MEDIA-OCRITY
House Republican Report Finds No Evidence of Wrongdoing by President Biden: Luke Broadwater, NY Times, May 10, 2023
‘After four months of investigation, House Republicans who promised to use their new majority to unearth evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden acknowledged on Wednesday that they had yet to uncover incriminating material about him, despite their frequent insinuations that he and his family have been involved in criminal conduct and corruption. At a much-publicized news conference on Capitol Hill to show the preliminary findings of their premier investigation into Mr. Biden and his family, leading Republicans released financial documents detailing how some of the president’s relatives were paid more than $10 million from foreign sources between 2015 and 2017. Republicans described the transactions as proof of “influence peddling” by Mr. Biden’s family, including his son Hunter Biden, and referenced some previously known, if unflattering, details of the younger Mr. Biden’s business dealings. Those included an episode in which he accepted a 2.8-carat diamond from a Chinese businessman. G.O.P. lawmakers also produced material suggesting that President Biden and his allies had at times made misleading statements in their efforts to push back aggressively against accusations of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden.” [The GOP Oversight Committee released myriad bank statements of shell companies through which Hunter Biden and family members received millions of dollars from foreign nationals while Joe Biden was Vice-President. What did the Bidens sell in return, if not access to Joe Biden? And if these are legitimate business dealings, why hide them? – Ed.]
WEEKLY QUOTES
“Our intention in Operation Shield and Arrow was to change the balance of deterrence against Islamic Jihad as well. The difference comes not only because of the targeted assassinations that we have been doing for the 16 years that I have been prime minister, but that we did so calmly and effectively. We took down half of Islamic Jihad’s leadership in a surprise blow, and the other half during the operation. The message was delivered not only in Gaza, but all around. Whoever harms us or plans to harm us knows the meaning of ‘his blood is on his own head.’ We are changing the balance of deterrence.” — PM Benjamin Netanyahu at a Likud party meeting. (WIN, May 16, 2023)
“Britain and the United States specifically bear political and ethical responsibility directly for the Nakba of the Palestinian people because they took part in rendering our people victims when they decided to establish and implant another entity in our historic homeland for their own colonial goals and objectives. And Israel would not have continued its hostility and aggression without the support it receives from these two countries.” – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the United Nations. The UN hosted an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba” — the Arabic word meaning “catastrophe” that is used by many Palestinians to describe the founding of the State of Israel in May 1948. (United With Israel, May 16, 2023)
“Some settlements have been there for so long, right? And just the idea around taking families that — that’s been their home — it’s just completely uprooting, forcibly displacing. It’s something I struggle with because, like, we’re doing it all over again, right? This happened during the Nakba.” — Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D- MI)in a recent speech. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
“Instead of us focusing on, how do we duplicate the success of improving our children, we attack the yeshivas that are providing a quality education that is embracing our children. We’re asking, ‘What are you doing in your schools?’ We need to ask, ‘What are we doing wrong in our schools?’ And learn what you are doing in the yeshivas to improve education.” – NYC Mayor Eric Adams during a speech at the Teach NYS Annual Dinner 2023, hosted by the Orthodox Union. (WIN, May 16, 2023)
“The Durham report exposes a massive scandal in the intelligence and law enforcement structure in Washington, D.C. There needs to be a thorough follow-up and public airing by Congress. There must be significant changes in leadership if the organization is to regain any credibility. It will take years and decisive action to repair the enormous damage done by a deep state committed to partisan action in favor of the Democratic Party.” – Editorial responding to special council John Durham’s final 306-page report that he released on Monday blaming the FBI and DOJ for the Russia hoax. (Washington Examiner, May 16, 2023)
