EIN Presswire: Hillary Clinton Live Feed Press Releases

CAIR Asks DOJ to Probe Oregon FBI's 'Coercion' of Muslim Citizens

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:15:23 +0000

CAIR Asks DOJ to Probe Oregon FBI's 'Coercion' of Muslim Citizens

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to investigate acts of "coercion and intimidation" allegedly used by the FBI's Portland Field Office to pressure Muslim citizens into giving up their constitutional rights if they wish to return to the United States from overseas.

CAIR: Probe Sought After 2 Barred from Returning to US (AP)
http://tinyurl.com/7qdugxg

Yesterday, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) sent a letter to division head Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez about the case of Mustafa Elogbi, an American citizen who was recently detained by British authorities at the behest of the FBI and prevented from returning to the United States following humanitarian work in Libya. It is the third such case involving agents from the FBI's Portland Field Office reported to CAIR in the past six months.

In his letter to Perez, CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas wrote in part:

"I am concerned that the FBI Field Office in Portland has worked through foreign intermediaries to unlawfully detain American citizens and to place unlawful conditions on the right of citizens to return to the United States ...

"In this case, British customs officials have been enlisted to do what the FBI would not be allowed to do in the United States -- to detain Mr. Elogbi without due process and to intimidate him into giving up his constitutional right to silence.

"The pattern of unconstitutional activity emanating from the FBI's Field Office in Portland warrants the scrutiny of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division."

Last week, CAIR called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene in the case of an American citizen of Libyan origin who was barred from returning to the United States and interrogated by the FBI about his religious beliefs, including his belief in "Shariah" (Islamic principles).

SEE: American Aid Worker in Libya: US Bars My Return (MSNBC)
http://tinyurl.com/7rnd95o

Last September, CAIR reported that an Oregon Muslim who had to travel by ship to Europe because he is on the U.S. government's "no-fly" list was detained in the United Kingdom when he disembarked in Southampton.

CAIR: U.S. Muslim on No-Fly List Detained in U.K.
http://tinyurl.com/85bo9c7

Following recent revelations that law enforcement and military personnel received biased training about Islam and Muslims, CAIR called for a "top to bottom" reform of that training.

CAIR: DOJ Analyst Claims Muslims Threaten 'Our Values'
http://tinyurl.com/83chvbq

Last year, CAIR filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice and the FBI seeking a court order to allow a Virginia Muslim teenager detained in Kuwait and placed on a U.S. government no-fly list to return to the United States.

CAIR: Va. Muslim on No-Fly List Returning to U.S.
http://tinyurl.com/6egwl7e

CAIR Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief
http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/noflysuit.pdf

CAIR has assisted a number of other American Muslim citizens who have been stranded overseas by government actions.

CAIR: Embassy Returns Passport to U.S. Muslim Stuck in Kuwait
http://tinyurl.com/3n7djcu

CAIR Video: FBI Prevents Va. Muslim from Returning to U.S.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x55MeqP3UYo

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe
Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

CONTACT: CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, E-Mail: gabbas@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

AJC Dismayed by Russia and China Veto of UN Security Council Resolution on Syria

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:54:06 +0000

AJC Dismayed by Russia and China Veto of UN Security Council Resolution on Syria

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC profoundly regrets the vetoes by China and Russia of UN Security Council action on Syria. The council voted 13-2 on a resolution today.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/AJCLOGO )

"Tragically, China and Russia, standing alone, have prevented the UN Security Council from adopting any significant measures to help protect the Syrian people from their bloodthirsty ruler, Bashar al-Assad," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Their vetoes are all the more troubling on a day when hundreds of Syrians in the city of Homs have been massacred by Assad's forces in what is the deadliest day since the uprising began last March."

The Security Council started deliberations last Monday on a new resolution to support an Arab League plan calling on Assad to pull back his forces from Syrian cities and step aside and transfer power to his vice president.

Russia and China adamantly oppose any calls for Assad to leave office, and already vetoed another Security Council resolution on Syria in October.

After days of intense negotiations this week, including talks between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, references in the draft text to Assad giving up power, an arms embargo and sanctions were removed, while language barring any military intervention was added.

Despite these revisions, Russia continued to balk at moving the resolution forward. But the U.S., European and Arab countries insisted on a vote today.

