| Rachel Maddow Defends Niger Theory After Experts Call It 'Conspiracymongering' Posted: 21 Oct 2017 05:46 PM PDT  Rachel Maddow on Friday doubled down on her controversial reporting on the deadly Niger ambush on U.S. troops, in which she linked President Donald Trump's travel ban with the deaths of four soldiers.
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| Gen. John Kelly Now Part of White House Fact Problem Posted: 20 Oct 2017 12:02 PM PDT  Many hoped Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly would help abate the Trump administration's problem with falsehoods (of which the president is the key offender), but a video has proved Kelly's attack on Rep. Frederica Wilson false.
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| Houston Suburb Conditions Hurricane Relief Money On Residents' Vow Not To Boycott Israel Posted: 20 Oct 2017 12:05 PM PDT  A suburb outside of Houston is requiring residents who were affected by Hurricane Harvey to certify that they do not boycott Israel in order to apply for grant money to rebuild their home or business.
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| Steve Bannon Attacks Bush for Anti-Trump Speech Posted: 21 Oct 2017 09:04 AM PDT  Steve Bannon ripped into former President George W. Bush Friday night, calling Bush's presidency "destructive" and saying he had "embarrassed himself" with an anti-bigotry speech earlier this week.
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| Boy kicked out of Cub Scouts after challenging Republican senator accused of racism Posted: 20 Oct 2017 10:38 AM PDT  Ames Mayfield of Broomsfield, Colorado, decided to do some research on Senator Vicki Marbles before she visited his Cub Scouts den, his mother says. "I didn't, that was made up by the media," Ms Marble responded.
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| Judge tosses $417M award against Johnson & Johnson Posted: 21 Oct 2017 03:01 AM PDT  LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge on Friday tossed out a $417 million jury award to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer by using Johnson & Johnson talc-based baby powder for feminine hygiene.
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| Trump gave himself a '10' for Puerto Rico recovery. This congresswoman says it’s a '4.' Posted: 21 Oct 2017 09:28 AM PDT  Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., the first Puerto Rican-born woman elected to Congress, sharply criticized President Trump's handling of the hurricane damage on the island in an interview with Yahoo News on Friday evening. The congresswoman also suggested the president is treating Puerto Ricans differently than other U.S. citizens because they are Latinos.
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| Eric Holder: Harvey Weinstein Revelations Must Prompt Culture Shift On Sexual Harassment Posted: 21 Oct 2017 04:05 PM PDT  In the wake of the explosive revelations about alleged sexual harassment and assault perpetrated by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men, former United States Attorney General Eric Holder called on men to take responsibility for creating a culture that allowed such abuse to occur ― and act to change.
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| Pa. Teacher Allegedly Attacked by Brick-Wielding Parent After Confiscating Student’s Phone Posted: 20 Oct 2017 05:19 PM PDT  A Pittsburgh woman was arrested after allegedly attacking her daughter's teacher by striking her in the face with a brick over a dispute about a confiscated cell phone, PEOPLE confirms
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| Some Truly Excellent Costumes From NYC's Famous Halloween Dog Parade Posted: 22 Oct 2017 07:43 AM PDT  Every year, New Yorkers and their beloved canine pals embark on a time-honored tradition: The Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade.
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| New Tax Proposal Could Affect 401K Plans for Millions of Americans Posted: 21 Oct 2017 09:16 AM PDT  According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the proposal being considered would reduce the amount a worker could contribute tax-free to just $2,400 a year.
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| Jeff Sessions Praises Texas Immigration Crackdown Posted: 20 Oct 2017 12:38 PM PDT  AUSTIN ― Attorney General Jeff Sessions praised the Texas legislature's controversial immigration crackdown law during a speech here Friday, commending conservative officials for supporting his efforts against "sanctuary" jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
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| Police Close Case of Teen Who Died in Freezer, Release Timeline of Events Posted: 21 Oct 2017 08:20 AM PDT  Police previously said the teen died of hypothermia.
