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Weight Loss May Reverse Course of Atrial Fibrillation

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Weight loss might help reverse progression of a common heart arrhythmia in obese adults, a new study shows.

Researchers found that when obese adults with atrial fibrillation (a-fib) shed at least 10 percent of their starting weight, most saw the course of their condition reverse. More than half became a-fib-free during the study period.

Experts said the findings underscore the value of sustained weight loss for obese a-fib patients.

“The fact that as little as a 10 percent weight loss resulted in such dramatic change is impressive,” said Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, a cardiologist who specializes in treating heart arrhythmias.

“The benefits can be amazing,” he said.

Lakkireddy, who was not involved in the study, is chairman-elect of the American College of Cardiology’s electrophysiology section.

Weight loss is critical, he explained, because obesity feeds many of the factors that contribute to atrial fibrillation — including high blood pressure, diabetes and the nighttime breathing disorder sleep apnea.

“So if you target the root cause,” Lakkireddy said, “you can address these issues in one shot.”

Past research had shown weight loss can ease a-fib symptoms and keep episodes from recurring.

But the new study is the first to show it can also reverse the course of the disease, according to the Australian researchers, led by Melissa Middeldorp of the University of Adelaide.

Atrial fibrillation affects anywhere from 3 million to 6 million Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It arises when the heart’s upper chambers beat erratically instead of maintaining a steady, normal rhythm. Though the problem is not immediately life-threatening, if it persists over time, it can raise the risk of stroke or heart failure.

The new findings, published recently in the journal Europace, are based on 355 obese a-fib patients who were offered a structured weight-loss program.

It included individualized diet and lifestyle advice. But in general, patients cut down on calories and processed, high-carbohydrate foods. They also started exercising: First, they took on low-intensity activity three or four times a week, then built toward sessions of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking. The goal was 200 minutes per week, or about 30 minutes each day.

They also received help with managing all their a-fib risk factors such as monitoring their blood pressure, getting their blood sugar levels down, and treating sleep apnea.

Four years later, the study found, people who’d managed to lose at least 10 percent of their weight were faring best.

Overall, 135 people lost that much weight. And 88 percent of them had been either free of a-fib in the past year, or had gone from persistent a-fib episodes to “paroxysmal” a-fib.

Persistent a-fib episodes last for at least a week, or even months. They may require treatment — with either drugs or an electrical “shock” to the heart — to end them.

In contrast, paroxysmal episodes last less than a week and go away on their own.

The picture was different for patients who lost little weight. Of the 116 who lost less than 3 percent of their weight, 41 percent progressed from paroxysmal a-fib to persistent. Only one patient improved from persistent to paroxysmal a-fib.

“Progression of the disease is shown to have a direct link with the degree of weight loss,” Middeldorp said in a statement. “Without weight loss, there is a progression of AF [a-fib] to more persistent forms of AF.”

By: Amy Norton
(HealthDay News)

 

Can Coffee Extend Your Life?

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Having a morning cup of java — and another and another — might prolong your life, a new study suggests.

In fact, drinking lots of coffee was associated with a lower risk of early death, including among people who downed eight or more cups per day.

And it’s not the caffeine. To reap the benefit, it doesn’t matter if your coffee is decaf or instant or caffeinated, the researchers said.

“This study may provide reassurance to coffee drinkers,” said lead researcher Erikka Loftfield, an epidemiologist at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

But Loftfield cautioned that because this was an observational study, it can’t prove that coffee caused people to live longer.

People who drank eight or more cups of coffee a day had a 14 percent lower risk of dying over a 10-year study period, compared with those who didn’t drink coffee, the researchers found.

For those who drank six to seven cups a day, the risk was cut 16 percent, Loftfield said.

Moreover, to get the benefit, it didn’t matter whether someone metabolized caffeine slowly or quickly. “It’s the non-caffeine components that might be responsible for the association,” she said.

Coffee contains more than 1,000 biological compounds, including potassium and folic acid, known to have an effect on the body, Loftfield explained.

But, she added, for non-coffee drinkers, the modest benefits aren’t a reason to start.

