International

Defense secretary choice once opposed expanding Israeli settlements

SEATTLE �� Retired Gen. James Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has condemned expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, repeatedly said the U.S. must find a way for a two-state solution in the region and praised Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal as “valiant.”

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Middle East, USA

Argentine writer Ricardo Piglia dies aged 75

Buenos Aires (dpa) – Argentine novelist and short story writer Ricardo Piglia died on Friday at the age of 75, his publisher Anagrama confirmed. Piglia, one of the most important Argentine writers of the past 50 years, had been suffering for several years from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. He published his first

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Tilikum, the infamous SeaWorld killer whale, has died

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tilikum, the SeaWorld killer whale that inspired the anti-captivity documentary “Blackfish” after killing an Orlando trainer, has died. SeaWorld said Tilikum had been battling a serious and persistent lung infection. Acquired by SeaWorld in 1992, Tilikum helped SeaWorld grow its captive orca collection by fathering more than a dozen offspring. But Tilikum

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The World We Share, USA

90-year-old live grenade discovered in Tel Aviv museum

Sappers remove explosives, thought to have been manufactured in 1920s for the Jewish Underground; will return find once it’s defused By Times of Israel staff Police sappers on Thursday morning confiscated a live, 90-year-old grenade discovered in a Tel Aviv museum. Police were called to the Haganah museum on Rothschild Boulevard after what appeared to

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Middle East

MK gets security detail after petitioning court on Netanyahu probe

Zionist Union’s Erel Margalit threatened after urging fuller scrutiny of PM’s dealings, slamming calls to pardon IDF soldier Elor Azaria By Times of Israel staff Zionist Union MK Erel Margalit (Flash 90) The Knesset guard was ordered Friday to step up security protection around Zionist Union MK Erel Margalit, after the opposition lawmaker was threatened.

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Middle East

Trump Wants All Obama Envoys To Leave By Inauguration: Report

President-elect Donald Trump is breaking with precedent by demanding that politically appointed ambassadors leave their overseas posts by Inauguration Day, a report by the New York Times stated. In the past, new administrations have granted extensions to ambassadors on a case-by-case basis, especially those who have school-going children, for weeks or months. Trump’s transition staff,

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International, USA

Soldiers mutiny in Ivory Coast’s second city Bouaké

Demobilised soldiers launched mutinies in Ivory Coast’s second-largest city Bouaké on Friday, according to military sources and residents. Heavy gunfire was heard from around 2am (0200 GMT) in Bouaké – a city of around a half million inhabitants in the centre of the country – and sporadic shooting continued into the late morning. Military sources

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International

Democrats want fast-food workers to testify at Labor secretary pick’s hearing

WASHINGTON — Almost two dozen Senate Democrats are calling for fast-food workers to testify at the confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s Labor secretary pick Andy Puzder, who is the chief executive of the parent company of the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s burger chains. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Patty Murray of Washington and 21

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USA