Weekly Issues Alert

Cape Hatteras Light House

April 27 - May 3

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." --George Washington (http://PatriotPost.US/fqd/)

NC General Assembly

House plan for state spending takes shape — News and Observer

House leaders this morning began releasing substantial chunks of their proposed $20 billion budget for North Carolina next year, including their proposals for education, public health and public safety. Read
Pre-lobbying may be gap in law — News and Observer

North Carolina's new lobbying law says legislators must wait six months after leaving office before they can become a lobbyist, which raises this question: What is former Rep. Wilma Sherrill doing? The answer is: Following the law, which some reformers say reveals a gap in it. Sherrill, a Buncombe County Republican, did not seek re-election last fall and left office Dec. 31. Now she is working as a liaison between UNC-Asheville and, among others, the General Assembly. Read
House panel punts sex education bill — News and Observer

A bill to broaden the sex education given to North Carolina schoolchildren skips through one House committee and onto the lap of another. Read
N.C. tax collections surge by another $260 million — AP News Break

Legislative leaders received more good news about North Carolina's financial picture Monday, learning the state has $260 million more than had been expected in its coffers from April tax filings. Read
Lower dropout rate sought — News and Observer

Potential high school dropouts could see up to $10 million in new programs to help keep them in school, under a plan from some state legislators. Read
Decker Sentenced To Four Years In Prison — WPTF

Former state lawmaker Michael Decker was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to help former House Speaker Jim Black retain his position in the Legislature. Read
The bullfrog as state amphibian? — News and Observer

Its admirers are asking lawmakers to make the king of frogs the state amphibian. But the state Herpetological Society has jumped in, suggesting other amphibians would be better. Read
Bill would expand solar panel rights — News and Observer

People who want to put solar collectors on their roofs often run afoul of homeowners associations and appearance rules. A legislative proposal would change that. Read
NC House Requires Sheriffs To Submit Pistol Permit Denials — WPTF

Sheriffs would alert the S-B-I if they deny someone a permit to buy a handgun under a measure which got tentative approval Tuesday by the House. Read
House rejects smoking ban — News and Observer

Opponents say legislation intrudes on state's business owners; supporters cite second-hand smoke's risks. Read
AP Tuesday GA Report:

ELECTION INVESTIGATION: State elections officials will hold a hearing to look at the campaign finances of Rep. Thomas Wright, marking a new phase of the probe into Wright's finances. The May 15 meeting will come five months after former Democratic consultant Joe Sinsheimer lodged a formal complaint that accused Wright, D-New Hanover, of breaking elections law by delaying disclosure of $41,000 in campaign donations. State elections director Gary Bartlett said in March that board investigators believed there was a "possibility of criminal violations" of the campaign reporting law. The hearing also will examine a complaint Sinsheimer filed against Rep. Mary McAllister, D-Cumberland, related to her campaign reports.
TRACKING OFFENDERS: Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue asked members of a Senate committee to support a bill that would require sex offenders to give authorities their e-mail addresses and any online monikers they use. The information would be collected at the same time the convicted offenders sign up for registries that already exist, and could be shared with Internet providers and companies that run social networking sites. Perdue noted that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported one in seven children received unwanted sexual solicitations online and one in three were exposed to sexual material in 2005. "I was stunned by that and a little bit disgusted," she said. The committee held the bill until its next meeting to clarify some of its wording.
EYEWITNESS ID: The House unanimously agreed to require law enforcement to follow new eyewitness lineup rules designed to reduce the chance for mistaken identity of criminal suspects. The "Eyewitness Identification Reform Act" would require police to meet certain procedures for conducting a lineup using photos of live people. These new rules are being taught at the state's criminal justice academy but their use is optional among police agencies and sheriff's offices. Some bill supporters said the new lineup procedures could have made a difference in the Duke lacrosse case investigation. The bill now heads to the Senate.
ADOPTION RECORDS: Mothers who gave their children up for adoption decades ago urged members of a House judiciary committee to eliminate a nearly 60-year-old law that prevents adult adoptees from learning about their biological parents. A bill considered but not voted on by the committee would allow an adult who had been adopted to receive a copy of his or her original birth certificate that identifies birthparents. It also would create a procedure in which an adoption agency could act as an intermediary between a birthparent and adult adoptee if both sides wish to meet and learn about each other. But opponents of the current bill are worried the changes would discourage adoption and remove the confidentiality many mothers believed they always would have.
Other Bills: (AP)

— H36, to require more frequent inspections and closer monitoring for companies that store hazardous waste, a measure inspired by the Oct. 9 fire at a chemical plant in Apex. Approved 113-0. Next: To the Senate.

- H265, to create a high-risk insurance pool that provides health insurance for the difficult-to-insure chronically ill patients at a reasonable premium rate. Given final House approval by a vote of 104-11. Next: To the Senate.
Bill seeks child neglect felony — News and Observer

Sen. Austin Allran from Hickory asks the Senate Judiciary Committee to create a law that enables prosecutors to treat a caretaker's neglect of a child as a felony. Read
Wednesday at GA: (Hendersonville News)

ACTIVE DUTY TAX CREDIT: A House military committee approved a bill to grant income and franchise tax credits to small businesses that employ reservists and National Guard members. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Grier Martin, D-Wake — himself an Army reserve officer — is meant to help small businesses with the cost of training temporary workers and of retraining reservists and Guard members when they come back on the job. The credit's amount would be based on the affected employee's salary. The measure now goes to the House Finance Committee.

CHARTER SCHOOLS: Hundreds of charter school supporters and students lobbied the General Assembly to ask lawmakers to remove the 100-school limit on the alternative public schools in North Carolina. The number of charter schools has been at or near the cap of 100 for years. Boosters say the charter schools could provide a solution to traditional school overcrowding while helping giving parents options for their children. Similar bills to raise the cap or remove it completely have been filed over the past several years and even passed one of the two chambers. But some legislators and other education groups have been critical of student performance at charter schools.