"We share the deep disappointment of President Obama and Secretary Clinton with the obstructionist stance of China and Russia," said Harris. "The Syrian people looked to the UN Security Council for support to stop the Assad regime's waves of deadly assaults, but have been rebuffed by Moscow and Beijing."

www.ajc.org

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

CAIR Asks Sec. Clinton to Allow U.S. Citizen to Return from Libya

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:28:49 +0000

CAIR Asks Sec. Clinton to Allow U.S. Citizen to Return from Libya

PR Newswire

Oregon businessman barred from flight, questioned by FBI about religious beliefs

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene in the case of a American citizen of Libyan origin barred from returning to the United States and interrogated by the FBI about his religious beliefs, including his belief in "Shariah" (Islamic principles).

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Jamal Tarhuni, a 55-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Portland, Ore., was denied boarding for a flight to the United States in January when he tried to return home from Libya. He was reportedly told that an "unspecified federal agency" wanted to interview him.

Tarhuni said he was questioned by the FBI on January 23 about his religious beliefs and about his work overseeing delivery of relief supplies sent to Libya by a Portland-based Christian non-profit group. His daughter told msnbc.com that FBI agents asked her father whether he practiced "Shariah law."

The msnbc.com report noted: "The question about Shariah law was especially tricky. To Tarhuni, an observant Muslim, Shariah means a set of rules for praying, marrying, parenting and generally conducting a good life, which would be a subject for discussion at any mosque, but not — as some people interpret it — as a set of rigid and punitive rules that Muslims are obliged to impose on others."

Tarhuni said he agreed to take a lie-detector test, but changed his mind when an FBI agent asked him to sign a waiver of his constitutional rights.

SEE: American Aid Worker in Libya: US Bars My Return (MSNBC)
http://tinyurl.com/7rnd95o

It a letter sent today to Secretary Clinton, CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas wrote in part:

"An inquiry into whether Mr. Tarhuni practices 'Shariah Law' -- a term that refers to the religious traditions of Islam -- is not relevant. Mr. Tarhuni's religious beliefs and practices are simply not a lawful basis upon which to deny him his fundamental right to return to the United States.

"This incident raises broader concerns that the anti-Muslim training given to FBI agents and other law enforcement personnel in recent years is having an effect on the actions agents are taking in the field. It is counterproductive and unconstitutional for FBI agents to equate belief in Islam with a propensity to commit acts of violence -- as they seem to have done with Mr. Tarhuni. . .

"Whatever questions American officials have for Mr. Tarhuni, no one should be barred from his or her country of citizenship without so much as a court hearing. It is immoral and unlawful for the United States to separate an American citizen from his children, his family and his country."

Abbas noted that, following recent revelations that law enforcement and military personnel received biased training about Islam and Muslims, CAIR called for a "top to bottom" reform of that training.

CAIR: DOJ Analyst Claims Muslims Threaten 'Our Values'
http://tinyurl.com/83chvbq

Last year, CAIR filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice and the FBI seeking a court order that would allow a Virginia Muslim teenager detained in Kuwait and placed on a U.S. government "no-fly" list to return to the United States.

CAIR: Va. Muslim on No-Fly List Returning to U.S.
http://tinyurl.com/6egwl7e

CAIR Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief
http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/noflysuit.pdf

CAIR has assisted a number of other American Muslim citizens who have been stranded overseas by government actions.

CAIR: Embassy Returns Passport to U.S. Muslim Stuck in Kuwait
http://tinyurl.com/3n7djcu

CAIR Video: FBI Prevents Va. Muslim from Returning to U.S.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x55MeqP3UYo

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational

Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe

Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational

Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

"Washington Poised to De-legitimize Election If Putin Wins," Russia Expert Says

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:15:00 +0000

"Washington Poised to De-legitimize Election If Putin Wins," Russia Expert Says

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, January 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Anthony T. Salvia, Director of the American Institute in Ukraine, and consultant in international public advocacy and governmental affairs, has said that Vladimir Putin is still the most popular politician in Russia.

He said: "If the Russian presidential election were held next week, Prime Minster Vladimir Putin would likely win with 52-58% of the popular vote-some 20 points fewer than the result he achieved in 2004, but still representing broad popular support in line with Western standards of electoral success. If his position were to slip between then and March 4th, and he were to receive less than 50% of the vote, he would find himself in a run-off, most likely with Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov, over whom he would certainly prevail.

"So says Valery Fyodorov, general director of VTsIOM, one of Russia's leading public opinion research organizations. He recently presented detailed polling results to an international conference organized by the Mitteleuropa Initiative in Vienna.

"He said a greater danger for Putin than Zyuganov would be the inevitable efforts of opposition forces to de-legitimize his election-which they will do even if the process is conducted freely and fairly.

"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provoked Moscow's ire when she labeled the Russian State Duma elections of last December 4th "neither free nor fair," demanding that each and every instance of fraud be investigated.

"Fyodorov contradicted this narrative. He told your correspondent that while vote fraud certainly did take place, it did not do so on such a scale as to alter the results, which corresponded broadly to exit and pre-election polling nationwide. Nevertheless, the opposition-i.e., the disaffected members of the urban middle class, the liberal intelligentsia, Communists and Russian nationalists who took to the streets to protest electoral chicanery- as well as much of the Western media and some leading Western politicians, have sought to de-legitimize the Duma elections, and, thereby, the Russian government.

"More of the same can be expected in the aftermath of the presidential vote on March 4th.

"Some opposition forces will surely seek to portray any decline in Putin's percentage of the vote since the last time he ran (certain to happen), a lower rate of voter participation (as those who feel there is no acceptable alternative to Putin stay home), and an upsurge in support for the parties of the left, including the Communist Party (likely in view of their strong showing in the State Duma elections of last December, although as of this writing, Putin is rising in the polls) as popular disavowal of Putin. For good measure, they will allege voter fraud-whether or not it took place-in an effort to discredit and de-legitimize Putin and the Russian system generally.

"Secretary Clinton and her merry band of humanitarian interventionists at Foggy Bottom will be only too happy to egg them on. They will be aided and abetted by the Republican foreign policy establishment, which shares Mrs. Clinton's antipathy to Putin-not because, in their view, he is not a democrat (they could not care less about that), but because he dares to resist Washington's efforts to turn Russia into a nominally independent satellite by standing up for Russia's legitimate national interests."

Anthony T. Salvia

A consultant and writer based in New York, the author was Special Advisor to the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs in the Reagan Administration, and served as director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Moscow bureau.

"Washington Poised to De-legitimize Election If Putin Wins," Russia Expert Says

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:15:00 +0000

"Washington Poised to De-legitimize Election If Putin Wins," Russia Expert Says

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, January 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

"More of the same can be expected in the aftermath of the presidential vote on March 4th.

Anthony T. Salvia

SOURCE Russia Insights

PSI's Impact Magazine Explores the Power of Youth

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:53:04 +0000

PSI's Impact Magazine Explores the Power of Youth

Issue Features Millennial Leaders Barbara Pierce Bush, Mandy Moore, Ronan Farrow

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PSI, a leading international health organization with programs in 67 countries, launches the latest issue of its development magazine Impact, which focuses on the power of youth.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/psi/47717/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120130/MM42046)

Today, 50 percent of the world's population is under 27 years old. The prosperity of our future world rests on the health and well-being of today's Millennial generation.

Yet, the global health community has traditionally failed to put youth at the top of the development agenda. Governments, donors and advocacy organizations are just beginning to tackle the distinct challenges of unlocking the massive potential of a healthy youth population.

This issue of Impact explores the challenges facing the world's youth and profiles some of the most successful people, interventions and ideas addressing them.

Exclusive interviews in Impact include:

Barbara Pierce Bush, Co-Founder & CEO of Global Health Corps and PSI Board Member
Mandy Moore, Singer–Songwriter, Actress and PSI Global Ambassador
Ronan Farrow, Special Adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Global Youth Issues
Prof. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum

Also in this issue, five youth from Africa, Central Asia and Latin America – Genevieve Doukoya, Edgar Anibal Miranda, Whitney Davis, Patricia Montcho and Dinara Utebayeva – talk about leading their peers towards better health through radio shows and peer education programs.

As Mandy Moore said, "We are in the position to affect change when it comes to policies and government. Now is the time to own it, to own that power, and really use that momentum to push forward and create some change."

Let's give the Millennials our undivided attention now. A healthier youth today means a better future tomorrow.

Go to www.psi.org/impact8 to check out the full issue.
Follow PSI on Twitter, Facebook and our Healthy Lives Blog.
Watch more video interviews from Impact: YouTube.

SOURCE PSI

HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" to Broadcast Live From the Florida Primary

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:06:55 +0000

HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" to Broadcast Live From the Florida Primary

Rather and his team travel to Florida to cover the latest twists in this recharged Republican race - Tuesday, January 31, at 7:00 p.m. ET

PR Newswire

DALLAS, Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a surprise win by Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, the national focus turns to Florida and HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" will be there LIVE with in-depth analysis and up-to-the-minute results. The program's special, extended LIVE coverage begins Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00 p.m. ET and will continue until a winner is declared.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO)

The heat is on in the Sunshine State as Mitt Romney tries to regain his momentum after the South Carolina shocker by Gingrich. And, what does the future hold for Rick Santorum and Ron Paul? This primary, long unimportant, has now risen to perhaps the most important election for the GOP in a generation. A win by Gingrich guarantees to draw out the process of choosing the candidate for the Republicans.

