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Washington mdash; As the Biden administration seeks the release of several Americans who are wrongfully detained abroad, a Republican congressman wants the State Department to shed light on the opaque process that determines which Americans receive <a href=https://www.stanley-quencher.us>stanley cup</a> the rare designation.GOP Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania is introducing the Marc Fogel Act, which would require the secretary of state to tell Congress why the State Department has not made a determination or has determined that there is not credible information showing that Americans held overseas are being detained unlawfully or wrongfully. The bill is named after an American teacher who was arrested in Russia in August 2021 for trying to enter the country with medical marijuana. Fogel was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian prison last year. His case has drawn comparisons to that of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was released in a prisoner swap last December after she was convicted on drug charges and sentenced to ni <a href=https://www.stanleymug.us>stanley cup</a> ne years in prison. Within three months of Griner s arrest, the U.S. declared she was being wrongfully detained, a formal designation that puts the full force of the U.S. government behind securing an American s release.Two other Americans held in Russia mdash; former Marine Paul Whelan and Wal <a href=https://www.stanley-cups.co.uk>stanley cup</a> l Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich mdash; have also received the designation. Whelan was sentenced to 16 years for espionage charges he vehemently denies, while Gersh Bzqd How the Parkland school shooter may have talked himself into a death sentence: One of the state s best witnesses
BERKELEY -- The student group that selected comedian Bill Maher to be the commencement speaker at the University of California at Berkeley has attempte <a href=https://www.nikeairforces.de>af1</a> d to rescind the invitation after student backlash over some of Maher s statements, but the university won t allow it, school officials said Wednesday.CBS San Francisco reports that students gathered more than 4,000 signatures on a change.org petition as of this afternoon, complaining that Maher is racist against Muslims and characterizes Islam as a violent religion.The student group called the Californians, which organizes school events, initially invited Maher to speak at the Dec. 20 commencement but the school has the final say over the speaker. According to the university, the Californians attempted to take back the invitat <a href=https://www.adidas-samba-adidas.fr>adidas samba</a> ion in response to the petition. The UC Berkeley administration cannot and will not accept this decision, which appears to have been based solely on Mr. Maher s opinions and beliefs, which he conveyed through constitutionally protected speech, universi <a href=https://www.campusadidas.it>adidas campus</a> ty officials said. University Chancellor Nicholas Dirks looks forward to welcoming Mr. Maher to the Berkeley campus, the statement said.Graduating senior Taliah Mirmalek, 20, who has been participating in organizing against Maher s appearance said today that she does not think students should be forced to listen to Maher speak if they think he is prejudiced against their religion.The commencement address is di |
