Jewish, Christian groups clash over U.S. aid to Israel
WASHINGTON (IPS) — Jewish groups have reacted furiously to a letter to Congress by 15 leaders of Christian denominations asking for a review of whether some of the three billion dollars in annual United States aid to Israel is being used in violation of U.S. law and policies.After pulling out of an interfaith dialogue conference,...#StopNDAA — What Obama and Romney didn’t touch on during the debate
The defense bill that lets the government indefinitely detain any US citizen without charge or trial wasn't mentioned once during the three presidential debates, but that didn’t stop activists from sounding off: #StopNDAA went worldwide Monday night.A campaign aimed at drawing awareness to the National Defense Authorization Act for...New poll finds shifts in U.S. public opinion towards Middle East
WASHINGTON — The attacks on U.S. embassies in Libya and Egypt last month shocked and scared Americans, but the majority of Americans nevertheless recognizes that the violence was the work of extremist minorities and not the majority of the population, according to a new poll. The poll, conducted by the University of Maryland, was...
Court upholds NDAA; stay extended on indefinite detention injunction
October 5th, 20120 WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court has extended a stay on the injunction blocking the notorious indefinite detention provision in the 2012 defense bill that lets the U.S. government jail any American without end over even suspected terrorist ties.This comes as attorneys for the White House fight to lift the order imposed by a federal...
U.S.: Living with hate in a free market of ideas
October 5th, 20120 NEW YORK — U.S. President Barack Obama’s unequivocal defence of First Amendment protections of blasphemy and hateful speech during last week’s address to the 67th United Nations General Assembly defied calls from Muslim protesters and some foreign government leaders to ban a controversial YouTube video and support stronger...
Homeland Security gathers “crap intelligence” and spies on Americans
October 5th, 20120 WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has endangered the civil liberties of Americans and spent millions on collecting not counterterrorism intel but “a bunch of crap,” a Senate subcommittee investigation of DHS data fusion centers has found.The Senate’s bipartisan Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released...
Arab American activist arrested for defacing anti-Muslim ad in NYC subway
September 28th, 20120 An Egyptian-American activist was arrested by the NYPD on Tuesday and charged with criminal mischief and graffiti for spray-painting an advertisement in a New York subway station that had been viewed as hateful to Muslims. Mona Eltahawy, 45, the Egyptian-born activist who was arrested for defacing an anti-Muslim subway ad that called the...‘Innocence of Muslims’ producer jailed for probation violation
The filmmaker alleged to be behind the anti-Islam video that sparked anti-U.S. protests the world over has been arrested and jailed for violating the terms of his probation."The court has a lack of trust in the defendant" because of his "lengthy pattern of deception," which included making false statements to probation officials, Judge...Controversial new immigration measure being enforced by Arizona police
PHOENIX- Arizona police on Wednesday began enforcing a controversial "show-your-papers" provision of a state law targeting illegal immigration as civil rights groups prepared to document allegations of racial profiling.Police in the border state with Mexico are now authorized to begin conducting immigration status checks of anyone they...
Judge rules anti-Islam film can stay on web despite request from actress to remove it
September 22nd, 20120 LOS ANGELES – An anti-Islam film trailer that has spawned violent protests across the Muslim world can remain on YouTube despite a request from a California actress to have it taken down, a judge ruled on Thursday. Actress Cindy Lee Garcia talks about the script that she read and performed in contrast to the video published on YouTube...Obama vows to bring Libyan killers to justice
U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to bring to justice those who attacked the U.S. consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, killing an American ambassador for the first time in 33 years. U.S. President Barack Obama walks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to deliver remarks following the death of the U.S. Ambassador to...
Libya, Egypt embassy attacks fuel U.S. presidential race
September 14th, 20120 WASHINGTON – Tuesday's attacks by alleged radical Islamists on key U.S. diplomatic posts in Libya and Egypt propelled foreign policy, however briefly, to the center of the presidential race that has been dominated to date by the state of the economy.Pointing to the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other U.S. officials...Institute for Media Diversity is living legacy of WSU’s Ben Burns
DETROIT — Ben Burns, a legend in Michigan journalism, lost his life to acute myeloid leukemia on Sep.7; he was 72. Burns made major contributions to the industry, and is being remembered for working relentlessly to promote diversity in newsrooms, and serving as an invaluable mentor to journalism students and colleagues. Among one...
