Conservative Group Tried to Sell its Support for $2M

It's an outdated, offensive term, says proposed legislation

(NEWSER) - Two senators have introduced a bill to erase the word "lunatic" from the federal code because the term is considered outdated and offensive, reports the Los Angeles Times . "Federal law should reflect the 21st century understanding of mental illness and disease," says Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who co-sponsored the bill with Mike Crapo of Idaho. Mental health advocates are voicing their support for the proposed legislation. More»

Lawmakers plan for nationwide economic meltdown

(NEWSER) - Wyoming lawmakers are ready for anything—even the apocalypse. House legislators advanced a bill Friday to prepare for a possible nationwide economic or political meltdown, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. The legislation would create a task force to consider steps such as issuing a state currency, drafting a statewide army, and acquiring an aircraft carrier. “I don’t think there’s anyone in this room today what would come up here and say that this country is in good shape, that the world is stable and in good shape," said Rep. Lorraine Quarberg. More»

Large toner cartridges banned from passengers flights

(NEWSER) - The recent mail-bomb plot has prompted the Department of Homeland Security to enact new air cargo restrictions, effective immediately, the New York Times reports. Among the changes:

• Certain packages bound to the US from overseas will be subjects to what the anti-terror agency called “additional and enhanced screening.”
• Toner and ink cartridges weighing more than one pound are now banned from all passengers flights.
• A ban on all cargo flights coming from Yemen was expanded to include neighboring Somalia, another known al-Qaeda operations base.

Package bore same explosive as failed Christmas bombing

(NEWSER) - The US-bound mail bomb discovered yesterday in Yemen had al-Qaeda's fingerprint on it, Dubai officials say, having been packaged in a "professional manner" and containing the same explosive as the failed Christmas bombing. "The plot style carries features similar to previous attacks carried out by terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda," Dubai police said. More»

They're found in Dubai and England, prompt plane searches in US

(AP) - Authorities in Dubai and England intercepted apparent mail bombs addressed to Chicago-area Jewish institutions, triggering a worldwide terror alert. Both were found aboard cargo planes, and both were mailed from Yemen. As a result of those scares, cargo planes at airports in the US, including Newark and Philadelphia, also were searched, and officials said no explosives were found in this country. (President Obama called it a "credible terrorist threat.") More»