“The FBI discovered almost immediately in the summer of 2016 that the claims of Trump-Russia collusion had been manufactured by Hillary Clinton and her confederates. The damning fiction constituted what is surely the dirtiest trick in American politics, and it triggered the greatest mass delusion in history.The mainstream media, riven with bias, became witting accessories to the lie and effectively convicted Trump in the court of public opinion without a whiff of supportable evidence. The New York Times and The Washington Post even won coveted Pulitzer Prizes for getting the story fundamentally wrong. The sad coda is that none of the people involved will ever be held accountable in a court of law.” – Gregg Jarrett. (Fox News, May 15, 2023)
“Influence-peddling allegations have given new meaning to President Biden ‘s old title of “vice” president. The Department of Justice has spent years investigating allegations of financial wrongdoing on the part of the Biden family, with little to show for the effort. Congress may be having better luck. Before awarding him a second term in office, Americans should be fully apprised of whether Mr. Biden and his family have engaged in corruption for the benefit of foreign interests.” – Editorial Board (Washington Times, May 12, 2023)
“I, and much more importantly, the American public have been victims of this long-running and treasonous charade started by the Democrats — started by Comey. There must be a heavy price to pay for putting our country through this.” – former President Donald Trump commenting on special council John Durham’s final report that he submitted. (Newsmax, May 15, 2023)“Now we know that the CIA conspired with former acting director Mike Morell and the Biden campaign to produce a letter falsely claiming that emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation — and solicited signatures from at least one former intelligence official. … The letter was a domestic disinformation operation by the CIA to deceive the American people and help Joe Biden win the 2020 election.” – Miranda Divine responding to Mr. Morell’s acknowledgement as such to the The House Intelligence and Judiciary committees investigating “the origins of that “Dirty 51” letter cooked up by five former CIA directors and 46 fellow spooks to discredit The Post’s reporting on the laptop.” (NY Post, May 14, 2023)
“Britain and the United States specifically bear political and ethical responsibility directly for the Nakba of the Palestinian people because they took part in rendering our people victims when they decided to establish and implant another entity in our historic homeland for their own colonial goals and objectives. And Israel would not have continued its hostility and aggression without the support it receives from these two countries.” – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the United Nations. The UN hosted an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba” — the Arabic word meaning “catastrophe” that is used by many Palestinians to describe the founding of the State of Israel in May 1948. (United With Israel, May 16, 2023)
“Some settlements have been there for so long, right? And just the idea around taking families that — that’s been their home — it’s just completely uprooting, forcibly displacing. It’s something I struggle with because, like, we’re doing it all over again, right? This happened during the Nakba.” — Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D- MI)in a recent speech. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
“Instead of us focusing on, how do we duplicate the success of improving our children, we attack the yeshivas that are providing a quality education that is embracing our children. We’re asking, ‘What are you doing in your schools?’ We need to ask, ‘What are we doing wrong in our schools?’ And learn what you are doing in the yeshivas to improve education.” – NYC Mayor Eric Adams during a speech at the Teach NYS Annual Dinner 2023, hosted by the Orthodox Union. (WIN, May 16, 2023)
“The Durham report exposes a massive scandal in the intelligence and law enforcement structure in Washington, D.C. There needs to be a thorough follow-up and public airing by Congress. There must be significant changes in leadership if the organization is to regain any credibility. It will take years and decisive action to repair the enormous damage done by a deep state committed to partisan action in favor of the Democratic Party.” – Editorial responding to special council John Durham’s final 306-page report that he released on Monday blaming the FBI and DOJ for the Russia hoax. (Washington Examiner, May 16, 2023)
“The FBI discovered almost immediately in the summer of 2016 that the claims of Trump-Russia collusion had been manufactured by Hillary Clinton and her confederates. The damning fiction constituted what is surely the dirtiest trick in American politics, and it triggered the greatest mass delusion in history.The mainstream media, riven with bias, became witting accessories to the lie and effectively convicted Trump in the court of public opinion without a whiff of supportable evidence. The New York Times and The Washington Post even won coveted Pulitzer Prizes for getting the story fundamentally wrong. The sad coda is that none of the people involved will ever be held accountable in a court of law.” – Gregg Jarrett. (Fox News, May 15, 2023)
