Archive - Aug 10, 2009

• North American leaders discuss immigration, economy, trade, drug cartels, swine flu & more in Mexico
• Congressmembers take health care debate to their districts
• Activists protest deaths of Iranian exiles at Iraq refugee camp
• Zimbabwe rape survivors demand justice as Secretary Clinton denounces violence against women
• Army study to investigate increase in military suicide rate

• California prison still on lockdown after riots – 1000 prisoners to be relocated
• Israel bombs underground tunnel - rockets fly in retaliation
• Honduras’ Micheletti reverses himself on OAS delegation
• Typhoons batter Asian nations – one Taiwanese village buried in mudslide
• Iran’s President purges Intelligence Ministry, Speaker commits to investigate detainee rapes
• Violence continues in Afghanistan in advance of general elctions

President Barack Obama is in Guadalajara, Mexico for the North American Leaders Summit. He's meeting with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss immigration, the economy, trade, swine flu, drug cartels and cooperation amongst the three countries. The leaders addressed some of these issues at a joint press conference today. Speaking through a translator, President Calderon:

“I am certain that the next G20 in Pittsburgh will be a great opportunity to build the necessary agreements to reform these organizations that are key in the recovery of our economies..and likewise the United States, Mexico and Canada have to restart our agreements, we recognize that it is essential to abide by NAFTA and to resolve the pending topics that impede us from reaching greater regional competitiveness...“

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said energy and climate change are also issue the three leaders are discussing.

“Given the integrated of our economies we did talk on some length about the importance of working together on a North American approach to climate change.  And also on doing our best to ensure that out of Copenhagen and going forward we reach an effective and genuinely international new world protocol on greenhouse gas emissions.”

Talks between the three leaders began in Guadalajara on Sunday. Several hundred people gathered to protest the meeting, and specifically NAFTA, immigration policy and the lack of pensions for Mexican workers who had money withheld from their paychecks while employed in the US during World War II. Riot police and armed federal agents set up road blocks to keep the demonstrators at a distance from the site of the presidential meetings.

This is Obama's second trip to Mexico during his presidency. He called the summit productive:

“First we agreed that we have to work together to restore our common prosperity. The global recession has cost jobs and hurt families from Toronto, to Toledo to Tijuana. So we renew our commitment to work together in Ottawa, Washington and Mexico City…”

Obama said his administration will continue to move toward fixing the broken immigration system - but offered no specific details for an immigration reform plan.

Members of Congress have returned to their home districts, where many of them are holding town hall meetings with voters to discuss the contentious health care legislation. But as has been widely reported in the media, many town hall meetings have been chaotic, as opponents to reform are loudly voicing their views. As FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, the detractors are coordinated, motivated and well organized.

Hunger strikers in several countries are concerned for the safety of a group of Iranian exiles in Iraq. They say Iraqi security forces attacked people at a refugee camp. But these refugees are considered terrorists by the US government. Tanya Snyder reports.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in the Democratic Republic of Congo today, as she continues her tour of seven African countries. Clinton held a town hall meeting with Congolese youth this afternoon and visited a basketball clinic run by former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo.

She´s expected to visit the eastern city of Goma tomorrow where she will speak about violence against women.  Clinton will hear the stories of women who have been raped, maimed and beaten in the eastern Congo, where rebels and the Congolese army have been fighting since the mid 90s for control over the region´s natural resources. The UN reports that more than 200,000 Congolese women have been targets of violence since 1996 and aid workers say the Congolese army is among the offenders.  

Women are often victims of armed groups in Africa and often there is no punishment against perpetrators. In Zimbabwe, women who were raped as political violence broke out during that country´s 2008 elections are now demanding justice. FSRN´s Davison Makanga reports.

The Army and the National Institute of Mental Health are developing extensive surveys and tests that will probe soldiers for mental illnesses and provide some clues on the increasing suicide rate.

The study will take five years to conduct and will include genetic and neuro-biological studies. To learn more about mental health in the army and the challenges faced by soldiers and veterans, FSRN contacted Doctor Judith Broder, the founder and director of The Soldiers Project.

The Soldiers Project is a network of mental health specialists who provide free counseling and support to service members who have come back from Iraq or Afghanistan and for those who´re planning to join those wars.  They also provide support for their loved ones. For more information, visit The Soldier Project.