SAYING GOODBYE: The House and Senate said goodbye on the same day two Hertford County lawmakers who died on successive days in January. Rep. Howard Hunter died on Jan. 8 and Sen. Robert Holloman died the next day. The chambers passed separate resolutions in their honor. Senators remember Holloman as a kind man and snappy dresser who cared about northeastern North Carolina and the Baptist church where he was a minister. Holloman was elected to a third Senate term last November. Hunter first came to the House in 1989. His former colleagues remembered him for his legislative work on children's issues and economic development.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DESCEND- County commissioners from across North Carolina descended on the Legislative Building complex to lobby their hometown lawmakers on a number of issues, with removing county payments for Medicaid expenses the top priority. Each county must pay a portion of the medical costs of treating Medicaid patients, which comes to about $500 million for the next fiscal year. The N.C. Association of County Commissioners also wants lawmakers to give all the counties a menu of local option taxes, including one for land transfers. The N.C. Association of Realtors is opposed to the land transfer tax and paid for an ad in The News & Observer of Raleigh on Wednesday reminding arriving county commissioners that they have already lobbied legislators against what they call a so-called "home tax" two weeks earlier.

NC Courts

Judge Considering Long Sentence for Black — WRAL

A federal judge who last week handed out a strong sentence for one of Jim Black's associates is now considering doing the same for the disgraced former state House speaker. U.S. District Judge James Dever III said he is considering an "upward departure" from whatever range of sentences is recommended by prosecutors, according to court documents. Black is scheduled to be sentenced May 18. Read
Appeals court rules in favor of temporary state workers in N.C. — Hickory Daily

Temporary state employees who said they deserved the benefits of permanent employees after working for more than 12 months can sue the state, according to a ruling from the state Court of Appeals. Read
NC Appeals Court: Poker Is Game Of Chance — NBC17

Poker is mostly a game of chance — not skill — making it illegal to bet items of value when playing the card game in North Carolina, the state Court of Appeals said Tuesday. In an unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel agreed that a skilled player can tip the odds in his favor but said the player "is always subject to defeat at the turn of a card." State law makes it a misdemeanor for any person or organization to operate a game of chance where players wager money, property or other items of value. But in 2004, Howard Fierman sought to open a poker club in Durham County and later sued when Durham County District Attorney Jim Hardin said it would be illegal. Read
Hearing May Remove Hurdle to Death Penalty in N.C. — WRAL

A judge will hear arguments Monday to dismiss a lawsuit against the Council of State over the death penalty. Read

Related
Geddings' attorneys seek leniency — Salisbury Post

Lawyers for former North Carolina lottery commissioner Kevin Geddings have made a leniency plea to a federal judge who has already sentenced a former legislator to a longer term than guidelines suggest. Read
Judge: Inmates Can Be Heard on Death Penalty — WRAL

A state judge ruled Monday that death-row inmates might have the right to argue the merits of lethal injection with state officials. Read

NC Politics

Edwards: Let IRS do tax returns — Citizen Times

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wants the Internal Revenue Service to calculate and complete the income tax returns of up to 50 million Americans annually. Read
Presidential hopeful Edwards courts unions on Seattle trip — The Seattle Times

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards stopped in Seattle Tuesday to make an early pitch for an endorsement from the AFL-CIO. Read

Other North Carolina News

In a 5-0 vote, N.C. county board adopts invocation policy recommended by ADF — Alliance Defense Fund

Transylvania County joins other N.C. local governments choosing to continue opening invocations despite ACLU threats

..."It's ridiculous that, in a country founded on religious liberty, the right to open a public meeting with prayer would be under attack. We applaud the board members of Transylvania County for standing their ground instead of bowing down to the bullying tactics of the ACLU," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson. "Since our nation's founding, American leaders have sought divine guidance over our public affairs. The ACLU's agenda is quite simply to erase these traditions that the U.S. Supreme Court has declared are 'deeply embedded in our history and tradition.'" Read
Carr's blood-alcohol level at .13 hours after fatal crash — Journal Now.com

WXII-TV anchorman Tolly Carr had a blood-alcohol content of .13, well above the legal limit of .08, when a test was administered about four hours after police say he struck and killed a pedestrian in March. Read
Council of State opposes Navy's plans — Winston-Salem Journal

North Carolina's top statewide elected officials agreed yesterday to oppose the Navy's proposal to build a jet practice landing field in Washington County. Read
Educators spar over requirements — News and Observer

A panel's plan to drop high-school foreign language requirement draws opposition; the debate persists on arts and vocational classes. Read
Duke Cheating Scandal Expands — ABC 11

The largest cheating scandal ever at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business involved more than a take-home exam, a business school official said Tuesday. After finding consistencies in exam answers, "the professor said, 'let me take a look at other stuff that's been handed in,"' said Mike Hemmerich, an associate dean at the business school. A judicial board later investigated the final exam and other assignments, resulting in the punishment of 34 graduate students. Nine students face expulsion from the competitive two-year program, which will cost first-year students in 2007 almost $50,000 for tuition, books and a laptop computer. Another 15 students could be suspended for one year and receive a failing grade in the course. Read
In Wake of Scandal, Applications Sag at Duke — The New York Sun

Duke University alumni sometimes refer to the Durham, N.C., school as the Harvard of the South. It's not the magnet it used to be. Read
Lottery machines to echo Amber Alert — News and Observer

Wake County Briefs: Starting Tuesday, lottery ticket machines across the state will also light up when an Amber Alert is issued for a missing child. Read
Harrington: NC Transportation System Is Broken & Neglected — WPTF

James Harrington told a transportation forum in Raleigh yesterday the state's transportation system is broken and neglected. Harrington led the state transportation department from 1985 to 1989. He's also a plantiff in a lawsuit challenging the diversion of more than 200 million dollars in highway Trust Fund money to the state's General Fund. Read
CEO of Missions Organization Based in NC Writes Unique Book on Modern-Day Bible Stories — Christian Newswire

Joseph Williams, Chief Executive Officer of New Directions International (NDI), a missions organization founded in 1968 in Burlington, NC, has written an exciting new book. "Hardship, Healing, and Hope: How God Still Moves in the Lives of His People" is being released by VMI Publishers and will be available in bookstores starting today, May 1st. Read
'All A Bit Nervous:' Dangerous conditions may be seen in N.C. mountains — Winston-Salem Journal

The West and Southeast face an increased wildfire risk this year because of drought and an expected hotter-than-average summer, the National Interagency Fire Center reported yesterday. Read
Guilty Plea Expected from Disbarred N.C. Lawyer — ABC 11

