ALBANY (BNO NEWS) — The New York Senate is expected to vote on a bill on Friday evening which could legalize same-sex marriage in the nation’s third-most populous state. It would represent a major accomplishment for the gay-rights movement.

New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R) said on Friday evening that, after many hours of deliberation and discussion over the past several weeks among members, it has been decided that same-sex marriage legislation will be brought to the full Senate for “an up or down vote.”

“The entire Senate Republican Conference was insistent that amendments be made to the Governor’s original bill in order to protect the rights of religious institutions and not-for-profits with religious affiliations,” said Skelos. “I appreciate the Governor’s cooperation in working with us to address these important issues and concerns.”

It was not immediately clear at what time the vote will happen, but officials at the Senate said at around 7 p.m. ET that it could still take several hours. “As I have said many times, this is a very difficult issue and it will be a vote of conscience for every member of the Senate,” Skelos said.

If the state Senate approves the bill, New York would join Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, D.C. and the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon which is not bound by the Oregon Constitution as they are a federally recognized sovereign nation.

However, as New York is the nation’s third-most populous state, the legalization would be a historic development for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the United States.

On April 1st of this year, the LGBT community marked the 10th anniversary of the first ever same-sex marriage in the world. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to officially recognize and allow same-sex marriages after Queen Beatrix signed the marriage bill into law on December 21, 2000. It went into law on April 1, 2001.

In addition to the Netherlands, same-sex marriage is currently performed in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. In Mexico, same-sex marriage is only performed in Mexico City.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

ALBANY (BNO NEWS) — The New York Senate is expected to vote on a bill on Friday evening which could legalize same-sex marriage in the nation’s third-most populous state. It would represent a major accomplishment for the gay-rights movement.

New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R) said on Friday evening that, after many hours of deliberation and discussion over the past several weeks among members, it has been decided that same-sex marriage legislation will be brought to the full Senate for “an up or down vote.”

“The entire Senate Republican Conference was insistent that amendments be made to the Governor’s original bill in order to protect the rights of religious institutions and not-for-profits with religious affiliations,” said Skelos. “I appreciate the Governor’s cooperation in working with us to address these important issues and concerns.”

It was not immediately clear at what time the vote will happen, but officials at the Senate said at around 7 p.m. ET that it could still take several hours. “As I have said many times, this is a very difficult issue and it will be a vote of conscience for every member of the Senate,” Skelos said.

If the state Senate approves the bill, New York would join Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, D.C. and the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon which is not bound by the Oregon Constitution as they are a federally recognized sovereign nation.

However, as New York is the nation’s third-most populous state, the legalization would be a historic development for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the United States.

On April 1st of this year, the LGBT community marked the 10th anniversary of the first ever same-sex marriage in the world. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to officially recognize and allow same-sex marriages after Queen Beatrix signed the marriage bill into law on December 21, 2000. It went into law on April 1, 2001.

In addition to the Netherlands, same-sex marriage is currently performed in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. In Mexico, same-sex marriage is only performed in Mexico City.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — Three members of Colombia’s rebel group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) have been convicted for taking a U.S. citizen hostage in Panama in 2008, U.S. prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Edilberto Berrio Ortiz, also known as “El Gavilan,” Alejandro Palacios Rengifo, also known as “El Gato,” and Anderson Chamapuro Dogirama, also known as “El Tigre,” were convicted for hostage-taking and hostage-taking conspiracy in a Manhattan Federal Court.

The three men were members of the 57 Front of the FARC, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization, and were found guilty on Monday. They were arrested in Colombia in December 2009 and extradited to the United States in late 2010 and early 2011.

According to the indictment, a U.S. citizen – whose name authorities have withheld – was kidnapped in Panama City, Panama on April 4, 2008. Ortiz, Rengifo and Dogirama guarded the victim at a FARC jungle camp for approximately ten months.

The FARC demanded ransom from the victim’s relatives in the United States and threatened that if the payment was not received they would never see him alive again. The American citizen was released in February 2009 after the ransom was paid.

“For ten months that must have seemed like a lifetime for him and his family, an American citizen was held captive by the FARC, not knowing if he would live or die,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The charges against Ortiz, Rengifo and Dogirama carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment but the United States assured Colombia that the defendants will not receive such term. The three co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on October 24.

