Free Republic

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – For the 38 grassroots groups who took up a temporary home in the Pentagon’s center courtyard today, the mission was clear: show support for the troops and share information about just how they do that. Tennessee's Helping Hearts table at the America Supports You Salute to Our Military Men and Women concert May 16, 2008, was staffed by the group’s pageant winners. From left, Paige Wilson, 12, 2007 Ms. Tennessee Helping Hearts; Shay Salmon, 16, 2008 Tennessee Helping Hearts Queen runner up; Amanda Britt, 18, 2008 Ms. Tennessee Helping Hearts; and Summer Salmon, 14,...

Barak Obama touts one form of Socialism after another and has the nerve to call it change. Hillary, already known for being a Socialist as well as a bald faced liar is simply annoyed that her chances of making the grade are slipping away. In all her campaign contributions, she has yet to garner enough money to give back the silverware she ripped off when she was in the White House. This is the Democrat’s idea of change. It’s time to face reality. What is really the Republican’s idea of change? The hand wringing over the lack of a genuine...

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured a suspected Iranian-trained Special Groups commander and three other suspected criminals Sunday during operations in the Kadamiyah district of Baghdad. The targeted individual allegedly conducted attacks against Iraqi security and Coalition forces and was involved in extra-judicial killings in Baghdad. Reports also indicate the wanted individual was an associate of several senior-level criminal element leaders involved in attacks on Coalition forces. Intelligence led Coalition forces to the targeted individual’s location. En route, Coalition forces came under attack by small arms fire from unknown assailants. After arriving at the targeted individual’s location, Coalition forces came...

Friday, April 18, 2008 As this unusual campaign season has unfolded, we’ve seen the candidates ratcheting up their politically expedient rhetoric in an attempt to distinguish themselves as the “candidate of choice” for every constituency, while testing the far reaches of credibility in the process. We’ve heard blatantly anti-gun politicians claim to be supportive of the Second Amendment. We’ve seen hypocrisy, and we’ve heard double-speak and insults to our intelligence. When it comes to campaign rhetoric on the Second Amendment, we’ve seen a change in the way many anti-gun politicians campaign. Rather than talk openly about their desire to ban...

MANSEHRA, Pakistan - Long-haired gunmen burst into the white stone building and killed four charity workers helping earthquake victims, then wrecked the office with grenades and set it on fire. Police came, but did not intervene. In a tactic reminiscent of neighboring Afghanistan, Islamic militants are attacking aid groups in the Pakistan's volatile northwest, and local authorities appear incapable — or unwilling — to stop them. The threat has forced several foreign agencies to scale back assistance to survivors of the October 2005 earthquake that killed at least 78,000 people and left 3 million homeless — risking the region's recovery...

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama, who criticized big spending by outside groups that boosted his rivals in Iowa and New Hampshire, is getting some help of his own these days as the campaign moves on to delegate-rich Feb. 5 contests. Two related San Francisco-based groups headed by an Obama supporter are running ads and mobilizing voters in California and a handful of other Feb. 5 states, aiming to build support for Obama among black voters and young people. Vote Hope and PowerPac.org, founded by San Francisco lawyer Steven Phillips, have reported spending about $350,000 on Obama's behalf. Of that, $245,000 was...

Political groups unaffiliated with the two major parties account for an increasingly large share of spending on federal campaigns -- 19% of the total in 2006, up from just 7% in 2000, according to an analysis of campaign-finance data by The Wall Street Journal. They now are horning in on crucial campaign activities once dominated by the parties, such as buying ads and getting out the vote. ...Over the past four years, the national Democratic and Republican parties have raised and spent less on elections than during the prior four years, when adjusted for inflation. At the same time, independent...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2007 – Children of servicemembers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here have a new recreation option thanks to the team effort of three nonprofit groups and a defense contractor. The Yellow Ribbon Fund dedicated a playground at Walter Reed’s Mologne House yesterday. The facility was constructed primarily for children staying at the residential facility for recovering servicemembers and their families. “This playground fills a longstanding need for children staying at our facility who, until now, had very limited recreational opportunities,” said Peter Anderson, Mologne House’s general manager. “We are extremely grateful to the Yellow...

