Archive - Dec 9, 2009

• At climate conference, leaked proposal leads to calls for stronger action
• Developing countries offer alternative plans for climate change
• Report on mosque attack sparks outrage in India
• Health care debate moves forward in Senate without public option
• Largest US settlement awarded for Native Americans

• MA poised to elect its first female Senator
• ACLU loses $20 million donor
• Additional blasts in Baghdad kill 7 civilians
• Report: average Israeli settlement construction in West Bank higher than rest of country
• New travel restrictions in Gaza further hamper movement across borders
• Samir Zaqout is a spokesman for the Almizan Center for Human Rights in Gaza.
• Climate hunger strikers in Australia continue vigil

In Copenhagen today, the fall-out continues after a leaked climate proposal from the Danish government emerged late Tuesday. The lead negotiator for the G77 plus China -- a group of developing countries -- called it a coup by rich nations  that will produce an overly weak treaty. Critics say such a plan would not protect Africa, where climate change impacts could be the most devastating. But the text appears to be giving life to a serious push for stronger emissions reductions. From Copenhagen, FSRN'S Jenny Johnson reports.

And now to get a closer look at some of the alternatives that are being proposed at the climate conference we speak with Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Environment Reporter for KPFA. He is in Copenhagen right now.

Seventeen years ago this week, a Hindu mob destroyed the ancient Muslim mosque Babri Masjid, located in the India state of Uttar Pradesh. The demolition led to some of the worst ever communal riots and claimed thousands of lives across India. A long-awaited report on the mosque riots was recently released and is causing a political firestorm in parliament. Bismillah Geelani has the story.

In Washington, DC Democratic senators announced they had reached a new agreement on healthcare reform. But to reach that agreement, lawmakers took out the public option. Senators also voted down new restrictions on abortion. Despite the progress, the path to sixty votes remains unclear. FSRN'S Tanya Snyder reports.

The US government has reached an agreement on the largest settlement involving Native Americans in the history of the United States.  The Department of the Interior will pay 3.4 billion dollars to settle claims that they mismanaged American Indian trust funds dating back to 1887.  Advocates for the settlement say it marks an important step, but that there is much more to be done.  FSRN’s Matt Pearson reports.