Democracy Now! Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Today's Headlines

• 70 Die in Iraq; Bus Bombing Kills 40 in Baquba
• Report: Sadr Movement Largest Humanitarian Organization in Iraq
• Home Foreclosure Filings Surge 57 Percent
• Senate Foreclosure Bill Includes Corporate Tax Breaks
• Warning Issued about Chemical Used in Plastic Baby Bottles
• Pope Benedict Vows to Kick Pedophiles Out of Church
• Report: Sea Levels Could Rise Five Feet by 2100
• Gov’t Obtains Phone Records of NYT Reporter
• Carter: Engage Hamas & Syria in Peace Talks
• Jewish Liberals Form Lobbying Group to Counter AIPAC
• Amnesty: US Remains One of World’s Top Executioners

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  Maoist Rebels Win Majority in Nepalese Assembly

  Maoist rebels in Nepal say an end to monarchy is near following their surprise victory in last week’s national elections. The Communist Party of Nepal is expected to come out with more than half the seats in the Constituent Assembly when final results are released. Maoist officials say one of their first orders of business will be to abolish the monarchy and declare a republic. We speak with New York-based journalist, Kashish Das Shrestha and we go to Nepal to speak with anthropologist, Mary Des Chenes.

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  Egypt Opposition Leaders Sentenced in Military Court

  In Egypt, 25 members of the opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, were sentenced to jail by a military court on Tuesday. Among those sentenced was the group’s second most senior member. In the weeks ahead of Egypt’s municipal vote earlier this month, hundreds of members of the group were arrested. The verdicts come on the heels of food riots in Egypt in response to sky-rocketing prices for food staples such as bread, rice, pasta. We speak with Hossam el-Hamalawy, an Egyptian journalist, blogger and activist.

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  Stuffed and Starved: As Food Riots Break Out Across the Globe, Part II of Raj Patel on “The Hidden Battle for the World Food System”

  The rise in global food prices has sparked a number of protests in recent weeks, highlighting the threat of worsening already dire levels of global hunger. The World Bank estimates world food prices have risen 80 percent over the past three years and that at least 33 countries face social unrest as a result. The World Food Program has issued a rare $500 million-dollar emergency appeal to deal with the growing crisis. We go to Part II of our conversation with Raj Patel, author of “Stuffed and Starved: the Hidden Battle for the World Food System.”