The Senate on Wednesday rejected three resolutions aimed at limiting the sale of offensive arms to Israel, underscoring growing dissent within the Democratic Party over the Biden administration’s support for Israel during its war against Hamas in Gaza. Nineteen senators – all Democrats – supported the measures, a notable increase from the eleven who backed a similar initiative in January. The resolutions, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders and co-sponsored by Senators Peter Welch and Jeff Merkley, sought to block future transfers of tank rounds, mortar rounds, and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) to Israel. Sanders argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza violate international human rights laws. “Because of its immoral actions, Israel is less secure and increasingly isolated,” Sanders wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. He called for the U.S. to end its complicity in what he described as atrocities in Gaza. However, senior Democrats, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin, opposed the resolutions. Cardin argued that limiting arms sales to Israel would weaken its ability to defend itself against threats from Hamas and Iran. “Our support for Israel does not diminish our commitment to humanitarian assistance for innocent Palestinians or our shared pursuit of peace,” Cardin said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also opposed the measures, warning they could embolden Hamas and Iran. “Our security assistance to Israel transcends any one prime minister or any one government,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. However, Schumer did not whip against approving the resolutions, meaning that he did not push for Democrats to vote them down – another stunning betrayal of the Jewish State on the part of the former “Shomer Yisroel” and now “Shomer Yishmoel.” The resolutions’ defeat comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January, with expectations that his administration will take a more unreservedly pro-Israel stance. Wednesday’s Senate vote followed a U.S. veto at the United Nations Security Council against a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, over the resolution’s failure to demand the release of hostages. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The U.S. State Department issued a strong condemnation of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir following the publication of photos showing him visiting the kever of Rabbi Meir Kahane HY’D, a figure regarded as an extremist by the US. Kahane’s ideology and actions have been associated with terrorism, and his Kach party was outlawed in Israel and designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. In a statement, a State Department spokesperson said, “As we’ve said on previous and similar occasions, celebrating the legacy of a terrorist and a terrorist organization is abhorrent. We strongly condemn any attempt to whitewash acts of terrorism.” The statement underscores ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Israel over the composition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, in which Ben Gvir serves as a controversial figure. The minister, leader of the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party, has faced criticism domestically and internationally for his hardline views and actions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Two months ago, the Chotam and Bochrim B’Mishpacha organizations submitted a petition to the Jerusalem District Court against Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Mirara and the Justice Ministry, demanding to reveal the number of times a government entity was forced to request alternative legal representation. The goal of the petition is to reveal how often Baharav-Miara, who was hired to represent the government, presented a stance contrary to that of the government – forcing ministers to request private legal counsel. The petition was filed after the organizations requested the data several times under the Freedom of Information Law but did not receive a response. Michael Puah, the chairman of Bochrim B’Mishpacha, said: “Attorney-General Baharav-Miara behaves in a confrontational way, not only towards the Israeli government but also toward Am Yisrael. Her contempt for the law, as is evident from her conduct, is disgraceful. It is time to dismiss her and appoint an attorney-general who has the interests of the state of Israel and Am Yisrael in mind.” In the wake of the recent outcry against Baharav-Miara after she was forced to appear in the Knesset per the law, including a huge banner slamming her lack of action against the constant incitement against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and members of his government, some leftists paid for full-page ads in support of the attorney general. The ads, which appeared in Israel’s major newspapers on Wednesday morning, featured a photo of Baharav-Miara and stated: “Continue to preserve the rule of law for all of us.” Chareidi businessman Yaakov Halperin heaped scorn on the leftists who paid for the ads but hid their identities by signing – “Israel’s Business Forum.” Speaking on Army Radio on Wednesday, Halperin said: “The ‘Business Forum’ doesn’t exist. It’s a few individuals who decided to take a crown for themselves. What’s the problem? Because I also have a business and others have businesses – but they included us in [the ‘forum’]. What did they do in the newspaper ads? They established that the attorney-general represents the ‘Business Forum.’ By what authority do you crown yourselves as a ‘Business Forum’? Army Radio: “Or they could just put their business logos on it.” Halperin (laughing): “Of course, they won’t do that because they’re afraid. These are people who took a scepter that doesn’t belong to them and included all of us in it. There’s no such thing as the ‘Business Forum’ – check the Companies Registrar, check the Nonprofits Registrar.” Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana wrote: “I have news for the ‘Business Forum.’ She doesn’t guard the rule of law, nor for the sake of ‘all of us’ – rather, it guards the rule of the jurists, and those who have not yet come to terms with the idea of democracy.” “The law is established by the legislative authority (the Knesset) through a decision made by the lawmakers’ (Knesset members) majority vote, who represent the sovereign (the people). “It is possible to object to laws or lawmakers, and if the public wishes to replace its representatives, whether it is disgusted by their legislation, their actions, their behavior, or the color of their eyes – it has the right and opportunity to do so periodically. “The rule of the jurists, who have taken powers and authority that the legislator or the public has never granted them, […]
Everyone likes a good deal, and health insurance bargains abound this time of year. But buyers should look beyond price when searching for a plan. Shoppers also should consider doctor networks and coverage limits to avoid getting stuck with big bills after care. Millions of Americans are looking for 2025 coverage now during annual enrollment windows for Medicare Advantage plans and individual insurance. Plus, many employers are telling their workers about their coverage plans for next year too. Insurers selling Medicare Advantage plans are dangling coverage with $0 premiums, and individual insurance marketplaces created through the Affordable Care Act offer tax credits to help with the premium or cost of coverage. Here are other factors to consider beyond price. What is the deductible? This is the annual amount a patient pays for many covered services before the insurer starts paying a portion of the bill. Plans with low premiums can come with deductibles well over $1,000 for individuals and a few thousand dollars for families. Shoppers should look at the size of the individual deductible and understand where it applies. Regular visits to a specialist can lead to some hefty patient bills. Deductibles are different from copayments or copays. Those are flat amounts that a patient pays for a covered service or doctor visit. Copays typically do not count toward paying off a deductible. Are my doctors covered? Insurers form networks of covered doctors and health systems. Some plans may provide no coverage for care sought outside those networks. The federal government’s website for finding insurance plans makes it easy to filter for covered doctors and hospitals when looking for plans, said Emily Bremer, president of a St. Louis-based independent insurance agency, The Bremer Group. Bremer says shoppers should think about more than whether their doctors are in the network. They also should also consider which hospital system they would want to visit if a big emergency happens. What about prescriptions? Insurance plans come with formularies, or lists of covered drugs, that vary by plan. Those lists often group drugs in tiers with different costs for the patient. Shoppers should check to see how a plan will cover the regular prescriptions they already take. Don’t immediately rule out the plan if the bill would be too high. Help may be available. Drugmakers often have coupons or discount programs that can cover patient costs as long as the drug has coverage, Bremer said. Websites like GoodRx also may be an option for getting a price break. “If you take a lot of stuff and see a lot of doctors … it can be really hard to find one perfect plan that’s going to cover everything,” she said. “Sometimes you have to make choices.” What’s coinsurance? This is the portion of a bill the patient is responsible for after meeting the deductible. It’s a percentage that can vary. Usually plans with lower premiums leave patients with bigger coinsurance. Coinsurance payments can hurt, so it’s important to know the percentage and the risk you face. For instance, a childbirth by cesarean section may generate a $25,000 bill. A patient responsible for a $1,000 deductible and then 20% of the remaining bill through coinsurance could pay $5,800 of that total. “Most people will focus on the deductible and forget about the coinsurance, and they […]
The right-to-die activist behind a new “suicide capsule” says he rejects “absurd” allegations that the U.S. woman who was said to be its first user may have actually been strangled. Philip Nitschke of advocacy group Exit International said Wednesday he wasn’t on hand for the woman’s death on Sept. 23 involving the “Sarco” capsule in a forest in northern Switzerland, but saw it live by video transmission. The device worked as planned, he said, in the first and only time it has been used. The head of a Swiss affiliate of Exit International known as The Last Resort, Florian Willet, was present at the woman’s death and was immediately taken into police custody, where he remains as police investigate the circumstances around the woman’s death. Several other people — including a journalist for the Volkskrant newspaper in the Netherlands, where Nitschke lives — were initially taken into custody and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide. They were later released. The Australian-born Nitschke broke weeks of silence through an interview with respected Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung, which was published Wednesday. Speaking to The Associated Press by phone, he said he felt compelled to speak out because Exit International was “desperate” about the plight of Willet, who could remain behind bars for weeks or months until a possible trial. He said prosecutors have asked for an extension of Willet’s detention, “claiming there was now evidence of homicide.” He denied the accusation. “We’ve got to try and do something about the fact that Florian has been stuck in prison now for about 58 days,” Nitschke said. He said he offered to