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Phoning Home

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Wednesday, May 7 2008

Phoning Home

The death toll in Burma is rising quickly in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, and aid is arriving too slowly to help. Pyi Maung and NyuNyu Maung both have extended family members in Rangoon. After the devastating cyclone hit the region, both tried desperately to contact family members. They called again and again, each time re-dialing the same long string of numbers. NyuNyu was able to get through to her family, and they talked for about five minutes. The roof was blown off of the family house, and the neighborhood is devastated. No aid has arrived.

Mistaken Identity

Abbas Raza

Every day, airport travelers are questioned under the USA Patriot Act. However, when Abbas Raza was stopped by the INS, it wasn't because he was Pakistani or on the "terrorist watch list." He was being mistaken for a man who attacked him 10 years before.

Abbas talks to Dick Gordon about how he convinced the cops they were arresting the wrong man and what he did when his court appointed attorney refused to believe that he was innocent.

• Read Abbas's essay, "Mr. Sampson, I Presume"