International

Historic visitor number 3 million gets private Jerusalem tour from Netanyahu

By Stuart Winer An unsuspecting tourist from Romania made history on Tuesday by becoming tourist number 3 million to arrive in Israel this year, receiving a surprise package including a private tour by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Ioana Isac, 31, together with her partner, Mihai Georgescu, arrived on a Wizz Air flight from Bucharest in

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International, Middle East

US Commerce Secretary not really a billionaire: Forbes

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has exaggerated his personal wealth and is not in fact a billionaire, a leading business magazine reported Tuesday. The report by Forbes also accused Ross of serial dishonesty and was more unwelcome publicity for the Trump ally after leaked files this week showed he retained business interests tied to Vladimir

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International, USA

Journalist accuses famed news anchor Haim Yavin of sexual misconduct

By TOI staff After accusing a senior television executive of sexual harassment earlier this week, veteran Haaretz journalist Neri Livneh has now claimed sexual misconduct by a fabled news anchor. Livneh told Kan Bet Radio (formerly Israel Radio) that Haim Yavin propositioned her during a work meeting in the 1980s, promising her an enticing job

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Middle East

In a sharp shift, Trump calls for North Korea to ‘make a deal’

SEOUL, South Korea — President Donald Trump didn’t threaten to unleash “fire and fury” or to “totally destroy” North Korea. He didn’t needle Kim Jong Un by calling him “little rocket man.” Instead, at a news conference in South Korea’s capital Tuesday within range of North Korean artillery, Trump spoke in unusually measured tones and

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International, USA

Menendez trial: Quiet first day of jury deliberations yields no verdict

HACKENSACK, N.J.—As voters headed to the polls Tuesday to pick a replacement for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, jurors at the corruption trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez weighed a decision of their own, spending their first full day deliberating on a verdict. There was one question — but no verdict — submitted by jurors

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USA

Rep. Ted Poe is latest Texas Republican to announce he’s retiring from Congress

WASHINGTON — A fourth Texas Republican — the third in a week — has announced plans to retire from the U.S. House of Representatives after 2018. Rep. Ted Poe, of Humble, announced the news Tuesday evening, calling it an “honor and privilege” to represent the 2nd Congressional District. “Thanks to the good Lord, I’m in

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USA

Trump campaign aide Carter Page acknowledges meeting senior Russian officials in mid-2016

WASHINGTON — Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page met with Russia’s deputy prime minister and several legislators during a campaign-approved trip to Moscow in July 2016, Page has told the House Intelligence Committee in testimony that contradicted his previous public denials. Russian officials pressed him on Donald Trump’s views on the U.S. sanctions

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International, USA

Iranian Officials Deny Alleged Ties to al-Qaida

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi denies Iran’s alleged connection to al-Qaida, and calls the claim an “empty media whirlwind” by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Officials said such claims are a “shameless” attempt to falsify 9/11 records by the CIA. Qasimi’s statement followed the recent release by the CIA of documents that were seized

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Middle East, USA

Judges sleeping through evidence not cause for new trial, Illinois appeals court says

CHICAGO — If a judge falls asleep during a murder trial, should the defendant automatically get a new trial? A divided Illinois Appellate Court panel recently said no; so long as the judge was not dozing through crucial evidence or motions, an inadvertent nap is harmless. “We find that a judge falling asleep during a

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USA

3 prominent Jewish UK authors slam Corbyn’s Labour for anti-Semitism

By TOI staff In a letter to Britain’s The Times, three prominent Jewish writers accused Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party of “widespread” anti-Semitism disguised as criticism of Israel and its policies. Award-winning novelist Howard Jacobson and historians and authors Simon Sebag Montefiore and Simon Schama wrote in Monday’s letter (paywall) that they were “troubled by the

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International, Middle East

Battle over Jewish National Fund money pits Likud against Jewish Home

By TOI staff The ruling Likud party and a key coalition partner are fighting over the government’s decision to shift some NIS 2 billion (some $570 million) from the Jewish National Fund to state coffers. In a cabinet vote Tuesday morning, ministers gave their okay to advancing legislation that would force JNF to transfer 80

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Middle East

Linda & Michael Bennett, 2 others, to receive Shalom Institute awards at Dec. 2 gala in Los Angeles

MALIBU, California (Press Release)–Shalom Institute, home of Camp JCA Shalom in Malibu and the leading experiential Jewish education and retreat center in Southern California, will hold its Gala and Award Dinner on Saturday, December 2,  at Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The Gala honors extraordinary people for their contribution and commitments to the Institute

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San Diego County, USA

Gary Jacobs to be new chair of JCC Assn. of North America

NEW YORK (Press Release) – San Diego philanthropist Gary Jacobs will assume the chairmanship of JCC Association of North America’s board of directors in May. Jacobs, who has focused almost exclusively on philanthropy since 2000, has served on JCC Association’s board since 2002. He will become chairman in May at the JCCs of North America

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International, San Diego County, USA