“If somebody enjoys drinking coffee, they may continue to enjoy it based on these findings. But if they don’t drink coffee, these findings don’t say to start drinking it,” Loftfield said.

For the study, the researchers collected data on more than 500,000 people who took part in a large, long-running British study.

Over 10 years of follow-up, more than 14,000 people died. But those who drank the most coffee were less likely to die, the findings showed.

Samantha Heller is a nutritionist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. “Like so many plant foods,” she said, “the coffee bean is brimming with polyphenols that, research suggests, confer health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes and antihypertensive properties.”

Plants including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains have many healthful compounds that have a positive effect on health and well-being, Heller said.

Due in part to these compounds, people who follow a more plant-based approach to eating have lower rates of chronic diseases, such as certain cancers, obesity, diabetes, dementia, heart disease and depression, she added.

But, “drinking coffee is not a miracle in a cup, and is unlikely to prevent the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle, such as the typical Western diet or smoking tobacco,” Heller noted.

In addition, the caffeine in coffee may have bad health consequences for some people, she said.

“Teas also have health benefits, so if you do not drink coffee, tea is a great alternative,” Heller said. “Overall, though, coffee can certainly be considered a part of a healthy diet.”

The report was published online July 2 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

By: Steven Reinberg
(HealthDay News)

Birthright Travelers Welcomed to Israel

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Ben Gurion Airport, welcoming young travelers to Israel.

Trump Picks Kavanaugh, Cements Conservative Majority

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Judge Brett Kavanaugh, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, in attendance at Georgia Supreme Court Justice Britt Grant’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, on Wednesday, May 23, 2018.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday night that he had nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, replacing Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his resignation in late June.
In a statement from the White House, Trump described Kavanaugh as “a judge’s judge, a brilliant jurist” and “one of the sharpest, brightest legal minds of our time.”

Kavanaugh, 53, presently serves as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. A Yale Law School graduate, he previously served in both Bush administrations. He also worked on independent counsel Ken Starr’s investigation of President Bill Clinton, INN reported

 

A statement from the White House said that Kavanaugh nomination “comes after a selection process marked by an historic degree of transparency, including the President’s public disclosure of a list of 25 highly qualified potential nominees to the Supreme Court.”

Judge Kavanaugh had previously clerked on the Supreme Court for Justice Kennedy, and for judges on the Third and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals.
“Judge Kavanaugh has earned a reputation as a brilliant jurist with impeccable legal credentials, and he is universally respected for his intellect, as well as his ability to persuade and build consensus,” said the statement.

The left plans  intensified and possible violent protests. Since Trump made the announcement Democrats such as Chuck Schumer  declared that Judge Brett Kavanaugh will overturn Roe V Wade.

A Fox News reporter who was scheduled to broadcast outside the steps of the Supreme Court, cancelled the event when she felt endangered by the protestors.

ABC News Tweeted hours before the Trump made his pick that the new supreme court pick was “controversial”, the media  was pushing a strong narrative  of a “radical right wing judge” even before an the president made his choice.

A Jewish Voice Exclusive: Israeli Consulting Firm Sues Hadassah Woman’s Org for $20.9M

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– Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus

A $20.9 million lawsuit has been filed in Israel against Hadassah: the Zionist Women’s Organization of America (HWZOA). The New York-based nonprofit founded and underwrites the world famous Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. The medical center has two university hospital facilities in the city of Jerusalem.

Free World Ltd, an Israeli consulting firm that in 2014 enabled HWZOA to avoid almost certain government takeover of the nearly bankrupt medical center’s ownership, filed the suit in Jerusalem District Court on April 23, 2018. Free World’s owner, David Spector, had served as the organization’s chief strategic adviser and negotiator as HWZOA fought to retain ownership of the Hadassah Medical Center in 2013-2014. The suit says that HWZOA failed to compensate him for the firm’s work.

 

David Spector

In response to inquiries made by the Jewish Voice, Ellen Hershkin, the national president of HWZOA said in an e-mail statement that, “The lawsuit is an attempt by David Spector to obtain millions of dollars of charitable funds through false claims. Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) will provide its response in a court of law which will dispute Free World’s claims. Free World and Spector were paid in full for their services. We are confident that Free World’s claims will be rejected and that HWZOA will prevail.”

