House panel unanimously advances federal anti-BDS legislation

(Worthy News) – The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed controversial legislation on Thursday to target boycott efforts against Israel and Israeli businesses, advancing the measure to now be considered by the entire House chamber.

The Israel Anti-Boycott Act prohibits “US companies from participating in boycotts promoted by international organizations, like the UN, that target US partners, like Israel,” said Rep. Ed Royce, a California Republican who chairs the panel.

Liberal advocacy groups, however, argue the legislation poses a constitutional infringement on Americans’ First Amendment protections, which includes a constitutional right to participate in political boycotts. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

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EU leaders agree to extend economic sanctions on Russia

(Worthy News) – European Union leaders agreed on Friday to extend their economic sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea from Kiev and backing rebels fighting government troops in east Ukraine, an EU official said.

The decision, which will be formally confirmed in the coming days, will prolong EU’s curbs on doing business with Russian banking, financial and energy sectors for six months until the end of January. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

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Syrian army makes advances in southwest offensive

(Worthy News) – The Syrian army battled rebels in an important town in southwest Syria on Thursday, a media unit run by its ally Hezbollah and a war monitor said, as intensifying air strikes killed dozens of people in the area.

President Bashar al-Assad has sworn to take back every inch of Syria, and recapturing the southwest, one of the first hotbeds of the uprising against him, would leave rebels with only one remaining stronghold, in the northwest.

The area is in a “de-escalation zone” agreed last year by the United States, Jordan and Assad’s ally Russia to curb fighting. But despite American warnings that it would respond to an attack, it has not done so and Syrian opposition figures on Wednesday decried Washington’s “silence.” [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

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EU leaders agree on migration after late-night summit

(Worthy News) – European Union leaders reached an agreement on migration after almost 10 hours of chaotic talks in Brussels over the sensitive issue threatening their union and zone of free travel, as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government.

Italy has earlier blocked any agreement at the summit – which was also about trade and security, among other things – unless EU peers meet its demands over migration. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

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Pence tells Central American leaders to end migrant ‘exodus’

(Worthy News) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told the leaders of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador on Thursday to end an ‘exodus’ of illegal immigrants to the United States, urging them to dissuade people from even considering entering the country unlawfully.

The White House has been battling with critics of its “zero tolerance” stance on illegal immigration since the practice of separating children from parents sparked uproar this month and led U.S. President Donald Trump to sign an order ending it.

The bulk of illegal immigrants caught trying to enter the United States in recent years have been from Central America. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

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IDF chief in Washington to meet senior US defense officials

(Worthy News) – IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot landed in the United States for a work visit in the American capital on Thursday night, the army said.

During his stay, Eisenkot will meet with US military and defense officials to discuss “military cooperation in the face of significant defense challenges in the different regions of the Middle East,” the army said in a statement.

During Eisenkot’s stay in Washington, DC, he will be the guest of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

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Half of Churchgoers, 36 Percent of Pro-Lifers, Hold Favorable View of Planned Parenthood: Gallup

(Worthy News) – About half of American churchgoers and over a third of self-identified pro-life individuals hold a positive opinion of Planned Parenthood, according to a recent Gallup poll.

In findings released Wednesday, Gallup found that Planned Parenthood enjoyed a 62 percent favorability rating among overall respondents.

This majority opinion includes 52 percent of respondents who attend religious services at least once a month and 36 percent of respondents who identify as pro-life. [ Source: Christian Post (Read More…) ]

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Israeli envoy: We should delay UNESCO exit

(Worthy News) – Israel should delay its planned December exit from UNESCO given the positive steps the organization has taken to reform its anti-Israel bias, Ambassador Carmel Shama Hacohen told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

“I was the first to recommend leaving the organization after the United States announced it would depart,” he said. “But now Israel shouldn’t ignore the new spirit that is blowing in its direction from UNESCO.

“Together with the US, we should reevaluate the question of leaving or at least weigh the possibility of a certain delay so we send a positive signal to all involved. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More…) ]

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Deutsche Bank fails Federal Reserve stress test

(Worthy News) – U.S. operations of Deutsche Bank failed an annual regulatory stress test by the Federal Reserve, according to results released Thursday.

Deutsche Bank was the only firm of the 35 examined as part of the Fed’s Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review to receive an objection to its capital plans from the Federal Reserve Board.

The stress test evaluates the capital planning processes and capital adequacy of the largest U.S.-based bank holding companies by considering both quantitative and qualitative factors. [ Source: UPI (Read More…) ]

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At least 5 killed in ‘targeted attack’ on Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis

(Worthy News) – A man with a shotgun and a beef against his local newspaper stalked into the offices of the Annapolis Capital Gazette on Thursday and opened fire on the newsroom, killing five people and wounding two others, police said.

Police called it a “targeted attack,” saying the gunman had sent threats to the newspaper on social media and entered the building looking for specific people.

The chief identified the gunman only as a white male in his late 30s. The Baltimore Sun, which owns the Capital Gazette, identified the suspected gunman as Jarrod W. Ramos, a 38-year-old Laurel resident who unsuccessfully filed a defamation lawsuit in 2012 against the paper over coverage of a criminal harassment case against him. Other news outlets reported similarly. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

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