Weekly Issues Alert

Grassy Ridge, N.C.

October 11 - 18

"There is no vice... so contemptible; he who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual..." --Thomas Jefferson

'White Ribbon Against Pornography' Week to Fight Obscenity

A national campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of pornography begins Sunday, Oct. 28. The White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week, launched by Morality in Media, runs through Nov. 4. Information

North Carolina General Assembly (ADJOURNED AUGUST 2, 2007)

Craig decides to keep Senate seat — News and Observer

Sen. Larry Craig said Thursday that he had no intention of leaving the Senate until the end of his term, despite a setback in his effort to clear his name of a sex-related guilty plea. Read
N.C. population growth requires influx of cash — The Fayetteville Observer

Counties across North Carolina have been asking the General Assembly for additional revenue options to help fund their critical infrastructure needs caused by the state's population explosion. From 2000 to 2030, our state will add more than 4 million citizens, a 50 percent increase equivalent to adding the entirety of South Carolina. Read

North Carolina Politics

Moore campaign faults Perdue's resume — News and Observer

Richard Moore is charging, in the latest skirmish in the Democratic primary for governor, that Beverly Perdue's resumes are suspect. In an e-mail to several reporters, the state treasurer's campaign manager, Jay Reiff, pointed out that a 1991 resume submitted by Perdue to the N.C. Forum for Research and Economic Education was incorrect. Under "Professional Experience," the resume stated that Perdue was a teacher of kindergarten, ninth and 12th grades from 1978 to 1982. In fact, Perdue taught those grades at schools in Georgia and Florida between 1970 and 1974, as cited later on the same resume. Read
State Sen. Kay Hagan won't run for U.S. Senate against Dole — Herald Tribune

Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan said Monday she won't run for the U.S. Senate next year against GOP U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, saying she can better serve North Carolina as one of the Legislature's top budget-writers. Read
Economic panel bill advances — News and Observer

Under the Dome: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Friday that would establish a regional economic development commission for North Carolina and six other Southeastern states. Read
Easley to show off woodworking skills on PBS show — Asheville Citizen-Times

...The two-term Democratic governor is an accomplished woodworker, the skills honed through a family tradition of creating handmade gifts at Christmas. Last year, Easley and his son made maple tables for the holidays. Read
Audit: Mental health director overpaid — News and Observer

A state audit report issued today said a mental health office in northeastern North Carolina had overpaid its director, who made $282,000 a year. Read

NC Courts

Retarded inmate ordered released — News and Observer

A judge has dismissed murder and robbery charges against a mentally retarded defendant held without trial at a North Carolina mental health facility for 14 years. Read
Ex-Lacrosse Players File Sweeping Federal Lawsuit Against Durham — WRAL

Three former Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of rape filed a federal civil lawsuit Friday, seeking an unspecified amount in punitive and compensatory damages, as well as numerous reforms to the way the Durham Police Department handles criminal investigations. Read
AIT accuses Observer, reporter of libel — Fayetteville Observer

...AIT asks for damages in excess of $10,000 in the suit filed Sept. 27 in Cumberland County Superior Court. The suit also says that AIT believes it cannot expect a fair trial in the county and requests a change of venue to Wake County. Read
Ex-scout leader gets 10 years for enticing minor — News and Observer

David Jones was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and sentenced to 25 years supervised probation, meaning he will be overseen well into his 80s. Read
Former music minister charged — The Fayetteville Observer

A Cumberland County grand jury has indicted a former pastor at Berean Baptist Church on sex-related offenses that happened 30 years ago, according to court documents. Anthony Phillips Denton, 57, of Jacksonville, Fla., is charged with 16 counts of taking indecent liberties with children, according to the indictments. Read
Former butler gets $1.15 million in harassment suit — News and Observer

The former employee of the Smithfield Chicken 'n Bar-B-Q restaurant chain was fired after he said he turned away sexual advances from the company's president. Read

NC Education

Sex-ed talks end for early college class — The Fayetteville Observer

Cross Creek Early College pulled 27 high school juniors out of a Fayetteville State University health class last month because it included discussions about safe sex. The subject violates the Cumberland County school system's policy on sex education, which is dictated by state law, officials said. That law requires abstinence to be taught in health classes. The school system receives a federal grant of more than $30,000 annually to teach abstinence education. Contraceptives are only discussed in regard to their failure rates. Read
Program rewards professors at WCU — The Herald Tribune

There's a new program at Western Carolina University which rewards professors who put their scholarship toward helping solve problems facing the community. The university this fall officially made the new focus part of its hiring, merit review and tenure process. It means Western Carolina will recognize studies and activities away from the campus as being as valuable as traditional research. Read
Charlotte med school on horizon — News and Observer

One of the largest U.S. cities without a medical school is inching closer to getting one. Read
NC Shakespeare Festival to hold auditions for GlobeWorks 2008 — Take5Online.com

The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival (NCSF) will hold non-Equity auditions for GlobeWorks 2008, an outreach program that brings the world of Shakespeare into classrooms, libraries and community centers across North Carolina and surrounding states.

Auditions for non-Equity actors will be by appointment only on Oct. 26, Oct. 27 and Oct. 29. Auditions will be held at NCSF's Spirit Center facility located at 807 Ward Ave., at the corner of Green Street in downtown High Point. Read

NC Gambling

Lottos a sliver of school budgets — News and Observer

Most of the money raised by lotteries is used simply to sustain the games themselves, including marketing, prizes and vendor commissions. Read
Phone and mail scams get slicker — News and Observer

Sophisticated con artists reel in N.C. victims with promise of big lottery jackpots..Nationally, the FBI estimates that lottery scammers defraud Americans out of $120 million a year.Read

Other North Carolina News

2 82nd paratroopers die in Iraq, Afghanistan — Asheville Citizen-Times

Cpl. Adam D. Quinn, 22, of Orange City, Fla., died Saturday from injuries sustained when a car bomb blew up near his vehicle near Kabul, Afghanistan...Spc. Vincent G. Kamka, 23, of Everett, Wash., died Thursday in Bayji, Iraq. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. Kamka's death is under investigation and details aren't yet being released, said division spokeswoman Sgt. Jacqueline Pryor. Read
Plans underway to expand Marine Corps' eastern N.C. presence by 11,500 — New Bern Sun Journal

