Headlines for Monday, November 9, 2009

US Supreme Court refuses to block DC Sniper execution
The US Supreme Court refused without comment today to stop tomorrow’s scheduled execution of John Allen Muhammed. Muhammed, known as the DC Sniper, was convicted of killing Dean Meyers during a killing spree in 2002. Virginia’s Governor has yet to rule on Muhammed’s pending clemency appeal.

Nine Uyghurs executed in China
According to Chinese State media – 9 people, presumably all Uyghurs, have been executed for their involvement in the ethnic unrest in Urumchi last July.  Nury Turkel, the immediate past president of the Uyghur American Association, says there was nothing fair or transparent about the legal process that led to death sentences.

Nury Turkel also explains that the region, heavily populated by Uyghurs, is the only place in China where political prisoners can face the death penalty and explains why the Uyghur community is disappointed in the international reaction.

According to Human Rights Watch, 43 Uyghur males – many of them juveniles -- were disappeared after being detained by Chinese security forces following the unrest last summer between the Uyghurs and the Han Chinese.

State of Emergency in El Salvador
El Salvador’s president has declared a state of emergency after hurricane Ida dumped  heavy rains there over the weekend – scores are dead and thousands homeless – Ricardo Martinez reports.

Three American’s charged with spying in Iran
Three Americans have been charged with espionage in Iran. The charges come almost two months after they were detained. Their families say Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fatta were hiking along the Iraqi border when they strayed into Iran. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said today that the US strongly believes that there is no evidence to substantiate Iran’s claims that they were spying. Under Iran's Islamic Sharia law, espionage is punishable by death.

Palestinians mark anniversary of Berlin Wall by dismantling part of Israel’s wall
Palestinians in the West Bank pulled down part of the barrier today.  Ghassan Bannoura reports.

Thousands protest US military base on Okinawa
Just days before President Obama arrives in Okinawa, as many as 20 thousand protesters gathered there yesterday calling for the closure of the US Marine Base on the island. The disagreement over the US base threatens the relationship between President Obama and Japan’s recently elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has said he wants the base closed and the burden on residents eased.  But Washington still wants to move forward with an agreement forged in 2006 to simply relocate the Futenma base from Ginowan in central Okinawa to a less populated area.