“Influence-peddling allegations have given new meaning to President Biden ‘s old title of “vice” president. The Department of Justice has spent years investigating allegations of financial wrongdoing on the part of the Biden family, with little to show for the effort. Congress may be having better luck. Before awarding him a second term in office, Americans should be fully apprised of whether Mr. Biden and his family have engaged in corruption for the benefit of foreign interests.” – Editorial Board (Washington Times, May 12, 2023)
“I, and much more importantly, the American public have been victims of this long-running and treasonous charade started by the Democrats — started by Comey. There must be a heavy price to pay for putting our country through this.” – former President Donald Trump commenting on special council John Durham’s final report that he submitted. (Newsmax, May 15, 2023)“Now we know that the CIA conspired with former acting director Mike Morell and the Biden campaign to produce a letter falsely claiming that emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation — and solicited signatures from at least one former intelligence official. … The letter was a domestic disinformation operation by the CIA to deceive the American people and help Joe Biden win the 2020 election.” – Miranda Divine responding to Mr. Morell’s acknowledgement as such to the The House Intelligence and Judiciary committees investigating “the origins of that “Dirty 51” letter cooked up by five former CIA directors and 46 fellow spooks to discredit The Post’s reporting on the laptop.” (NY Post, May 14, 2023)
“Now we know that the CIA conspired with former acting director Mike Morell and the Biden campaign to produce a letter falsely claiming that emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation — and solicited signatures from at least one former intelligence official. … The letter was a domestic disinformation operation by the CIA to deceive the American people and help Joe Biden win the 2020 election.” – Miranda Divine responding to Mr. Morell’s acknowledgement as such to the The House Intelligence and Judiciary committees investigating “the origins of that “Dirty 51” letter cooked up by five former CIA directors and 46 fellow spooks to discredit The Post’s reporting on the laptop.” (NY Post, May 14, 2023)
Progressive billionaire George Soros] “reminds me of Magneto,” a comic book villain who features in Marvel’s X-Men series.,” — billionaire Elon Musk tweeted. Brian Krassenstein, a liberal Jewish journalist responded: “ Magneto’s experiences during the Holocaust as a survivor shaped his perspective as well as his depth and empathy,” and that Soros “gets attacked nonstop for his good intentions which some Americans think are bad merely because they disagree with [his] political affiliations.” “You assume they are good intentions. They are not. He wants to erode the very fabric of civilization. [George] Soros hates humanity.” — Elon Musk. (JTA, May 16, 2023)
SHORT TAKES
NETANYAHU COALITION RISES AFTER OPERATION SHIELD AND ARROW, POLLS SHOW (Jerusalem) — Three new polls released Sunday evening show the right-wing – religious bloc regaining some of its lost electoral strength, following the conclusion of the five-day Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip. (Israel National News, May 14, 2023)
SECURITY OFFICIAL: IRAN ATTEMPTING TO BLOCK GAZA CEASEFIRE (Tehran) — Officials in Israel say Iran is attempting to disrupt any ceasefire agreement by putting pressure on the terror group’s leadership currently in Lebanon. The Iranians see any such agreement as total capitulation because the Palestinian Islamic Jihad is the closest faction to Tehran and had thus far failed to reach any major achievement in the fighting that began earlier this week. Until the PIJ succeeds in inflicting major harm on Israelis, either by rocket fire, anti-tank fire, or terror attack, Iran will pressure the group to continue to fight. (Ynet News, May 11, 2023)
ABBAS DISAVOWS JEWISH TIES TO TEMPLE MOUNT, COMPARES ISRAEL TO NAZIS (NYC) — There is no proof of Jewish ties to the area of al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday at the United Nations as he referenced Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount and its adjacent Western Wall. He spoke during a special session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to mark the 75th anniversary of Nakba Day, Arabic for “Catastrophe Day,” the term Palestinians use to describe the 1948 war. The UN also held a second Nakba Day event in the General Assembly hall on Monday evening with musical performances and films. (Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2023)
ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY BLASTS MUSK OVER TWITTER ANTISEMITISM AFTER SOROS TWEET (Jerusalem) –Twitter does not act against antisemitism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Twitter on Tuesday. The remarks came after Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted about another controversial billionaire, George Soros saying he reminds him of Magneto, the villain from X-Men who, like Soros, survived the Holocaust. Soros “wants to erode the very fabric of civilization,” Musk said. “Soros hates humanity.” (Jerusalem Post, May 16, 2023)