The Marine Corps is expected to announce this week it will add 11,500 Marines to bases in eastern North Carolina. The roughly 25 percent ramp up includes the addition of between 2,000 and 2,500 new billets at MCAS Cherry Point to staff temporary helicopter squadrons. The largest additions are planned for Camp Lejeune and New River. Read
Contract Research Firm Plans to Expand by 1,100 Jobs in N.C. — WRAL

A Raleigh-based company that performs contract clinical research trials plans to expand its work force by nearly 1,100 employees by the end of 2011. A state panel agreed Wednesday morning to give INC Research as much as $14.8 million in grants, provided they meet certain job-creation requirements. Read
Airborne improving its reputation — Jacksonville Daily News

...Speaking to the crowd through an interpreter, Pitts sought to make amends. "We talked to your headmaster and you will have your job back," the Fayetteville native told Hassan. "You will probably not recognize your school when you see it because we renovated it. You get two weeks off and then you'll have to go back to work." The paratrooper's community relations didn't stop there. Pitts emerged from the home and began shaking hands with nearly everyone in the small crowd that had gathered outside. Men and women confidently approached him with requests and complaints. He took notes diligently. "What we have to do sometimes is raid a home one day to arrest a suspect and come back the next to interact with the people living on the same street. That's a challenge," Pitts said. Pitts and his men got back into their Humvees and rumbled away. The time for socializing was over, and the lieutenant's attention shifted to security for the Shiite neighborhood of Grayaat. Read
Government announces 93 N.C. arrests in anti-gang sweep — Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette

Federal authorities say 93 foreign nationals have been arrested in North Carolina as part of a three-month nationwide sweep of violent gang activity. The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement says authorities made 50 arrests in the Raleigh area and 43 in Winston-Salem. The agency says they face federal criminal charges or deportation. Read
Western N.C. sees upturn in gang activity — Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette

Law enforcement officers say gang activity in western North Carolina isn't confined to Asheville.Henderson County Sheriff's Det. Doug Hill says authorities there have identified as many as seven gangs. They have also identified assaults, assaults with weapons, vandalism and graffiti. Read
Body found, believed to be missing North Carolina man — The Virginian-Pilot

...As authorities were searching for Smithwick, Raymond Christian Jedele, 38, of Kill Devil Hills, was charged with first-degree kidnapping and held on a $10 million bond. Smithwick's ex-wife, Janet Denise Harrell 33, of Chowan County, was subsequently charged with being an accessory to a crime after the fact and was being held on a $3 million bond. Both were being held at the Hertford County jail. Jedele, a Kitty Hawk police officer, was placed on disciplinary suspension without pay, under Kitty Hawk town policy, according to a news release from the Kitty Hawk Police Department. He has worked as a police officer in Kitty Hawk since April 2006. Read
N.C. to share $21.8 million with 4 states for I-95 work — The Fayetteville Observer

North Carolina has been selected to participate in a new federal program to ease Interstate 95 congestion. The state is to develop a plan that could include tolls to help pay for widening I-95 by four lanes. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced last month that North Carolina will share $21.8 million with Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia for short-term safety-related improvements on I-95. The states submitted a joint application for funding from the Corridors of the Future program. They were among six states chosen from a field of 38 applicants. State Sen. Larry Shaw, a Fayetteville Democrat and chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the allocation is inadequate for meaningful improvements. Read
Progress Energy regroups after CEO's death — News and Observer

William Johnson, the company's chief operating officer and president, is considered the front-runner for the top position. Read
Dell's North Carolina plant praised, criticized 2 years later — Houston Chronicle

...With more than 1,100 positions, Dell exceeded by 400 the first-year staffing level required to be eligible for its initial incentive payment. But that level has not changed for more than a year. Round Rock, Texas-based Dell is required to have at least 1,500 employees by October 2010 to qualify for the full incentive package. Read
Rural hopitals can use new fund to win financing — Asheville Citizen Times

Rural hospitals across Western North Carolina and the state may be able to find more financing for critical improvements and new equipment like MRIs and CAT scan machines, thanks to a new fund announced today by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue. Read
Flextronics Is Shutting Plant in Youngsville — WRAL

Facility to be closed over next six months, company says. Hundreds of jobs to be affected. Flextronics is largest private sector employer in Franklin County. Read
Tar Heel firefighter honored at memorial service — Fayetteville Observer

A firefighter from Tar Heel who was killed last year was honored last weekend during a memorial service for firefighters from around the country. Read
Troubled AmbuMed shuts down North Carolina operation — The Daily Reflector

...AmbuMed employed 35 people in North Carolina. The 2-year-old California-based company provided nonemergency ambulance services for patients and health care providers in Pitt, Pamlico, Carteret, Jones, Beaufort and Wake counties. Read
Two Americans, Briton Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine — New York Sun

...The $1.54 million prize was awarded yesterday to Mr. Capecchi, 70, of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City; Oliver Smithies, 82, a native of Britain now at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and Sir Martin Evans, 66, of Cardiff University in Wales. Read
DOT releases papers on Easley's order — News and Observer

When McKinsey & Co. filed a bid in March for a state Department of Transportation contract, the management consulting firm added a string of proposals to wrap secrecy around its work. Read
N.C. Businessman Arrested on Federal Fraud Charges — WRAL

A Southern Pines businessman implicated in an investigation by WRAL was arrested by federal agents in New York City last week and will face additional fraud charges. David Hagen came under scrutiny in 2004 after DirecTV cut its ties with his company, Prime TV, that operated out of the Gatelinx building in Moore County. Read
Revolutionary park, in North Carolina, worth a visit — The Atlanta Journal Constitution

History buffs and hikers can enjoy education and exercise at Kings Mountain National Military Park, on the South Carolina-North Carolina line. The park's museum and landmarks help commemorate the Revolutionary War battle, which resulted in the deaths of 28 Americans and 225 Loyalists. The trip from Gwinnett is about three hours, and you can make a day of it by checking out the town of Kings Mountain, N.C., a bit north of the park, and outlets in Gaffney, S.C., a bit west. And this is the weekend to go, with several events planned in the area. Read
$17M earmarked for N.C. workers — Charlotte Business Journal

North Carolina has received $17 million in federal job-training benefits for displaced workers for fiscal 2008, which began Monday.

