Friday, February 28, 2014

‘Racist’: The Report Israel Doesn’t Want You to Read

BEN WHITE, INFORMED COMMENT: The U.N. has just published a report which is a damning indictment of its treatment of non-Jewish citizens


The post ‘Racist’: The Report Israel Doesn’t Want You to Read appeared first on MidEastPosts.com.






From MidEastPosts.com

GAO Report: Airline Pilot Shortage? Not Clear

Regional airlines report difficulty over the past year in finding enough pilots to hire, according to a government watchdog report obtained by The Associated Press, but it isn’t clear whether there is a shortage of pilots. Researchers found “mixed evidence” of a shortage, said the Government Accountability Office. A key economic indicator supports the emergence […]



From Yeshiva World News

Greenfield Calls for Immediate Hiring of Additional Crossing Guards as Part of Vision Zero Effort

As an immediate first step in the ambitious Vision Zero plan to end traffic deaths in New York City, Councilman David G. Greenfield, a member of the Council’s Transportation Committee, is calling on the NYPD to hire more crossing guards to make sure that every public and private school is adequately monitored each morning and […]



From Yeshiva World News

Three European states freeze Ukraine ex-leaders' assets

Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein on Friday moved to freeze assets and bank accounts of up to 20 Ukrainians including ousted president Viktor Yanukovich and his son, after Ukraine's new rulers said billions had gone missing.



The measures were announced as the crisis in Ukraine worsened, with armed men taking control of two airports in Crimea in what Ukraine's new government described as an invasion and occupation by Russian forces, although Moscow denied involvement.



The three countries did not say how much money was affected by the asset freezes. The European Union agreed to similar measures last week but they have yet to come into force.



Ukraine's new prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk on Thursday accused Yanukovich of stripping state coffers bare and said $37 billion of credits had disappeared. In the past three years $70 billion had disappeared into offshore accounts, he added.



The Swiss government ordered the freezing of the assets of 20 Ukrainians, including the fugitive president and his son Oleksander, the Swiss financial markets authority FINMA said.



Swiss authorities said the asset freeze would come into force on Friday at noon.



The prosecutor's office in Geneva said it had also launched a money laundering investigation against Yanukovich and his son.



"A penal investigation for severe money laundering is currently being conducted in Geneva against Viktor Yanukovich and his son Oleksander," a statement said.



It said prosecutor Yves Bertossa and the police had searched the office of a company owned by Oleksander Yanukovich on Thursday morning and seized some documents.



Switzerland said on Thursday it would order banks to freeze any funds in Swiss banks found to be linked to any Yanukovich funds.



From JPost.com - Headlines

German court says Nazi suspect unfit for trial


Court says Hans Lipschis, an SS guard at Auschwitz, is suffering from 'worsening dementia' and couldn't be tried.



From ynet - News

Berlin – Germany: No Spy Deal With US Anytime Soon

Washington – Profile Of VP Biden Reveals A Man Who Is Still Undecided About 2016; But Who Isn’t Ready For The “Ride To End”

MK Mitzne: Look Where Sharing the Burden Has Taken Us

MK (The Movement) Amram Mitzne spoke with Kol Berama Radio on Thursday, 27 Adar I 5774. The MK, who is known to align with the political left-wing, is a retired IDF major-general and a former Haifa mayor. Mitzne was asked if he believes if the IDF really needs the chareidi inductees and to comment on […]



From Yeshiva World News

Polyandry In The Middle East? Jordanian Woman Found Married To Four ... - Al-Bawaba









Polyandry In The Middle East? Jordanian Woman Found Married To Four ...

Al-Bawaba

Though polygamy is practiced and legal in many Muslim countries, polyandry is forbidden according to religious law. The issue of women's rights in the Middle East has reemerged amid the Arab uprisings and the reform of governments throughout the region.









From Middle East - Google News

דגימת ה-DNA שהייתה יכולה להציל משפחה



באשיר נג'אר מדבורייה רצח בשנת 2013 בירי חמישה בני אדם, בהם גרושתו ושלוש בנותיו. בדיקת הנשק גילתה כי הוא נגנב בשנת 2009 מדירה בבית יהושע, אך דגימות DNA שנמצאו בזירה - לא נבדקו. למרבה האבסורד, נתוניו של אותו פורץ כבר היה בידי המשטרה בשנים קודמות, כך שעבודה נכונה הייתה מובילה לתפיסתו - וייתכן שאף להחרמת הנשק ומניעת הרצח





