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December 15, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Berlin police have banned American and Israeli flags at a pro-Palestinian march, after flag burning at previous recent protests prompted outrage in Germany.
Police are also trying to crack down on anti-Semitic chants by having translators accompany the Friday march and record any illegal utterances.
Jewish leaders condemned anti-Israel and anti-Jewish chants during protests in Germany last weekend against the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Berlin police said the marchers Friday were warned in Arabic and German about restrictions, including the ban on flags.
Police said the march will be filmed, adding: “we will not tolerate forbidden utterances.”
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December 15, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Ailing Republican senators John McCain and Thad Cochran missed votes this week, but their presence will be crucial early next week as the GOP tries to pass a sweeping $1.5 trillion tax package in the Senate with a razor-thin majority and all Democrats opposed to the legislation.
McCain, 81, of Arizona, is at a Washington-area military hospital being treated for the side effects of brain cancer treatment. Cochran, 80, of Mississippi, had a non-melanoma lesion removed from his nose earlier this week.
Adding to the uncertainty on Thursday was Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who said he would vote against the bill if negotiators failed to expand the child tax credit.
A Senate Armed Services Committee hearing opened Thursday without McCain in the chairman’s seat and members of the pane...
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December 15, 2017 at 2:09 pm
A draft statement former FBI Director James Comey prepared in anticipation of concluding the Hillary Clinton email case without criminal charges was heavily edited to change the “tone and substance” of the remarks, a Republican senator said Thursday.
Some of the edits proposed to the May 2016 draft, obtained by The Associated Press, appear to soften the gravity of the bureau’s findings.
Comey, for instance, initially wrote that the FBI believed that Clinton and her aides were “grossly negligent” in their handling of classified information, language also contained in the relevant criminal statute.
But the text was edited to say they were simply “extremely careless” in their use of a personal email server, a phrase Comey adopted for his July...
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December 15, 2017 at 2:07 pm
New York and New Jersey announced Thursday how they will pay for their share of an estimated $13 billion project to build a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River and other improvements, with New Jersey’s outgoing governor outlining a plan that calls for progressively steeper fare hikes for train riders in his state during the next 20 years.
New Jersey’s Democratic Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, who will replace term-limited Republican Chris Christie next month, immediately took issue with the decision to raise fares.
“I’d like to know whether there were alternatives that did not involve further fare hikes and if so why they were not pursued,” he said. “This is the type of deal that tells you a lot about why people are frustrated with politics. You wait...
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December 15, 2017 at 12:23 pm
As the Conferees from the House and Senate continue their work on H.R.1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we have been hearing some encouraging reports indicating that the Qualified Tuition Reduction benefit - so important to our teachers and staff,- will be retained. We still have heard nothing definitive, however, about the expansion of 529 plans to include K-12 expenses.
As the bill will likely remain a moving target until the final vote, we continue to urge you to contact Congress about the two issues- QTR and 529s - we have been highlighting (to learn more about why these issues are so important to our community see our original action alert). Any reports of a "deal" are currently unverified or refer to "agreements in principle."
Please click on the link below to con...
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December 15, 2017 at 12:21 pm
Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudath Israel's New Jersey Office, clarified the news reports that his group has "settled" its lawsuits against Jackson as a result of the proposed resolution to allow the placement of eruvs on local utility poles.
"We are currently engaged in mediation with Jackson Township. While we are encouraged by the Township's Resolution, no settlement has yet been reached. We are not at the end and much more still needs to be worked out. We remain hopeful for a positive resolution."
Agudath Israel's lawsuit also covers two additional discriminatory Jackson ordinances: the dormitory ban throughout the Township; and the ban on building Yeshivos in residential areas, which is essentially the only realistic option. Neither of these two bans have be...
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December 15, 2017 at 12:09 pm
A Brooklyn neighborhood patrol group and the NYPD teamed up to nab a masked woman and an Army soldier who tried to rob two men early Friday.
