Iraqis Cheer And Fear - U.S. Pulls Out From Cities

Tuesday, June 30, 2009


Tuesday marked the deadline for American troops to pull out of Iraq’s towns and cities — a long-anticipated date that has been met by street festivals in Baghdad.

Celebrations were tempered, however, by fears of renewed violence as insurgents seek to use the date to stage new attacks.

At least 30 people, including women and children, were killed and 45 wounded Tuesday in a bombing in northern Iraq, a local police official said.

The blast took place in a busy commercial area in a predominantly Kurdish part of Kirkuk, destroying 20 shops and houses, the official said. Kirkuk is about 235 miles north of Baghdad.

To mark the the U.S. pullback, newscasters on state TV network Al-Iraqiya draped Iraqi flags around their necks as an on-screen clock counted down to midnight Monday (5 p.m. ET). Earlier Monday evening, hundreds of people danced and sang in a central Baghdad park.

“I feel the same way as any Iraqi feels — I will feel my freedom and liberation when I don’t see an American stopping an Iraqi on the street,” said Awatef Jwad of Baghdad.

There were no columns of tanks rolling out of Baghdad or thousands of troops marching out of other cities as the deadline approached. The U.S. military gradually has been pulling its combat forces out of Iraq’s population centers for months, and they already were gone by the weekend, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters in Washington.

But Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other Iraqi and U.S. officials had warned of an increase in attacks around the withdrawal date as insurgents attempt to re-ignite the sectarian warfare that ravaged the country in 2006 and 2007.

While many Iraqis publicly said they are glad to see Americans out of their neighborhoods, some cited worries about what the future may hold without the U.S. military nearby.

“Without the Americans, we were afraid of each other,” said Hanaa Abdul Hassan of Baghdad.

“And now that the Americans are leaving, we will be more afraid. We knew the Americans were holding them back, so now I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said, without specifying who “they” were.

In the past 10 days, a series of spectacular attacks — including bombings that have targeted civilians — have killed more than 200 Iraqis.

In addition to Tuesday’s deadly blast in Kirkuk, a car bombing Monday in Mosul killed at least nine Iraqi police officers. Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, urged people to avoid crowded public gatherings unless necessary.

But the top U.S. general in Iraq insisted Tuesday that much of the country was safe.

“There is not widespread violence in Iraq,” Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters in a videoconference from Baghdad.

“There’s still gonna be bumps in the road. There’s still gonna be violence here,” Odierno said.

U.S. officials said they believe Iraq’s police and army can keep a lid on the violence, which Morrell said was at the lowest point “in the history of this conflict.”

(Source: CNN) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

(MRN- 19)

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Madoff Senteced To 150 Years!

The following is a WCBSTV report:

Inside a U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday morning, a judge sentenced the former Wall Street bigwig to 150 years behind bars for his crimes, the maximum possible sentence.

The courtroom erupted into a chorus of loud cheering and applause after the sentence was read.

In one of the most anticipated rulings this year, U.S. Judge Denny Chin decided upon the sentence after hearing the requests for no mercy from prosecutors and many of the victims whom the 71-year-old Madoff wiped out.

Chin spoke for about five minutes, calling the fraud “staggering” and noted that it spanned more than 20 years. He said “the breach of trust was massive” and said that any sentence above 15 or 20 years would be symbolic.

“I am deeply sorry,” Chin told the victims.

Madoff, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and a tie, sat and listened as emotional witnesses described how he spoiled their security, and they urged Chin to send him to prison for life.

“Life has been a living hell. It feels like the nightmare we can’t wake from,” said Carla Hirshhorn.

“He stole from the rich. He stole from the poor. He stole from the in between. He had no values,” said Tom Fitzmaurice. “He cheated his victims out of their money so he and his wife Ruth could live a life of luxury beyond belief.”

Dominic Ambrosino called it an “indescribably heinous crime” and urged a long prison sentence so “will know he is imprisoned in much the same way he imprisoned us and others.”

He added: “In a sense, I would like somebody in the court today to tell me how long is my sentence.”

One woman talked about how she’s been forced to begin collecting cans and turning them in for deposit money.

