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Foreign Press Digest
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace:
Health Care: It's Time for a Major Overhaul
Alexander Zaitchik
Democracy and Elections:
More Unfinished 2008 Election Business: Verifiable Vote Counts
Steven Rosenfeld
DrugReporter:
California Supreme Court Rules Unanimously Against Compassionate Care
Tamar Todd
Election 2008:
5 Great Progressive Columnists' Advice and Ideas on the Coming Obama Era
Environment:
Major Green Groups Offer Plan to Obama
Kate Sheppard
ForeignPolicy:
Hillary Clinton's Disdain for International Law -- Change We Can Believe In?
Stephen Zunes
Health and Wellness:
Obama's Plan to End the HIV/AIDS Crisis
Kaytee Riek
Hurricane Katrina:
From the Bayou to Baghdad: Mission Not Accomplished
Amy Goodman
Immigration:
Immigration Pathway Still Looks Uphill
Kirk Nielsen
Media and Technology:
Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives
Doron Taussig
Movie Mix:
Love Bites: What Sexy Vampires Tell Us About Our Culture
Sarah Seltzer
Reproductive Justice and Gender:
Economic Downturn Hits Women the Hardest
Brittany Schell
Rights and Liberties:
Obama: Close, Don't Repackage, Guantánamo
Michael Ratner, Jules Lobel
Sex and Relationships:
Virtual Sex: How Online Games Changed Our Culture
Damon Brown
War on Iraq:
Why Robert Gates is a Terrible Pick
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Water:
Water Neutral: Is the Latest Eco-Term Just Corporate Hype?
Jeff Conant
Ed's Note: This roundup assembles from regional news sources a collage of headlines and viewpoints that have gone missing in action in the U.S. press.
Top Al Qaeda Lieutenant Reportedly Captured
Osama bin Laden's most senior lieutenant, Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahiri, has reportedly been caught and is jailed in Iran. An unconfirmed report in the Hayat-e-Nou newspaper, owned by a leading Iranian legislator who is also brother of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, said al-Zawahiri was captured several days ago and imprisoned in Tehran's Evin jail. The Iranian foreign ministry denied the report.
(Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India)
U.S. Propaganda Leaflets Drop on Pakistan
Pamphlets dropped by American planes to warn people against giving shelter to Osama bin Laden are now falling in Pakistan's tribal areas instead of just Afghanistan. The pamphlets show a smiling bin Laden making fun of his supporters because "you don't know that he is sending you to death." Other pamphlets announce a reward of $25 million for bin Laden and show him relaxing in a cave while his fighters risk death. It is unclear if the pamphlets have been deliberately dropped due to rumors that bin Laden may be hiding in Pakistan.
(The News International, Karachi, Pakistan)
Brother of Slain Northern Alliance Leader Made Ambassador
The brother of the charismatic Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Masood, who was slain shortly before Sept. 11, has been appointed Afghanistan's ambassador to Moscow by the government of Hamid Karzai. By appointing Ahmad Zia Masood, Kabul is sending a signal that it sees ties with Russia as "friendly, stable and of strategic character," reported the Afghan charge d'affaires.
(Tehelka.com, New Delhi, India)
U.S. Arms Firms Jump at Indian Market
Major American armament firms are making a beeline for the Indian market now that sanctions against India have been lifted. Maj. Gen. Bruce Scott, chief of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, was in India recently discussing sales of the Firefinder Weapon Locating System, which can locate long-range mortars, rocket launchers and missiles. He said the weapon sales would enhance communications between Indian and American ground forces. He said radar weapons systems being sold to Pakistan were different.
(Rediff.com, Mumbai, India)
Comeback for Exiled Afghan King?
Whatever happened to Zahir Shah? The exiled former king of Afghanistan was supposed to help unify his war-torn country. Now an unnamed official says the king wants to return in time to celebrate the Afghan New Year -- Nau Roz -- on March 21. But some people are concerned that the recent killing of aviation minister Abdul Rahman, a supporter of the king, was a warning from hard-line forces that oppose the king.
(The News International, Karachi, Pakistan)
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| More News and Analysis: | ||
|
Immigration Pathway Still Looks Uphill Immigration: Even with Democrats controlling Congress, immigration reform faces tough going. By Kirk Nielsen, Miller-McCune.com. December 1, 2008. |
Major Green Groups Offer Plan to Obama Environment: How should Obama act on the environment? A report by 29 major enviro groups gave Obama a list of actions and policies. By Kate Sheppard, Grist.org. December 1, 2008. |
Obama's Plan to End the HIV/AIDS Crisis Health and Wellness: Obama promises to leave behind ideology-driven debates over how to spend money, and instead put common sense and science first. By Kaytee Riek, RH Reality Check. December 1, 2008. |