travel to Switzerland to speak to prosecutors as part of their investigation and share video footage and oxygen-level data in the capsule at the time the woman died. “We will provide everything we’ve got,” he said, adding that prosecutors “have not accepted that suggestion.” Swiss law allows assisted suicide so long as the person takes his or her life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive,” according to a government website. Switzerland is among the only countries in the world where foreigners can travel to legally end their lives and has a number of organizations that are dedicated to helping people kill themselves. Nitschke has repeatedly said Exit International’s Swiss lawyers had advised that use of the capsule would be legal in Switzerland. The “Sarco,” which Nitschke has said cost $1 million to develop and build, was designed to allow a person sitting in its reclining seat to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber. The person is then supposed to fall unconscious and die by suffocation in a few minutes. The 64-year-old woman was not identified. Nitschke, a trained medical doctor, said she had “compromised immune function” that made her “subject to chronic infection.” On Oct. 26, Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the woman may have been strangled. The Volkskrant article last month said one of its photographers, two lawyers, and Willet were originally detained on suspicion of inciting suicide and providing assistance in doing so. “It is absurd because we’ve got film that the capsule wasn’t opened,” Nitschke said. “Everything happened exactly […]
Sephardi Chief Rabbi David Yosef sharply criticized Pope Francis for suggesting that Israel’s actions in Gaza may constitute genocide, accusing the pontiff of siding with perpetrators of violence instead of victims. The remarks were made by the Pope in a forthcoming book. “It’s very interesting that the Pope doesn’t call for an investigation of the terrible slaughter of Jews last year on October 7,” Rabbi Yosef said in a video statement. “It’s interesting that he doesn’t call for an investigation of the incitement against Jews across Europe, overt antisemitic incitement.” In his book, the pope writes, “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.” Rabbi Yosef urged the Pope to retract his statement and issue an apology, emphasizing the importance of holding those responsible for anti-Jewish violence accountable instead of framing Israel’s actions defensively in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Researchers have created an early map of some of the human body’s estimated 37.2 trillion cells. Each type of cell has a unique role, and knowing what all the cells do can help scientists better understand health and diseases such as cancer. Scientists focused on certain organs — plotting the jobs of cells in the mouth, stomach and intestines, as well as cells that guide how bones and joints develop. They also explored which cells group into tissues, where they’re located in the body and how they change over time. They hope the high-resolution, open-access atlas — considered a first draft — will help researchers fight diseases that damage or corrupt human cells. “When things go wrong, they go wrong with our cells first and foremost,” said Aviv Regev, co-chair of the Human Cell Atlas consortium who was involved with the research. The findings were published Wednesday in Nature and related journals. The group plans to release a more complete atlas in 2026, profiling cells across 18 organs and body systems. That includes the skin, heart, breasts and more. The current cell map not only charts the many types of human cells, but it also shows the relationships of cells to each other, said Dr. Timothy Chan, a cancer expert at the Cleveland Clinic. Chan said it’s a deep dive into human biology that’s sure to have practical impact such as identifying and treating cancer cells. “Different types of cells have different Achilles’ heels,” said Chan, who was not involved in the studies. “This is going to be a boon” for cancer research. Scientists are also creating other atlases that could help them learn more about the underpinnings of health and disease in specific parts of the body. With brain atlases, they’re seeking to understand the structure, location and function of the many types of brain cells. A new gut microbiome atlas looks at the collection of microorganisms in the intestines, which plays a key role in digestion and immune system health. (AP)
Amnesty International revealed last week that at the same time that French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for an arms embargo on Israel due to “harm to innocent people” in Gaza, France is supplying weapon systems to rebels in Sudan who have committed unspeakable war crimes and massacres amid a civil war in the African country. Amnesty obtained evidence of French-manufactured military systems installed on armored vehicles supplied to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Sudan’s most notorious paramilitary group. Last month, the US sanctioned a senior RSF leader, stating: “The US is today sanctioning a senior leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa (Algoney), for his involvement in RSF efforts to procure weapons and other military material that have enabled the RSF’s ongoing operations in Sudan, including its assault on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Algoney’s actions have fueled the war and brutal RSF atrocities against civilians, which have included war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing. Rather than heed warnings from the United States and other partners, the RSF and its allied militia have continued to commit atrocities, including those involving sexual violence and ethnically targeted attacks on non-Arab groups.” Also last month, Macron dared to falsely accuse Israel of “unacceptable” harm to civilians in the Gaza Strip and called on the world to impose a total arms embargo on Israel. The supply of the French army systems violates two separate UN embargo resolutions on Sudan as well as a European Union ban on the sale or supply of weapons to Sudan by member states. