Archive - Jan 28, 2010

• Residents outside Port Au Prince express frustration over slow aid relief
• Obama proposes bigger role and more funding for community banks
• Military and energy shaping US policy in Africa for 2010
• Afghans react to London conference on future of country
• Testimony ends in federal trial on California’s same sex marriage law
• Author, historian and activist Howard Zinn dies at 87

• Senate reconfirms Bernanke as Fed Chair
• Obama pledges $800 billion for high-speed rail
• MA Rep introduces legislation to counter SCOTUS Citizens United decision
• BART settles with Oscar Grant’s family
• Scott Roeder admits to killing abortion provider
• Japan PM delays Okinawa military base decision until May

Many in Haiti continue to express frustration with the pace of relief for survivors of the January 12 earthquake, saying they are ready to distribute aid if they are provided the material. Today, FSRN travels outside of Port Au Prince to the seaside town of Grand Goave, where residents say they have little food and water. FSRN'S Ansel Herz reports.

In his first State of the Union, President Obama announced he will work to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." He also said he supports a mixed energy economy, including nuclear power, natural gas, biomass and renewable energy.  But he focused much of his State of the Union address on jobs and the economy.  FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell takes a look at one economic component he highlighted: assistance for community banks.

One topic that was missing from Obama's speech last night was Africa, but that doesn't mean that the US has stepped back from its influence in the region. And that includes two areas in particular: national security and energy.

Here to discuss these issues is Gerald Lemelle, executive director for Africa Action, a DC-based advocacy group focused on US-Africa relations. He's also the lead author of a new report, Africa Outlook 2010.

“Africa Policy Outlook 2010,” a report by Africa Action, released this month, includes analysis of HIV/AIDS work on the continent, conflicts in Somalia and Uganda, debt relief and other pressing issues. More here: http://www.africaaction.org/resources/page.php?op=read&documentid=4854&t...

Leaders from nearly 70 countries met today in London for a one-day summit on the strategy in Afghanistan.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the conference and pointed towards an eventual withdrawal of US forces.

"We will move forward to transition out our forces as they are replaced by trained and qualified Afghan forces."

World leaders promised $140 million to go towards persuading low-level Taliban fighters to lay down their arms.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai renewed his pledge to tackle corruption and said he supported efforts to reach out to Taliban leaders, calling them "disenchanted brothers" of the Afghan people. To find out what Afghan citizens think of these plans, FSRN’s Mujahid Jawad talked to residents of Kabul.

You just heard journalists Hameed Mohammand and Brishna Nazari; Womens Affairs Director Rona Tarin; political expert Wadeer Safi; and former Taliban ambassador to the US, Adbul Hakeem Mujahid.

Testimony has ended in the landmark federal trial over same-sex marriage taking place in a district court in San Francisco. Defendants presented two witnesses who testified about traditional marriage but plaintiffs say the testimony actually helped make the case for marriage equality. Christopher Martinez reports.