The masked woman confronted Chaim Stein, 22, and a friend as they were walking near Humboldt St. and Maujer St. in Williamsburg about 12:25 a.m.
“Give me your (expletive deleted) money,” she told them.
They refused and yelled for help.
The woman jumped empty-handed into a car driven by Frederick Henderson, 20, a U.S. Army soldier, police and sources said.
“We started yelling and running and the people on the block began to chase them,” Stein told the Daily News. “It was my first time — I was very shocked.”
Members of the Shomrim volunteer neighborhood patrol followed the car, and someone called 911.
Cop...
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December 15, 2017 at 11:51 am
A recreational drone operator was at fault in the first confirmed midair collision in the U.S. between a drone and a manned aircraft, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.
The operator was unaware the Federal Aviation Administration had temporarily banned drone flights in New York when his small drone collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter on Sept. 21, the board said in a report on the incident. The U.N. General Assembly was meeting in New York at the time.
The helicopter suffered minor damage while the DJI Phantom 4 drone was destroyed, the report said.
The operator flew the drone 2.5 miles away despite a long-standing FAA prohibition on drone flights beyond the sight of an operator, the report said. The helicopter pilot saw the drone and tried to maneuver a...
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December 15, 2017 at 11:51 am
An Israeli Border Police officer was stabbed by a Palestinian Authority Arab during riots near Ramallah, a police spokesman reported.
The terrorist pulled out a knife and stabbed the Border Police officer in the shoulder.
The officer, who suffered moderate injuries, was treated at the scene before being transferred to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.
Border officers responded to the stabbing attack and shot the suspect, neutralizing him. Approaching the terrorist, the officers realized he had an explosive belt, and shot him a second time to prevent him from detonating it. The terrorist was later taken from the scene by the Red Crescent medical service after being wounded by the IDF fire.
Authorities suspect the terrorist disguised himself as a journalist before running up to the Bor...
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December 15, 2017 at 11:16 am
Dutch police said they shot a man wielding a knife at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Friday, prompting authorities to clear the building.
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December 15, 2017 at 11:12 am
A Palestinian terrorist stabbed an IDF Border Guard at a protest in Ramallah on Friday. The terrorist had what appeared to be a “bomb belt” strapped to him as well. He was thankfully neutralized before being able to hurt anyone else.
The wounded officer was rushed to Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem with moderate injuries. He suffered two stab wounds in the upper body.
The terrorist was taken away from the scene by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service.
It was still unknown if there was actually any explosives in the bomb belt – which was clearly visible in (attached) photos from the scene, or just meant to scare Israeli Security Forces.
Additionally, it is being reported that the terrorist was mingling around members of the media/press to be able to w...
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December 15, 2017 at 11:08 am
A major part of Sefer Bereishis is involved with the story of Yosef. He is a strong individual. He succeeds beyond all the expectations that people had for him. He had dreams about his relationship to his family. One regarding his brothers alone, and another regarding his parents along with his brothers.
Most people’s dreams reflect what they are thinking about during the day and can be dismissed. On occasion, dreams have a prophetic quality to them where Hashem is sending the dreamer a message. Yosef was convinced that his dreams were a form of nevuoh which had to be revealed and ultimately fulfilled. Yosef knew that he was hated by his brothers and that sharing these dreams would make things worse. But he felt duty-bound to relate these dreams to them since they were a nevuoh that...
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December 15, 2017 at 10:54 am
Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita. arrived to pay his respects at the Shiva house for Maran HaRav Shteinman ZATZAL on Thursday night. His son HaRav Yitzchak Shaul Kanievsky, and his grandson joined him for the visit.
Rav Kanievsky read aloud the Tzava (will) of Maran HaRav Shteinman over and over again and moved the crowd with his emotional reading of the text.
Rav Kanievsky told the gathered crowd and the family, that when Rav Shteinman was much younger and still an Avreich, whenever he would come to see The Chazon Ish, the Chazon Ish stood up for Rav Shteinman. He added that the Chazon Ish would also escort Rav Shteinman to his home even though the Chazon Ish was much more advanced in years.