 

Ms. Hershkin added that HWZOA has “provided generous support to educational, social and welfare activities for the benefit of the people of the State of Israel. We will continue to support our charitable mission and not be distracted by those who seek to undermine our lifesaving work.”

According to information provided by Free World, the medical center was experiencing a severe and unprecedented economic crisis with stakeholders viewing HWZOA as the main source of blame. The financial crisis came as HWZOA was dealing with funding difficulties due to the 2007 financial crisis in the U.S. and was forced to return to donors some $45 million of so-called clawback funds in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scandal.

 

Marcie Natan, the former National President of Hadassah (WZOA)

It also had spun off its prized Young Judaea youth program and camps, reduced or ended other significant programming, considerably cut back staff and sold its $71.5 million New York headquarters building, as well as its near-by apartment and several additional properties in Israel.

Mr. Spector’s work brought HWZOA from a point where it had already agreed to surrender its ownership, due to its disadvantage in the negotiations with the State of Israel, to a point where full ownership was retained and a large-scale government-funded recovery plan was instead set in place.

This work and result had been described as “a miracle” by Hadassah’s leadership and is widely detailed in the suit.

Among the numerous examples provided by Mr. Spector: On May 18, 2014 Marcie Natan, then the National President of Hadassah WZOA, wrote to him via e-mail, “Dear David, It is we who thank you – for your strength and your vision for achieving a working agreement that would keep HWZOA as the owners and with control of the board. I am still pinching myself trying to realize that we have reached this point.”

The suit alleges that the defendants — HWZOA, Hadassah Medical Relief, Inc., Sabra Flats and Hadassah Offices in Israel — “(unlawfully) made a huge financial gain at the expense of the Plaintiff.”  Tzvi Bar Nathan is representing FreeWorld Ltd.

That financial gain, according to the suit, totals billions of Israeli shekels and exemption from tax payments, as well as an arrangement allowing HWZOA to be the medical center’s sole fundraiser, a position which the suit says has allowed the organization to extract a 14% commission on all monies it raises for the hospitals.

The suit details HWZOA officials’ appreciation to Spector, including another from Ms. Natan, also as HWZOA, telling him that he had achieved “more than we could ever properly compensate you for.” (Legal Newswire)

 

Chelsea Football Club & WJC Launch Anti-Racism Program

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Chelsea Football Club and The World Jewish Congress today launched the international Pitch for Hope competition, the first stage of a three-pronged joint initiative on combating the widespread phenomenon of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and anti-Semitism in sports, under the banner Red Card for Hate.

Pitch for Hope is a hothouse of ideas, calling on young people ages 18-23 in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Israel to submit proposals for a unique and creative project to harness the spirit of comradery in sports to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life.

In the UK and the US, Chelsea FC and the WJC have been reaching out to potential participants representing institutions working toward coexistence, including Jewish and Muslim organizations, as well as leading educational institutes. The competition in Israel will draw participants from people of all religions – including Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Druze, to include minority groups in the peripheral north and south of the country, as well as members of the lower socio-economic strata. Seven institutions are scheduled to take part in the Israeli competition, with a focus on the visual arts.

Finalists will be invited to present their proposals at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge stadium in London to a panel of judges representing the WJC and Chelsea FC in September. The winners from each country will receive a $10,000 grant from Chelsea FC and the World Jewish Congress to develop and implement their pilot project.

The competition will expand to Germany and France for a following round next year, following high-demand from football clubs across Europe.

This initiative was made possible due to a generous contribution from Chelsea FC Club owner Roman Abramovich and World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder.

WJC CEO Robert Singer said: “Anti-Semitism is as dangerous in the sporting world as it is in civil society, and both are growing at alarming rates. It is our duty, as fans and as teams alike, to work together to put an immediate stop to this phenomenon. The World Jewish Congress and Chelsea Football Club are committed to sending a clear message that the spirit of sport must be tolerance and respect, not hatred and xenophobia. We look forward to seeing the creative proposals submitted by our participants, and are confident that working together, we will make a difference.”

