Headlines Package - October 23, 2007 - Long Version

• Fires Rage Across Southern California
• CO2 Buildup Much Worse Than Predicted
• UK Backtracks on Renewable Energy Pledge
• Poor Families Left in the Cold
• Code Pink at the Canadian Embassy Over Denial of Entry

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(Note: This is a longer headlines package than what appeared in today's newscast.)

Fires Rage Across Southern California
Raging wildfires have forced around 300,000 residents of Southern California to flee their homes. The flames which started over the weekend have destroyed more than 1000 buildings in San Diego county alone. Driven by strong winds, the fires continue to push through populated areas with no sign of slowing down. Entire communities are under mandatory evacuation orders. The latest satellite imagery from NASA shows that 14 separate fires have charred more than 425 square miles of Southern California.

CO2 Buildup Much Worse Than Predicted
A report published today states that carbon dioxide emissions have soared in recent years, surpassing previous forecasts. Maeve Conran reports from Boulder, Colorado.

The report published today by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences was co-authored by Thomas Conway, a researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder. Conway and his co-authors say that carbon dioxide emissions increased by 3.3 percent per year from 2000. This exceeds the U.N. projected worst-case scenario of an annual emissions increase of 2.4 percent. The study also points to changes in the earths capacity to absorb carbon dioxide due to changes in the oceans and years of drought. The researchers attributed the change in part to fast-growing economies in countries such as China and India. The National Resources Defense Council says carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are the leading cause of global warming. Environmentalists are calling for a National Day of Climate Action this November 3rd. For FSRN, this is Maeve Conran in Boulder.

UK Backtracks on Renewable Energy Pledge
Leaked documents to a British newspaper show the British government is planning to abandon its European Union climate change commitments. From London, Naomi Fowler reports.

This leak comes the same day as the Global Carbon Project released a new report warning that global warming will be "stronger than expected and sooner than expected". Prime Minister Gordon Brown is being advised of the high financial cost of implementing the EU target of 20% of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2020; instead Mr Brown may work with other governments skeptical about climate change to persuade German chancellor Angela Merkel and others to set lower targets. Germany's increased its renewable energy share to 9% so far by subsidising renewable energy while Britain's share is only 2% with rapidly rising greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental analyst George Monbiot: "In the UK we are on the verge of committing to spending 6 billion pounds on a new nuclear missile system. If we spent that money instead on a new energy system - problem solved! And anyone can see why that money needs to be spent on a new energy system but somehow the money's always available for terminating life and never available for preserving life, this is the essential mystery of the modern state." Campaigners say Gordon Brown is surrendering any claim to international leadership on climate change. This is Naomi Fowler for FSRN.

Poor Families Left in the Cold
As energy prices skyrocket, the White House wants to slash funding for a program that helps the poor pay their heating bills. Kellia Ramares reports.

Thirty-eight million low-income American households are eligible for assistance to pay their energy bills. But LIHEAP, the federal low income home energy assistance program, can help only 16 percent of those households. The program's budget has increased by only $300 million since it was started in 1981. Now the Bush administration threatens to veto the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill as too expensive. The bill would increase funding for LIHEAP. The White House is proposing a 44 percent cut in LIHEAP funding, a cut that will mean reducing individual grants of assistance and dropping one million households from the program altogether. Mark Wolfe is executive director if the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association. He says more and more people are seeking help with their energy bills. (clip) "It's not just the very very poor anymore. Now what we're finding is families making 25-35 thousand a year - families that you kind of think of as working families - coming in and asking for assistance because the bills have just gotten so high." The Energy Department predicts that the cost for heating oil will be up 22% over last winter. For FSRN, I'm Kellia Ramares.

Code Pink at the Canadian Embassy Over Denial of Entry
Canada has, in the past, been a destination for conscientious objectors to US wars. But some anti-war activists have found out from experience that Canada is using the FBI's National Crime Information Center database to stop war resisters at the border. Karen Miller has more.

The original purpose of the database was to share information about dangerous criminals, sex offenders, fugitives and members of terrorist organizations among different levels of law enforcement. It has since become apparent that peace activists have been added to the watch list. Medea Benjamin of the anti-war group, Code Pink, was recently refused entry into Canada when she was on her way to attend a peace rally. That's why Code Pink members decided to protest today in front of the Canadian embassy in Washington DC. Benjamin has been arrested a number of times for anti-war actions, but she says Canada's decision to bar entrance to some activists is troubling. (clip) "One, the FBI should never be putting non-violent misdemeanor offenses on a criminal database. Second, Canada should not be using a US database to say who can come into a country." At today's protest, Code Pink delivered over 20,000 petitions from US and Canadian citizens collected over the last 2 weeks urging Canada to change its policy. For FSRN, I'm Karen Miller.