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Israel

Israeli-American Omer Neutra, Thought Taken Hostage, Confirmed Killed In Oct. 7 Attack Israeli-American Omer Neutra, Thought Taken Hostage, Confirmed Killed In Oct. 7 Attack
Israeli-American Omer Neutra, Thought Taken Hostage, Confirmed Killed In Oct. 7 Attack More than a year of agonizing uncertainty has come to a tragic end for the family of a New York native thought to have been taken hostage during the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Omer Neutra, from Long Island’s Plainview, was killed during the attacks that claimed the lives of another 1,200 men, women, and children, the Israeli government confirmed Monday, Dec. 2. The 21-year-old moved to Israel when he was 18 to join the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during a gap year, his parents Orna and Ronen said in a video shared by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). …
Alec Baldwin Says Americans 'Very Uninformed' About Important Issues Alec Baldwin Says Americans 'Very Uninformed' About Important Issues
Alec Baldwin Says Americans 'Very Uninformed' About Important Issues Actor Alec Baldwin – no stranger to controversy – is once again drawing the internet’s ire after recent comments on Americans’ intelligence. The 66-year-old New York native is facing backlash after suggesting that US citizens are ignorant about important world events and that watching films is the remedy to bridge the information gap. “Americans are very uninformed about reality, what’s really going on – with climate change, Ukraine, Israel, you name it, all the biggest topics in the world. Americans have an appetite for a little bit of information,” the Beetlejuice star told reporters at a…
PRESIDENTIAL POLL: Harris Leads Trump In PA Battleground PRESIDENTIAL POLL: Harris Leads Trump In PA Battleground
Presidential Poll: Harris Leads Trump In PA Battleground The latest Franklin & Marshall College poll of registered voters finds Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly leading former President Donald J. Trump by 49% to 46%.  The state of the economy was a leading concern, the Lancaster-based poll found after analyzing the responses of 890 voters. The poll was released on Thursday, Sept. 19. Pennsylvania is the largest of seven key battleground states in the presidential race, with 19 Electoral College votes. A total of 270 electoral votes are needed to win the Nov. 5 election. Voting began this week in Pennsylvania with the mailing of pape…
Harris, Trump Come Out Swinging In Presidential Debate In Philadelphia Harris, Trump Come Out Swinging In Presidential Debate In Philadelphia
Harris, Trump Come Out Swinging In Presidential Debate In Philadelphia Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump came out swinging at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10 in their first and possibly only presidential debate before the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election. Harris made the first move by shaking Trump's hand on stage — in their first face-to-face encounter. Political observers noted how Harris "baited" the former president, prompting him to look increasingly angry. But Trump entered the "spin room" less than an hour after the debate, saying, "I think it was the best debate, personally, that I've ever …
Heated New York Race Most Expensive Congressional Primary Ever With $25M Spent Heated New York Race Most Expensive Congressional Primary Ever With $25M Spent
Heated New York Race Most Expensive Congressional Primary Ever With $25M Spent The closely-watched Democratic race between Westchester County Executive George Latimer and incumbent Rep. Jamaal Bowman for New York's 16th District seat is about to come to a close as the most expensive congressional primary in history, according to reports. CBS News says nearly $25 million has been raised and spent during the race, which will be decided on Primary Election Day on Tuesday, June 25. Over half of this amount, $16 million, has been put toward anti-Bowman attack ads and was largely spent by United Democracy Project, a super PAC of the pro-Israel group American Israel Public…
COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks
Covid-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks Nationwide cases of the so-called COVID-19 Pirola subvariant have tripled in two weeks. The strain officially known as BA.2.86 has been particularly prominent in New York.  It now makes up 9 percent of COVID cases in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). World Health Organization (WHO) authorities said they consider BA.2.86 to be part of the Omicron variant family, but that could change if the strain spreads more widely even though Pirola's 30 mutations are from the BA.2 lineage, which was the dominant Omicron strain …
Woman Released By Hamas After Being Held Hostage Has CT Ties Woman Released By Hamas After Being Held Hostage Has CT Ties
Woman Released By Hamas After Being Held Hostage Has CT Ties An American woman taken hostage by Hamas with family members in Connecticut has been released. Liat Beinin, age 49, was released on Wednesday, Nov. 29, the second American citizen to be released after being kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Saturday, Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. She has family in New London County, according to Rep. Joe Courtney (D) of Connecticut's Second District, Liat, who is a dual US-Israeli citizen, hid in a saferoom until being captured by the terrorists on that fateful day. Her family lives in Waterford and are active members of eastern Connectic…
Biden Addresses Israel-Palestine In Philadelphia Speech Biden Addresses Israel-Palestine In Philadelphia Speech
Biden Addresses Israel-Palestine In Philadelphia Speech President Joe Biden was at Philadelphia's Tioga Marine Terminal on Friday afternoon, Oct. 13 to address what he called a "historic clean hydrogen investment." He also weighed in on the ongoing situation between Israel and Palestine.  "The more we learn about the attack, the more horrifying it becomes," he said. "More than 1,000 innocent lives lost, including at least 27 Americans. These guys make Al-Qaeda look pure." "Make no mistake about it, the United States stands with Israel," the president said.  "It's also a priority for me to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza (...)…