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The chief executive of Delta Air Lines says the incoming Trump administration will be a “breath of fresh air” for airlines after what he called government “overreach” under President Joe Biden. The airline industry has chafed under consumer-protection regulations imposed by the Biden administration. And Delta is facing a federal investigation into its slow recovery from a global technology outage this summer. Delta CEO Ed Bastian made the comment as he and fellow Delta executives prepared to host Wall Street analysts at an investor day Wednesday in Atlanta. Bastian noted that President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to reform the federal government and reduce its size. The airline executive said Trump promised “to take a fresh look at the regulatory environment, the bureaucracy that exists in government, the level of overreach that we have seen over the last four years within our industry. I think that will be a breath of fresh air.” Delta is using its investor day to build support for the company, which reported a profit of $2.6 billion in the first nine months of this year after earning an industry-leading $4.6 billion last year. The airline stood by its previous forecast that adjusted profit in the fourth quarter will be between $1.60 and $1.85 per share. The company said its 2025 revenue will rise by a mid-single-digit percentage over 2024. Analysts expect a 6% increase, according to a FactSet survey. Consumer advocates are wary of a second Trump administration, fearing that it could try to roll back a rule requiring automatic refunds after canceled flights and another that requires airlines to advertise the full price of fares upfront, including mandatory fees and taxes. On Monday, the airline industry trade group praised Trump’s pick for transportation secretary, former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy. Duffy, a former reality TV star who is co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business, lobbied for U.S. airlines and their unions during a dispute with Persian Gulf carriers. Bastian did not specify which Biden regulations he considered overreach, but Delta and other carriers are suing the Transportation Department to kill a rule requiring greater transparency over fees that the carriers charge their passengers. The group Airlines for America said the rule would confuse consumers by giving them too much information. An appeals court panel blocked enforcement of the rule while the airlines’ lawsuit goes ahead. Airlines also oppose an inquiry that the administration recently launched into their frequent-flyer programs. Delta has received more than $2.4 billion in revenue from its loyalty program so far this year. But the hardest blow against Delta could come from a Transportation Department investigation into the airline’s slow recovery from a technology outage in July. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said investigators were focusing on whether Delta’s treatment of passengers affected by canceled and delayed flights violated federal consumer-protection rules. Southwest Airlines reached a $140 million settlement after a Transportation Department investigation into a similar but larger breakdown in service in December 2022. Delta initially said it was cooperating with the investigation. In October, Delta sued CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity provider whose faulty upgrade to Microsoft computers triggered the outage. (AP)
Finnish authorities said Wednesday they have opened an investigation into the rupture of a data cable under the Baltic Sea, adding to a Swedish probe into the possible sabotage of that link and another cable. The C-Lion1 cable, which runs between Finland and Germany was damaged on Monday, the day after similar damage to a cable that crosses the Baltic between Lithuania and Sweden, with the incidents occurring off the Swedish islands of Oland and Gotland respectively. Germany’s defense minister said Tuesday that the damage appeared to have been caused by sabotage, though there is no proof at present. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said it opened a criminal investigation into the rupture of the C-Lion1 cable on suspicion of “aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications.” Swedish police already opened a preliminary investigation Tuesday into suspected sabotage regarding the two cable breaches, and said Wednesday that “Swedish police and prosecutors are also interested in a ship that has been seen at the locations in question.” They didn’t give any details or identify the vessel, but said that “it is not currently in Swedish waters.” The official investigations came as news reports said a Chinese-flagged vessel, the Yi Peng 3, had been in the area at the time of the ruptures. Vessel tracking information from the Marine Traffic website showed the 225-meter (738-foot) long bulk carrier not moving Wednesday afternoon off the coast of Denmark in the Baltic. The Royal Danish Navy did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press. (AP)
