News Segments

Palestinian, Israeli and other world leaders are meeting with President Obama in Washington ahead of tomorrow’s Middle East talks, but a deadly attack on West Bank settlers cast a heavy shadow on those talks. FSRN’s Ghassan Bannoura has the story.

Last night, President Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office for just the second time. He declared an end to the combat mission in Iraq and at the same time outlined a plan for continued war in Afghanistan. Analysts say that in trying to walk this line, Obama may have difficulty appeasing any side with his speech. Tanya Snyder has more.

Suicide bomb attacks in Lahore, Pakistan today have left dozens dead and nearly 200 people injured.  The blasts targeted a mourning procession of Shiites.  The violence comes as the country deals with what’s been called the worst natural disaster in the country's history. Floods have affected an estimated 20 million people, leaving thousands homeless and more at risk of disease. But some environmental groups say rapid deforestation and poor land management has contributed to the disaster.

We're joined by James Dalton, water management adviser at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The director of the new agency charged with monitoring offshore oil and gas drilling has issued new guidelines for employee conduct. Since revelations of bribes and conflicts between regulators and the oil and gas industry, President Obama has pledged to diminish their cozy relationship. While the new guidelines seek to put a standard in place, it's not clear how effective they would be in preventing another disaster. Michael Lawson has more.

In Alaska, a battle over natural resources is pitting mining interests against commercial fishermen and environmentalists. Corporations want to exploit the most significant copper and gold deposits ever discovered in the state's remote southwest. Opponents say the project threatens the largest wild sockeye salmon run in the world. FSRN’s Jacob Resneck reports.

Two civil liberties groups are challenging the Obama Administration's assertion that it can carry out targeted killings of U.S. citizens who are terrorism suspects, but who are residing abroad outside of a conflict zone. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights filed a lawsuit on Monday. Defenders of the program say if the lawsuit is successful, it would severely hamper the country’s ability to defend itself. But the ACLU argues killing U.S. citizens in foreign countries violates the constitution and international law. FSRN’s Jacob Fenston reports.

(extended version)

President Obama addresses the nation tonight from the Oval Office with a speech focusing on Iraq. Today marks the end of US combat operations in the country. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Malaki said that the drawdown reinstates sovereignty for Iraq. But despite assurances by political leaders, the people of Iraq are still struggling. A political crisis has left many without basic services; a recent spate of bombings and attacks have left dozens dead and injured; and millions of refugees wait to return home.

For more we're joined by Hadani Ditmars. She was one of the first journalists to chronicle the effects of the US-imposed sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s. She's the author of the book Dancing in the No Fly Zone and co-editor of the New Internationalist.

More work by Hadani Ditmars: www.hidaniditmars.com

Post-Invasion Fact sheet from the New Internationalist: http://www.newint.org/features/2010/05/01/post-invasion-iraq-facts/

photo credit: www.hadaniditmars.com

Click here for the original broadcast version