USA

Obama defends Affordable Care Act as Republicans look to take first step in repeal

WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama marked the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with a robust defense of the law Republicans sought to begin repealing Thursday. In a lengthy written statement, Obama made no explicit mention of the action pending in the House. But he clearly contrasted the grueling process that ended with his […]

Obama defends Affordable Care Act as Republicans look to take first step in repeal Read More »

Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Charles Schumer says Democrats will filibuster SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Thursday that Democrats will attempt to filibuster Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination, saying he would tilt the Supreme Court too far away from what Democrats want to see. “After careful deliberation I have concluded that I cannot support Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court,” Mr. Schumer said,

Charles Schumer says Democrats will filibuster SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch Read More »

USA

Mom, I might be Jewish

Sara Renee Miller Growing up in an evangelical home while toddling between three locations (Maui, Missouri, Maine), there was a surprising lack of ethnic diversity and outside information available. By this, what I really mean is that I didn’t meet my first Jewish person until just two years before grad school at Hebrew University, nor

Mom, I might be Jewish Read More »

International, Middle East, USA

Trump asked Israel to stop building outside ‘blocs’

President Donald Trump”s envoy Jason Greenblatt asked Israel to cease building in communities in Judea and Samaria located outside of the so-called “settlement blocs”, an Israeli source privy to Greenblatt”s talks with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Haaretz on Wednesday. According to the source, during the talks, which took place in Israel last week, Greenblatt

Trump asked Israel to stop building outside ‘blocs’ Read More »

Middle East, USA

Jewish group slams ‘specious accusations of anti-Semitism’

The Coalition for Jewish Values, an Orthodox Jewish advocacy group, today harshly condemned “specious accusations of anti-Semitism” coming from sectors of the Jewish community, directed at US government officials and the Trump Administration as a whole, dismissing these allegations as “unfounded, damaging and embarrassing.” CJV Senior Rabbinic Fellow Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer remarked, “these recriminations are

Jewish group slams ‘specious accusations of anti-Semitism’ Read More »

USA

Erdan: We hope arrest will shed light on threats against JCCs

Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan (Likud) commented on the arrest by Israeli Police of a suspect believed to have been involved in the recent wave of threats against Jewish centers and other institutions: “I congratulate the Israeli Police on leading a complex international investigation, together with law enforcement agencies from around the world, which

Erdan: We hope arrest will shed light on threats against JCCs Read More »

International, Middle East, USA

Israeli arrested in wave of bomb threats against US Jewish centres

This story updates previous one Tel Aviv (dpa) – An Israeli teenager was arrested Thursday as part of a internationally coordinated investigation into a wave of bomb threats against US Jewish centres, according to Israeli police. Israeli authorities and foreign law enforcement, including the FBI, worked together over the last few months to track down

Israeli arrested in wave of bomb threats against US Jewish centres Read More »

International, Middle East, USA

Twitter users denounce Donald Trump Jr for criticizing London mayor

Washington (dpa) – Twitter users on Wednesday denounced Donald Trump Jr, the US president’s eldest son, after he criticized London mayor Sadiq Khan in the wake of a terrorist attack in the British capital which left three civilians and one police officer dead. “You have to be kidding me?!: Terror attacks are part of living

Twitter users denounce Donald Trump Jr for criticizing London mayor Read More »

International, USA

Teacher fired over allegedly ‘bullying’ student into standing for Pledge

CHICAGO — A second teacher has been disciplined at Eisenhower High School in suburban Chicago over a student’s refusal to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Vince Ziebarth, who has worked in District 218 since 2009, and was a full-time driver’s education teacher at the Blue Island, Ill., school since January 2014, said he was

Teacher fired over allegedly ‘bullying’ student into standing for Pledge Read More »

USA

Baltimore Cardinal William Henry Keeler dead at 86

BALTIMORE — Cardinal William Henry Keeler, the longtime leader of the Archdiocese of Baltimore whose influence in the Catholic Church spanned international borders over nearly six decades, died Thursday. He had turned 86 this month. The retired archbishop of Baltimore, who led the region’s nearly 500,000 Catholics from 1989 until 2007, died while under the

Baltimore Cardinal William Henry Keeler dead at 86 Read More »

Obituaries & memorials, USA

Former President Obama sends a heartfelt message to the victims of the London terrorist attack

On Wednesday, the world was rocked again when London, England, came under attack from an assailant that first plowed his car into pedestrians on the Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer inside the gates of Parliament. The attack resulted in five deaths, including the assailant, and more than 40 injuries. British Prime Minister Theresa

Former President Obama sends a heartfelt message to the victims of the London terrorist attack Read More »

International, USA

Asian American students push to reveal what the ‘model minority’ myth hides

Between three jobs and a full academic course schedule, University of Washington senior Sam Le is always on the go. He also plans to graduate on time this June. But that wasn’t the case when he was a freshman and nearly flunked out. “I was taking hard classes early on and I was commuting really

Asian American students push to reveal what the ‘model minority’ myth hides Read More »

International, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

While vacationing in Mexico, American spring breakers chanted “build that wall”

A Mexican newspaper blasted a group of young Americans visiting Cancun on spring break after witnesses said they broke into chants of “Build that wall” earlier this month and refused to stop, despite complaints. In an editorial published Friday, The Yucatan Times said the incident was not isolated but was part of a growing number

While vacationing in Mexico, American spring breakers chanted “build that wall” Read More »

International, Travel and Food, USA

US spy agencies ‘may have picked up Trump communications’

Donald Trump’s communications may have been swept up in intelligence gathering on suspected foreign agents, according to explosive allegations made by the Republican head of the House intelligence committee. Devin Nunes — who worked on Trump’s transition team and is now leading an investigation into possible links between that campaign team and Russia — said

US spy agencies ‘may have picked up Trump communications’ Read More »

International, USA