The FARC was formed in 1964 and is structured as a military organization, with approximately 10,000 armed guerillas organized into seven “blocs,” 68 numbered “Fronts” (including the 57 Front), nine named “Fronts,” and four urban “militias.”

The rebel group is dedicated to the violent overthrow of Colombia’s democratically-elected government. The 57th Front operates in the territory within Colombia’s Choco Department, which borders Panama.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — Three members of Colombia’s rebel group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) have been convicted for taking a U.S. citizen hostage in Panama in 2008, U.S. prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Edilberto Berrio Ortiz, also known as “El Gavilan,” Alejandro Palacios Rengifo, also known as “El Gato,” and Anderson Chamapuro Dogirama, also known as “El Tigre,” were convicted for hostage-taking and hostage-taking conspiracy in a Manhattan Federal Court.

The three men were members of the 57 Front of the FARC, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization, and were found guilty on Monday. They were arrested in Colombia in December 2009 and extradited to the United States in late 2010 and early 2011.

According to the indictment, a U.S. citizen – whose name authorities have withheld – was kidnapped in Panama City, Panama on April 4, 2008. Ortiz, Rengifo and Dogirama guarded the victim at a FARC jungle camp for approximately ten months.

The FARC demanded ransom from the victim’s relatives in the United States and threatened that if the payment was not received they would never see him alive again. The American citizen was released in February 2009 after the ransom was paid.

“For ten months that must have seemed like a lifetime for him and his family, an American citizen was held captive by the FARC, not knowing if he would live or die,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The charges against Ortiz, Rengifo and Dogirama carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment but the United States assured Colombia that the defendants will not receive such term. The three co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on October 24.

The FARC was formed in 1964 and is structured as a military organization, with approximately 10,000 armed guerillas organized into seven “blocs,” 68 numbered “Fronts” (including the 57 Front), nine named “Fronts,” and four urban “militias.”

The rebel group is dedicated to the violent overthrow of Colombia’s democratically-elected government. The 57th Front operates in the territory within Colombia’s Choco Department, which borders Panama.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) was charged in the United States on Monday in a 317-count indictment for providing support to terrorists and proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, prosecutors said.

IRISL, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, its regional offices, and its agents were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that illegally used financial institutions in Manhattan and evaded U.S. economic sanctions on foreign countries.

“Today our office is shining a spotlight on the fraudulent activities of IRISL, which has been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations for its role in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

According to the 317-count indictment, the 11 corporations and five individuals allegedly falsified the records of banks located in New York County to access illegally the U.S. financial system on repeated occasions.

Furthermore, the defendants deceived Manhattan banks into processing more than $60 million worth of payments using aliases or corporate alter egos to hide their illegal activities.

“For sanctions to be effective, they must be enforced. New York remains the number one target of terrorist organizations around the world, and today’s joint action will make it more difficult for Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism,” added Da Vance.

The state-run IRISL operates throughout the world in major shipping centers, including Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The other corporations mentioned in the indictment included Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines, Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company, Asia Marine Network, Sinose Maritime, Leading Maritime and Oasis Freight Agencies.

The eleven companies and the five individuals were charged with Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree. Many of the companies and individuals were also charged with multiple counts of Falsification of Business Records in the First Degree.

In September 2008, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated IRISL and affiliates working on its behalf for economic sanctions as proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.

IRISL was designated to provide logistical services for Iran’s ballistic missile program. In June 16, 2010, Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines (HDS Lines) and the Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company (Sapid Shipping) were subsequently designated for working on IRISL’s behalf.

The U.S. sanctions prohibited transactions with, and freeze the assets of IRISL and its affiliates, thereby isolating them from the U.S. financial and commercial systems. IRISL also violated UN Security Council Resolutions by chartering vessels transporting ammunition and weaponry from Iran to countries linked to international terrorism.

According to the charges, 36 Iranian cargo containers transporting hundreds of tons of weaponry, including rockets, missiles, mortars, and small arms, were interdicted en route to Syria via the intended port of Beirut in November 2009. It is alleged that this shipment was intended for Hezbollah.

