Newscast for Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Civil rights groups challenge US plans to kill terrorist suspects abroad
Two civil liberties groups are challenging the Obama Administration's assertion that it can carry out targeted killings of terrorism suspects outside of a conflict zone. The ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights filed a lawsuit on Monday. Defenders of the program say if the lawsuit is successful, it would severely hamper the country’s ability to defend itself. But the ACLU argues killing US citizens and non-citizens in foreign countries violates the constitution and international law. FSRN’s Jacob Fenston reports.

US combat operations end in Iraq as millions remain displaced
President Obama addresses the nation tonight from the Oval Office with a speech focusing on Iraq. Today marks the end of US combat operations in the country. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Malaki said that the drawdown reinstates sovereignty for Iraq. But despite assurances by political leaders, the people of Iraq are still struggling. A political crisis has left many without basic services; a recent spate of bombings and attacks have left dozens dead and injured; and millions of refugees wait to return home.

For more we're joined by Hadani Ditmars. She was one of the first journalists to chronicle the effects of the US-imposed sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s. She's the author of the book Dancing in the No Fly Zone and co-editor of the New Internationalist.

More work by Hadani Ditmars: www.hadaniditmars.com

Post-Invasion Fact sheet from the New Internationalist: http://www.newint.org/features/2010/05/01/post-invasion-iraq-facts/

Click here for the web-only extended version

IMF expands lending programs to prevent financial crisis
The International Monetary Fund is expanding its lending programs, especially to middle-income countries that have trouble accessing capital. The IMF is calling it part of its “crisis-prevention toolkit,” designed to prevent a future financial crisis. But critics say the only thing the IMF is saving is itself. They say the IMF was becoming irrelevant, and that its track record in financial crises is spotty: often adding to the damage, instead of providing rescue. Tanya Snyder has more.

Palestinian hunger striker challenges Israeli ‘Freeze Policy’
A man from East Jerusalem has been on a hunger strike for four weeks outside the Israeli embassy in Berlin, Germany. Firas Maraghy is protesting because the Israeli authorities have refused to register his marriage to a German national, and they also refuse to allow his wife and 9-month old daughter the right to reside in East Jerusalem.

Maraghy is just one of thousands of Palestinians put in a similar predicament by Israeli policies put into place after the second intifada. Cinnamon Nippard has more from Berlin.