CP World Report: Iranian Pastor's Lawyer, Israel Drone, Hugo Chavez, Tim Tebow
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International is demanding freedom for Human Rights lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. He is currently detained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, sentenced to nine years in jail. It's not the first time. In 2009, he was tortured and held in solitary confinement for most of his 74-day incarceration. Dadkhah has defended the rights of many high-profile clients who have faced apostasy charges and a potential death sentence, including pastor Youcef Nadharkhani who was recently released through the efforts of Dadkhah.
Tensions mounted over the weekend over the flight of a drone into Israeli airspace. In response the Israeli Air Force deployed a Patriot missile battery to Haifa,overlooking Israel's border with Lebanon. Israel is concerned that Hezbollah was behind the drone. While the group has not commented directly, a TV station linked to the group said it belonged to Hezbollah.
Syrian opposition rebels said they will start executing a group of 48 Shiite pilgrims from Iran if Tehran and Damascus do not comply with their demands. The pilgrims were abducted back in August.
MEANWHILE….Mitt Romney has unveiled his ideas about foreign affairs, and more specifically….Middle East Policy, including Syria. He was addressing the Virginia military Institute.
Venezualan President Hugo Chavez has won re-election. That means he gains six more years to cement his legacy and press ahead with his plans for socialism in Venezuela. It was Chavez's third re-election victory in nearly 14 years in office, though by a smaller margin than in 2006, when he won 63 per cent of the votes, compared to 54 percent this time around. Fireworks exploded in downtown Caracas, and Chavez's supporters celebrated waving flags and jumping for joy outside the presidential palace.
The Keystone pipeline intends to ship more than half a million barrels a day of oil-sands crude oil to the Texas Gulf Coast from Canada. The project isn't without its opponents. Two environmentalists were arrested over it—in separate protests: actress Daryl Hannah was one of them, and….former Texas landowner Eleanor Fairchild . Hannah is accused of blocking construction equipment in Texas by laying in front of it. She has been charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest. Fairchild is also charged with criminal trespass
IN SPORTS…..
The New York Jets kicked off against the Houston Texans last night. Houston got off to one of their strongest season starts yet, with a 4-0 record. But that didn't discourage the devout Christian New York Quarterback Tim Tebow. He went in with a positive attitude. Just before, he noted this would be the 666th Monday Night Football game and tweeted a positive verse from Scripture from Romans 8:37, that suggested…..all players would come out conquerors through God whatever the outcome of the game.