July 10, 2002
Police Brutality Case in LA (2:53)
There is outrage in communities of color around the country as yet another white police officer in the Los Angeles town of Inglewood was caught by a video camera beating a young black man he was arresting. The videotape was taken by a tourist on Saturday at a motel across the street from the gas station where the arrest took place. It shows the teen hoisted to his feet by Officer Morse and slammed onto the trunk of a police car. The officer then puts a hand on the back of the teenager’s neck, slugs him with his other hand and then appears to choke him. The FBI yesterday began investigating the videotaped beating of Donovan Jackson, and the city’s mayor demanded that the officer face assault, battery and child abuse charges without further delay. This as today, the family of Donovan Jackson announced they’re filing a federal civil rights law-suit less than a week after the cadre of white Inglewood police officers were caught on tape beating the black 16-year old. From LA, Peter Seymore has more.
Senate Approves “Mobile Chernobyl” to Yucca Mountain Nuclear Site (3:01)
Some of the nation’s 77 thousand tons of deadly nuclear waste could be headed through your town in the coming years. Last night the Senate passed a plan to ship the waste to a massive underground repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Opponents say the nuclear industry bought the vote with campaign contributions, and they’re already filing legal challenges to the proposal. But even if they can stop the Yucca Mountain plan, the problem still remains of what to do with the nation’ growing stores of dangerous radioactive material. Joshua Chaffin reports from Washington DC.
Part 3 of Superfund Series: Ithaca, NY (4:02)
Last week President Bush announced that he was cutting money for 33 Superfund sites, including some of the nations most polluted, because the EPA is running out of money. Other toxic clean up sites not included on Bush’s list are faced with the threat of insufficient resources. In Ithaca, New York, residents are upset about the clean up of the highly toxic site of the former Ithaca Gun Company. Many are concerned that the EPA and the city have not effectively protected the health of those in the surrounding neighborhoods and are critical of the proposed standards for the clean up, which they claim will leave unacceptably high levels of lead in the residential area. But all agree that the clean up should be done before the money runs out. In this the third of our five part special series highlighting Superfund sites across the country, correspondent Sasha Lilley has this report from Ithaca.
US Gov and Corporations Targets at AIDS Conference (5:28)
The 14th international AIDS conference began this week in Barcelona, Spain. The first day was marked by the many protesters who managed to drown out U.S. Health Secretary Tommy Thompson as he attempted to speak about American global AIDS programs. Dozens of people, demanding more U.S. funding, climbed onto the stage as Thompson tried to address the Conference; some waved placards declaring “Wanted: Bush and Thompson for murder and neglect of people with AIDS.” Today, AIDS activists from Health Gap and Act Up Paris brought proceedings to a screeching halt, descending on the display booths of the European union. At issue is US and EU spending on the global fight against AIDS that amounts to less per capita than Rwanda and Uganda. And while the world’s wealthy governments come under fire, corporations are also being targeted by protestors for their lack action to combat AIDS. We go now to the streets of Barcelona and KPFA’s Davey-D of Hard Knock Radio.
Cross-border Collaboration Meets Israeli Assault (3:46)
In the West Bank town of Nablus today, residents are reporting that Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition at a group of children and teenagers who threw stones at tanks as they passed by the Askar refugee camp. Israeli police yesterday shut down the administration building of Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, where leading Palestinian moderate Sari Nusseibeh serves as president. Israeli police have closed many offices in East Jerusalem they say were used to do business illegally on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians say the closures are aimed at undermining Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem, essentially leaving their territories lacking crucial infrastructure. Free Speech Radio News correspondent Kata Mester is in the West Bank Town of Salfit, where Palestinians and Israelis are working together to ease the hardship the Israeli occupation and curfew is bringing to Palestinian lives.