A major storm swept across the northwestern U.S., battering the region with strong winds and rain, causing widespread power outages and downing trees that killed at least two people. The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks through Friday and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect as the strongest atmospheric river — a large plume of moisture — that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season overwhelmed the region. The storm system that hit starting Tuesday is considered a “ bomb cyclone,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly. In California, the weather service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco. Up to 16 inches of rain (40 cm) of rain was forecast in southwestern Oregon through Friday, and more than 10 inches (25 cm) in northern California and down into the central coast. Dangerous flash flooding, rock slides and debris flows were possible, officials warned. A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), where 15 inches (28 cm) of snow was possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (120 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said. Heavy, wet snow was expected to continue along the Cascades and in parts of far northern California. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and near impossible travel at pass level due to accumulation rates of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 centimeters) per hour and wind gusts of up to 65 mph (105 kph). Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across northwest Washington. In Lynnwood, Washington, a woman died Tuesday night when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, South County Fire said in a statement. In Bellevue, east of Seattle, a tree fell onto a home, killing a woman Tuesday night, fire officials said. Tracy Meloy of Issaquah, Washington, felt well-prepared for the storm Tuesday afternoon, with dinner prepped and lanterns ready. But then she spent the night listening to wind-whipped debris hit the outside of her home, including a particularly loud “thump” around 9 p.m. On Wednesday morning she ventured outside to survey the damage to her neighborhood about 17 miles (27 kilometers) east of Seattle. “Now that I’m standing here in front of the house, I can tell it’s the tree that was across the street,” Meloy said. The tree pulled down the power lines in front of her home. Limbs, leaves and other plants were strewn all over the road. “It looks like a forest floor instead of a street,” she said. The number of power outage reports in Washington fluctuated wildly Tuesday evening, but steadily declined to about 500,000 by Wednesday morning, according to poweroutage.us. More than 5,600 were reported to be without power in Oregon, 35,000 in California and 10,000 in Nevada. “Trees are coming down all over the city & falling onto homes,” the Bellevue fire department posted on X on Tuesday night. “If you can, go to the lowest floor and stay away from windows. Do not go outside if you can avoid it.” The first significant snow of the season in the Dakotas and Minnesota led to accidents and slippery roadways. The weather service said up to 16 inches (40 cm) of snow could fall in the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota, […]
A severe and unprecedented incident occurred on Wednesday when an Israeli civilian was killed by enemy fire in Lebanon. The civilian was identified as Ze’ev Chanoch Erlich HY’D. What was the 71-year-old civilian, a well-known historian and tour guide, doing in a battle zone? His friend, a Golani commander, brought him to Lebanon without permission. Details of the incident, which occurred around 3 p.m. on Wednesday reveal that Erlich donned a uniform – without being called up for reserves. He was killed in an operational area of Division 36, in the second-line village area in southern Lebanon. This was the same area where a soldier from the 13th Battalion of Golani had fallen a few days earlier. The event unfolded when a group of soldiers, commanded by Col (.res.) Yoav Yarom, Chief of Staff of the Golani Brigade, entered an archaeological fortress in a village in southern Lebanon. The soldiers thought the area had already been cleared of terrorists but it turned out that two terrorists were hiding inside the fortress. The terrorists opened fire and a gun battle ensued in which the two terrorists were killed. Tragically, Erlich was also killed. According to reports, Arlich entered the operational area of the IDF while in uniform and armed, with permission from the Golani Brigade’s Deputy Commander, but he was not on active reserve duty. After the incident, the IDF began investigating the circumstances of his entry into Lebanon, and it was revealed that it was carried out was in violation of regulations and without the required approvals. The Commander of the Northern Command Maj.-Gen Ori Gordin, will investigate the circumstances of the incident. The head of the IDF’s Personnel Directorate recognized Erlich as a fallen IDF soldier and he will be buried with military honors due to the IDF’s responsibility for the tragic event. The IDF stated that disciplinary actions will be taken against those involved. The Binyamin Regional Council stated: “Ze’ev Erlich, 71 years old, a reservist, joined the IDF forces operating in southern Lebanon. He was a distinguished researcher in the field of Eretz Yisrael and its settlement. Ze’ev, one of the early residents of Ofra in Binyamin, was married to Tamar and was a grandfather to grandchildren. Professional teams from the Ofra community and the Binyamin Council are supporting the family.” Ze’ev Chanoch Erlich, H’yd, was born in 1953 to the researcher Yisrael Erlich, a Sukatchov chassid who edited many books on the history of Gedolei Yisrael from Poland. He learned at Yeshivas HaKosel in Jerusalem and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Touro College in Gemara and the history of Am Yisrael. Erlich, who lived on the yishuv of Ofra in the Shomron, later became a tour guide, researcher of Eretz Yisrael, one of the founders of the Ofra Field School, and editor of the book series Shomron and Binyamin and Studies of Yehudah and Shomron. He served as an infantry officer and as an intelligence officer during the first intifada. He has published dozens of research studies on the subject of knowledge of Eretz Yisrael (ידיעת הארץ) and wrote a regular column on matters related to Eretz Yisrael in Makor Rishon. He served as a guide on Yehudah and Shomron at the Lander Institute and a lecturer at the Moreshet […]
