Newscast for Monday, December 28, 2009

Failed bomb plot focuses attention on Yemen
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the airline passenger security system failed when a 23-year-old Nigerian carrying explosives boarded a plane headed for Detroit. From Hawaii, President Obama has called for a review of the terrorist watch list and air travel screening procedures. He also promised to continue the fight against terrorism.

Meanwhile, the US Government is focusing more attention on Yemen. The attempted bomber spent time in that country after he cut off contact with his family in Nigeria.  An ongoing civil war in the country also has officials worried about Al Qaeda's presence in the region. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Thai military forcibly returns Hmong refugees to Laos
Early this morning in Thailand, the military began to forcibly return some 4,300 Hmong refugees to Laos. The refugees include asylum seekers who say that they could face persecution if they return to Laos, where the government continues to fight an insurgency from some of the Hmong minority. Human rights groups have criticized some of the camps in Phetchabun, Thailand for poor conditions and violations of basic rights. Now future of the Hmong refugees remains uncertain.

We’re joined by Phil Robertson, deputy director for the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch.

Strict policies in the West Bank affect holiday tourism
On Sunday, the Israeli government said it will build nearly 700 new homes in east Jerusalem, defying international pressure to cease settlement construction on Palestinian land. The Palestinian authority, the European Union and an unnamed u-s official condemned the announcement. In November, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to a partial settlement freeze that did not include east Jerusalem. Meanwhile, residents of the west bank continue to struggle with other Israeli policies, including border restrictions that are affecting holiday tourism. From Bethlehem, FSRN's Ghassan Bannoura reports.

Human trafficking in Houston, Texas: Part one
The modern-day slave trade - known as human trafficking - rivals weapons smuggling as the most lucrative illegal business after drug trafficking. One of the largest hubs for modern-day slavery in the United States is Houston, Texas. The southern city is home to a large seaport, a sprawling international airport, and is a major destination along Interstate 10 - identified by the Department of Justice as one of the main human trafficking routes in the United States. In the first of a two-part series on human trafficking, FSRN's Shannon Young files this report on transnational slavery in Houston.