"For Mitt Romney, it's all hands on deck," said Dan Rather, host and managing editor of the Emmy award-winning "Dan Rather Reports." "He's got to slow Gingrich's momentum or be prepared to fight it out state by state for the next six months."

Joining Dan in Tampa, FL are Washington insider and National Journal reporter, Matthew Cooper, GOP strategist Todd Harris, and Democratic strategist and former adviser to Hillary Clinton, Catherine "Kiki" McLean. The panel will discuss Super PAC money and how it is affecting this race. Super PACs for both Gingrich and Romney have flooded the state of Florida with more than $15 million in TV ads just this week. Will the biggest spender come out on top?

As with his live coverage in New Hampshire, Rather will engage with Americans at home by taking their questions via Facebook (facebook.com/danratherreports) and Twitter (@danratherreport), providing insight on the issues of most concern to voters.

"Dan Rather Reports: The 2012 Florida Primary" will premiere LIVE on HDNet on Tuesday, January 31, at 7:00 p.m. ET continuing LIVE until a winner has been declared.

About HDNet

HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and thought-provoking content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for innovative, original programming, including the network's Emmy Award winning HD news feature programs, "HDNet World Report," and "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant - telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence. HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries.

HDNet is your home for MMA, featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, "HDNet Fights" (www.hdnetfights.com). "HDNet Fights" works with leading MMA promoters including MFC, DREAM, XFC, K-1, K-1 Max, Titan Fighting Championships, It's Showtime, Shark Fights and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet's "Inside MMA" is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving fans their weekly fix for everything MMA, while "The Voice Vs...," features Michael Schiavello going one-on-one with some of the biggest names in the sport.

HDNet also delivers the world's largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Nickelback and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring "Art Mann Presents," "Girls Gone Wild®," "Deadline" and "Get Out!"

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Kirsten Dunst, Ryan Gosling, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films. HDNet Movies kidScene is a special, daily block of kid-friendly programming, running from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET, dedicated to entertaining and enlightening kids from the ages of 5 to 10 years old. From animation to adventure, HDNet Movies kidScene brings you all the best movies with one thing in mind: KIDS.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Suddenlink and Verizon FiOS and in Canada via Access Communications, Cogeco, Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct.

The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies.

SOURCE HDNet

International Communications Strategist and Author Gil Peretz: 'Chelsea Clinton Could Become the First Woman U.S. President and May Be Laying Groundwork Now'

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

International Communications Strategist and Author Gil Peretz: 'Chelsea Clinton Could Become the First Woman U.S. President and May Be Laying Groundwork Now'

PR Newswire

TEL-AVIV, Israel, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the United States' primary elections heat up, most people are trying to predict who will be president in 2012, but communication expert and author Gil Peretz has a prediction for farther down the road. "Chelsea Clinton might run for president as soon as 2020," he stated.

"It doesn't matter if she keeps her new television job, or if she quits - Chelsea can do it," continued Peretz. "She started to gain substantive political experience when she campaigned for her mother in 2008. The name 'Clinton' could be the new 'Kennedy' buzz in politics."

When former President Bill Clinton delivered speeches in Israel a few months after his final term, Peretz was invited by all Israeli TV channels to analyze the secrets behind Clinton's charisma. Now he says that the only child of the former president and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has the potential to develop an "ideal mix of her father's political charisma and her parents' wisdom."

"There are people who say that Chelsea is not as charismatic as her father," said Peretz. "Not too many people know that 12 years ago, Barack Obama was an average communicator. Give her time. She has the best debate coaches at home."

Peretz predicts Chelsea might run for president as soon as 2020 or 2024. If elected in 2020, Chelsea Clinton would assume office before her 41st birthday, making her the youngest U.S. president in history. The previous youngest presidents were Theodore Roosevelt, who became president at age 42 after President William McKinley's assassination, and President John F. Kennedy, who was elected at age 43.