Chelsea FC Chairman Bruce Buck said: “We hope that our joint initiative will start a process that we believe is vital and long overdue. Change does not happen overnight, it takes time, education and understanding, and therefore we have devised the initiative as a long-term project that will grow and build, and hopefully inspire other clubs to follow our lead and create their own anti-Semitism initiatives, as well as working together with us on joint campaigns and activities.”

 

FIFA World Cup Through the Jewish Lens

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One of the fun things about being an American Jew is that during international competitions like the FIFA World Cup or Olympics, if America loses an event, American Jews can always cheer on Israel as well. For this latest installment of the World Cup, unfortunately neither possibility are true as both teams did not make it to the grand tournament. Israel still has a subtle but surprising presence behind the scenes of this World Cup in Russia.

 

Although the Israeli national team hasn’t been in a World Cup since 1970, the country and its citizens still love the action and get involved however they can. From Jewish athletes to parts of the game that most people wouldn’t know have Jewish roots, Jewish and Israeli hands are all over the World Cup.

 

Israel’s men’s national soccer team gets the chance to qualify for the World Cup every four years just like every other country, but it’s not as simple as that. To qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Israel needed to do well enough in the Union of European Football Association’s Group G to get the invitation to Russia for the tournament. The challenge is that this group includes perennial favorites Spain and Italy while Israel’s bordering neighbors played in the Asian Football Confederation. Egypt is one exception, playing in the Confederation of African Football.

 

The Israeli Football Association once competed in the Asian Football Confederation in the middle of the last century until other members of the confederation boycotted the nascent state. During a time when pan-Arab nationalism and solidarity with the Palestinian people were on the rise, the Asian Football Confederation expelled Israel from the confederation in a 17-13 vote organized and led by Kuwait in 1974.

 

This history and Israel failing to qualify again hasn’t stopped Israelis from getting the soccer fever, packing pubs just like fans from every other country around the globe.

 

“There are a lot of Russian-Israelis rooting here,” said Jason Jungreis, owner of Mike’s Place on the Tel Aviv boardwalk, as he referred to the bar filled with fans festooned in national colors for Thursday night’s match between Russia and Saudi Arabia, the Jerusalem Post reported.

 

Locals seem to show the most support for Argentina, whose national team was supposed to play Israel last week until the match was cancelled. Israel’s embassy even created a video to show its support of the Argentinian team.

 

Yahel Murvitz Lahav, 26, is a Technion medical student has deeper reasons for supporting Argentina.

 

“A few friends and I, we made a bet. I’m hoping Belgium will win so I can win [the money]. But I’m actually rooting for Argentina, for my grandparents. On my Dad’s side, they made aliya from Argentina.”

 

Even Americans in Israel like Joel Strauss are excited to watch despite not having a rooting interest. “I didn’t even plan to watch it at first because neither the US nor Israel qualified,” Strauss said.

 

People like Strauss can still see a Jewish presence if they look closely enough. The Jerusalem Post details a few of these hidden storylines, including how Colombia has a Jewish coach, Nigeria and Serbia each have an Israeli athlete, an app called “soccer-hay” helps Jews navigating through Russia, and Israel’s booming sports tech industry is behind many of the analytics and innovations that will enhance the experience for fans across the globe. When Jewish soccer fans scream in excitement for a goal, they can also do so knowing that the man who made it famous to shout “GOAL” at the top of his lungs is Argentinian Jew Andrés Cantor.

 

 

 

 

 

LI Man Arrested After Threatening Rep. Lee Zeldin & Other Trump Supporters

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A man at his home was arrested Friday afternoon after he threatened to kill supporters of President Donald Trump and Rep. Lee Zeldin, R–N.Y., and he almost hit a Zeldin campaign staffer with his car, according to The Washington Examiner.

The 75-year-old Long Island native, Marin Astrof, “became irate” at Zeldin’s campaign headquarters in Suffolk County Friday morning, according to Suffolk County police, according to The Washington Examiner.

