Free Republic

Attila descendants want recognition By Kate Connolly in Berlin (Filed: 12/01/2005) More than 2,000 Hungarian descendants of Attila the Hun, once described as the "Scourge of God", are demanding official recognition as an ethnic minority. "As a member of the European Union, Hungary should not be suppressing a minority," said Joshua Imre Novak, the group's self-appointed leader. Mr Novak has collected more than 1,000 signatures to pursue the group's claim through Hungary's parliament. Many experts dismiss the group's initiative as bogus, arguing that Hungary has no existing descendants of the barbarians who gave the country its name. Under Hungarian law,...

Last January, on a warm afternoon in Tampa, 72,000 people walked into Raymond James Stadium and joined one of the largest, most high-tech police lineups ever.As they passed through turnstiles leading into the stadium, closed-circuit cameras linked to computers scanned their features using face recognition software. In a fraction of a second, the software looked for matches in a database of thousands of criminals' faces.Few people knew they were taking part in the police check. Most probably wouldn't have cared, since they were probably too preoccupied with taking their seats as lucky ticket holders attending Super Bowl XXXV.In all, 19...

Governmental Awards and Recognition of Falun Dafa from China and the World Since its public introduction in May 1992, Falun Dafa has attracted over 100 million practitioners worldwide in just ten years. Falun Dafa cultivation emphasizes that one should conduct oneself according to the principle of "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance". Regardless of gender and age, regardless of nationality and race, every practitioner who persistently cultivates his/her heart and practices the exercises has benefited tremendously. Constant diligent cultivation has brought significant changes to many practitioners in both physical conditions and moral values. At the same time, Falun Dafa is gaining worldwide understanding and appreciation,...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The second-in-command at the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs is recusing herself from Indian gambling and recognition decisions so she can resign and join the private sector - just four months after the head of the department also recused himself from those issues. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Aurene Martin will resign effective Sept. 10, Interior Department spokesman Dan DuBray said Tuesday. Effective immediately, responsibility for tribal gambling and recognition decisions is being given to Mike Olsen, currently the counselor to the assistant secretary. Olsen will become the third official in less than a year...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A man who told investors he was developing a face recognition system following the 2001 terrorist attacks has been arrested on fraud charges, investigators said Monday. Ross Rojek, 36, of Sacramento, was charged with wire and mail fraud for his operation of Face Information Technology, known as Face IT, the FBI said. He also apparently operated American Equity Group LLC under the alias of Jason Williams, the FBI alleged in an affidavit made public Monday. While Rojek purportedly told investors he was developing a system that would automatically match distinct facial features to a database, "it doesn't...

Military members serving at home and abroad in the war on terrorism will now be recognized for that service. Defense officials announced today the final approval of two new medals and their criteria. Individuals who have deployed to operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom will be awarded the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal will be awarded to those who served in airport security operations in the United States following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks or who supported operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle or Iraqi Freedom. "These medals recognize the significant contributions members...

A satellite photo Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld showed the Senate Armed Services Committee recently graphically depicts why Congress authorized the Korean Defense Service Medal. Rumsfeld showed the senators a photo taken at night and the entire southern half of peninsula is bright with light. Almost the entire north is dark. "The (demilitarized zone) is the line in the middle," Rumsfeld told the senators during the budget briefing Feb. 4. "South Korea has got light … and energy and opportunity and a vibrant democratic system. North Korea is a dark, dark country. The little dot of light to the left in...

The Defense Department announced today the creation of the Korean Defense Service Medal (KDSM). The KDSM is a service medal to give special recognition for the sacrifices and contributions made by members of the U.S. armed forces who have served or are serving in the Republic of Korea. Public Law 107-314 legislated the creation of a new medal to recognize military service in the Republic of Korea and the surrounding waters. Members of the armed forces authorized the KDSM must have served in support of the defense of the Republic of Korea. The area of eligibility encompasses all land area...

PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) -- Face-scanning technology designed to recognize registered sex offenders and missing children has been installed in a Phoenix school in a pilot project that some law enforcement and education officials hope to expand. Two cameras, which are expected to be operational next week, will scan faces of people who enter the office at Royal Palm Middle School. They are linked to state and national databases of sex offenders, missing children and alleged abductors. An officer will be dispatched to the school in the event of a possible match, said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "If it works...

Washington will require to close the Iraqi embassies (responsible) The United States will require of the governments of the whole world the closing of the Iraqi embassies in their respective countries in preparation for the fall of Saddam Hussein, announced Thursday of the American persons in charge. The State Department quickly will give instructions to all the American embassies so that they ask their countries hosts to declare that they do not recognize any more the government of Saddam Hussein and close the Iraqi diplomatic representations, said these persons in charge under cover for anonymity. "It is a usual...

US Report Questions PA's Recognition of Israelby Yated Ne'eman Staff The latest semiannual State Department report on the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization explicitly states -- for the first time -- that the PA's failure to rein in terror raises questions about the Palestinians' recognition of the State of Israel's right to exist. Based on this report, President George W. Bush determined last week that the PA is not meeting its commitment to fight terror. The new finding is extremely important since the basis for the willingness of the US to deal with the PLO. The United States changed...

Court fight a possibility for LISD, gay students By RAY GLASS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL A gay student group's request for bulletin board access on the Lubbock High School campus eventually could lead to a court battle, group and school officials said Thursday. "That's one of the options we've discussed with our legal adviser," said Ricky Waite, vice president of Gay and Proud Youth. "We hope it doesn't go to such extremes, but we're not willing to give up." GAP Youth's request to post fliers on school bulletin boards an nouncing group meetings has been turned down by school officials. Waite, during a...