Bill Clinton is the first president Peretz has analyzed, but President Obama is the center of a new book he published in the USA. Peretz and wife Nili, a neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) expert, coauthored a book titled "Obama's Secrets – How to speak and communicate with power and a little magic" (http://www.ObamasSecrets.com). Using their combined experience, the couple shows readers how to present, persuade, and pitch anything for their own success.

As an international communication expert, Peretz has worked with major international organizations such as Microsoft, Teva, Merck, Orange, Motorola, and Allergan.

About Gil Peretz

International speaker Gil Peretz is one of the world's leading authorities on communication and leadership. With more than 25 years of experience, Peretz has delivered more than 2,600 keynotes and seminars across the globe.

Peretz has also helped a wide range of organizations unleash their sales teams' potential. Global companies engage Peretz for keynote addresses, breakout sessions and to coach executives on delivering strong messages. His extraordinary methodologies have enabled corporations to achieve unprecedented success.

His two books, "Obama's Secrets" and "Intimate Marketing" (http://www.IntimateMarketing.com) are available for sale in both paperback and ebook formats at Amazon.com.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Gil Peretz

Most Americans Support Santorum Amendment's Approach to Teaching Evolution

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Most Americans Support Santorum Amendment's Approach to Teaching Evolution

PR Newswire

Media Backgrounder on Rick Santorum and Intelligent Design Now Available

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With his near-win in Iowa and his recent rise in the polls, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is facing new scrutiny about his views on intelligent design and evolution. Reporters and others have expressed particular interest in the so-called "Santorum Amendment" authored by Senator Santorum, which was adopted in revised form in the Conference Report of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act.

The Santorum Amendment won overwhelming bipartisan support in the United States Senate. In fact, Sen. Ted Kennedy enthusiastically endorsed the Amendment on the Senate floor. Others voting in favor of the Amendment included Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Harry Reid, Senator John McCain, and Senator Sam Brownback. (See Congressional Record, June 13, 2001, p. S6153.)

The Santorum Amendment did not mandate teaching intelligent design, nor did it encourage teaching creationism or religion in the classroom. Instead, it encouraged open discussion and inquiry by teachers and students of the evidence both for and against controversial scientific theories such as Darwin's theory of evolution.

The approach advocated in the Santorum Amendment is favored by the vast majority of Americans, no matter what their race, gender, or political party. According to a nationwide Zogby poll in 2009, 80 percent of likely voters "agree that teachers and students should have the academic freedom to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of evolution as a scientific theory."

"Allowing discussions of all the scientific evidence about evolution in the classroom is good for students and good for science. It's the mainstream approach supported by most Americans," says Dr. John West, Associate Director of Discovery Institute's Center for Science & Culture. "Those who are trying to put a gag order on teachers and students to insulate Darwin's theory from critical inquiry are the real extremists."

A media backgrounder on Rick Santorum, evolution, and intelligent design is available to download at: http://www.discovery.org/a/18071. Discovery Institute scientists and scholars are also available for interviews about the Santorum Amendment and science education policy.

SOURCE Discovery Institute

HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" to Broadcast Live From the New Hampshire Primary

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:06:07 +0000

HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" to Broadcast Live From the New Hampshire Primary

Joined by an expert panel, Rather will investigate record campaign spending, expected to reach $1 billion in 2012 - Tuesday, January 10, at 7:00 p.m. ET

PR Newswire

DALLAS, Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a high-spending, nail biting race in Iowa, HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" heads to New Hampshire for special LIVE coverage of the Republican primary, Tuesday, January 10, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO)

On the heels of the dramatic finish by Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in Iowa, Rather's LIVE, extended broadcast will focus on the issue of the record amount of money expected to be spent on the race for the White House. In light of his razor thin victory of only 8 votes over a light-spending Santorum, did Romney over-spend in Iowa to finish first? In an election that's already seen candidates spend millions in paid media for the Iowa Caucuses, Dan and his guests will delve into how Campaign 2012 will be the most costly in history – one where each party candidate is expected to spend one billion dollars to get elected.

"Last night was a game changer," said Rather, Anchor and Managing Editor of the Emmy Award-winning "Dan Rather Reports." "And the folks in New Hampshire pride themselves on making a different decision than Iowans. Next Tuesday just got really interesting!"

Joining Dan in New Hampshire are Washington insider and National Journal reporter, Matthew Cooper, GOP strategist Todd Harris, Democratic strategist and former adviser to Hillary Clinton, Catherine "Kiki" McLean, and Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig - author of the book "Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress—and a Plan to Stop It."