Afterwards, Madoff spoke and apologized to his family and to the victims, saying “I dug myself deeper into a hole” as the scheme progressed and that he made an “error in judgment … I could not accept that for once in my life, I failed,” he said.

“Saying I’m sorry is not enough I will live with this pain, this torment, for the rest of my life,” he added. Then Madoff turned to face his victims and said: “I turn to face you, I know this will not help. I’m sorry.”

In his ruling, though, Chin said he didn’t believe Madoff was sincere in his apology. He also said he knew that any sentence he gave would not bring back the money the victims lost in the scheme, but he hoped that it would bring some bit of healing.

While a vast segment of Madoff’s victims wrote to Chin to tell of the ruin that’s become their lives, the judge said not one member of Madoff’s family wrote him to say why Madoff should receive leniency.

It’s estimated that Madoff crushed the financial security of about 8,000 victims. The former NASDAQ chairman bilked his investors of what’s been figured to be $65 billion, the largest Ponzi scheme ever. He pleaded guilty to 11 criminal counts, including charges of securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, false statements, perjury, making false filings with the SEC, and theft from an employee benefit plan.

For some who’ve lost everything, it’s no longer about the man who cheated them.

“I don’t care. We don’t care what happens to Madoff. We’d just like to get our money back,” victim Lawrence Cohen said in a recent interview.

Madoff’s attorney, Ira Sorkin, had sent Chin a letter requesting the sentence to be a mere 12 years, calling that a “humane” punishment.

“Mr. Madoff is currently 71 years old and has an approximate life expectancy of 13 years,” wrote Sorkin. “A prison term of 12 years — just short of an effective life sentence — will sufficiently address the goals of deterrence, protecting the public and promoting respect for the law.”

That notion sickened those who suffered at the hands of Madoff.

“I would like to see him get a lifetime imprisonment, and not in one of the fancy country club jails,” victim Rose Less says.

Rose and Jack Less claimed they’re out $800,000 because of Madoff. What made their case more heartbreaking is the Securities Investor Protection Corporation will hand out money to other Madoff victims, but not to them. The SIPC has a formula that excludes the Less’ because they withdrew money over the years.

“They were victimized obviously by Madoff, and now seemingly they are victimized again by the SIPC trustee, and essentially the SEC too,” Less family attorney Barry Lax says.

“We started to sell our furniture, some of our things that we value, so we should have some money immediately,” Rose says.

On Friday, a federal judge ordered Madoff to forfeit $170 billion in assets. His wife, Ruth, must also give up $80 million of her assets, including her Manhattan penthouse, but that still leaves her with $2.5 million.

Madoff was arrested in December and spent several months on house arrest before he was ordered to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. At the time of Madoff’s arrest, fictitious account statements showed thousands of clients had $65 billion. But investigators say he never traded securities, and instead used money from new investors to pay returns to existing clients.

Prosecutors said Friday that the total losses, which span decades, haven’t been calculated. But 1,341 accounts opened since December 1995 alone suffered loses of $13.2 billion, they said.

(Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

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Judge Orders Full Senate To Meet Tomorrow

A judge ordered the full Senate to convene in Albany tomorrow morning, a possible first step to ending the three-week circus upstate.

Judge Joseph Teresi also ruled the Assembly back to session to pass companion legislation if necessary.

Teresi said failure to come together would be “rude, inconsiderate and egotistical.”

Gov. David Paterson has been trying to force the Democrats and a Republican-led coalition to pass bonding, taxing and other measures set to expire shortly. He says neither faction alone can seat a quorum needed to act. Both sides have been answering Paterson’s order by meeting separately and conducting no official business since the governor called for the first special session a week ago. The factions are deadlocked 31-31 in a dispute over which has majority control. Negotiations over sharing power have failed so far.

Before Teresi ruled this afternoon, two other state judges had declined to intervene in the dispute. Asked to determine which group rightfully elected the Senate’s presiding officer, both said that under the state constitution, it’s up to the senators to sort out their own affairs.

(Source: NBC New York) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)
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NYC Subway And Bus Fares To Go Up TODAY!

Sunday, June 28, 2009


Please be aware, that starting today, June 28, 2009, NYC Subway and Bus fares will be going up from $2.00 to $2.25. Unlimited MetroCards, as well as 7 day rides will also be going up from $25.00 to $27.00.




