USA

European allies give Tillerson an earful about Trump’s decision on Jerusalem

WASHINGTON �� It was Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s bad luck that he was in Europe meeting with dozens of U.S. allies when President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, announced U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which angered much of the world. Tillerson, who wound up a five-day, four-city, three-country tour Friday, got […]

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International, Middle East, USA

Donald Trump accuses Democrats of endangering U.S. citizens with demand for amnesty in spending bill

President Trump pressured congressional Democrats Saturday to drop their demands for amnesty for young illegal immigrants as part of a year-end spending deal, saying their insistence on protecting illegals is part of a liberal mindset that led to the death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco. “Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress not only oppose our efforts

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USA

Arab League condemns US move as ‘dangerous and unjust’

The head of the Arab League has called US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “dangerous and unacceptable” and a “flagrant attack on a political solution” to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. The statement by Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, secretary-general of the regional organisation, came at the start of an emergency meeting of foreign

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Middle East, USA

Texas imam calls for Israel’s destruction – in Arabic

Sheikh Ramadan Elsabagh WASHINGTON – Following President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a Texas-based Islamic cleric has posted a recorded prayer on his Facebook page calling for Israel’s destruction, along with “their allies, and those who assist them and those who allowed them into the abodes of the Muslims.” While Sheikh Ramadan Elsabagh

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Middle East, USA

Grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar cancels meeting with US VP

Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb cancelled a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence after President Donald Trump’s move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Al-Azhar said Friday. In a statement, Al-Azhar, Egypt’s highest Sunni institution, said Tayeb had reversed his previous decision to meet Pence, who is due to travel to Egypt

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Middle East, USA

What will Trump’s declaration on Jerusalem mean to Palestinians?

By Maha Nassar, Assistant Professor in the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies, University of Arizona. When President Donald Trump on Dec. 5 recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, he not only effectively endorsed Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians have also long claimed as their own – he also radically

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Middle East, USA

Incidents of severe disturbances on commercial flights climb

Fewer passengers became unruly on commercial flights last year but more of those incidents involved serious behavior problems such as fighting or threatening passengers and crew members, an airline trade group said. The International Air Transport Association categorizes the incidents on a scale of 1 to 4, ranging in severity from a passenger who does

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Travel and Food, USA

Is Reform Judaism forgetting its Zionism?

Gil Troy The Union for Reform Judaism is holding its Biennial in Boston this week. I know nothing about their governance procedures, but hope they pass — by acclamation — a resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s move recognizing “Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.” The resolution should affirm: Such a resolution, even if accompanied by

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Hardliners look to leverage Trump shift on Jerusalem to Iran’s advantage

The anger and frustration in the Arab world, sparked by Washington’s controversial policy shift on Jerusalem’s status as the capital of Israel, could be a boon for Iranian-backed efforts to undermine the Jewish state and foment international support for Palestine. Tehran along with Lebanese proxy Hezbollah and Hamas, the Palestinian terror group backed by Iran,

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Middle East, USA

Muslims pray outside White House to protest Trump Jerusalem move

Hundreds of Muslims attended Friday prayers in front of the White House to protest President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Responding to the call of American Muslim organizations, worshippers laid out their prayer mats at a park in front of the president’s residence. Wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarves or

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Middle East, USA

Motion picture academy outlines new standards of conduct for the post-Weinstein era

As this year’s Oscar season heats up, along with the usual questions about who’s up and who’s down in the Academy Awards horse race, there are likely to be other, thornier questions lingering in the air at cocktail parties and on red carpets. Since its founding 90 years ago, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA