SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As California lawmakers head to Sacramento Monday to kick off the 2021-2022 session during a massive COVID-19 surge, multiple recent cases among Capitol community employees underscore the challenges facing the Legislature ahead of its second pandemic year. The state has reached a critical point in its fight against the coronavirus. Hospital and
PHILADELPHIA — Former Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput said late last week that President-elect Joe Biden should be banned from receiving Communion because of his support for abortion rights, fueling an ongoing debate among Catholic leaders in the United States over how to relate to the nation’s second Catholic president. Chaput, who led Philadelphia’s diocese from
“It’s time we address the structural inequalities in our economy that the pandemic has laid bare,” President-elect Joe Biden said last week as he introduced his economic team. It’s a good team. They’re competent and they care, in sharp contrast to Donald Trump’s goon squad. Many of them were in the trenches with Biden and
Robert B. Reich: Biden and his team must tackle structural inequality Read More »
USA
Washington (AFP) – The House of Representatives voted Monday to welcome Hong Kong residents to live temporarily in the United States, vowing to be a beacon for rights as China clamps down in the territory. The House moved by consensus to issue so-called Temporary Protected Status for five years to Hong Kong residents, meaning that
House votes to open US doors to Hong Kong residents Read More »
International, USA
HAIFA, Israel (Press Release) –A brilliant engineer who left his mark on cellular phone technology, satellite imagery, and DNA analysis. A talented entrepreneur who launched a multinational corporation. A devoted professor who developed one of the most important mathematical concepts of the 21st century. Any one of these accomplishments would be outstanding and laudable in
Technion Celebrates Viterbi and Ziv Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
Bob Dylan, the nasally voice of the nation for decades, has signed a blockbuster deal to sell his entire song catalog, spanning more than 600 copyrights and six decades. Universal Music Publishing announced Monday that it reached a “landmark agreement” with the 79-year-old singer-songwriter for his lifetime of work, “from 1962’s cultural milestone ‘Blowin’ In
5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement: A renewed call for urgent climate action Recently again, the Philippines was sadly and severely hit by extreme climatic events whose frequency and destructiveness continue to intensify year after year. Indeed, in a span of only a month, Typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses caused significant human and material damage
5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement: A renewed call for urgent climate action Read More »
The World We Share
A leading Palestinian official has resigned from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s Executive Committee in protest at Ramallah’s decision to resume security coordination with Israel, sources have told The New Arab’s Arabic- service. Dr Hanan Ashrawi, a veteran legislator who has taken part in negotiations with Israel, submitted her resignation from the PLO’s executive committee to
ATLANTA — A federal judge threw out a lawsuit Monday that relied on conspiracy theories to try to invalidate Georgia’s election results, which showed Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump. U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten dismissed the lawsuit, which was bought by former Trump attorney Sidney Powell in an attempt to decertify Georgia’s election.
Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Biden’s win in Georgia Read More »
USA
(Tune: Santa Claus is Coming to Town)
He’s wearing a mask.
He’s acting so smart.
Deers cleared for the task.
They’re six feet apart.
Santa Claus is playing it safe. …[Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: Santa Claus Is Playing It Safe Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
President Trump will be hosting an in-person Chanukah party at the White House this coming Wednesday. Many of the Jewish leaders who were invited have declined to attend because of the COVID risk. Some, however, plan to be there, including ZOA president Mort Klein, who explained the motivation of those attending, “They want to see important people and they want to be seen.” At the 2015 White House Chanukah party, President Barack Obama addressed the attendees, including Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, and compared the Chanukkah story to what movie? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: White House Chanukah Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
An Orthodox convert with a criminal past in Baltimore’s drug gangs who turned his life around, married in Israel, and applied for citizenship under the Law of Return two and a half years ago, continues to face a nightmarish bureaucratic struggle in his effort to settle in the Jewish state.Despite being a committed member of
Convert’s nightmarish three-year quest for citizenship continues Read More »
Middle East, USA
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Supreme Court moved up a key deadline Sunday for Pennsylvania officials to respond to a last-minute bid by one of Trump’s top boosters in Congress to decertify the state’s elections results. Previously, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who oversees emergency matters arising out of Pennsylvania for the court, had given
US Supreme Court moves up deadline in congressman’s bid to upend Pa. election results Read More »
USA
Washington (AFP) – The US Supreme Court will hear Monday a case involving an important medieval art collection that Nazi Germany acquired from Jewish dealers. The clash centers on gold crosses, jewels and other religious works from the 11th to the 14th centuries that are now on exhibit in a museum in Berlin. “This case
US Supreme Court hears case on art trove bought by Nazi Germany Read More »
International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA