President obama is set to visit the kingdom this week to meet King Abdullah. We will speak with Patrick Cockburn on al qaedas second night. Why the global war on terror went wrong. Then, right to heal. People need to support iraq is people right to reparation. You are thousands of families that have birth defects and women who have been trafficked with no right of citizenship now. All of that needs to be addressed. 11 years ago this month, the u. S. Invaded iraq will stop today, group of iraq is elaines and u. S. Veterans of the war come together in washington to demand u. S. Government be held accountable for the lasting effects of war at home and abroad. Where 529 to egypt supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood have been sentenced to death. We will speak with democracy now correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous will stop all of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The white house and congressional leaders have unveiled similar proposals to end the National Security agencys bulk collection of phone records. Both measures would leave the bulk data in the hands of phone companies. Under the white house version, the nsa would seek for permission to obtain specific records. Under the house version, the nsa would seek Court Approval after a search. While the nsa currently retains bulk data for five years, phone companies would not have to keep it beyond 18 months. Speaking in the netherlands, president obama said the reforms are part of a process to win back the publics trust. The process that is taking place where we have to win back the trust, not just of governments, but more importantly, of or near citizens. That is not going to happen overnight. I think there is a tendency to be skeptical of governments and to be skeptical particular of u. S. Intelligence services. Phone bulk collection of records has been among the most controversial of Edward Snowdens disclosures in the last nine months. In a statement, snowden called obamas embrace of ending bulk surveillance a turning point, adding writing on his website, Glenn Greenwald said the death toll from a mudslide in Washington State has risen to 24. The local fire chief said no one was found alive in a challenging day of searching for survivors. We had a very challenging day today with the rain. It further complicated things. We continued our search and recovery operation on the entire slide area. Unfortunately, we do not find any signs of life. We did not locate anybody alive. I still consider it a rescue operation. It is rescue and recovery. We have not lost hope yet. Theres a possibility we could find some of you live in a pocket area. We are coming to the realization it may not be a possibility, but we are going full steam ahead. Around 170 people are reported to be missing, but there are hopes that number will fall as more report their whereabouts. According to the Seattle Times , there have been concerns about the air is geologic instability dating back to 1950. In 1999 report for the army corps of engineers warned for the potential of a large catastrophic failure. But county officials have greenlighted building projects, including one after 2006 slide. More revelations have emerged in the General Motors safety scandal linked to scores of deaths. The New York Times reports gm knew of a fatal safety defect in our cars, but continued to mislead the families of accident victims. Confirmedmeeting hundreds of thousands of cars had faulty ignition switches, shutting down engines and air bags. But gm kept us finding secret for the next five years, telling the victims families there was insufficient evidence of any flaws. In one case, gm threatened to go after a victims family for legal fees unless the lawsuit was withdrawn. Earlier thisnded year after gm admitted to the faulty ignition switches and recalled some 3. 1 early in cars. You make knowledge the defects have caused 12 deaths, but independent estimates say the toll could be in the hundreds. In indiana refinery owned by the energy giant bp has lead to an undisclosed amount of oil into lake michigan. The whiting facility is used to refine tar sands crude oil from alberta, canada. Lake michigan serves as the water source for millions of people, but the Environmental Protection agency says the spill has been sufficiently contained. The epa also says it will investigate whether the spill violates the clean water act. The spill comes less than two weeks after the u. S. Government lifted a ban on bps ability to seek oil leases in the gulf of mexico. It also followed saturday spill of up to 170,000 gallons of oil in texas. This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill. Heards. Supreme court has arguments in two key cases about an employees right to Birth Control under the Affordable Care act. The law exempt religious nonprofits from providing insurance that covers contraception, but two forprofit companies, hobby lobby and conestoga would, say they should also be exempt to to religious police. At stake is not only the issue of contraception, but the question of whether corporations can make claim to religious rights. Both sides of the debate rallied outside tuesday session. Cisco routers of planned parenthood praised the supreme forts three women questioning the corporations claim to religious exemption. The importance of having women on