In addition to broadcasting up-to-the-minute race results, Rather will also engage with Americans at home taking their questions via Facebook (facebook.com/danratherreports) and Twitter (@danratherreport) to provide insight on the issues of most concern to voters.

"Dan Rather Reports: The 2012 New Hampshire Primary" will premiere LIVE on HDNet on Tuesday, January 10, at 7:00 p.m. ET continuing LIVE until a winner has been declared.

About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and thought-provoking content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

SOURCE HDNet

Trade Insanity

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Trade Insanity

PR Newswire

By Joel D. Joseph, Chairman, Made in the USA Foundation

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obama pushed free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Columbia as part of his jobs-creating legislation. Congress went along for the ride because this was the only path where Republicans and Democrats could agree. But this path is the wrong path: This is trade insanity.

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That is a summary of our trade policy: negotiating trade agreements and expecting different results. We have lost jobs with every trade deal that has been negotiated and it is clearly insanity to expect that result to change.

Every trade agreement that we have entered into in the past forty years has led to a destruction of American jobs. The North American Free Trade Agreement, the largest free trade agreement that we have signed, caused nearly two million jobs to shift from the United States to Mexico. Even Hillary Clinton, whose husband signed NAFTA into law, admitted during the 2008 Democratic presidential debates that NAFTA was a failure.

Before NAFTA, in 1992, we had a $5 billion trade surplus with Mexico. That same year we had an $8 billion trade deficit with Canada. Before NAFTA trade with both nations was fairly equal.

After NAFTA our trade deficit with Canada ballooned to $80 billion a year. Similarly, trade with Mexico exploded to a trade deficit of $75 billion. The Great Recession has brought those numbers down a bit: according to the U.S. Census Bureau, our trade deficit with Canada was "only" $28 billion in 2010 and $66 billion with Mexico, a staggering $94 billion deficit with our NAFTA partners. Based on the standard that each $1 billion of deficit costs 20,000 jobs, we have lost 1.88 million jobs because we entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Mexico is not too happy about NAFTA either. Victor Suarez, a representative for the Democratic Revolutionary Party, or PRD, is in the Mexican House of Representatives. Suarez said, "With NAFTA we had promises of economic prosperity, and now we have the facts," Suarez told United Press International. He emphasized that "NAFTA was a failure for the farmers and it failed to slow down the migration that was already under way."

Richard Nixon opened the door to trade with China in 1972. Before 1972 we had virtually no trade with that communist nation. Now we have a massive trade deficit with China that has cost us more jobs than NAFTA trade expansion has cost the United States.

Free trade with China and Vietnam didn't create jobs in the United States. Trade with both of those Asian nations has been a one-way street to unemployment in the United States. Our trade surplus last year was $11 billion with Vietnam, and a staggering $273 billion with China. Is our trade policy insane?

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a recent speech in Washington, D.C. that the Korean, Columbia and Panamanian agreements would destroy 159,000 jobs by encouraging companies to send work overseas. While these job losses pale by comparison to our job losses with Mexico and China, the new trade agreements will not create jobs in the United States.

These trade agreements have led to the vast disparity between rich and poor in the United States. Trade agreements have undermined our middle class, those working in factories, while making the rich who control international trade richer and richer. They have done the same to Mexico, driving poor farmers out of business and into the United States.

Do we ever learn from our mistakes? We should get tough with China. China has stolen our intellectual property. China manipulates its currency to favor exports over imports. We need to renegotiate NAFTA. And we need to get out of these new trade agreements before they steal more American jobs.

Media contact: Joel D. Joseph, Chairman, Made in the USA Foundation
Chairman@MadeUSAFdn.org, 310-MADE-USA

SOURCE Made in the USA Foundation

In Visit to Washington, President Obiang Promotes African Unity and Progress

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:16:50 +0000

In Visit to Washington, President Obiang Promotes African Unity and Progress

PR Newswire

Equatorial Guinea Continues to Invest in Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Programs

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a speech at the Sullivan Honors Awards, President Obiang discussed the promotion of African integration by leading Equatorial Guinea toward a better future by facing its challenges and achieving the country's desired self-improvement and progress. President Obiang has led the efforts of the African community while promoting the continent and carrying out the development of Equatorial Guinea.

"Equatorial Guinea, as a unified country, knows that in order to achieve self-improvement and progress, we have to face problems and challenges, with the support of friendly countries and the international community," said President Obiang.

President Obiang received the Beacon for Africa award at the 2011 Sullivan Honors event last night, in recognition of his leadership of the African Union and his exemplary contributions to improving the lives of Africa's most vulnerable citizens. The Sullivan Honors event is one of Washington's greatest cultural highlights of the year.

