Archive - Nov 12, 2007

• Department of Veterans Affairs Nominee Draws Questions
• Anti-War Vets Celebrate Positive Federal Decision in the Case of Lt. Ehren Watada
• Sudanese Government Brings Charges against Opposition; Uses Tear Gas on Protesters
• Indian Clothing Manufacturers for the GAP Use Child Labor
• Egyptian Stifles Press and Internet Freedom
• Commentary from Mumia Abu-Jamal: Soft Dictatorships and the Misrule of Law

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• VIOLENCE AT GAZA RALLY
• CALIFORNIA OIL SPILL
• PORT OLYMPIA PROTESTS
• URUGUAY OPENS CONTROVERSIAL PAPER MILL

Despite government promises for legal reforms, in Egypt, there are 35
different offenses for which journalists can be imprisoned. The
Egyptian government claims to have some of the most lenient freedom of
speech laws in the Arab world. But according to Reporters Without
Borders, at least seven journalists were arrested in 2006, and dozens
were threatened or attacked.

India has the largest number of Child laborers in the world, despite a
law prohibiting children's involvement in any kind of labor. And
nearly 100 million children of school-going age in India do not attend
school - many of them work instead.

The issue has received renewed attention after a recent report in The
Observer, a British newspaper. The article exposed Indian suppliers
of the American clothing retailer GAP that were using child labor at
their manufacturing units.

Bismillah Geelani has more.

This weekend, a number of anti-war veterans celebrated a federal court
ruling in the case of US Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada. He was
the first officer to refuse to deploy to Iraq. The anti-war veterans
say decision sends a message of courage to the growing number of
soldiers opposed to the Iraq War.

FSRN's Sarah Olson has more.

The Sudanese government has formally charged twenty-five opposition politicians for crimes ranging form the unlawful possession of arms to organizing a terrorist group. On Sunday, students gathered to protest the allegations. Government police forces fired tear gas at the protesters and prevented them from voicing their opposition to the
justice department.

Today in Washington, Doctor Mohammed Ahmed Abdallah said the situation in Darfur is still dire.

FSRN Correspondent Matt Laslo reports from Washington.

In the United States, the origins of Veterans Day links back to World
War I. The Armistice ending the war was signed on November 11th, 1918
and came to be celebrated as a holiday. Over the years Armistice Day
slowly morphed into Veterans Day, and in 1971, President Nixon
declared it a federal holiday.

On this 36th anniversary of Veterans Day, events and parades honoring
US war vet are taking place across the country. At the Vietnam War
Memorial in Washington, DC, every name listed on the wall was read
aloud over the past few days. This year marks the 25th anniversary of
the memorial.