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Last Updated: Dec 9th, 2008 - 12:56:12 |
Black Church in Mass. Burned to Ground on Election Night
In Springfield, Massachusetts, a predominantly Black congregation is vowing to rebuild its church after it was burned to the ground two weeks ago, just hours after the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first Black president. Law enforcement officials say the fire at the Macedonia Church of God in Christ, which was under construction, was intentionally set. No arrests have been made. Officials encouraged the public to contact local police or the arson hotline, 1-800-682-9229, with any information. A reward of up to $5,000 is offered for clues that solve the case.
Hundreds of Race-Based Incidents Reported Since Election of Obama
Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center said there have been “hundreds” of race-based incidents since the election. The Associated Press has compiled a list of other possible hate crimes over the past two weeks. Crosses were burned in yards of Obama supporters in Hardwick, New Jersey and Apolacan Township, Pennsylvania. In the Pittsburgh suburb of Forest Hills, a black man said he found a note with a racial slur on his car windshield, saying, “Now that you voted for Obama, just watch out for your house.” A black teenager in New York City said he was attacked with a bat on election night by four white men who shouted “Obama.” In Standish, Maine, a sign inside the Oak Hill General Store read, “Osama Obama Shotgun Pool.” Customers could sign up to bet $1 on a date when Obama would be killed. At North Carolina State University, four students admitted writing a sign on the campus that called for shooting Obama in the head. And in Idaho, second- and third-grade students on a school bus in Rexburg, Idaho were heard chanting "assassinate Obama.”
Miriam Makeba Memorial Held in South Africa
And in South Africa, over 2,000 people gathered on Saturday to hold a public memorial for Miriam Makeba, one of Africa’s best-known singers and a champion of the fight against apartheid during three decades in exile. Makeba died at the age of seventy-six on November 9th. Makeba, who was known as Mama Africa, was the first black South African musician to gain international fame and was a longtime critic of the apartheid system.
South African Deputy President Baleka Mbete: “We have come together to pay tribute to a soul that loomed larger than life. We are here to commiserate with the family, relatives and friends of Mama Africa and to share in the loss of this beloved African heroine, about whom we can say she was an outstanding patriot and a Pan-Africanist. We take this moment to say to the Makeba family, your pain is our pain, your loss is the loss of the entire world. I am sure we can agree that we are here to pay homage and celebrate a life lived to the fullest. It is for this reason that the tears we shed are not tears of pain but are tears of joy, for Mama Makeba left us a legacy that will be in our historical memory for generations to come.”
Saudi Oil Supertanker Hijacked Off Coast of Kenya
A group of Somali pirates have hijacked a Saudi supertanker 450 nautical miles off the coast of Kenya. The supertanker is three times the size of an aircraft carrier. The tanker holds up to two million barrels of oil, more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia’s daily exports. It is the largest vessel ever seized by a Somali gang. According to Al Jazeera, there have been sixty-three reported incidents of piracy this year off the coast of Somalia. Thirteen vessels are still being held with a total of 275 crew members.
Gov’t Study Concludes “Gulf War Syndrome” is Legitimate Condition
A congressionally mandated report released Monday concluded that “Gulf War Syndrome” is a legitimate condition suffered by more than 175,000 US war veterans who were exposed to chemical toxins in the 1991 Gulf War. The report could help veterans who have battled the government for treatment of a wide range of unexplained neurological illnesses, from brain cancer to multiple sclerosis. The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses said, “Scientific evidence leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a real condition with real causes and serious consequences for affected veterans.” The report links the illness to a drug given to troops to protect against nerve gas and to pesticides that were widely used to protect against sand flies and other pests. For much of the past seventeen years, government officials have maintained that Gulf War veterans were merely suffering the effects of wartime stress.
Report: US Has Spent Over $4 Trillion to Combat Economic Crisis
The business news channel CNBC is estimating the US government has already spent more than $4 trillion over the past year on corporate bailouts, loans and other efforts to combat the financial crisis. That is more than what was spent on World War II if adjusted for inflation. CNBC calculated the figure based on what it described as a complicated cocktail of budgeted dollars, actual spending, guarantees, loans, swaps and other market mechanisms by the Federal Reserve, the Treasury and other offices of government.
Citigroup to Lay Off 52,000 Workers
In other economic news, the banking giant Citigroup has announced plans to eliminate 52,000 jobs, or 14 percent of its global work force. The New York Times describes this as one of the largest single rounds of layoffs on record.
