DNA Tests Surprise Immigrants

Testing helped adopted man discover his birth father through his surname

(NEWSER) - A Michigan man's decades-long search for his biological father was fulfilled with an assist from DNA-based genealogy tests, the Wall Street Journal reports. Richard Hill—who didn't know he was adopted until his adoptive father revealed the truth from his deathbed—discovered his birth mother's identity fairly easily but hit a dead end with his father until a modern test connected his DNA profile with a surname. More»

DNA testing has citizens up in arms

(NEWSER) - France's hotly contested immigration bill that includes provisions for DNA testing passed the legislature yesterday. The bill tightens restrictions on would-be immigrants applying for entry to reunite with family members already in the country, and could include DNA testing to prove they're related to people living in France. More»

State Department is operating surveillance drones in the country

(NEWSER) - Many Iraqi officials are outraged that the US is operating drones in the country a month after the American military left, calling the drones a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, reports the New York Times . It's the State Department, not the CIA or Pentagon, that's behind the program, and it says the drones—which are surveillance, not armed, drones—are only there to help provide security to our embassy and consulates. But many Iraq officials bristle at suggestion. “Our sky is our sky, not the USA’s sky," said Iraq's acting minister of the interior, who, along with other officials, says the US has yet to request formal approval from Iraq to run the program. More»

Along with other Americans monitoring Egyptian elections

(NEWSER) - Egypt has placed Ray LaHood's son and several other Americans working for pro-Democracy groups on a no-fly list, barring them from leaving the country. Sam LaHood tried to board a plane out of Egypt in Cairo on Saturday, Politico reports, but was prevented from doing so. A State Department official says they're "working with the government of Egypt to … allow these Americans to come home as quickly as possible." More»

Says Gingrich attack 'unbecoming of a presidential candidate'

(NEWSER) - Immigration took center stage today as Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich fought for votes among Latinos in Florida:

• Romney criticized Gingrich for calling him "anti-immigrant," calling it "very sad for a candidate to resort to that sort of epithet," reports ABC . At a Univision forum, he added: "I’m not anti-immigrant, I’m pro-immigrant. I like immigration. Immigration has been an extraordinary source of strength in this country."
• Gingrich pulled a Spanish-language ad using the phrase against Romney after Sen. Marco Rubio criticized it as "inflammatory," notes the Miami Herald .
• Even though his father was born in Mexico, Romney said he didn't really consider himself a Mexican-American. “I don’t think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican-American,” he said, joking that he would "love to be able to convince people of that, particularly in a Florida primary.”
• A new CNN/Time poll has the two candidates in a statistical dead heat in the state, with Romney at 36% and Gingrich at 34%. Behind them are Rick Santorum (11%) and Ron Paul (9%). More at CNN .