Newscast for Thursday, January 8, 2009

• Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority (BART) Police Protests Intensify in Oakland
• Civil Rights Attorney, John Burris on Making  BART Accountable
• Obama Officially Becomes President Elect
• Daschle Tapped to Run Department of Health and Human Services; Appears Before Committee
• Tennessee Valley Authority Officials Testify About Coal and Ash Disaster
• President Mwai Kibaki Signs Kenya's Media Gag Law

Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority (BART) Police Protests Intensify in Oakland

Demonstrators took to the streets of Oakland, California to protest the killing of unarmed black man by BART Police.  Oscar Grant was twenty-two years old, and the father of a four year old daughter.  He was shot in the back as he lay on the ground in a public transit station on New Year's Day. People in the community are angry - and the protests in support of Oscar Grant have been growing in scale and intensity. From Oakland, Africa Jones reports.

Civil Rights Attorney, John Burris on Making  BART Accountable

Grant's family, community leaders, and politicians are questioning both the shooting and investigation into his death. Joining us now to discuss what legal avenues the family is pursuing is the Grant's attorney, John Burris.
John Burris is the Civil Rights attorney for the family of Oscar Grant, who was shot in the back and killed by a BART Officer on New Years Day, in Oakland California.

Obama Officially Becomes President Elect

Barack Obama is now officially President elect. With Vice President Dick Cheney presiding, the House of Representatives sealed the results of November 4th's electoral college. Reading the results state by state, applause and laughter erupted during the reading of Ohio's results.  The states votes were contested because of alleged illegal vote activity which resulted in George Bush winning the 2004 Election.

Obama Tries to Sell His Stimulus Plan

As Official President Elect, Barack Obama laid out a dire economic situation that he cautioned could get worse if action is slow or absent. He made his case to the public for an economic recovery package. Before Congress has worked out the details of the plan, Obama gave more details of what he expects to be included.  Central to his plan, creating three million new jobs.
Obama says his plan includes a national electronic health care system, updating schools and universities, and expanding broadband access. He says money will be given to states, and  most people will get tax cuts.
As Obama spoke, Congress held its first hearings on the recovery package. And Democrats met to discuss specifics of the plan. Although Republicans are pleased with the level of inclusion in the process, they warn moving too quickly could make for harmful results.

Daschle Tapped to Run Department of Health and Human Services; Appears Before Committee

Meanwhile, a Senate panel held the first confirmation hearing for an Obama appointee.  Former Senator Tom Daschle, picked to head the Department of Health and Human Services appeared before the committee today.  As Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, Daschle promises to cooperate with the Senate to drastically reform health care.

Tennessee Valley Authority Officials Testify About Coal and Ash Disaster

Three weeks after a massive environmental disaster in Tennessee, lawmakers on Capitol Hill grilled officials from the Tennessee Valley Authority about the safety of the their coal-fired power plant.  FSRN's Karen Miller was there and files this report.

President Mwai Kibaki Signs Kenya's Media Gag Law

In Kenya, journalists and media activist are protesting a controversial law signed by president Mwai Kibaki.  Kenyans fear for their freedom of press.  And also for the fragile coalition government which came together last year to end the post-election violence that left half a million people displaced and more than a thousand people dead.  Arusha Topazzini reports from Nairobi.