The U.S. Department of Labor funds are part of $165 million in benefits from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act earmarked for workers who've lost their jobs because of foreign trade. Read
Aqua America buys systems in N.C., Pa — Philadelphia Business Journal

Aqua America Inc. said Monday that its North Carolina and Pennsylvania operating subsidiaries completed acquisitions costing $130,000 in the third quarter. Read
Rural N.C. is biofuels heaven — The Fayetteville Observer

When E85 Inc. proposed an ethanol plant in northern Cumberland County, the public outcry turned ferocious — eventually derailing the $200 million project and forcing local leaders to reassess the future of economic development. What a difference a few miles make. Other ethanol companies have found much more receptive communities among Cumberland's rural neighbors. Two companies plan to break ground on biofuel plants in Hoke and Robeson counties in the next 30 days. A third company is pitching a plant for Sampson County. Some state and business leaders hope this is just the beginning. The vast expanses of rural North Carolina — with an abundance of raw materials to produce renewable-energy fuels — could transform the state into a future powerhouse in biofuels. Read
Embarq to Lay Off 65 in Tarboro — WRAL

Phone provider Embarq said Friday it would close a call center in Tarboro by January, laying off 65 people. Read
Report: NC child protective services improving on federal goals — Mytle Beach Online

North Carolina's child welfare system is doing a good job meeting federal standards for caring for neglected and abused children, an advocacy group said in a report released Monday. Read

Congress

Rep. Musgrave Stands Up To Threats To Religious Freedom In Washington — Christian Worldview Network

Congresswoman defends right of lawmakers to reference God in official business Read
FOX

House OKs bill on contractor liability — News and Observer

The legislation by Rep. David Price would make all private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan subject to U.S. law. Read
Democrats See Wedge Issue in Health Bill — NYT

Democrats say the willingness of House Republicans to stick with President Bush in the battle over a public health insurance program for poor children will prove costly on Election Day. Read
Take Action: Judicial Nominee Still Awaiting Senate Vote — Citizenlink

Republicans rally support for Southwick.In January, Judge Leslie Southwick received a presidential nomination to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. For 10 months, his Senate confirmation has been on hold. Southwick was first stalled by committee Democrats responding to the slanderous accusations of third-party groups. The Senate is now out on a weeklong break, which will postpone the vote again until mid-October, at the earliest. Read
Bush faces GOP foes on budget cuts — LA Times

His proposed trims to programs that pay into states face opposition from some usually loyal congressional Republicans. Read
Craig slated for Idaho Hall of Fame — The Seattle Times

Sen. Larry Craig has been chosen for induction into the Idaho Hall of Fame, despite his well-publicized arrest and guilty plea in an airport sex sting, officials said. Read
Leavitt: Democrats Won't Override Veto — CBNNews

President Bush's health secretary said Sunday he does not expect Congress to override a veto on children's insurance and warned that the popular program could be at risk unless Democrats restrain spending. Read
Democrats Seem Ready to Extend Wiretap Powers — NYT

Two months after insisting that they would roll back broad eavesdropping powers won by the Bush administration, Democrats in Congress appear ready to make concessions that could extend some crucial powers given to the National Security Agency. Read
Sen. Coleman Stands Firm on Limbaugh — NewsMax

Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.), the only Republican senator to criticize conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh — and who faces a 2008 challenge for his seat from failed liberal talk radio host Al Franken — warned against government regulation of talk radio on Thursday. However, he did not retract his criticism of Limbaugh. Read
A Senate Star Sparkles Less on the Stump — NYT

Despite an impressive resume, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. is struggling to draw crowds and coverage on the trail. Read
Senator's Illness Requires Monitoring — NYT

The announcement of Senator Pete V. Domenici's progressive brain disease has left unanswered questions about how the illness is affecting him. Read

Courts

Queens man, N.C. woman, convicted of promoting prostitution — Newsday.com

...Authorities said Simons was a pimp and Reevey his accomplice. The two lured the young woman from her home in North Carolina in January of 2006 with "promises of the easy life and introducing her to rap celebrities," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement. "Instead, her dream quickly disintegrated into a nightmare as she was assaulted, threatened with death and put to 'work' in the sex trade," Brown said. Read
Motel on Trial over Pornography Access — Citizenlink

Value Lodge is in court this week after two young Tennessee girls were exposed to hard-core pornography in one of its motel rooms. In August 2006, Edwina McCombs checked into the Value Lodge in Artesia, Calif., with her 8- and 9-year old daughters. Her lawsuit claims that when she went to the bathroom, her daughters turned on the television to watch a children's show and instead viewed hard-core pornography. Read
Financier Pleads Guilty in Rape Scheme — Newsday.com

A wealthy former hedge fund manager has pleaded guilty to seeking a stranger to rape and abduct his ex-mistress. Albert Hsu, 43, of New Canaan, pleaded guilty Tuesday, and prosecutors dropped other charges as part of the plea deal. He will also have to register as a sex offender and serve 12 years of probation after the jail time. Read
High Court Case Pits Bush Against Texas — AOL

President Bush , who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas, wants to halt the state's execution of a Mexican national for the brutal killing of two teenage girls. Texas wants the death penalty to be carried out. Jose Ernesto Medellin...was sentenced to death in 1994 for the rapes and murders of two teenage girls in Texas. The case of Jose Ernesto Medellin has become a confusing test of presidential power that the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately will sort out... The president wants to enforce a decision by the International Court of Justice that found the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexican-born prisoners violated their rights to legal help as outlined in the 1963 Vienna Convention. Read
Energy firm to pay $4.6 billion fine over acid rain — The Seattle Times