'We Want Him Back': Pair From Same NY High School Believed To Have Been Kidnapped In Israel 'We Want Him Back': Pair From Same NY High School Believed To Have Been Kidnapped In Israel
'We Want Him Back': Pair From Same NY High School Believed To Have Been Kidnapped In Israel Two Israeli soldiers who graduated from the same Long Island high school are among the possibly dozens of missing Americans thought to have been taken hostage by the militant group Hamas. Two men thought to be held hostage by Hamas, one of whom has been identified as 21-year-old Omer Neutra, both graduated from the Schecter School of Long Island in Williston Park, according to reports by ABC 7 and The New York Times. New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with Ronen and Orna Neutra, Omer’s parents, in an emotional moment shared via the platform X (formerly Twitter). “The war hits home,” Ada…
Gas Prices Fall In CT: Here's How Much Gas Prices Fall In CT: Here's How Much
Gas Prices Fall In CT: Here's How Much Hey, you might have a few extra pennies in your pocket with the cost of gasoline falling a whole 6 cents last week in Connecticut. According to AAA Connecticut, the average for a gallon of self-service regular gas was $3.73. The national average fell by 12 cents to $3.68. “Drivers are seeing lower prices at the pump after a sharp drop in demand and a sizeable increase in gasoline inventories last week,” said Alec Slatky, managing director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast. “Oil prices spiked over the three-day weekend, but it’s too soon to gauge the impact of the war in Isr…
'Frightened Faces': Sen. Cory Booker In Israel Describes Horror During Surprise Hamas Attacks 'Frightened Faces': Sen. Cory Booker In Israel Describes Horror During Surprise Hamas Attacks
'Frightened Faces': Sen. Cory Booker In Israel Describes Horror During Surprise Hamas Attacks US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is safe, but he'll never be able to shake the horror he saw this weekend. The Harrington Park, New Jersey native posted a YouTube video, his backdrop the Old City in Jerusalem, on Sunday, Oct. 8.  Booker said he was jogging in Jerusalem on Saturday, Oct. 7, when he got an urgent call from his chief of staff, telling him to get back to the hotel immediately: Israel was under attack. Hamas, which controls Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel, wounding thousands and killing hundreds in the longtime conflict. “Citizens of Israel," Israeli P…
COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States
Covid-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations has now been identified in 10 states. Cases of the BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, have been confirmed in:  Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, New York,  Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan who reportedly had mild symptoms. Related story - COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US At a World Health Organization (WHO) news briefing late last month, authorities said …
COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year
Covid-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year There's always plenty of anxiety at the start of a new school year, but that's especially true now due to increased COVID-19 cases. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The White House announced that First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID on Monday morning, Sept. 5, and is experiencing “mild symptoms." Three school districts in Kentucky and Texas briefly suspended in-person classes after surges of COVID cases. T…
COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US
Covid-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US The most likely symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant with around 30 mutations are expected to be similar to the highly contagious Omicron strain based on reports so far. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in five states: New York, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The strain was first detected in Israel around Sunday, Aug. 20, and cases have also been identif…
COVID-19: New Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Confirmed In 4 States COVID-19: New Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Confirmed In 4 States
Covid-19: New Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Confirmed In 4 States A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations is spreading in the nation and around the world, with a fourth state in America and several more countries confirming cases. Click here for a new, updated report - COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in four states: New York, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio.  New York became the latest state to report the presence of the variant this week after wastewater samples tested positive for the strain. "While we have yet …
COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns
Covid-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations may cause breakthrough infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, has been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan. "BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing infection in people who have previously had COVID-19 or who have received COVID-19 vaccines," the CDC said in a Risk Assessment Summary. "Scientists are evaluating the effectiveness of the f…
COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Spreading In US With New Cases Confirmed COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Spreading In US With New Cases Confirmed
Covid-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Spreading In US With New Cases Confirmed Scientists are scrambling to study a newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations spreading in the United States and multiple other countries. Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: First Case Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Confirmed In NY The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan. At a World Health Organization (WHO) news briefing on Friday, Aug. 25, authorities said they consider BA.2.86 to be…
