By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
INTERNATIONAL
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to authorize land attacks on her country’s drug cartels, directed Mexico’s Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente to make contact with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “and if necessary speak with President Trump to strengthen coordination.”
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San Diego’s Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-California) posted on X on Friday: “Before the U.S. toppled Maduro in Venezuela, Donald Trump tipped off Big Oil companies, but not Congress. Today, he’s meeting with Big Oil again. Congress hasn’t authorized any U.S. action – but Big Oil has a seat at the table. This is what an oligarchy looks like.”
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Norman Schueler, government liaison for the Jewish Community Council of South Australia, wrote a letter to the organizers of the Feb. 28-March 5 Adelaide Writers Week urging them to disinvite Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency quotes The Guardian that in response nearly 50 other writers have canceled their appearances at the week-long event. Abdel-Fattah called the revocation of the invitation ‘a blatant act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship and a despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre.”
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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he hopes U.S. foreign aid for his nation’s military can be cut to zero within a decade, Reuters reported. He announced on Thursday that Bulgaria’s former defense and foreign minister Nickolay Mladenov would serve as director-general of President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” overseeing the reconstruction of Gaza. According to NBC News, the board, under Trump’s plan, will supervise a Gaza government of technocrats, Hamas’ disarmament, pullbacks of Israeli troops, and the deployment of an international security force.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, his nation’s capital, damaged the Qatari embassy. He pointed out that Qatar has helped to mediate an exchange of prisoners between the two warring countries. He called for a “clear response” from Ukraine’s allies, especially the United States.
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Einav Zangauker, who led protests in Israel for the return of the hostages, including her son Matan Zangauker, has announced she will run for the Knesset. What party she will affiliate with is currently undecided, Ha’aretz reports.
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NATIONAL
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he believes the nine-year sentence given to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters is too harsh, so he is considering clemency for the 70-year-old inmate for whom President Donald Trump urged a full pardon. Peters was convicted in October 2024 for allowing private citizen Conan Hayes to secretly access voting machine data in the 2020 disputed election that saw Joe Biden defeat incumbent Donald Trump. When the Colorado governor initially rebuffed Trump’s suggestion that Peters be pardoned, the U.S. President threatened retaliation.
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Alisa Kasmer, a cousin to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted on Thread: “Renee Nicole Good’s death is blood on YOUR hands, Stephen. I’m just glad our grandparents are no longer alive to witness the shame you have brought to our family.” After louisx111 suggested “He must have been a barrel of laughs at Thanksgiving dinner,” Kasmer responded, “He was a really funny kid. Very dry. Very sarcastic. Smart. Weird kid but we all have weird family memes right? Had no clue who he would become. Its (sic) been a long while since our last family holiday together. And there won’t be in the future.” Ngoldfarb1 commented, “You are the Mary Trump of the Miller family. Bless you.” Kasmer responded that President Trump’s niece, Mary, who has repeatedly criticized him, “is an absolute hero.”
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Dick Zimmer, a former Republican congressman from New Jersey, died Dec. 31, 2025, at a nursing home at age 81. He was the principal author in 1996 of Megan’s Law, requiring authorities to disclose where registered sex offenders live.
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Thad Levine has been hired by the Milwaukee Brewers as a special adviser. He had led the Minnesota Twins to four National League Central Division titles in his eight years as the team’s general manager.
STATE & LOCAL
Rabbi Sammy Sandler has been appointed by Aish Ha Torah, an Orthodox educational outreach organization, as a full-time representative in San Diego County. He and Rabbi Mendel Polichenco of Chabad of Carmel Valley conduct services together.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World