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| Somalia's death toll now at 358 as 'state of war' planned Posted: 20 Oct 2017 01:10 PM PDT  MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Thousands of anguished Somalis gathered to pray Friday at the site of the country's deadliest attack, while the toll rose to 358 and dozens remained missing. Somalia's president will announce a "state of war" against the al-Shabab extremist group blamed for the bombing, the prime minister said.
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| President Trump To Release JFK Files Posted: 20 Oct 2017 11:52 PM PDT  President Trump announced on Twitter that he will be releasing the classified JFK files on Oct. 26. The move will allow thousands of documents detailing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to be released to the public.
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| Tiger Kept At Truck Stop For 17 Years Dies, But The Legal Battle Isn't Over Posted: 20 Oct 2017 05:25 PM PDT  The tiger at the center of a years-long legal battle between animal rights activists and a Louisiana truck stop owner has died, but the owner's desire to get another tiger means the fight likely isn't over.
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| Former CIA director Gen. David Petraeus on North Korea threat Posted: 22 Oct 2017 06:10 AM PDT  Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus discusses the North Korea threat and more on "This Week."
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| Report: Fox Renewed Bill O'Reilly's Contract After $32 Million Harassment Settlement Posted: 21 Oct 2017 06:33 PM PDT  Fox News extended host Bill O'Reilly's contract for $100 million over four years shortly after he reached a $32 million agreement to settle claims of sexual harassment from a former network employee, The New York Times reported Saturday.
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| The U.S. Army Has a Deadly New Sniper Rifle Posted: 20 Oct 2017 06:37 PM PDT  Heckler & Koch showed off its M110A1 7.62mm semi-automatic sniper rifle this week. Despite a brief period of ambiguity wrought by budget-jousting among lawmakers in Congress, the Army's new and improved sniper rifle is alive and well. Heckler & Koch showed off its M110A1 7.62mm semi-automatic sniper rifle, selected for the Army's Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) program on the floor of the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference and exposition in Washington this week, a first up-close-and-personal look at the lightweight rifle.
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| Tom Hanks Offers Suggestion To Those 'Frustrated' With Current Affairs: 'Read History' Posted: 22 Oct 2017 05:05 AM PDT  Actor Tom Hanks recommends this: Brush up on your history.
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| DNA Helps Solve 1995 Cold Case Killing of 17-Year-Old Girl Posted: 20 Oct 2017 10:40 AM PDT  Investigators had long hoped to find justice for Suzanne Nauman.
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| Billionaire Babis scores big Czech election win, seeks partners to rule Posted: 21 Oct 2017 12:50 PM PDT  By Robert Muller and Petra Vodstrcilova PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech billionaire Andrej Babis won a thumping victory in Saturday's election as voters shunned traditional parties and gave a mandate to the anti-establishment businessman pledging to fight political corruption while facing fraud charges himself.(For a graphic of the Czech election click http://tmsnrt.rs/2vO4hPW) Babis's ANO movement got 29.6 percent of the vote, nearly three times as much as anyone else in an election that saw a record nine parties secure seats in parliament's lower house. Babis has promised to bring his business expertise to government. The dramatic power shift comes as the Czech Republic has enjoyed rapid economic growth, a balanced budget and the lowest unemployment in the EU.
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| 25 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas Posted: 20 Oct 2017 01:59 PM PDT |
| AP FACT CHECK: Trump wrongly blames terror for UK crime jump Posted: 20 Oct 2017 09:54 AM PDT  LONDON (AP) — President Donald Trump has misinterpreted British crime statistics and wrongly blamed terrorism as the driving factor behind higher numbers. Terror attacks in Manchester and London that killed 35 people only account for 1/100th of a percent of the total number of crimes recorded in the report, and homicides are actually down 2 percent.