From ynet - חדשות

Lexington, MS – Man Wakes Up In Body Bag At Funeral Home In Mississippi

Washington – Main Israel Lobby Seeks To Regain Footing As Netanyahu Visits U.S

Totowa, NJ – Cops Take Down International Auto Theft Ring

Jerusalem – Israel Warns Lebanon To Curb Hezbollah Reprisals For Air Strike

Fighting to Keep Cinema Center Open on Shabbos

As Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Deutsch and his chareidi colleagues are working to prevent Cinema City from opening on Shabbos, the matter has already reached the Supreme Court. A hearing on the petition to permit opening the new Jerusalem entertainment complex on Shabbos is expected on or about March 10th. Petitioners explain the ultra modern and […]



From Yeshiva World News

Israel demands UN nuclear watchdog issue full disclosure on Iran nuclear program



Steinitz says IAEA should not withhold information for diplomatic reasons; statement follows Thursday report of a file the IAEA mothballed last year that may have revealed more of Iran's suspected nuclear weapons research.





From JPost.com - Middle East News

אוקראינה: מסוקים רוסיים חדרו למרחב האווירי



משמר הגבול של אוקראינה דיווח כי יותר מ-10 מסוקי קרב רוסיים פלשו למרחב האווירי של חצי האי קרים וחיילים רוסיים מכתרים בסיס של משמר החופים. מוקדם יותר השתלטו חמושים על שני שדות תעופה. לטענת אוקראינה ולפי עדויות, מדובר בחיילים רוסים. הנשיא המודח ינוקוביץ' יקיים מסיבת עיתונאים





From ynet - חדשות

Ukraine – Russian Marines Surrounded Coast Guard Base

Russia – Ukrainian Fugitive President Appears At Russia News Conference

Berlin – German Court Says Nazi Suspect Unfit For Trial

Japan – Tokyo Bitcoin Exchange Files For Bankruptcy

South Korea – Seoul: NKorea Fired Scuds For 1st Time Since ’09

Rebel TV channel makes waves in Aleppo

Station run from southern Turkey is valuable provider of independent information for regime supporters used to heavy censorship of Syrian state media



From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com

Rare postcard written by Golda Meir fetches $4,654 at LA auction

A rare postcard written by Golda Meir showing the Nile River in Cairo sold on Thursday in Los Angeles for $4,654.



The postcard, written by Meir in Hebrew and Yiddish while she was in Egypt, was addressed to Shoshana Golotzinskit in Tel Aviv, Palestine.



It reads: “Shalom Shoshana, I hope that you telegraphed me the addresses. Please send the Horowitz book immediately, tell Lobatkin that I forgot to buy it. I ask you, my dear, to write me. It’s very difficult for me. Shalom to Ruthie. Golda.”





From JPost.com - Headlines

Israel urges IAEA to issue full report on Iran nuclear research


Following Reuters story about International Atomic Energy Agency report revealing full extent of Iranian nuclear program being shelved after thaw in relations with Iran, Israel demands answers



From ynet - News

Israel to limit access to al-Aqsa mosque


Following riots, Knesset debate to place the holy site under full Israeli jurisdiction, police limit access to Muslim men



From ynet - News

'Omar' puts a human face on Mideast conflict

"Omar," an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign-Language Film this year, is a smart and suspenseful thriller that proves a filmmaker doesn't need "Independence Day"-like explosions to build interest and excitement.






From Israel News

Row over Israeli calls for control of al-Aqsa - Aljazeera.com








Your Middle East



Row over Israeli calls for control of al-Aqsa

Aljazeera.com

... the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Jordan is threatening to freeze a 20-year peace treaty over the issue. And the Arab League has warned that tensions could lead to fresh violence across the Middle East. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from ...

Israel to limit Friday access to Al-Aqsa mosque









From Middle East - Google News

How to invest in the Middle East via ETF - MarketWatch









How to invest in the Middle East via ETF

MarketWatch

Peter Kohli is the chief executive officer of DMS Funds and an independent wealth manager specializing in estate planning under the name DMS Financial. Earlier, he held a variety of financial services-related positions, including financial planner ...









From Middle East - Google News

קרבות ליד הגדר: דריכות גם בגבול הסורי



מטוסי חיל האוויר הוזנקו עשרות פעמים בשל הפצצות סוריות לא הרחק מהגולן, החיילים מסיירים רק בג'יפים ממוגנים וטנקים סורים מפגיזים את המורדים ליד הגבול. בזמן שהמתיחות בגבול לבנון בשיאה, גם בגבול הסורי המצב רגיש





From ynet - חדשות

Report: Sadigura Rebbe Shlita Maintaining a Dialogue with Bennett

While chareidim have all but cut ties with Naftali Bennett and the Bayit Yehudi party, journalist Manny Gira-Schwartz reports the Sadigura Rebbe Shlita recently met with Minister Naftali Bennett in Ra’anana. The meeting reportedly took place two weeks ago and a number of “senior Bayit Yehudi members” took part. The meeting was arranged by a […]



From Yeshiva World News

Signed copies of Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' auctioned for $64,850


Bought at more than $40,000 above asking price, two copies of Hitler's book find new home after eleven bidders fight for controversial memorabilia



From ynet - News

Militants' rules for Christians in Syria city

Islamist militants have told Christians in northern Syrian city that they will guarantee their safety. But there's a catch. Make that a lot of catches.



