The Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) was approved by the US Senate on Thursday in a 54-45 vote, the narrowest margin that any major trade agreement has passed through the Senate in over a decade. The vote will now move to the house of representatives, where stronger opposition is expected. Global Exchange has put out a nationwide call for citizens to call their member of congress to stop DR-CAFTA in the house.

City Council gives Chief of Police $350,000, Chief of Chiefs a heart attack.

06/27/05

Yesterday evening, the New Orleans City Council held a special session to review complaints of police misconduct during the Mardi Gras Indians celebration this past spring. Just moments after speaking of his fifty-two years of involvement with the Indians, Allison ‘Tootie’ Montana, chief of chiefs, fell to a heart attack, surrounded by the other Indian Chiefs and other supporters. Cries of his wife and other loved ones soon filled air, along with hushed sobs and worried whispers. As the minutes dragged on, and CPR was performed by two Douglass student activists from Teens With Attitude, Dominique and Victor, the crowd began to understand the gravity of the situation. When the paramedics arrived, about 12 minutes later, many Mardi Gras Indians in the room rose their voices in a slow and steady rendition of Indian Red. Tootie was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Following is an on scene account of the entire meeting, in which Chief 'Tootie' Montana spoke his final words “This has got to stop," after describing decades of police violence during the events.

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Airports are being warned, Border security tightened, Press packages prepared.

At a government staged press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan on June 18, 2005, the gang rape of educator, Islamic scholar and now women's social activist Mukhtar Mai was expected to continue in a closet. Instead, her tears were carried on radio, video, digital and printed media worldwide. Now as the current US administration tries delicately to save the face of one of it's last surviving eastern military allies, the part of the world that notices such things, waits to see the fate of one recurrent victim. With China and the USA battling it out to see who can arm Pakistan the fastest, the question of 'humanitarian observances' is sure to stay confused.

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JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION JOIN THE NAACP MARCH ON BOURBON STREET

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The south is our home, Our struggle is here - Our time is now.
SCG in Baton Rouge, LA this weekend!