Obama Pays Emotional Arizona Tribute
January 13, 2011 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
Breaking News President Barack Obama has paid tribute at a memorial service in Arizona to the six people killed and 13 injured in Saturday’s shooting in Tucson. 
He said he could not fill the hole torn in US hearts, but urged the nation to honour the victims through unity. He said lawmaker Gabrielle Giffords, who was hurt in the attack, had opened her eyes for the first time that night.
Suspected gunman Jared Loughner has been charged with several offences and could face the death penalty if guilty. More than 14,000 people gathered for the service at the University of Arizona’s basketball arena, the McKale Memorial Center, in Tucson.
There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts, said Mr Obama. But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized – at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do – it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.
Suspect in Arizona Shooting Spree Appears in Court
January 11, 2011 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
PHOENIX, Arizona: A troubled 22-year-old college dropout made his first court appearance on Monday on five federal charges, including the attempted assassination of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who remained in critical condition with a bullet wound to the head.
His hands manacled together, Jared Lee Loughner said in a strong voice he understood the charges against him involving a shooting spree in Tucson on Saturday that left six people dead and 14 others wounded.
The bloody rampage — at an event Giffords hosted for constituents — has fueled debate about whether heated rhetoric seen in recent political campaigns can lead to violence.
President Barack Obama, who stressed unity after the shootings, plans to go to Arizona on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for the dead, who included a federal judge, a 9-year-old girl and one of Giffords’ young aides.
Last year, Giffords had warned that angry campaign talk had prompted violent threats against her and vandalism at her office.
A police mug shot taken of Loughner after his arrest and released on Monday shows the accused killer, who faces a possible death sentence, smiling broadly.
At his court appearance, Loughner’s lawyer waived a detention hearing. Federal Magistrate Judge Lawrence Anderson ordered Loughner held, calling him a danger to the community.
The judge scheduled a January 24 preliminary hearing.
Having survived a shot to the head at point-blank range, Giffords, a popular 40-year-old Democrat, remained in critical condition at a Tucson hospital.
PAF to get first batch of F-16s tomorrow
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force will receive first batch of 18 new F-16 fighting falcon jet fighters from United States on Saturday.
Three F-16s are scheduled to arrive at Shahbaz Airbase in Jacobabad, Pakistan on Saturday, with 15 more to be delivered later this and next year, said US Air Force Maj Todd Robbins, the Pakistan country Director in the US office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force for international affairs.
According to American embassy, the US Air Force is set to deliver the first batch of these F-16s to the Pakistani Air Force as a sign of deepening relations between the United States and Pakistan.
“This is the most visible part of a strong and growing relationship between the two air forces that will benefit us both short-term and long-term,” Robbins said.
The sale of F-16s to Pakistan renews new aircraft sales that existed between the United States and Pakistan in the 1980s, but were halted in the 1990s.
The F-16 is a multirole jet fighter sold to 24 countries around the world, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.
US Air Force Maj. Todd Robbins said, “The 18 being sold to Pakistan are the Block 52 versions of the aircraft, which will give Pakistan new capabilities, including day-night, all-weather and precision-attack capabilities.”
He said “They”ve not had these capabilities before, so this is a major milestone in the US providing this capability, which older models of F-16s don”t have.”
Robbins said, “This will enable them to strike terrorists within their borders while helping them to avoid collateral damage.
It”s an increase in capabilities that are beneficial to us all.”
Pakistan is paying $1.4 billion for the 18 new aircraft, in addition to $1.3 billion in upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet, which are to begin being delivered in 2012, Robbins said.
The US Air Force also is training Pakistan Air Force pilots. The first eight recently completed training with the Arizona National Guard in Tucson, with additional training done by Lockheed Martin, Robbins said.
The Air Force also training Pakistanis in night-attack training and recently completed training to four instructors and five flight leads.
balk
June 1, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
The Dodgers’ latest walk-off victory was the team’s most bizarre in some time, delivered not by a long ball from Andre Ethier but by a few quick strides by Casey Blake.
In a sequence that expanded the definition of what it means to be “clutch,” Blake broke from third base toward home with two out in the ninth inning, eliciting a balk from a startled Esmerling Vasquez that lifted the Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
“Most of the time it doesn’t work,” Blake said. “But sometimes it does.”
Had it ever worked for him?. The Dodgers had first and second with nobody out in the ninth, but Loney tried to pull a Johnny Damon by stealing an unattended third base. Didn’t work. Martin advanced Casey Blake to third and…remember when Blake called out Ted Lilly for balking? This time he baited D’backs reliver Esmerling Vasquez into balking in the game-winning
Thousands in Phoenix protest Arizona”s immigration law
May 30, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
MEXICO CITY: Thousands of people from all over the US have marched on the Arizona state capital to protest at the state”s tough new crackdown on illegal immigration.
Marchers carrying signs, banners and flags from the United States and Mexico filled a five-mile stretch of central Phoenix on Saturday. Dozens of police officers lined the route and helicopters hovered overhead.
Police would not estimate the size of the crowd, but it appeared at least 10,000 to 20,000, braved temperatures forecast to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-afternoon. Organisers had said they expected the demonstration to bring as many as 50,000 people.
The new law requires police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible offences to ask them about their immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion” that they are in the country illegally.
Critics of the law, set to take effect on July 29, say it unfairly targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling, but supporters say Arizona is trying to enforce immigration laws because the federal government has failed to do so.
About 300 people also rallied at the Texas Capitol in Austin, and another 300 people protested at the US Embassy in Mexico City demanding legalisation for undocumented Mexican workers in the US.
Some marchers chanted “si se puede,” a phrase coined by Hispanic civil rights leader Cesar Chavez that roughly means “yes we can”. Others took aim at President Barack Obama, demanding that he prioritise comprehensive immigration reform that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants now in the country.
