In the News

Norfolk Tides Pitcher Radhames Liz, from El Seybor, Dominican Republic, has been called to the Baltimore Orioles. Considered the No. 2 pitching prospect in the Baltimore Orioles Organization by Baseball America going into the season, Liz told SaborHR.com in April that playing professionally in the United States “is like a dream.” Tides Outfielder Luis Terrero, of Barahona, DR, currently leads all Orioles minor leaguers in runs batted in. The Virginian-Pilot reported on June 29 that the Tides had won only five of their last 18 games.

Starting in June 2009, American citizens will need passports when entering and leaving Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. Post offices in Hampton Roads are holding passport fairs throughout the summer to help with the passport application process and educate the public about the upcoming changes in international travel.

Passport Fairs, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.:

July 9: Page Post Office 2461 Little Creek Road, Norfolk and Bayside Post Office, 2109 Thoroughgood Road, Virginia Beach.

July 17: Norview Post Office, 112 Green St., Norfolk. Spanish interpreter will be available.

July 19: Portsmouth Main Post Office, 933 Broad St., Portsmouth.

Aug. 16: Hampton Main Post Office, 809 Aberdeen Road.

National

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama both spoke at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Washington, D.C., on June 28. Both candidates pledged to make immigration reform a presidential priority. Obama accused McCain of abandoning comprehensive immigration reform to focus solely on border control in an attempt to appease the Republican Party’s conservative base. Polls currently give Obama a slight edge over McCain with the nation’s 9.2 million Hispanic voters, according to McClatchy News Service.

International

The Colombian government successfully pulled off a risky helicopter rescue of 15 hostages from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on July 2 without firing a single shot. Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate in Colombia who spent six years as a captive in the jungle, and three Americans Northrup Grumman employees were among those rescued.

Álvaro Uribe called for a revote of the 2006 election that awarded him a second term as President of Colombia, the New York Times reported. The 2006 elections have been tainted by charges of corruption in the country’s courts. Rather than await the legal review called for by the Colombian Supreme Court, Uribe intends to take the issue directly to voters. Some see the revote as an attempt to remain in office beyond 2010, when Uribe’s term that began in 2006 would end.

On June 26, the U.S. Congress approved a bill that will send $400 million in anti-narcotics assistance to Mexico, the Associated Press reported. The final version of the bill was $100 million less than President Bush’s initial request and included more funds to fight drug trafficking in other Central American countries.

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