USA

Why Israel and Morocco Made Public Their Friendship

Morocco and Israel have had cooperative relations for years. Israelis of Moroccan descent have traveled back to see where their families lived, and the small Jewish communities of Rabat and Casablanca were generally respected and left alone. There was trade in the amount of $37 million in 2017, and it is growing. Before the pandemic, nearly 50,000 Israelis visited Morocco annually and more than 2,000 Moroccans visited Israel in 2019. Things were going nicely, albeit quietly—so why make it public now? [Shoshana Bryen]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Kansas Republican icon Bob Dole: ‘The election is over and Biden will be president’

WASHINGTON — Former Republican presidential nominee and Kansas political icon Bob Dole said Thursday the election has been decided, whether President Donald Trump accepts the outcome or not. “The election is over and (Joe) Biden will be president on January 20. I know the president has not conceded and he may never concede, but he

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USA

Ivanka Trump Shares Rare Family Photo Celebrating Chanukah With Kids Arabella, Joseph & Theodore Kushner

Earlier this week, Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner posed with their three children, Arabella, Joseph and Theodore to celebrate Chanukah. “Happy Chanukah from our family to yours! #HappyChanukah,” wrote the first daughter in an Instagram post. Trump is serving looks in a power business suit while Kushner is in a black sweater. The kids appear to be wearing pajamas

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Jewish Religion, USA

FDA panel gives thumbs up to Moderna’s COVID vaccine, paving way for final approval

An influential government panel of scientists unanimously endorsed Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine candidate for emergency use on Thursday, paving the way for final approval from U.S. regulators as early as this week. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which advises the Food and Drug Administration on drug and inoculation approvals, voted 20-0 that the

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USA

Biden’s new ad: ‘I need Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff’ in the Senate

ATLANTA — President-elect Joe Biden cut an ad for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock that ties the twin runoff races for control of the U.S. Senate directly to the fate of his plan to contain the coronavirus pandemic and juice the economy. The minute-long ad released Thursday outlines Biden’s plan to boost the public

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USA

Editor’s surgery postponed; SDJW will continue publication

As previously reported, I had been scheduled for brain surgery on Dec. 18, but on the recommendation of an anesthesiologist at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego, the surgery will be delayed for four to six weeks.  The anesthesiologist was troubled by an X-Ray showing a spot on my lower lung that suggested the possibility of pneumonia. My neurosurgeon informed me today any problem in the lungs can cause serious difficulties during an estimated six-hour surgery in which it’s necessary to insert a  breathing tube will be inserted. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Pence and Biden lock in COVID-19 vaccine plans, but Trump still holding out

Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence are locking in plans to get vaccinated for the coronavirus — but the most powerful man in the nation hasn’t followed suit yet. Donald Trump, who is only president for 35 more days, has yet to make arrangements to get inoculated for the vicious respiratory virus, even though

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USA

Pennsylvania congressmen who wanted to throw out their own state’s votes still don’t acknowledge Biden’s win

PHILADELPHIA —The seven Republican congressmen from Pennsylvania who supported a lawsuit that would have thrown out their own state’s votes in the presidential race had little to say about the final outcome after the U.S. Supreme Court flatly rejected their effort and the Electoral College certified President-elect Joe Biden as the winner this week. Three

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USA

Turkey’s Erdogan calls US sanctions ‘attack on sovereignty’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called US sanctions against Ankara over its purchase of a Russian missile defence system an “open attack” on the NATO member state’s sovereignty. The United States made good on months of threats to punish Turkey for buying the S-400 system under a 2017 law known as CAATSA, which

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Middle East, USA

’Too soon to give up’: Trump hits back at McConnell for admitting election defeat

Hours after powerful Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted President-elect Joe Biden won the election, President Donald Trump lashed out at his sometime GOP ally for throwing in the towel too early. “Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!” Trump tweeted early Wednesday morning. Trump shared an

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USA

Jen Campbell solidifies her City Council control

City Council President Dr. Jennifer Campbell solidified her control over City Council business by appointing herself and the four councilmembers who supported her for president against Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe to key committee positions. The five councilmembers who voted for her now are the exact same membership of the Rules Committee, which according to the City of San Diego’s website, has responsibility for the “charter, permanent rules of council, open government, elections and ballot measures, annexations, boards and commissions, council initiated matters, communications, customer service and public outreach.” Besides Campbell, who will chair the committee, other members include Raul Campillo, Stephen Whitburn, Marni von Wilpert, and Chris Cate. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Michigan lawmakers issue subpoenas to Detroit, Livonia clerks

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House and Senate oversight committees voted Tuesday to issue subpoenas to clerks in Livonia and Detroit as Republican lawmakers bolstered their push to investigate the Nov. 3 election. Under the subpoenas, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey and Livonia City Clerk Susan Nash will have to produce a trove of documents

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USA