30 day MetroCards will be going up from $81.00 to $87.00.


The cost for an express bus ticket will also be going up from $5.00 to $5.50. 7 day plans for buses will be $45.00.


(MRN Editor)
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Second Video of The Week

Friday, June 26, 2009

Video of The Week #2 has now been added. It is on the bottom of the blog.
This weeks video: Dalai Lama Visits The New York State Senate
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Swastika Painted On Historic Bialystoker Shul

Friday, June 26, 2009



Police are investigating after a swastika was found yesterday painted on the inside of a Manhattan synagogue.

A swastika and a derogatory word were painted on an inside door of the Bialystoker Shul on Bialystoker Place / Willet Street. A smoke bomb was set off, as well.

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has attended the synagogue since he was a child and said he was furious to discover what had happened.

“This is a crime, not against the synagogue; this is a crime against society,” said the assemblyman. “When people choose to desecrate a house of worship, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a church, a synagogue. It is just a despicable act that really should tug at the heartstrings of all of us.”

Silver said surveillance cameras nearby may have caught the perpetrators.

(Source: NY1) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

(MRN- 19)

UPDATE: 10:15 PM EST Saturday, June 27, 2009

Sources have informed MRN that there were TWO perpetrators. Both of them have been caught. ARTICLE COMING SOON

11:50 PM EST Saturday, June 27, 2009

The following appeared HERE, on the New York Daily News website:

Cops Friday arrested two teens who have been terrorizing Jewish residents and sites on the lower East Side with eggs, smoke bombs and swastikas.

The youngsters kicked off the anti-Semitic spree at 1 p.m. Thursday when, armed with a magic marker and a smoke bomb, they scrawled a swastika on a wall at the United Hebrew Center on East Broadway, police said. They set off the smoke device, too, before bolting.

An hour later at the Bialystoker Synagogue, the teens drew another swastika and wrote the slur "k---" on a wall. They later hurled eggs at the house of worship, cops said.

The kids - a 15-year-old Asian male and a 16-year-old black male - were charged with aggravated harassment, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, all as hate crimes.

"This is a desecration of God, no matter what your religion," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has attended the Willet St. synagogue since he was 4 years old.

(MRN- Editor)

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Dems Enter Senate Chamber Ahead Of Special Session

Tuesday, June 23, 2009


Democratic state senators have entered the Senate chambers in Albany for the first time in two weeks, ahead of a special legislative session called by Governor Paterson today.

Paterson is ordering the state Senate to convene for a special session at 3 p.m. to try to break the leadership stalemate that’s paralyzed the chamber.

Democratic State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Westchester is presiding over the 14 Democratic senators in the chamber.

Republicans, led by Senators Dean Skelos and Pedro Espada Jr., had planned to call their own session at 2 p.m. session in an attempt to grab control of the chamber and the gavel before Democrats arrive for the governor’s session.

There is word that legislators worked through the night to hammer out a resolution to the power stalemate, but Espada said no deal was reached.

The regular session ended Monday with no resolution to the power struggle that began June 8, when Senators Espada and Hiram Monserrate voted with the GOP to oust the Democratic leadership. Monserrate has since gone back to the Democrats, creating a deadlock.

The governor refused a request by state senators to delay today’s special session so they could keep working on a power-sharing deal.

Even though senators are required to attend the special session, the governor cannot force them to vote.

(Source: Capital News 9 / NY1) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

(MRN- 19)

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Video of The Week

Friday, June 19, 2009

Video of The Week has now been added. It is on the bottom of the blog.
This weeks video: Coup in New York State Senate - Republicans Taking Control (footage)

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Closing For The Summer

We will not be posting regularly through the Summer as we are very busy, and are trying to improve the blog at the same time. We will hopefully have a few posts during the Summer G-D willing. Please send us feedback at: mrnblog@gmail.com
Or you can reach the Editor at: mrneditor@gmail.com or: mrneditor@hotmail.com
There are no guarantees that we will get back to you right away.
You can follow our main sources which we believe will be updated throughout the Summer. The sources are: www.TheYeshivaWorld.com (Yeshiva World News) and, www.VosIzNeias.com (VosIzNeias)



We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause,
The MRN Staff
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Supreme Court Judge Will Not Rule On Senate Leadership

Tuesday, June 16, 2009


The following is your daily dose of comedy from our elected officials; NY1 reports:



A State Supreme Court judge said earlier today that he will not rule on whether the Senate was in active session last week when Republicans and two dissident Democrats staged a power grab, saying it’s improper for the court to get involved in the matter.



