Shorts: U.S.

Alabama Dems tell candidate to get lost

montgomery (ap) | Democratic Party leaders want Holocaust denier and former candidate for attorney general Larry Darby to stay out of their future primaries.

The party passed a resolution Saturday, Aug. 26, informing Darby that "he is not welcome in the Alabama Democratic Party."

Founder of the Atheist Law Center, Darby said the party's leadership is "intellectually and morally bankrupt" and that the resolution is an attempt to censor his speech.




Harris: Non-Christians 'legislate sin'

new york (jta) | U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.), the leading GOP contender for a Florida U.S. Senate seat, said not electing Christians amounts to "legislating sin."

"If you are not electing Christians, tried and true, under public scrutiny and pressure, if you're not electing Christians then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris told the Florida Baptist Witness in an interview last week.

Harris, who also described the separation of church and state as a "lie," later issued a clarification to Fox News saying that she is pro-Israel and supports Holocaust education.




Congressman calls for aid safeguards

washington (jta) | Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) called for U.S. aid to Lebanon to be conditioned on sealing off the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The ranking Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives' International Relations Committee, Lantos said Sunday, Aug. 27 during a visit to Jerusalem that he wanted to put a hold on President Bush's proposal to funnel $230 million in aid to Lebanon following Israel's war with Hezbollah.

"My purpose is to persuade the government of Lebanon that the closing of the Lebanon-Syria border to arms smuggling from Iran and Syria is in the prime national interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese people," said Lantos.




N.Y. Jews are reason Green picks Mets

new york (jta) | Outfielder Shawn Green said the large number of Jews in New York was a factor in his decision to accept a trade to the New York Mets.

"It's something that's always intrigued me," said the baseball player, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks. "New York is head and shoulders the largest Jewish population in the country, if not the world, and it will be an interesting and fun experience for me."

Green made headlines in recent years for sitting out games on Yom Kippur.




Sonics offer Israeli contract

new york (jps) | Yotam Halperin is closer then ever to fulfilling his dream of becoming the first Israeli to play in the NBA after being offered a contract by the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday, Aug. 28.

The 22-year-old Israeli, who was the 53rd player picked in this year's NBA draft, has reportedly been offered a one-year minimum salary contract.

"I'm only a signature away from the NBA," Halperin said before beginning a training session with Israel's national team. "Seattle has offered me a contract, but I still don't know the exact details. If I sign, Maccabi [Tel Aviv] should be proud of me."