One of the nation's largest power generators has agreed to end a yearslong federal lawsuit by paying $4.6 billion to reduce pollution that has eaten away at Northeast mountain ranges and national landmarks. The settlement requires American Electric Power (AEP), based in Columbus, Ohio, to reduce chemical emissions that cause acid rain by at least 69 percent over the next decade. Read
Appeals Court Hears Las Cruces Crosses Case — Citizenlink

A Las Cruces, N.M., man told the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week that the three crosses in the city emblem are a violation of the U.S. Constitution and may make non-Christians feel excluded. The city argued that the crosses are not a religious endorsement, but rather an acknowledgement of the city's name — Spanish for "the crosses." Read
U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear German's torture appeal — Int'l Herald Tribune

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear an appeal filed on behalf of a German citizen of Lebanese descent who claims he was abducted by United States agents and then tortured by them while imprisoned in Afghanistan. Read
High court won't hear appeal of apparent CIA victim — LA Times

The Supreme Court today refused to give a hearing to a German man who says he was wrongly abducted, imprisoned and tortured by the CIA in a case of mistaken identity. Read
'State secrets' case may get airing — LA Times

The U.S. says security will be at stake if the Supreme Court decides to hear the suit of an apparent CIA victim of mistaken identity. Read
Devlin Pleads Guilty in Kidnapping Case — Herald Tribune

A former pizza parlor manager was sentenced to life in prison Monday for kidnapping one of two boys authorities said he held captive and sexually abused in his apartment. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Defending Marriage: Broadcast Guests Call Nation to Action — Citizenlink

Dr. Dobson says, 'It's not just marriage that is at stake, it's absolutely everything.' Listen to Audio
NOM Launches "Betrayed" billboard campaign in Massachusetts — National Organization for Marriage

The National Organization for Marriage launched a statewide billboard campaign exposing Massachusetts legislators who voted to betray marriage in a June 14 vote on the Massachusetts Marriage Amendment. Read
Faith Organizations to Display Nativity Scene at U.S. Capitol to Kick Off National Campaign

The Christian Defense Coalition and Faith and Action, the organizers of the campaign, will discuss their plans at a news conference on Thursday, October 11, at 11:00 A.M. The news conference and the Nativity Display will be on the lower western plaza of the United States Capitol building. The groups will also discuss the controversy surrounding the removal of God from Capitol flag certificates. Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments, "Sadly, we are seeing an erosion and crushing of religious freedoms across America. This is especially true during the Christmas season where there is an open hostility toward public expressions of faith. And, now we are seeing it by removing God from Capitol flag certificates. We must constantly remind our public officials that the Constitution promises freedom 'of' religion not freedom 'from' religion. Read
Code Blue — WorldView

Researchers continue to come up with increasingly grave statistics that explain how serious the condition is. Among Christian adults:

64% believe moral truth depends on the situation;

60% believe male/female co-habitation outside of marriage is acceptable;

55% believe a good person can earn his or her salvation;

44% believe Jesus Christ committed sins while on earth.(1)

Read
New Jersey 2007 — National Organization for Marriage

Less than a year ago, New Jersey legislators voted to adopt civil unions, extending all the legal rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. Even now, activists are pushing for same-sex marriage, with legislation to be introduced in the 2008 legislative session. Now is the time for New Jersey voters to find out where their state legislative candidates stand on marriage, and then to vote to protect marriage on November 6. Read
Protect Our Military Chaplains' Right to Pray Freely — American Center for Law and Justice

Today, the future of our military chaplains' right to pray freely once again hangs in the balance. It's a free speech crisis when the First Amendment is used to protect the controversial speech of Iran's president, but the men and women fighting on the front lines of freedom are facing censorship. It is an outrage! Please join us in calling on the President to act, to put a stop to the censoring of our chaplains and allow unfettered ministry to our men and women in uniform. Please read the form below carefully and declare your membership with the ACLJ by adding your name to our Petition to Protect Military Prayer.
Bush: All religions pray to 'same God' — WorldNetDaily

'That's what I believe. I believe Islam is a great religion that preaches peace' Read
China Expels Dozens of Foreign Missionaries, Closes Down Christian Companies — Worthy News

Chinese authorities have expelled dozens of foreign Christian workers, including Americans, and closed down several Christian owned companies as part of an effort to end the spread of Christianity in several areas, including in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region investigators and legal documents confirmed Wednesday, October 10. Read
Courthouse Employees Sue Over Banned Bible Study — Citizenlink

San Diego Superior Court employees have filed a lawsuit against their supervisors for banning their weekly Bible studies held in the courthouse during lunch. The employees were told that having the study on government property would be a violation of the so-called separation of church and state. Read
Ohio House Of Representatives Reverses Prayer Policy, Removes Restraints That Stifled Speech — Evanglical News

In the new guidelines made public Friday, the Ohio House of Representatives announced that it will reverse its policy that had censored legislative prayer by limiting it to only "non-denominational, non-sectarian, and non-proselytizing" invocations that were to be reviewed and approved by House leadership at least 72 hours in advance. Read
Report: Israel, PA agree Jordanian control of Temple Mount — Ynet News

Israel and the Palestinians have agreed that the Temple Mount as well as other parts of the Old City in Jerusalem will be under Jordanian control as part of a future peace deal, a Palestinian daily reported on Monday. Read
Catholic Bishop Says Guidelines Needed for Communion, Pro-Abortion Pols — LifeNews

A Catholic bishop who made national headlines yesterday with comments saying he would deny communion to pro-abortion Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani has gone further. Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis says the nation's Catholic bishops should establish guidelines for a national policy. Read
Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Game at Church — NYT

Ministers desperate to reach young congregants are using an unusual recruiting tool: the violent video game Halo. Read
Study Ties Heart Disease to Marital Strife — AOL

A lousy marriage might literally make you sick. Marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise your risk for heart disease, researchers reported Monday. What it likely boils down to is stress — a well-known contributor to health problems, as well as a potential byproduct of troubled relationships, the scientists said. Read
Gaza Bible Society Worker Murdered — CBNNews