At a hearing this afternoon in Albany, State Supreme Court Justice Thomas McNamara dismissed the case and told the Legislature to resolve the issue of leadership.



“I’ll be honest with you,” said McNamara earlier today, “coming out here today and going through this ritual is not something that I’m really getting enjoyment out of.”



A closed-door meeting yesterday failed to produce an agreement on who is in charge of the New York State Senate.



Governor David Paterson says he will step into the Senate chamber and run the session as he did when he was lieutenant governor, thus eliminating the problem of having no one to gavel in the session. He says this temporary move will allow both parties to enter the chamber and pass essential bills.



Several dozens of protesters are outside the state Capitol today, criticizing the inactions of the state government.



The Senate is currently divided at 31 Democrats and 31 Republicans after State Senator Hiram Monserrate rejoined the Democrats yesterday.



That move came one week after Monserrate and fellow Democrat Pedro Espada Junior voted with Republicans, giving the GOP a majority.



Democrats say they offered Republicans several perks at yesterday’s meeting, including alternating leadership on certain days and a bi-partisan review process for bills before they come to the floor.



But Republicans are dismissing those offers, saying last week’s vote to put them in charge was valid. Democrats want the judge to rule that the State Senate was not in an active session for that vote.



Senator Malcolm Smith is insisting that he still retains the title of majority leader. But Monserrate only agreed to rejoin the Democratic conference on a key demand – that Smith, in essence, be replaced as head of the party.



Senator John Sampson of Brooklyn was given the title of leader of the Democratic conference.



“We had a vote, we voted for John Sampson to be our leader for day-to-day business,” said Smith. “As you know, any business or corporate structure where you have a chairman, you have a CEO. You can look at John Sampson as the CEO.”



Meanwhile, in a separate legal action, Democrats are seeking to hold the self-proclaimed temporary president of the Senate, Pedro Espada Junior, in contempt of court for holding a short session yesterday.



Senator Pedro Espada Junior remains defiant, saying the Republicans are in charge of the State Senate.



During a rally outside the Capitol, Espada called himself the president of the Senate and said Senator Dean Skelos is the majority leader.



Espada insists last week’s vote is binding, despite Monserrate’s decision to flip back to the Democrats.



(Source: NY1) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)


(MRN- 19)

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Judge Temporarily Blocks Senate Takeover

Thursday, June 11, 2009


An appeals judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent a new coalition from taking control of the New York Senate at least until Friday afternoon.



In Picture: The New York Senate Chamber after
the electricity was shut off last week.


The ruling late Thursday afternoon by Appellate Division Justice Karen Peters blocks Sen. Pedro Espada, one of the dissident Democrats, from acting as Senate president. A five-judge panel is scheduled to consider arguments Friday afternoon on whether to let that stand.



Meanwhile, attorneys are set to argue Friday morning before State Supreme Court Justice Thomas McNamara in Albany on who legally is in charge.



The move comes hours after chaos and political theater resumed in Albany late Thursday morning. Angry protests and even pushing and shoving broke out as the coalition government took over the Senate chamber.



The Senate coup may have been bloodless when it happened on Monday, but the first attempt to open the Senate chambers on Thursday was ugly, dangerous, and unprecedented. Albany has never seen such chaos, such out and out disrespect for elected officials. Republican leader Dean Skelos and Democrat Pedro Espada were set upon by demonstrators who shouted “Senate not for sale!” as they filled the hallways when the locked Senate chamber doors were.



Other senators had to run a gauntlet of pushing, shoving, and screaming protesters. One senator was knocked down and another got spit in the face.



