Thursday, April 17, 2008

• US Lawmakers Want Iraqis to Pay for Reconstruction
• Final Democratic Debate Before Pennsylvania Primary
• Exiled Tibetans Hold their Own Olympic Torch Relay in India
• South Korean President to Push for Free Trade Deal
• Haiti's Food Crisis
• Palestinian Prisoners' Day
• Immigration Raids May Protect the Bottom Line

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US Lawmakers Want Iraqis to Pay for Reconstruction

As the occupation of Iraq enters its sixth year, the Bush Administration says US reconstruction of schools, roads and hospitals in the country are underway. But now US lawmakers are saying it's the Iraqis that need to foot the bill to rebuild the country. FSRN's Karen Miller has more.

Final Democratic Debate Before Pennsylvania Primary

An un-insightful Democratic debate in Philadelphia last night left voters no more informed about the foreign and domestic policy views of either candidate. Much of the debate put Barack Obama on the defensive over recent flaps about bitter small town voters clinging to guns and religion, his impassioned pastor Reverend Wright, the absence of the American flag on his lapel, and his association in Chicago with a former member of the Weather Underground.

Exiled Tibetans Hold their Own Olympic Torch Relay in India

The Olympic Torch completed its Indian relay in New Delhi today. Indian authorities made massive security arrangements to ensure its smooth run in the country's capital. Meanwhile, thousands of Tibetan exiles organized a parallel torch relay to demand end to the violence in Tibet and negotiations on the issue of Tibetan independence. India is home to the largest number of Tibetan exiles and their government in exile. The community has been protesting for more than a month now against China's crack down on Tibetan protesters. Bismillah Geelani has the details

South Korean President to Push for Free Trade Deal

South Korean president Lee Myung Bak is on his first official visit to the US this week. Before he meets with President Bush on Saturday at Camp David, he'll try to persuade skeptical members of Congress to ratify a pending bilateral free trade agreement. Even though the deal was brokered a year ago, lawmakers in both nations must still sign off on it before it can go into affect. FSRN's Jason Strother has the story from Seoul.

Haiti's Food Crisis

Food prices around the world have nearly doubled in the last three years. Haiti is particularly susceptible to rising food prices because it imports most of the food it consumes. Nick Whalen reports from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Palestinian Prisoners' Day

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says that before any peace deal is reached with Israel, all Palestinian prisoners must be released. Abbas used the occasion of Palestinian Prisoner's Day to make the remarks in a televised address. People across the West Bank commemorated the day – citing that Israel holds as many as 11,000 Palestinian detainees. FSRN's Ghassan Bannoura reports.

Immigration Raids May Protect the Bottom Line

Immigration and Customs officers detained more than 350 people in immigration raids across the nation yesterday,which took place in chicken processing plants, a doughnut factory, and several Mexican restaurants. Maria Jimenez is special projects coordinator for the Central American Resource Center in Houston. She says the raids negatively impact families and entire communities.