A promotional video for a rebrand of British luxury car brand Jaguar is being criticized online for showing models in brightly colored outfits — and no car. The rebrand, which includes a new logo, is slated to launch Dec. 2 during the Miami Art Week, when the company will unveil a new electric GT model. But Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd., has been promoting it online. The Jaguar brand is in the middle of a transition to going all-electric. “Copy Nothing,” marketing materials read. “We’re here to delete the ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing.” The promotional video, posted on X and Instagram, shows models dressed in futuristic brightly colored outfits walking in an alien-like landscape. “Break Moulds,” copy reads. It drew ire online, with people complaining about the lack of a car and the confusing message. X owner Elon Musk wrote on X, “Do you sell cars?” People also complained about the new, stylized, logo. The “leaper” jaguar image has also been reimagined. Charles Taylor, marketing professor at the Villanova School of Business in Villanova, Pennsylvania, said the promotional video strikes the wrong tone for potential buyers, and said the company is making a mistake by not using the brand’s heritage as an elegant British high-performance sports car in its marketing. “If they came back with a really good electric vehicle, they could build on their prior image as opposed to really throwing out the heritage of the brand and going in this kind of direction,” he said. “It’s hard to see how the market of people that would like that approach is large enough for them to thrive.” Rebranding is a common tactic for companies seeking to spark sales. Campbell Soup Co. on Wednesday officially changed its name to Campbell’s Co., and companies like Airbnb and Instagram update their logos from time to time. But if they strike a wrong chord, the result can be disastrous. Past rebranding failures include Tropicana changing its logo in 2009 to omit its trademark orange — it soon changed it back. And Radio Shack rebranded to “The Shack” in 2008, alienating its core shoppers, before eventually filing for bankruptcy protection in 2015. Jaguar Land Rover, based in Whitney, Coventry, in the U.K., did not return a request for comment. (AP)
El Al has reported record earnings in the third quarter of 2024, benefiting from a near-monopoly on flights to and from Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza and regional security tensions. The airline posted $1 billion in revenue from July to September, a 43% increase from $696 million during the same period last year. Profits soared to $187 million, up nearly 260% from $52 million in 2023. El Al’s strong financial performance comes as many major international airlines have suspended routes to Tel Aviv due to security concerns. U.S. carriers like Delta, American Airlines, and United Airlines have halted flights indefinitely, leaving El Al as the sole operator of direct routes between Tel Aviv and North America. This disruption has resulted in a severe seat shortage and skyrocketing airfares, with El Al’s planes operating at 94% capacity, up from 88% last year. El Al’s current pricing ranges from $799 to $1,900 for North American routes, while European destinations like London and Paris are priced between $353 and $880. However, passengers booking closer to their travel dates face even higher prices. El Al’s financial success has drawn criticism, with many accusing the airline of price-gouging during a national crisis. The company denies these claims, claiming that it has capped ticket prices to prevent excessive costs. “We make every operational effort to increase the supply of seats as much as possible,” said El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia. “But for the moment, we don’t have any substantial capacity to add additional flights, and foreign airlines need to resume operations to stabilize passenger demand.” Smaller Israeli carriers, Israir and Arkia, are preparing to enter the North American market to ease the seat shortage. However, these airlines face regulatory hurdles and logistical challenges, including sourcing wide-body aircraft and crews willing to stay overnight in Israel. “Even if they succeed, it will not lead to a dramatic change,” Ben Tal Ganancia noted. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The illegal immigrant convicted in the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Jose Ibarra was charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s February death, and the guilty verdict was reached on Wednesday by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard. Ibarra, 26, had waived his right to a jury trial, meaning Haggard alone heard and decided the case. Haggard found Ibarra guilty of all 10 counts against him: one count of malice murder; three counts of felony murder; and one count each of kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering and being a peeping Tom. Riley’s family and friends tearfully remembered her and asked the judge to sentence Ibarra to the maximum penalty. Her mother called him a “monster” and her father called him a “truly evil person.” Ibarra did not react as an interpreter relayed their words to him. Before announcing the verdict, Haggard had said that as he listened to the closing arguments, he wrote down on a legal pad two things the lawyers had said. He noted that prosecutor Sheila Ross called the evidence “overwhelming and powerful” and that defense attorney Kaitlyn Beck reminded him he was “required to set aside my emotions” in making his ruling. Riley’s killing added fuel to the national debate over immigration when federal authorities said Ibarra illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while he pursued his immigration case. But there was no mention of Ibarra’s immigration status during the trial. “Laken Riley