Newscast for Tuesday, December 16, 2008

• Supreme Court: Guantanamo Detainees Can Sue Over Torture
• Arne Duncan Tapped for Secretary of Education
• Latinos Seek Expansion of Hate Crimes Laws
• Prenatal Immigration
• Gay Rights in Kenya

Supreme Court: Guantanamo Detainees Can Sue Over Torture
The US Supreme Court has  revived a lawsuit by four British Muslims over their treatment at Guantanamo Bay. They say they were tortured, abused, and harassed during their daily prayers. And they're trying to bring the suit against officials as high-ranking as former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. But the US Court of Appeals in Washington had ruled they have no rights under the constitution because they were foreigners held by the military. The Supreme Court ordered a court of appeals to take another look at that case. Joining us to discuss what the latest development means is Ben WISE-ner, a staff attorney with the ACLU's national security project.  Ben Wisener is a staff attorney with the ACLU's national security project.

Arne Duncan Tapped for Secretary of Education
President-elect Barack Obama has tapped Arne (AR-ney) Duncan to be Secretary of Education. Duncan is currently head of the Chicago Public School System, where he's earned a reputation as a reformer and where he's also won support from teachers' unions. But some education activists are concerned about some of his initiatives.  Leigh Ann Caldwell reports:

Latinos Seek Expansion of Hate Crimes Laws
Lawmakers and Latino advocacy groups have announced a new initiative to broaden the definition of hate crimes.  The move comes after three recent murders of Latino men in New York and Pennsylvania.  Sam Greenspan has more from Washington.

Prenatal Immigration
In South Korea, many parents dream of having a child educated in the United States. But because of high costs and visa rules, it's not very easy for many of them.  So some South Korean families are turning to an unusual workaround: traveling, in order to give birth on US soil. Jason Strother has this report on pre-natal immigration:

Gay Rights in Kenya
In 38 African countries, it's illegal to be gay.  Penalties include fines, imprisonment, labor camps and death.  In Kenya, homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in jail, although no one has ever been convicted.  FSRN's Arusha Topazzini spent time with Pauline Kimani, a 23-year-old gay-rights activist and one of Kenya's few lesbians to openly admit to her sexuality. She and 2 other activists were attacked and received threats after taking part in Kenya's first talk-show on homosexuality in August this year.  This was not the first time Pauline was assaulted because of her sexuality: a few years ago she was gang-raped.