Free Republic

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tried Thursday to entice Egypt into a new alliance that could reshape the turbulent Middle East, speaking of forging “comprehensive” and “unfettered” relations after decades of distrust. A warming of ties between the two regional heavyweights could have uncomfortable repercussions for the U.S. and its wealthy Gulf allies, giving Iran a foothold to spread its influence in Egypt. In turn, Egypt could gain an avenue to influence the fate of Syria, a key ally of Iran, as well as economic benefits. … Ahmadinejad’s visit is the first by an Iranian president in 30 years and he...

Egypt’s foreign minister says Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Cairo this week, marking the first visit to Egypt by an Iranian leader in decades. … Iran and Egypt, both regional heavyweights, once had strong ties. Diplomatic relations deteriorated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. Relations remained cold until Egypt’s 2011 uprising. …

Good morning My name is Louis J. Barletta, and I am the Mayor of the City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Thank you for your invitation to be here today so I can address an extremely important issue facing our City – illegal immigration. Late on the night of May 10th, 2006, a 29-year-old Hazleton City resident, Derek Kichline was standing near his truck a few blocks from the heart of Downtown Hazleton when he was accosted by two men. These men approached him and shot him directly in the face from about a foot away. Kichline fell to the pavement and...