The New York Post reported that Astrof said he would kill Donato Panico, who works for Zeldin as a campaign staffer, along with other Zeldin and Trump supporters. According to local police, the man then proceeded to back “his car up in an aggressive manner nearly striking the worker.”

“In the US, political scores are settled at the ballot box, not by trying to kill your political opponents,” Zeldin, a vocal Trump supporter, tweeted in response to the attack. “Donato Panico is a great American, supporter of @realDonaldTrump & one of my campaign vols. He shouldn’t have been targeted like this today for his passion & involvement.”

 

Panico attended Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this year as one of Zeldin’s guests, where people paid their respects to him for his efforts to feed Ground Zero workers during the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks, The Washington Examiner reports.

Astrof should be arraigned Saturday on the felony charge of making a terroristic threat. An additional charge of second-degree reckless endangerment charge faces him too, according to The Washington Examiner.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his family said Monday they received threats from a person who said he would chop them up with an ax, and the suspect was arrested this week, according to The Washington Examiner.

Administration officials have been confronted in public places by people who want to hold them accountable for things like the policy that separated migrant families at the border and for rampant corruption and failure to protect the environment, in the case of now-former Environmental Protection Administration head Scott Pruitt. While those displays of protest were done against top officials and done so relatively peacefully, threats and attacks like this one on Zeldin and his campaign staffer are of a very different variety, which is why law enforcement quickly stepped in.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and Pruitt were all harassed in restaurants and either asked to leave, were forced out by protesters, or were told to resign.

Toys ‘R’ Us Has Prospective Buyers Circling Like Vultures

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Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., Burlington Stores Inc. and TJX Cos. are just some of the retailers expected to fill the spaces vacated by defunct retailer Toys “R” Us Inc., according to one of the nation’s biggest owners of open-air shopping centers.

Over 700 Toys “R” Us stores in the U.S. shuttered last week after the retailer decided not to reorganize in a chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Many retailers also bid on Toys “R” Us locations in bankruptcy court, including Big Lots Inc., Scandinavian Designs, Ashley Homestores Ltd. and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc., a filing shows.

Many of the larger empty big-box storefronts will be filled by hobby stores soon, said Conor Flynn, chief executive of Kimco Realty Corp.

“Hobby Lobby especially is very aggressive,” in that space, Flynn said last month at the Jefferies Global Consumer Conference in Nantucket, Mass. Burlington Stores also is among the retailers looking to expand, he said, adding that “traditional grocers, the larger fitness players — those really are the stores that continue to want to expand in that category.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that Hobby Lobby had 800 stores in January and wants to open 60 new locations and hire about 2,500 additional employees this year. In June, Hobby Lobby opened seven stores, and the Wall Street Journal could not reach Hobby Lobby for comment.

Discount retailer Burlington Stores had 647 locations in the first quarter, and the chain based in Burlington, N.J., plans to add at least 35 stores this year, Morningstar News reports.

Like Sports Authority before it, liquidating Toys “R” Us could open up expansion chances. “We did end up with over 30 Sports Authority locations,” Burlington CEO Thomas Kingsbury said recently when asked about Toys “R” Us locations. “So we shall see if the Toys ‘R’ Us situation will end up yielding additional locations for us.”

Kimco’s Flynn said the standard Toys “R” Us stand-alone stores, each about 35,000 square feet, are likely to be sought by off-price retailers, fitness centers and specialty grocers, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The smaller Toys “R” Us stores, roughly 20,000 to 25,000 square feet each, are “the perfect fit,” he said, for retailers such as TJX. Some of the stores shoppers would see from that company include T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post and Homesense. TJX declined to comment Monday to The Wall Street Journal.

Publicly traded Kimco said its occupancy rate was more than 96% in the first quarter.
“Typically, after our fourth quarter, stores usually close because they’ve made it through the holiday season, and they’ve decided to close up shop,” Flynn said. “We didn’t see that this year.”

Tourist Gets 8 Years in Jail For Insulting Egypt on Social Media

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A Lebanese tourist who was arrested last month for posting a video on Facebook complaining of sexual harassment and conditions in Egypt was sentenced to eight years in prison by a Cairo court on Saturday, Reuters reported.