From CNN.com - Middle East

Lebanon lodges complaint with UN over alleged Israeli airstrike


Claiming alleged attack on Hezbollah arms is an infringement of Israel and Lebanon's ceasefire agreement, Lebanon demands UN 'enforce its observance'



From ynet - News

After vandalism, Israel gives Anne Frank books to Tokyo

The Israeli embassy and Jewish community in Japan are donating 300 Anne Frank-related books to public libraries in Tokyo after hundreds of copies of the girl's diary and other publications about the Holocaust were vandalized across the city.



From CNN.com - Middle East

Shas Ousted from Tel Regev Cemetery Council

In his capacity as Minister of Religious Affairs, Naftali Bennett has appointed Aryeh Ferjione to head the Tel Regev Cemetery Council, ousting Shas affiliated Nissim Ochayon. The appointment goes into effect on Sunday, Rosh Chodesh Adar II 5774. Ferjione is a veteran activist in the dati leumi community and a former mayor of Tirat HaCarmel. […]



From Yeshiva World News

Russian Moves Raise Stakes In Ukraine Conflict

Masked gunmen stormed parliament in Ukraine’s strategic Crimea region Thursday as Russian fighter jets scrambled to patrol borders, the stirrings of a potentially dangerous confrontation reminiscent of Cold War brinksmanship. While a newly formed government led by a pro-Western technocrat in Kiev pledged to prevent any national breakup, there were mixed signals in Moscow: Russia […]



From Yeshiva World News

חשדות נוספים נגד ברלד, מעצר הבית לא הוארך



בית המשפט דחה את בקשת המשטרה להאריך את מעצר הבית של הקומיקאי. במשטרה חושדים כי הוא ביצע מעשים מגונים נוספים במתלוננת בת ה-17





From ynet - חדשות

נפגעי המרתון: מצבו של אחד הרצים בינוני-קשה



צוותי מד"א טיפלו בכ-65 רצים, בהם אדם אחד במצב בינוני-קשה, 7 במצב בינוני והשאר במצב קל. דובר מד"א: "הגיעו אלינו מספר אנשים שסבלו ממכות חום"





From ynet - חדשות

"אינפנטילי". כך נראתה ישראל בערבית, 67'



סרטוני התעמולה בערבית שיצרה המדינה אחרי מלחמת ששת הימים עלו לרשת. מה ניסינו להשיג אז? איך הוצגו הבדואים ומי בדיוק ראה את זה? זוהיר בהלול נהנה מהמבט הנוסטלגי ונותן ליוצר ציון אפס





From ynet - חדשות

Survey: Rise in support for Kerry's framework peace deal


Barring issues of East Jerusalem and control over holy sites, US-led framework peace deal has support of majority of Israelis. However, most Israelis think Palestinians uninterested in peace



From ynet - News

Middle East funds negative on Turkey, warm to Egypt - Today's Zaman








Economic Times



Middle East funds negative on Turkey, warm to Egypt

Today's Zaman

Middle East fund managers are highly reluctant to raise their equity allocations in Turkey due to the political turmoil and currency volatility since a corruption and bribery graft of unprecedented magnitude within the government was exposed on Dec. 17 ...

You are here: HomeMiddle East managers bullish on equities









From Middle East - Google News

Who Favors Discrimination against Gay Newlyweds? Most Republicans, old People, Southerners, Evangelicals

A new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute sheds light on the divisions in the US over gay marriage. Over all, acceptance of gay marriage is on an upward trajectory, with…



From Informed Comment

China swipes back at US in annual rights report

BEIJING - China on Friday accused the United States of widespread human rights abuses, including cyber-surveillance and child labour, in Beijing's annual rebuttal of Washington's criticism of its rights record.



Human rights have long been a source of tension between the world's two largest economies, especially since 1989, when the US imposed sanctions on China after a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.



In an annual survey of human rights around the world released on Thursday, the United States noted some positive reforms in China, but said Beijing continued to tighten curbs on freedom and activists and step up repression in Tibet and Xinjiang.



