By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK — The conference for peace between Israel and the Palestinians initiated by the French government that took place on January 15 in Paris was positive in many ways. The concluding declaration that collectively emerged pointed out the need to establish a Palestinian state as a prerequisite to peace and stability, urged
Reviving the two-state peace discussion Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastHAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — Where do insects go in winter? A new study published in the prestigious journal Science found that flying insects migrate on a seasonal basis. This movement constitutes the largest migration found in today’s world, creating a mass that is almost eight times that of birds that migrate from Britain to Africa.
Not only snowbirds head south in winter. Insects too Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We ShareA Senate committee on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved James N. Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, according to The Los Angeles Times. Mattis thus became the first of Trump’s Cabinet picks to clear the crucial hurdle. The GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee voted 26-1 in favor of Mattis on Wednesday, according to the
Senate committee confirms Trump’s Defense Secretary Read More »
Middle East, USAGermany’s vice chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, on Wednesday blasted remarks by a prominent member of the German right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, who suggested that Germany should end its decades-long tradition of acknowledging and atoning for its Nazi past. Bjoern Hoecke also criticized the Holocaust memorial in Berlin, saying, “We Germans, our people, are
German official blasts right-wing politician’s Holocaust remark Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryThe FBI said on Wednesday it would probe the wave of false telephone bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the United States. The announcement came after 27 JCCs in 17 U.S. states reported receiving bomb threats, a week after 16 Jewish community centers in nine states received similar threats. The FBI and the Justice
FBI to probe bomb threats against JCCs Read More »
USAIraqi forces battling so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters this week made a grim discovery in a Mosul neighborhood, confirming reports from 2014 that the group had leveled the shrine that is said to have housed the tomb of the prophet Jonah, a key figure in the Judaic, Christian and Islamic religions. “Counterterrorism forces liberated Nabi
Iraqi Forces Say IS Destroyed Historic Tomb of Jonah in Mosul Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East3:20 p.m. Former President George W. Bush still plans to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this week even though his father and mother are hospitalized in Houston. Freddy Ford is a spokesman for the younger Bush in Dallas. He said Wednesday that the 43rd president expects to be in Washington on Friday and doesn’t plan
The day we learn of H.W.’s hospitalization, there is bad news about Barbara Bush as well Read More »
USACNN’s president says the incoming U.S. commander in chief is trying to “delegitimize journalism.” The rift between President-elect Donald Trump and CNN was highlighted once again on Wednesday with the publication of a New York Magazine interview with Jeff Zucker. The piece prompted attacks against Mr. Trump after the writer revisited reporting on unverified intelligence
Jeff Zucker, CNN president, attacks Donald Trump’s attempts to ‘delegitimize journalism’ Read More »
International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAIt’s official: 2016 was the hottest year on record in 122 years of record-keeping, according to independent analyses by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The 1.78-degree jump over the mid-20th-century average marks the third year in a row that global temperatures have reached record-shattering levels. Earth’s average surface temperature has risen about
Earth sets heat record in 2016 � for the third year in a row Read More »
The World We Share, USAWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama closed his presidency on a note of optimism Wednesday, telling a room of reporters that, despite the worry felt by many of his fellow partisans about the incoming Trump administration, “we’re going to be OK.” In what was scheduled as the final news conference of his presidency, Obama said that
Obama’s parting message: Hope Read More »
USAATLANTA — President-elect Donald Trump picked former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Wednesday to be his agriculture secretary, tapping a veterinarian-turned-politician who was the state’s first Republican governor in more than a century to lead the sprawling department. Perdue, 70, had emerged as Trump’s leading contender to run the agriculture department in recent days, and
Donald Trump taps Sonny Perdue as his agriculture chief Read More »
USAvideo video video A train traveling all the way from Yiwu on China’s east coast arrived in London’s Barking station on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the first direct freight train to link the UK and China, crossing the deserts, fields and mountains of Eurasia and ducking under the English channel on its epic 18-day, 12,451 km
First freight train from China to London completes maiden journey Read More »
International, Travel and FoodForget sanctuary cities: The next heated congressional battle on immigration could be over “sanctuary campuses” – colleges and universities who say that unless they’re forced by law, they’ll resist any cooperation with federal immigration agents. Dozens of schools have already declared themselves sanctuaries and many more are debating the move, and Rep. Duncan Hunter, California
Congress looks to punish ‘sanctuary campus’ colleges that protect illegal immigrants Read More »
San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USALost in all of the hype surrounding the last-minute artist bookings, boycotts and protest rallies is the fact that Trump will deliver a speech during Friday’s inauguration. According to reports, it will last about 20 minutes and focus on Trump’s nationalism, rather than specific policies. Related: These lawmakers will boycott Trump’s inauguration on Friday Trump
Decoding Trump’s Bizarre Inaugural Speechwriting Photo Read More »
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