Between September 10, 2008 and January 10, 2011, the defendants allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to continue their access to U.S. financial institutions despite being banned from it. Any use of their real names would have been detected and blocked by U.S. banks, which employ sophisticated anti-fraud and anti-money laundering computer systems to detect prohibited payments from OFAC-sanctioned entities.

However, it is alleged that IRISL and its sanctioned affiliates sent or received scores of illegal payments through Manhattan banks by using alias names and corporate alter egos in Singapore, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

In this way, the defendants deceived banks in New York into processing financial transactions that would have otherwise been blocked and seized. As a result, over $60 million in illegal payments stemmed from the falsification of the records of Manhattan banks.

The five individuals, Cheong Kheng Guan, Alireza Ghezelayagh, Alireza Davoudzadeh, Moghaddami Fard and Mohammad Hadi Pajand, were employees of the co-defendant corporations during the relevant time period and actively participated in the conspiracy.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) was charged in the United States on Monday in a 317-count indictment for providing support to terrorists and proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, prosecutors said.

IRISL, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, its regional offices, and its agents were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that illegally used financial institutions in Manhattan and evaded U.S. economic sanctions on foreign countries.

“Today our office is shining a spotlight on the fraudulent activities of IRISL, which has been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations for its role in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

According to the 317-count indictment, the 11 corporations and five individuals allegedly falsified the records of banks located in New York County to access illegally the U.S. financial system on repeated occasions.

Furthermore, the defendants deceived Manhattan banks into processing more than $60 million worth of payments using aliases or corporate alter egos to hide their illegal activities.

“For sanctions to be effective, they must be enforced. New York remains the number one target of terrorist organizations around the world, and today’s joint action will make it more difficult for Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism,” added Da Vance.

The state-run IRISL operates throughout the world in major shipping centers, including Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The other corporations mentioned in the indictment included Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines, Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company, Asia Marine Network, Sinose Maritime, Leading Maritime and Oasis Freight Agencies.

The eleven companies and the five individuals were charged with Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree. Many of the companies and individuals were also charged with multiple counts of Falsification of Business Records in the First Degree.

In September 2008, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated IRISL and affiliates working on its behalf for economic sanctions as proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.

IRISL was designated to provide logistical services for Iran’s ballistic missile program. In June 16, 2010, Hafiz Darya Shipping Lines (HDS Lines) and the Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company (Sapid Shipping) were subsequently designated for working on IRISL’s behalf.

The U.S. sanctions prohibited transactions with, and freeze the assets of IRISL and its affiliates, thereby isolating them from the U.S. financial and commercial systems. IRISL also violated UN Security Council Resolutions by chartering vessels transporting ammunition and weaponry from Iran to countries linked to international terrorism.

According to the charges, 36 Iranian cargo containers transporting hundreds of tons of weaponry, including rockets, missiles, mortars, and small arms, were interdicted en route to Syria via the intended port of Beirut in November 2009. It is alleged that this shipment was intended for Hezbollah.

Between September 10, 2008 and January 10, 2011, the defendants allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to continue their access to U.S. financial institutions despite being banned from it. Any use of their real names would have been detected and blocked by U.S. banks, which employ sophisticated anti-fraud and anti-money laundering computer systems to detect prohibited payments from OFAC-sanctioned entities.

However, it is alleged that IRISL and its sanctioned affiliates sent or received scores of illegal payments through Manhattan banks by using alias names and corporate alter egos in Singapore, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

In this way, the defendants deceived banks in New York into processing financial transactions that would have otherwise been blocked and seized. As a result, over $60 million in illegal payments stemmed from the falsification of the records of Manhattan banks.

The five individuals, Cheong Kheng Guan, Alireza Ghezelayagh, Alireza Davoudzadeh, Moghaddami Fard and Mohammad Hadi Pajand, were employees of the co-defendant corporations during the relevant time period and actively participated in the conspiracy.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — Four people were killed on early Saturday afternoon when a small plane crashed near a local airport in New York state, federal officials said.

The Cessna 210 was carrying four people when it took off from Westchester County Airport in White Plains at around 1.04 p.m. local time. It was supposed to fly to Montauk Airport in Suffolk County but the pilot stated within a minute or so that he had to return.

