Newscast for Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Senator Dodd releases proposal to reform nation’s financial system
The top Democrat on the Banking Committee unveiled a major proposal to regulate the financial system.  Senator Chris Dodd said ‘inaction is unacceptable’ as the US comes off the worst financial crisis in decades. Consumer advocates are praising the proposal as a victory. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Environmentalists criticize new head of federal agency on coal mining
In Washington, D.C. the US Senate has confirmed a new director for the federal agency charged with protecting communities from the impacts of coal mining.  Joseph Pizarchik will head the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. He was confirmed by a Senate vote last Friday. But environmental groups have raised concerns throughout the nomination process. They say his track record in Pennsylvania, at the state's Environmental Protection Agency, shows a pattern of siding with industry over the needs of local communities in mining areas.

We're joined by Tierra Curry. She's a biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group based out of Tucson, Arizona.

Suicide bomber in Pakistan kills 30 as fighting in South Waziristan continues
In Pakistan today, a suicide car bomber struck a crowded shopping area, killing an estimated 30 people, including seven children and three women. The attack took place in the northwest town of Charsadda, about 20 miles outside of Peshawar. About 100 were injured, according to government officials.

The street was home to many fruit and juice shops, but the blast tore apart market stalls and blew up vendor's pushcarts.

Rasheed Jan Khan is a shopkeeper in Charsadda. He spoke to FSRN, and was clearly still in shock after witnessing the attack. Today's attack killed his cousin.

“I was in my shop and I saw a Suzuki (vehicle) coming slowly towards people. The next minute, I heard a huge explosion and could not see anything because there was dust and smoke all around. Then, I saw flesh and bones and blood all around me. I did not know what is happening. My mind stopped working and It is still not working properly because I do not know where I am.”

Police said all who died were civilians. Today's attack follows two others; Three died yesterday in Peshawar after a suicide bomber in a rickshaw detonated his weapon. On Sunday, a suicide bomber in A market on the outskirts of Peshawar killed 12, including a mayor who had spoken out against the Taliban. And last month, militants also targeted a crowded, civilian area - killing more than 100 people in a suicide car blast at a Peshawar market. Government officials warn the attacks will likely continue. Mian Iftikhar is an information minister for Northwest Frontier Province.

“These suicide attacks are in retaliation for the Waziristan operation. We expect more similar attacks in future too because it is a guerilla war with an enemy who has been raised in our own society. It would be easy to fight with neighboring countries but it's difficult to fight with people living in our own society. But I believe that the enemy is now weak, therefore they attack civilians because they can not reach their main targets.”

The Pakistani military started a new offensive mid-October in South Waziristan against militants known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Their attacks have steadily increased since August, after the United States killed their leader Baitullah Mehsud in a drone attack.

Indian government plans military action against Maoist rebels
In Nepal thousands of former Maoist rebels have blocked roads going into Kathmandu, the capital. They are protesting a governing coalition and say they want a debate on presidential powers in the parliament. The government has refused the demand. Last year, Maoists won the majority in Nepal's first democratic election, but the coalition collapsed in May.

Meanwhile, India's government is preparing a massive military operation against Maoist rebels across the country. The government calls the rebels, also known as the Naxallites, the largest internal threat to the country. But the Maoists claim to be fighting for the rights of India's tribal people and rural poor. The planned crackdown has drawn criticism - many say military action does not address the root causes of Maoist violence and will only complicate the problem. FSRN'S Bismillah Geelani has the story.