the Supreme Court was sought today. I was so proud to be there is a woman who cares about womens health, that the justices talk about the fact what is at stake in this issue or in this case is whether millions of women and their right to preventive care, including Birth Control, is trumped by a handful of ceos who have their own personal opinions about Birth Control. A ruling on the case is expected at the end of the Supreme Courts term in june. The Obama Administration is extending the deadline for enrolling in the new Health Care Program for those unable to sign up before monday. People who apply but arent able to complete their sign up by the monday deadline will be granted an extension until mid april. At least 80 people have been killed and dozens more winded in a series of attacks across iraq. The dead included at least 41 soldiers. Iraq continues to face its worst violence in six years. Last week marked the 11th anniversary of u. S. Invasion. We will have more on iraq later in the broadcast. Top human nations rights official says egypts sentencing of hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members to death marks an unprecedented violation of international law. On monday, 520 nine supporters of ousted president morsi or ordered killed over the death of a Single Police officer in protest last summer. The trial lasted just over two days, with the majority tried in absentia. A spokesperson for the unit high commissioner for human rights said the sentencing is unprecedented in recent memory and not write a legal. We are extremely alarmed at this extraordinary case in egypt were 529 people were handed down a death sentence after a trial just lasted two days and then breached a whole range of procedures that is clearly in violation of international law. Colville, thepert spokesperson for the human commissioner on human rights. We will have more from egypt after the headlines with Sharif Abdel Kouddous in cairo. President obama wrapped up a Nuclear Summit in the netherlands on tuesday with a dig at russia and response to republican critics of his stance on ukraine. Obama called russia a Regional Power that acted out of weakness and annexing crimea. He also said republicans have exaggerated the importance of the ukraine crisis in relation to u. S. National security. Is a Regional Power that is threatening some of its not out ofeighbors strength, but out of weakness. Russias actions are a problem. They dont pose the number one National Security threat to the united states. I continue to be much more concerned in it comes to our security with the prospect of a Nuclear Weapon going off in manhattan. But president obamas comments come after the u. S. And its g7 allies kicked russia out of the group of eight. The president s overseas tour continues in belgium today were he will deliver an address in the capital of brussels. Ahead of his visit, he faced a protest from demonstrators calling for the closure of guantanamo bay. We are very disappointed, of course, because that was his promise. We thought the situation would change. But the situation has not changed. There are still 154 people there. In their situation is really very, very bad with the Hunger Strike for for instance, forcefeeding, no hope of being freed although, a lot of them have been cleared for release. Really, we ask them to do something. Seven people have been detained in alabama after blocking the entrance to Detention Center for undocumented immigrants. The protesters each also undocumented themselves chained themselves in front of county Detention Center. An activist with the Alabama Coalition for immigrant justice said the rally was called to oppose harsh conditions for prisoners. Youre asking that the Detention Center treat their detainees better. A lot of them have been complaining theyre not getting the appropriate food, that they are not allowed to practice their religions. And they dont have an area in which they can actually go outside and breathe fresh air. Click the alabama protest, as dozens of prisoners at the immigration jail in Washington State have resumed a Hunger Strike. The strikers began refusing meals earlier this month and a call for improved conditions at the northwest Attention Center in tacoma, owned by the geo group. An attorney for the prisoners has around 70 have resumed fasting after the jails managers failed to implement pledge reforms. The Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office meanwhile has released figures estimating and Immigration Reform bill advanced by House Democrats would decrease the federal deficit by 900 billion over 20 years. The house measure is similar to the bill passed by the senate Immigration Reform has stalled in the house where republicans have refused to allow a vote. California, a 74yearold africanamerican woman has been released from prison after serving 32 years for murder committed by her abusive boyfriend. Mary virginia jones was convicted of murder in 1981. But Defense Attorneys say her boyfriend kidnapped two men, forced jones to drive at gunpoint to los angeles alley were he shot both men, one of whom died. Jones then ran away, reportedly expecting her boyfriend to kill her as well. But instead, she was arrested and convicted of his crime. Her boyfriend was also arrested and died while awaiting execution. On tuesday, dmitry jones goody celebrated her mothers release after more than 30 years. Bitter or angry. Im just grateful at the fact she has been released and that she is given a chance to come home. