http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297982,00.html
Iran Does Far Worse Than Ignore Gays, Critics Say
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s seemingly ridiculous claim that “we don’t have homosexuals, like in your country” masks the cruel reality that his government does far worse than ignore gays, human rights groups charge.
“There are criminal laws on the books in Iran that allows for people to be killed for being homosexual,” said Paula Ettelbrick, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
Just how many gays may have been killed — some say the figure is more than 400 — is impossible to determine. But Ahmadinejad’s flip follow-up answer to the question posed to him Monday at Columbia University — “We do not have this phenomenon. I don’t know who has told you that we have” — suggests he won’t take the issue seriously.
Human rights groups have long railed against the Iranian government’s persecution of gays, which Ettelbrick calls “a campaign by the government to draw attention to the risks of people expressing their sexuality.” Some believe that repression has only worsened since Ahmadinejad became president.
“When I first heard his comments yesterday, I laughed,” said Arsham Parsi, founder of the Toronto-based Iranian Queer Organization.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297944,00.html
Pennsylvania Schools Locked Down After Shooting
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Two Pennsylvania schools were locked down on Tuesday after a student was shot in the leg outside a high school, MyFoxPhilly.com reported.
Click here to read full story at MyFoxPhilly.com.
A school official said two former students were involved in the shooting — one who graduated and one who dropped out.
The victim was taken to Chester Crozier Medical Center after several shots were fired outside Chester High School, which is in one of the state’s poorest school districts.
Both the high school and Columbus Elementary School were locked down.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Per Fox news breaking Faa has grounded flights due to communication problems. No other information at this time. All flights cancelled out of Memphis. Not sure if it is radar or direct commucications with planes.