Lee Myung Bak, President of South Korea

• South Korea's Newly Elected President Hopes to Rekindle Ties with the US
• The Decade's Most Prominent Third Party Pioneer Enters the 2008 Presidential Race
• US Anti-War Organizations Launch New Multi-Million Dollar Campaign
• Secular Resistance Groups in Iraq Face Threats from All Sides
• Palestinians Form a Human Chain at Israeli Border in Protest of Blockade
• Increased Military Presence in Mexican Cities Criticized by Residents

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Today, South Korea swore in Lee Myung Bak as president.  In recent weeks, the conservative businessman and former mayor of Seoul has struggled with declining popularity, corruption allegations and resistance to his plans for government streamlining.  Lee pledges to restore the US-South Korea alliance that was strained during previous administrations.  But some experts say he will only marginally be able to improve relations. FSRN's Jason Strother has the story from Seoul.

Saying that neither Democrats nor Republicans are talking about the issues important to Americans, consumer advocate Ralph Nader has entered the Presidential fray for the third time. Nader is a long shot candidate, but his presence in the race may push topics like corporate influence in Washington into mainstream presidential conversations. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

U-S troops conducted a raid last week against the headquarters of the Iraqi Freedom Congress, a self-described secular civil resistance group based in Baghdad. The voices of Iraqis who support non-violence and non-sectarian leadership in their country have been increasingly lost in the chaos that has marked the occupation.  But despite threats from several fronts, such groups do continue to operate within Iraq.

Hiba Dawood reports and David Enders produces this look at the everyday struggles of these secular organizations.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians took to main streets of Gaza today, forming a human chain in protest of the Israeli blockade.  Israel has been limiting travel, basic supplies and energy flow to Gaza since last June in an effort to cripple militants who have been launching rocket attacks into Israel.   But the blockade is arguably effecting civilian populations more than the militants, and many human rights advocates are opposed to what they call "collective punishment."  The protesters are demanding an immediate end to the blockade. FSRN's Rami al-Meghari has more.

A mélange of national progressive organizations came together today to launch a newly-focused Iraq Campaign.  The aim is to expose the costs of the Iraq war and how it's related to the current economic down-turn in the United States.  Labor unions, peace organizations, and economic justice groups plan to put millions of dollars into the campaign.  Jeff Blum is the Executive Director of USAction.  Along with pledging 10 million dollars to the effort over the next year, the organization is involved with other major campaign initiatives.

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The new Iraq Campaign has received early support from former US Senator John Edwards; he sees the coming presidential election as the key to getting out of Iraq.

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As part of Mexican President Felipe Calderon´s "strong hand" approach to the war on drugs and rampant police corruption, the military presence in Mexican cities has been steadily rising - especially in Northern border cities.

In the last decade, under pressure from the US and other major drug-consuming countries, the Mexican government has viewed the military as a reliable entity.  But last year Calderón increased the military's role even further, sending federal task forces to Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, and Tijuana. These units have been compared to the American "Untouchables," who pursued U.S. mobsters in the 1930s.