• Military Data Shows 50% Jump in Diagnosed Cases of PTSD
• Florida Lawsuit Against DNC Dismissed
• Israeli PM Under Pressure to Resign
• Nepal's Constituent Assembly Abolishes the Monarchy
• Top Pakistani Taliban Commander and 7 Others Killed in Truck Blast Near Afghan Border

Military Data Shows 50% Jump in Diagnosed Cases of PTSD
New Pentagon data shows the number of combat veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder increased by nearly 50% last year. The military data puts the total number of Iraq and Afghan war veterans with PTSD at nearly 40,000. However, the report only calculates the number of US veterans diagnosed with PTSD at military facilities. Many more combat veterans are thought to keep their symptoms secret for fear of damaging their careers. The new military statistics do not include troops who have sought private medical care.

Florida Lawsuit Against DNC Dismissed
In election news, a federal judge has thrown out another lawsuit aimed at forcing the Democratic National Committee to seat Florida's presidential delegates. Mitch Perry reports from WMNF in Tampa.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Lazzara said the latest lawsuit from Democratic party activist Vic Dimaio failed to show how the DNC'S refusal to seat Florida's Delegates constitutes discrimination. The judge said it's up the Democratic Party to resolve its own internal dispute. DiMaio filed an earlier suit claiming that the DNC practiced reverse discrimination by letting South Carolina and Nevada hold early primaries based on their large percentages of African-American and Latino voters. But Judge Lazarra also rejected that claim, saying that there was no connection between money given to the DNC and alleged discriminatory practices. Vic DiMaio, a Democratic Party political consultant, said he won't be satisfied with the potential compromise rumored to come out of a Democratic Rules & Bylaws Committee meeting this weekend (clip) "As a Florida voter, what am I supposed to do? I did exactly what the state of Florida asked me to do. I voted on January 29th. That was the law. That was what the state of Florida said to do...and I did my part." Last year, the DNC stripped all of Florida's delegates to the national convention, as a penalty for moving up its primary date. In response to the dismissal of his latest lawsuit, Dimaio says he intends to appeal to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Mitch Perry, FSRN, Tampa.

Israeli PM Under Pressure to Resign
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is facing mounting pressure to resign. The latest calls for Olmert's resignation come from his own cabinet. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, himself a former prime minister told a news conference today that Olmert must (quote) "disconnect himself from the daily running of the government" pending the outcome of an ongoing corruption probe. Olmert has been accused of accepting bribes and illegal campaign donations in the form of cash-stuffed envelopes.

Nepal's Constituent Assembly Abolishes the Monarchy
Nepal's new Constituent Assembly officially abolished the country's monarchy, despite marathon delays at its first formal today. PC Dubey has more.

The internal debates over the division of power within the new government delayed the start of the Constituent Assembly's first meeting by over 10 hours. This enraged a crowd of people that had gathered outside of the meeting to celebrate the official declaration to abolish the monarchy. The abolition of the monarchy was to be the first order of business for today's meeting. Restless demonstrators began throwing stones at police guarding the venue, resulting in minor skirmishes and some injuries on both sides. Adding to the unrest, two small bombs detonated near the site of the meeting and another exploded a few kilometers away, injuring five people. A previously little-known Hindu pro-monarchy group called Ranvir Sena claimed responsibility for today's blasts. The group also detonated 3 explosives yesterday during the Constituent Assembly's swearing-in ceremony. This had led to fears that pro-monarchy elements could stir up more trouble in the coming days, despite the heavy security operation in effect throughout Kathmandu. I am PC Dubey for FSRN.

Top Pakistani Taliban Commander and 7 Others Killed in Truck Blast Near Afghan Border
In Pakistan, eight Taliban militants, including a top local commander, were killed in an accidental blast in the tribal region near the Afghan border. Rahman Ullah reports.

Top Taliban commander Qari Saqib was among the eight killed in the blast that left two others injured. A local official said the explosion occurred on board a vehicle carrying Taliban members from the Bajaur agency to Afghanistan. What exactly caused the blast is unclear. One version is that explosives carried in the truck accidentally detonated while the militants traveled along a rough road. Another version suggests the vehicle hit a planted landmine along the way. Confirming what actually happened has proven difficult as local Taliban forces quickly cordoned off the blast site. The Pakistani government has agreed to a ceasefire with Taliban militants in the tribal areas. While the move has reduced the number of attacks within Pakistan, the US military has strongly criticized the ceasefire, saying that it allows the local Taliban and al-Qaeda forces to carry out more cross-border attacks on NATO-led troops in Afghanistan. For Free Speech Radio News, this is Rahaman Ullah in Peshawar.

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