COVID-19: CDC Issues Risk Assessment On New Pirola Variant As Hospitalizations Increase 21.6% COVID-19: CDC Issues Risk Assessment On New Pirola Variant As Hospitalizations Increase 21.6%
Covid-19: CDC Issues Risk Assessment On New Pirola Variant As Hospitalizations Increase 21.6% COVID-19 hospitalizations saw a 21.6 percent jump in one week according to the latest data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has just released new information on a brand-new highly mutated variant. New increases are expected for the next month, the agency is now projecting. The news comes as the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) are monitoring the newly identified BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, which has around 30 mutations. The second figure above shows the number of daily COVID hospitalizations in the US each day from Thursday, June 13 th…
COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed
Covid-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed The first case of the newly identified COVID-19 variant with 30 mutations has been identified in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded BA.2.86 to a “variant under monitoring," citing the "large number of mutations it carries." BA.2.86, which has now been nicknamed "Pirola," was first detected in Israel, and cases have also been identified in the United Kingdom and Denmark. The initial case in the US has been detected in Michigan. The patient, an older person with mild symptoms, is from Washtenaw County, the Michigan Department of Health and Hu…
3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials 3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials
3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials Around 3,000 packages of foreign contraband cigarettes bound for Connecticut, New York, and other states have been found and destroyed by the US Postal Service since the beginning of the year, officials said.  According to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, the seizures were a result of a settlement between the USPS and several states in August 2022 that forced the Postal Service to destroy untaxed foreign cigarettes instead of returning the illegally-mailed packages back to the sender.  Of the 3,000 cigarette packages destroyed since the beginning of 2023, 44 had bee…
West Hartford 27-Year-Old Killed In Israel Terrorist Attack West Hartford 27-Year-Old Killed In Israel Terrorist Attack
West Hartford 27-Year-Old Killed In Israel Terrorist Attack A 27-year-old Connecticut man who graduated from a university in New York was killed in a terrorist attack in Israel.  Elan Ganeles, who grew up in West Hartford and attended the Hebrew High School of New England, died in an attack in near Jericho in the West Bank Monday night, Feb. 27, according to US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides. Ganeles' death was announced by his synagogue, Young Israel of West Hartford, which called the attack "brutal" in an email sent to congregants.  #ISRAEL: The 27-year-old American- Israeli man was pronounced dead after today's terrorist shooting on Route 90…
COVID-19: Stealth Omicron Now Labeled 'Subvariant Of Concern' COVID-19: Stealth Omicron Now Labeled 'Subvariant Of Concern'
Covid-19: Stealth Omicron Now Labeled 'Subvariant Of Concern' With the number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations ticking up across the country, some are cautioning that the new “stealth” subvariant of the virus could become a strain of concern. Health officials in the US are calling the BA.2 a “subvariant of concern" as countries overseas have seen the number of new cases spiking in China and parts of Europe. Earlier story - COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the BA.2 variant beginning to spread in Europe and Asia, prompting another new rise in infections and new hospitalization…
COVID-19: Moderna Seeks Approval For Second Booster Shot For All Adults COVID-19: Moderna Seeks Approval For Second Booster Shot For All Adults
Covid-19: Moderna Seeks Approval For Second Booster Shot For All Adults Though the COVID-19 case numbers across the country have either plateaued or are showing improvement, Moderna is now seeking federal approval to administer a second booster shot for adults. Moderna is seeking an amendment of the US Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine to allow for a fourth vaccine to adults 18 and older who have gotten an initial booster. The move by Moderna comes days after Pfizer and BioNTech submitted a similar request for authorization of an additional booster shot, though that vaccine would only be eligible for adults 65 a…
COVID-19: New Strain Of Virus Detected That Combines Two Omicron Sub-Variants COVID-19: New Strain Of Virus Detected That Combines Two Omicron Sub-Variants
Covid-19: New Strain Of Virus Detected That Combines Two Omicron Sub-Variants A new COVID-19 strain has been discovered that is a combination of a pair of sub-variants of the Omicron version of the virus. Israel’s Ministry of Health announced that it has recorded multiple cases of the new strain, which combines the two sub-variants - dubbed BA.1 and BA.2 - during PCR testing of passengers arriving at the Ben Guiron airport. Health officials in Israel said that “the variant is still unknown around the world,” according to a statement released by the Ministry of Health. "The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild sympto…
Here's Why Lamont Will Be Spending A Week In Israel Here's Why Lamont Will Be Spending A Week In Israel
Here's Why Lamont Will Be Spending A Week In Israel Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will be traveling overseas to Isreal to lead an economic development mission. The Democratic governor announced this week that he will be part of a convoy heading to Israel, where he intends to promote Connecticut as a promising place for start-up companies and to strengthen relations overseas. 
