07-08 Jan 2010: Democracy Now!

‘Blackwatergate’–Private Military Firm in Firestorm of Controversy Over Involvements in Iraq, Afghanistan and Germany
Blackwater is all over the news. In the last 72 hours, a series of breaking developments involving the notorious private military firm have come to light, ranging from their involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, and even Germany, as well as legal cases here at home. We speak with investigative journalist and Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D–IL), a leading member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, who is launching an investigation into why two Blackwater contractors were among the dead in the December 30 suicide bombing at the CIA station at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan.

After Years in Guantanamo Prison Without Charge, Future Even More Uncertain For Yemeni Detainees
Although President Obama came into office last year promising to close down the infamous prison camp at Guantanamo, nearly 200 men are still imprisoned there. On Tuesday, Obama noted that the would-be bomber Christmas Day airline bomber had received training in Yemen and emphasized his links to a Yemeni branch of Al Qaeda. He went on to announce that he had suspended the transfer of any more Guantanamo detainees to Yemen. About half of the men remaining in Guantanamo are from Yemen.

“I Am More Than Just a Virus, I Am a Human Being”–HIV-Positive Dutch Man Among First to Visit U.S. Legally After 22-Year Ban
Gay rights groups around the world are praising the United States for lifting a 22-year ban that barred foreigners who have HIV from legally entering the country without an official waiver. The United States was one of only about a dozen countries that barred people who have H.I.V. On Thursday, Clemens Ruland of Holland became one of the first known HIV-positive people to legally visit the United States since the travel ban was lifted. In a Democracy Now! exclusive interview, Clemens Ruland joins us in our studio along with his partner, Hugo Bausch, and Boris Dittrich the LGBT advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

Headlines

2 Blackwater Operatives Charged with Murder of Afghans
Blackwater, Iraqi Victims Reach Financial Settlement
Report Faults US Intel for Security Lapses in Failed Jetliner Attack
Yemen Warns Against U.S. Military Attack
Canadian-Muslim Alleges Mistreatment at U.S. Border
Brother: CIA Bomber “Changed” by Israeli Assault on Gaza
Afghan War Killing At 3 Least Children Per Day
Pentagon Probes Beatings, Torture of Afgan Teens at Bagram
Admin Challenges Habeus Corpus for Bagram Prisoners
UN Rapporteur: Sri Lankan Execution Tapes Authentic
Israeli Bombings Kill 3 Palestinians in Gaza
Geithner-Led New York Fed Tried to Hide AIG Payments
Scientists Call for Ban on Mountaintop Removal
EPA Unveils Tougher Smog Standards
Study: 1 in 10 Youths Report Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Facilities

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Headlines
13 Killed in US Drone Attacks in Pakistan
Al-Qaeda Group: CIA Base Bombing Was Revenge for Drone Strikes
Outgoing UN Envoy Warns of Increased Militarization in Afghanistan
Yemen: Jetliner Suspect Met Militant Cleric
Pentagon: 20% of Freed Gitmo Prisoners Engage in Militant Activity
Honduran Prosecutor Seeks Charges Against Military Leaders
Cuba Investigating Jailed US Contractor
Anti-Whaling Vessel Damaged in Collision with Whaling Ship
Aid Convoy Reaches Gaza
Fox News Correspondent: Woods Should Convert to Christianity
Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Survivor of Both Atomic Bombings, Dies at 93
More Headlines…

Viva Palestina Aid Convoy Arrives in Gaza, George Galloway Describes “Desperate” Situation
A humanitarian aid convoy has arrived in Gaza nearly a month after it embarked from Britain. Members of the Viva Palestina convoy began passing through Egypt’s Rafah border crossing into Gaza on Wednesday. They are expected to spend the next forty-eight hours distributing the aid supplies. We go to Gaza to speak with British MP George Galloway, who led the convoy. [includes rush transcript]

Chris Dodd Announces Retirement, Possible Successor Tim Johnson’s Credit Card Stance Worries Consumer Groups
Two veteran Democratic senators, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, announced this week they would not seek re-election in November. While many consumer groups criticized Dodd’s close ties to the banking and real estate industry, they are even more concerned about Tim Johnson, his likely successor as chair of the Senate Banking Committee, who was the only Democrat to oppose legislation tightening regulations of the credit card industry. [includes rush transcript]

A Look at the Future of TV: Media Consolidation Opponent Byron Dorgan to Retire, Comcast Takeover of NBC Under Review
Sen. Byron Dorgan’s decision to retire from the Senate stunned many in Washington. Dorgan has been a leading opponent of media consolidation and US trade policy. We speak with the Center for Digital Democracy’s Jeff Chester about Dorgan’s retirement, as well as what the future holds for the digital media landscape with Comcast’s deal to acquire a controlling interest in NBC Universal under review, and the dispute resolved between Time Warner Cable and News Corp. [includes rush transcript]

Why Is the Whistleblower Who Exposed the Massive UBS Tax Evasion Scheme the Only One Heading to Prison?
A former banker for the Swiss giant UBS who blew the whistle on the biggest tax-evasion scheme in US history is preparing to head to prison tomorrow to begin serving a forty-month federal sentence. Bradley Birkenfeld first came forward to US authorities in 2007 and began providing inside information on how UBS was helping thousands of Americans hide assets in secret Swiss accounts. We speak with his attorney, Stephen Kohn, the executive director of the National Whistleblowers Center. [includes rush transcript]