In a lengthy response issued by the official Xinhua news agency, China said the United States "carefully concealed and avoided mentioning its own human rights problems".



The report, without a hint of irony in acknowledging China's sprawling domestic security and intelligence apparatus, slammed the US surveillance programme known as Prism as "a blatant violation of international law", saying it "seriously infringes on human rights".



The United States faces rampant gun violence too, it said.



"In 2013, 137 people died in 30 mass killings, which caused four or more deaths each, in the United States," it said.



The report also took aim at US drone strikes in countries such as Pakistan, a close ally of China's.





From JPost.com - Headlines

New record in Tel Aviv marathon as Kenyan wins race


Despite last year's tragedy, race proceeds without incident as Kenyan Ezekiel Koech breaks local record. 'I hope to come again next year,' Koech says at end of race



From ynet - News

Dahlan, exiled Palestinian leader, builds comeback

Fueled by millions in Gulf aid dollars that are his to distribute, an exiled Palestinian operative seems to be orchestrating a comeback that could position him as a potential successor to aging Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.






From Israel News

Dahlan, exiled Palestinian leader, builds comeback

File - In this Jan. 3, 2011 file photo, Palestinian Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan gestures as he speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah.






From Israel News

אוקראינה: צבא רוסיה פלש לחצי האי קרים



בעולם חיכו לתגובת פוטין להפיכה באוקראינה – ונראה כי היא הגיעה. שר הפנים האוקראיני אמר כי צבא רוסיה חוסם שדה תעופה בנמל בים השחור. במקביל, חמושים מפטרלים בנמל תעופה בבירת חצי האי קרים. "אני יכול לתאר את זה רק כפלישה צבאית וכיבוש", כתב השר. רוסיה סירבה להגיב





From ynet - חדשות

MDA treats six for minor injuries in Tel Aviv Marathon

As of 9:20 am on Friday morning Magen David Adom EMS treated six Tel Aviv Marathon participants for minor injuries.



Two of the injured runners were evacuated to Ichilov Hospital. The injured experienced fainting and minor breaks, MDA said.





From JPost.com - Headlines

Thursday, February 27, 2014

הסאטירה שהורידה סטירה לבשאר אסד



סדרת אינטרנט חדשה מציגה את נשיא סוריה כילד של אמא ואפילו מקימה מקברו את אסד האב. אז למה גם האופוזיציה במדינה עצבנית?





From ynet - חדשות

Ukraine's interior minister condemns seizure of Crimea airports

MOSCOW - Ukraine's interior minister said on Friday Russian forces had taken control of two airports in the Crimea region and condemned them an armed invasion and occupation.



He said there had been no bloodshed or clashes when armed men he described as Russian naval forces took over a military airport near the port of Sevastopol where the Russian Black Sea fleet has a base.



Armed men he described as representing the Russian Federation had taken over Simferopol international airport without clashes.



"I consider what has happened to be an armed invasion and occupation in violation of all international agreements and norms," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on his Facebook page, describing it as an armed provocation and calling for talks.





From JPost.com - Headlines

West Bank – Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Suspected In Series Of Terror Attacks

הרוצח שירה בתוך הכלא יצא ל-96 חופשות



הוא רצח אדם וביתר את גופתו, אבל זה לא הפריע לביהמ"ש לאשר לו לצאת מבין כותלי הכלא על בסיס קבוע. החופשה האחרונה, שנמשכה 96 שעות, הסתיימה בשוד של אקדח. לאחר שהתברר שבתאו נמצאו מדי סוהר, פרשת סמואל שיינביין ממשיכה לעורר סימני שאלה מטרידים על מערכת הענישה





From ynet - חדשות

צפו: כך גונבים קטנוע ב-15 שניות



מרכז תל אביב, אמצע היום: באגביות מתקרב הגנב, שובר את המנעול, מכניס אולר לסוויץ', מקבל קסדה - ונוסע. הפעם הוא נתפס





From ynet - חדשות

Moscow – Russia Grants Protection For Ousted Ukrainian President, Yanukovich Issues Defiant Statement

Remarks at the Middle East Commercial Center Meeting - US Department of State (press release)









Remarks at the Middle East Commercial Center Meeting

US Department of State (press release)

As we all know the political instability has become a significant feature across the Middle East in recent years as people – especially young people – demand a greater say in the shaping of their destinies. The economic and social roots of these ...









From Middle East - Google News

Aipac’s influence in Washington weakens

As Washington moderates its views on Middle East policy, Aipac is forced to re-evaluate its lobbying strategy on Iran and other issues



From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com

In Russian statement, Yanukovich says he is still president of Ukraine

MOSCOW - Viktor Yanukovich said on Thursday he was still president of Ukraine and warned its "illegitimate" rulers that people in the southeastern and southern regions would never accept mob rule.