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Widespread outrage continues to grow after the largest mass sentencing in modern egyptian history. Human rights groups, the united states, and the European Union have denounced egyptian courts 529nt decision to sentence supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi to death. The convictions followed a trial that lasted just over two days, with the majority of the accused tried in absentia for their alleged role in killing a Single Police officer last summer. Mass trial has opened involving 683 people, including top Muslim Brotherhood leader mohammed badie. Denouncey, marie harf the trials. Imposing the Death Penalty on 529 defendants after a twoday trial would be unconscionable. The verdicts handed down yesterday by the court and the command meant another mass trial for 683 individuals today in the same court represent a flagrant disregard or basic standards of justice. The imposition of the Death Penalty for 520 nine defendants after a twoday summary proceeding cannot be reconciled with egypts obligations under International Human rights law and its a limitation of these instances would be unconscionable. The exceptionally swift trial and harsh sentence marks a new escalation of the Egyptian Military regimes crackdown on morsi supporters. Amnesty International Said the recent mass convictions were a grotesque example of the shortcomings in the selective nature of egypts justice system. On tuesday in alexandria, students took to the streets in protest. This is the beginning of an escalation and we will stop the police. We will not be quiet. Were here against military rule no all chanting together, matter the movement, anyone chanting anything other than down with military rule, we are obliged to do with them. We are here united. But two leading egyptian activists have been freed after over 100 days behind bars. They are among a group of activists charged with violating the military regimes antiprotest law. They and 23 others have been released on bail but still face a trial resumes next month. For more we go to cairo, egypt where we are joined by democracy now correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous. 529t with the sentencing of people to death. By all accounts, this was a stunning verdict was handed down the other day. As you mentioned, 529 people sentenced to death in one of the largest death sentence rulings in modern history across the world. The judge issued his verdict after just one day in court on saturday. A session which offends lawyers said a werent allowed to present their case at all the for the judge. Defendants were hundreds of them in a cage in the courtroom chanting. The judge ordered Security Forces to close in on the defense lawyers and then quickly adjourned the session and said he would issue his verdict two days later. When the verdict came down, it sent shockwaves throughout the international community. It has come in condemned by the eu, the u. S. As did local and International Human rights groups. As you mentioned, that same judge just adjourned another mass trial of many similar charges involving suspected morsi supporters, including the head of the Muslim Brotherhood. This trial involved over 680 people in the judge, again, adjourned it. The defense boycotted the proceedings following the verdicts and the other case. Youll issue verdicts on that case on april 28. It sparked protests in egypt. A group called the students against the coup of call for protests in at least six universities today, promorsi groups including the anticallings of call for demonstrations as well. Serving tolly only stoke the flames of tension in egypt further. Sharif, could you explain specifically what this case was about . What are these 529 people convicted of . They are charged with murder, attempted murder, joining an outlawed group with the intention of pummeling the government instilling government weapons in connection with the attacks on a Police Station in southern egypt. This took place in august following the raids on the promorsi citizens where at which set offns violence and much of the country. In this particular attack, one Police Officer was killed. In retaliation, these 545 people were put on trial. As we know, 529 of which have now been sentenced to death. Even additional officials involved with this case judicial officials involved with this case are critical of the ruling. It is widely expected to be overturned on appeal on procedure alone. So we will have to wait and see what happens with that. It really was a stunning verdict. Especially when you put it in the context of recent court case in which a trial was brought against Police Officers who were charged in the killing of 37 prisoners who died of suffocation in a truck in august. One Police Officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three other sentenced to one year suspended sentences. When you compare those to the lack of justice, it is very start. Defense attorneys in the Muslim Brotherhood case boycotted the proceedings, complaining of judicial irregularities and media censorship. This is a defense lawyer. And limited today in the crime, there is a boycott of all lawyers to the hearing