“The pilot advised he had to return to White Plains and was trying to return, and went down short of Runway 16, but off the airport field,” said Holly Baker, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. She said the pilot gave no reason for the sudden emergency landing.

Rescue crews found no survivors at the scene of the accident, which is in a wooded area behind the MBIA Insurance office park in Armonk, a small hamlet in the town of North Castle. All four on board are presumed to have been killed.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the accident.

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NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — Four people were killed on early Saturday afternoon when a small plane crashed near a local airport in New York state, federal officials said.

The Cessna 210 was carrying four people when it took off from Westchester County Airport in White Plains at around 1.04 p.m. local time. It was supposed to fly to Montauk Airport in Suffolk County but the pilot stated within a minute or so that he had to return.

“The pilot advised he had to return to White Plains and was trying to return, and went down short of Runway 16, but off the airport field,” said Holly Baker, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. She said the pilot gave no reason for the sudden emergency landing.

Rescue crews found no survivors at the scene of the accident, which is in a wooded area behind the MBIA Insurance office park in Armonk, a small hamlet in the town of North Castle. All four on board are presumed to have been killed.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the accident.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner on Thursday told friends that he plans to resign from Congress amid a growing scandal over his online contacts with women, the New York Times reported.

According to the newspaper, Weiner came to the conclusion that he could no longer serve after having long discussions with his wife, Huma Abedin, who is pregnant and recently returned home on Tuesday after traveling abroad with her boss, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Weiner, who has been the U.S. Representative for New York’s 9th district since January 1999, has been involved in a scandal known as Weinergate since he accidentally posted a sexually suggestive picture on the social networking website Twitter. The Congressman had meant to send it privately to a 21-year-old woman, but accidentally sent it to all of his followers on Twitter.

The politician, who was previously considering a run for Mayor of New York City, has admitted to exchanging sexually explicit messages and photographs with at least six women over a three-year period, both before and during his marriage with Abedin.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in on the scandal and said he would choose to resign if he was Weiner. “I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign. Because public service is exactly that, it’s a service to the public,” Obama told NBC News. Other Democratic and Republican figures have also called on Weiner to resign.

Weiner is expected to announce his resignation at some point on Thursday.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) — U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday said that, if he were U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner right now, he would choose to resign over the scandal.

Weiner, who has been the U.S. Representative for New York’s 9th district since January 1999, has been involved in a scandal known as Weinergate since he accidentally posted a sexually suggestive picture on the social networking website Twitter. The Congressman had meant to send it privately to a 21-year-old woman, but accidentally sent it to all of his followers on Twitter.

The politician, who was considering a run for Mayor of New York City, has admitted to exchanging sexually explicit messages and photographs with at least six women over a three-year period, both before and during his marriage with Huma Abedin, a senior aide to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Both the White House and Obama had remained silent over the scandal, despite calls from a number of Democratic and Republican leaders for Weiner to resign. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Monday that the White House believed the issue is a distraction. “Obviously as Congressman Weiner has said himself, the behavior was inappropriate; the dishonesty was inappropriate,” Carney said.

During the interview aired on Tuesday, Obama said Weiner’s conduct has been highly inappropriate. “I think he’s embarrassed himself, he’s acknowledged that, he’s embarrassed his wife and his family,” the president said.

“Ultimately there’s going to be a decision for him and his constituents. I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign. Because public service is exactly that, it’s a service to the public,” Obama added. “And when you get to the point where, because of various personal distractions, you can’t serve as effectively as you need to at the time when people are worrying about jobs and their mortgages and paying the bills, then you should probably step back.”

Weiner, who reportedly still has the support of his constituents, previously said he would not resign over the scandal. But recent media reports have indicated that Weiner might now be considering to resign as the pressure on him to step down continues to increase.

On Saturday, police in Delaware said they were investigating the online contact Weiner had with a 17-year-old girl. Authorities said there was no evidence of anything inappropriate, but the fact that Weiner had contact with a minor only increased calls for his resignation.

Weiner was granted a two-week leave with pay by the U.S. House on late Monday in order for him to seek professional treatment. But since the U.S. House will be in recess after that period, Weiner will actually have time off until July 5th.

(Copyright 2011 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)