In a statement sent to Russian news agencies from an unknown location, Yanukovich railed against the "extremists" who had stolen power in Ukraine, threatened violence against himself and his closest aides and passed "illegal" laws.



Almost a week after he was toppled by violent protests against widespread corruption in the former Soviet state, Yanukovich's whereabouts are still unknown after he fled the Ukrainian capital Kiev.



The 63-year-old is now wanted in Ukraine on charges of mass murder over the police shooting of demonstrators, and Russian and Ukrainian media have speculated he may have traveled to Moscow, although that could not be confirmed.



Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said he had no information and could not comment on Yanukovich's statement.



"I, Viktor Fedorovich Yanukovich appeal to the people of Ukraine. As before I still consider myself to be the lawful head of the Ukrainian state, chosen freely by the will of the Ukrainian people," he was quoted as saying.



"Now it is becoming clear that the people in southeastern Ukraine and in Crimea do not accept the power vacuum and complete lawlessness in the country, when the heads of ministries are appointed by the mob."





From JPost.com - Headlines

הציור של בן 7: תקיפת אחותו במיטתה



אזרח סודן נידון ל-18 שנות מאסר לאחר שפרץ לדירה בתל אביב וניסה לאנוס ילדה כשאחיה בחדר. האב שעצר אותו באותו לילה סיפר ל-ynet: "הילדים עדיין מתקשים לישון. יכולתי להרוג אותו אבל ויתרתי"





From ynet - חדשות

Somerset, NJ – Donald Trump: NJ Gov. Christie Will Move Past Scandals

Supreme Court Rejects Bereaved Family’s Petition to Exhume Remains of Their Son

The Supreme Court has refused a family request to exhume the body of IDF Corporal Tzion Taib, who fell in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The family wishes to exhume the remains to permit performing a DNA test for the family feels the identification of the body was erred. They are not convinced till this […]



From Yeshiva World News

North Korea fires four short-range missiles, South Korea says

SEOUL - North Korea fired four short-range missiles toward the sea off the country's east coast on Thursday, a media official at South Korea's Defense Ministry said, while providing no information on the purpose of the firing.



North Korea fired the missiles at 5:42 p.m. (0842 GMT) from a mountain site just north of the border with the South, the official said.



North Korea has in the past fired short-range missiles into the sea as part of military exercises.









From JPost.com - Headlines

Police force kills suspected Palestinian terrorist in West Bank


Special elite force disguised as Arabs raids Palestinian village in search of suspected terrorists; one suspect killed by force after entrenching himself in building for hours.



From ynet - News

סבא"א גנזה דו"ח חשוב על הגרעין האיראני



מקורות בסבא"א טוענים שהיא חיברה את הדו"ח אשתקד, אך לא פרסמה אותו כדי שלא להכעיס את טהרן ולא לפגוע במאמצי המערב לפתור את משבר הגרעין. "ישראל תהיה היחידה שתמתח ביקורת על אי פרסום הדו"ח"





From ynet - חדשות

אמו של פליסיאן: "למשטרה אין אלוהים"



בבוקר לאחר שבנה חגי הנאשם ברצח שוחרר למעצר בית, התראיינה רבקה פליסיאן לאולפן ynet ואמרה: "הכעס מאחורינו. נמשיך הלאה ונפתח דף חדש. יש לנו אמונה"





From ynet - חדשות

Justice Dept Wants NSA Phone Records Kept Longer

The Justice Department is asking a secret federal court to let the government keep telephone records collected by the National Security Agency beyond a five-year limit, arguing that it has an obligation to retain evidence in lawsuits it is facing. Data collected under the NSA’s phone records programs are supposed to be destroyed within five […]



From Yeshiva World News

Palestinian negotiator: No peace talks beyond April


Saeb Erekat says extending negotiations is useless as long as Israel 'continues to disregard international law'.



From ynet - News

Former Ambassador Oren’s Plan B

Former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, DC Dr. Michael Oren spoke with the daily Maariv, evealing what is being called his Plan B. Oren, known to be a member of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner circle was Israel’s representative to the US until a few short months ago. Oren feels that if the PA (Palestinian Authority) […]



From Yeshiva World News

Israeli enemy is not forgotten, says Hezbollah's Lebanese mouthpiece


Editor of Al-Akhbar says Hezbollah's statement on airstrike on its base thwarted Israeli celebration of the attack.



