Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds an early lead over his reformist opponent, economist Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, after the polls closed across Turkey Sunday evening. The Turkish Electoral Body announced Sunday night that with 75.4% of the vote counted, Erdogan leads Kılıçdaroğlu 53.4% to 46.6%. Erdogan bested Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate for the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), in the first vote on May 14th, but narrowly failed to clear the 50% threshold needed to win outright, sending the country into a second round of voting. Running at the helm of the right-wing Justice and Development Party, Erdogan received 49.5% of the vote in the first round, compared to 44.89% for Kılıçdaroğlu. Last week, nationalist third-party candid...
With days to spare before a potential first-ever government default, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday were finalizing a deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling while trying to wrangle enough Republican and Democratic votes to pass the measure in the coming week. The compromise announced late Saturday includes spending cuts but risks angering some lawmakers as they take a closer look at the concessions. McCarthy and Biden were set to put the finishing touches on the agreement in a midafternoon call once the final legislative text was drafted. Biden told reporters at the White House upon his return from Delaware that he was confident the plan will make it to his desk and that no sticking points remain...
Jerusalem, Israel - May 28, 2023 - Imagine walking into an art gallery or a museum and encountering a captivating artwork that surrounds you with sights, sounds, and interactive elements. That's the realm of a new media installation artist who blends technology, such as computers and projectors, with traditional art forms to create immersive and thought-provoking experiences. Instead of simply hanging a painting on a wall or placing a sculpture on a pedestal, new media installation artists use a combination of digital tools, multimedia elements, and physical structures to create their art. They might project videos on walls, create interactive installations that respond to your movements, or use virtual reality to transport you to different worlds. The beauty of their work lies in ...
"Let the stranger praise you, but not your own mouth". This proverb from Mishlei implies that often, outsiders, are better able to distill the virtues which we ourselves, take for granted. Ironically, it is oftentimes hateful and antisemitic slander which reminds us of the deeper qualities of Jewish identity. A few weeks ago, Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, ridiculed observance of Passover. Contemptuously, he mocked that "it [Pesach] happened over 3000 years ago..get over it". Despite his malicious scorn, Rudy is absolutely right, and, of course, absolutely wrong. Yetziat Mitzrayim did occur over 3000 years ago, but we can't “get over it”, nor for that matter, do we ever want to "get over it". We call this inability to "get over it" by a different name...
 Elon Musk's Neuralink received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its first-in-human clinical trial, a critical milestone for the brain-implant startup as it faces U.S. probes over its handling of animal experiments. The FDA approval "represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people," Neuralink said in a tweet on Thursday, without disclosing details of the planned study. It added it is not recruiting for the trial yet and said more details would be available soon. The FDA acknowledged in a statement that the agency cleared Neuralink to use its brain implant and surgical robot for trials on patients but declined to provide more details. Neuralink and Musk did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. The criti...
I do not have any pictures of this magnificent scene and that is for the best. What follows is an attempt to describe in words what I witnessed when the sun rose over the Kotel plaza where tens of thousands had gathered on Friday morning for the festival of Shavuot.I decided to be just a reporter for a few minutes to find out who those people were:There was a group that had come from Ma'alot, a town in the Western Galilee, to celebrate the holiday in Jerusalem and a synagogue group from Arad in the Northern Negev.I also met high school groups from New York and from Los Angeles. "This is their first time," the Los Angeles high school principal said, "and it is clear to see that they will remember this day all their lives."On one of the roofs of the Jewish Quarter I saw a group chanting...
The Israel Ministry of Defense Tank & APC Directorate and the IDF delivered the first series of Eitan APCs to the Nahal Brigade. Additionally, Nahal Brigade infantry soldiers operated the Eitan APCs in various simulated combat scenarios in a first-of-its-kind exercise in northern Israel. Head of the IMoD Tank and APC Directorate, Brig. Gen. Oren Giber: "After several years of hard work in developing, testing, and manufacturing, the first serial production Eitan APCs have been delivered to the esteemed Nahal Infantry Brigade. The Eitan constitutes a groundbreaking leap forward in the field of wheeled combat vehicles, and is the first of its kind in the IDF. It offers a unique set of capabilities, including superior mobility and survivability for our fighting forces. It has the capabi...
US First Lady Jill Biden will embark on a trip to the Middle East and North Africa - but is leaving Israel off the itinerary. According to a press release, Biden will visit Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Portugal in a trip which aims "to strengthen the United States' partnerships and advance our shared priorities in the region." These engagements "will focus on the empowerment of youth around the world," the release added. It pointed out, "As First Lady, this will be Dr. Biden's second visit to the African continent and her first visit to the Middle East." Biden is expected to depart the US on Tuesday, May 30, and return on Monday, June 5. It is not clear why she left Israel off the itinerary.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to shelve the Nonprofits legislation, which aims to limit the aid foreign governments and bodies provide to Palestinian Authority Arabs, following increasing international pressure. According to a report by Galei Tzahal's Yanir Cozin, a significant part of that pressure came from members of the Biden administration, who presented Netanyahu with an ultimatum. According to the report, the White House made it clear to the Prime Minister that if he is interested in a meeting with President Biden and assistance in advancing normalization with Saudi Arabia, he would need to shelve the legislation that would harm civilian organizations immediately. Netanyahu, who has been working hard to score a meeting with the US Pre...