herself has given you all the evidence you need” to find Ibarra guilty on all counts, Ross told the judge during her closing. She added that the physical evidence is sufficient and is corroborated by forensic, digital and video evidence to “twist this very powerful knot that this defendant cannot get out of. There is no way out for him.” The evidence shows that Ibarra killed Riley “because she would not let him rape her.” Ross said Ibarra’s DNA was found under Riley’s fingernails and her DNA and Ibarra’s were found on a jacket that police found in a trash bin in his apartment complex. A man seen in security footage throwing that jacket away was identified as Ibarra by his brother and another roommate, she said. Riley was wearing “tight running clothes that are designed not to move,” Ross said. When her body was found, the waistband of her running tights was pulled down and her jacket, shirt and sports bra were pulled up, evidence that her clothes were displaced by an attempted assault not by dragging, Ross said. Surveillance video shows a man wearing clothes that appear to match those seen in a selfie Ibarra snapped on his phone earlier that morning, lingering outside the apartment of a female graduate student. That student told police someone tried to get in the front door while she was in the shower and peered through her window. Ibarra was “out prowling and hunting females” and when he couldn’t get in the apartment, he turned to the running trails looking for a victim, Ross said. Defense attorney Kaitlyn Beck told the judge that the evidence is circumstantial […]
There’s a common trait that President-elect Donald Trump is clearly prizing as he selects those to serve in his new administration: experience on television. Trump loves that “central casting” look, as he likes to call it. Some, like his choices for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, were until recently TV hosts on Trump’s favorite network, Fox News. Mike Huckabee, his pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, hosted the Fox show “Huckabee” from 2008 to 2015 after his time as Arkansas governor. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former syndicated talk show host and heart surgeon, was tapped Tuesday to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees health insurance programs for millions of older, poor and disabled Americans. He would report to Trump’s choice for health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., himself a regular on the cable news circuit. Trump, a former reality television star himself, has made no secret of his intention to stack his administration with loyalists after his decisive 2024 election win — including some whose lack of relevant experience has raised concerns among lawmakers. But he’s also working to set up a more forceful administration in this term, and in his eyes, many of those people happen to intersect with celebrity. The trend was not lost on Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who posted on social media after the Oz nomination: “We are becoming the world’s first nuclear-armed reality television show.” For good measure, Himes added: “Just spitballing here, but what if the Attorney General and the Secretary of HHS fight each other in an octagonal cage?” That was a reference to Trump’s affinity for the UFC fighters who do battle in the octagon. Choosing TV personalities isn’t that unusual for the once-and-future president: A number of his first-term choices — John Bolton, Larry Kudlow, Heather Nauert and Mercedes Schlapp, were all on TV — mostly also on Fox. Omarosa Manigault Newman, a confrontational first-season member of Trump’s NBC show “The Apprentice,” was briefly at the White House before she was fired. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who ran Trump’s 2016 transition team until he was fired, said that eight years ago, Trump held “Apprentice-like interviews at Bedminster,” summoning potential hires to his club in New Jersey. On a call on Tuesday organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, Christie said this year’s Cabinet choices are different than 2016’s but it’s still “Donald Trump casting a TV show.” “He’s casting,” Christie said. Trump has readily highlighted the media experience of his choices as he’s announced them. He said Duffy, a former lawmaker and onetime cast member of MTV’s “The Real World,” was “a STAR on Fox News.” Hegseth, a military veteran, “has been a host at FOX News for eight years, where he used that platform to fight for our Military and Veterans,” Trump said. He also noted that Hegseth’s book “The War on Warriors” spent nine weeks on The New York Times “best-sellers list, including two weeks at NUMBER ONE.” As for Oz, Trump said: “He won nine Daytime Emmy Awards hosting ‘The Dr. Oz Show,’ where he taught millions of Americans how to make healthier lifestyle choices.” It’s also true that those seeking positions in Trump’s orbit often take to the […]
The IDF has announced the death of a reservist who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon earlier today. The soldier has been identified as 22-year-old Sgt. First Class (res.) Eitan Ben Ami, of the Maglan commando unit from Jerusalem. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Indictments against two suspects in the “leaks case” at the Prime Minister’s Office are expected to be filed on Thursday by the State Prosecutor’s Office, with Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara responsible for the final decision on what charges will be filed. The suspects are former spokesperson Eli Feldstein and a former aide who has not been identified. Journalist Caroline Glick wrote about the case: “Eli Feldstein, a spokesman at the Prime Minister’s Office is being railroaded by Israel’s corrupt deep state. The charge against him is that he went around the military censor and published Hamas documents that showed Sinwar was using hostage talks to overthrow Netanyahu and had no intention of freeing the hostages.” “IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi filed the complaint because the publication in BILD exposed the fact that he was lying when he said there was a deal to be had.” “The military censor is Koby Mandelblit. His uncle, Avichai Mandelblit is the former Attorney General who indicted Netanyahu. All of the charges disintegrated in the courtroom. The prosecutors are the same lawyers who used prolonged incarceration to coerce Netanyahu’s advisors to turn state witnesses against him even though they had no incriminating evidence against him.” Feldstein has been imprisoned in harsh and isolated conditions for 25 days in Ashkelon Prison, where he is surrounded by 12 cells of Arab criminals and is the only Jew among 15 Arabs in his ward. He has expressed fear for his life to his guards and is now on suicide watch due to the harsh conditions and isolation he has endured. On Tuesday, the Shin Bet finally allowed Feldstein, to speak to his parents by phone ahead of the indictment on Thursday. Channel 14 reported that the parents described the conversation as “difficult and painful.” Ynet reported that during Eli’s brief conversation with his mother, he told her about daily, prolonged interrogations that amounted to dozens of hours. He said that he was hooked up to a lie detector during the interrogations and endured “torments of soul and body,” as he put it. His relatives say that he has been wearing the same clothes since his arrest and family members who tried to bring him clothes were held outside the detention facility for hours and eventually sent home. Haaretz journalist Chaim Levinson felt the case justified an investigation but said that it has been completely blown out of proportion: “The more time that passes, the more the Feldstein case and the leaks are proving to be an inflated affair blown out of proportion,” he wrote. “A secret system [Shin Bet] that sees itself as the only one concerning ‘national security’ is flying off the handle over an event of disciplinary and administrative order. And the judicial system, which is supposed to oversee the security system, is capitulating and surrendering without exercising judicial oversight as it should.” “I have certain knowledge that is prohibited from publication about why this particular document leak triggered the entire military information security apparatus. It’s good they investigated. It’s good they found the source of the leak and it’s good they are removing the officer from the IDF. The IDF has its own investigative authorities and appropriate minor military offenses for this type of case. Here, the secret police were involved. Why?” “Not everything is […]
Donald Trump says he has chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO, the bedrock Western alliance that the president-elect has expressed skepticism about for years. Trump, in a statement, said Whitaker was “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is in law enforcement and not in foreign policy. Whitaker had been considered a potential pick for attorney general, a position Trump instead gave to Matt Gaetz, a fierce loyalist who has been seen as divisive even within his own party. The NATO post is a particularly sensitive one given Trump’s regard of the alliance’s value and his complaints that numerous members are not meeting their commitments to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. Whitaker is a former U.S. attorney in Iowa and served as acting attorney general between November 2018 and February 2019, as special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference was drawing to a close. Before then, he was chief of staff to Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, before being picked to replace his boss after Sessions was fired amid lingering outrage over his decision to withdraw from the Russia investigation. Whitaker held the position for several months, on an acting basis and without Senate confirmation, until William Barr was confirmed as attorney general in February 2019. Whitaker has been a relentless critic of the federal criminal cases against Trump, which appear set to evaporate after Trump’s election win. Whitaker has used regular appearances on Fox News to join other Republicans in decrying what they contend is the politicization of the Justice Department over the past four years. Whitaker has little evident foreign policy or national security experience, making him an unknown to many in U.S. security circles. Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, a former supreme allied commander of NATO, said the ambassador’s position was “incredibly important” within the U.S. and NATO security framework, as the direct representative of U.S. presidents in decision-making within the alliance. “The bottom line is they are looked to have the credibility of the president when they speak,” Breedlove said. Previous ambassadors to NATO have generally had years of diplomatic, political or military experience. Trump’s first-term NATO ambassador, former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, did not, although she had been involved in foreign policy issues while in Congress. Breedlove said a security background was not essential to the post, but being seen as having a direct line to the president was. “They need to be seen as actually representing what the president intends. To have the trust and confidence of the president, that’s what’s most important in that position,” he said. During his 2016 campaign, Trump alarmed Western allies by warning that the United States, under his leadership, might abandon its NATO treaty commitments and only come to the defense of countries that meet the transatlantic alliance’s defense spending targets. Trump, as president, eventually endorsed NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense clause, which states that an armed attack against one or more of its […]
