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June 28, 2017 at 10:09 am
Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky is one of the audible voice of prominence opposing the cabinet decision to freeze the Kosel status. The decision brings an abrupt end to plans to develop an egalitarian prayer area near the Kosel, at Robinson’s Arch. Sharansky explained that while he believes PM Netanyahu cares about all “streams of Judaism”, he feels he is weak when it comes to standing up to pressure from within the coalition.
Members of Federations who were present in Israel when the cabinet decision was announced signaled their disgust, some announcing they would cut donations while others signaling they do not plan to come again. Sharansky called on them not to withdraw donations nonetheless.
Sharansky told reporters that in essence, there is n...
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June 28, 2017 at 10:08 am
A House panel on Tuesday weighed legislation that would split off management of the nation’s skies from the Federal Aviation Administration and give that responsibility to an independent, nonprofit company.
The idea is to remove air traffic control from the vagaries of the government budget process. Proponents say Washington dysfunction hampers the FAA’s efforts to update equipment designed to make flying quicker and safer. The FAA would maintain its role in issuing and enforcing regulations designed to enhance safety.
The union representing about 18,000 air traffic control workers and engineers supports Rep. Bill Shuster’s bill. The union said the legislation will protect the workforce and provide predictable funds for the aviation system.
President Donald Trump...
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June 28, 2017 at 10:07 am
A mother and her 5-year-old son are in intensive care following organic phosphorus poisoning.
A mother and her five-year-old son from one of the northern communities were evacuated on Monday, 2 Tammuz to the Emek Hospital in serious condition, suffering from organic phosphorus poisoning. One hypothesis is that they were exposed to the dangerous pesticide after eating the sprayed grapes they picked and did not wash before eating.
“The mother and child were rushed to us by the father when they were in very serious condition, in a compromised state of consciousness and signs of phosphorus poisoning, including respiratory secretions, rapid pulse, sweating, red light and dizziness,” said Dr. Gilad Chen, director of pediatric emergency medicine at the Emek Medical Center. The...
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June 28, 2017 at 10:05 am
The House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO’s mutual defense pact.
Lawmakers passed the measure Tuesday, 423-4, roughly a month after President Donald Trump failed to explicitly state his support for Article 5 during a visit to NATO headquarters. Article 5 is the alliance’s “one for all, all for one” agreement. Trump did eventually back the collective defense accord.
House Speaker Paul Ryan sponsored the resolution, which was also backed by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
The resolution also voices strong support for a decision made at a NATO summit in 2014 calling for each member to spend at least 2 percent of its nation’s gross domestic product on defense by 2024.
Trump...
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June 28, 2017 at 10:04 am
Tzfat Sephardi Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita is calling on Hadassah pediatric oncologists and hospital administration to enter into dialogue, which should also include Health Minister Yaakov Litzman. He added that physicians responsible for children should not be striking, bringing pesukim from Parshas Hashavua, Chukas referring to the ‘nachash hanechoshes’, healing and how pikuach nefesh supersedes Shabbos – showing the significance of saving lives as being of paramount importance.
Rabbi Eliyahu fears the strike may lead to loss of life among the pediatric victims chas v’sholom, citing police and soldiers are other groups of professionals prohibited from striking.
In a related matter, on Tuesday 3 Tammuz, the parents of the children rejecte...
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June 28, 2017 at 10:01 am
Facebook is reaching another milestone, announcing that it now has more than 2 billion users.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the new marker was reached early Tuesday and in a Facebook post said that he’s proud of the role his company is playing in connecting people around the world.
Facebook says more than 175 million people declare they “love” something on the site daily and an average of more than 800 million people hit Facebook’s like button.
Facebook users will likely see a personalized video celebrating the milestone in the next few days.
The Menlo Park, California, company is putting more emphasis on creating virtual communities within the site while it also works to reduce violent, hateful and misleading content on the service.
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June 28, 2017 at 10:00 am
The recent cabinet decision to freeze the religious status quo at the Kosel has Reform and Conservative Jewry up in arms as it eliminates plans to establish the egalitarian prayer area near the Kosel. Among those speaking out against the decision were Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky and Minister Naftali Bennet, with both expressing fears the decision will further fracture relations between Diaspora Jewry and the State of Israel.
