Headlines for Monday, May 17, 2010

US Supreme Court says no life without parole for youth offenders
The Supreme Court said today that, barring a murder charge, locking up a teen-ager and throwing away the key constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Justices ruled on the Florida case of a youth who was involved in robberies. Judith Scully – co-founder of Stetson University of Law’s Innocence Project says this decision is important on two fronts. First, that there IS hope for rehabilitation for juvenile offenders. But she adds that there is yet another very important aspect of today’s ruling:

“The Supreme Court cited to international customs and practices, and they acknowledged that the Unites States stood alone in punishing juveniles so severely. Their, I believe in the opinion, they stated that only the US and Israel really fell into this category of meting out such serious sentences for juveniles and now the United States now no longer stands  at odds with the rest of the world. The fact the Supreme Court actually cited international customs and practices I think is also a step in the right direction for this country.”

In another opinion, the Court ruled that mentally ill sexual offenders can be detained indefinitely, despite having completed their federal sentences. Writing for the two member dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas said the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act that allows such civil confinements extends beyond federal powers afforded by the Constitution.

Maoists attack a civilian bus – 50 dead
Maoists attacked a civilian bus in India today – 50 people, including 20 police, are dead. Jasvinder Sehgal has more.

Search and rescue operations are still under way, complicated by landmines, dense forests, and nightfall.  U. K. Bansal, India's Special Secretary chief of Internal Security says that the rebels clearly intended to target security personnel,   as they generally they don’t attack civilian buses.

“The bus was having more than 50 passengers on it and large number was civilians. It also had some special police officers in civilian clothes, so this bus has been targeted”.

Special Police Officers are local tribal people recruited to fight the Maoists.  The incident happened on the eve of a 48-hour shut down in five Indian states. The Maoists called for the strike to protest security operations against them. Yesterday, the bodies of   6 civilians were found - their throats had been slit. Maoists accused them of spying for the police.   
Early last month, 76 Police personnel were gunned down in this same area. Jasvinder Sehgal, FSRN, India.

Noam Chomsky blocked from West Bank
Noam Chomsky is still in Jordan today waiting to see if he’ll be allowed into the West Bank -- he was blocked from crossing the border yesterday. The Jewish MIT professor emeritus was scheduled to deliver an address at a university near Ramallah. He was questioned extensively before he and his daughter were turned away from the border. Chomsky says he’s disappointed and surprised.

Hamas demolishes homes in Gaza
Over the weekend Palestinians marked the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of Israel – or what they call Nakbah – the catastrophe. Yet in Gaza on Sunday, Hamas-led police demolished a shantytown--. Authorities say the homes were built on government-owned lands. FSRN's Rami  Almeghari reports.  

According to displaced residents, a court issued an order two months ago, preventing demolition of their homes. They say they own the land, not the government. The demolitions left at least 120 people from the Bedouin Albarahma tribe homeless.  Some residents say they were beaten. Others report they were not allowed to retrieve their belongings before the roughly built structures were flattened. Following the Israeli war on Gaza in January 2009, thousands of families were displaced and were forced to stay out in tents or rent houses. Since 2007, Israel has prevented the entry of raw building materials, thus blocking reconstruction of the war-torn territory. Rami Almeghari, FSRN,  Gaza.

Iraq recount doesn’t change results
Iraq’s election recount results are in – and the new boss remains the same as the new boss. The distribution of Parliamentary seats remains unchanged – with Ayad Allawi’s Iraqiya holding a two seat majority.

Legal challenges filed against Arizona’s immigration law
In New York City's Federal Plaza today, at least 16 members of the New Sanctuary Movement were arrested during a direct action calling for comprehensive immigration reform. Meantime, in federal court in Arizona several civil rights groups filed a legal challenge to Arizona's controversial new immigrations law.  Renee Feltz has more.

"An officer cannot form a reasonable suspicion about status just by looking at that person."
That's Nina Perales, Southwest Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund. She's joined the ACLU to file a federal lawsuit that attacks SB 1070 on several constitutional grounds.

"Using race or language to investigate an individual for immigration violations violates the equal protection clause of the US constitution."

The wide ranging lawsuit alleges Arizona’s SB 1070 also violates the right to freedom of speech, and the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The lawsuit aims to stop SB 1070 from going into effect on July 28 - and to put a halt to similar measures pending in several other states. Renee Feltz, FSRN.

Rhode Island teachers reach agreement, get jobs back
Teachers at a Rhode Island school vote today on a tentative agreement that will let them keep their jobs after all.  The entire faculty at one of the state’s poorest rated public schools was fired in February – the drastic move is one of four pillars of President Obama’s education reform strategies. Central Falls High School has a largely low-income immigrant student body.  The agreement reached this weekend includes replacing the school’s principal, as well as requiring teachers to work more hours and offer additional after school tutoring.