Hope Masters, president of the Administrative Council of the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, praised President Obiang for his exemplary leadership and contributions to rebuilding Equatorial Guinea.

"This was a great opportunity to discuss continued development in the region and ways to collectively expand our role as part of the international community," said President Obiang. "I believe Africa has a positive future ahead of us as long as we continue to work together."

President Obiang joined leaders from around the world to honor African individuals who are leading and serving the international community. The honorees have selflessly dedicated themselves to humanitarian efforts on the African continent. Together they showed their appreciation for the honorees at the Leon H. Sullivan Honors event at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

"A commitment to ensuring that the dignity of the people they serve has been maintained is critical in determining who will be named a Sullivan Honoree. The ability to ignite that spark of hope, to provide to those less fortunate, while improving their quality of life, has been a common characteristic embodied by each of our honorees. I commend our past honorees and am confident that our new honorees will uphold their passion for championing Africans," said Ambassador Andrew Young, former US Ambassador to the United Nations.

The Sullivan Honors has been conferred upon individuals who have demonstrated unique leadership in enhancing the lives of the underprivileged, the vulnerable, and the destitute in Africa. Previous Sullivan Honorees include former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, General Colin Powell, current President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, current President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, current President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A full list of previous Sullivan Honorees can be found on the Sullivan Foundation's website, www.thesullivanfoundation.org.

Equatorial Guinea's government has adopted special programs for the promotion and protection of human rights with the help of the International Red Cross, which has verified the performance of state institutions by selecting and implementing programs that improve the level of social indicators.

"The positive effects of these programs have resulted in an increased school ratio, life expectancy, malaria reductions, as well as the progressive increase of technical and professional staff," said President Obiang.

"Our country recently went through a constitutional change that strengthened the powers of the state institutions, promoted the alteration in power and regulated the strict separation of powers, as well as transparency and equity in public affairs." This reform was approved and voted by the majority of the population.

In addition to President Obiang, numerous heads of state from Africa attended this year's 2011 Sullivan Honors event, showing unity and cooperation among one another. They included President John A. Kufuor, former President of Ghana; President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; Prime Minister Guillaume Soro of Cote D'Ivoire; and President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

About Equatorial Guinea
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea

President Obiang to Attend Sullivan Honors Event

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:02:16 +0000

President Obiang to Attend Sullivan Honors Event

PR Newswire

Equatorial Guinea participates in one of D.C.'s biggest cultural events

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Obiang of Equatorial Guinea will attend this year's 2011 Leon H. Sullivan Honors event in Washington, D.C. as an honored guest. The event, which is now one of D.C.'s greatest cultural highlights, pays tribute to individuals committed to improving the lives of the underprivileged and vulnerable in Africa.

"I am honored to attend this event, celebrating people who have devoted themselves to bringing peace and unity in Africa," said President Obiang. "The Sullivan Foundation has played an essential role in promoting humanitarian development in the region, and as Chairman of the African Union, I am thrilled to share my gratitude."

This year's event will be attended by a number of Heads of State from Africa, in addition to President Obiang. Other honorary guests are President John A. Kufuor, former President of Ghana; President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of Southern Sudan.

"This is a great opportunity for African leaders to come together and show the international community our commitment to developing socially, politically and economically," said President Obiang. "As a nation, we have made significant progress recently, and this is our chance to gain recognition for it."

In previous years, Sullivan Honorees have included former President William J. Clinton, former President George W. Bush, General Colin Powell, current President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others.

This year's Sullivan Honors event will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The Sullivan Foundation empowers underprivileged people worldwide by promoting social responsibility and humanitarianism.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Cheap Labor as Cultural Exchange: A Look at the State Department's Summer Work Travel Program

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Cheap Labor as Cultural Exchange: A Look at the State Department's Summer Work Travel Program

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Earlier this month, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered an "extensive and thorough review" of the State Department's troubled Summer Work Travel (SWT) program, which every year brings more than 100,000 college students from around the world to fill low-wage seasonal jobs in the United States. That followed last summer's protests by students working at a Hershey Co. warehouse in Pennsylvania that garnered worldwide attention.

Today, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) begins online publication of a four-day investigative series on the program. The report, "Cheap Labor as Cultural Exchange: The $100 Million Work Travel Industry," is based on five months of reporting by CIS senior research fellow and Pulitzer Prize-winning former journalist Jerry Kammer. It is online at: http://cis.org/cheap-labor-as-cultural-exchange-contents.

