Archive - Mar 4, 2009

• International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir
• Clinton visits West Bank, criticizes Israel
• Bush-era Truth Commission may be distant reality
• Cuts to interest rate mean cuts to Legal Aid
• Running on Empty: honeymoon over for ethanol
• Commentary from Mumia Abu-Jamal: "More Lessons From Luzerne County"

• US Supreme Court Rules Not to Limit Lawsuits Against Drug Companies
• Afghan Vote set for August, 3 Canadian Soldiers Killed
• Prison Riots Break Out in Militarized Juarez
• Antonio Villaraigosa Re-elected as Los Angeles Mayor
• New President in Guinea-Bissau/African Union Rules Assassination Was Not a Coup
• Ecuadorian Villagers Sue the Toronto Stock Exchange
• Obama Names New Heads of FEMA and FCC
• U.S. Cuts 697,000 Jobs in February/ Puerto Rico to Cut 30,000 Public Jobs

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bashir has been in power for 20 years, and in 2003, the Sudan Liberation Amy and the Justice and Equality Movement, along with other African ethnic groups, took arms against their Arab government claiming discrimination. The United Nations says that Bashir used the Arab militia known as the Janjaweed to quell that rebellion for about six years – through atrocities like mass killing and rape.

A Senate panel took its first step in what could be an investigation into the Bush Administration’s interrogation tactics. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont proposed a Truth Commission, but as FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, such a commission, at this point, is far from  reality.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is in the West Bank today, where she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Clinton reiterated the U.S. pledge to a two-state solution to the Mid-east conflict, and as FSRN’s Ghassan Bannoura reports, she condemned Israel’s destruction of Palestinian homes as a violation to the U.S.-backed road map for peace.

When the Federal Reserve cut the interest rate to zero, it was hoped the move would stimulate the economy. What it has done is collapse a little known provision which is the major funding source for Legal Aid – and the result will affect many of the nation's poorest and most vulnerable people at a time when they are seeking help the most. Rebecca Myles has more.

It was only a couple of years ago when some environmentalists were swooning over ethanol, touting it as a cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline. As Yanmei Xie reports in our ongoing energy series, the honeymoon didn't last long.