Democracy Now! Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Today's Headlines

• Gates Backs Stalling Limited Troop Withdrawals
• 2 Journalists Kidnapped in Iraq
• Pentagon Seeks Death Penalty in 9/11 Cases
• Obama Expected to Sweep “Potomac Primary”
• East Timorese Leader Expected to Recover
• U.S. Marine Accused of Rape in Japan
• Israel to Build 1,000 New Settlement Homes
• Venezuela Threatens Oil Cutoff After Exxon Wins Asset Freeze
• Insurance Giant Asks Doctors to Help Deny Medical Coverage
• 4 Accused of Spying for China
• Yahoo Rejects Microsoft Takeover Bid
• Rep. Lantos Dies at 80

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  Torture, Due Process Concerns Mar Capital Case Against Alleged 9/11 Conspirators

  The Pentagon is seeking the death penalty for six prisoners at Guantanamo Bay for their alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks. But questions are being raised about evidence obtained through torture and the legitimacy of the military commissions used to try the suspects. We speak to Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represents hundreds of Guantanamo prisoners, including one of the accused. [includes rush transcript]

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  Discovery Channel Accused of Political Censorship for Dropping Oscar-Nominated Doc on U.S. Torture

  Days after its Academy Award nomination, the documentary Taxi to the Dark Side was dropped by the Discovery Channel over concerns it was “controversial.” The film investigates some of the most egregious abuses associated with the so-called “war on terror,” including the US torture of prisoners. We get reaction from filmmaker Alex Gibney. [includes rush transcript]

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  Nobel Laureate and "Banker to the Poor" Muhammad Yunus on Micro-Lending, Its Critics and the Bush Administration's Negative Impact on Global Poverty

  Muhammad Yunus won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for pioneering a microcredit program that helps hundreds of thousands of impoverished Bangladeshis—mostly women—by providing small unsecured loans, which are then repaid. He is author of the new book Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. [includes rush transcript]