A disbarred lawyer accused of embezzling more than $3.7 million from clients is scheduled to be in court Thursday to enter a guilty plea after spending more than two years in jail. Zachary Bynum III, 53, faces a maximum prison sentence of more than 100 years for the 48 charges against him, said Forsyth County District Attorney Tom Keith. His attorney, David Freedman, said he will offer some mitigating evidence. In addition, Bynum will receive credit for time already served behind bars. Read
Report: N.C. kids suffer from unsafe homes — Herald Tribune

Unsafe housing in North Carolina is leaving children with myriad injuries, including broken limbs from falling through rotten floors and asthma from breathing air contaminated by roach and ant droppings, according to a new report. N.C. Housing Coalition, an advocacy group in Raleigh, found 20 percent of homes in the state are either substandard or unaffordable. Read
VA hospital bonuses come despite poor patient care, deaths — Salisbury Post

The Department of Veterans Affairs paid bonuses of more than $335,000 to some top North Carolina VA hospital managers during years they received reports of poor patient care and suspicious deaths, according to a newspaper report.... Read
Pastor's removal stuns flock — News and Observer

An evaluation of the Rev. Stephen M. Garrity will see whether he misused his influence in sexual relationships 25 years ago Read
Raleigh Photographer Indicted on Child Sex Charges — WRAL

A grand jury indicted a Raleigh photographer Monday on child sex charges, and police say there could be more victims.

Raleigh police charged Ted Booker with one count of taking indecent liberties with a 3-year-old girl at his studio in 2006. He was also charged with statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with a 10-year-old girl in the late 1980's. That alleged victim, who is now an adult, recently came forward to authorities. Read
U.S. Rep. Cummings to speak at ECSU — Daily Advance

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., will be the guest speaker at Elizabeth City State University's 144th spring commencement, ECSU officials announced this week. Read
School speaker concerns parents — News and Observer

Lynn Webster was driving her son and his friends to a hockey game Friday night when she overheard them talking about a murderer visiting their high school. That's when she learned a speaker from a Christian organization had told students she'd murdered three children by having abortions while she was a drug addict. The organization, Teen Challenge, was paid by several area churches to speak at Chatham's middle and high schools last week about abstinence and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Now, some Northwood High School parents want to meet with school officials. Read
Towering Gettysburg Painting Sold in North Carolina, Could Resell for $10M — WRAL

A towering 6-ton painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg was sold recently in North Carolina after decades in storage, and it could resell quickly for more than $10 million, according to the agent handling the transaction. The cyclorama, which is 76 feet longer than a football field, is meant to be displayed in a round room to give viewers the feeling they are at the battle. The painting depicts the bloodiest assault of the Civil War for both the Union and the Confederacy. Read
N.C. cities signing on to anti-global warming pledge — Wilson Times

...Governments in Asheville, Durham, Wilmington and Winston-Salem are among the larger cities that have signed the initiative. Other communities include Boone, Brevard, Canton, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Clyde, Flat Rock, Gastonia, Highlands, Hillsborough, Salisbury and Woodfin. Read
Aqua America Expands Base with New Acquisitions in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania — Business Wire

Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE:WTR) today announced that its subsidiaries have acquired water and wastewater systems in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Read
Alleged EP SWAT prankster arrested in North Carolina — KVIA

...Police say Saldierna was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on one count of Criminal Solicitation of a Minor/Sexual Assault, one count of Harassment, one count of Terroristic Threats, and two counts of False Alarm/Report. Read
70-Year-Old Ham Back on Display in North Carolina — WRAL

...Dombalis' grandfather bought the ham from a farmer who was passing through Raleigh in 1937, then placed it in the window. It's unclear exactly why, though Mecca became known as "that restaurant with the ham in the window." Read

Congress

Dr. Dobson Asks the Nation to Oppose Hate-Crimes Bill — Citizenlink

Says legislation could "pave the way for religious persecution" in the U.S. Read

Take Action
US Sen. Schumer proposes $300 mln in subprime aid — Reuters

Community groups that help subprime borrowers try to save their homes from foreclosure would receive $300 million in aid under legislation introduced on Thursday. Read
Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Post-Abortion Trauma — Citizenlink

'I thought I could move on with my life, but I wasn't able to.' Read
Bush Vetoes Iraq Withdrawal Legislation — AOL

President Calls War Funding Bill 'Prescription for Chaos' Read
House Fails to Override Bush on Iraq — Hickory Daily

The Democratic-controlled House failed Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of an Iraq war spending bill with timetables for troop withdrawals. Democrats later met with Bush and emerged undeterred in their determination to bring soldiers home. Read
McKay recalls Justice official's "sinister" call — The Seattle Times

Did party matter in Justice Dept. hiring? Ten days before he stepped down as U.S. attorney for Western Washington, John McKay says, he received a "sinister" phone call from a senior Justice Department official that he interpreted as a threat to stay quiet about his forced resignation. In a seven-page document released Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee, McKay said Michael Elston, chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, "threatened" him Jan. 17, one day before Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Read
Barney Frank's online gaming bill not a safe bet, says FRC — One News Now

Pro-family groups are mounting opposition to new legislation that seeks to repeal a federal ban on Internet gambling. A spokesman for one of those groups suggests the gaming industry's financial backing of the Democratic Party is one factor behind the measure's launch. Read
Wash. Congresswoman Gives Birth to Boy — Newsday.com

It's a boy for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the first member of Congress to give birth in more than a decade, her office said Monday. Read
Lawmakers Move Ahead on Ethanol Measure — Sun Journal

Lawmakers moved ahead Wednesday on a broad energy bill to replace one-quarter of the nation's gasoline with ethanol. Read
Senators Wary of Bush's Wiretap Proposal — CBN News

Citing FBI abuses and the attorney general's troubles, senators peppered top Justice and intelligence officials Tuesday with skeptical questions about their proposal to revise the rules for spying on Americans. Read
Feinstein seeks to close Guantanamo — LA Times

The senator's proposal comes on the day the justices decline to hear detainees' appeal on the legality of military trials there. Read
House Passes Legislation To Withdraw Troops From Iraq By October — WTKR

A sharply divided House brushed aside a veto threat Wednesday and passed legislation that would order President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq by Oct. 1. Read
Bush promotes Colombia trade deal — BBC

President George W Bush has urged the US Congress to ratify a free trade deal with Colombia, as part of a wider plan to back democracies in Latin America. Read
After the Veto: Next Steps for Congress on the War Funding Bill — Heritage Foundation

