Saturday, May 1, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahi: "If Those Who Have Violated Palestinian Land Want To Try Anything We Will Cut Off Their Feet"
The Jerusalem Post reports that during "a visit to Damascus, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said: 'We will stand alongside Syria against any [Israeli] threat … If those who have violated Palestinian land want to try anything we will cut off their feet,' he said. Rahimi called Syria a 'strong country that is ready to confront any threat' and said Iran 'will back Syria with all its means and strength.'" Tweet
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Queens Man Syed Hashmi Facing 15 Years After Pleading Guilty To Helping Al Qaeda
The NY Dailly News reports that "on the eve of his federal trial, a Queens man charged with helping Al Qaeda pleaded guilty Tuesday. Syed Hashmi, 30, faces up to 15 years in prison on one count of providing material support to a terrorist organization... The feds said he was a radical who was in cahoots with terrorists when he lived in New York and later when he went to London for grad school. Hashmi allegedly sheltered an Al Qaeda operative who organized training camps in Pakistan - and let him use his cell phone to arrange meetings with other alleged terrorists. Hashmi was also charged with giving the same man $300 and helping him store rain ponchos and socks collected for Al Qaeda soldiers. Prosecutors claimed he also joined the New York chapter of the radical Al Muhajiroun, which advocated the overthrow of Western society. They said he befriended Al Qaeda operative Junaid Babar and acted as a go-between, relaying emails between Babar in Pakistan and London-based terrorist Omar Khyam. Khyam is a member of a British Al Qaeda cell now serving life for plotting to detonate bombs at shopping malls and clubs across Britian. Babar had testified against Khyam in the British trial, and was expected to testify against Hashmi, saying he stayed at the Queens man's flat, used his cell phone and store waterproof clothing at his apartment." Tweet
UN Elects Iran To Be On Commission For The Status Of Woman
Fox News reports that without "fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged 'immodest.' Just days after Iran abandoned a high-profile bid for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, it began a covert campaign to claim a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women, which is 'dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women,' according to its website. Buried 2,000 words deep in a U.N. press release distributed Wednesday on the filling of 'vacancies in subsidiary bodies,' was the stark announcement: Iran, along with representatives from 10 other nations, was 'elected by acclamation,' meaning that no open vote was requested or required by any member states — including the United States.The U.S. currently holds one of the 45 seats on the body, a position set to expire in 2012. The U.S. Mission to the U.N. did not return requests for comment on whether it actively opposed elevating Iran to the women's commission. Iran's election comes just a week after one of its senior clerics declared that women who wear revealing clothing are to blame for earthquakes, a statement that created an international uproar — but little affected their bid to become an international arbiter of women's rights." Tweet
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
San Francisco Bans Official City Travel To Arizona
The San Francisco Gate reports that "San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced today a moratorium on official city travel to Arizona after the state enacted a controversial new immigration law that directs local police to arrest those suspected of being in the country illegally. The ban on city employee travel to Arizona takes effect immediately, although there are some exceptions, including for law enforcement officials investigating a crime, officials said. It's unclear how many planned trips by city workers will be curtailed." Tweet
Democratic NY State Senator Calls Fellow Republican State Senators "White Supremacist," "Enemies," And "Racist People"
CBS 2 reports:
It looks like the circus and childish antics are rearing their ugly head once again in Albany. It started as an angry blow-up, and then it escalated. A state senator with a history of anger management issues says his race-based rant was part of his fight against the "evil of white supremacy."
Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker is a well-documented hothead, and on Wednesday he took to the airwaves to unapologetically defend his latest shouting match. 'It's par for the course for what we have to do in Albany – fighting the forces of evil,' Senator Parker said.
Parker shockingly identified the "enemies" he's fighting as other senators.
"These long-term, white supremacist, you know, Republican senators," he said.
That followed a free-for-all shouting match in Albany Tuesday where Parker heatedly objected to the questions asked by a white senator, John DeFrancisco of Syracuse, of a black nominee to the New York State Power Authority.
"John, you are totally out of order, you are out of order," Parker shouted. "How dare you? You racist people in here."
Committee Chair Carl Kruger tried in vain to get Parker to calm down.
"You're out of order – why don't you step outside," he told Parker. "You're disrespecting me as chairman. One more outburst like that and I'll ask you to be removed."
Parker didn't like that one bit.
"Okay, then get somebody to remove me. Bring people though," Parker said.
There have been other temper tantrums involving the senator. Last year he was accused of felony assault after doing $1,000 in damage to the car of New York Post photographer William Lopez and smashing his camera after he snapped Parker's picture.
Two years ago, an aide filed charges against Parker, claiming he pushed her during an argument and smashed her glasses. In 2005, Parker was accused of punching a traffic agent in the face. The charges were dropped after parker agreed to take anger management classes.
Senator Parker is due in court next month on the assault case. Sources tell CBS 2 his attorney is trying to cut a no-jail deal, but the district attorney isn't buying it.
The Brooklyn district attorney would like to try the assault case this summer, before Parker has to stand for reelection in a September primary.
Tweet
Texas Lawmaker Plan's To Introduce Arizona's Immigration Law
NBC DFW reports that a "Republican Texas lawmaker plans to introduce a tough immigration measure similar to the new law in Arizona, a move state Democrats say would be a mistake. Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball said she will push for the law in the January legislative session, according to Wednesday's editions of the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle."
"The first priority for any elected official is to make sure that the safety and security of Texans is well-established," said Riddle, who introduced a similar measure in 2009 that didn't get out of committee. "If our federal government did their job, then Arizona wouldn't have to take this action, and neither would Texas."
Tweet
Alabama Gubernatorial Candidate Vows To Only Give Driver's License Exams In English
Yahoo new reports that "amid a national debate over Arizona's tough new immigration law, Republican Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim James (and son of previous Gov. Fob James) vows in a new campaign ad that if he's elected, he'll give the state driver's license exam only in English."
"This is Alabama; we speak English," he says in the ad. "If you want to live here, learn it."
Tweet
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Warns Against Giving Iran Too Much Time
The AP reports "Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says the world can't afford to wait too long to see if Iran backs down on its nuclear program. In a news conference with Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday, Barak said he supports the U.S. focus on tougher economic sanctions against Tehran. But he added that only time will tell to what extent sanctions are effective in persuading Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. Barak says that if the international community waits too long, Iran could acquire a nuclear weapon that he says would 'change the landscape,' and not just of the Middle East."
Tweet
Rasmussen: 60% Of Americans Favor Letting Local Police Stop And Verify Immigration Status
Rasmussen Reports:
"Arizona Governor Jan Brewer last week signed a new law into effect that authorizes local police to stop and verify the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 60% of voters nationwide favor such a law, while 31% are opposed. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Republicans support the law along with 62% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Democratic voters are evenly divided on the measure. At the same time, however, 58% of all voters are at least somewhat concerned that 'efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants will also end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens.' That figure includes 29% who are Very Concerned about possible civil rights violations. Voter support for empowering local police comes at a time when most voters (56%) believe it is unlikely Congress will take action to gain control of the border. Only 31% say Congress is even somewhat likely to take such an action. That figure includes just 10% who believe Congress is Very Likely to act."
Tweet
Monday, April 26, 2010
Vandals Against Arizona Immigration Law Use Refried Beans To Smear Swastikas On Capitol Buildings
Apparently n some warped people's minds a tough illegal immigration law is comparable to the crimes committed by Nazi Germany:
Tweet
RSS Feed (xml)