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| Mogadishu death toll rises to 358 as Somalia president to announce ’state of war’ on al-Shabaab Posted: 20 Oct 2017 02:25 PM PDT  Thousands of anguished Somalis gathered to pray on Friday at the site of the country's deadliest attack, while the toll rose to 358 and dozens remained missing. Somalia's president will announce a "state of war" against the al-Shabaab extremist group blamed for the bombing, the prime minister said. The United States is expected to play a supporting role in the new offensive that President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is set to launch on Saturday, a Somali military official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to reporters. Somalia's army spokesman Capt. Abdullahi Iman said the offensive involving thousands of troops will try to push al-Shabaab fighters out of their strongholds in the Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle regions where many deadly attacks on Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, and on Somali and African Union bases have been launched. Also on Friday, the U.S. military said it had resumed its fight against al-Shabaab with a drone strike. The extremist group has not commented on Saturday's truck bombing in Mogadishu, which Somali intelligence officials have said was meant to target the city's heavily fortified international airport where many countries have their embassies. The massive bomb, which security officials said weighed between 600 kilograms and 800 kilograms (1,300 pounds and 1,700 pounds), instead detonated in a crowded street after soldiers opened fire and flattened one of the truck's tires. Deadly truck bomb hits Somalia's capital 00:44 Somalia's information minister Abdirahman Osman said late on Friday that 56 were people still missing. Another 228 people were wounded, and 122 had been airlifted for treatment in Turkey, Sudan and Kenya. "This pain will last for years," said a sheikh leading the Friday prayers at the bombing site, as long lines of mourners stood in front of flattened or tangled buildings. Men walk near destroyed buildings as thousands of Somalis gathered to pray at the site of the country's deadliest attack and to mourn the hundreds of victims, at the site of the attack in Mogadishu Credit: AP Since the election of the country's Somali-American president in February, the government has announced a number of military offensives against al-Shabab, Africa's deadliest Islamic extremist group, only to end them weeks later with no explanation. Experts believe that has given the extremists breathing space and emboldened them in their guerrilla attacks. Iman, Somalia's army spokesman, told the AP that troops recaptured three towns in Lower Shabelle region from al-Shabaab on Friday in preparation for the new offensive. Somali officials did not give details on what role the U.S. military might play. There was no immediate response late on Friday from the U.S. Africa Command. The U.S. has stepped up military involvement in the long-fractured Horn of Africa nation since President Donald Trump approved expanded operations against the group early this year. The U.S. has carried out at least 19 drone strikes in Somalia since January, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Thousands of Somalis gather to pray at the site of the country's deadliest attack and to mourn the hundreds of victims, at the site of the attack in Mogadishu, Somalia Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 Credit: AP The latest U.S. drone strike occurred Monday about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of the capital, the U.S. Africa Command told the AP earlier on Friday. It said it was still assessing the results. Earlier this week, in response to questions about the massive truck bombing, a Pentagon spokesman said the United States has about 400 troops in Somalia and "we're not going to speculate" about sending more. In April, the U.S. announced it was sending dozens of regular troops to Somalia in the largest such deployment to the country in roughly two decades. The U.S. said it was for logistics training of Somalia's army and that about 40 troops were taking part. Weeks later, a service member was killed during an operation against al-Shabab. He was the first American to die in combat in Somalia since 1993.
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| 7 Misleading Things EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Said In His Interview With Time Posted: 20 Oct 2017 04:31 PM PDT  Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt's tense look broke into a toothy grin at the end of a 22-minute interview with Time Magazine when the reporter called his response to a question "good, but lawyerly."
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| Why Building 'Baby' Aircraft Carriers Would Be a Bad Idea for the U.S. Navy Posted: 21 Oct 2017 05:31 AM PDT  The Navy can buy smaller, cheaper carriers rather than the $13 billion Ford-class behemoths it is currently constructing, according to a new study by RAND Corporation. The RAND study is a public version of a classified study conducted in 2016 at the behest of the U.S. Navy, which was ordered by Congress to examine cheaper options than the Ford-class carriers.
