Archive - Jun 25, 2009

• Congress questions Fed Chair over his role in Merrill Lynch bailout
• The Healthy School Food Brigade takes its case to Capitol Hill
• Iran´s Mousavi says he will continue to challenge election results
• Afghanistan police prepare for August elections
• Veterans share Iraq and Afghanistan war experiences

• Supreme Court says strip search of teen unconstitutional
• Holder calls on Senate to push through Hate Crimes legislation
• Trade Reform Bill introduced by Democrats
• US wants international support before searching suspected N. Korean arms shipment
• Canadian First Nations angry over hold-ups in receiving H1N1 supplies

The White House yesterday confirmed President Obama´s plans to remove US soldiers from cities and towns in Iraq next week, despite two bomb explosions that killed two and injured more than 30 people today. And a motorcycle bomb that killed more than 60 people in Baghdad´s Sadr city on Wednesday.

Violence is peaking in Afghanistan as the central Asian country approaches its Presidential elections.  The Afghan army reported it killed 23 Taliban fighters earlier this week during combats in Uruzgan province, while battles continue to take place in several parts of the country.

Concerned about this violence, the Afghan government has decided to train 35 thousand police to maintain security during the August 20th elections.  These will be only the second presidential elections in Afghanistan's turbulent history. Zubair Babakarkhail reports from Kabul.

In Iran, opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi published a statement on his website, saying he will continue to challenge the June 12 election results, and called on his supporters to continue peaceful protests.

No reports surfaced Thursday of demonstrations after news was circulated Wednesday via social media and internet videos of riot police and pro-government militiamen using clubs and tear gas to break up an opposition rally in front of Iran´s Parliament.

This week, members of the Healthy School Food Brigade -which includes parents and other healthy food advocates- traveled to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to eliminate junk food from American schools.  Melissa Langer reports from Washington, DC.

Today, Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke was in the hot seat as he answered questions from a House of Representatives oversight committee, about the government’s involvement in the purchase of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America. Committee members say Bernanke pressured Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis, to go through with the Merrill Lynch deal even though he didn’t want to, causing what was supposed to be a private deal to become a $20 billion bailout.  FSRN´s Karen Miller reports.