Wednesday, May 14, 2008

• Conservative Mississippi Congressional District Changes Course
• The New Farm Bill
• Bush Arrives in Jerusalem, as Palestinians Mark Nakbah
• Vet Suicides
• Lima Summit Brings Grassroots Organizers Together

13 Meg Version Click Here
Dial-Up Listeners Click Here
Headlines Package Click Here

Conservative Mississippi Congressional District Changes Course

After a win in West Virginia, Hillary Clinton aims to slow down Barack Obama's momentum. She's meeting with super delegates and top funders in Washington DC. Meanwhile, Obama is attempting to make inroads with the very demographic he is loosing the most with: white working class voters. He laid out a new plan in Michigan today. And in other election news, a conservative Congressional district in Mississippi turned Democrat. The special election results are serious indicators for the Republicans in November. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

The New Farm Bill

Both chambers of Congress are set to vote on a new Farm Bill by next week – which President Bush has threatened to veto. It's going to take at least 290 representatives in the house to override Bush's veto – today's vote in the House will be an indication of whether the legislation will survive the veto threat. FSRN Anchor Aura Bogado spoke with Aimee Witteman, Grassroots Organizing and Outreach Director for the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition; who explains explains why the group supports the new Farm Bill, what it means for the federal food stamp program, and what it's lacking.

Bush Arrives in Jerusalem, as Palestinians Mark Nakbah

President Bush arrived in Jerusalem, where he is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and President Shimon Perez, in an attempt to move forward on an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Bush backed his assessment that the two sides could find a formalized peace by the time he leaves office in January – critics say that scenario is highly unlikely. This week marks the 60th year of the Nakbah, which means the Catastrophe in Arabic, when more than 500 Palestinian villages were destroyed by Israeli forces. One of those villages was al-Wallajeh. Originally located near Jerusalem and Bethlehem, the community was forced to relocate to the West Bank. FSRN's Ghassan Banoura reports how the plight of one Palestinian community reflects the disasters of 1948.

Vet Suicides

According to some estimates, 7,500 veterans attempted suicide last year; but a memo by the Veterans Administration head of mental health says the number of attempted suicides is closer to 1,000 per month. In a hearing before the House Committee of Veteran Affairs last week, the VA Secretary was taken to task for "failure to provide adequate mental health", for veterans who would later attempt to take their own lives. FSRN's Lona Alias was there and files this report.

Lima Summit Brings Grassroots Organizers Together

Members of social movement from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the European Union are in Lima, Peru this week to discuss common strategies to global challenges. FSRN's Pamela Cueva and Alfredo Cuadros have more from Lima, where organizers say more than 1,000 people have come from 60 countries to participate in the week-long people's forum, meant as a counterweight to governmental talks.