Headlines for Thursday, February 4, 2010

India offers to reopens talks with Pakistan
In a significant departure from its position after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Indian government has proposed resumption of talks with Pakistan to defuse tension in the region.  Bismillah Geelani has more

New Delhi’s offer for talks comes ahead of Home Minister P Chidambaram’s visit to Islamabad to attend a regional conference later this month.  India has proposed a foreign secretary-level dialogue that would focus on counter terrorism.  This could set the stage for higher-level talks in the near future.

India suspended an ongoing dialogue with Pakistan after the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that left more than 150 people dead.  India blames Pakistan-based groups for the attacks and wanted action against them before resuming the dialogue.

Indian officials say they will go into talks with an “open and positive mind.”  Pakistan has welcomed the offer.  Bismillah Geelani, Free Speech Radio News, New Delhi.

Community backlash after Ciudad Juarez massacre
A massacre that killed 16 people at a teenager's birthday party in Cuidad Juarez over the weekend has unleashed a wave of criticism against the federal government's Drug War strategy in the battered border city.  Shannon Young has more.

Funerals have begun for the 16 people massacred at a high school student's birthday party.  Fourteen people, mostly teenagers, were killed in the coordinated attack in the early hours January 31st.  Two more died this week from their gunshot wounds.

Much to the indignation of the victims' families, President Felipe Calderon made statements Wednesday suggesting that the massacre was a gang-related reprisal.  The State attorney general of Chihuahua says there is no evidence linking the students to gang activity.

The Juarense Citizens' Assembly, an umbrella group of local activists, has accused the federal government of allowing death squads to operate with impunity in Juarez with the complicity of the military.  Another group composed primarily of business leaders is requesting the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping forces.  Shannon Young, FSRN, Mexico.

Obama Nominations face uphill battle
Newly elected Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is slated to be sworn in today in Washington, DC.  The Republican Brown won the seat of Democrat Ted Kennedy following his death last year.

Republican ranks in the Senate will now increase by one, and could complicate several Obama administration nominations that have already been met with sometimes fierce opposition.  One of those nominations is Harold Craig Becker who has been tapped to take a seat on the National Labor Relations Board.  Republicans say Becker is too pro-union to serve.  Today in a vote along party lines, he was narrowly approved by a Senate Committee.  The nomination now heads to the full Senate, where more delays are expected.

Another nomination facing heated opposition is Dawn Johnsen.   Obama tapped her to be the head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.  The Senate Judiciary Committee was slated today to vote on whether or not to approve her nomination – but the vote has once again been stalled.  Jenny Johnson has more.

The committee held off for another day its reconsideration of Johnsen's nomination to a key policy position in the Department of Justice.  Johnsen has long been outspoken against the Bush administration's authorization of the use of torture and its strengthening of executive branch powers.  She is also an outspoken advocate of the legal right to abortion.

As head of the office of legal counsel, Johnsen would have a major role in shaping Obama administration policies on these and other constitutional issues.  Her nomination has been controversial with conservatives in part because of concerns she would not be tough enough on terrorism.

Senate Republicans, including Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions, voiced concerns that the Obama administration's Department of Justice may be too liberal when prosecuting terrorists.

“Senator Grassley has written a letter for which he has received no response to my knowledge asking how many people in the Department of Justice have had conflicts and had to recuse themselves because of their prior representation of terrorists or accused terrorists.”

Johnsen's nomination has been stalled for a year.  Because of the new Senate session, the committee must hold a second vote on her nomination.  If she gets committee approval, observers say Johnsen likely has the 60 votes needed to pass a full Senate vote.  Jenny Johnson, Free Speech Radio News.

Jobs, jobs, jobs! Democrats lay out Senate agenda
Democrats in the Senate today announced their agenda for the 2010 legislative session.  Majority Leader Harry Reid at a press conference this morning.

“Our motivation is to help Americans sleep a little better.  Our mission is not to stop until every American who wants a job can get a job.  And our message is this one: for Senate Democrats, creating jobs is job number one.”

This comes as the Democrats enter the year with one less Senator in their ranks after an upset victory for Republicans in New England. New York Democrat Charles Schumer:

“We heard the message of Massachusetts.  The message of Massachusetts wasn’t don’t do healthcare.  More than half the people polled said they liked healthcare and that we should do it.  But they say focus immediately, and don’t take your focus off jobs, the economy, and helping the middle class.”

Senate Democrats are expected to announce the specifics of a comprehensive jobs bill in the coming days.