“Part of growing Connecticut’s innovation ecosystem includes adding diverse businesses from all around the world,” Lamont said in a statement. “This is an opportunity for Connecticut to strengthen its ties with Israel and provide these innovative companies with an option …
COVID-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA COVID-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA
Covid-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA Federal officials have granted full approval to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine following its authorization last year for emergency use. On Monday, Jan. 31, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Moderna’s vaccine has been granted its full approval, joining the Pfizer shot which was authorized months ago. The move comes after tens of millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine have already been administered across the country. It also represents Moderna’s first FDA-approved product in the US. Officials said the FDA reviewed months of additional follow-up data submitted by Moderna to…
COVID-19: First Cases Of Double-Infection Florona Disease Identified COVID-19: First Cases Of Double-Infection Florona Disease Identified
Covid-19: First Cases Of Double-Infection Florona Disease Identified While all eyes are on the Omicron COVID-19 variant, a new public health threat has emerged as the country enters the heart of flu season amid the second year of the pandemic. The first cases of Florona disease - a combination of the flu and coronavirus infections - have been reported, causing concern for some as the double infection looms large in parts of the world. In Israel, the first reported case of the disease was identified on Friday, Dec. 31 in a woman who went into labor and was not vaccinated against COVID-19, officials said. Another case was also identified in a pregnant woman. A…
COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says
Covid-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says Why are scientists so concerned about the new strain of COVID-19? Simply stated, when it comes to Omicron, it's all about the sheer numbers -- as in the number of mutations. "The main thing that has us focused on this and has caused us to be sort of 24-7 on Zoom calls the last four days is that it has so many mutations," Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said Sunday morning, Nov. 28 on CNN. "Omicron has more than 50 variants that make it different from the original virus, including more than 30 that are in the spike protein." The spike proteins …
COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear
Covid-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear Updated story - COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says A new COVID-19 variant that could be worse than the Delta strain is sparking concerns among scientists. The B.1.1.529 strain, now known as Omicron, could become a "variant of concern" as soon as Friday, Nov. 26, when the World Health Organization holds an emergency meeting. It is now spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa after first being detected in neighboring Botswana.  The new variant has already shown a large number of mutations, and scientists fear it…
Apple Issues Emergency Security Update To Fix No-Click Spyware Hack Apple Issues Emergency Security Update To Fix No-Click Spyware Hack
Apple Issues Emergency Security Update To Fix No-Click Spyware Hack Apple is advising all users to update their devices to fix a rare no-click security vulnerability in its products. The move comes after researchers from the University of Toronto discovered a flaw that allowed hackers to infect anyone's devices with highly invasive spyware. All of Apple’s operating systems, including those for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, are vulnerable. Apple users should get an alert to update those devices. It's the first known instance of an attack that does not require a victim to click on a link or open unknown infected files. The researchers believ…
COVID-19: CDC Adds Seven Destinations To 'Very High Risk' Category For Travel COVID-19: CDC Adds Seven Destinations To 'Very High Risk' Category For Travel
Covid-19: CDC Adds Seven Destinations To 'Very High Risk' Category For Travel The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added seven destinations to its COVID-19 Level 4 “very high” risk category for travel. The CDC's parameters define the "very high" risk category as having more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last four weeks. Americans should now avoid travel to: France,  Israel,  Thailand,  Iceland,  Aruba,  French Polynesia, Eswatini. That brings the total to 74 nations. For a complete rundown, view the list here. Those who absolutely must travel should be fully vaccinated, the CDC said. The majority of count…