Archive - Aug 20, 2009

• Afghans vote in Presidential elections marred by violent attacks
• Street Beat: FSRN speaks with Afghans at the polls
• Myanmar army displaces thousands of Shan people from their homes
• Groups fight mandatory arbitration rules
• Progessive congressmembers defend public health care option
• US considers lifting travel ban on people with HIV-AIDS

• CIA worked with Blackwater as part of Al Qaeda assassination program
• US indicts 43 for involvement with Mexican drug cartels
• Marriage equality to get its day in court
• ACLU sues Maricopa County over wrongful arrests
• Second major cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe expected
• Hundreds more children with lead poisoning in China

Afghanistan's national elections took place today and voters headed to the polls despite numerous threats from the Taliban and attacks around the country, including in the capital. Asma Nemati reports from Kabul.

There were originally 41 candidates vying for the presidential race in Thursday´s elections, including two women, but some dropped out in support of the two front-runners, incumbent President Hamid Karzai and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

According to the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan, around 6200 voting centers opened around the country. Several hundred polling places were closed for security reasons. But Defense Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak said Thursday evening that they expect turnout numbers will be good.

“The Taliban tried all their efforts to disrupt today´s historical and important election but they were not able to do that, they started attacks in some areas in early morning to make the people scared, but the brave Afghans came out of their homes and voted.”

The Defense Minister said 135 cases of insecurity were recorded across the country, including several suicide attacks. He also said 8 Afghan National Army soldiers were killed and 25 injured. About 13 civilians were also killed. But many areas were safe, including the Arzan Qeemat polling center outside Bagrami district, where hundreds of people participated in a national dance before and after voting.

To get an idea of what was on the minds of Afghans today, FSRN sent reporter Zubair Babakarkhail to polling centers, where he talked to voters for this edition of Street  Beat.

John Yettaw returned home today.  He´s the American activist sentenced to forced labor in Myanmar after swimming across a lake to the guarded compound of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Television cameras captured images of Yettaw as he was transported by wheelchair through Chicago´s O´Hare International Airport. Wearing a facemask and looking away from the cameras, Yettaw didn´t say much to reporters, but told the AP he didn´t regret his actions.

Yettaw is a diabetic and he was released on humanitarian grounds following a visit to Burma by Senator Jim Webb last week.  Webb also made an unsuccessful attempt to convince the military to release Suu Kyi from house arrest.

Hundreds of political activists are currently jailed in Burma.  And the human rights situation is also complicated for civilians who are not involved in politics.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch says some 10,000 villagers have been forced from their homes in Burma´s northeastern Shan state over the past several weeks,  as the Myanmar army fights insurgents who want greater  autonomy or in some cases independence for Burma´s Shan minority.

FSRN spoke with Cham Tong, a Burmese citizen and a member of the Shan minority.  Tong works for the Shan Women´s Action Network in the Thailand-Burma border, where thousands of Shan people are seeking refuge.

Starting today, credit card holders will receive new protections against costly credit card practices. Consumers will have the opportunity to opt out of interest rate hikes and they´ll also receive 45 days notice before a rate increase. But there´s an important protection that will not be available, the right to take your credit card company to court.  FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

More than 60 members of congress have taken a stand on health care reform.  In the House, members of the Progressive Caucus recently signed a letter where they stated they would only support health care reform plans that include a public option.  The Progressive Caucus says this does not include a cooperative system which is being promoted by members of the Senate Finance Committee. Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison co-chairs the Progressive Caucus.  He expressed his opposition to cooperatives today.

“A public option and a coop are very very different things. You know a coop is not for profit health care, but it does not have the benefits of a public option.”

Ellison said cooperatives would be too weak to compete against private health care providers and wouldn´t bring costs down. His declarations came during the launch of a report on health care reform by the Institute for America´s Future. The report was written by long time health care specialist Jacob Hacker, who supports a public option.

“I believe the plan should build on medicare´s provider network, signing up medicare providers automatically but allowing them to opt out if they wish. It should have the authority to reduce medical inflation through innovation through the financing of delivery of care. And finally the public plan and medicare should be given authority to bargain directly to lower drug prices for their enrollees.”

Representative Ellison says he is not discouraged by recent opposition to a public option in town hall meetings.  He claims most Americans will benefit from a public option, adding that the Progressive Caucus will continue to promote this policy amongst other members of Congress.