Headlines for Friday, February 19, 2010

Marjah offensive continues in Afghanistan
NATO forces continue to push ahead with the major offensive in the Afghan city of Marjah, despite what a British commander calls “stiff resistance” . The operation began seven days ago and involves 15 thousand NATO troops and Afghan policemen. Eleven NATO soldiers and three Afghan police have died. The number of Taliban and civilian causalities is uncertain. The offensive is expected to last another month.

Military coup creates uncertainty in Niger
The West African state of Niger is once again facing an uncertain political future in the wake of Thursday's military-backed coup. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.

The military ousted President Mamadou Tandja on Thursday after months of political instability. Tandja sparked a political crisis last year when he suddenly assumed emergency powers and changed the constitution in an effort to extend his term by three years.

His action caused outrage in the country and drew international sanctions. There are no details of Tandja’s whereabouts. Also, the military has not said anything about his fate or those of his cabinet members.

Even though the new military rulers are pledging to return Niger to democracy and good governance, the uranium-rich country has a long history of instability.

The military-backed coup has drawn criticism from the African Union, former colonial power France, and neighboring Nigeria. The coup in Niger is the fifth in Africa in the last 18 months. Sam Olukoya FSRN, Lagos.

Sharp increase in childhood leukemia rates in Basra
Childhood leukemia rates in the southern Iraqi city of Basra have more than doubled in 15 years. That's according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers used a Basra hospital registry to chart the number of childhood leukemia patients from 1993 to 2007. The leukemia rate in the early years of the study was comparable to those of other countries in the region, but had sharply increased by 2004. The study did not investigate the causes behind the jump in leukemia cases. Basra was widely exposed to depleted uranium during US military actions in 1991 and 2003.

Indian Maoists on the offensive in Bihar state
Suspected Maoists carried out two strikes in India this week, most recently on a village in the state of Bihar. Jasvinder Sehgal reports from India.

The Maoists attacked the village because they suspect the residents were helping police. The rebels burned thatched houses and fired a hail of bullets during the raid, leaving 12 residents dead and eight others injured.

Indian police patrolling just a half-mile away were not able to stop the raid. Bihar Police Director General U.S. Dutt says the Maoists planted land  mines on the road to the village.

“The Maoists knew that the police is there and will rush to the scene of crime. To delay their arrival they laid down land mines and they opened fire on the police party.”

The villagers are questioning why they weren’t given more police protection, even though they have previously been target by the Maoists for helping Indian security forces. Jasvinder Sehgal, FSRN, India.

Black farmers settlement
The US Department of Agriculture has agreed to pay 1.25 billion dollars to settle a long-standing class-action lawsuit brought by black farmers who say the department systematically denied them access to programs and loans that were made available to their white counterparts. The number of black owned and operated farms has fallen by half in the past 20 years. The payment of the settlement will require a congressional appropriation of funds. 

PA school district accused of spying via webcams
A class action lawsuit filed against a Pennsylvania school district alleges the district spied on students by remotely activating webcams embedded in school-issued laptops. FSRN's Andalusia Knoll has more.

When Blake Robbins was called into the Assistant Principal's office at his high school in suburban Philadelphia for engaging in “inappropriate behavior” at home, he became suspicious. His “behavior” had been documented through a webcam embedded in his computer that had been remotely activated by the school district.

In a public statement, the Lower Merion School District claimed that the remote webcam activation feature serves to locate a laptop in the event it was reported lost, missing or stolen and identify its user. The lawsuit claims the school district failed to inform students and parents that the laptops were equipped with this capability. Robbins' parents are suing the school district, the school board and superintendent for violating numerous privacy and communications laws as well as a section of the Civil Rights Act and Fourth Amendment.

The class action suit could include 1800 other students and their families. The school district says it has de-activated the remote tracking-security feature in student laptops and will not use it again without written notification to students and families. Andalusia Knoll, FSRN, Philadelphia.

Activist accused in Brad Will murder released
In Mexico, the activist accused of killing Indymedia reporter Brad Will has been released from prison for lack of evidence. Juan Manuel Martinez Moreno was active in a political opposition movement in the municipality where Brad Will was fatally shot in October of 2006. Martinez Moreno spent 16 months in a state penitentiary without bail as part of his pre-trial detention.