The body of 26-year-old Rami Ayyad was recovered early Sunday morning near the Teachers' Bookshop in Gaza where he worked. Read
Jesusland Unmoved by Holy Obama — What Kingdom is Obama Looking For? — Christian Newswire

While speaking to a multiracial evangelical congregation in traditionally conservative Greenville, South Carolina, presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-Il.), said, "We're going to keep on praising together. I am confident that we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth." This brings questions for most in Jesusland, according to David Jeffers, author of Understanding Evangelicals: A Guide to Jesusland. "Evangelicals, looking at Obama's record and campaign promises, will not want to be part of Obama's Kingdom" Jeffers said. Jeffers, in a column he wrote for The New Media Journal titled "Losing My Religion," writes, "Obama personally opposes the immoral lifestyle of homosexuality yet refuses to support a constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage, knowing full well that supporters of this amendment do so out of fear of federal judges legislating from the bench over states' rights. Obama personally opposes abortion but refuses to support the overturning of Roe v Wade, which is bad law and does not recognize the unborn baby (aka fetus) as having rights." Read
Churchgoers' help sought in abuse payouts — LA Times

The San Diego Diocese's request for donations to defray settlement costs divides parishioners. Priests are also asked to give and say they will. Read
Members Vote to Retain Pastor — AP

Members have voted to keep a prominent pastor accused of misspending money at a Southern Baptist megachurch. A lawsuit filed last month by about 50 members of Two Rivers Baptist Church accuses the Rev. Jerry Sutton of failing to abide by church rules and punishing those who question his authority. The suit follows allegations that Sutton spent church money on his daughter's wedding reception. Read
At Least Nine Christians Killed In Nigeria; Churched Burned — Worthy News

Nigeria's government continued preparations Saturday, October 6, for an emergency conference on religious tensions after rampaging Muslims reportedly killed at least nine Christians, injured 61 others, destroyed nine churches and displaced over 500 people in the town of Tudun Wada in the nation's, mainly Muslim, Kano State. Read
Atheist Scientists in Uproar over Movie Showing Intolerance of Evidence for Intelligent Design — LifeSiteNews

Atheist scientists who have become famous for attacking those who disagree with them are now loudly complaining about supposedly being mistreated in a film they haven't seen. Read
Action On Burma Urged By U.S. Commission — Evanglical News

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has called on the United States and the United Nations to mount an international effort to hold the Burmese military regime accountable for its violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrations. Read
Missing Chinese Church Leaders Held In Labor Camps — Worthy News

Nine Chinese house church leaders who have been missing for nearly two months are held in labor camps in Hubei province on charges of violating Chinese laws with their Christian activities, BosNewsLife learned Friday, October 5. Read
Tithing is a New Testament Teaching According to ChristiaNet.com Poll — Christian Newswire

ChristiaNet.com, the world's largest Christian portal with twelve million monthly page loads, recently asked, "Is Tithing a Biblical New Testament teaching?" President of ChristiaNet, Bill Cooper, stated, "The Bible is clear that Christian's should give with a cheerful heart." Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Democrats Trust Hillary Clinton Over Obama, Edwards on Handling Abortion — LifeNews

A new Gallup poll finds an overwhelming majority of Democrats say they trust pro-abortion New York Sen. Hillary Clinton to handle the issue of abortion. She obtains much higher support on the issue from Democrats in the survey than pro-abortion rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards. Read
I am creating artificial life, declares US gene pioneer — London Guardian

Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth. Read
Clinton Pledges Support for Embryonic Stem-Cell Research — Citizenlink

If she is elected, taxpayers will foot the bill for the destruction of life. Read
Women Victimized by Abortion Say They Would Want Breast Cancer Info — LifeNews

Represents of a national group of thousands of women who have been victimized by abortions say they would have wanted information from a recent study showing that having children lowers the chance of contracting breast cancer. The study shed light on how carrying a pregnancy to term is beneficial to women. Read
Evidence Supports Planned Parenthood Grand Jury Allegations — Christian Newswire

Operation Rescue released today information to support the seven allegations made on a citizen petition effort to convene a grand jury to investigate alleged illegalities at a Planned Parenthood in Overland Park, Kansas. The Petition is being circulated by the L.I.F.E. Coalition, which includes Concerned Women For America, Operation Rescue, and Women Influencing the Nation. Read
Researchers in stem cell science awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine — International Herald Tribune

Two Americans and a Briton shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for groundbreaking stem cell research on mice that helped establish the role of individual genes in human ailments. Photo: Mario Capecchi, a recipient, on Monday at his home in Utah. Read
Barack Obama Promotes Abortion, Slams Abstinence in Iowa Speech — LifeNews

Campaigning in Iowa over the weekend, pro-abortion presidential candidate Barack Obama attempted to moderate his views on abortion and abstinence education. However, he made it clear he has no interest in limiting or reducing abortions and his pro-abstinence stance is tempered by his backing of sexual education. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

U.S. Renews Bid to Destroy Opium Poppies in Afghanistan — NYT

American officials have found some supporters within President Hamid Karzai's administration of their push to spray herbicide on opium poppies, officials said. Read
Body-Parts Scam Breeds Hundreds of Lawsuits — Citizenlink

Numerous individuals from funeral homes, hospitals and medical companies in Philadelphia and surrounding cities have been charged with stealing body parts from dead people and selling them. Authorities say a now-closed biomedical organization in New Jersey purchased the parts from funeral homes and resold them to medical companies and hospitals. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the tissue, some of which was infected with cancer, HIV, hepatitis and other diseases, was then transplanted without the patients' knowledge. Read
Tiny scanners used to spot hidden artery plaque — The Seattle Times

What if your doctor could swipe a wand over your neck and reveal whether you have hidden heart disease? Read
Israeli Doctors Treat Iraqi Patients — Jacksonville Daily News

Israeli doctors screened 40 Iraqi children suffering from heart disease Tuesday — a rare case of direct cooperation between the Jewish state and the Arab country. The doctors said they hoped their work would help improve relations between the two Mideast nations and ease tensions between Israel and the rest of the Arab world. Read
Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans — NYT

