News Briefs

L.A. Shooting Not a Hate Crime?

LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- Los Angeles Police say that there is no evidence of a hate crime or connections to terrorism in last week's shooting of two Orthodox Jews at a Los Angeles-area synagogue.

Police initially listed the Oct. 30 shooting at the Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic Synagogue in North Hollywood, Calif., as a hate crime, but sources told the Los Angeles Times that police are now looking into the possibility that it was related to a business or personal dispute.

Maor Ben-Nissan and Allen Lasry, both shot in the legs, underwent surgery and were reported in good condition.

The shooter fled on foot.

Police arrested a 17-year-old African-American as a possible suspect, but later released him.

Detectives are studying videos taken by the synagogue's security cameras.

Senate Panel Passes Sanctions

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Two key congressional committees passed legislation aimed at pressuring Iran to halt its nuclear program. On Oct. 30, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee passed by a unanimous vote the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2009. The bill includes the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, which would strengthen the president's authority to sanction companies that help Iran import or produce refined petroleum. That is seen as potentially having a large impact on Iran's economy because the country imports up to 40 percent of its refined petroleum. Similar legislation had passed a day earlier by the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Commitee. The Senate version also includes portions of the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, legislation passed by the House earlier this month that protects from lawsuits state and local pension funds who want to divest from Iran.