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By all standards, Christian communities are thriving in Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

Despite a recent statement by the Latin Patriarch suggesting the contrary, it seems that such claims are misguided at best, write Lord Simon Isaacs, Des Starritt and Pastor Brian Greenaway. Last week, the Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, alleged that Israel’s current government has emboldened perpetrators to carry out greater amounts of attacks on Christians. Pizzaballa argued that extremists have been increasingly harassing clergy and vandalising religious property since the current government came to power. He argued that the prevalence of settler leaders in key roles has made extremists feel that they are protected and that the cultural and political atmosphere tolerates such attacks.The reality on the ground in Israel could not be more different. The declaration of independence describes the country as a Jewish state but clearly extends religious freedom to all of its inhabitants. The Central Bureau of Statistics reports that 84% of Israel’s Christian community say they...

Bank Trust sues major traders in BVI for over $1 bln in fraudulent scheme

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

Russia’s Bank Trust has filed a lawsuit in a British Virgin Islands court against several major international commodity traders, including Cargill, Louis Dreyfus, Bunge, Quadra, Xangbo, and Liberty Commodities, alleging that they participated in a fraudulent scheme resulting in financial damages of over $1 billion.Bank Trust's decision to file the lawsuit in a foreign court emphasizes Russia's continued pursuit of recovering funds after a banking crisis that occurred several years ago. Acting as an umbrella for the non-performing loans of Binbank, Otkritie, and Promsvyazbank – lenders rescued by the Russian central bank in 2017 – Trust seeks to capitalize on the credibility of an international judicial system to bolster its case and enhance the prospects of recuperating the significant amounts at stake.In the lawsuit filed to the court, Bank Trust accused the major traders of conspiring with Russian businessman Mikail Shishkhanov, former owner of large private lenders Binbank and Ro...

Commerce industrial building engulfed by 3rd-alarm blaze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

A massive blaze torched an industrial building in Commerce Friday, sending flames and a thick column of smoke into the early morning sky.The three-alarm fire at 6501 Flotilla St. was reported at about 3:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.The single-story business, which is believed to be PCI Industries, was quickly engulfed by flames, and it was not until a little before 5 a.m. that firefighters were able to contain the fire.An industrial building in Commerce burned on May 5, 2023. (KTLA)A firefighter battles a third-alarm blaze in Commerce on May 5, 2023. (KTLA)An industrial building in Commerce burned on May 5, 2023. (Los Angeles County Fire Department)A 3rd-alarm blaze consumed an industrial building in Commerce on May 5, 2023. (KTLA)Extinguishing the blaze, however, was proving difficult. Firefighters appear to be holding their ground while letting the fire burn itself out, or at least diminish in size.No injuries have been reported, and the cause of th...

LAPD fatally shoots man in downtown Los Angeles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

Los Angeles Police Department officers shot and killed a man after a pursuit ended in downtown Los Angeles early Friday morning. The man was shot at around 1 a.m. under the 10 Freeway overpass near the intersection of Maple Avenue and 16th Street, officials said.The killing was preceded by a short pursuit that began near Hoover Street and Manchester Avenue in the Vermont Vista neighborhood of South Los Angeles.Police said two officers saw a man with a gun and made eye contact with him, after which he got into a white Mercedes-Benz sedan and drove away on the 110 Freeway, then the 10 before exiting at Maple Avenue.A man and a woman got out of the car at Maple and 16th, and officers pursued them on foot until the man produced a gun, leading to the shooting, police said. "We do know that officers did fire; however, that is all — how many rounds and how many officers fired — that's all part of the investigation," a police spokesperson said.The man was pronounced dead at a local hospital...

Battle Tapes and Daft Punk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

Battle Tapes and Daft Punk: Josh Boardman of L.A. electro-rock project Battle Tapes told us about his Daft Punk experience.Josh Boardman: It was 2007. I found myself standing in line outside the Los Angeles Sports Arena – my heart pounding with anticipation because my girlfriend had surprised me with tickets to see Daft Punk. They were such a major influence on me creatively, and I was a big fan, to say the least (and still very much am).As we made our way inside the arena, the atmosphere was electric, pulsating with the collective energy of thousands of fans eagerly waiting for the show to begin. Finally, the lights dimmed, the five tones from Close Encounters of the Third Kind played, and the duo appeared atop the now iconic pyramid. The venue erupted.While they performed, I couldn’t help but marvel at Daft Punk’s ability to reimagine and rework their songs for a live setting. The fluidity of their music showed me that touring and performing could be standalone a...