WASHINGTON - Several labor unions and advocacy groups are targeting about three dozen Republican lawmakers in a $1 million lobbying campaign aimed at turning enough votes to override President Bush‘s veto and expand a children‘s health insurance program. To override Bush‘s veto of a $35 billion expansion in the State Children‘s Health Insurance Program, about 15 Republicans and eight Democratic lawmakers in the House would have to change their previous votes on the issue. Even Democratic leaders say that the prospects for an override are unlikely. Leading the campaign are groups such as MoveOn.Org and labor unions such as the...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2007 – President Bush praised contributions made by military support groups and veterans organizations at a morning gathering on the White House’s South Lawn today. “I want to thank the service organizations and those who have come together to support our families and our troops,” said Bush, who was accompanied by first lady Laura Bush and a group of senior administration officials that included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson, Army Secretary Pete Geren, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter, and Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright. The Veterans...

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. Dozens of anti-illegal immigration activists faced off against immigrant-rights backers at a rally outside a church where an illegal immigrant is being sheltered with her U.S.-born infant son. One immigrant-rights advocate was injured with a chemical spray during Sunday's confrontation at the United Church of Christ, officials said. Members of the anti-illegal immigration group Save Our State, which organized the rally that drew about 120 protesters and counter-protesters, said they had hoped to make a citizen's arrest of the woman, who has identified herself only as Liliana. Liliana is living in the church's former parsonage as part...

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2007 – What began as a shared love of German cars has morphed through friendship into a passion to honor, educate and entertain servicemembers, Operation Wheels of Freedom’s program director said. Military children receive large-scale Hot Wheels toy cars during an Operation Wheels of Freedom event to honor, entertain and educate servicemembers. Mattel, one of the group’s sponsors, has provided thousands of the toys. Operation Wheels of Freedom courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “We are a group of committed car guys who want to do our part to say thanks to the...

LOS ANGELES - Immigration advocates are struggling to frame images of this week's clash between police and protesters in a way that promotes their cause, with some activists considering using the event to attract supporters. Some advocates believe the police action against mostly peaceful demonstrators could add urgency to efforts to create a path to citizenship for the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. But others worry the reform movement could be blamed for the melee and that immigrants will be afraid to participate in future demonstrations. "These kinds of situations, if they are framed properly, can be a powerful...

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2007 – The Defense Department recognized a troop-support group and a corporation here today for their teamwork in supporting the nation’s servicemembers. Jeanette Cram, founder of Treat the Troops, an America Supports You home-front group, and DuPont Teflon received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service in a ceremony at the Pentagon. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Dorrance Smith presented both a medal and a copy of the citation describing their accomplishments. America Supports You is a DoD program that highlights and facilitates support for the nation’s men and...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2006 -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today thanked members of the Defense Department’s “America Supports You” program for their unwavering support to the men and women of the armed forces. “Hero Hugs” founder Bailey Reese meets with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld following the secretary’s remarks at the America Supports You Summit at the Pentagon, Dec. 13. Reese has sent more than 16,000 care packages to troops through her child-run organization based in Niceville, Fla. Photo by Carmen L. Burgess  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. America Supports You highlights support for U.S. servicemembers and...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2006 -- One hundred military families are sleeping easier this year thanks to USA Cares and the Homeownership Preservation Fund. “Across the nation, many military families are facing financial difficulty and a loss of income due to extended military service,” Hugh Dukes, executive director of USA Cares, said. “We’re helping relieve the stress our troops are facing, allowing them to focus on their jobs, by alleviating financial strains … that might force a foreclosure.” USA Cares, based in Radcliff, Ky., is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting ways Americans and the...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2006 -- Before a White House meeting with President Bush this afternoon, grassroots troop-support groups learned what their work means to servicemembers during a luncheon here hosted by America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting America’s support of the nation’s servicemembers. Bailey Reese, 10, of Niceville, Fla., founded Hero Hugs after seeing what the National Guard was doing in response to Hurricane Katrina. She wanted servicemembers to know they're appreciated. She and several other America Supports You groups met with President Bush at the White House on Oct. 20. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley  '(Click photo...

