Free Republic

JERUSALEM, Israel (AP) -- A popular Israeli-Arab singer had to cancel a show on New Year's Eve in the West Bank because of threats from Palestinian activists opposed to coexistence with Israel, the performer and police said. It was the latest in a string of cancellations after threats and other pressure tactics by Palestinians groups promoting a boycott of virtually anything connected with Israel. The boycott movement says its tactics are a nonviolent way to protest Israeli policies. Israeli officials denounce the efforts as "delegitimization" of Israel's right to exist. Sharif, who uses only one name, said he was expecting...

ELCA NEWS SERVICE May 27, 2011 9/11 anniversary time for awareness, healing, says ELCA presiding bishop 11-076-JB CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States approaches, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), invited members to reach out to ecumenical partners, as well as Muslim and Jewish partners, in planning commemorations. Hanson wrote in a May 24 letter that he prays members focus on "peace, justice and interfaith encounter." The presiding bishop's invitation was also accompanied by a series of resources for congregations...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A San Francisco artist and former bicycle messenger sought in an arson fire at his Hayes Valley apartment building was arrested Tuesday night at a hospital where he had checked himself in, authorities said today. Silver Warner, 33, was arrested at 6:45 p.m. at UC San Francisco Medical Center, where someone recognized him from media reports, police said. He faces a charge of arson with great bodily injury to a firefighter in connection with the fire Monday evening at his building at 52 Page St., which investigators said was set inside his third-floor studio. His father said...

Sacramento -- Californians are happy with the way Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers are working together in Sacramento, giving the politicians the highest approval ratings they have had in two years, a new Public Policy Institute of California poll shows. While Schwarzenegger also is enjoying support for many of the policy proposals he's pushing this year, the poll reveals that voters are not embracing his plans to provide health insurance for children who are in the country illegally or infuse the state's prison system with money. Schwarzenegger and lawmakers' success working together on public works bonds, raising the minimum wage...

Clashes broke out today in Khan Yunis at the funeral of an armed man who was killed by IDF fire. As a result, a 14-year-old boy was killed and four other people were wounded in the clashes, which were between supporters of Fatah and Hamas near the home of the dead terrorist’s family. The fighting took place less than a week after the two organizations reached an agreement to cease all violence between them.

Egypt is trying to defuse tension between the United States and Syria, the Egyptian foreign minister said Tuesday, days before the appearance of a UN report that might turn the world spotlight on Syria. "There is an active and continuous Egyptian effort to defuse the tension in the Syrian-American situation and prevent its explosion" Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters. "The last thing Egypt wants is to see another point of tension in the region," he added, hours before he was scheduled to fly to Moscow for talks with the Russian government, which has long been allied with Syria.

Over the past 2½ years, I have deduced that a few readers do not agree with my ideas. I'm clever that way. Most of my dissenters send in e-mail messages, some of which are printed in the paper. I like this. I can handle criticism. On the other hand, I hate it when no one writes in at all. That's awful. Coming to work the other morning, I took a voice mail from a reader who said he hated my column. You'd think such a reader would want to avoid me at all costs. But not this one. He actually...