CBD Buying Guide For Beginners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

View the original article about CBD For Beginners at Real Tested CBD.Chances are you have heard of CBD by now, and maybe you have even tried it. Many people turn to CBD for a range of things like potential stress relief, pain management or improved sleep. But if you are new to CBD things can feel a bit overwhelming.If you are looking to try CBD but are unsure where to start, read on for a complete beginner’s buyer guide to CBD.What Is CBD?Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of over 100 compounds that can be found naturally in both hemp and cannabis plants. These natural compounds are called cannabinoids. CBD is considered non-psychoactive and won’t get you “high” like another well-known cannabinoid, THC.CBD can have effects on the mind and body through what research suggests is an interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a bodily system with many vital functions. It is responsible for many things including our appetites, emotional responses, pain signaling, sleep cycles...

Best Online Roulette Real Money Sites: Guide to Playing Online Roulette for Real Money in 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

Sponsored ContentDon’t know about you, but for us, playing online roulette for real money has always been the most exciting thing to do on the internet.Having spun the roulette wheel more times than we would recommend, we’ve gathered enough information to update our list of the top 10 real money online roulette casinos based on their selection of roulette games, gameplay, payout speed, and live dealer options.The ball landed on Las Atlantis – thanks to its massive welcome bonus and a solid variety of American and European roulette.Though we still recommend you read on and see how they all stack up.Best Real Money Online Roulette SitesLas Atlantis: Best overallIgnition: Best for live rouletteSlots.lv: Top pick for mobile rouletteCafe Casino: Best weekly mystery bonusMyStake: Best for French rouletteBuzzluck: Generous daily reload bonusesBetOnline: Exciting roulette tournamentsSlot Madness: Top pick for American rouletteWild Casino: Best for high-rollersRich Palms: Best VIP prog...

Quakes’ match at Levi’s Stadium marks start of 2026 World Cup build-up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

SANTA CLARA — There are still three years until the men’s World Cup comes to the Bay Area.But the preparation is already underway at Levi’s Stadium — and the first soccer match of many to come is set for this weekend.“This is the kickoff to a five-year run of hopefully just great soccer here in the Bay Area and Northern California,” San Jose Earthquakes president Jared Shawlee said.The Earthquakes will make the five-mile trek north from PayPal Park on Saturday to host reigning MLS champion Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) at 4:30 p.m. The Quakes and 49ers are expecting a big turnout for what the club is calling “biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration on the West Coast,” with more than 40,000 tickets sold already.“Every night, when I pop open those updates around how many tickets were sold, it speaks to how excited people are about the Quakes,” 49ers president Al Guido said. “And hopefully, as excited as they are about continuing to build soccer fandom here.”...

Silicon Valley Community Foundation will continue Castellano legacy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

When the Castellano Family Foundation announced last month it was shutting down its operations in June, people wondered if anything would take its place to provide funding for nonprofits serving the Latino community.The answer came Thursday with the announcement of the Alcario and Carmen Castellano/Silicon Valley Community Foundation Endowment Fund. It will be seeded with $500,000 from the Castellano foundation that will be matched by the community foundation. The announcement was made at a lunch celebrating the foundation’s grantees at the Hotel De Anza in downtown San Jose.San Jose City Council member Bien Doan, center, welcomes Alcario Castellano, right, and his grandson, Andres Castellano at “Celebrating Silicon Valley’s Latinx Legacy and Future,” a luncheon at the Hotel De Anza in San Jose on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) This legacy will continue supporting the LatinX community in perpetuity,” Silicon Valley Community Foundation Exec...

Chipotle CEO says doing business in California is getting harder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:48 GMT

By Eliyahu Kamisher and Karen Breslau | BloombergChipotle Mexican Grill Inc. Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol said California’s business environment is slowing the company’s ambitions for growth in the state.“Unfortunately it’s getting harder versus being easier,” Niccol said on Bloomberg TV’s California C-Suite special, examining the state’s challenges. “There’s a lot of other places where we operate restaurants where it’s a heck of a lot easier.”The remarks contrast with the optimism that Chipotle showed over California five years ago, when it announced plans to move the company’s headquarters to Newport Beach from Denver.Niccol said he still plans to expand the restaurant chain beyond the more than 400 locations it has across the state, “but it would be even more growth if it was a little bit easier” to open the stores and run them.While California is a hub for technology innovation and industry, some business leaders have expressed frustration with its regulatory burdens and...