Once inside, the 32 members of the bipartisan coalition had a number of surprises. Democrats had locked up the bills, so there was nothing to vote on. And one renegade Democrat, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, appeared to be wavering in support of the coup. He and Espada were the only Democrats on the floor as the rest boycotted after state Justice George Ceresia refused the Democrats’ request to stop the coalition from opening the Senate and running its first session.



“I think it’s unfortunate how this discourse has really degenerated into what it has become,” Monserrate said during the session. “For us to be an effective bipartisan body, we need cooperation from both sides. These chambers must not remain divided.”



That left open the possibility that Monserrate would leave the coalition.



“My understanding and agreement to coalition government was under certain criteria. Those criterion included reform, reforms that we have laid out in a very appropriate manner that deal with decades and decades of dysfunction and unfairness in this house,” he said.



One Democratic power broker told CBS 2 that efforts to bring Espada back into the fold were also underway, but right after the session, Espada seemed to be standing firm.



“Now the ball is on court, the Democrats’ court, the Democratic conference court. They must show up to work or really have a lot to say to the citizens of the state that want their senators back at work,” he said.



Espada hinted at a coalition strategy for getting Democrats back in their seats – putting bills they care about like same-sex marriage on the agenda for a vote.



“I want to put on the active list a progressive agenda that’s been deferred for too long like same-gender marriage, put that on the floor and then have the Senators that either sponsored it before or defenders of the cause and [if they don’t] show up, I think that would be the height of irresponsibility,” he said.



Now comes the political pressure.



“Arm twisting would be a polite way to put it,” said Blair Hornor of the New York Public Interest Group. “Some of the things that are now probably prohibited by President Obama will be used.”



The Senate is adjourned until Monday, so the big questions is whether coup members stand strong or fall apart under a barrage of arm twisting.


(Source: WCBSTV) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)


(MRN- 19)
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No Updates Tonight

There will be no posts tonight as we are updating the blog.
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Crude Oil Rises Over 70$, Gas Surges

Tuesday, June 9, 2009


Crude oil rose above $70 a barrel and gas climbed to an eight-month high while the dollar fell,
bolstering the appeal of energy as an alternative investment.



Oil advanced 2.8 percent as rising stock prices reduced the need for holding the U.S. currency as an inflation hedge. The U.S. Energy Department will probably report tomorrow that refiners boosted operating rates to meet summer gasoline demand, according to a Bloomberg News survey.


Crude oil for July delivery gained $1.92 to $70.01 a barrel at 2:51 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest settlement since Nov. 4. Prices have risen 57 percent this year.


Gasoline for July delivery rose 3.07 cents, or 1.6 percent, to end the session at $1.9667 a gallon in New York. It was the highest settlement since Oct. 9.


Regular gasoline at the pump, averaged nationwide, will cost $2.47 a gallon from April through September, the Energy Department said today in its monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook. The retail price forecast is down from $3.81 a gallon last summer and up from $2.21 estimated last month.

(Bloomberg.com) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

(MRN- 19)

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New York Route 17 Lanes Closing

Tuesday, June 9, 2009


Motorists are advised that the New York State Department of Transportation will be removing the temporary concrete barrier on Route 17 between exits 122A and 124 in the Town of Goshen later this week. Work will be performed on Thursday, June 11, and Friday, June 12.

The left and middle lanes of the westbound side will be closed on Thursday between exits 123 and 122A from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to remove the barrier.

The left and middle lane of eastbound will be closed on Friday between exits 122A and 124 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to remove the barrier.

Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.

(Source: MidHudsonNews.com) (Taken almost entirely from: Yeshiva World News)

(MRN- 19 aka MRN- 18)

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Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor Injured At Airport

Monday, June 8, 2009


Supreme Court nominee Sonya Sotomayor, 54, has reportedly broken her ankle after stumbling at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The judge was en route to Capitol Hill on Monday to continue her meetings with the senators.


She started meeting with senators last week, and by the end of the week had met with more than one-quarter of the senate, and most members of the Judicial Committee.


She would replace Souter in the court, if she is confirmed, first got a call from the White House on April 27, had almost daily contact with his office after Souter announced his retirement on May 1.


If confirmed Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic, and the third woman to serve in the court.



(MRN- 19 / MRN- 36)
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