<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"><channel><title><![CDATA[cal_state_East_bay - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports]]></title><description><![CDATA[SFist is San Francisco's source for fun, witty, & serious news. With updates about restaurants, events, sports, politics & more, SFist reaches millions of users in California.]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/</link><image><url>https://sfist.com/favicon.png</url><title>cal_state_East_bay - SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, &amp; Sports</title><link>https://sfist.com/</link></image><generator>Ghost 2.12</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:51:11 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://sfist.com/cal_state_east_bay/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[East Bay Afghan Community Riveted to Election in Afghanistan]]></title><description><![CDATA[The East Bay is home to over 40,000 Afghan-Americans, and the big news back home in Afghanistan over the past two days has been the country's second national election since the end of Taliban rule in ...]]></description><link>https://sfist.com/2009/08/21/east_bay_afghan_community_riveted_t/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5c242aed44ad066cdcf633a0</guid><category><![CDATA[SF News]]></category><category><![CDATA[afghanistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[cal_state_East_bay]]></category><category><![CDATA[east_bay]]></category><category><![CDATA[elections]]></category><category><![CDATA[kqed]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Barmann]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:04:17 GMT</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The East Bay is home to over 40,000 Afghan-Americans, and the big news back home in Afghanistan over the past two days has been the country's second national election since the end of Taliban rule in 2001.  <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090820/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan">A lower turnout was reported</a> than in the last election, largely due to threats of Taliban attacks on polling station and general apathy about the political situation in the country. </p>

<p>But incumbent President Harmid Karzai is still favored to win -- though there may be a runoff if one of the other 36 official candidates pulls too many votes.  KQED brings us the story below, featuring an interview with Farid Younos, an Afghan-American professor at <a href="http://www20.csueastbay.edu/">Cal State East Bay</a>, who doesn't sound like he's too fond of any of the candidates but remains hopeful that his home country can someday soon become less of a mess.</p>

<p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/22/world/asia/22afghan.html?hp">Looks like there'll be a runoff</a>.</p>

<p><object width="335" height="85"><param name="movie" value="http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf">
<param name="wmode" value="transparent">
<param name="flashvars" value="file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R908201730.xml">
<embed src="http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="335" height="85" flashvars="file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R908201730.xml"></object></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>