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| Philippines' Duterte says he will shoot criminals Posted: 21 Oct 2017 01:33 AM PDT  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has offered to shoot criminals himself, while warning he may bring police back to the frontlines of his deadly war on drugs. Duterte made the comments late Friday following his announcement on October 11 to withdraw the police from his anti-drug war after they were accused of rights abuses in killing thousands of people while following his orders to eradicate illegal drugs in society. Duterte has repeatedly insisted he has not ordered or incited police to murder drug addicts or suspects, while at other times he has said he would be happy to slaughter them or have tens of thousands killed.
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| Catalonia's leaders fight off direct rule from Madrid Posted: 21 Oct 2017 01:57 PM PDT  By Julien Toyer and Sam Edwards MADRID/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalonia's leaders said on Saturday they would not accept direct rule imposed on the region by the Spanish government, as a political crisis that has rattled the economy and raised fears of prolonged unrest showed no signs of easing. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced earlier on Saturday he would invoke special constitutional powers to fire the regional government and force a new election to counter the region's move towards independence. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, who made a symbolic declaration of independence on Oct. 10 after a referendum to secede, called Rajoy's moves the "worst attacks against the people of Catalonia" since Spain's military dictatorship.
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| Off-duty officer killed in Vegas shooting left funeral notes Posted: 20 Oct 2017 03:39 PM PDT  HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — A Las Vegas police officer and U.S. Army veteran who was among 58 people killed in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history provided instructions ahead of time for those at his memorial not to mourn, a pastor told the crowd at his funeral on Friday.
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| White House: It's 'Highly Inappropriate' For Journalists To Criticize A General Posted: 20 Oct 2017 02:53 PM PDT  WASHINGTON ― White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Friday that it would be "highly inappropriate" for them to question chief of staff John Kelly because he served in the military as a general.
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| 94 deaths from plague in Madagascar, UN health agency says Posted: 20 Oct 2017 09:31 AM PDT  GENEVA (AP) — An unusually large plague outbreak in Madagascar has taken 94 lives, the World Health Organization said Friday.
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| Woman heartbroken after discovering her dog wasn’t euthanised for five months after she bid 'final' farewell Posted: 20 Oct 2017 10:12 AM PDT  A woman who thought she had paid for her dog to be euthanized has been surprised to find out that her dog was kept alive for five months after the procedure. New Jersey woman Keri Levy says that she made the difficult decision to put down the miniature pinscher she had owned for 15 years, but was astonished to receive an anonymous tip five months later that her pup was still alive. "It broke my heart in a way like my heart has never been broken," Ms Levy told ABC News.
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| Father Dies After Being Hit With Rock Thrown Over an Overpass Posted: 21 Oct 2017 09:27 AM PDT  A Michigan father has been killed after a rock allegedly thrown over an overpass by teenagers hit him on his way home from work
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| Lord Balfour: I had to look up in an encyclopaedia how my forebear changed British history 100 years ago Posted: 21 Oct 2017 11:00 PM PDT  The 5th Earl of Balfour first realised the significance of the Balfour Declaration when he was a 14-year-old schoolboy at Eton, hailing a taxi while on holiday in London. A copy of the Declaration – made a century ago by Arthur Balfour, the former prime minister who later became foreign secretary, backing the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine – hung on the wall of his loo at home, where the young Balfour read it without really appreciating its importance. The iconic document was never discussed at home or school. So it was a crucial moment in Lord Balfour's life when a Jewish London