobbyist said that the companies that had sought the tax breaks included Ford, General Motors, American Airlines, Northwest Airlines and Goodyear Tire and Rubber.
Amnesty: US Remains One of World’s Top Executioners
And a new report from Amnesty International has determined at least 1,200 people were executed in the world last year. 88 percent of the executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United States. Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Irene Khan said China remains the world’s top executioner.
Irene Khan: ‘’Well, we published today our annual death penalty statistics, and those statistics show that China is still the top executioner in the world, that Iran is one of the leading executioners. There are still too many executions, death penalty cases, in those countries. And last year we campaigned successfully to get the United Nations to call for a moratorium on the death penalty, and we would like to see the European Union to push that issue in its dialogue with China and Iran and countries like that.’’
Warning Issued about Chemical Used in Plastic Baby Bottles
Government researchers are warning that a controversial chemical used in baby bottles and other hard plastic containers could be harming the development of children’s brains and reproductive organs. The National Toxicology Program said there was “some concern” that fetuses, babies and children were in danger because bisphenol A, or BPA, harmed animals at low levels. BPA is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in industry today. The Los Angeles Times reports that some scientists suspect that exposure early in life to BPA disrupts hormones and alters genes, programming a fetus or child for breast or prostate cancer, premature female puberty, attention deficit disorders and other reproductive or neurological disorders. A number of states, including California and New Jersey, are considering bans on BPA.
Pentagon Report: Iraq War Is a “Major Debacle”
Meanwhile, a new study by the Pentagon’s premier military educational institute has concluded the war in Iraq has become “a major debacle” and the outcome “is in doubt” despite the so-called surge. The opening line of the report says, “Measured in blood and treasure, the war in Iraq has achieved the status of a major war and a major debacle.” The study was released by the National Institute for Strategic Studies, a Pentagon research center.
Bank of America Ends Private Student Loan Business
Meanwhile, the student loan crisis is worsening. On Thursday, Bank of America announced it is ending its private student loan business for the coming year. The bank will continue to offer loans through the federal student loan program. The Boston Globe reports more than fifty firms have abandoned or cut back their federal or private student loan programs this year, unable to raise money in the financial markets.
Merrill Lynch to Eliminate 4,000 Jobs
In economic news, Merrill Lynch has announced plans to eliminate 4,000 jobs this year, about ten percent of its workforce. The investment bank lost $2 billion in the first three months of the year.
Pope Expresses Deep Shame Over Sexual Abuse Scandal
On his second day in the United States, Pope Benedict XVI expressed deep shame over the priest sexual abuse scandal and said Catholic bishops must work hard to bring Americans back into the Church. At the White House, President Bush praised Pope Benedict’s message.
President Bush: “In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that God is love. And embracing this love is the surest way to save men from falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism. In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred.”
Pope Calls for Fair Treatment of Immigrants in the US
During his meeting with President Bush, Pope Benedict also discussed the treatment of Latino immigrants in the United States. The Pope said the US must do everything possible to fight all forms of violence, so that immigrants may lead dignified lives.
400 Detained in Immigration Raids
While the Pope was in Washington, immigration agents were raiding plants run by the chicken processing company Pilgrim’s Pride. 400 immigrant workers were detained. The raids occurred in Batesville, Arkansas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Live Oak, Florida; Morefield, West Virginia; and Mt. Pleasant, Texas. It was the largest immigration roundup at a workplace this year.
More International News:
Food Protests Start in Bangladesh and South Africa
In Bangladesh at least 15,000 garment factory workers went on strike to call for higher wages to cover the soaring price of food. In South Africa, the country’s main union has kicked off a series of protests over increasing food prices. In recent weeks food riots have also erupted in Haiti, Niger, Senegal, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. Protests have flared in Morocco, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Mexico and Yemen. Here in the United States, food inflation has reached its highest level in seventeen years, and analysts expect it to get worse.
Kenya Swears in Power-Sharing Government
Kenya has sworn in a power-sharing government nearly four months after a disputed election plunged the east African country into a bloody crisis that left more than 1,200 people dead. Mwai Kibaki will remain as president, and his chief rival, Raila Odinga, will serve as prime minister. The two men met secretly recently to break a six-week deadlock over forming the coalition. Prime Minister Raila Odinga said Kenya must remain united.
Raila Odinga: “We have been to hell and back. Never again in our history must we return to those times. We must preserve the sanctity of our nation state and remain united. But our unity cannot be based on words and goodwill alone.”