Tens of thousands of Medicare recipients have been victimized by private insurers that run the system's new drug benefit program, according to a review of federal audits. Read
Cancer Treatment May Risk Heart Damage — Newsday.com

Breast cancer survivors may face increased risk of heart disease — and doctors are debating whether it is time largely to abandon a chemotherapy mainstay that is one reason. Drugs called anthracyclines are a breast chemo staple despite a well-known risk: They weaken some women's hearts. What is new is research that suggests the drugs work no better than safer alternatives for most women. Read
Quick treatment key after minor strokes — LA Times

Evaluation within 24 hours after even a mild episode greatly reduces the chance of recurrence, researchers report. Report
A Heavy Toll From Disease Fuels Suspicion and Anger — NYT

A federal study could reveal whether pollution caused a cluster of cases of Lou Gehrig's disease centered on a downtown industrial area in Middleborough, Mass. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

US Death Toll Associated with HPV Vaccine Jumps to 11 with 3779 Adverse Reactions Reported — LifeSiteNews

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, yesterday released new documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, detailing a total of as many as eleven deaths related to Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil. Those deaths resulted between June 8, 2006 — when the vaccine received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — and August 2007 when the latest data was available. Read
Gunfire Erupts at Cleveland High School — WRAL

A gunman opened fire in a downtown high school on Wednesday, and five people were taken to a hospital, the mayor said. Read
Golden Compass Reveals a World Where There is No God — Citizenlink

Parents need to pay attention to movie that promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity. Read
Thank-You Note Enters College Admission Game — NYT

Thank-you notes have become the new frontier for students courting college admissions offices. Read
Study Examines Public, Private Schools — Newsday.com

...While the finding is in line with a handful of recent studies, it's at odds with a larger body of research over the years that has found private-school students outperform those in public schools. Some of that research found a private-school advantage even when income levels are taken into account. Read
Less to bank on at state universities — LA Times

Educators fear a 2004 funding deal has schools sliding toward mediocrity Read
University gets sex offenders booted from area — The Seattle Times

While the offenders have never caused trouble, UW officials say it wasn't until recently that they realized how many offenders were in the neighborhood. Read
Going Back to School Can Trigger Eating Disorders — Christian Newswire

Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders, the nation's leading eating disorder treatment center, reports eating disorders can develop or worsen upon returning to school. A majority of eating disorders begin at ages 14 and 18, when young women enter either high school or college. Statistics show 91 percent of women recently surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting and 22 percent said they dieted "often" or "always." Read
Oregon Teacher Sues To Carry Gun at School — New York Sun

A High school English teacher, Shirley Katz, insists she needs to take her pistol with her to work because she fears her ex-husband could show up and try to harm her. She's also worried about a Columbine-style attack. But Ms. Katz's district has barred teachers from bringing guns to school, so she is challenging the ban as unlawful, since Oregon is among states that allow people with a permit to carry concealed weapons into public buildings. Read
L.A. Archdiocese to close Daniel Murphy High — LA Times

Citing financial constraints in part caused by its massive settlement with victims of the priest sex-abuse scandal, the Los Angeles Archdiocese is closing Daniel Murphy Catholic High School, a boys academy in the Fairfax District. Read
Hard work and hope symbolize boot camp for dropouts — The Virginian Pilot

...More than 200 dropouts age 16 to 18 converged there in July, each with a parent or mentor who cared enough to try to change the trajectory of their lives. Students in the program often have disdained school or have had run-ins with the law or problems with authority. Read
Students in Iran Protest President — NYT

More than 100 pro-democracy students clashed with supporters of the president Monday at Tehran University. Read
L.A. schools turn to the Internet in new effort to reduce high school dropout rate — LA Times

A new campaign to lower the dropout rate in Los Angeles schools will rely heavily on popular Internet websites such as YouTube and MySpace, as well as radio spots aimed at vulnerable teens, school officials announced Monday. Read

Gambling

Records show Georges still owns gambling business — Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette

Although gubernatorial candidate John Georges said he gave up his gambling license and is out of the gambling business, the sale of his company is pending and he remains a director of a licensed gambling company in Louisiana, according to records. Read
The phantom mayor — LA Times

Amid accusations of faked military service, the city's top elected leader has vanished. His whereabouts are a closely held secret..For longtime residents of this city of 40,500, Levy's vanishing act hardly rouses more than a chuckle or a head shake. Four of the last eight mayors have been arrested. One-third of last year's nine-member City Council is in prison or under house arrest. Former Council President Craig Callaway is in federal prison for taking bribes in office. Councilman John J. Schultz is charged with helping frame another councilman, Eugene Robinson, who was allegedly lured to a hotel room and videotaped having sex with a prostitute. Councilman Timothy Mancuso is charged with driving while intoxicated — behind the wheel of a city car, across the boardwalk and onto the beach in the middle of the night. Schultz, Robinson and Mancuso still serve on the council. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics/Economy

General Petraeus Accuses Iran of Fueling Iraq Violence — FOX

Gen. David Petraeus laid further blame on Iran for violence in Iraq on Sunday, charging that Tehran's ambassador to Baghdad was once a member of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards force. Read
Qaeda Goes Dark After a U.S. Slip — NY Sun

Al Qaeda's Internet communications system has suddenly gone dark to American intelligence after the leak of Osama bin Laden's September 11 speech inadvertently disclosed the fact that we had penetrated the enemy's system. Read
White House: Al-Qaida expected to intensify — MSNBC

Al-Qaida remains the "most serious and dangerous" terrorism threat and is expected to intensify attempts to place agents inside the United States, a White House report said on Tuesday. Read
Britain 'on board' for US strikes on Iran — London Telegraph

British defence officials have held talks with their Pentagon counterparts about how they could help out if America chose to bomb Iran. Read
Ohio Christian Alliance to Host Presidential Candidates on Webcast — Ohio Christian Alliance

Join us and tell a friend to log on for our next Presidential Candidate Forum on Thursday, October 11th at 7 p.m. EST, and hear from the Presidential candidates. The Ohio Christian Alliance, in conjunction with the Christian Alliance Chapters of Iowa, Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, and Pennsylvania, is conducting a web broadcast Presidential Candidate Forum for Values Voters. Read
Condi Rice Delayed Israel's Syrian Attack — NewsMax