Rav Kanievsky added that his father the Steipler ZATZAL would also rise fo...
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December 15, 2017 at 10:41 am
Parshas Mikeitz / Shabbos Chanukah / Shabbos Mevorchim Teves /Baltimore Zmanim / Eruv is UP!
Baltimore, MD – Dec. 15, 2017
Parshas: Mikeitz
Today: 27 Kisleiv
Chatzos: 12:02 PM
Hadlakas Nairos: 4:26 PM
Shkiah: 4:44:24 PM
Tzais HaKochavim: 5:35 PM
Rosh Chodesh Teves: Monday, Dec. 18, Tues., Dec. 19
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December 15, 2017 at 10:41 am
Baltimore could be hit its third round of measurable snow within a week.
WBAL-TV 11 Meteorologist Ava Marie says parts of the Baltimore area could see 1 to 2 inches of accumulation and slick roads.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM this evening.
Maryland State Highway Administration crews are pre-treating major roadways with a slat brine to melt any snow that falls today. SHA spokesman Charlie Gischlar says crews only have about a five hour window as of 8 this morning to treat the roads.
He does say there is some residual salt on some roadways following Wednesday night's clipper storm. Gischlar says road pavement temperatures are around freezing meaning pre-treating roads with salt will be ef...
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December 15, 2017 at 10:04 am
Histadrut National Labor Federation Chief Avi Nissenkorn has announced he is declaring a national general strike and shutting down the country on for half of Sunday, 29 Kislev in response to the planned firing of about 3,000 employees by Teva Pharmaceuticals.
“The entire economy – from the airport to the banks to the seaports to the municipalities to the government service to the health clinics – will stand until noon on Sunday in solidarity with Teva’s employees,” Nissenkorn told reporters.
Teva is shutting or relocating most of its Israel operations, firing 3,300 of 6,430 employees in Israel. Teva plans to cut the number of jobs at its global headquarters in Petach Tikvah by 45%.
Nissenkorn said, “Teva has received NIS 22 b...
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December 15, 2017 at 9:54 am
A raucous occurred on Wednesday in the meeting of the Knesset committee that is responsible for infant rights. During the lively meeting, 10 Rabbinical judges from the Rabbinical high court expressed their opposition to the proposed change in the current law that gives custody rights to the mother for all children under the age of six. The proposed change would affect the long-standing precedent that a mother in a divorced or separated couple would have the majority of the custody of children under the age of two except in cases of special consideration.
Director of the Rabbinical Courts in Israel, Rabbi Shimon Yakoby requested that the members of the Rabbinical court intercede during the committee meeting and express their opinion. In a letter penned by the Rabbis they wrote: We, the und...
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December 15, 2017 at 9:54 am
A gunman shot two suburban St. Louis police officers in the torso before barricading himself inside a home Thursday, but bulletproof vests saved both officers from serious injury.
The shooting happened in the city of Bellefontaine Neighbors. The two local officers — a 44-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman — were hospitalized with bruising and checked for internal injuries, said St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire.
“By God’s will, both officers were struck in a location where they had protection,” McGuire said.
The officers were released from the hospital by midday. Both are expected to recover.
Police had been looking for a 37-year-old man wanted for questioning after a Wednesday night report of shots fired, McGuire said. Officers saw t...
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December 15, 2017 at 9:53 am
The Federal Communications Commission repealed the Obama-era “net neutrality” rules Thursday, giving internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T a free hand to slow or block websites and apps as they see fit or charge more for faster speeds.
In a straight party-line vote of 3-2, the Republican-controlled FCC junked the long-time principle that said all web traffic must be treated equally. The move represents a radical departure from a decade of federal oversight.
The push toward eliminating the rules has touched off protests and stirred fears among consumer advocates and ordinary Americans that cable and phone companies will be able to control what people see and do online. On Thursday, about 60 demonstrators gathered in the bitter chill in Washington ...