From ynet - News

כוח ימ"מ חיסל מבוקש שהתבצר בביר זית



מסתערבים של יחידת העילית פשטו לפנות בוקר על מבנה בכפר ועצרו שני מבוקשים. מבוקש שלישי התבצר במקום ולאחר כמה שעות חוסל. עימותים פרצו במקום בין פעילים פלסטינים לכוחות צה"ל שסגרו את הכניסות לכפר





From ynet - חדשות

מטוסים רוסיים בכוננות, ינוקוביץ': אני הנשיא



נשיא אוקראינה המודח ביקש מרוסיה לערוב לביטחונו על רקע צו המעצר שהוצא נגדו בגין הרג המוני של מפגינים. על פי הדיווחים, ינוקוביץ' הפרו-רוסי שוהה בבית הבראה במוסקבה בעוד ארצו סובלת מעימותים בין פרו-אירופים לפרו-רוסים





From ynet - חדשות

אוי, רב חובל: בכה למראה האונייה שהטביע



פרנצ'סקו סקטינו האיטלקי נאשם בהרג נוסעים ובנטישת ה"קוסטה קונקורדיה" שטבעה מול חופי האי גיליו ב-2012. היום בא לראשונה לאונייה מאז התאונה





From ynet - חדשות

Shalom’s solution to weekend: 4-day work week

Infrastructure Minister Silvan Shalom on Thursday floated an alternative solution to moving Israel’s weekends to Saturday and Sunday: a four-day work week.



In order to participate in the global economy better, he said, Israel should align its business days with the international economy. In order to ensure that religious Jews were able to observe Shabbat, however, Friday could remain a holiday through the winter months, when Shabbat comes in early.



Shalom was speaking at the Manufacturer’s Association of Israel’s annual event in Tel Aviv, and despite his protestations that a five-day week was once considered unsustainable, the crowd was unimpressed.



MAI President Zvi Oren said that with Israel’s low productivity, which seems to be backsliding instead of improving, this was not the time for such a change.



“We don’t have enough of a professional work force,” he said. “At the moment it’s not a good idea and we will not agree to it.”









From JPost.com - Headlines

PM vows to cut regulation, calls regulators ‘cartel’

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed to cut burdensome regulations that stand in the way of business.



“There’s an excess of regulation in Israel, and we are determined to cut down the bureaucracy and regulation,” he told the Manufacturer’s Association of Israel at their general assembly in Tel Aviv. “The primary barrier is the cartel of the regulators, and I intend to take care of it.”



Israel has over 200 regulators and thousands of regulatory ordinances, he said, none of which look beyond their own regulatory domain or coordinate with each other. No mechanism exists for calculating the cost of regulations, he added.



After sliding down the World Bank’s rankings for ease of doing business in recent years, Israel’s rose four places in 2014, from 39 to 35.





From JPost.com - Headlines

שר הפנים: עלייה דרמטית ביציאת מסתננים



השר סער התגאה בהמשך המגמה ובנתונים שלפיהם רק בפברואר יצאו 1,705 זרים את הארץ, רובם ככולם ממרכזי הערים





From ynet - חדשות

Dick Cheney Broke US Military, now blames Obama for Cuts

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has lambasted the Obama administration for its announcement that it will cut 8% out of the military budget and reduce standing army troop levels to the lowest…



From Informed Comment

US must pursue Iran talks before considering going to war


American Secretary of State John Kerry says his country has an obligation to diplomatic measures 'before sending young people to fight.'



From ynet - News

Rights group says Israeli troops used unnecessary force in shooting deaths of Palestinians

An international rights group looking into the shooting deaths of 22 Palestinian civilians by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank says troops used unnecessary force.






From Israel News

15-Year-Old Talmid Yeshiva Fighting for His Life

Tefilos are requested for a 15-year-old talmid yeshiva who is fighting for his life as a result of the flu. The Seret-Vishnitz talmid is hospitalized in Sheba Medical Center and listed in critical condition. A 4-year-old child was niftar this week R”L due to complications from the flu. Now this talmid is fighting for his […]



From Yeshiva World News

Germany concerned about events in Crimea, defense minister says

Germany is concerned about events in Crimea and a breakup of Ukraine must be avoided, Germany's Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.



She spoke after armed men seized the regional government headquarters and parliament on Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and raised the Russian flag.



"We are concerned about the events in Crimea. The most important thing is to avoid a break-up of Ukraine," von der Leyen told reporters as she arrived for a meeting of NATO defense ministers who will hold talks with Ukraine's acting defense minister.





From JPost.com - Headlines

Russian defense ministry says fighter jets on combat alert in west

Fighter jets along Russia's western borders have been put on combat alert, the Defense Ministry was quoted as saying on Thursday by Interfax news agency.