The 24-year-old Mazboh complains of being sexually harassed by taxi drivers and young men in the street, as well as poor restaurant service during the holy month of Ramadan and an incident in which money was stolen from her during a previous stay.

A Cairo court found her guilty of deliberately spreading false rumours that would harm society, attacking religion, and public indecency, judicial sources said.

An appeal court will now hear the case on July 29, according to Mazboh’s lawyer, Emad Kamal, Reuters reported.

In a similar incident, former actor and model (and Egyptian woman) Amal Fathy was detained last month after she posted a video on social media criticising the government for failing to protect woman from sexual harassment.

In another high-profile case last week, prominent Egyptian activist Hazem Abdel-Azim was arrested at his Cairo home, accused of disseminating fake news and belonging to an outlawed group, Zero Hedger pointed out

Harvey Weinstein’s Brother Sells His Manhattan Property

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26 January 2013 - Beverly Hills, California - Bob Weinstein. 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Photo Credit: Byron Purvis/AdMedia

You’re only as good as your last film, as the saying goes in the movie industry. If you’re the brother of a once-powerful man who abused that power to make or break careers, then it may be time to sell your high-end New York real estate.

Film producer Bob Weinstein, the 63-year-old younger brother of embattled film executive Harvey Weinstein, 66, sold his duplex co-op at the Beresford for $20.5 million, the Real Deal reports. He originally purchased it for $20 million in 2004.

The New York Post reports that the approximately 7,000-square-foot home was for sale starting shortly after last Labor Day, according to StreetEasy. The listing came exactly one month before the New York Times published its bombshell exposé detailing decades of allegations of rampant sexual harassment and assault, according to the New York Post.

The property is located at 211 Central Park West on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and dropped its asking price by 3 million to $26.5 million.

The listing images for Weinstein’s home show bare interiors, according to The New York Post. Deborah Grubman, David Adler and Paul Albano of the Corcoran Group represent the listing, which details the home’s moldings, original herringbone floors, a curved staircase that leads to the pad’s five bedrooms, woodburning fireplaces and two terraces, with even more features like views of Central Park and the city skyline, according to The New York Post.

This sale comes as part of what appears to be a big effort to offload property. In June, Weinstein sold his mansion in affluent Greenwich, Conn., for $17 million, just more than the $16.4 million he spent for it in 2000, The New York Post reports. The property, which takes up 13,000-square-foot property, was on and off the market since 2013.

Weinstein also sold a 6,608-square-foot Upper West Side townhouse at 39 W. 70th St. for $15 million in December 2017, The New York Post reports. Weinstein and ex-wife Annie Clayton bought the five-story home for that same price in 2009, records show.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. Recently got new indictments against the credibly accused producer for two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree for a forcible sexual act against the unnamed woman in 2006.

Weinstein could spend the rest of his life in prison because he faces top predatory sex act charges, according to the district attorney. He already faced the possibility of 25 years on felony charges of rape and a criminal sex act, to which he’s pleaded not guilty, according to The New York Post.

The charges come from allegations that Weinstein forced a woman named Lucia Evans to perform oral sex on him in 2004. He was also accused of raping a second woman at a DoubleTree hotel in Manhattan in 2013.

“Islam:The Religion Of Hope” Conference in Orlando Features Anti-Semites & Holocaust Deniers

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The Muslim Congress represents itself as a charitable 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization whose objectives are “to promote Islamic knowledge, morality, divine values and cooperation among members living in various Muslim communities of North America”, Zionist Organization of America pointed out.

Their event called ” Islam: The Religion of Hope” took place over the weekend in Orlando.

Some of the scheduled speakers have some extremely radical views.

For example Sheikh Hamza Sodagar, who endorses killing gays, and in excruciatingly horrific ways: “The punishment for homosexual men . . . the easiest one maybe is to chop their head off. Second, burn them to death. Third, throw them off a cliff. Fourth, tear down a wall on them. Fifth, a combination of the above”

Kevin Barrett, one of the featured speakers, has falsely blamed Jews for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, claiming that “neoconservative Zionists” are the main suspects. Barrett also has been quoted as saying ““There are very serious questions about the so-called Holy Trinity of the Holocaust story . . . Anne Frank is a sub-myth of the larger myth of the Holocaust.”