Last week, Congress passed irresponsible legislation that holds hostage funding for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of Congress knew when they voted on the bill that the President would consider it unacceptable and veto it. The President's position is correct, and Congress must make haste to send the President a law he can sign. Anything less will put the lives of American soldiers in battle at risk, undermine vital national interests, risk embroiling America even more deeply in the Middle East, and give Americans the false hope that cutting and running will make the world a better place. Read
When Beliefs Become a Crime — CBN News

Pastor Marvin L. Williams' position on homosexuality is clear. "As a minister of the gospel, I cannot support the naturalizing of homosexuality," said Pastor Williams. But could speaking out against it put land a person in jail? That's a concern over the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The controversial "hate crimes" bill is heading for a vote this Thursday in the House of Representatives. Read
CWA Asks President for Veto Pledge on 'Hate Crimes' Legislation — Christian Newswire

In a recent letter to President Bush, Concerned Women for America (CWA) asked the President to veto H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, should it gain congressional approval. Read
New bill would gives special preference to homosexuals — AFA

Call your representative today! A new bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), has been introduced in the House of Representatives by homosexual Congressman Barney Frank. The bill (HR 2015) would force organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars, day care centers, Christian business owners, adoption agencies, public schools, municipalities and a host of other businesses and organizations to hire homosexual applicants. Read
Ex-Senator Seen as Rehearsing for Prime Time — NYT

Fred D. Thompson, the actor and politician, is of the Republican presidential campaign but not in it. Yet. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Stay-at-home mom's work worth $138,095 — MSNBC

Annual amount she'd earn as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist Read
Baghdad Prayer Patrol Releases Special Plea for American Soldiers on National Day of Prayer

The Baghdad Prayer Patrol, an internet-based nationwide prayer group for American troops stationed abroad, has released a special plea for participants in tomorrow's National Day of Prayer. "As Americans come together on May 3 to look to God for the good of our nation," said group founder Wayne Dillard, "we wanted to offer a prayer of protection for the brave men and women of our military serving around the world." Read

Prayer
Anti-Prayer Atheist's Son Returns to High Court for National Day of Prayer Bill Murray's 1963 Case Ended Prayer in Schools; Today He Works to Restore It — Christian Newswire

William "Bill" Murray, whose famous mother, Madelyn Murray O'Hare, used her son to legally end voluntary prayer in public schools in 1963, will return to the U.S. Supreme Court this afternoon to participate in a National Day of Prayer service on the High Court's front steps. Mr. Murray today heads the Religious Freedom Coalition and is the author of a new book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God (AMG Publishers). — Read
Ten Commandments to be Honored Sunday — Citizenlink

Annual event focuses on their place in life and law. Sunday will be observed across the nation as Ten Commandments Day. Hundreds of churches and religious leaders are planning to participate in the second annual event. Read
Jamestown: Where America Became a Christian Nation — Christian Law Association

The first permanent settlement in America was dedicated to God and to the expansion of the Christian faith. When a company of English settlers reached what is now called Jamestown, Virginia, one of their first acts was to plant a cross in the sand and claim this new land, not for England, but for God. That cross was planted on April 29, 1607, exactly 400 years ago this month. Read
Young Americans Fear Family Break-up — Citizenlink

But they still desire marriage and family. Read
MS Democrat urges party not to ignore 'hunger for hope' in Christ — One News Now

A Democratic candidate for governor of Mississippi says he wishes his party placed a greater emphasis on "the values of Christ." He is encouraging fellow Democrats not only to live out their religious beliefs but also to express them publicly. Read
Hypocrisy of Hating Homosexuality, While Ignoring Cohabitation and Adultery — Christian Newswire

Statistics show that 25% of unmarried "born again" Christians are living together. This reveals an apparent hypocrisy in condemning homosexuality, while not condemning heterosexual immorality. Sad to say, co-habitation is on the increase and its participants also include the Catholic and Christian community. BFA believes there is also a need to condemn not only adultery in its blatant form of cheating on a spouse, but its camouflaged form by easy divorce to pursue second and third marriages. This has been done by those who describe themselves either as Catholic, Evangelical and even more startling the born again Christian. Read
Montana Seniors Regain Right to Sing Christian Songs — Citizenlink

Senior center had been threatened with a loss of federal funds. Read
Illegal Immigrant Movement, Teaching Their Children Lawlessness — Christian Newswire

Biblical Family Advocates has been observing the illegal immigration movement that is bent on coming to America illegally without regard for the laws of America. They are asserting that "no human is illegal." But Biblical Family Advocates is concerned with this line of reasoning. Many well intentioned people seem to have forgotten to teach their children to obey the laws of the land as well as submitting to the governing authorities. "It seems apparent to me that the children of illegal immigrants are being taught to do the very thing the Bible condemns. They are being taught to covet their neighbor's goods and that stealing is justified if it benefits you. How will they teach their children to obey the laws of any nation when they justify lawlessness as a lifestyle? To take jobs, government funds and services from legal Americans is a form of stealing." says Phil Magnan of Biblical Family Advocates. "They are taking from others what they do not own. This does not love your neighbor nor doing unto others as you would have done unto you." Read
Another Gideon sues for First Amendment rights in Florida — One News Now

A civil rights lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Gideons International member who was among several who were threatened with arrest for handing out Bibles at a Florida school in January. Thomas Gray watched fellow Gideons Anthony Mirto and Ernest Simpson be arrested and taken away from Key Largo School January 19 for distributing the Bibles on public property. Read
Christian Evangelist Points to Christ on Islamic TV — Christian Newswire

Islamic owned and operated television in the West Bank is featuring a Christian evangelist presenting Jesus Christ as the solution to a lasting peace in the Middle East. The unprecedented appearance is being broadcast out of the Jericho Al Nour station which reaches all of Judea in the West Bank, including parts of Jerusalem, and Amman, Jordan. American evangelist Terry McIntosh points Israel back to God and calls upon Israel to give life, dismantle the Separation Wall, and follow the way of God. He charges Palestine to seek lasting peace through Jesus Christ. Read
A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith — NYT

Barack Obama's campaign has put a strain on the close relationship he forged over 20 years with his pastor. Read
Biblical Betrothal Family Camp in South Georgia — Christian Newswire

