Archive - Oct 30, 2009

• Political rivals in Honduras reach a power-sharing deal
• Dozens of lawmakers face ethics investigations as public distrust grows
• Activists demand an end to mountain top removal
• Native American communities cope with toxic legacy of uranium mining
• New Jersey's race for governor tightens in final days

• US/Colombia military base agreement signed
• Thousands flee from massive oil fire in India
• Haiti’s PM gets the ouster
• US lifts travel ban for people with HIV/AIDS
• Judge defends protest rights for logging activists in Oregon

The four-month-long political crisis in Honduras could be close to reaching a resolution. Negotiators representing elected president Manuel Zelaya and de-facto president Roberto Micheletti signed an agreement Thursday night to create a power-sharing government.

Zelaya negotiator Dr. Victor Meza read a section of the agreement's text aloud during a press conference broadcast by Radio Globo:

"'Both negotiating commissions have respectfully agreed that the National Congress - as an institutional expression of popular sovereignty, using its abilities in consultation with pertinent bodies like the Supreme Court of Justice and abiding by the law - resolve the procedure with respect to returning the executive title to its state prior to June 28th until the present term ends on January 27th, 2010.

That's the text. Perhaps it seems naive or simplistic. Perhaps it seems on face value that it doesn't say much. But believe me that it’s been rather difficult to reach a minimal consensus to be able to put it into writing."

The Organization of American States congratulated all sides on the agreement and indicated that it's a step toward lifting Honduras' suspension from the hemispheric organization. Both sides agreed to elections on November 29th.

The Washington Post is reporting that dozens of congressional representatives and their staffers are under investigation for suspected ethics violations. This comes as polls show an alarming level of public distrust in the legislative branch. Indeed, “government” has become a bad word in many circles. FSRN’s Tanya Snyder files this report.

Activists are demanding the end of the destructive form of surface mining, known as mountain top removal, in more than two dozen demonstrations across the country today. Meanwhile, in West Virginia, a coal company known for hundreds of violations of the clean water act has begun blasting on a mountain top. Local activists had hoped it would hold wind turbines. Melinda Tuhus reports from Rock Creek in the Coal River Valley.

In the 1940s, the U.S. government and private companies began mining uranium on tribal lands in the Southwest. The industry went on to develop atomic weapons for World War II and the cold war in the decades to come. In the 1980s, with the draw down of cold war tensions, the uranium industry abandoned thousands of mines in the region. It also left a deadly legacy of contamination.

This week the US Senate approved a resolution designating today, October 30th, as a national day of remembrance for the half-million uranium workers in the country. But the Navajo, Pueblo and other Native American people in the Southwest are still fighting to recover.

We’re joined by Anna Rondon. She’s Navajo and the coordinator of the Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum. The group has been organizing around the issue for more than 20 years and just wrapped up a forum on uranium and the nuclear chain last weekend.

The governor's race in New Jersey will be decided in just a few days - and it's close.  Incumbent Jon Corzine has only a slight lead over Republican challenger Chris Christie. Many say this race has become a battle of personalities in the face of some serious economic issues that threaten New Jersey's future. Amber Cortes reports.