Asad Jafri, another scheduled speaker at the conference, has promoted safeguarding Islamic terrorists and called for Israel’s destruction. At a rally in Toronto, he implored, “Leave ISIS alone, leave Al Qaida alone, leave Al Nusra alone, leave Boko Haram alone . . . down with Zionism!” He also threatened, “You will see the destruction of Israel very soon.”

As of yet video and transcripts are not available for this past weekends events,if any of the event becomes available, we will report it.

Israel’s Significant Role in Thai Cave Rescue Operation

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The horrible news that a team of Thai soccer players and their coach had been trapped by rising waters while exploring a cave has captured the world’s attention. At the time of this writing 4 kids have been extracted by a Seal team, leaving a total of 9, including the coach to be rescued. We pray that they all will come out of this situation well and ready to jump into the arms of their loving families.

The hidden story behind these headlines that has not been revealed by the world’s media, including our own New York Times (please explain that to us), is that Israel has a great deal to do with the rescue efforts. It appears that an Israeli communications firm has been a major factor in this operation. Uzi Hanoni, CEO of Yavne-based Maxtech, was contacted by Thai officials and placed an order for his firm’s communications gear that as he says, ” are communication systems that create networks on the spot, designed for areas where there is no communications infrastructure. The network allows for the transmission of data, voice and video under severe circumstances such as flooding. We gave them our devices and the rescue teams in the caves used them to communicate. That’s the Israeli contribution to this rescue effort. We didn’t ask any money for this. When I heard the story, I and my partner decided to donate the systems. These systems cost over $100,000, and we are a small company. But it’s worth it.”

That’s the Israeli humanitarian mlndset as expressed by Israel’s founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. “The principles of mutual assistance and equality should also constitute the basis for international relations between people and must be based on the solidarity of all human beings, derived from fraternity and mutual assistance in every sphere of life.” This dot on the map nation is the world’s leading expert in dealing with mass casualty situations. Without regard to how any “nation in need” votes in the UN on Israel issues, the Jewish State responds to critical situations ASAP. After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, they came with supplies and doctors. After the Indian Ocean tsunami, Israel flew aid to Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world. They rushed into Sri Lanka to save thousands from severe flooding. Pakistan, one of the fiercest anti-Israel governments silently welcomed an Israeli NGO, Israeli Flying Aid, which provided thousands of families dry food products, blankets, coats, socks and heating kits to save Muslims from their freezing winter.

So, we’d like to see these nations who’ve been the benefactors of Israel’s humanitarianism, reciprocate in their relations with Israel. Let them start with support in the United Nations for little Israel which is a giant when it comes to helping others. Let’s not hold our breath!

Divers Rescue Four of Twelve Boys Trapped in Thailand Cave

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Divers in Thailand rescued four boys out of a group of 12 and their soccer coach who had been trapped by flood waters deep inside a mountain cave for more than two weeks, VOA reported.

The story of the boys in Thailand has riveted the entire world, including President Donald Trump.

“The U.S. is working very closely with the government of Thailand to help get all of the children out of the cave and to safety. Very brave and talented people,” Trump tweeted Sunday.

the complicated and extremely dangerous operation to bring the other nine to safety has been suspended while rescuers replenish air tanks along the exit tunnel. The group is stranded about 4 kilometers inside the cave.
Authorities believe it could be another four days before all are out. But the clock is ticking. Monsoon rains have started falling again, causing water levels inside the cave to rise, squeezing the boys in an ever shrinking space inside the cave, and causing oxygen levels to drop.

Thirteen divers from around the world and five Thai Navy Seals are involved in the rescue operation. They are considered some of the finest divers in the world, but the operation is incredibly challenging even for such experts.

One volunteer, former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Gunan, died Friday while placing spare air tanks along the escape route. He ran out of air trying to swim out of the cave, VOA reported.