"Constant air patrols are being carried out by fighter jets in the border regions," Interfax quoted a ministry statement as saying. "From the moment they received the signal to be on high alert, the air force in the western military region left for the ... air bases."







From JPost.com - Headlines

Ukraine to treat any Russian military movements in Crimea as aggression

Ukraine said on Thursday it would regard any movements by Russian military in Crimea outside the Russian Black Sea fleet's base in Sevastopol as an act of aggression.



Acting President Oleksander Turchinov issued the warning in the national parliament after armed men seized the regional government and parliament buildings in Crimea, where some ethnic Russians want the region to join the Russian Federation.





From JPost.com - Headlines

Witness: Suicide car bomb kills eight in Somali capital

At least eight people were killed when a car bomb exploded near the national security headquarters in Somalia's capital, officials and a Reuters witness said on Thursday.



"A suicide car bomb targeted a national security car passing along these tea shops. We have carried seven dead civilians so far," Abdullahi Hassan, the district commissioner of Mogadishu's Abdiasis district, told Reuters at the scene.



A Reuters witness counted eight dead people. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.







From JPost.com - Headlines

Poland says seizure of Crimea govt offices a 'dangerous step'

The seizure of government buildings by armed men in Ukraine's Crimea region could lead to a regional conflict, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday.



"This is a drastic step and I'm warning those who did this and those who allowed them to do this, because this is how regional conflicts begin. This is a very dangerous game," Sikorski told a news conference.







From JPost.com - Headlines

18 שנות מאסר לסודני שניסה לאנוס בת 8 במיטה. השופטים: "תאווה מינית חולנית"



מוחמד סוליים הודה במסגרת עסקת טיעון שפרץ לדירה בדרום תל אביב ותקף ילדה שישנה במיטתה. השופטים: "הילדים הלכו לישון בעולם יפה והתעוררו בעולם אפל"





From ynet - חדשות

העקיצה הגדולה: 25 כספומטים ב-4 שעות



עשרות כרטיסי אשראי שוכפלו, והחבורה מאזור אשקלון נעצרה במסע "משיכות" של מאות אלפי שקלים ברחבי הארץ. איך פעלה השיטה?





From ynet - חדשות

Israel Parliament debates incursion into Holy Muslim site in Jerusalem

(Via AFP) Israel police, protesters clash at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque (via AFP) Israeli police clashed with stone-throwing Palestinians Tuesday in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound of Jerusalem’s Old City, ahead of a parliamentary…



From Informed Comment

Tide of desperate civilians in Syria's Yarmouk camp

Picture captures scale of vast crowd queuing for aid in besieged Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus



From BBC News - Middle East

בכיר אירופי התפרע בגרמניה: "הייל היטלר"



סגן נשיא הפרלמנט האירופי, יאצק פרוטאשוויץ הפולני, נחת שיכור בשדה התעופה בפרנקפורט והתפרץ על אנשי המכס: "הייתם באושוויץ?", שאל לפני שנאזק ונלקח מהמקום





From ynet - חדשות

חמושים בפרלמנט בקרים: דגל רוסיה הונף



המשבר הפוליטי באוקראינה הולך ומחריף מאז הדחת הנשיא הפרו-רוסי. קבוצה של חמושים השתלטה על בנייני הפרלמנט והממשלה בעיר סימפרופול





From ynet - חדשות

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Armed men seize government HQ, raise Russian flag in Ukraine's Crimea

Armed men seized the regional government headquarters and parliament on Ukraine's Crimea peninsula on Thursday and raised the Russian flag.



A Reuters correspondent on the scene in the Crimean capital, Simferopol, said the door of the parliament was blockaded from inside by tables and chairs and no one was now able to enter.



Interfax news agency quoted a witness as saying there were about 60 people inside and that they had many weapons. It said no one had been hurt when the buildings were seized in the early hours of Thursday.



"I heard gunfire in the night, came down and saw lots of people going in. Some then left. I'm not sure how many are still in there," a 30-year-old man who gave his name only as Roman told Reuters.



Crimea, the only Ukrainian region with an ethnic Russian majority, is the last big bastion of opposition to the new political leadership in Kiev following the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovich on Saturday.



Ukraine's new leaders have been voicing alarm over signs of separatism there. The seizure of the building was confirmed by the country's acting interior minister, Ukrainian television said, but he gave few details.





From JPost.com - Headlines

'Israeli Apartheid' – the new form of anti-Semitism - Jerusalem Post









'Israeli Apartheid' – the new form of anti-Semitism

Jerusalem Post

Yet, for the sake of argument, let us say that the West Bank is not part of the sovereign state of Israel, and is governed by the elected Palestinian Authority and/or Hamas. In this case, Israel's policies cannot be compared to the racist internal ...