cabbie spotted his school trunk with his surname painted on it. "Is this yours, mate? Are you anything to do with the prime minister?" (His ancestor, the 1st Earl of Balfour, served as Conservative Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905.) "Yes," he said, explaining he was his great-great nephew. "I don't believe this!" said the taxi driver. "Wait till I get home and tell my family. What he did for us! Tonight, it's Passover and you're my last fare before I knock off to go off to the East End for Passover dinner." The driver then pulled off the road and started singing Jewish songs to the teenage boy. Arthur James Balfour who served as Prime Minister of the Conservative government of 1902-1905 Credit: Print Collector/Hulton Archive "I was so bowled over by this that I was late, and I dashed out of the cab, leaving a family picture in the back of the cab," says Lord Balfour, 68, a banker. "I thought it was now in the East End. Instead, he went to the lost property office, all the way up in north London, deposited it, stuck a label saying Balfour on it. I was able to find it the next day. "That was my first time I realised the importance of the declaration to Jewish people." Today, a fine Philip de László portrait of Arthur Balfour presides over Lord Balfour's drawing room in his handsome Sussex house, where he lives with his wife, Lady Tessa, a daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. They have four daughters, all interested in their ancestor's 100-year-old Declaration. The Declaration was sent by Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild, the de facto secular head of British Jewry, on November 2, 1917. It was then passed on to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland. The short, single-page document declared: "His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country." Lord Balfour standing beside a portrait of his ancestor Credit: Christopher Pledger for The Telegraph The Declaration was absolutely vital in the long build-up to the eventual creation of the state of Israel in 1948 – which also happens to be the year the current Lord Balfour was born. Despite that teenage meeting with the taxi driver, the Balfour Declaration played little part in young Roderick Balfour's life. "It was never mentioned by anybody at school, or very much as I grew up," he says. "At school, everyone said: 'Are you related to that loser Balfour?', because he lost the 1906 election. They didn't know about the Declaration. "But you go to Canada, Argentina, France or anywhere in the [Jewish] diaspora, and they all know about it. This country has less knowledge than anywhere else." Lord Balfour listens to an address during his 1925 visit to Palestine. Credit: Hulton Deutsch/Corbis Historical In fact, Lord and Lady Balfour have just returned from a seminar – "From Balfour to Brexit" – in Jerusalem. Whenever he goes to Israel, he is reminded of the affection in which his great-great uncle is held. "People come running up to you and just say: 'Thank you,'" he says. "I started going to Israel on bank business in the 90s and saw Balfour Streets in every town. The Prime Minister lives today on Balfour Street." However, Lord Balfour sees imperfections in the modern state of Israel. "I have major reservations," he says. "There is this sentence in the declaration, 'Nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.' That's pretty clear. Well, that's not being adhered to. That has somehow got to be rectified. Talking to the more liberal elements of Jewry, they would acknowledge there has to be a greater economic role for the Palestinians." It was only in the 1990s that Lord Balfour really began to appreciate the magnitude of his ancestor's Declaration. In 1990, he started working at NM Rothschild, the merchant bank run by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, a cousin of the Lord Rothschild to whom Arthur Balfour addressed his Declaration. Lord Arthur Balfour points out a feature of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to Governor Sir Ronald Storrs during a visit to Jerusalem, 9th April 1925 Credit: Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive When Lord Balfour joined the bank, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild asked him: "What sort of a Balfour are you? Are you Balfour Beatty [the construction company]?" ("I said I'm one of the poor, government Balfours," Lord Balfour replied.) And then, in 1992, on the 75th anniversary of the Declaration, Lord Balfour saw in the papers the list of attendees at the anniversary dinner; there wasn't a