The Homeschool Advantage is conducting a Biblical Betrothal Camp, May 25-27, at Calathora Farm in Moultrie, Georgia, and has created a website called http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=mhu5i4bab.0.jvmtj4bab.tuqepibab.856&ts=S0243&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biblicalbetrothal.us%2F . When asked why, Captain Bret, the producer of Captain Bret's Christian Movie Show on the Faith Television Network and the president of The Homeschool Advantage, gave this statement: "Modern western evangelical churches are facing a tremendous struggle today in the area of marriage relationships. The statistics should be alarming to church leaders. The divorce rate is more than 50% in the church, there is a growing number of unmarried couples in churches living in open fornication, church youth groups are rife with sex and unmarried pregnancies, and extended families are in turmoil as sons and daughters 'fall in love' and marry partners that distress their parents. It is high time for church leaders to seek the ancient paths, and return to teaching their flocks the godly principles of the biblical pattern of betrothal." Read
Replica of Noah's Ark Opens Doors to Visitors — Fox News

The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was thrown open Saturday — you could say it was the first time in 4,000 years — drawing a crowd of curious pilgrims and townsfolk to behold the wonder. Read
700,000 March At Turkey — NY Sun

At least 700,000 people marched Sunday in a massive protest against the possible election of an observant Muslim as president, a conflict that is pitting Turkey's religiously oriented ruling party against the deeply secular military and civilian establishment. Read
'Evangelical Pope' Announces Retirement — Christian Newswire

World renowned theologian and evangelist The Rev. Dr. John Stott has made the decision to retire from public ministry at the age of 86. Stott, who has been called by the Rev. Billy Graham "the most respected clergyman in the world today," will formally retire after fulfilling one final speaking engagement in July 2007, according to an announcement made by John Stott Ministries (the U.S. movement of the Langham Partnership International), the ministry Stott founded to equip churches around the world. Read

Courts

Christian Postings' Removal Upheld — AP

School officials did not violate a teacher's First Amendment rights when they removed Christian-themed postings from his classroom, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The postings included a flier publicizing the National Day of Prayer, a depiction of George Washington praying at Valley Forge, and articles about President Bush's religious faith and former Attorney General John Ashcroft's prayer meetings with his employees. They were removed from William Lee's Spanish classroom at Tabb High School at the start of the 2004-05 school year after a parent complained. Read
Immigration-Related Cases Clog Courts — AP

Immigration-related felony cases are swamping federal courts along the Southwest border, forcing judges to handle hundreds more cases than their peers elsewhere. Read
Missouri Court: Parents Can Sue Over Teens' Abortions — Citizenlink

Parents in Missouri have the right to sue anyone who helps their teenagers get an abortion without their consent, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The court rejected claims by Planned Parenthood that the 2005 law infringes on free speech. Read
5 Get Life Sentences in London Bomb Plot — WRAL

A judge sentenced five men to life in prison Monday for plotting to attack targets in London, including a popular nightclub, power plants and shopping mall, with bombs made from a half-ton stockpile of fertilizer. Read
Supreme Court: Motorists Fleeing Cops Can't Sue — All Headline News

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that motorists fleeing police do not have the right to sue pursuing officers if they are injured during the chase. Read
Neb. High Court Stays Electrocution — AP

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed an execution over concerns about a new electrocution protocol in the only state that still relies solely on the electric chair for capital punishment. Read
High Court Puts Limits on Patents — NYT

The Supreme Court made it more difficult to get a patent on new products that combine elements of existing inventions. Read
Indian Supreme Court Delays Dalit Christians Equal Rights Case — Christian Newswire

India's Supreme Court has once again postponed action on a case involving the civil rights of India's 300 million plus Dalits ("Untouchables"). In April, the court voted to postpone further discussion of the case until mid-July. The case was delayed because a government agency charged with preparing a report examining the issue failed to submit the completed report to the court. The court ordered the agency to conduct the investigation in 2005. Read
Turkish Court Blocks Islamic Candidate — NYT

Supporters of Abdullah Gul said the decision was simply an attempt to hold on to power by Turkey's secular elite. Read
Pennsylvania Court Awards Parental Rights to Three Adults — Citizenlink

A former lesbian couple and the man who donated sperm all have parental rights, according to a Pennsylvania Superior Court ruling April 30. Jennifer Shultz and Jodilynn Jacob lived together for about six years, according to the court opinion. Jacob adopted two young nephews and gave birth to two children. The father is Carl Frampton, a friend of Schultz. Read
Medical Pot User's Conviction Reversed — AOL

The conviction of a motel owner who said he grew marijuana to treat his glaucoma has been reversed on medical grounds.

The decision may be the first successful "affirmative defense" of a medical marijuana case in Washington, one of 11 states that allow its use with a doctor's recommendation, the man's lawyer, Frank L. Cikutovich, said. Read
NYC Judge Tosses Suit Against Israeli — AP

...Pauley noted the U.S. government had argued in court papers that the suit, brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights, threatened to involve the courts in policing armed conflicts across the globe, exceeding the role of the courts and intruding on the executive branch's control over foreign affairs. Read
Court Issues Darfur Arrest Warrants — Newsday.com

The International Criminal Court issued its first arrest warrants Wednesday in the murderous Darfur conflict, seeking to try a government minister and a janjaweed militia leader on charges of mass slayings, rape and torture. Sudan immediately refused to arrest them. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Planned Parenthood Confesses to Committing More Abortions Than Ever — Christian Newswire

Planned Parenthood operates the most proficient killing machine in the United States," said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI). "Planned Parenthood claims to prevent the 'need' for abortion while simultaneously working to increase its share of the lucrative abortion market." Read
Evangelicals Start Adoption Push — NBC 17

Prominent evangelical Christians are urging churchgoers to strongly consider adoption or foster care, not just out of kindness or biblical calling but also to answer criticism that their movement, while condemning abortion and same-sex adoption, doesn't do enough for children without parents. Read
Pro-Abortion Senator Disinvited From Daughter's Graduation — Citizenlilnk

Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, will not speak at her daughter's Catholic high school graduation because her support of abortion and embryonic stem cell research is at odds with the Catholic Church. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Drunk Driving Arrest Can Be Very Costly — About Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

A fine is just the beginning of what an arrest for drunk driving can cost even if you do not have an accident or harm anyone, according to an article by MSN Money's Christopher Solomon called, "DUI: The $10,000 ride home." Read
FDA Seeks Antidepressant Warning -AOL

