• Skyrocketing Price of Soy Creates Unrest Among Indonesia's Poor
• Economy Tops the List of Issues for Democratic Candidates in South Carolina
• Telecommunication Company Immunity within FISA Debated on the Senate Floor
• Progress Made on US Economic Stimulus Package
• India Works to Strengthen its Child Labor Laws; Child Advocates Skeptical

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• Italian Government Collapses
• Brazilian Amazon Deforestation at Record Pace
• EPA Opposition to State Emissions Caps Came from the Top
• Ohio Energy Bill Calls for Increased Nuclear Energy Production
• Kenyan President and Opposition Leader Meet for Mediation
• Thailand's Former PM to Face Corruption Charges Upon Return from Exile

Many Senate Democrats are holding firm to their objections to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA   The legislation went to the Senate floor for debate this morning.  The most contentious issue is a Bush Administration-backed push to grant telecommunications companies immunity from lawsuits for participating in the warrantless wiretapping program after 9-11.   Currently there are dozens of civil cases filed.

Majority Leader Harry Reid has told Republicans that if they are interested in keeping Democratic changes to FISA – such as eliminating immunity protections - from going to a simple majority vote, they would have to live up to their threats, and filibuster.  

India has the dubious distinction of being home to the largest number of working children in the world. But the Central Government is considering amendments to the country's 20-year old child labor law, prohibiting employment of children in hazardous occupations. The proposed amendments are intended to give more teeth to officials to enforce the law. But child rights activists have little hope that the changes will make any significant difference. FSRN's Bismillah Geelani reports.

As Hillary and Bill Clinton are sparring with Barack Obama in the media, Democratic presidential candidates have been sticking to message on the campaign trail. That message Thursday was the economy. It's a top issues for South Carolina voters. The decline of the textile industry, which has moved abroad, has depressed the economy there. Democratic candidates have made this issue central to their campaign. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from Greenville, SC.

Today Democrats struck a deal with the President on an economic stimulus package, which could mean tax rebate checks for millions of Americans. It's the latest effort from Congress to try to avert a recession. But as FSRN's Karen Miller reports, in certain sectors of the US economy, what has been a bust for some has been a boom for others.