...ABC reported that Israel presented the United States with satellite images of Syrian nuclear sites months before the September attack, along with evidence proving that part of the nuclear technology was provided by North Korea. The official defined the information as "jaw dropping," and said it raised serious questions as to why U.S. intelligence had not uncovered the facility. Read
Charges: 2 Tried to Export F-14 Parts — AP

Two Utah men are accused of trying to illegally export surplus pieces of F-14 fighter jets, a plane that is flown only in Iran. Read
100+ DOD Officials Attend Ramadan Event At Pentagon — Evangelical News

A Pentagon advisor and national defense analyst is concerned that more than 100 Department of Defense (DOD) employees recently attended a Ramadan celebration at the Pentagon, in which two of the speakers had at least fringe connections to radical Islam. Read
Laura Bush Rips Myanmar Regime — AOL

U.S. first lady Laura Bush — in a rare foray into foreign policy — called on Myanmar 's military junta to "step aside," give up the "terror campaigns" against its people and allow for a democratic Myanmar in a commentary published in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal. Read
Google blows past $600-a-share mark — The Seattle Times

Google's stock price sailed past $600 Monday for the first time, extending a monthlong rally propelled by the lofty expectations surrounding the Internet search leader's upcoming third-quarter earnings report. The Silicon Valley giant's shares zoomed $15.57 to close at $609.62. Read
California's Electoral Votes Still Could Save the GOP — NewsMax

...With the electoral map increasingly becoming ossified between "red" and "blue" states, this ballot initiative would stop blue state California from assigning its 55 electoral votes, the nation's largest, to one candidate. Read
Fox: U.S. Action on Immigration Issue Can't Wait for 'Mañana' — New York Sun

...in New York at the launch of an American tour to sell his new book, "Revolution of Hope: The Life, Faith, and Dreams of a Mexican President," Mr. Fox seemed to favor Senator Clinton in the 2008 presidential race. But real changes on immigration cannot depend on promises made by presidential candidates who may not deliver once elected, he said. Read
'Amero coming within decade' — WND

BankIntroductions.com, a Canadian company that specializes in global banking strategies and currency consulting, is advising clients that the amero may be the currency of North America within the next 10 years. Read
U.S. jobs report allays recession fears — Int'l Herald Tribune

Employment growth bounced back last month and figures were adjusted upward for August, the Labor Department said this morning. The modest growth should ease fears of a recession but may also dampen the hopes of investors looking for additional rate cuts soon from the Federal Reserve. Read
Report: US stalled Israeli strike on Syria — Ynet News

Israel was ready to strike alleged Syrian nuclear facilities in July, but gave in to American pressure to postpone the attack, ABC News reported on Saturday. Read
Big gamble could embolden independent oil exploration in Alaska — The Seattle Times

Drilling in a field capable of yielding as much as 90 million barrels of oil seemed just right for Pioneer Natural Resources — except for one thing. The field sits about three miles offshore in the Arctic Ocean. Undaunted, the Irving, Texas, company had a solution. Build a gravel island, equip it with a drilling rig then ship the oil through eight miles of pipeline to a processing center onshore. Easier said than done, maybe, but today the 10-year-old company sits poised to begin drilling wells from Oooguruk Island in a few weeks, producing oil by the first half of next year. Read
U.S. working to let in more immigrants — LA Times

The administration is quietly relaxing visa regulations because farmworkers are in critically short supply. Read
Sheriff's Deputy Kills Six in Rampage — AOL

The residents of a remote northern Wisconsin community struggled to understand Monday how a sheriff's deputy who killed six young people and critically wounded another could have become a law enforcement officer. Read
Costa Rica voters OK trade deal, president says — MSNBC

Costa Ricans voted Sunday in favor of joining the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the president said, but opponents of the pact refused to recognize the results. Read
Fed minutes send Dow, S&P 500 to record highs — USA Today

Stocks advanced sharply Tuesday, sending the Dow Jones industrials and the Standard & Poor's 500 to record closes, as investors interpreted minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting as indicating the central bank is ready to keep cutting interest rates to boost the economy. Read
Lynne Cheney Rips Hillary on Iraq — NewsMax

Lynne Cheney's new book, "Blue Skies, No Fences: A Memoir of Childhood and Family," brilliantly captures and evokes a lost era of innocence. Hillary Clinton "makes John Kerry look like a model of consistency," Lynne Cheney tells NewsMax in an interview at the vice president's residence. Read
Textron Is Buying United Industrial — AOL

Diversified conglomerate Textron Inc. said Monday it will purchase United Industrial Corp. in a move to expand its aerospace and defense business. Read
Dangerous Sealer Stayed on Shelves After Recall — NYT

The case of Stand 'n Seal is a powerful illustration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's failure to fully live up to its mission. Read
Weaker dollar generates good news for U.S. exports — The Seattle Times

"I feel very strongly that a strong dollar is in our nation's interest," said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, shown in his office. But a weaker dollar has helped shrink the U.S. trade deficit. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, whose signature appears on every new dollar bill, may find the weak currency with his name on it helps the U.S. economy more than the strong one he publicly endorses. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Obscenity/Immorality/Sexual Abuse

In Rare Appeal, Interpol Seeks Pedophile — AOL

Interpol on Monday launched an unprecedented worldwide public appeal to track down a man shown sexually abusing children in images posted on the Internet. Read
Handling of obscenity cases disputed — LA Times

A Justice task force tackles small producers of porn's most extreme content. Conservative groups say it's not enough and many prosecutors say it's a waste of time. Read
Schaeffer's Manifesto: A Revolution Realized — Boundless Webzine

...Today our culture war is not as fragmented as one may think. It's not about Christians vs. abortion over here, Christians vs. pornography over there and the huge war over Christians vs homosexuality. The "total" is the absolute Truth of God versus the new religion of secular humanism. Read
How Will You Respond to Homosexuality? — The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