RABBI DEE SLAMS CNN FOR FALSELY CLAIMING FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN ‘SHOOTOUT’ (Atlanta) — Rabbi Leo Dee, who tragically lost his wife and two of his daughters in a Pesach terror attack, has blasted CNN’s “terror journalism” and is demanding an apology. Rabbi Dee’s comments came in response to leftist host Christine Amanpour, who egregiously called the attack a “shootout”, equating both sides, when in reality three innocent victims were tragically targeted and gunned down, just for being Jewish. (VIN News, May 16, 2023)
ANCIENT TABLET FOUND ON MOUNT EBAL PREDATES KNOWN HEBREW INSCRIPTIONS (Nablus) — An early Hebrew inscription from Mount Ebal near Nablus that was found on a folded lead tablet during an excavation in the 1980s recently underwent x-ray tomographic measurements to reveal hidden text. Epigraphic analysis of the data revealed a formulaic curse written in a proto-alphabetic script likely dating to Late Bronze Age that predates any previously known Hebrew inscription in Israel by at least 200 years. The finding has just been published in the journal Heritage Science by Prof. Gershon Galil, a researcher at in Jewish history and biblical studies at the University of Haifa. (Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2023)
AUSCHWITZ ICE CREAM STAND OUTSIDE OF ‘DEATH GATE’ SPARKS CONTROVERSY (Auschwitz) — The opening of an ice cream stand near the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp has drawn criticism from Holocaust commemoration experts. The stand, adorned with a vibrant drawing of an ice cream cone and a pink logo bearing the words “icelove,” “waffles,” and “ice creams,” opened earlier this month just 200 yards outside of the iconic Auschwitz II Historical Gate. (WIN, May 14, 2023)
‘JEWS BURN BEST’ – 154 DUTCH SOCCER FANS ARRESTED OVER ANTISEMITIC CHANTS (Amsterdam) — Some 154 soccer fans were arrested by police in the Netherlands late Saturday evening after singing an antisemitic soccer song, including lyrics referencing the burning of Jews and the Nazi party’s military branch, the SS. The fans were reportedly riding the subway en route to the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam ahead of a game when they began singing the antisemitic anthem. (WIN, May 7, 2023)
KEVIN MCCARTHY PROMISED TO REPLACE RASHIDA TLAIB’S EVENT WITH A ‘BIPARTISAN’ PRO-ISRAEL DISCUSSION. ONLY REPUBLICANS SPOKE. (Washington) — When House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked an event marking 75 years of Palestinian suffering since Israel’s establishment in 1948 by Rep Rashida Tlbaib, he promised to replace it with a bipartisan discussion celebrating Israel. McCarthy’s event took place, but only Republicans spoke. Prominent pro-Israel Democratic lawmakers were not invited. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
SECURITY OFFICIAL: IRAN ATTEMPTING TO BLOCK GAZA CEASEFIRE (Tehran) — Officials in Israel say Iran is attempting to disrupt any ceasefire agreement by putting pressure on the terror group’s leadership currently in Lebanon. The Iranians see any such agreement as total capitulation because the Palestinian Islamic Jihad is the closest faction to Tehran and had thus far failed to reach any major achievement in the fighting that began earlier this week. Until the PIJ succeeds in inflicting major harm on Israelis, either by rocket fire, anti-tank fire, or terror attack, Iran will pressure the group to continue to fight. (Ynet News, May 11, 2023)
ABBAS DISAVOWS JEWISH TIES TO TEMPLE MOUNT, COMPARES ISRAEL TO NAZIS (NYC) — There is no proof of Jewish ties to the area of al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday at the United Nations as he referenced Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount and its adjacent Western Wall. He spoke during a special session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to mark the 75th anniversary of Nakba Day, Arabic for “Catastrophe Day,” the term Palestinians use to describe the 1948 war. The UN also held a second Nakba Day event in the General Assembly hall on Monday evening with musical performances and films. (Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2023)
ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY BLASTS MUSK OVER TWITTER ANTISEMITISM AFTER SOROS TWEET (Jerusalem) –Twitter does not act against antisemitism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Twitter on Tuesday. The remarks came after Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted about another controversial billionaire, George Soros saying he reminds him of Magneto, the villain from X-Men who, like Soros, survived the Holocaust. Soros “wants to erode the very fabric of civilization,” Musk said. “Soros hates humanity.” (Jerusalem Post, May 16, 2023)