Groups, daughter endorse JeffersonBy JANET MCCONNAUGHEY Associated Press writer Published: Oct 3, 2006 U.S. Rep. William Jefferson delivers brief remarks Monday after receiving endorsements at his campaign headquarters in New Orleans. Jefferson, an eight-term congressman, has endorsements including more than a dozen political groups, including the Democratic Executive Committees of both Orleans and Jefferson parishes, 18 ministers, and 19 labor organizations, including the state AFL-CIO. Associated Press photo by BILL HABER NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Rep. William Jefferson’s initial endorsements this year are led by his daughter and five other state legislators, a former legislator and one of the city’s...

California leads the states in how much Section 527 issue-advocacy groups spend on state elections — $5.2 million, up more than 300 percent from the 2004 election cycle. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says this is part of a national trend in which these tax-exempt groups, which can raise unlimited money, are shifting their focus from federal to state politics. California Common Cause policy advocate Ned Wigglesworth said the explosion in state-level spending underscores that "527s are the 'billionaire boys clubs' of politics — they're created specifically to skirt campaign laws and give some of the richest people...

America Supports You: Groups Honor Troops with CelebrationBy Samantha L. QuigleyAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2006 -- Waxhaw, N.C., is planning an all-American celebration of freedom to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and honor the nation’s servicemembers. Patte Kennedy, owner of Southsiders, and Tommy Nicholson are all smiles after hanging a collection of patriotic art and “Letters to the Troops” on the walls of Southsiders Deli in Waxhaw, N.C. They were hanging the collection in preparation for Flags Across The Nation's Sept. 9 event. “Waving Patriotism” is being held to remember 9/11 and support the...

The Washington Post warns of "Pakistan's Awkward Balancing Act on Islamic Militant Groups." But if one looks closely at the actions of Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, it is clear that he has made his choice to side with the West, there's no going back, and he is beyond the pale of reconciliation with his country's lunatic Islamists. The scale has tipped to one side. It is time for Musharraf to explicitly say so and do so, as he'll never appease Pakistan's radicals. Here's an excerpt from the Post: The basic problem for Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, is that he...

Retired utility worker Charles Warren worries his quality of life is slipping and says that illegal immigrants are to blame. The 55-year-old retiree complains about day laborers waiting for work outside the nearby Home Depot, saying they give his neighborhood "a Third World look." "Ten or 15 years ago, the neighborhood wasn't like this," Warren said. "The states are overpopulated, there is oversprawl, and immigration is contributing to this." After seeing a television commercial that blamed many of California's woes on illegal immigrants, Warren immediately donated $50 to the sponsoring group, Californians for Population Stabilization. And he's not the only...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2006 -- A trio of organizations with a long history of military support recognized 12 volunteer groups today for their programs that contribute to servicemembers’ quality of life. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife Lynne, congratulate Clare Lanigan, 15, Kids Serve Too youth co-chair, for winning a $7,500 grant during the 2006 Newman's Own Award ceremony at the Pentagon Aug. 11. Kids Serve Too, in partnership with Warner Brothers, spearheaded "A Thousand Thanks to Military Children," sending letters of thanks signed by a wide range of children's...

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2006 -- Golf enthusiasts put their skills on the line to benefit two troop-support programs during the “Birdies for the Brave” golf outing at Tournament Players Club Avenel, in Potomac, Md., July 27. The event featured a morning golf clinic conducted by Birdies for the Brave founder and spokesman, reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson, according to a Birdies for the Brave news release. During an afternoon reception, Mickelson thanked attendees for their participation and their donations to his effort to support the troops. Mickelson has pledged to donate $100 for every birdie and $500 for every eagle...

