Archive - Jan 29, 2010

• Guilty verdict in murder trial of Kansas abortion-provider, Dr. Tiller
• At World Social Forum in Brazil activists assess ten years of global justice effort
• President of National Congress of American Indians points to challenges in tribal communities
• Obama’s plan to streamline student loans draws resistance from lawmakers, industry
• US reviews human rights record in New Orleans

• US sees best GDP growth in 6 years
• Blair says Iraq WMD threat overstated, but invasion justified
• Copenhagen Climate goals reporting deadline looms
• Afia Siddiqui testifies; charges are “just ridiculous”
• Leading Palestinian activist arrested by Israel
• West Virginia tree sitters end protest because of plummeting temperatures

The trial of Scott Roeder ended this morning in Wichita, Kansas. Roeder has admitted to murdering late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, who was shot dead at his church last May. Sehvilla Mann reports on the verdict.

This week, The World Social Forum concludes the first of a series of international meetings. This one took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The World Social Forum began in 2001 as a gathering for activists and scholars with sharp criticisms of the current global economic system. The forum aimed to create a place where people from around the world could develop alternative policies based on human rights and social justice. After ten years, activists are looking back at gains and losses in the movement -- and what they hope to change for the next phase.

Boaventura Santos is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He's also a visiting professor in Madison, Wisconsin. He joins us from Porto Alegre where he is attending the meetings.

Two days after President Obama gave his State of the Union address, another presidential address took place today in Washington, DC. Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, spoke about the State of Indian Nations. His message: the problems facing Indian Country are urgent and widespread. Tanya Snyder has more.

President Barack Obama announced a $33 billion dollar stimulus package that will go towards jobs creation.  At a stop in Baltimore, Maryland today, he said the money will be used in the form of a tax credit for small businesses that increase their employment ranks. This follows the president's State of the Union address Wednesday in which he tied most of his plans to helping the struggling economy. Another proposal was for making college more affordable for students.  His idea: to cut banks out of the student-loan making process. A bill to do just this has already passed in the House. But as FSRN's Karen Miller reports, it’s meeting opposition from Republicans, Democrats and the industry.

For the first time, the US Government is participating in a review of its human rights record conducted by the United Nations. The universal periodic review is a new program for the UN. It asks member states to develop a plan to improve human rights in their own countries. In the US, the consultation process started this week in New Orleans with residents and advocacy groups from around the gulf coast. FSRN's Zoe Sullivan reports.