Archive - Nov 2012

• Army Private Bradley Manning describes pre-trial treatment, solitary confinement at military hearing
• Senate amendments to NDAA cover Guantanamo transfers, indefinite detention
• Ohio recounts could lead to Republican supermajority in House
• In Democratic Republic of Congo more than 100,000 displaced as M23 rebels delay withdrawal from Goma
• Mexico’s President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto faces historic drug war violence on eve of taking office

• FCC to open low-power FM licensing process
• Los Angeles port clerical worker walk-out continue a fourth day
• Civil rights group sue over AZ Deferred Action driver’s license ban
• CT man becomes latest example of Secure Communities failings
• AIDS activists plan World AIDS Day events worldwide
• Opposition groups plan to boycott Kuwait’s parliamentary elections

Private Bradley Manning returned to the witness stand today to describe harsh treatment and isolation while in military custody. It’s part of a pre-trial hearing taking place this week at Fort Meade, Maryland. Manning is accused of releasing classified information to Wikileaks. He faces 22 charges. Manning’s defense calls his treatment unlawful pretrial punishment and is asking the judge to dismiss charges or reduce sentencing.

In Washington, the US Senate passed several significant amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, including a provision that prohibits the transfer of detainees out of Guantanamo, and another that bans the indefinite detention without trial of US citizens and lawful permanent residents. Some human rights advocates say both amendments violate the Constitution and international law, because they don’t recognize the universal right to due process. On Capitol Hill, FSRN’s Alice Ollstein reports.

In Ohio, two state house races remain too close to call. Although the state went blue for the presidential race, Republicans currently hold a significant majority in both houses of the state legislature and on the state's Supreme Court. A Republican also holds the office of governor. If the GOP gains two additional seats in the House following the recount, it would give them a veto-proof supermajority. FSRN's Evan Davis has more.

A new president takes office tomorrow in Mexico. Enrique Peña Nieto will be inheriting a multifaceted crisis aggravated by six years of drug war policies. Between 65,000 and 100,000 people have been killed in the internal war. Another 25 thousand are missing. The militarized approach has sunk Mexico into its most violent era since the 1910 revolution. But, in a trip to Washington DC this week, the Mexican president-elect hinted that he's ready to take a different approach. FSRN’s Shannon Young reports.