Headlines for Wednesday, April 22, 2009

SCOTUS hears reverse discrimination case
The Supreme Court today began its evaluation of a case that could redefine civil rights law in the workplace.  The case brings up questions of race and employment testing in a Connecticut fire department.  FSRN’s Matt Pearson reports.

In 2003, the New Haven Fire Department gave a test to its fire fighters for promotions to captain and lieutenant positions.  When the results came back, only one Hispanic and no black candidates were found to be eligible for promotion.  Under attacks that the test was racially biased, the city of New Haven held a series 5 hearings.  They decided that the exam was flawed, and scrapped the results.  Karen Torre, the lawyer for the white fire fighters, says there was nothing wrong with the test, and that the city’s decision amounted to reverse discrimination.  Meanwhile, spokespeople in support of the decision say testing often reduces diversity in the workplace.  They advocate improving tests to make them fairer and more applicable to the job’s particular skill set.  The Supreme Court will determine if the city was legally correct in throwing out the original test results. This is the second of four cases on race that the Court will hear in the coming weeks.  It will likely reach a decision by this summer.  Matt Pearson.  FSRN.  Washington.

Animal rights activist added to FBI “Most Wanted” terrorists list
The FBI has continued its implication of US-based activists as terrorists.   The Bureau’s newest “Most Wanted” terror suspects list includes Daniel Andreas San Diego, an animal rights activist accused of setting off pipe bombs at two corporations connected to animal testing.  He’s been on the run for six years.  The California man is the first non-Islamist suspect to be added to the list.

NC town becomes second in US to adopt “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”
Carrboro, North Carolina has become the second community in the country to adopt the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights as Guiding Principles.”  From the Tri-cities area, FSRN’s Lynda-Marie Taurasi has the story.

With a population just over 16-thousand, Carrboro, North Carolina is known as one of the most progressive communities in the South.  Now Carrboro, second to Washington D.C., became one of the first communities to take a stand for Human Rights. Judith Blau, the director of the Human Rights Center of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, was responsible for petitioning Carrboro’s Board of Aldermen to adopt the declaration commonly referred to as U-D-H-R.

The declaration includes 30 articles that address everything from torture, religion, marriage and voting and is said to be the most translated document in the world.  Lynda-Marie Taurasi. FSRN.

Contaminated fish caught at MI festival to go to food banks
The Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers in Michigan have signs posted along their banks saying, “Fish consumption and soil and river contamination advisories in effect.”  The rivers are known to be contaminated with toxic substances, including dioxin.  But according to the Michigan Messenger, Organizers of the Walleye Fishing Festival plan to donate fish caught in those rivers during this weekend’s event to a local food bank.    Many environmentalists want the region classified as a superfund site.

Taliban gaining ground in Pakistan
Taliban forces controlling Pakistan’s Swat valley are pushing out into the surrounding regions – and they are pushing in towards the country’s capitol Islamabad.  These emboldened territory claims come on the heels of peace deal between the Taliban and the Pakistani government.   Today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Pakistan was a “mortal threat” to US and world security.

West Bank update: infighting, demolitions and nonviolent resistance conference
Bids for unified Palestinian leadership were further strained today by arrests in the West Bank.  According to Israel’s Y-Net News, Hamas claims Fatah have been detaining their operatives and shaving off their beards.  Unity talks are scheduled to resume in two weeks.  Also today Israeli authorities demolished another Palestinian home in East Jerusalem.  And a group of Norweigian Lawyers has accused 10 Israelis of war crimes for their actions during the conflict in Gaza.  A recent law in Norway allows non-Norwegians to face charges associated with genocide and war crimes.  Much of the top Israeli leadership has been implicated in the complaint.  In other news from the region, the fourth Bil'in conference of nonviolent resistance opened - less than a week after an Israeli tear gas canister killed a protester in the town.  FSRN’s Ghassan Bannoura reports.

Local and international protesters in the small west bank village of Bil'in have been conducting weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the Israeli wall FOR four years.  Eyad Burnat is an organizer of the conference and the head of the village committee against the Wall and settlements:

Delegates will discuss ways to promote nonviolent resistance in the region and to formulate a network of support worldwide.  The conference will end on Friday with the weekly nonviolent protest against the wall.  Ghassan Bannoura, FSRN, Bethlehem