Wednesday, June 18, 2008

• Levees Continue to Break Along the Mississippi River
• Israelis and Palestinians Slowly Wade into a Shaky Ceasefire
• Teachers in Chile End a Three-day Strike, Call for Meaningful Educationrm Refom
  
• Indian Protesters Fast to Demand Release of Prominent Political Prisoner
• Community Rallies to Support LA Teacher Fired for Being 'Afro-centric'

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Levees Continue to Break Along the Mississippi River

Levees are breaking all along the North Mississippi as floodwaters flow south from Iowa. The Army Corps of Engineers says 20 levees have already failed and they are predicting that as many as 30 more, most near small towns, are in danger of breaching or being overtaken by the rising waters. Pat Slattery is with the National Weather Services' Central Region Office.

:35 – says now attention is on Mississippi river where waters continue to rise. A levee broke in Iowa yesterday flooding 5000 acres of farmland…

Communities along the river are frantically sandbagging the banks. The Illinois governor has called up the State's National Guard and has enlisted the help of inmates.

But while the rising water itself is an issue, the impacts of what's in the water may linger for years. Because the flooded areas are largely agricultural, fertilizer and pesticides are potentially running off at high rates as the waters rush over fields. In more urban areas, the waters are causing sewer overflows and have compromised businesses like gas stations where pollutants are concentrated. Officials are telling residents to stay out of the water and are preventing some from returning home. The Red Cross, despite financial troubles, has set up emergency shelters across the region.

But there is a bit of good news, Slattery says any flooding south of St. Louis will be relatively mild because the Mississippi becomes much wider and deeper – capable of handling more flow. Most communities will see moderate flood levels.

:33 says that could change with more rain but none is expected in the next few days. NWS forecasters can usually give officials 4-5 days warning about storms moving in.

President Bush is scheduled to tour the damage in Iowa tomorrow – about a week after flooding began. Bush says his administration is setting up a housing task force to aid those who loose their homes during the floods. Officials predict the price tag for the disaster will top $1.5 billion.

Israelis and Palestinians slowly wade into a shaky ceasefire

Today, Palestinians and Israel approved an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire, which will go into effect tomorrow morning.

But an Israeli defense official has stressed that this is not a peace treaty – and that Israel will continue to prepare for military action. And even though Hamas officials have publicly stressed their commitment to the
ceasefire, Palestinians are cautious about the sustainability of the truce.

FSRN's Rami Almeghari has more from Gaza city.

Teachers in Chile End a Three-day Strike, Call for Meaningful Education Reform

Teachers in Chile on Wednesday ended a three-day strike in opposition to an education reform bill currently being debated in Congress. The teachers argue the General Education Law does nothing to protect public education and will hurt low income students. The President of Chile's Teachers Association estimates that 15-thousand teachers and students marched in solidarity.

From Santiago FSRN's Jorge Garretón explains.

Indian Protesters Fast to Demand Release of Prominent Political Prisoner

A group of intellectuals and activists in India are in the midst a 10-day fast in protest of the continued detention of physician and prominent human rights activist Dr. Binayak Sen. Indian police arrested Sen more than a year ago charging him with sedition and having unlawful contact with Maoist insurgents. He denies the allegations. Protesters in India are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

Bismillah Geelani has more.

Community Rallies to Support LA Teacher Fired for Being 'Afro-centric'

Teachers who express their opinions on controversial social issues can find themselves in a lot of trouble. Whether

it be evolution versus creationism, war versus peace, gay rights or their personal political leanings, a teacher has limited freedom of speech. Last year, a federal court of appeals ruled that a teacher's words are "the commodity she sells to an employer in exchange for her salary."

The issue has once again reared its head in South Los Angeles. Protests continue over the effective termination of an alleged 'Afro-centric' teacher who works in a predominantly minority school. School officials say although Karen Salazar is allowed to teach The Autobiography of Malcolm X, the way she teaches the topic is tantamount to "brainwashing."

Dan Fritz reports from KPFK in Los Angeles.