Young adults beginning treatment with antidepressants should be warned about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior, federal health officials said Wednesday. Read
University Of Mary Washington President Fired After DUI — WTKR

The University of Mary Washington fired its president Monday after he was charged in two separate incidents with driving under the influence. William J. Frawley was placed on paid leave April 12th, a day after he was charged in Fredericksburg. The 53-year-old also was charged with DUI in Fairfax County. Read
Exclusive: Huge Heroin Bust In Norfolk — WTKR

Norfolk police say they've gotten a major heroin dealer off the street. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

ACLU, Others Challenge Abstinence Education — Citizenlink

Threaten suit to cut funding. Abstinence education is on the anvil again. The ACLU and two condom-based sex-ed organizations are threatening to sue the Department of Health and Human Services if it doesn't rescind federal grants to certain abstinence curricula. It could impact thousands of abstinence programs across the country. Read
Ga. Schools Cautious on Bible Classes — AP

Georgia's public schools walk a delicate line as they decide whether to offer the nation's first state-funded Bible classes — measuring the difference between preaching and teaching with the likelihood of costly lawsuits looming for those that miss the mark. Read
Teen Says: 'Sky Angel Rocks!' — Christian Newswire

While the Federal Communications Commission, through the release of its report on TV violence last week, recommends government regulation of violent television programming, Sky Angel, a national TV operator, has been providing for more than 10 years to many families across America the desire of their hearts: a multi-channel television alternative free from gratuitous violence and sex. Read
Could International Child Sex Laws Affect U.S. Policy? — Reclaiming America

Throughout the Western World, sociologists are now seeing trends toward the sexualization of children. The dismissal of moral standards and Christian ethics from international law has created a vacuum of absolute standards, which has ushered in an international trend that seeks to provide naïve children with the legal right to consent to sexual relations with adults. Read
Parental control critical in curbing negative influences on youth, says Barna — One News Now

Christian researcher George Barna says the recent massacre at Virginia Tech should alert parents to take a hard look at how a culture that glamorizes sex and violence is impacting young adults. Read
Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus — NYT

Across the country chaplains, professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember. Read
Wisconsin gives 8th-graders college path, similar to N.C. program — Daily Advance

Wisconsin is rolling out the nation's most expansive guarantee of higher education to students in hopes of raising college aspirations and improving preparedness. The state's 75,000 eighth-graders can sign the Wisconsin Covenant agreement starting May 10, promising to earn a B average, take courses to prepare for college and be good citizens. Read
Suit Seeks to Protect Teacher's Free Speech — Citizenlink

For nearly 25 years, Brad Johnson has displayed banners on the walls of his San Diego classroom. But the Poway Unified School District ordered him to remove some of them. Now the Thomas More Law Center is suing the school district in federal court, saying officials violated Johnson's constitutional rights. The banners contained phrases including: "In God We Trust," "One Nation Under God," "God Bless America," "God Shed His Grace on Thee" and "All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator." Read
Bigotry in Burlington Township, N.J. — Jesus Journal.com

Bob Pawson, National Coordinator of the Scriptures in Schools Project, responds to reports that Burlington Township High School in NJ staged a mock school shooting and hostage drama — complete with anti-Christian bigotry. After school was dismissed, scores of Christian students went home and informed their parents of this vile outrage. Read
NE Mississippi FCA director says God moving powerfully through area public schools — One News Now

...During the past 11 years, more than 25,000 students in northeast Mississippi have committed their lives to Christ as a result of the ministry of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Carter notes. But although his ministry is focused on public schools in the Bible Belt, he points out that it can be difficult to get into some school districts, a problem he suspects may be largely due to "the influence of the [American Civil Liberties Union], kind of spreading fear," he says. Read
Beyond Abstinence: New Steps as a Vision Expands — Christian Newswire

A growing tide of sensuality represents an increasingly urgent threat to families and churches, according to best-selling author Fred Stoeker (Every Man's Battle, Tactics). In greater numbers and at younger ages, men and boys are being flooded with sexual images; the astonishing prevalence makes them difficult to avoid, even for those who are committed to purity. Read
P.E. Classes Turn to Video Game That Works Legs — NYT

Schools are deploying Dance Dance Revolution as the latest weapon in the battle against childhood obesity. Read
About 200 Grads Caught Skinny Dipping — WRAL

As many as 200 students decided to celebrate graduation at Concordia College by skinny dipping in a murky campus pond early Monday, authorities said. A security officer tried to shoo the students out of the pond but they wouldn't cooperate, Concordia security chief Sherri Arnold said. Read
66 Workers at Agency Had Records, Inquiry Finds — NYT

An investigation into sexual abuse and mismanagement at the Texas Youth Commission has led to the dismissal of 66 employees with records of felony charges or arrests. Read
POLL: Is the Public Broadcasting System biased — One News Now

We asked you if you believe PBS — the Public Broadcasting System — has a liberal or conservative bias. Find out how your fellow OneNewsNow.com readers responded. Read

Gambling

New York Sends Gamblers to Treatment Court — Citizenlink

Outbreak in crime inspires judge to address root of the problem...After two casinos opened in Buffalo in 2001, gambling-related crimes, like check forgery and attempted burglary, skyrocketed. The outbreak inspired Judge Mark Farrell to create a gambling-treatment court that utilizes counseling sessions and credit checks. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics

Three U-S Marines killed in fighting in Anbar province — ABC 13

Three U-S Marines have been killed in Iraq. The military says they died yesterday while conducting combat operations in Anbar, a Sunni insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad. They were assigned to Multi National Force-West. Read
U.S. April Death Toll in Iraq Passes 100 — WRAK

Four U.S. soldiers were killed in separate attacks in the capital this weekend, including three in a single roadside bombing, the military said Monday, pushing the death toll past 100 in the deadliest month so far this year. Read
4,000 U.S. Soldiers Arrive in Baghdad — AOL

Buildup Aimed at Clamping Down on Attacks Read
U.S. military tells its side of the story on YouTube — The Seattle Times

...A clip of U.S. soldiers shooting out a window at gunmen hidden in the surrounding buildings already has been featured on CNN and Fox News. But on YouTube, you can see the rest of the footage: Iraqi soldiers firing out the same window, underscoring a favorite U.S. message, that its forces stand side by side with their Iraqi counterparts. Read
Border Patrol Chief given no-confidence vote by union — One News Now