US to Release Iraqi Prisoners, Teach Them About Islam
The Wall Street Journal reports US commanders in Iraq have begun releasing hundreds of Iraqi prisoners after concluding the military’s detention policy might be harming US goals in Iraq. The US is currently holding about 23,000 Iraqis, many without charge. The US military has begun building a pair of large halfway houses in Taji and Ramadi, where detainees will undergo vocational training. The Wall Street Journal reports the US military also plans to teach religious courses to the former prisoners about how to be a moderate Muslim. Imams will be brought in by the military to teach courses that highlight the Islamic precepts that bar the killing of innocents and offer alternative interpretations of jihad.
Amnesty Calls for Probe into Civilian Deaths in Gaza
Amnesty International is calling on the Israeli government to investigate the recent killings of Palestinian civilians and a Reuters journalist in Gaza. Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana was struck by fire from an Israeli tank while he was filming. He had traveled to the scene in a car clearly marked “TV-Press.” He was killed as he started to film the tank. Doctors in Gaza have revealed that Fadel Shana was killed by a controversial weapon that fired metal darts from a tank shell. Several of the three-centimeter-long darts, known as flechettes, were embedded in Shana’s legs and chest. Israeli doctors and Palestinian human rights groups attempted to get the US-supplied weapons banned in Israel five years ago. Reuters senior Gaza correspondent Nidal al-Mughrabi condemned the killing of Fadel Shana.
Nidal al-Mughrabi: “What happened was very tragic. Today is a very black day. Today is a very sad day. We all know that this was the price for Fadel’s dedication and bravery, and this is the kind of price that dedicated journalists pay in areas as risky as Gaza. Reuters has demanded a full and thorough investigation into the circumstances of Fadel’s killing, and we will await the investigation.”
Report: Netanyahu Says 9/11 Has Been Good for Israel
The Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv has reported that Israel’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly said the September 11 attacks have been good for Israel. Netanyahu said, “We are benefiting from one thing, and that is the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, and the American struggle in Iraq." Netanyahu then reportedly said that these events “swung American public opinion in our favor.” Netanyahu’s comments came during a conference at Bar Ilan University.
Nigeria Releases US Filmmakers
And in news from Africa, Nigerian authorities have freed four US documentary filmmakers and their Nigerian colleague after detaining them for five days. The Seattle-based filmmakers were detained in the Niger Delta while working on their documentary Sweet Crude about oil production in Nigeria. Nigerian officials accused them of traveling without a military escort.
Cuba Eases Restrictions on Wages, Home Ownership
The Cuban government has announced new measures to ease state-imposed curbs on wages and ownership. Thousands of Cubans will now be allowed to get title to state-owned homes. The government also says it plans to do away with limits on state wages. The measures are the first approved by Raul Castro since succeeding his brother Fidel earlier this year.
Venezuelans Mark 6th Anniversary of US-Backed Coup
In Venezuela, tens thousands of people gathered in Caracas Sunday to mark the sixth anniversary of the US-backed coup against President Hugo Chavez. Chavez was briefly overthrown by a group of business and military leaders. He returned to the National Palace following a groundswell of protest and a counter-revolt by loyal soldiers. On Sunday, Chavez again addressed supporters outside the Palace.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez: “Six years ago, not only was Venezuela’s destiny at stake but, like Fidel Castro believed, the destiny of all of Latin America was at stake.”
Venezuela to Send Food Aid to Haiti
Chavez also announced a new shipment of food aid to Haiti, which he said has suffered under “global capitalism.”
Chavez: “In the name of Venezuela, I have decided to send 200 tons of food to the people of Haiti who are being assaulted by hunger and misery. Brotherly and heroic are the people of Haiti who are already suffering from the attacks of the empire’s global capitalism and the lack of true and profound solidarity from all of us. It is the least we can do for Haiti.”
Haiti Announces Rice Subsidy as PM Removed
Haiti was brought to a standstill last week in a series of protests over the rising cost of food. On Saturday, President René Préval announced subsidies he said would cut the cost of rice by more than 15 percent. In response to the crisis, Haitian senators voted to remove Haitian Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis, who had been blamed for mishandling Haiti’s economy.
Report: Sea Levels Could Rise Five Feet by 2100
In environmental news, researchers are predicting global sea levels could rise by as much as five feet by the end of this century because of melting glaciers, disappearing ice sheets and warming water. This could displace tens of millions of people. The findings were presented this week at the European Geosciences Union conference.
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