Archive - Sep 23, 2008

Barack Obama, the first African American nominee of a major political party, race is a factor to some voters.  One state where race appeared to take center stage was in West Virginia, a state where 96 percent of the population is white. Prior to the West Virginia primary, Obama only traveled to the state twice; he lost overwhelmingly.  20 percent of voters said race mattered in their vote. Hardly any voted for Senator Obama.Some are looking back on the political season that has brought a new level of discussion to the issue of race and politics.  Three universities hosted the forum at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

• United Nations General Assembly Begins
• Cuban Representatives Attend UN General Assembly
• Fed Chair, Treasury Secretary Push for Record Bail-Out
• Afghanistan Violence Increases, Threatens Security
• Proposed Dam May Alter Patagonia's Ecosystem

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• 11 South African Cabinet Ministers Resign
• British PM Struggles with Party Mutiny
• Bolivian President Sends Peace Proposal to Opposition Governors
• Burmese Democracy Activist Released After 19 Years in Detention
• US War Resister Given Last Minute Permission to Stay in Canada
• Troy Anthony Davis Execution Scheduled for Tonight

In New York today, more than 120 world leaders converged for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was the first of many to address the growing financial crisis.

US President Bush said the country was taking decisive action to address the financial meltdown, and tried to assure world leaders the crisis would be diffused. But that was later in his speech. He used much of his 22 minutes to push for multilateral cooperation on his Administration's so-called War on Terror.

This was Bush's last speech at the UN, and he encouraged UN members to enforce sanctions on Iran and North Korea, while also attacking Iran and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism.

Also speaking today, was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, noting that in spite of the country's progress towards economic stability, they still have a long way to go towards eradicating poverty.

Every year, the UN General Assembly brings world leaders to New York City – leaders who might not normally be invited to visit the United States. This year, one such delegation is from Cuba.

The most powerful Cuban leaders to visit the U.S. in several years, the delegation includes the Vice President, Foreign Minister and members of the Communist Party's Secretariate. Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura addressed several issues in New York Monday night, such as the 50-year old trade embargo, international solidarity, and the case of five Cuban nationals imprisoned on charges of espionage. FSRN's Ari Paul was there.

The architects of the proposed 700 billion dollar financial intervention appeared before Congress.  Lawmakers expressed skepticism of the need for rapid response massive intervention.  Administration officials said the risk is necessary.  FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.