...I had to find out firsthand that gay life offered only more loneliness, desperation, and death; had the Church offered some small sign that it was a safe place for me, perhaps I could have avoided immersing myself in gay culture at the age of eighteen. Thankfully, my brother introduced me to a church that called sin "sin" and yet loved people who were unlovely. After I had attended that church only a few weeks, two bold and loving church members walked into a gay bar to find me on Easter Sunday 1991. They said that God had sent them to remind me that He loved me, they loved me, and they were committed to walking with me on the journey out of homosexuality. Recommitted to obedience, I was restored by that church. They taught me that change requires not only pointing the way, but also grabbing a person's hand and walking alongside. Today I am the President of Exodus International, the world's leading Christian organization dedicated to mobilizing the Body of Christ to respond to a world impacted by homosexuality. Read
Leaving the gay lifestyle behind — Chicago Daily Herald

The last time Angela Yuan saw her son was when he threw her out of his house. It was Christopher's retribution. His parents cast him out of the family after he announced he was gay. Angela prayed every day for God to save her son. Read
Love Won Out Comes to California — Citizenlink

Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference will be in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday with a message that change is possible for men and women who want to overcome same-sex attraction. Read
'Dear Abby' Says She's for Gay Marriage — Newsday.com

For years, rumblings have surfaced on the Internet, conjecture about her casual references to "sexual orientation" and "respect."

Now, Dear Abby is ready to say it flatly: She supports same-sex marriage. "I believe if two people want to commit to each other, God bless 'em," the syndicated advice columnist told The Associated Press. "That is the highest form of commitment, for heaven's sake." Read
Former Homosexuals Applaud Research Showing Sexual orientation Change Possible — Exodus International

Leaders of the world's largest outreach to those dealing with unwanted homosexuality commended recent research showing change in sexual orientation to be possible at a press conference today in Nashville. The study, released by InterVarsity Press yesterday, is the first longitudinal, peer-reviewed, scientific research of its kind on this topic to date.

Researchers Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse released the results of a three-year study during an address at the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference. Their findings indicate that religiously mediated sexual orientation change is possible for some individuals and does not cause psychological harm to the patient, on average. These conclusions directly contradict the claims of both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association that state that change in sexual orientation is impossible and attempting to pursue this alternative is likely to cause depression, anxiety or self-destructive behavior. The major findings of this study are reported in full in the book Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation (InterVarsity Press). Read
UK Proposes Anti-Gay Speech Law — CBN News

A proposed bill now in the British parliament would punish those convicted of spreading anti-gay messages with up to seven years in prison. Read
Rape Epidemic Raises Trauma of Congo War — NYT

Women are being systematically attacked on a horrifying scale in Congo, where large regions remain lawless. Read
Homosexual newspaper publishes attack on MassResistance activist and 17-year-old daughter — MassRessitance

The Boston-based homosexual newspaper "Bay Windows" has done a lot of disgusting things over the years, from their hate-filled, sexually-laced attacks on Pope John-Paul II when he died, to their pornographic "personal ads" featuring sickening homosexual sex acts. Read
Prayers amid the pleasures in Sharm — LA Times

Muslims employed at Egypt's racy resorts believe that God blesses the working man. They hope he will also forgive them for what they see....It's a test of will being here, staying away from evil." Read
'Naked Lunch' May Be Banned in Maine — AOL

"Naked Lunch" just doesn't sound appetizing to some people. A sandwich called the Skinny Dip, featuring sliced prime rib in a baguette roll, has been offered free of charge anyone willing to plunge naked from The Black Frog Restaurant's dock into a lake. Read

Other News

Israel May OK Division of Jerusalem — AOL

A confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that his government would support a division of Jerusalem, which is reportedly a key component of an Israeli-Palestinian declaration to be made at a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference next month...In return, Israel would receive the recognition of the international community, including Arab states, of its sovereignty over Jewish neighborhoods and the existence of its capital there, Ramon said. Read
Syria paper urges return of Golan Heights 'by any means' — Ha'aretz

An editorial in the state-run Syrian newspaper Al-Ba'ath called for the return of the Golan Heights to Syria by any means necessary. Read
Olmert and Abbas begin negotiations on critical issues — Israel Insider

For the first time, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on Monday to hash out the details of a declaration of interests regarding divisive issues like borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security ahead of the November summit. Read
Brown faces more pressure over EU treaty — AFP

Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced fresh pressure Tuesday to hold a referendum on a new EU treaty, after MPs called it "substantially equivalent" to the bloc's defunct constitution. Read
France faces hard sell on Iran sanctions — Int'l Herald Tribune

While President Nicolas Sarkozy would like to take the lead on preventing Iran from getting the nuclear bomb, some of France's neighbors and many of its own companies are skeptical of his initiative to impose tougher European sanctions outside a United Nations mandate. Read
Longer Range Katyusha Strikes Israel — Jerusalem Post

A Grad-type Katyusha rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip landed several hundred meters from a residential area in Netivot on Sunday morning. The rocket, one of four to land in the western Negev, was the first to land in the Netivot area since Palestinian terrorists started firing rockets at Israel. Read
France faces hard sell on Iran sanctions — International Herald Tribune

France will present its sanctions proposals to the European Union next Monday, but neighbors and businesses warn that Asian companies will step in and pick up the slack, hurting European business interests rather than Iran. Read
Immigration, Black Sheep and Swiss Rage — NYT

An extreme right-wing party has taken a hard line on foreigners and helped turn Switzerland's election campaign in to a debate over the place of immigrants. Read
Iran artillery drives thousands of Kurds from Iraq villages — World Tribune

Iran was has launched an unprecedented offensive against Kurdish separatists based in northern Iraq, according to sources in the region. Read
Pres. Musharraf's Landslide Victory on Hold — CBN News

Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf swept Saturday's presidential election, according to unofficial results, but the Supreme Court could still disqualify the military leader in the vote boycotted by nearly all of Pakistan's opposition. Read
Syria Is Said to Be Strengthening Ties to Opponents of Iraq's Government — NYT

Syria is hoping to gain influence in Iraq before what it sees as the inevitable waning of the American presence there, diplomats and political analysts say. 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