Balfour among them. He got in touch with the Anglo-Israel Association and asked if he could get involved with future events. This year, he and Jacob Rothschild – the current Lord Rothschild, whose forebear Walter Rothschild received the Declaration – will host a dinner on the anniversary in a government venue in London. "There are a huge number of events going on on the same day," says Lord Balfour. "Jacob Rothschild is very kindly organising a dinner, which he and I are nominally joint hosts of, although it's very much his initiative." Royal Albert Hall where the celebrations will take place Credit: Mo Peerbacus / Alamy Stock Photo Lord Rothschild's team have located descendants of those involved in the Declaration from around the world. Among them will be a Lloyd George, in honour of David Lloyd George, prime minister at the time of the Declaration; and a member of the Sykes family: Sir Mark Sykes, Bt, devised the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, which laid out national boundaries in the Middle East. Next month, there will also be an event at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate the Declaration, which Lord Balfour will attend with his family. The event will include a 500-voice massed Christian choir, a Klezmer band, the Israeli Dance Institute and the Israeli singer Tally Koren. Lord Balfour never met his famous ancestor – he died in 1930, aged 81. But he speaks of him with great affection. "We all knew about Arthur James because he had been prime minister, and the family were immensely proud of him," he said. "We all knew him as Nunkie, although I never met him. My father was nine when he died, so he knew him well. He was very much loved." "We all knew about Arthur James because he had been prime minister, and the family were immensely proud of him." Credit: Christopher Pledger for The Telegraph Arthur Balfour was an intellectual – "primarily a Bible-reading philosopher", says Lord Balfour – but a well-connected one, too. He was a leading member of the Souls, an elite salon of Victorian upper-class intellectuals. Balfour's uncle, the Marquess of Salisbury, who was known to the family as Bob, had been prime minister before him: "That's where the expression 'Bob's your uncle' comes from. In other words, it's quite easy to get on if 'Bob's your uncle'." But rather than a popular turn of phrase, it is for his Declaration that his family would like him to be remembered. "It was a great humanitarian gesture," says Lord Balfour. "Humanity should be extremely grateful." • Harry Mount is editor of The Oldie Magazine
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| German police arrest suspect after 8 hurt in Munich knife rampage Posted: 21 Oct 2017 08:23 AM PDT  A knife-wielding man randomly attacked passersby in central Munich on Saturday, lightly injuring eight people, police said as they excluded terrorism as a motive after detaining the suspected perpetrator. The 33-year-old suspect already has a police record for theft and violence and appears to suffer from "psychiatric problems", Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told a news conference. The man attacked people with his knife at random, causing light injuries to eight people: a 12-year-old boy, six men and one woman, said Andrae.
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| Israel says it will intensify response to Syrian fire Posted: 21 Oct 2017 07:37 AM PDT  JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Five projectiles from Syria set off air raid sirens in Israeli towns on Saturday, prompting the Israeli military to say it would step up its response to stray fire from the Syrian war that has repeatedly spilled over the border. The projectiles crossed into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the military said it targeted three Syrian artillery guns in response. No damage or injuries were reported in Israel.
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| Transcript errors and omissions prolong Jodi Arias appeal Posted: 21 Oct 2017 08:35 AM PDT  PHOENIX (AP) — Jodi Arias' case remains a headache for Arizona's court system long after her murder trial had spectators lining up for seats, attorneys squabbling in court and two different juries deadlocking on whether she deserved the death penalty.
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| Jake Tapper: Who Loves To Bash Generals? Donald Trump. Posted: 20 Oct 2017 07:55 PM PDT  President Donald Trump's press secretary might think it's "highly inappropriate" to challenge or criticize generals, but the president clearly does not.
