Democracy Now! Friday, October 26, 2007

Headlines for October 26, 2007

- Southern California Wildfire Death Toll Hits 7
- Bush Admin Imposes New Iran Sanctions
- White House Bomb Request Raises Iran Attack Fears
- Thousands Expected for Anti-War Protest in 11 Cities
- FBI Threatened Innocent Prisoner’s Family With Torture
- BP Ordered to Pay $373M Penalty
- Italian Court Dismisses Absentia Trial of US Soldier
- Israeli Defense Minister Approves Gaza Power Cuts
- UN Report: Environmental Damage Nearing “Point of No Return”
- New House S-CHIP Measure Falls Short of Veto Override


On Visit to France, Donald Rumsfeld Hit with Lawsuit for Ordering, Authorizing Torture

The complaint was filed with the Paris prosecutor’s office as Rumsfeld arrived in France for a visit. This is the fifth time Rumsfeld has been charged with direct involvement in torture since 9/11. We speak with two attorneys with the plaintiffs -- Center for Constitutional Rights president Michael Ratner and Jeanne Sulzer of the International Federation of Human Rights. [includes rush transcript]


New York State Senate Votes Down Move to Allow Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Workers

The New York the State Senate has voted to oppose Governor Eliot Spitzer’s September 21st decision to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. Spitzer noted the high number of accidents caused by uninsured drivers and described the new policy as a public safety measure that makes licenses and insurance available regardless of immigration status. We’re joined by New York State Senator Eric Shneiderman and La Fuente Executive Director Amy Sugimori.


One Year Later, Justice Eludes Killers of American Journalist Brad Will

On Saturday friends and family of the murdered journalist Brad Will are gathering in New York at St. Mark's Church to mark the first anniversary of his death. At the time of his death, Brad Will was covering the popular uprising in Oaxaca Mexico. The alleged executioners were identified as two members of the local city hall, two municipal police officers and the former justice of the peace of a nearby town. But to date no one has held been held accountable for his death or the murder of any other activist killed in Oaxaca last year. We speak to investigative reporter John Ross from Mexico City.


Peace Activists Kathy Kelly and David Smith-Ferri on Iraq’s Worsening Refugee Crisis

As the United Nations reveals that 2,000 Iraqis are still fleeing their homes each day because of the continuing violence, peace activists Kathy Kelly and David Smith-Ferri join us to talk about their work with Iraq’s displaced. Kathy Kelly is the executive Director of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and founder of Voices in the Wilderness. David Smith-Ferri is a poet and peace activist. His latest collection of poetry is titled “Battlefield Without Borders.”