Father of man killed by Border Patrol and law enforcement agents seeks justice in son’s death
August 31st, 20120 DETROIT/LYNDEN, WA-U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is being slammed for allowing its agents to act as interpreters and 911 responders. In 2011 a family’s 911 call turned tragic after CBP agents along with law enforcement officials arrived at their home and reportedly shot a family member 13 times and killed him. Speaking...Republican lawmaker skinny-dipped on Israel trip
REUTERS — A group of Republican lawmakers and staff jumped into Israel's Sea of Galilee last year after a night of dining and drinking, and one freshman congressman swam naked, Republican aides confirmed late on Sunday.The incident, first reported by Politico on Sunday, was investigated by the FBI and led Republican leaders in the......
U.S. aircraft carrier heads to Mideast
U.S. Defense Secretary cites ‘threats’ from Iran, Syria in deploying USS John Stennis, its strike groupWASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday that the United States was preparing for "threats" from Iran and Syria's turmoil as an aircraft carrier headed to the region ahead of schedule.The USS John Stennis and its...
Poll: GOP really dislikes Muslims
August 26th, 20120 A new survey shows just how uncomfortable the Republican base is with Muslim and Arab peopleAnyone wondering why Rep. Michele Bachmann would launch a witch hunt against Muslims or why the Republican Party would add a plank to its platform opposing Sharia law need look no farther than a new poll conducted by the Arab American......
Judge sides with FBI in OC Muslim spying suit
A U.S. federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against the FBI over the agency’s controversial practice of spying on California Muslims, arguing the disclosure of a potentially unconstitutional domestic spy program might reveal sensitive state secrets.District Judge Cormac J. Carney ruled that “the state secrets privilege may unfortunately...Robert D. Foley, III named Special Agent in Charge of FBI Detroit Division
WASHINGTON - Director Robert S. Mueller, III has named Robert D. Foley, III special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. Mr. Foley most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Administrative Division in the Washington Field Office. Foley replaces former FBI Special Agent Andrew Arena. Foley entered on...FBI: NYPD’s Muslim spy program harmful and a waste of money
NEW YORK - The NYPD's top officials have endorsed the department's surveillance of Muslims and even top-secret missions abroad. According to the author of a new book, though, the FBI says these efforts produced "no intelligence of any value."That's what reporter Ronald Kessler has found, at least, and he's dug deep to get to the...Romney ups the ante in Israel
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told an audience of Israelis and some wealthy pro-Israel Americans that he is prepared to employ "any and all measures" to stop Iran from gaining a nuclear weapons "capability," a vague concept that arguably already exists.Romney's speech in Jerusalem on Sunday was accompanied by a comment......
Tennessee candidates engage in anti-Islam contest
NASHVILLE — An argument over who is more opposed to the Islamic faith and the construction of a mosque near Nashville has become an unlikely issue in a nasty Tennessee Republican Congressional primary to be decided on Thursday. Freshman Republican Representative Diane Black is challenged by Lou Ann Zelenik, who lost to Black in a...
If Colorado shooter was an Arab or Muslim, would he be labeled a terrorist?
July 29th, 20121 Following the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado last Friday that left 12 dead and 70 injured, conversations on the Internet have been surfacing about whether James Holmes would have been labeled a terrorist if he were an Arab or Muslim American. Holmes, a 24-year-old white male, is currently the shooting suspect responsible for the......
Panetta orders Pentagon to monitor media for information leaks
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered senior Pentagon officials on Thursday to begin monitoring major U.S. news media for disclosures of classified information in an effort to stop the release of government secrets after a series of high-profile leaks. Defense Secretary Leon PanettaThe announcement came hours after Panetta and other...Families of U.S. victims of drone attacks sue top officials
WASHINGTON — Family members of three U.S. citizens killed last year in drone strikes in Yemen filed a lawsuit here Wednesday accusing U.S. intelligence and military officials of violating the victims' rights under the U.S. constitution and international law. Prepared by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for......