Below is a report from Voice OF America on this gripping story which has captured and captivated the entire world

Defending Tour de France Champ Gets Cold Reception Following Doping Exception: A Tour Preview

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Chris Froome may face bigger challenges off the bike as he gets ready for another journey through France for what could be a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title. Fans and the media are giving him a hard time though.

The defending champion was cleared of any wrongdoing by cycling’s governing body following an investigation after excessive levels of asthma drug Salbutamol was found in his urine sample during last September’s Vuelta a Espana, just in time for this year’s Tour de France, Yahoo News reports.

In a column in French newspaper Le Monde, the Team Sky rider, attempting to become the first person since Marco Pantani in 1998 to achieve the Giro d’Italia-Tour double, wrote that: “the build up to this race has not been the easiest for me, for the race organizers and for you all – the cycling fans and people of France who are the heartbeat of the Tour.”

During the teams presentation in the Vendee region on Thursday, Froome was greeted with a hostile crowd. It reminded him of a particularly tough ride on the 2015 Tour de France, when he had a cup of urine thrown on his face and was called a doper by a spectator, Yahoo News reports.

Team Sky’s dominance and their perceived arrogance have raised questions and triggered suspicions, although no doping allegations have been proven, according to Yahoo News.

Froome managed to brush off the criticism and is still a favorite to be at the top of the podium in Paris in three weeks. Karma may be catching up with him as he got caught up in a crash on the first stage on Saturday. He’s still racing but lost some time. He’ll have plenty of chances to make up any lost time this early on and before time trials and mountain stages.

Sky’s collective force and the Briton’s ability to hold off his rivals in the mountains makes him the man to beat even if the opposition has been sharpening their knives, according to Yahoo News.

France’s Romain Bardet, who’s finished in the top three at the tour before, and Giro champion Tom Dumoulin, think Froome should not have been racing while under investigation.

“I hope he will get a kind welcoming,” said Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme.

“The Tour de France fans, it’s about 10-12 million people, who come on the roads with their family. But among those, some of them could have other reactions.”

Team Sky should be the strongest team by far yet again and even have some backup cyclists who can go for the individual overall victory, the yellow jersey

De Blasio Flew Home From Vacation on $3M Counterterrorism Plane

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The NYPD used a $3 million counterterrorism plane to get Mayor Bill de Blasio back and forth from his Canada vacation to New York for an event Thursday, according to The New York Post.

The mayor had to fly back to pay tribute at a memorial service in the Bronx for a lawn enforcement officer who was murdered, Detective Miosotis Familia, according to The New York Post. De Blasio is taking a weeklong vacation in Quebec.

“NYPD is transporting him in their plane,” de Blasio spokesman Eric Phillips told The Post.
“Their plane” is a Cessna 208 Caravan that cost roughly $3 million and was picked up by the department in 2017, sources said to The New York Post.

The high-tech aircraft has special sensors that can detect at a distance radioactive material used to make “dirty bombs,” The New York Post reports.

Police sources were skeptical of the necessity of the plane in this situation.

“It is very unusual to go on an international flight to go pick up the mayor,” one source said.
“I think it’s excessive, because that wasn’t what that plane was designed to do. It’s designed for counterterrorism measures. To go to Canada to get the mayor? It’s excessive.”

Sources said the aircraft is kept at MacArthur Airport on Long Island. Data from flight-tracker website FlightAware shows a Cessna Caravan with a tail number previously identified by Wired.com as belonging to an NYPD “spy” craft flying from MacArthur at 6:36 a.m. Thursday and landing at Montreal-Trudeau Airport by 8:18 a.m.

The plane departed Montreal less than an hour later and landed at Westchester County Airport near White Plains at 10:58 a.m., The New York Post reports.

By noon, the mayor was speaking at a street co-naming for Familia. The plane later departed Westchester for Montreal at 1:48 p.m., arriving at 3:34 p.m., records show as reviewed by The New York Post.

The trip to Canada was a departure from the plane’s normal pattern of two- to three-hour flights starting and ending at MacArthur, data shows.

“The NYPD, as a longstanding matter of policy, does not comment on specific details regarding the protection of elected officials,” a spokesman said.

“However, careful consideration is made to ensure that the work of the security detail has no impact on other NYPD operations.”