By Monique Reuben / American Forces Press Service Pat Monahan (right), lead singer for the group Train, and Jimmy Stafford, the group's guitarist, entertain a sold-out crowd at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, in Vienna, Va., July 24. More than 100 servicemembers and their guests enjoyed the concert thanks to defense contractor Northrop Grumman and the USO of Metropolitan Washington. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley Entertainer Connie Stevens speaks at a barbecue dinner as part of USO of Metropolitan Washington and Northrop Grumman's military salute event July 24 at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing...

Palestinian groups agree deal for return of Israeli Hamas leaders in Damascus are last obstacle to Gaza ceasefire Conal Urquhart in Ramallah Tuesday July 25, 2006 The Guardian (UK) Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have agreed to stop firing rockets at Israel and to free a captured Israeli soldier in a deal brokered by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. The deal, agreed on Sunday, is to halt the rocket attacks in return for a cessation of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, and to release Corporal Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured on June 25, in exchange for...

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2006 – With a name that sounds like a Madagascar Penguins' plan, Operation Christmas Stocking has commenced. During the 2005 Operation Christmas Stocking campaign, Operation Give shipped about 14,000 pounds of stockings stuffed with goodies. Last year the gifts went to troops in Afghanistan. This year Stars for Stripes and Operation Give, with the help of FedEx as Santa Claus, will ship their goodies to troops in Iraq. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Thanks to the efforts of Stars for Stripes and Operation Give, troops in Iraq will have Christmas stockings this holiday...

GLENN DALE, Md. - On a sunny Tuesday, House members who belong to the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus left suits and ties behind, grabbed shotguns and headed for the firing range. In a Washington equivalent of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," more than a dozen lawmakers took advantage of a light schedule at the Capitol to play hooky. The lawmakers got expert shooting advice from Olympic double trap champion Kim Rhode while they mingled with representatives of the outdoor-sports industry who footed the bill for the "Great Congressional Shoot-Out" and barbecue. There was no public accounting for the special interest money. No...

The National Council of La Raza's annual convention in downtown Los Angeles today is turning out to be a who's who of Latino power brokers - with local politicians rearranging their schedules and attendees buzzing about who will come. But behind all the schmoozing and banquets, one of the nation's best-known civil rights groups is courting a lower-profile player, one some say is just as powerful a player: hometown associations. The hundreds of associations - built up over decades by tens of thousands of expatriates who send home billions of dollars a year - are increasingly flexing their political muscle...

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2006 – The Tournament Players Club of Boston and the Defense Department's America Supports You program teamed up over the Fourth of July weekend to play golf and raise funds to benefit groups who support the nation's servicemembers. Members of a color guard from the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, out of Devens, Mass., flank Tournament Players Club of Boston official Brian Connor (left), Paul Keating Sr., owner of event sponsor Alder Foods (center), and Amy Sullivan of TPC of Boston during a TPC of Boston golf fund-raiser July 3. The event benefited three nonprofit troop-support...

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2006 – Frequent moves make it difficult for military spouses to maintain relationships with friends they make at each new assignment. Vicki Cariello, a Navy wife and family support group adviser in Gulfport, Miss., helps a girl sort through Easter eggs at a unit's Spouses Club Hub event. Spouse club Leaders like Cariello can create personalized Web sites for their groups, giving military spouses the ability to network with each other on the Internet. Courtesy photo   But thanks to Meredith Leyva and her CinCHouse.com Web site, military spouses can now stay in touch with one another...

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2006 – President Bush met with representatives from 14 grassroots troop support groups at the White House today to talk about how they can best support America's servicemembers. Members of the Defense Department's America Supports You grassroots organizations, including actor Gary Sinise (back, right), meet with President Bush in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, June 26. Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band have entertained the troops on numerous USO tours. The actor is also cofounder of the Operation Iraqi Children, which sends school supplies to Iraqi children. Photo by William D. Moss  (Click...

Insurgent groups mourn al-Zarqawi's deathBy SINAN SALAHEDDIN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 30 minutes ago A woman grieves for her brother who was killed by a roadside bomb targeting a police patrol in an outdoor market, killing four people and wounding 27, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, June 10, 2006. The explosion at the al-Sadriya market missed the police patrol, killing and wounding civilians in this Shiite-Sunni Arab neighborhood in central Baghdad. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sunni insurgents posted their condolences over Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death on Web sites Saturday and warned Sunnis not to cooperate with the Iraqi...

