Newscast for Monday, July 27, 2009

Tensions rise in Honduras-Nicaragua border following President Zelaya´s visit
Tensions continue to grow in Honduras, nearly one month since the Honduran military deposed President Manuel Zelaya and sent him into exile.  Over the weekend, the ousted president traveled by caravan to the border between Nicaragua and Honduras, stepping symbolically into Honduras for a press conference.

Military roadblocks and a 24 hour curfew impeded thousands of Zelaya supporters from reaching the border to accompany the ousted president back into the country.   FSRN´s Tim Russo has more from Honduras.

Honduras interim government reacts to deposed President´s moves
Honduras Interim President Roberto Micheletti appealed to US political leaders and citizens today on the pages of the Wall Street Journal.  In an op-ed, Micheletti said President Zelaya was legally removed from power, after the judicial and legislative branches of the Honduras government found that Zelaya had “violated the country´s laws and constitution.”

Micheletti´s words come as human rights organizations criticize his government for persecuting people who support the deposed President Zelaya.  Some say the human rights situation is now critical in the border region between Honduras and Nicaragua, where Zelaya supporters are stuck between road blocks.

To learn more about the interim government response to this weekend´s FSRN spoke to Suyapa Portillo a research fellow at Pomona College. Portillo is from Honduras and she is closely monitoring the political standoff.

Walmart pushes for expanded health care coverage
Walmart recently teamed up with some unlikely allies to call for employer-paid health care. Walmart is one of America´s largest employers, and it currently provides health care to more than half of its US work force.  Some Walmart officials want to extend health benefits even beyond what President Obama is calling for.  FSRN´s Tanya Snyder reports.

Protests over Iran elections continue as Ahmadinejad prepares inauguration
More than 20 Iranians died in the crackdown that followed the country's disputed June 12 election and hundreds more have been jailed or have disappeared.

Despite the unrest, President Mahmood Ahmadinejad's inauguration is set for the first week of August, after which he will serve out his second and last four year term. Still, the protests over Ahmadinejad´s election continue in several countries with people saying this is not only about an election, but about human rights.  FSRN´s Rose Ketabchi filed this report from San Francisco.

Gay sex ruling challenged in India´s Supreme Court
The gay rights movement in India won a resounding victory earlier this month, when an Indian Court overturned a colonial-era law that defined gay sex as a criminal act.

While the ruling has been praised by the gay community in India and rights groups across the world, it is facing stiff resistance within the country from religious and nationalist groups. The ruling has been challenged in the Supreme Court and is the focus of a heated debate across the country. FSRN´s Bismillah Geelani has more from New Delhi.

Democracy Restoration Act could allow ex convicts to vote
Civil Rights advocates are praising the introduction of a bill in Congress that would restore voting rights to people with felony convictions.  The two bills, introduced simultaneously in the House and the Senate, would allow people released from prison to vote in federal elections.  Erika Woods is deputy director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

“We´re talking about people who have been convicted in the past who have served time in prison and who the criminal justice system has determined to be ready to re enter society and come back to the community.   Once these folks come back to the community, as American citizens, they should have the right to vote.   They have responsibilities, they have to find a job, they have to pay taxes, they are raising their families in the community.  And having the right to vote and having a voice in the community really is part of that reintegration in becoming part of society.”

Thirty-five states currently prohibit people with felony convictions from voting, even after they have been released from prison, according to the Brennan Center. This disenfranchises an estimated 4 million people.

“Over the past decade, 20 states have reversed their restrictions on voting and have restored voting rights for people released from prison.  Instead of a patchwork of state laws, the new bill would create a federal standard. The legislation also requires people who rights are restored to be notified their right has been returned.   Opponents say the measure is unconstitutional.  Hans Von Spakovsky is a legal scholar at the Heritage Foundation.”

The 14th Amendment of the Constitution specifically gives states the right to take away the right to vote of someone. And so if Congress believes this is a good idea, the only way they could do this is by constitutional amendment. And so even if Congress were to pass this I think it would quickly be overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 was introduced Friday by Senator Russ Feingold and Representative John Conyers. The measure has a long road in Congress before it becomes law.