The series tells the story of the SWT program's rapid growth over the past 15 years into a $100 million international industry that has spread around the globe. SWT is emblematic of a larger problem with the nation's immigration system, where new programs are created and allowed to expand significantly without giving careful consideration to their impact on the labor market or the larger American society.

Also being released today is "Declining Summer Employment Among American Youths" by CIS Director of Research Steven Camarota. The report finds that fewer than half of native-born Americans ages 16 to 24 worked in the summer of 2011, down from nearly two-thirds in 2000. This decline began long before the current recession and very little of it can be ascribed to summer school or internships. Competition from foreign workers, both permanent and temporary (including through the SWT program), accounts for a significant share of this decline.

The past year has been particularly turbulent for SWT. When the State Department issued new regulations in the spring, it acknowledged that some sponsors were neglecting their duties and that the existing regulations "do not sufficiently protect national security interests, the Department's reputation, and the health, safety and welfare of Summer Work Travel program participants." In short, the program had been infected by many abuses, leaving some participants defrauded and allowing others to be recruited by organized crime or strip club owners.

Last summer, Stanley Colvin, the State Department official who long directed SWT and other exchange programs, was quietly replaced. Then the Hershey protest brought global notoriety to the program. In November, the State Department, which had long promoted expansion of the program around the world, announced a freeze on participants at the 2011 level of 103,000. Then came Secretary Clinton's call for an internal investigation.

Kammer, a former investigative reporter, tells the story of the State Department's inability to establish proper management of SWT despite years of criticism by the Government Accountability Office and State's own Inspector General.

Here is a day-by-day preview:

TODAY: The story of SWT's role in international diplomacy and of the intense, sophisticated, and lucrative recruitment both of the students whose fees fuel the industry and the employers who provide the jobs.

DAY TWO: The story of young Americans displaced by SWT, which uses international job fairs to line up summer workers months in advance. A second story tells of the culture clash at Hershey, where the legend of a benevolent chocolate baron met the harsh reality of SWT.

DAY THREE: The story of SWT in Alaska, where some 2,000 "cultural exchange" workers take jobs that used to be magnets for American college students, including 1969 Wellesley graduate Hillary Rodham, now overseeing SWT as Secretary of State.

DAY FOUR: The story of the State Department's long history of mismanagement of SWT, including its indifference to its effects on American workers. Included is an interview with Rick Ruth, the State Department's new man in charge of SWT.

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

Contact: Bryan Griffith
202-466-8185, press@cis.org

SOURCE Center for Immigration Studies

Hudson Institute Event: Climate Policy Holy Wars

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:59:50 +0000

Hudson Institute Event: Climate Policy Holy Wars

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Another UN climate conference, this one in Durban, South Africa, is closing in failure. Environmentalists are angrily denouncing President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for its collapse. Yet many economists fault the environmentalists' own climate agenda as too rigid, too costly, and far too unrealistic.

Are environmentalists and economists locked in a new holy war over climate change? If so, who will win, and who is right? Three of the countries' top experts will discuss these issues on Tuesday, December 13 at Hudson Institute. Hudson President & CEO Kenneth Weinstein will moderate the discussion.

This event coincides with the launch of a new report by Hudson Visiting Fellow Lee Lane, entitled History, Ideology, and U.S. Climate Policy: Beyond the Orthodoxies of Left and Right. The full report is available for download here or on Hudson's website, www.hudson.org.

What:	Panel discussion on climate change and environmentalism, "Climate Policy Holy Wars: Clashing Secular Religions and Stubborn Economic Realities"

Who:	Robert Nelson, University of Maryland Professor and Fellow, Independent Institute
	Lee Lane, Hudson Institute Visiting Fellow
	Joel Garreau, Fellow, New America Foundation
	Kenneth Weinstein (moderator), Hudson Institute President & CEO

When:	Tuesday, December 13, from 12 to 2:00 PM

Where:	Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center
	Hudson Institute, 1015 15th Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005

Watch Online: http://www.hudson.org/WatchLive

Questions can be submitted via Twitter, @HudsonInstitute.

Click here to RSVP.

Hudson Institute is a nonpartisan policy research organization dedicated to innovative research and analysis. Founded in 1961, Hudson is celebrating a half century of forging ideas that promote security, prosperity, and freedom. http://www.hudson.org

For more information, please contact:
James Bologna: 202-974-6456, jbologna@hudson.org

SOURCE Hudson Institute