Tuesday, January 29, 2008

• A Battle Rages in Congress to Update Domestic Surveillance Legislation before Friday's Deadline
• State of the Union Offers Little in the Way of New Initiatives
• Bush Signs a Hefty New Pentagon Spending Bill, But Says He Will Ignore Progressive-Backed Limitations
• The Sexual Violence Rate in Kenya has Drastically Risen, Leaving Women to Bear the Brunt of Recent Instability
• Burma Rescinds Invitation to UN Envoy Ibrahim Gambari… at Least Until April

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A Battle Rages in Congress to Update Domestic Surveillance Legislation before Friday's Deadline

Today the House of Representatives will vote on a possible 30-day extension to a FISA amendment passed in August 2007, called the Protect America Act. The PAA gives the executive branch the power to conduct surveillance on United States citizens without a warrant under the premise of providing better National Security. It is set to expire on February 1st. A thirty day extension would give Congress more time to debate updates to FISA legislation without throwing security personnel into legal limbo. The Senate is currently at a stalemate on how to update FISA, with issues such as legal immunity for telecommunications companies hanging in the balance. They are also unable to pass through the temporary extension of the Protect American Act. FSRN's Naji Mujahid reports.

State of the Union Offers Little in the Way of New Initiatives

In the State of the Union address given to Congress last night, President Bush focused largely on economic and domestic issues, and then turned briefly to the war and foreign policy. Offering neither an optimistic or pessimistic view of the nation nor offering new ideas, he urged Congress to pass his priorities. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from Washington.

(News Segment)

As Leigh Ann reported, President Bush urged Congress to pass an economic stimulus package. The House of Representatives did that today. The deal would provide most people with a $600.00 tax rebate and other tax breaks said to help stimulate the economy. But the stimulus package is expected to see tough times in the Senate, where many Democrats want to provide more relief to low income people and the unemployed.

Bush Signs a Hefty New Pentagon Spending Bill, But Says He Will Ignore Progressive-Backed Limitations

President Bush signed a $696 billion Pentagon spending bill immediately before making his State of the Union address. The bill, which funds all Defense Department programs not directly tied to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, also expands health care for injured veterans and gives US soldiers a pay raise. The bill is a mixed bag for peace activists. President Bush wrote a signing statement saying he'd ignore provisions in the bill that ban permanent military bases in Iraq and forbid the use of US troops to exercise control of Iraq's oil resources. Aaron Glantz has more.

The Sexual Violence Rate in Kenya has Drastically Risen, Leaving Women to Bear the Brunt of Recent Instability

For one month now, post-election clashes in Kenya have brought with them violence and mayhem. Even as mediation continues, the death toll in the once-stable African nation has soared to more than 800.

The United Nations Refugee Agency, or UNHCR, gave a briefing on the status of the rapidly-increasingly number of Internally Displaced People in Kenya.

(Sound Clip) IDP

UNHCR Spokesperson Ron Redman said they have been successful in moving Kenyan refugees who have fled to Uganda.

(Sound Clip) Uganda Transfer

In the midst of this violence, many Kenyan women are suffering a double tragedy. Women form a major portion of the three hundred thousand who have been displaced from their homes. The Nairobi Women's Hospital has treated 202 rape victims since the disputed national elections on December 27th.

More protests and fighting erupted today after the murder of a popular opposition Member of Parliament. The alleged assassination has posed a major threat, not just to the mediation, but also to Kenyan women. Correspondent John Bwakali reports from Nairobi.

Burma Rescinds Invitation to UN Envoy Ibrahim Gambari… at Least Until April

Now more on FSRN's continuing coverage of the situation in Burma… One of Burma's closest allies, China, has urged the ruling military junta to permit a UN special envoy into the country. Ibrahim Gambari has been trying to return to Burma for a third visit since the governmental crackdown on pro-Democracy protests in September. The Military Junta promised Gambari in November that no further political prisoners would be taken. But a recent report by Amnesty International finds that nearly 100 people have been arrested since. On top of this, the Burmese regime is delaying an invitation for the Special Envoy to return to the country. Officials sent Gambari a letter saying it would be "more convenient" if he arrived in April. Zack Baddorf has more from Burma.