Bennet, who heads the Bayit Hayehudi party, is also Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
Bennet explained on Tuesday 3 Tammuz that American Jews view the decision as a “Slap in the face”, warning it serves to increase the gap between them and the State of Israel.
Using social media, he explains that America Jews feel they were just slapped in t...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:59 am
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Tuesday warned of Russia’s simmering alienation from its western neighbors but said he believed that President Vladimir Putin will ultimately work toward cooperative relationships with countries on its borders.
During his diplomatic career, the 94-year-old senior statesman supported a policy of detente with the Soviet Union, opened relations with China and helped negotiate the Paris Peace Accords, which helped end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He was also involved in negotiating with Syria to stop the fighting that emerged from the 1973 war between Egypt and Israel.
Speaking at the Margaret Thatcher Conference on Security in London, Kissinger predicted ongoing friction with Russia over Ukraine and Syria. Russia, which h...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:58 am
Jerusalem police arrested an eastern capital resident who posed as a Bituach Leumi employee and stole 2,000 shekels from an elderly couple.
Police during the last weeks of May received a complaint from an elderly couple explaining a male in his thirties arrived at their home in the center of town. He presented himself as an agent of Bituach Leumi while noticing the woman’s bag against the entrance. At some point he pushed her and made off with her wallet, containing 2,000 shekels in cash.
Police forensic experts arrived at the scene to gather evidence and the investigation led to the arrest of a 38-year-old Arab resident of the eastern capital. The suspect was arraigned on Tuesday, 3 Tammuz, at which time police asked to extend his remand in custody.
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June 28, 2017 at 9:57 am
Some demolition work on a New York metro area bridge has been halted after falling debris damaged cars on the streets below.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says chunks of concrete fell off the Bayonne Bridge early Monday and damaged three vehicles.
The bridge connects Staten Island with Bayonne, New Jersey. Residents on the Staten Island side say falling debris has gotten worse lately.
Local auto repair shop owner Vaughn Bellocchio says if anyone had been in the area when the concrete fell “they would have been dead.” He says he can’t see any protective measures to catch falling debris.
Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says concrete demolition work has been suspended until a contractor submits a plan aimed at preventing accidents.
Demolitio...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:55 am
Three months ago, Republicans condemned political groups aligned with President Donald Trump for doing almost nothing to promote a health care bill. Now they think one of the groups may have gone too far.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided Tuesday to call off a planned vote this week on a proposal to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s health care law. Some on the Hill blamed the unexpected delay on aggressive tactics by America First Policies, a politically active nonprofit run by a former White House aide and Trump campaign veterans.
The group spent four days on a pull-no-punches campaign against Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, beginning shortly after he surprised members of his own party with a Friday afternoon press conference denouncing the Sen...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:54 am
Computers around the world were locked up and users’ files held for ransom in a cyberattack Tuesday that paralyzed some hospitals, government offices and major multinational corporations.
Here’s a look at how malware and ransomware work and what people can do if they fall victim to attacks.
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WHAT IS MALWARE AND RANSOMWARE?
Malware is a general term that refers to software that’s harmful to your computer, says John Villasenor, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ransomware is a type of malware that essentially takes over a computer and prevents users from accessing data on it until a ransom is paid, he says.
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HOW DOES YOUR COMPUTER BECOME INFECTED WITH RANSOMWARE?
In most cases, the software infec...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:53 am
When the Trump administration’s travel ban takes partial effect this week, immigrant-rights lawyers plan to head to the nation’s major airports to make sure eligible foreigners are able to get into the country.
But attorneys say few people are likely to be affected, and they don’t expect a repeat of the mass confusion that resulted earlier this year when President Donald Trump rolled out his original ban on travel from a group of mostly Muslim countries.
“Our hope is unlike the chaos that previously occurred, there will be a much smoother and much less traumatic result,” said Caitlin Bellis, an attorney at Public Counsel in Los Angeles.
The Department of Homeland Security hasn’t offered any guidance on how this week’s Supreme Court ruling ...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:52 am
The House has moved to provide lawmakers with a $25,000 allowance to take additional security steps in the wake of the shooting at a congressional baseball practice earlier this month.
The additional funding is intended to be used to beef up security, including at home-district offices and public appearances, and is available through the beginning of next year.
The stipend comes on top of office allowances averaging $1.3 million for travel, staff salaries and other expenses.