Bird flu risk to Indonesian quake survivors: aid groups JAKARTA (AFP) - Some quake survivors on Indonesia's Java island have taken shelter in chicken sheds, exposing themselves to the risk of contracting bird flu and other diseases, a British aid group has warned. More than 100 people left homeless by the quake were sheltering in six large poultry sheds built from bamboo in Pundong in hard-hit Bantul district, said Yolanda Bayugo, health director of the London-based Merlin group in Indonesia. "We are concerned that people using poultry sheds as shelter are at risk from avian flu and possibly salmonella infection,"...

Every firefighter knows the inherent risks of his or her job, but what many don't realize when they are called to a fire like the 103 Fire on the border is that there is a whole new set of challenges. The corridor between Naco and Nogales, right where the 103 Fire is burning has been known for years as a popular smuggling route for armed traffickers of both humans and drugs, also making it well known for high speed pursuits. Rangers describe smugglers as doing whatever they have to do to get back across the border without being caught. A...

Amnesty Republicans create new wave of forced unionism; NAWER says Business community will not stand with you against forced unionism cut deal with unions instead 5/25/2006 11:34:00 AM

Even as Latinos in recent weeks have pushed for immigration reform on the streets and over the airwaves, another goal has emerged among a broader immigrant community: Translating street activism into political participation. Latino and Asian civic groups last week reignited voter-registration drives by calling upon the thousands who participated in protests to take their enthusiasm to the ballot box in November. But experts said that if history serves as any guide, short-term gains are likely to be few, while long-term gains will be significant. ‘‘If the next step and what we are seeing in the streets moves toward citizenship,...

He fought off a challenge to the state's three-strikes law, endorsed the Jessica's Law initiative cracking down on sex offenders and has denied clemency on every petition sent his way from death row. But coming into the 2006 political season, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger still found himself vulnerable on the crime issue, thanks to a relentless campaign waged against him last year by the California prison cops union and two leading victims rights groups that it supports. Schwarzenegger's top-level administrative staff, however, has shifted into overdrive this year to shore up his standing with his adversaries on the criminal justice front,...

CAIRO, Egypt - When terrorists blew themselves up in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula this week, the radical Palestinian group Hamas quickly joined Arab governments and Western leaders in condemning a "criminal attack against all human values." Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood called the bombings "aggression on human souls created by God." The denunciations were unexpectedly harsh from the Islamic fundamentalist groups — Hamas has killed hundreds of Israeli civilians in suicide bombings, and the Brotherhood is determined to impose an Islamic government — but experts agree that radical Muslim organizations want to distance themselves from al-Qaida. The widening rift largely has not...

Nobody is above the law, says Hamas after rival groups clash By Tim Butcher in Jerusalem (Filed: 03/04/2006) Hamas yesterday faced its toughest internal challenge since being swept unexpectedly to power in the Palestinian territories when rival militant groups in Gaza took part in a series of clashes that left four dead and dozens wounded. Clashes were sparked by the murder of Abu Yussef al-Gouga Said Siam, the newly appointed Hamas interior minister, appealed for calm and warned that his government would clamp down heavily on armed groups who used their weapons against each other rather than in the struggle...

Trying to harness the momentum of marches nationwide, local leaders are planning a series of events, culminating with a massive demonstration next weekend to support undocumented immigrants. The organizers of the April 9 event are from about 30 community and religious groups in the county, including some that traditionally do not take to the streets. “We can't remain silent while the people, many of whom pray in our churches, keep living in the shadows and facing the fear of deportation,” said Rosemary Johnston of the Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, one of the organizers. The marches have a common goal:...