The leaders of the union representing 11,000 field agents of the U.S. Border Patrol have unanimously voted for a no-confidence resolution against David V. Aguilar, the chief of the Border Patrol, for what they believe is his lack of the support for field agents. The non-binding resolution against Aguilar was approved by all 100 leaders of the National Border Patrol Council. Read
US and EU agree 'single market' — BBC

The United States and the European Union have signed up to a new transatlantic economic partnership at a summit in Washington. The pact is designed to boost trade and investment by harmonising regulatory standards, laying the basis for a US-EU single market. Read
Top Hamas official: Kill all Americans — Jerusalem Post

Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, declared during a Friday sermon at a Sudan mosque that America and Israel will be annihilated and called upon Allah to kill Jews and Americans "to the very Last One." Following are excerpts from the sermon that took place last month, courtesy of MEMRI. Read
US and India discuss nuclear deal — BBC

India has pledged to open civilian nuclear sites to inspection

Senior US State Department official Nicholas Burns is to go to India later this month to try to finalise a landmark nuclear fuel treaty. Read
Global Terrorism Rose Sharply in 2006 — CBN

The State Department reported Monday that terrorist attacks jumped by 25 percent globally last year, claiming the lives of 40 percent more victims. Read
Across the country, fewer march in immigration rallies — The Seattle Times

Immigration rallies held nationwide Tuesday produced only a fraction of the million-plus protesters who turned out last year Read
Judicial Watch Lawsuit Uncovers Documents Detailing Washington, D.C. Police Department's Illegal Immigration Sanctuary Policies — Judicial Watch

..."The sanctuary policies of Washington DC's police department are a disgrace and an affront to the rule of law. Local police departments do not have a free pass to violate and undermine federal immigration law," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Our nation's capital, of all places, should not undermine federal immigration law, but rather set an example for other cities in the U.S. I hope Congress and the Bush administration take some action to ensure that the rule of law is respected here in Washington, DC" Read
U.S. sets 8-month timetable for Israel-Palestinian peace moves — Ha'aretz

The Bush administration has drawn up an eight-month timetable setting dates for when Israeli and Palestinian leaders would complete steps meant to bolster prospects for peace talks, U.S., Israeli and Palestinian officials said. Read
Administration Proposes Expanded Drilling — NYT

The move would end a ban on drilling in environmentally sensitive areas along the coasts of Alaska and Virginia. Read
An emotional Snow briefs press — LA Times

The White House spokesman is back at work, five weeks after the discovery that his cancer had spread. Read
'US vision for new MidEast will fail' — Jerusalem Post

Syrian President Bashar Assad predicted Monday that the US vision for a "new Middle East" would fail as the region's conflicts continue to escalate. Read
"Arrowhead" Prevents 3,200 Roadside Bombs, Captures Almost 50 Terrorists In Baghdad — All Headline News

The U.S. Defense Department says it has just finished a major security sweep in Baghdad, codenamed Operation Arrowhead Strike 9. Read
U.S. gas prices could hit record high just in time for Memorial Day trips — The Seattle Times

American drivers nationwide could face record gas prices at the end of this month, just in time for Memorial Day weekend travel. The AAA auto and travel club says gasoline prices already have reached a record high in Washington, averaging $3.18 a gallon. Read
Ebola-like virus killing fish in Great Lakes — USA Today

A deadly Ebola-like virus is killing fish of all types in the Great Lakes, a development some scientists fear could trigger disaster for the USA's freshwater fish. Read
Man Accused of Running 'Warehouse Bank' — WPTF

A man operated a "warehouse bank" out of his home in the south Seattle suburbs, taking at least $28 million from people around the country who wanted the discretion of a Swiss bank account without going to Switzerland, according to court documents unsealed Tuesday. Read
NYPD Quietly Begins Tracking Shipments — The New York Sun

The New York Police Department has quietly begun tracking chlorine shipments in the city and requiring increased security at some storage areas in response to terrorists' use of the chemical weapon in Iraq, police officials said. Read
Top insurgent, but not leader, killed in Iraq — MSNBC

U.S.-led forces conducting a crackdown on al-Qaida in Iraq killed a senior member of an insurgent group who was responsible for the high-profile kidnappings of several Westerners, a military spokesman said Thursday. Read
Bush, E.U. United against Russia — CBN News

As president of the European Union, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is standing with President Bush against Russia on a proposed U.S. missile defense system in Europe. Read
Iran to Attend Regional Talks on Iraq Violence — NYT

The stage is set for the first cabinet-level meeting between Iran and the U.S. since the end of 2004. Read
Iran Tops List of State Terror Sponsors — Cincinnati.com

The State Department has once again designated Iran as the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, accusing the Islamic Republic of aiding extremists throughout the Middle East, particularly in Iraq. Read
U.S. force aims to secure Africa — Washington Times

The United States hopes by year's end to establish an Africa Command that will anchor military operations across a continent seen to be of increasing strategic importance and threatened by transnational terrorists. Read
Inflation is top issue, economists say — USA Today

Inflation is the Federal Reserve's biggest challenge, according to a USA TODAY survey of 53 top economists, who predicted slightly slower expansion and somewhat sharper price pressures than in a January poll. Read
California Freeway Collapses After Fiery Crash — AOL News

San Francisco Bay area residents faced nightmarish commutes Monday after one of the region's most traveled sections of freeway melted and collapsed following a fiery crash... the truck's driver walked away from the scene with second-degree burns. James Mosqueda, 51, of Woodland, went to a gas station and called a taxi, which took him to a hospital, Cross said. Read
On Trip to Mars, NASA Must Rethink Death — Herald Tribune

How do you get rid of the body of a dead astronaut on a three-year mission to Mars and back?...One topic that is evidently too hot to handle: How do you cope with sexual desire among healthy young men and women during a mission years long?

