International

MSNBC political analyst Mark Halperin put on leave over sexual harassment claims

Political journalist and author Mark Halperin was pulled Thursday from his contributor’s role at MSNBC after a report that he sexually harassed five women during his tenure at ABC News. Five women who worked with Halperin when he was political director of ABC News in the early 2000s told CNN that he propositioned them or […]

MSNBC political analyst Mark Halperin put on leave over sexual harassment claims Read More »

Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Baltimore lacked authority to take down Confederate monuments, state says

BALTIMORE — The state agency charged with protecting Maryland’s history has concluded that Baltimore officials didn’t have the legal authority to remove three statues commemorating the Confederacy and says it reserves the right to order the city to put them back. Elizabeth Hughes, director of the Maryland Historical Trust, shared the trustees’ conclusions in an

Baltimore lacked authority to take down Confederate monuments, state says Read More »

USA

House Republicans pass GOP budget with $1.5 trillion deficit increase to fund Trump’s tax cuts

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Thursday gave final approval to a 2018 GOP budget resolution, allowing for a $1.5-trillion deficit increase that sets the stage for President Donald Trump’s tax cuts. Republicans overcame internal divisions about the budget but must still resolve differences over the coming tax package, which is scheduled to be unveiled next

House Republicans pass GOP budget with $1.5 trillion deficit increase to fund Trump’s tax cuts Read More »

USA

Poland objects to planned visit by US white supremacist

Poland’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it objected to a visit by US white supremacist Richard Spencer, whom Polish nationalists have invited to an Independence Day event next month. Spencer is the 39-year-old leader of the so-called “alt-right” movement — encompassing white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan — and the organiser of a

Poland objects to planned visit by US white supremacist Read More »

International, USA

Berkeley student newspaper apologizes for Alan Dershowitz cartoon decried as anti-Semitic

The University of California Berkeley student newspaper has apologized for an editorial cartoon of Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz that had been denounced as anti-Semitic. “We have seen with sharp clarity the pain and anger caused by an editorial cartoon that ran online in our opinion section on Oct. 18, and we apologize for

Berkeley student newspaper apologizes for Alan Dershowitz cartoon decried as anti-Semitic Read More »

Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

‘Almost all Israeli students in Belgium are Mossad agents’

A Belgian academic said that nearly all Israeli students in Belgium are “Mossad Agents” at the screening of an Israeli movie at a film festival this week. Professor Marianne Blume was invited to speak at the screening of ‘This is my Land,’ a film directed by French-Israeli director Tamara Erde addressing the competing narratives of

‘Almost all Israeli students in Belgium are Mossad agents’ Read More »

International, Middle East

Another Canadian university rejects BDS

The University of Winnipeg Students” Association (UWSA) on Wednesday voted against a motion in favor of adopting the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Anti-Israel activists were unable to persuade a critical mass of University of Winnipeg students to support this initiative, thanks to students who organized the campaign opposing it. The move was

Another Canadian university rejects BDS Read More »

International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

PLO says Israel ‘annexation’ plan means end of two-state solution

Senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi says Israeli plans to incorporate West Bank settlement blocs around Jerusalem into the city could kill hopes for an independent Palestinian state. A member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party has said that draft legislation to form a “Greater Jerusalem” municipality would go to a ministerial committee on

PLO says Israel ‘annexation’ plan means end of two-state solution Read More »

Middle East

High Court again rules Tel Aviv mini-marts can open on Shabbat

By Tamar Pileggi The High Court of Justice on Thursday rejected a petition that would prevent Tel Aviv mini-markets from operating on Shabbat, infuriating ultra-Orthodox lawmakers who vowed to bypass the court with fresh Knesset legislation.. In her final ruling from the bench, outgoing Justice Miriam Naor underscored the need for religious pluralism in Israel.

High Court again rules Tel Aviv mini-marts can open on Shabbat Read More »

Middle East

Argentina’s ex-president Kirchner denies covering for Iran in bombing

Former Argentine president Cristina Kirchner on Thursday denied covering up for Iranians accused of involvement in a 1994 bombing at a Buenos Aires Jewish center that left 85 people dead. Calling the case an “absurdity,” Kirchner, who held office from 2007 until 2015, went on to attack the judge overseeing the case, which is based

Argentina’s ex-president Kirchner denies covering for Iran in bombing Read More »

International

French priest who uncovered Nazi killing sites awarded Lantos rights prize

By Eric Cortellessa WASHINGTON — A French priest whose work has uncovered millions of previously unknown victims of the Nazi genocide was awarded the Lantos Foundation’s Human Rights Prize on Thursday morning, named for the Holocaust survivor and longtime California congressman. Father Patrick Desbois, a Roman Catholic clergyman who teaches at Georgetown University’s Program for

French priest who uncovered Nazi killing sites awarded Lantos rights prize Read More »

International, Jewish History, USA

Fatah continues campaign against Balfour Declaration

The Fatah movement headed by Mahmoud Abbas, who also serves as Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman, on Wednesday condemned British Prime Minister Theresa May, who announced her intention to officially mark the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. Munib al-Jar’ub, the Fatah official in charge of public diplomacy, said that May’s remarks express a bias toward

Fatah continues campaign against Balfour Declaration Read More »

International, Middle East

Poll: Overwhelming majority of Israelis oppose ‘Immunity Law’

A new poll commissioned by Channel 10 found that an overwhelming majority of Israelis oppose a controversial bill that would bar police investigations into a sitting prime minister. According to the poll, fully 71% of Jewish Israelis said that that they oppose the law while 19% said they supported it. Ten percent said that they

Poll: Overwhelming majority of Israelis oppose ‘Immunity Law’ Read More »

Middle East

Report: Haredi MKs to vote against ‘Greater Jerusalem’ bill

Haredi MKs from United Torah Judaism party are planning to vote against the “Greater Jerusalem” bill proposed by Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud), Kan reported Thursday. This coming Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation is set to vote on the “Greater Jerusalem” bill, potentially securing coalition support for the proposal. If passed by the committee, the

Report: Haredi MKs to vote against ‘Greater Jerusalem’ bill Read More »

Middle East