The extreme weather also has the authorities warning that there’s a risk of dangerous flash flooding Israel was hit by over a hundred fires on Shabbos, exacerbated by a heatwave and strong winds. The Karmia nature reserve, near the Gaza Strip, was the scene of just one major blaze, reportedly caused by a barbecue flaring up. In the northern city of Acre, a second fire generated thick smoke, disrupting traffic. Firefighters also responded to a third major blaze in the northern area of Har Turan, part of the Galilee, which led to the evacuation of hikers. As of the afternoon, there were 121 reported fires across the country. The presence of many Israelis enjoying a long holiday weekend in the nature reserves made the firefighters' task more complex, as temperatures reac...
Kosher from the First Drop Join us on a fascinating discussion with Rabbi Mordechai Stareshefsky, a Rabbinic Coordinator at OU Kosher, about the complexities of certifying baby formula.
The Texas House on Saturday voted to impeach embattled state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). The vote was 121-23, with two present but not voting, and three who were absent from the chamber. He will be suspended from office pending a trial in the Senate. The impeachment represents a sudden reversal for Paxton, who has twice cruised to reelection despite being under active federal indictment. On Thursday, a state House investigative committee recommended his impeachment, finding that he had “used, misused, or failed to use his official powers in a manner calculated to subvert the lawful operation of the government.” The 20 counts in the resolution contained a grab bag of alleged inappropriate favors done for d...
Top leaders in both parties reached a long-sought deal on Saturday to avoid an unprecedented government default, announcing an agreement on a plan to lift the debt ceiling for two years and apply new caps on federal spending over the same duration. To get there, negotiators had to iron out their differences on a small but crucial list of outstanding issues that had dogged the talks in recent days, including lower spending levels, new work requirements for social benefit programs and permitting reforms to expedite approval of energy infrastructure projects — three Republican demands that were opposed by most Democrats.  The impasse became so entrenched Saturday evening that President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who had no plans to speak, sta...
Baltimore, MD - May 27, 2023 - Queen B Pest Services fell victim to a brazen robbery in Pikesville. The company's Vice President, Yudy Brody, stated to FOX45 that despite keeping their vans within the sight of security cameras, criminals managed to tamper with four of them. The thieves stole four catalytic converters, worth around $300 each on the black market, within just twenty minutes. This resulted in a total of twenty thousand dollars worth of damage, with each vehicle estimated to cost $5000 to repair. Due to a global shortage, the precious metals found in catalytic converters - platinum, palladium, and rhodium - are quite valuable, with rhodium valued at approximately $10,000 per ounce. Law enforcement analyst Melisssa Pinkelton advised measures to prevent such thefts...
A group of 16 US senators from the Democratic Party are urging the Biden administration to ensure that equal treatment of all US citizens – regardless of ethnicity, national origin and religion – is upheld within the Visa Waiver Program, as it considers Israel’s candidacy to join the coveted program. The letter, sent on Wednesday and quoted by Haaretz, is the most significant Congressional missive to date expressing skepticism that Israel is currently eligible to enter the program. Acceptance of Israel into it would spare its citizens the time-consuming and expensive process of obtaining visas for US visits, allow for 90-day visits for tourism or business and catalyze economic cooperation. The Biden administration, with outgoing US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides...
Agudath Israel of America congratulates the Biden Administration in the wake of the release of its National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. It is a historic, comprehensive, “all-of-government,” initiative that seeks to fight Jew-hatred and its various ugly manifestations. Equally important, it sends a clear message that the United States – in its fundamental values, laws, and policies – finds antisemitism an unmitigated evil that is repugnant and intolerable and must be rooted out of the mindset and actions of American society. As we approach the Jewish holiday of Shavuos, there is little time to review in detail all the pillars of the strategy, and we will have to delay that analysis until after the festival. We are pleased to note, however, that in it many ...
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday that if elected president, he will consider pardoning all the Jan. 6 defendants — including former President Trump — on his first day in office. “On day one, I will have folks that will get together and look at all these cases, who people are victims of weaponization or political targeting, and we will be aggressive in issuing pardons,” DeSantis said on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” podcast when asked about whether he will consider pardoning Jan. 6 defendants, including Trump, who is currently facing a federal investigation over his role on Jan. 6. “I would say any example of disfavored treatment based on politics, or weaponization would be included in that revie...
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the Supreme Court's ruling Thursday that limited the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate bodies of water, calling it a "MAGA" court even though the decision was 9-0. On Thursday, the high court issued an opinion that narrowed the EPA's broad definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The court said the federal government must define WOTUS as a water source with a "continuous surface connection" to major bodies of water.  The decision upended an attempt by the Biden administration to regulate wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams and other "relatively permanent" waterways, which had relied on a broad reading of the EPA's authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA). "This MAGA S...
Baltimore, MD - May 25, 2023  - On Tuesday, May 23, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore broke ground on a new three-story, 125,000 square foot cancer building. This state-of-the-art facility, designed with the comfort of cancer patients in mind, will unify all outpatient cancer services for both adults and children. The building, named the Mandy and Dennis Weinman Cancer Building in recognition of the local couple who donated $5 million towards the project, will be situated along Greenspring Avenue. The facility will feature 32 adult infusion bays, 16 adult exam spaces, seven pediatric infusion bays, six pediatric exam rooms, renovated radiation oncology suites, as well as other spaces to support services. This transformative project was developed with considerable input from patients...
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