Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Voting at Brazil's Participatory Budgeting Assembly, Porto Alegre
Photo Courtesy of Mike Fox

• Bolivia's Wealthy Move Towards Autonomy and Threaten Land Reform Efforts
• Petraeus, Crocker Testify on Iraq
• The Guardian's Jonathan Steele Says Petraeus' Testimony Not Surprising
• Sadrist Prepare to March in Najaf
• Labor and Electoral Crisis in Egypt
• The Uncertain Future of Porto Alegre's Participatory Budgeting

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Petraeus, Crocker Testify on Iraq

General David Petraeus and Iraq Ambassador Ryan Crocker faced dismay over unsatisfactory progress in Iraq during their first visit to Washington in seven months. Some senators at the Armed Services Committee hearing today were respectful but skeptical at what General Petraeus testified is progress in Iraq. FSRN's Tanya Snyder has more.

The Guardian's Jonathan Steele Says Petraeus' Testimony Not Surprising

Jonathan Steele is a columnist for The Guardian and the author of the newly released book, "Defeat: Why They Lost Iraq". FSRN Anchor Aura Bogado spoke with him about the General's testimony.

Sadrist Prepare to March in Najaf

As Iraqis remember the toppling of Saddam's statue and the entry of US forces into Baghdad five years ago, bitter fighting between the Mehdi army militia controlled by Shi'a leader Muqtada al-Sadr and Iraqi forces backed by US troops entered its second week. The fighting started in Basra after the Mehdi army was accused of assassination plots and oil smuggling – and soon spread to other southern Iraqi cities. Now, Iraqi army units are engaging the Sadrist militia in Baghdad's Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, where the fall of Baghdad is usually marked by a march. Because of the concentrated attacks on the Mehdi Army, this year the march demanding an end to the US occupation will be centred in Najaf. Hiba Dawood reports.

Labor and Electoral Crisis in Egypt

A 15-year-old boy is dead in Egypt, after sustaining wounds from clashes between demonstrators and police in the city of Mahalla, home to the country's largest state-owned textile plant. About 180 people have been arrested, and hundreds more have been injured. Clashes continued for two days before coming to a halt today. FSRN's Ursula Lindsay is in Mahalla – she describes what she saw there today.

Bolivia's Wealthy Move Towards Autonomy and Threaten Land Reform Efforts

Business leaders and wealthy, elite landowners are spearheading a campaign for regional autonomy in the eastern part of Bolivia. Plans for a referendum on autonomy in Santa Cruz on May 4 are moving ahead despite the national government having declared the referendum unconstitutional. The campaign threatens to undermine Bolivia's proposed pro-indigenous constitution and to put an end to the government's land reform efforts. Juliette Beck has more from Bolivia.

The Uncertain Future of Porto Alegre's Participatory Budgeting

This year's round of participatory budgeting assemblies in Porto Alegre, Brazil began last night in a packed auditorium. But while the meetings may have the appearance of mass popular support, many long-time participants are nervous about the future of participation in Porto Alegre – the city which gave birth to Participatory Budgeting and the World Social Forum. Mike Fox has more.