Archive - Feb 1, 2008

• Farmer's Caravan Arrives in Mexico City to Protest Corn and Bean Tariff Removal
• Plan to End Post-Election Violence in Kenya Emerges from Mediation Talks
• Anti-War Protesters Demand Meaningful Change Outside the Democratic Debate in Los Angeles
• US Border Patrol Agents Fire Teargas Canisters over the Mexican Border, Injuring Several Residents
• "Wounded Warriors" Aid May be Too Little, Too Late for US Veterans
• Los Angeles Activists See Release of Khallid Al Alim by Local Authorities a Victory

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• Double Suicide Bombing in Baghdad Markets
• Report Says National Guard is Unprepared for National Emergency
• Climate Meeting in Hawaii Produces Hot Air
• DoJ Files a New Round of Lawsuits Against Rio Grande Valley Property Owners
• Cut Undersea Cables Affect Internet Service in Mid East, North Africa and South Asia
• UK Considers Forced Removal of Child Asylum Seekers

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon joined his predecessor Kofi Annan in Nairobi today to boost Kenyan mediation talks.  The talks follow more than a month of civil violence in Kenya resulting from claims the national elections were rigged.  More than 800 have died and thousands have been displaced from their homes.

Against the backdrop of two recently murdered opposition legislators, the talks have made promising progress over the past two days.  In fact, a new 18-point plan to help end the violence has reportedly been reached.  FSRN's John Bwakali reports from Nairobi.

A special team of U-S Border Patrol agents in the San Diego area has recently adopted new tactics to thwart attacks on agents.  They're using tear-gas bombs and pepper spray against Mexican nationals -- on Mexican territory.  According to the agency, agents stationed along the border with Mexico have been attacked – mostly with rocks -- nearly 1,000 times during the past year, A 30 percent increase from 2006.  Of those attacks, 254 have been reported in the San Diego sector.

Barak Obama has picked up several notable endorsements over the last week – Edward Kennedy and Toni Morrison. And now the Progressive internet community Moveon.org has offered their endorsement as well.

Still up for grabs is a large block of voters formerly supporting John Edwards, who dropped out of the presidential race on Wednesday. At last night's Democratic debate, both Obama and Hillary Clinton offered sweeping compliments to John Edwards and his campaign. Perhaps the key to the race will be drawing Edward's supporters.

On January 27th, President Bush signed into law a new Defense Authorization bill that included a special "wounded warriors" section.  It offers extra help to returning veterans.   Despite this new aid, serious problems continue to afflict many American veterans.  Making matters worse, a recent incident on Fox News's "The O'Reilly Factor" leaves homeless veterans worried that their problem is being overlooked.  Julian Suchman has more from New York City.