Free Republic

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas struck a deal Monday to share power with the militant Islamic Hamas, an accord that could restore international aid and could lead to contacts with Israel. The breakthrough compromise falls short of international demands that Hamas fully renounce violence, but Israeli officials still voiced cautious support for the accord. Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, swept to victory in January legislative elections, defeating Fatah, and formed a government by itself. The West and Israel reacted by cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, accusing Hamas of being a...

LOS ANGELES The nation's largest federation of unions agreed Wednesday to work with a network of immigrant day laborers to improve wages and working conditions for those who solicit work from street corners across America. The agreement between the AFL-CIO and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, formally adopted in Chicago, is a sign of day laborers' growing role in the U.S. economy. Experts also said it reflects the need for unions to expand to regain clout. The agreement does not clear the way for day laborers to become union members, but both sides said it could be a step...

A Senate committee approved a bill Wednesday that would require California's textbooks to include the contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people to the state and nation's history. The bill outraged some religious and conservative family groups, which said it would indoctrinate students in what they view as an unacceptable lifestyle. The Senate Education Committee passed the bill by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, 8-3, along party lines. It now goes to the full Senate. "Our community is invisible in all of the teaching material, so that our students are never, ever given any information about the fact...

LOS ANGELES - Film director Lee Tamahori pleaded no contest to criminal trespass in return for two prostitution charges against him being dropped, authorities said Thursday. The plea deal stemmed from Tamahori's Jan. 8 arrest for allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer in Hollywood and offering to perform a sex act for money. The two dropped charges, said city attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan, were misdemeanor counts of solicitation and loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. Tamahori, who was not present at the hearing in Superior Court, was placed on three years probation, ordered to attend an AIDS education course...

WASHINGTON - The Senate agreed Wednesday to give federal regulators clear authority to override state objections to the siting of liquefied natural gas import facilities, rejecting a proposal that would have allowed governors to block a project because of public health or the environmental concerns. Supporters for increased federal authority over LNG import facilities argued that the country will require huge increases of natural gas imports in coming years and that state-imposed roadblocks could hamstring needed import projects. They argued states will continue to have a say in siting decisions because of various local and state requirements for local permits....

After wavering over whether to debate, congressional candidate Doris Matsui agreed Monday to appear at two forums with her opponents in the special election to replace her husband, the late Rep. Robert Matsui. Both debates will occur Feb. 26, 10 days before the March 8 special election in the 5th Congressional District. Matsui, the Democratic front-runner, faced criticism when her campaign said earlier this month that a 12-way debate would be "impractical." Last week, Matsui reversed course and said she was open to a debate as long as it focused on the issues rather than "name calling." "I'm glad she...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Embattled Secretary of State Kevin Shelley agreed Thursday to testify Feb. 3 before the legislative committee investigating his use of federal election funds, his aides said. Shelley made the commitment Thursday morning, meeting a 10 a.m. deadline to confirm his appearance before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee's hearing next month. The committee's chair, Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, said she would seek a subpoena to compel his testimony if he did not agree to come. Shelley made the commitment in a letter and telephone call to Parra, said his spokeswoman, Caren Daniels-Meade. "He looks forward to participating," she...

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - An Orange County mosque leader from Egypt who authorities said had given speeches that could be considered supportive of terrorist organizations agreed Tuesday to leave the United States voluntarily, giving up his fight to remain in the country. As part of the agreement with government attorneys, Wagdy Ghoneim avoids deportation in exchange for admitting he was in the United States in violation of his immigration status, said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement. He must leave the United States by Jan. 7. By agreeing to voluntary removal, Ghoneim, the imam at the Islamic...

U.S. agrees to Nazi "gold train" settlement By Michael Christie Tuesday December 21, 2:30 AM MIAMI (Reuters) - The U.S. government has agreed to settle a lawsuit with tens of thousands of Hungarian Holocaust survivors over a trainload of gold, jewelry and other property seized by the U.S. Army at the end of World War Two, lawyers said on Monday. The agreement over 24 boxcars filled with $50 million to $200 million worth of art and household goods stolen by the Nazis and then confiscated by the United States still has to be worked out in detail, a lawyer for...

US agrees Black Watch rules By Michael Smith and George Jones (Filed: 22/10/2004) Soldiers of the Black Watch were preparing last night to take over trouble spots in the US-controlled sector of Iraq after the Americans agreed that British commanders would have total control over tactics. Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, ended days of uncertainty about a US request for British reinforcements by announcing that an 850-strong armoured battle group led by the Black Watch would be deployed outside the British sector. Soldiers of the Black Watch prepare for redeployment It will relieve US troops who are preparing to mount...

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - With a new U.N. envoy expected in Baghdad shortly, Security Council members reached agreement Wednesday on the text of a resolution that will extend the U.N. mission in Iraq for a year. The brief draft resolution reaffirms "that the United Nations should play a leading role in assisting the Iraqi people and government in the formation of institutions for representative government." But Secretary-General Kofi Annan made clear to the council in a report Friday that the United Nations will remain "a high-value" target for attacks in Iraq for the foreseeable future, which will severely limit the...

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea (news - web sites) reportedly agreed Friday to open its heavily armed border for relief goods from the South, countering criticism it would rather remain isolated than accept aid for victims of a deadly train explosion. North Korea's Red Cross sent a telephone message to its South Korean counterpart Friday, saying it would allow South relief trucks to travel to the town of Kaesong just across the countries' border, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. Other local media carried similar reports. Red Cross and government officials were not available for comment. In its message,...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante paid a record $263,000 fine for violating state limits on accepting campaign donations, California's Fair Political Practices Commission said today. The state's political watchdog agency charged in a civil lawsuit filed in January that Bustamante and his supporters improperly moved $3.8 million between campaign committees during the recall election in an effort to skirt contribution limits. Although FPPC officials have said Bustamante faced fines of as much as $9 million, the $263,000 settlement is still the largest ever paid by a candidate.

Aristide Agrees to Haiti Peace Plan Saturday February 21, 2004 11:46 PM By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press Writer PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - President Jean-Bertrand Aristide agreed Saturday to a U.S.-backed peace plan calling for shared power with political opponents, a new prime minister and fresh legislative elections. But Aristide, who gets to remain president, appeared to lay down a condition. He declared he would ``not go ahead with any terrorists,'' referring to rebels who have led a bloody two-week-old uprising that has killed more than 60 people and chased police from dozens of towns. The president's consent came hours after...

"Stunning Reversal:" Ford Foundation Agrees to StopFunding Anti-Israeli and Anti-Semitic Groups By Andrew L. Jaffee, November 21, 2003 Home   Search   Forum   Terms Because of pressure by a coalition of U.S. Jewsish groups and members of Congress, the Ford Foundation has agreed to stop funding anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic groups. The Foundation's activities contradicted its self-stated principles to "reduce poverty and injustice, strengthen democratic values, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement". The organization at first denied charges it funded anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic groups. But Ford changed its tune after the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) published a series of articles exposing the Foundation's activities,...