Some opponents of the law have encouraged people to cancel conventions in the state and avoid doing business with Arizona-based companies, hoping the economic pressure forces a repeal.
But supporters of Arizona”s law organised a rally of their own at a baseball stadium in suburban Tempe, encouraging like-minded Americans to “buycott” Arizona by planning holidays in the state.
“Arizona, we feel, is America”s Alamo in the fight against illegal and dangerous entry into the United States,” said Gina Loudon of St Louis, organising the “buycott”. “Our border guards and all of Arizona law enforcement are the undermanned, under-gunned, taxed-to-the-limit frontline defenders trying to hold back the invasion.”
prop 100 results
May 19, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
rop 100 Results: Voters in Arizona this Tuesday approved a temporary sales tax increase to help avoid budget cuts to education, social services and law enforcement. After almost 85 percent of the hundreds of thousands of the votes on arizona prop 100 counted the results are 64 percent in favor and 36 percent against.
“Voters understand that we had a really huge financial crisis in Arizona and by doing it, we are going to make the state better. But it’s not a cure-all,” said Republican Gov. Jan Brewer about the three million voters of the state.
Arizona prop 100 results – The sales tax increase will take effect starting June 1, changing the sales tax from 5.6 cents on the dollar to 6.6 cents in the state for the next three years and raising a projected $918 million in the first year. If the Arizona Proposition 100 would not pass there were $862 million of budget cuts for schools and social services and law enforcement.
boycott
May 8, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
City councilman Luis Cotto plans to introduce a resolution Monday denouncing Arizona’s passage of senate bill 1070, which requires that police detain people whom they “reasonably suspect” are in the country without authorization. The bill’s aim is to single out, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the measure into law on April 23.
Cotto’s resolution calls for a boycott of Arizona businesses and a cessation of Hartford travel to that state. It also urges public and private universities with campuses in Hartford to pass on invitations to any sports tournaments in Arizona.
“The contents of this law will inevitably lead to racial profiling … and create a wedge between law enforcement and ethnic communities,” the resolution states.
Added Cotto: “I feel that it is very important to send a message to the government of Arizona that we disagree with their actions 100 percent and that we stand with the people who will be targeted as a result of this new law. While we cannot directly affect policy change in a different state, we can exert pressure by taking our business elsewhere like other cities are doing.”
he Arizona state legislature, the courts or the Federal Government invalidates this dangerous and discriminatory law.”
SEIU adds itself to a growing list of unions and cities that are refusing to do business with Arizona in protest of immigration bill SB 1070.
The tourism industry is a vital staple for the Arizonan economy, and some hotel owners and other elements of the industry have already expressed concern about the prospect of their businesses taking a big hit due to the recently-passed new law.
los suns
May 6, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Los Suns Win Again, But Phoenix Coach Alvin Gentry’s Email Account “Overflowing with Vitriol
Anyone who believes that sports can’t be an effective platform for social justice needed only to watch last night’s game between Los Suns of Phoenix and the San Antonio Spurs. The unprecedented decision by the entire Suns organization — from owner Robert Sarver to star players Amare aand Steve Nash — to wear uniforms blaring Los Suns and come out against Arizona’s anti-immigrant Senate Bill 1070, created a sports broadcast like no other in my lifetime. The game on TNT began with sideline reporter Marty Snider outside the arena covering a mushrooming 3,000 person civil rights march, led by Al Sharpton and Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon (both wearing Los Suns Jerseys.) Then the scene switched to the pre-game studio with host Ernie Johnson and former players Kenny “the Jet” Smith, Chris Webber, and Charles Barkley. The viewing audience then got an unexpected and bracing lesson in dissent.
In a news release from the team, Sarver said, “Our players and organization felt that wearing our ‘Los Suns’ jerseys on Cinco de Mayo was a way for our team and our organization to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the State of Arizona, and our nation … “
The next paragraph was when he teed off on the politicians.
“The frustration with the federal government’s failure to deal with the issue of illegal immigration resulted in passage of a flawed state law. However intended, the result of passing this law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question, and Arizona’s already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them.”
alexis glick
April 25, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Alexis Glick Defends Derivatives, Arizona WASHINGTON (Politically Illustrated) – Alexis Glick, former Fox Business anchor, defended derivatives as an investment strategy on Sunday during ABC’s “This Week. It’s going too far to say larger financial institutions cannot have a derivative business,” she said.
What about Arizona’s immigration law?
“If what has happened in Arizona is the thing that gets Washington to address the border then so be it,” she said.
The best line during “This Week” came from New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on GOPs bailouts.
urijah faber
April 25, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Urijah Faber Posts Picture of Injured Leg, Courtesy of Jose Aldo
Urijah Faber Tweeted an image of his severely swollen left thigh following his loss to reigning featherweight champion Jose Aldo at WEC 48 on Saturday night.
Aldo unleashed a thrashing on Faber’s lead leg throughout the scrap – specifically in the opening rounds – battering it to the point that it forced the hometown hero to fight the championship rounds on just one leg.
“I trained a lot of defense [for] those leg kicks, but he was very effective with them,” a disappointed Faber said after the contest. “He really took away my legs, and it was impossible to get something going when he was attacking like that.”
The Brazilian demanded to make his first title defense against the division’s former king in his own backyard, however backed it up by cruising to a lopsided 49-45, 49-45, 50-45 unanimous decision victory in front of the Arco Arena crowd.
With the loss, Faber’s record now drops to 23-4 and he’s lost three of his last five contests. Regardless, “The California Kid” remains the WEC’s most adored athlete – although Aldo’s time has definitely arrived.