RABBI DEE SLAMS CNN FOR FALSELY CLAIMING FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN ‘SHOOTOUT’ (Atlanta) — Rabbi Leo Dee, who tragically lost his wife and two of his daughters in a Pesach terror attack, has blasted CNN’s “terror journalism” and is demanding an apology. Rabbi Dee’s comments came in response to leftist host Christine Amanpour, who egregiously called the attack a “shootout”, equating both sides, when in reality three innocent victims were tragically targeted and gunned down, just for being Jewish. (VIN News, May 16, 2023)
ANCIENT TABLET FOUND ON MOUNT EBAL PREDATES KNOWN HEBREW INSCRIPTIONS (Nablus) — An early Hebrew inscription from Mount Ebal near Nablus that was found on a folded lead tablet during an excavation in the 1980s recently underwent x-ray tomographic measurements to reveal hidden text. Epigraphic analysis of the data revealed a formulaic curse written in a proto-alphabetic script likely dating to Late Bronze Age that predates any previously known Hebrew inscription in Israel by at least 200 years. The finding has just been published in the journal Heritage Science by Prof. Gershon Galil, a researcher at in Jewish history and biblical studies at the University of Haifa. (Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2023)
AUSCHWITZ ICE CREAM STAND OUTSIDE OF ‘DEATH GATE’ SPARKS CONTROVERSY (Auschwitz) — The opening of an ice cream stand near the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp has drawn criticism from Holocaust commemoration experts. The stand, adorned with a vibrant drawing of an ice cream cone and a pink logo bearing the words “icelove,” “waffles,” and “ice creams,” opened earlier this month just 200 yards outside of the iconic Auschwitz II Historical Gate. (WIN, May 14, 2023)
‘JEWS BURN BEST’ – 154 DUTCH SOCCER FANS ARRESTED OVER ANTISEMITIC CHANTS (Amsterdam) — Some 154 soccer fans were arrested by police in the Netherlands late Saturday evening after singing an antisemitic soccer song, including lyrics referencing the burning of Jews and the Nazi party’s military branch, the SS. The fans were reportedly riding the subway en route to the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam ahead of a game when they began singing the antisemitic anthem. (WIN, May 7, 2023)
KEVIN MCCARTHY PROMISED TO REPLACE RASHIDA TLAIB’S EVENT WITH A ‘BIPARTISAN’ PRO-ISRAEL DISCUSSION. ONLY REPUBLICANS SPOKE. (Washington) — When House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked an event marking 75 years of Palestinian suffering since Israel’s establishment in 1948 by Rep Rashida Tlbaib, he promised to replace it with a bipartisan discussion celebrating Israel. McCarthy’s event took place, but only Republicans spoke. Prominent pro-Israel Democratic lawmakers were not invited. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR DECLARES MAY AS JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH AND LAUNCHES ANTISEMITISM INITIATIVE (Boston) — Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) on Thursday signed a proclamation declaring May as Jewish Heritage Month, joining other states such as Kansas and California that have done the same. Earlier in the day, Healey joined Combined Jewish Philanthropies, a local nonprofit that describes its mission as strengthening the Jewish community and its connection to Israel, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to launch the “Face Jewish Hate” campaign in Boston. (Algemeiner, May 16, 2023)
EX-NY MAYOR GIULIANI TO JEWS: ‘GET OVER PASSOVER, IT WAS 3,000 YEARS AGO’ (NYC) — Former New York City mayor and lawyer for Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani mocked Jews for observing Passover 3,000 years later, a former staffer claimed in a $10 million lawsuit she filed Monday which also accused him of sexual assault and harassment. “Jews want to go through their freaking Passover all the time, man oh man,” Giuliani was cited in the complaint as saying in comments that were apparently recorded. “Get over the Passover. It was like 3,000 years ago. The Red Sea parted, big deal. It’s not the first time that happened.” Noelle Dunphy, who began working for Giuliani in January 2019 as his director of business development on a salary of $1 million a year, accused Giuliani of “wide-ranging sexual assault and harassment.” (WIN, May 16, 2023)
U OF T CONTINUES TO FREEZE STUDENT FEES OVER BDS SUPPORT (Toronto) — Bnai Brith Canada commends the University of Toronto (U of T) for a decision to continue withholding a portion of students’ tuition fees allocated to the Graduate Student’s Union (GSU). These fees, withheld in a precedent-setting development by the U of T last year, will remain frozen until the GSU addresses issues of antisemitism related to its endorsement of the controversial boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) movement, as identified by Provost Cheryl Regehr in her decision letter last year. Since March, 2022, the university has now withheld more than $20,000 earmarked for the GSU. (Bnai Brith Canada, May 15, 2023)
