Archive - Dec 16, 2009

• Thousands march on Copenhagen convention center as clashes erupt
• Climate talks unravel as heads of state arrive
• Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi meets with political party leaders
• Republicans force withdrawal of single payer health care amendment
• House prepares to vote on $154 billion legislation on jobs

• Iran test-fires long-rang missile
• Switzerland agrees to take Guantanamo detainee
• Bomb targets Pakistani politician, kills more than 20 at market
• Bolivia lashes out at US for exclusion from Andean Trade Pact
• British Airways and other transport strikes threaten to cripple holiday travel
• Federal incitement in PA hate crimes case

In the streets of Copenhagen today, clashes between police and protesters caused chaos as thousands marched on the Bella center and activists inside staged a walk out. An estimated 260 people were arrested, according to the UK's Guardian newspaper. Brian Edwards-Tiekert has more from Copenhagen.

Inside the climate change conference center, relations among negotiators appeared to reach a new level of discord. Several countries raised more concerns over the  behind-closed-doors negotiating process.  They also complained of a lack of access to the conference venue for delegates and environmental advocates. FSRN'S Jenny Johnson has more.

Today in Burma, detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with leaders of her political party, the National League for Democracy. It's the first time in a year that she has been able to meet with the party's leaders. And it seems that - at least one of the topics of the talks was a reorganization of the party that could come ahead of a national election in 2010.

To discuss today's meeting and what it means for Burma, we're joined by Aung Zaw. He's an editor at the Burmese news magazine Irrawaddy, based in Thailand.

On Capitol Hill today, Republicans successfully defeated a proposal to create a single payer health care plan. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders withdrew an amendment that aimed to cover every American legally residing in the country with health insurance. Republicans had launched a procedural move to read aloud the entire 700-plus-page amendment, thus effectively blocking the debate on health care and threatening Democratic plans to pass the bill before Christmas. FSRN's Karen Miller has more.

The House of Representatives passed a spending bill today that provides more than $100 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also extends unemployment insurance and health care for people who lost jobs in the recession - but does not cover the cost of the additional 30,000 troops that President Obama plans to send to Afghanistan in 2010. Also today, congressmembers prepared to vote on a $154 billion jobs bill. The bill is meant to augment last year’s $787 billion economic stimulus bill plan.  FSRN’s Matt Pearson reports.