Read
Two Giants Vie for Bank in Chicago — NYT

LaSalle is at the center of what could be the biggest bank deal ever, as a trophy for Bank of America and the Royal

Bank of Scotland. Read
Colombian Prosecutor Probing U.S. Firms — Newsday.com

...He spoke ahead of a trip to Washington this week to seek aid for his overburdened office and help obtain evidence against U.S.-based multinationals he's investigating for allegedly financing the paramilitaries. Read
Americans Reject Suspending Privacy Laws — Zogby

Many adults in the United States believe their federal administration should respect existing regulations when dealing with terrorism, according to a poll by Zogby International released by UPI. 53.4 per cent of respondents think the government should not be able to suspend privacy laws to share information that could include private data on U.S. citizens. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Immorality/Obscenity/Violence

700,000 Petitioners Say They'll Boycott Ford — AFA

The American Family Association (AFA) reported today more than 700,000 people have pledged to boycott Ford Motor Co. because of the company's support of same-sex marriage and homosexual advocacy. Read
Racy billboard draws fire — CNN

A Boise, Idaho radio station is under fire for a racy billboard. Video
McGreevey's Wife: 'He Was a Great Actor' — ABC

...A self-absorbed con artist who married for political gain and would be running for president had a gay sex scandal not fouled his career. That's the picture Dina Matos McGreevey painted of Jim McGreevey, her estranged husband and former New Jersey governor, on the day her memoir, "Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage" hits bookstores. Read
Broadcaster says goodbye to 'degrading' music — One News Now

A Midwest-based broadcasting company has decided it will no longer play hip-hop songs that "degrade and demoralize women." The decision is part of a reaction to the recent controversy resulting in the firing of former radio talk-show host Don Imus for calling Rutgers women basketball players a derogatory name that included racial slang. Read
BP Chief Departs Early Amid Gay Revelations — AOL

..."For the past 41 years of my career at BP I have kept my private life separate from my business life. I have always regarded my sexuality as a personal matter, to be kept private," Browne said in a statement. "It is a matter of personal disappointment that a newspaper group has now decided that allegations about my personal life should be made public." The company said Browne's decision to resign immediately meant he would lose a bonus of up to 1.3 times his annual salary, worth in total over $6.9 million. He would also forgo inclusion in the long-term performance share plan for 2007-2009 with a maximum potential value of some $23.9 million. BP shares edged higher after the announcement, rising 0.1 percent to 566 pence ($11.30) on the London Stock Exchange. Read
Sex Stings Imperiled by Miss America — Daily Advance.com

An undercover sex sting that used Miss America as bait may be in trouble after the beauty queen told prosecutors that she does not plan to testify against the men she helped arrest. Lauren Nelson, 20, of Lawton, Okla., worked with police in Suffolk County to target would-be Internet sexual predators, taped for an episode of the TV show "America's Most Wanted." Miss America Lauren Nelson talks with Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., right, at the Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner on in this file photo from Feb. 6, 2007, in Washington. Nelson can add Long Island crimefighter to her resume. The Lawton, Okla., beauty recently went undercover with police in Suffolk County and participated in a sting operation targeting would-be sexual predators. She posed as a teenager and lured men into chatting online and meeting her at a home, where police and crews were waiting. Eleven men were arrested in the sting. Read
Should separated homosexuals have the same parental rights as divorcing parents — One News Now

OneNewsNow.com asked you: Should a homosexual who terminates a "civil union" have the same parental rights over their former partner's child as those granted to divorcing heterosexual parents? You said: Poll Results
'D.C. Madam' Sorry for Outing Client — Sun Journal

A woman apologized Monday for outing a former top State Department official as a client of her escort service but said it was necessary to prove her company was doing legal business. A federal grand jury indicted Deborah Jeane Palfrey in March on charges of running a high-class call girl ring in the nation's capital from her home in Vallejo, Calif. She maintains the escort service did not engage in prostitution. Read
Ore. Lawmakers OK Domestic Partnerships — AP

A bill giving Oregon's gay and lesbian couples the benefits of marriage through domestic partnerships won final legislative approval Wednesday. Read
Photographer Plans Mexico Nude Shoot — WRAL

American photographer Spencer Tunick said Sunday he was hoping to draw his largest crowd of nude people for a shoot next month in Mexico City's enormous Zocalo plaza. Read
Two Million Anti-SOR Leaflets Sent to Scottish Voters — AOL

Scottish Christian Party to make Holyrood election a referendum on the Sexual Orientation Regulation Read

Other News

Foreign experts: Syria secretly built 30 underground bunkers to enable rocket attack — IMRA

Yediot Ahronot correspondent Arieh Egozi reports in today's edition [page 9] that foreign experts say Syria has built a huge underground compound that includes 30 steel reinforced concrete bunkers, production facilities, development labs and command posts. This new "rocket city" has missiles that can cover the entire area of Israel. In contrast to mobile deployment systems that are easy prey to air attacks, the bunker system is designed to enable Syria to launch many missiles against Israel before the IAF can take them out. Read
Tony Blair Stepping Down within Weeks — London Telegraph

Tony Blair promised yesterday that he would stand down as Prime Minister "in the next few weeks." The announcement was a late attempt to avert a large protest vote against Labour in tomorrow's mid-term elections. He is planning to announce next Wednesday or Thursday that he is resigning as Labour leader. The decision should see Gordon Brown succeed him in Downing Street by July 2. Read
Wolfowitz Goes on the Attack, but Hints at a Deal — NYT

The World Bank president defended himself on Monday, but also hinted that he would discuss his resignation if the board cleared him of misconduct. Read
Chavez Seizes Last Private Oil Fields — CBN News

President Hugo Chavez's government took over Venezuela's last privately run oil fields on Tuesday, intensifying a struggle with international firms over the development of the world's largest known petroleum deposit. Read
Rebellion brewing against Olmert — Ynet News

A number of senior members of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's ruling Kadima party hinted Monday that their leader should resign in light of the severity of an interim report about the handling of last summer's war. Read
Prime Minister of Ireland Calls for Election — NYT

Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland, who has governed in a parliamentary coalition since 1997, has called for a general election to take place on May 24. Read
Hamas: New Intifada could erupt if West fails to lift embargo — Ha'aretz

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal has warned that Israel could face another Palestinian uprising unless the West lifted its aid embargo and conditions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank improved. Read
War Report Could Decide Israeli Premier's Fate — NYT

A much anticipated report on the Israeli government's failings during last summer's war in Lebanon is to be made public on Monday. Read
Scotland may go its own way — LA Times

An election victory for nationalists could set the country on a course to break from Britain. Read

Disclaimer: The Christian Action League of North Carolina does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site.

Index of Weekly Issues Alerts

2007

2006