FORMER JEWISH FIRST LADY OF PERU FLEES TO ISRAEL AFTER EXTRADITION REQUEST (Lima) — Eliane Karp, Peru’s former Jewish first lady, has flown from the United States to Israel in an attempt to avoid extradition to Peru in a money laundering case. Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otárola announced the news on Wednesday at a press conference in Lima. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
CHATGPT’S CHIEF TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS AS CONCERNS GROW ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RISKS (Washington) — The head of the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT told Congress on Tuesday that government intervention “will be critical to mitigate the risks of increasingly powerful” AI systems. Altman proposed the formation of a U.S. or global agency that would license the most powerful AI systems and have the authority to “take that license away and ensure compliance with safety standards.” (VIN News, May 16, 2023)
TURKEY APPEARS SET FOR RUNOFF ELECTION AS ERDOĞAN FALLS SHORT (Istanbul) — Turkey is probably headed for a runoff election later in May as neither incumbent president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan nor rival Kemal Kiliçdaroğlu cleared the 50 percent threshold to win outright. As of press time, with more than 97 percent of ballot boxes counted, Erdoğan leads with 49.4 percent of the vote, and his main challenger has 45 percent, according to state-owned news agency Anadolu. A third nationalist candidate — Sinan Oğan — is in third, with 5.3 percent of the vote. (National Review, May 14, 2023)
EX-NY MAYOR GIULIANI TO JEWS: ‘GET OVER PASSOVER, IT WAS 3,000 YEARS AGO’ (NYC) — Former New York City mayor and lawyer for Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani mocked Jews for observing Passover 3,000 years later, a former staffer claimed in a $10 million lawsuit she filed Monday which also accused him of sexual assault and harassment. “Jews want to go through their freaking Passover all the time, man oh man,” Giuliani was cited in the complaint as saying in comments that were apparently recorded. “Get over the Passover. It was like 3,000 years ago. The Red Sea parted, big deal. It’s not the first time that happened.” Noelle Dunphy, who began working for Giuliani in January 2019 as his director of business development on a salary of $1 million a year, accused Giuliani of “wide-ranging sexual assault and harassment.” (WIN, May 16, 2023)
U OF T CONTINUES TO FREEZE STUDENT FEES OVER BDS SUPPORT (Toronto) — Bnai Brith Canada commends the University of Toronto (U of T) for a decision to continue withholding a portion of students’ tuition fees allocated to the Graduate Student’s Union (GSU). These fees, withheld in a precedent-setting development by the U of T last year, will remain frozen until the GSU addresses issues of antisemitism related to its endorsement of the controversial boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) movement, as identified by Provost Cheryl Regehr in her decision letter last year. Since March, 2022, the university has now withheld more than $20,000 earmarked for the GSU. (Bnai Brith Canada, May 15, 2023)
FORMER JEWISH FIRST LADY OF PERU FLEES TO ISRAEL AFTER EXTRADITION REQUEST (Lima) — Eliane Karp, Peru’s former Jewish first lady, has flown from the United States to Israel in an attempt to avoid extradition to Peru in a money laundering case. Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otárola announced the news on Wednesday at a press conference in Lima. (JTA, May 12, 2023)
CHATGPT’S CHIEF TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS AS CONCERNS GROW ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RISKS (Washington) — The head of the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT told Congress on Tuesday that government intervention “will be critical to mitigate the risks of increasingly powerful” AI systems. Altman proposed the formation of a U.S. or global agency that would license the most powerful AI systems and have the authority to “take that license away and ensure compliance with safety standards.” (VIN News, May 16, 2023)
TURKEY APPEARS SET FOR RUNOFF ELECTION AS ERDOĞAN FALLS SHORT (Istanbul) — Turkey is probably headed for a runoff election later in May as neither incumbent president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan nor rival Kemal Kiliçdaroğlu cleared the 50 percent threshold to win outright. As of press time, with more than 97 percent of ballot boxes counted, Erdoğan leads with 49.4 percent of the vote, and his main challenger has 45 percent, according to state-owned news agency Anadolu. A third nationalist candidate — Sinan Oğan — is in third, with 5.3 percent of the vote. (National Review, May 14, 2023)
WATCH: IDF Nixes Attacks When Nearby Children at Risk: Matan Zuri, Ynet News, May 13, 2023 — “We have achieved very high success in the military campaign. From the opening strike onward, the achievements intensify and accumulate,” Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi said Saturday evening during an operational situation assessment in the Kirya base in Tel Aviv with the participation of members of the General Staff Forum and representatives of the Shin Bet.