John Challenger, Challenger, Gray & Christmas: “This is a big mega layoff, largest of the year, and we haven’t seen many layoffs of this size over the last decade. It certainly signals the depth of the problems in financial services and in the US economy when a company of this size can do such large job cuts.”
Six Top Obama Fundraisers Now Leading Transition Teams
At least a half-dozen of President-elect Barack Obama’s new transition team leaders were among Obama’s top fundraisers who “bundled” cash for him on the campaign trail. Four of them raised $500,000 or more for the Obama campaign. Some public interest advocates have expressed concern over the links. Craig Holman of Public Citizen said, "Any time you see these people who brought in half a million dollars to the campaign being appointed to government service, it’s a red flag.”
Report: Obama Unlikely to Bring Charges Against Bush Officials for Torture
The Associated Press reports Barack Obama’s incoming administration is unlikely to bring criminal charges against government officials who authorized or engaged in torture during the Bush presidency. Two Obama advisers said there’s little—if any—chance that the incoming president’s Justice Department will go after anyone involved in authorizing or carrying out interrogations. President Bush may also decide to protect his top aides and interrogators by issuing a preemptive pardon before his term ends.
500 Mourn Ecuadorean Immigrant Stabbed to Death in NY
In Long Island, New York, more than 500 people gathered on Saturday for the funeral of an Ecuadorean immigrant who was taunted and stabbed to death in Patchogue, New York. Marcelo Lucero died last week after being attacked and stabbed to death. He was thirty-seven years old. Police say Lucero was targeted because he was Latino. Police have arrested seven young white men on gang assault charges. One of them, Jeffrey Conroy, has also been charged with first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime. Police say Conroy fatally wounded Lucero by plunging a knife into his chest. On Friday night, hundreds gathered for an outside memorial for Marcelo Lucero. Speakers included immigrant rights activist Carlos Rodas.
Carlos Rodas: “Tonight is a night in which the entire Hispanic community comes together to lament the violent death of one of our own community members, a Latino, an Ecuadorean, who like many of us leaves our country filled with many great hopes and dreams to this great country in search of the American dream.”
Bankruptcy Filings Increase by 34 Percent
In other economic news, the number of bankruptcy filings has increased sharply. Over 108,000 bankruptcy claims were filed in October, a 34 percent increase over October 2007. The New York Times reports bankruptcy filings are increasing most rapidly in states where real estate values skyrocketed and then crashed, including Nevada, California and Florida.
Obama Vows to Close Guantanamo
In his first television interview since the election, President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday he plans to close the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay and rebuild the nation’s moral stature. His comments came in an interview with Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes.
Steve Kroft: “There are a number of different things that you could do early on pertaining to executive orders.”
Barack Obama: “Right.”
Kroft: “One of them is to shut down Guantanamo Bay. Another is to change interrogation methods that are used by US troops. Are those things that you plan to take early action on?”
Obama: “Yes. I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America doesn’t torture, and I’m going to make sure that we don’t torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America’s moral stature in the world.”
Obama Confirms Meeting with Sen. Clinton
During the 60 Minutes interview, Obama confirmed that he had met last week with his former rival Senator Hillary Clinton. Speculation is growing that Obama may pick Clinton to be his Secretary of State. The New York Times reports Obama’s advisers have begun reviewing former President Bill Clinton’s finances and activities to see whether they would preclude the appointment of Sen. Clinton.
Obama Taps More Ex-Clinton Officials to Fill Top Posts
Meanwhile, President-elect Obama has named more former Clinton administration officials to top posts. Obama has reportedly picked Gregory Craig to be his White House counsel. Craig served as President Bill Clinton’s lead attorney during the 1998 impeachment proceedings. Obama’s transition team has also named Ronald Klain to be chief of staff to Vice President-elect Joseph Biden. Klain previously served as Vice President Al Gore’s chief of staff and as a lobbyist. Klain’s lobbying clients have included the failed mortgage giant Fannie Mae, the media giant Time Warner, and the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, a business group that sought government help resolving asbestos lawsuits.
Israel Briefly Opens Gaza Border Crossing
Israel temporarily opened a border crossing with Gaza today to allow a limited supply of humanitarian aid to reach the territory. Thirty trucks, including eleven from the United Nations, were allowed to travel into Gaza. On Friday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency announced it had run out of food and was unable to replenish storage facilities because of the Israeli blockade. The UN provides food aid to 750,000 Palestinians. Israel says the blockade is needed because Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets at nearby Israeli towns.
© Copyright 2006 SeeingBlack.com
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