Seattle airport removes Christmas trees to avoid lawsuit

SEATAC, Washington (AP) — All nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle-

Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested.
Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. He [...]

In U.S., fear and distrust of Muslims runs deep

WASHINGTON (Reuters)- When radio host Jerry Klein suggested that all Muslims in the United States should be identified with a crescent-shape tattoo or a distinctive arm band, the phone lines jammed instantly.

The first caller to the station in Washington said that Klein must be “off his rocker.” [...]

Blind man sentenced to library course

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A blind Turkish pensioner has been sentenced to a 26-day reading and writing course at his local public library after he failed to vote on time in an election for his village cooperative, his son said Friday.

A prosecutor in the province of Kutahya in northwest Turkey sentenced [...]

Shops destroy Santas giving “Hitler salute”

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German chain of shops has removed miniature wooden Santa Claus figures from its shelves and destroyed them after customers complained it looked like they were giving the stiff-armed Hitler salute that is outlawed.

Josef Lange, a spokesman for the Rossmann chain that has 1,200 outlets, told Reuters [...]

Supreme court to confront school racial diversity

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Supreme Court confronts whether race can be used in deciding where students to go to school on Monday, testing the willingness of President George W. Bush’s two newest court appointees to overturn programs to foster racial diversity.

In a pair of cases that could affect millions [...]

In a world where the holidays are run by the efficient Bureau of Yuletide Affairs, a bitter and burned-out Ghost of Christmas Past decides to go AWOL while on a “mission” and leave his “target” stranded in 1965.

A brand new way of showing “A Christmas Carol”. This was a very funny comedy film that [...]