The additional funding swept through the House by a unanimous voice vote.
The shooting earlier this month raised concerns among lawmakers about the adequacy of their personal security, especially as politics in the U.S. has become hyper-polarized.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise remains hospitalized after ...
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June 28, 2017 at 9:51 am
European regulators fined Google a record 2.42 billion euros ($2.72 billion) for abusing its dominance of the online search market in a case that could be just the opening salvo in Europe’s attempt to curb the company’s clout on that continent.
The decision announced Tuesday by the European Commission punished Google for unfairly favoring its own online shopping recommendations in its search results. The commission is also conducting at least two other probes into the company’s business practices that could force Google to make even more changes in the way it bundles services on mobile devices and sells digital advertising.
Even so, Europe’s crackdown is unlikely to affect Google’s products in the U.S. or elsewhere. But it could provide an opportunity ...
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June 27, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Basil Pizza and Wine Bar, the popular Crown Heights eatery, had their Kosher certification removed on Monday due to "personal issues."
Basil Pizza and Wine Bar, the popular dairy Crown Heights eatery, had their Kosher certification removed on Monday.
Owner Danny Branover said the certification by the OK was removed "without warning," due to personal reasons, not related to Kashrus.Branover issued a statement to COLlive:"The OK removed their certification from us without warning because of personal issues, and without giving us any time to obtain an alternate Hashgacha. We are working diligently to obtain a new high level certification."In the interim, Basil will continue providing our customers with the highest levels of Kashrus, under the self-certification of Mendel ...
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June 27, 2017 at 9:48 pm
Brooklyn, NY - NYC Councilman Chaim Deutsch announced today that he has successfully advocated for the installation of “Shabbos meters” in the Flatbush area, including on parts of Avenue J, Avenue M, Coney Island Avenue, Avenue N, Avenue O, and the surrounding side streets with existing muni-meters.
The program will be implemented by the end of August 2017.
“Shabbos meters” are regular muni-meters that are programmed to allow for a Friday afternoonpre-payment of up to four hours of parking. This allows Shabbos-observant motorists to park at muni-meters before sundown, and not have to worry about receiving a summons before parking regulations end at 7pm.
Deutsch has worked closely with Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg to bring ...
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June 27, 2017 at 9:45 pm
Workers have installed a Ten Commandments monument outside Arkansas’ Capitol, two years after lawmakers approved a measure permitting the statue on state grounds.
The 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) monument was placed on the Capitol grounds early Tuesday. Opponents of the monument have said it amounts to an unconstitutional endorsement of religion and have threatened to sue.
Plans for Arkansas’ monument sparked a push by the Satanic Temple for a competing statue of Baphomet, a goat-headed, angel-winged creature accompanied by two children smiling at it. Efforts to install that display, however, were blocked by a law enacted this year requiring legislative approval before the commission could consider a monument proposal.
Arkansas’ monument is a replica of a display...
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June 27, 2017 at 9:43 pm
Minister of Agriculture (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel received a warm welcome from Gavad Eida Chareidis HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss Shlita. Ariel arrived with a colleague, prominent dati leumi askan Natan (Nus) Natanson.
During the visit, Rav Weiss thanked Minister Ariel for his efforts in matters pertaining to strengthening kashrus and Shabbos.
Clearly Ariel’s presence made for immediate news in Meah Shearim as the Gavaad is not known to host dati leumi personalities too often.
The Gavaad also presented Ariel with a sefer which included the following personal hand-written message.
“למעלת כבוד מר אורי אריאל שיחי’. מוגש בזה לאות תודה והוקרה עבור פועלו למען כשרות העופות בארץ ישראל, בב...
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June 27, 2017 at 9:41 pm
One month before Election Day, Jared Kushner’s real estate company finalized a $285 million loan as part of a refinancing package for its property near Times Square in Manhattan.
The loan came at a critical moment. Kushner was playing a key role in the presidential campaign of his father-in-law, Donald Trump. The lender, Deutsche Bank, was negotiating to settle a federal mortgage fraud case and charges from New York state regulators that it aided a possible Russian money-laundering scheme. The cases were settled in December and January.
Now, Kushner’s association with Deutsche Bank is among a number of financial matters that could come under focus as his business activities are reviewed by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is examining Kushner as part of a broa...
