Democracy Now! Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Today's Headlines

    * Illinois Gov. Arrested in Elaborate Corruption Scandal
    * White House, Dems Agree on Auto Bailout
    * UN: Israeli Occupation a “Crime Against Humanity”
    * 6 Afghan Officers Die in US Bombing
    * UN: Rising Food Prices Pushing More into Hunger
    * Dem House Intel Chair Calls for Continuity of Bush Policies, Appointees
    * Pentagon: Roadside Bombing Deaths Were Preventable
    * AIG Continues Multi-Million-Dollar Payouts
    * 3 NYPD Officers Charged in Subway Assault Case

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  Illinois Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges Including Scheme to Sell Obama’s Senate Seat

  Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested yesterday on staggering corruption charges, including allegations that he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by fellow Democrat, President-elect Barack Obama. In recorded conversations with his advisers, Governor Blagojevich laid bare a “pay to play” culture that, according to prosecutors, began shortly after he took office in 2002 and continued until yesterday morning, when FBI agents arrested him and his chief of staff, John Harris. Blagoevich was also accused of trying to extort the Chicago Tribune into firing editorial writers who were critical of him. [includes rush transcript]

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  Workers Win Offer from BofA in Chicago Factory Sit-In

  For the past six days, hundreds of laid-off union workers have refused to leave the Republic Windows & Doors plant, staging a factory sit-in seldom seen in this country since the 1930s. The factory was closed last week after the factory owners said Bank of America cut off the company’s line of credit. On Tuesday, the workers won a victory: Bank of America offered loans to the firm to resolve the pay dispute. We speak with a factory worker and a union organizer.

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  Unsteady Calm Following Settler Violence Against Palestinian Residents in Hebron

  We take a look at the troubled West Bank city of Hebron where the city’s Palestinian residents have been at the receiving end of a new wave of attacks from hardline Jewish settlers. Violence flared last week after Israeli riot police forcibly evicted some 250 settlers from a disputed Palestinian-owned home that the settlers had occupied last year. Tensions have been high ever since an Israeli High Court ruling last month that ordered the settlers to vacate the building. We go to Hebron to get the latest.

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  "This Agreement Has Incredible Importance for Our Movement" Immokalee Workers Win Agreement with Subway Over Tomato Prices in Florida

  The Coalition of Immokalee Workers reached an agreement last week with Subway, the third largest fast-food chain in the world and the biggest fast-food buyer of Florida tomatoes. Subway now joins other fastfood giants McDonalds, Taco Bell, and Burger King, that have all agreed to pay farm workers at least another penny per pound of tomatoes they harvest and improve working conditions.