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| Jews and Arabs unite to try to save Jerusalem’s Hill of Evil Counsel from being turned into luxury flats Posted: 21 Oct 2017 01:00 AM PDT  In another city, the fight over the hilltop property plot might be an unremarkable planning battle, pitting profit-driven developers against unhappy local residents. But Jerusalem is no ordinary city and the Hill of Evil Counsel is no ordinary hill. The hilltop is so called because it is the spot where Caiphas, the Jewish high priest, decided to betray Jesus and hand him over to the Romans for crucifixion. It is a key site in the New Testament and the birthplace of the centuries-old anti-Semitic trope of Jews as "Christ killers". Now, Jews, Muslims and Christians are fighting to keep the area from being turned into luxury flats. The Hill of Evil Counsel, which has sweeping views of Jerusalem's Old City, had been administered for hundreds of years by the Greek Orthodox church, which owns huge swathes of property in the city, including the land on which Israel's parliament is built upon. In recent years the church has gone on a controversial land-selling spree, taking in millions of dollars from property deals. In one of the deals, it agreed to sell a 110-year lease for the hilltop to Michael Steinhardt, an American financier and David Sofer, a London-based Israeli businessman. Theodore Friedgut, a retired Canadian-Israeli professor, has lived on the site for more than 50 years and will lose his home if development goes ahead Credit: Quique Kierszenbaum The developers plan to cement over the open space - once used by British military bands for practices - and build apartment buildings, where the flats and their epic views will likely end up in the hands of wealthy foreigners who visit Jerusalem a few times a year. The developers' project, and the church's decision to sell them the lease, have infuriated local residents. "The Greek church have no right to lease it and to destroy it. They are supposed to protect it, not sell it off the highest bidder," said Sarah Sallon, a British-Israeli doctor who has lived in Jerusalem for 30 years. "'This magnificent view is all of our heritage and we fight for it as a group of Jews, Christians, and Muslims." Sarah Sallon has been involved in trying to stop the development going ahead Credit: Quique Kierszenbaum / Telegraph A church official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the current Greek patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos, had inherited a mountain of debt from his predecessor, who was forced from power in 2005 and exiled to a small room in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre compound. "We did not wake up one morning and say: Hill of Evil Counsel, lets develop that area. We came into power with a big problem and with 40 million shekels (£8.7 million) in debt connected with the area and we had no choice. We had to deal with it," he said. The church relies on income from its property portfolio to survive, the official added. The Abu Tor neighbourhood where the hill is located is divided between Israeli and Palestinian residents and was a frontline during the 1967 war. Israeli troops once used the second floor of a hilltop monastery to look down on Jordanian forces below. Abu Tor literally means "father of the bull", after one of Salahedin's generals who according to legend rode a white bull into battle against the Crusaders. The Greek Orthodox church has administered the site for hundreds of years Credit: Quique Kierszenbaum / Telegraph Palestinian families from the eastern part of Abu Tor said they joined with their Jewish neighbours in opposing the plans, and were worried an entrance road planned for the development might force some of them out of their homes. "We will join any demonstrations against this," said Nawal Zakaria Bazalamit, the 74-year-old matriarch of her family. A law firm representing the developers did not respond to a request for comment. Opponents of the plans don't know if they will prevail against the well-heeled developers. Theodore Friedgut, a retired Canadian-Israeli professor of Russian history, has lived on the hill for more than 50 years and remembers surveyors coming immediately after the 1967 war, looking for potential opportunities. "We saw there was interest in develop all the way back then," he said. But Mr Friedgut points out that misfortunes have befallen those who have previously tried to commercialise the site. In the 1980s a consortium tried to take over the Hill of Evil Counsel in partnership with the church, but the project collapsed and the two sides fought a bitter legal battle. Another time, a Greek priest allegedly began to put pressure on the few families who lived in rent-controlled houses on the hill, demanding they pay more. According to locals' stories, he drowned in the River Jordan soon after, not far from the spot where Jesus is said to have been baptised.
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| Maker of Bosch Expands Dishwasher Recall to 663,000 Models Posted: 20 Oct 2017 03:15 PM PDT  The manufacturer of Bosch and other dishwasher brands today recalled 469,000 dishwashers because the power cord can overheat and catch fire. The recall is an expansion of a two-year-old recall th...
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| 11 Pretzel Hacks That'll Rock Your Whole World Posted: 21 Oct 2017 09:13 PM PDT |
| Spain Takes Control of Catalonia, Pushing a Crisis Into Higher Gear Posted: 21 Oct 2017 07:03 AM PDT  Spain has acted upon Article 155
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