From israel news - Google News

Rift at Jewish School in Manhattan Over Canceled Plan for Israeli-Palestinian Talk - New York Times









Rift at Jewish School in Manhattan Over Canceled Plan for Israeli-Palestinian Talk

New York Times

The students attend Ramaz, a prestigious private Orthodox Jewish school on the Upper East Side, and the professor, Rashid Khalidi, is well known for his outspoken support of Palestinian resistance to Israel's policies in the Palestinian territories.









From Jewish - Google News

Free books — 10 million of them — help keep Jewish kids Jewish - Religion News Service









Free books — 10 million of them — help keep Jewish kids Jewish

Religion News Service

Then he thought of other children — not necessarily ones without books in their homes, but children lacking the joys that Grinspoon finds in his Jewish heritage. He decided to start his own free book project, the PJ Library, for Jewish kids who might ...









From Jewish - Google News

'Safe Hillel' Exposed: Undermining open dialogue in the Jewish community - Mondoweiss









'Safe Hillel' Exposed: Undermining open dialogue in the Jewish community

Mondoweiss

Their stated goal is to “ensure that Hillel remains a safe place for Jews of all backgrounds to practice Judaism and a safe place for those that support Israel.” With this goal, they try to justify their support for the corporate censorship of Jewish ...









From Jewish - Google News

Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” video Decried as Blasphemous by Some Muslims

Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” music video, set in ancient Egypt, has stirred controversy because of a scene where a man is struck down who is wearing a pendant with “God” (Allah) written…



From Informed Comment

אותר בעלי האקדח ששימש את האסיר לירי



סימנים על הנשק שבו השתמש סמואל שיינביין לפצוע סוהרים בכלא רימונים הובילו לאזרח הרשום כבעליו. הוא נחקר. עדיין לא ברור כיצד הוכנס האקדח





From ynet - חדשות

"ישראל רצה לספר לחבר'ה". חיזבאללה מאיים



עורך העיתון שנחשב שופרו של נסראללה פרסם מאמר בעקבות ההודאה החריגה על תקיפת צה"ל בלבנון: "מוכנים לשלוש חזיתות, לא ניתן לשנות את כללי המשחק". הוא ניסה ללגלג וכתב בעברית: "הישראלי גומר מהר כדי לרוץ ולספר לחבר'ה"





From ynet - חדשות

Threatened Syrian Christians taking up Arms, Tackling Extremists

(By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi) When it comes to news reports on Christians in Syria, the general focus is on the concerns Christian civilians have about their future, if any, in the country.…



From Informed Comment

Thai protest leader says willing to talk with PM

Thai anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said on Thursday he was willing to appear in a live TV debate with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, after weeks of refusing any form of talks.



"I'm ready to be the people's representative and talk politics with Yingluck," he told supporters. "Just tell me when and where."



"Give us two chairs and a microphone and transmit it live on television so the people can see."







From JPost.com - Headlines

Report: Obama planning to press Netanyahu on peace process


New York Times says president intends to 'plunge back into' Israel-Palestinian peace efforts after several years of keeping a distance.



From ynet - News

Brooklyn: Court Approves Deal On Troubled Long Island College Hospital

A plan to find a new operator for Long Island College Hospital and keep it in operation has been approved by the court. WCBS-TV reports that the State University of New York announced the settlement agreement was approved in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Tuesday. The agreement was announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday. It […]



From Yeshiva World News

NYC Mayor’s Message Sidelined By ‘Sideshows’

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious agenda to fight income inequality — a campaign he famously titled “The Tale of Two Cities” — has taken a backseat in recent weeks to a series of political stumbles that have become tabloid fodder and shaken his everyman image. First, there was his late-night call to […]



From Yeshiva World News

Putin puts troops in western Russia on alert in drill

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow's military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.



"In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (1000 GMT) today," Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.



Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in various parts of Russia since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the geopolitical overtones could hardly have been clearer this time.



The western district borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia. Shoigu said the drill would be conducted in two stages, ending on March 3, and also involved some forces in central Russia.



Putin has made no public comment on Ukraine since President Viktor Yanukovich was driven from power over the weekend after months of political turmoil sparked by his decision to spurn deals with the European Union and improve ties with Russia.





From JPost.com - Headlines

Washington – U.S. Warns Banks To Watch For Ousted Ukraine Leader Moving Looted Funds

MKs to discuss bill targeting 'anti-Israel' NGOs


In addition to heavy tax for pro-boycott NGOs, amendment to controversial bill prevents foreign-funded groups from registering in Israel



From ynet - News