Newscast for Thursday, April 1, 2010

Obama Administration finalizes national fuel emissions limits
Today the Obama Administration announced new national emissions limits and fuel economy standards for cars and light duty trucks. With climate change legislation still stalled in Congress, the move is a significant step that could make big changes to the US auto industry and bring a range of state standards under the same national rules. FSRN's Karen Miller has more.

Government to review new guidelines in effort to return outsourced jobs
The federal government is re-evaluating government contracting. It's become big business in recent decades. For instance, half of the 400,000 people working for the Department of Homeland Security are employed by contractors. Yesterday, the Obama administration proposed new guidelines in an effort to bring some jobs back into the government. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Federal judge declares NSA warrantless wiretapping illegal
A federal judge has ruled that the National Security Agency's use of warrantless surveillance is illegal. US District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled Wednesday in a case based in Oregon that the NSA illegally eavesdropped on two lawyers and an Islamic Charity in 2004. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, states that the government must obtain a search warrant before monitoring domestic calls and electronic communication. But Obama has continued the Bush Administration's argument that key documents in surveillance cases should not be released due to state secret privilege.

To discuss the latest ruling, we're joined by Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest group that specializes in Internet civil liberties issues.

International donors pledge billions to Haiti’s reconstruction
The international donor conference on Haiti raised nearly 10 billion dollars for short and long term reconstruction in the country. Fifty-nine nations and international organizations contributed to the sum, which exceeded estimates going into the meeting in New York.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke yesterday after the conference concluded:
“Now that is an impressive some by any standards, but even more critically, of this amount, more than 5 billion dollars has been raised for the first 18 months of Haiti’s reconstruction. This far exceeds the 3.9 billion that the Haitians identified as their minimum need for this time period. This money has been pledged by a diverse community of nations.”

The United States pledged $1.15 billion; Canada $375 million. The World Bank also promised to cancel what is left of Haiti’s Bank debt and committed $250 million in new funding. The Bank will also head the fiscal management of the reconstruction fund.

Yesterday, activists outside the UN meeting called for greater transparency in the process and demanded more Haitian involvement in the recovery plans.

Over one million Haitians remain displaced by the January earthquake. And with heavy rains approaching, aid organizations and residents have said the most urgent need is for shelter, sanitation and longer-term housing.

Pakistani musicians, driven by conflict, preserve traditions in Dubai
In Pakistan, music has been an integral part of Pashtun culture for centuries. But, as FSRN reported yesterday, the wave of suicide bombings and growing militancy in North West Frontier Province has forced many musicians out of work. Worse yet, many singers, dancers and musicians have been threatened and killed. The harsh environment for musicians has forced some to leave the country. In the second of our two-part series, today we go to Dubai to see where Pakistani musicians are now making a living and trying to preserve their culture. Scott Pham reads for FSRN's Gabe Matthews.