Headlines for Friday, July 23, 2010

DADT opponent Lt.  Dan Choi given honorable discharge
The country’s most outspoken critic of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy says he has been given an honorable discharge from the Army National Guard.  Lt. Dan Choi is the West Point grad and Arab linguist who came out on national television in 2009.  Choi said he learned of the discharge from his commanding officer this week, but ABC news reports the discharge orders officially came at the end of June.

Charlie Rangel ethics hearing scheduled
The House Ethics Committee will begin hearings next Thursday concerning alleged ethics violations of long-time Democratic New York Representative Charlie Rangel.  After 18 months, an investigative subcommittee found there was enough evidence to go to committee hearing.  Rangel has been criticized for raising money for a private venture using official congressional letterhead and a failure to disclose about a half million dollars in assets.  The Congressmember spoke to reporters yesterday, saying he’s been pushing for a trial.

“So I don’t feel badly.  Why would I feel bad, when I’ve asked them for 2 years.  So this is it.  And it’s what I’ve been waiting for and we’ll see what happens.”

Rangel stepped down from his position as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee in spring after the ethics panel found he accepted travel from corporate interests.

Feinberg won’t ask bailout firms to return executive compensation
Today, Kenneth Feinberg, the White House’s so-called “pay czar” said the government wouldn’t ask 17 financial firms to return executive payouts they made while receiving bailout funds.  He said the $1.6 billion in bonuses were technically legal at the time, because Congress had not yet enacted restrictions on compensation.

UK oil trader Trafigura fined for toxics dumping in Ivory Coast
Controversial UK-based oil trader Trafigura was today fined 1.3 million dollars for illegally exporting tons of hazardous waste to West Africa.  From London, FSRN’s Naomi Fowler reports:

Back in 2006, over 30,000 Africans were made ill and an unknown number died when toxic waste was dumped in densely populated areas of Ivory Coast.  Last year after a civil action, Trafigura was forced to pay compensation to thousands of Africans who needed medical treatment.  However, they refused to admit legal liability and used English libel laws to stop reporting on the case.  Today, they've been convicted on criminal charges.

The court found that when Trafigura originally tried to unload the waste from a ship in Amsterdam, they deliberately concealed its dangerous nature.  When local residents there complained about the smell and the company hired to dispose of the waste asked for more money, Trafigura pumped the toxic waste back on board.  They then headed straight for the West African coast, simply dumping it in different parts of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city.

Trafigura’s lawyers say they’re considering an appeal.  Naomi Fowler, FSRN, London.

Mexican electric workers end hunger strike
A group of hunger strikers in Mexico have ended their nearly three-month protest today, after two of strikers became critically ill.  The protesters are former union employees of the state run utility Luz y Fuerza.  Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderon, closed down the utility last fall, putting 44,000 people out of work and effectively destroying the country’s oldest union.

Venezuela and Colombia break diplomatic ties
Tensions between Colombia and Venezuela have been building over the past years.  And now the Venezuelan government says it will sever diplomatic ties after Colombia accused it of harboring guerrillas.  For FSRN, Laura Del Castillo reports.

At a meeting of the Organization of American State, Colombia’s diplomat used satellite photos, videos and maps to show alleged camps of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombian and National Liberation Army.  But the official did not present any evidence of actual collaboration between the Colombian rebels and the Venezuelan army.

In response, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on Thursday denied the accusations and announced the severing of ties.  He also announced increased military presence along the border.  Chavez did leave open the possibility of lowering tensions after August 7, when Colombian president-elect Juan Manuel Santos takes office.

The US State Department has taken Colombia’s side, stating that Venezuela has a duty to stop terrorist groups from using its territory.  Adding to the tension, the US has recently entered an agreement with Colombia to increase US military presence there, a move Venezuela sees as a threat.  While no one denies that the FARC and ELN have a strong presence in Venezuela, these groups are also known to operate in Panama, Ecuador and Peru as well.  Laura Del Castillo, FSRN.