Monday, June 16, 2008

• The US Supreme Court Allows Some People Overstaying their US Visas to Remain
• Gitmo Detainee Decision Trickles into Presidential Race
• Ralph Nader Struggle to Get on State Presidential Ballots
• Philadelphia Activists Fend off Gentrification, Fear Arrests are Connected
• Pakistanis Increasingly Look to Taliban to Hear Legal Disputes

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The US Supreme Court allows some people overstaying their US visas to remain

In a decision today, the US Supreme Court has loosened laws to allow some foreigners to remain in the US after overstaying their visas. In certain circumstances, these non-US citizens can continue to seek legal permission to stay in the country without leaving US soil.

FSRN Correspondent Matt Laslo reports from Washington.

Gitmo Detainee Decision Trickles into Presidential Race

Last week the US Supreme Court ruled detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center have the right to challenge their detentions in court. Now, Attorneys for the prisoners have begun the process of opening court proceedings. The US District Court plans on meeting with both sides in the coming days to lay out how the process will move forward. Meanwhile, the political impact of the Supreme Court's decision has spread to the Presidential campaign.

FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Ralph Nader Struggle to Get on State Presidential Ballots

Ralph Nader, who's running as an Independent candidate for President, is busy securing his place on state ballots for the 2008 election. Recently, he has gotten word he will be allowed on the ballot of a 4th state – Colorado. But he is still significantly shy of his goal – to be on 40 states ballots.

FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell caught up with Nader in DC, where he says he's struggling to gain the support of liberals.

Philadelphia Activists Fend off Gentrification, Fear Arrests are Connected

Philadelphia's Francisville neighborhood is a predominantly working class African American community, but the surrounding neighborhoods have experienced recent gentrification, putting the pressure on Francisville to do the same.

On Friday, police arrived at the door of a former Francisville shoe store, the current home of Daniel Moffat, Trevor Burgess, Andrea Okorley and Jennifer Rock. Daniel Moffatt owns the building and the group was slowly fixing it up. According to the residents, the police did not present a warrant, but went inside anyway and arrested the four. They were never charged.

I spoke with Andy Switzer, a close friend of the group, who has been helping them get the word out about Friday's events. He says since Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter entered office on a "stop and frisk" platform, police presence in the neighborhood has increased.

Pakistanis Increasingly Look to Taliban to Hear Legal Disputes

In the autonomous tribal areas of Pakistan, and the volatile Swat Valley in the Northwest Frontier Province, the power of the Taliban is growing. The fundamentalist movement has established a parallel court system and jails, based on Islamic law or "shariah." Residents say they have lost trust in the regional government's judicial system, which is accused of taking bribes and often takes years to resolve cases.

FSRN correspondent Rahmanullah has more.