CHICAGO, March 28, 2006 – Grassroots supporters of America's troops agree their efforts are acts of gratitude, not charity. America Supports You member Christina Finn, founder of the Patriotic Pillow Project, speaks with Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michelle Schuerman, a public affairs officer at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill. They met during the America Supports You regional meeting in Chicago, March 27. Photo by Paul X. Rutz  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. "It's our way of saying thank you," Anna Sherony, co-chair of the nonprofit "Wounded Heroes Foundation," said. "The hardest part is to get (the troops) to call...

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2006 – The leaders of several grassroots organizations associated with the Pentagon's America Supports You program met today at the White House to discuss their efforts to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush. 'AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU' - President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, center, meet with members of the Defense Department's 'America Supports You' program, which highlights grass-roots and corporate efforts to support U.S. servicemembers. Bush met with the group at the White House March 10. Photo by Evan Sisley  (Click photo...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2006 – Two organizations have teamed up to send valentines to troops in Baghdad in a union made possible by "America Supports You." From left, Shauna Fleming, Peter Angel, and Paul Holton stand in front of a FedEx truck, loaded with 200,000 valentines, Feb. 7 in California. Fleming, the 16-year-old founder of "A Million Thanks" has partnered on this project with Holton, founder of "Operation Give," to send the shipment to troops in Baghdad just in time for Valentine's Day. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Since November 2004, the Defense Department program to...

ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2006 – Twelve representatives of seven grassroots troop support organizations met here yesterday for the first of eight planned regional "America Supports You" summits. America Supports You is a Defense Department outreach program designed to recognize citizens' support for U.S. servicemembers and their families. The summits are designed to provide a venue for a two-way discussion about what is working well for support groups and what could work better. Tips to help the groups grow and improve their effectiveness are part of the focus as well, said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs,...

Not only were neither Saddam Hussein nor Iraq mentioned in a film about the Iraq-Kuwait war, but the Manchurian corporation's technicians rewire the brains of the abducted U.S. soldiers with false memories of al-Qaida-type jihadists so that they will lay the blame for their terrorist acts on an innocent Muslim jihadist. Why don't the movies have plausible, real-world villains anymore? One reason is that a plethora of stereotype-sensitive advocacy groups, representing everyone from hyphenated ethnic minorities and the physically handicapped to Army and CIA veterans, now maintain liaisons in Hollywood to protect their images. The studios themselves often have "outreach...

The head of the Mexican American Political Assn. on Tuesday called on Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to drop support of an ambassadorship for an owner of Ameriquest and urged him not to use the mortgage company's jet again. --snip-- In a letter to the mayor, MAPA National President Nativo Lopez said his group was "taken aback" by an article in The Times on Tuesday that detailed Villaraigosa's use of the Ameriquest jet and his letter of support to the Senate for the nomination of Ameriquest principal owner Roland E. Arnall as ambassador to the Netherlands. Lopez said his organization...

Anti-nuclear and environmental activists, backed by California and three other states, asked a federal appeals court on Monday to shut down a new storage facility for nuclear waste at Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s Diablo Canyon plant until a federal agency studies the risk of a terrorist attack. "Everything has been done in secret that relates to security at Diablo Canyon,'' Diane Curran, lawyer for San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace and the Sierra Club, told a panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Referring to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's current security planning review, Curran...

WASHINGTON - International conservation groups proposed a $404 million effort Monday to preserve frogs and other amphibians whose sensitive, porous skins often make them the first indicator of when nature goes awry. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Conservation International and other groups said they plan a series of emergency actions and long-term research that includes describing at least 1,000 new species, preventing future habitat loss and reducing trade in amphibians for food and pets. The groups are looking to governments, private institutions and individual donors for funding. "The frogs are trying to tell us something," said Andrew...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A coalition of anti-war activists have launched a national campaign, claiming that military recruiters are unfairly targeting minorities at high schools. The advocates plan to educate students and their parents "to keep our children from being cannon fodder," Rosalio Munoz, coordinator for Latinos for Peace, said during a news conference Monday in East Los Angeles. The groups made the announcement on the 35th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, a protest against the disproportionate number of Hispanics being killed in the Vietnam War. The 20,000-member march ended in a riot and the deaths of three people, including...