Archive - Feb 12, 2008

Mangal Bagh, Supreme Commander of the Army of Islam, accused of
kidnapping Pakistani ambassador. Photo courtesy of Mudassar Shah

• Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan Goes Missing
• Senate Votes to Grant Telecom Immunity
• Voters Head to Primaries in Three States
• Save Darfur Coalition Puts Pressure on China
• Violence Continues in Sri Lanka
• Chinook Salmon Population at All Time Low

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• GM Offers to Buyout Workers
• "Project Lifeline" Puts Temporary Freeze on Some Foreclosures
• Skepticism Over Burmese Junta's Referendum
• Connecticut Library Cancels Talks on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
• Activists Walk from Suchitoto to San Salvador to Demand Government Drop Charges Against Organizers

Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin has gone missing, shortly after Pakistani forces captured a top Taliban commander near the Afghan border yesterday. Azizuddin, his bodyguard, and driver went missing in the tribal region while en route to Kabul. Pakistani government officials tell FSRN they believe the ambassador was kidnapped by a pro-Taliban militant commanding Lashkr-e-Islam, or the Army of Islam. From Pakistan, Zack Baddorf reports.

The Sacramento San Joaquin Delta is the source of drinking water for an estimated 22 million people in California, and it serves as the main water source for the Central Valley's agricultural fields. It is also home to the West Coast's largest salmon run. A memo from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council leaked to the Associated Press last week stated the Chinook Salmon population from the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta is at an all time low. Christina Aanestad reports from Fort Bragg.

Violence continues between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. The rebels are fighting for a separate state for their ethnic minority, to put an end to what they say is discrimination at the hands of the majority government in power. The government withdrew from a truce, and insists any solution will have to occur under a unitary state in the island nation. FSRN's Ponniah Manikavasagam reports on the latest situation.

As the humanitarian crisis in Darfur heads into its fifth year, activists are finding new ways of applying pressure on the Sudanese government to stop the violence. Members of the Save Darfur Coalition will deliver a lead medal to the doorstep of the Chinese embassy today for what they say is the Chinese government's complicity in the genocide in Darfur. Tanya Snyder reports from DC.

The Senate voted 67-to-31 to preserve immunity for telephone companies from lawsuits for handing over customer's records to the government. Immunity has become the heart of the debate on government electronic surveillance, and Congress has until Friday to decide – that's when the deadline to pass legislation before the current, highly criticized substitute, the Protect American Act, expires. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from the Capital.

Maryland, Virginia, and DC voters head to the polls in the Potomac primary. Voters will allocate 178 delegates to the Democrats, a number that does not include the 60 super delegates, 119 delegates to the Republicans, and 16 delegates to the Green party Tuesday. Lines were long at several DC polling places throughout the day as voter turn out is expected to be higher than previous years -- the area usually boasts higher than average voter participation. Barack Obama is expected to do well there, coming off a win in 4 states and the Virgin Islands over the weekend. Hillary Clinton has admitted she is not expecting a win on Tuesday, but is looking forward to March, which hosts Ohio's and Texas' primary.