London - Former Russian Spy Poisoned

London - British police are investigating a suspected plot to kill a former Russian spy by poisoning him with thallium, a deadly metal.
Aleksander Litvinenko, who defected to Britain six years ago, was fighting for his life in a London hospital.

Litvinenko was granted British citizenship last month. One of the highest profile defectors from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), he is on a wanted list in Moscow where he has made powerful enemies with his criticism of President Vladimir Putin.
He was taken ill while investigating the recent murder of Russian Jewish investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who had criticised Kremlin policy on the rebellion in Chechnya.

He got poisoned at a secret meeting with an associate at a sushi bar in London and having received documents which claimed to name Politskovskaya's killers.

Brooklyn, NY - Caretaker of Jewish Cemetery Disrespecting Graves

Brooklyn, NY - A man was outraged to see a cemetery caretaker urinating on his grandmother's grave, he said.

Itomor Khaimov, 28, was near his home, walking by his grandmother Sonya Khanukhova at Washington Jewish Cemetery in Bensonhurst. As he approached the gravesite, he saw that James Scott, 80, was relieving himself in a vase on Khanukhova's grave, the Brooklyn man said.
Khaimov shouted, what are you doing? Do you realize this is my grandmother's grave?' Khaimov recounted. "He said, 'I'm an old man, I can't hold it.'
As Khaimov confronted him, Scott swung at him with a rake, hitting him on the head. He went to nearby Maimonides Hospital where he was treated and released after the Nov. 1 incident. Then he called 911, cops arrested Scott and charged him with second-degree assault, menacing, and criminal possession of a weapon: the rake.

But Scott said, "It's a pack of lies. I never hit the guy, and I am certain I did not urinate on the grave," Scott, who was born in Jamaica, claimed he is part Jewish. "I would never disrespect my bloodline," he said. "I have respect for my race and all races."

Brooklyn, NY +MVA/Entrappment+

Brooklyn, NY +MVA/Entrappment+ A serious motor vehicle accident with one vehicle that overturned on Ocean Parkway and Avenue "M" Hatzolah on the scene requesting additional units for aided that's pinned inside the vehicle.

U/D: 18:47
Aided has been extricated by Fire Department.

New Hampton, NY - Sign Congratulating Al Qaeda and Kiryas Joel Coming Down

New Hampton, NY - the sign outside the Arluck Brothers' New Hampton Lumber store on Route 17M congratulating Al-Qaeda and KJ, is coming down and it will be back to advertising.

Seth and Dennis Arluck figure that they've made their point, Dennis said, "I had people call me up and tell me that I was the next thing to dirt. And I said to them, 'Haven't you ever heard of the First Amendment?' I told one guy, 'If you want to put a sign across the street, go ahead.'"
There were also some death threats, which aren't covered by the First Amendment. Some came from callers in area code 718, which is Brooklyn.

While many blog posts commenting on the sign were harmless and even witty, there was also a guy who sent an e-mail to the Arlucks, saying he sent a picture of the sign to "the District Attorney's Office of New Hampton NY to alert them of your hateful and bias (sic) crime and to hopefully try to get them to criminally prosecute you for this despicable act."
Dennis Arluck was defiant yesterday, even after the death threats. "It's actually somebody telling us we can't do this, and of course, we can do this."

Brooklyn, NY +Gowanus Expy Traffic Alert+

Brooklyn, NY +Gowanus Expy Traffic Alert+ Heavy traffic delays on the Gowanus Expressway at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel due to emergency roadwork that's blocking some lanes.

New York, NY - The Man Behind Regulating Metziza B'Peh, Won't Be Getting the State Health Commissioners Post

New York, NY - Mayor Bloomberg's health commissioner, Thomas Frieden, the man behind regulating Metziza B'Peh, has been approached about taking over the State Department of Health under governor-elect Eliot Spitzer, as was reported on VOS IZ NEIAS. But a source close to the commissioner said Dr. Frieden was staying at his city post, where he is one of Mr. Bloomberg's most trusted commissioners and has the freedom to push an aggressive public health agenda.
Dr. Frieden, has been key in helping Mr. Bloomberg leave his public health mark on the city.

Other names that have been mentioned as possible state health commissioners are Jon Cohen, a former chief medical officer at North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, and the head of the United Hospital Fund, James Tallon.

New York, NY - Council Members Defend Their Pay Raise: Outside Jobs Isn't A Satisfactory Pay

New York, NY - Contending they work hard 24/7 and deserve more money, City Council members gave themselves a $22,500 pay raise, bringing their base salary to $112,500 a year.  "I have never seen a legislative body which works harder than the New York City Council," said Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan)
 
Of all elected officials in New York City, only City Council members may hold outside jobs, because the City Charter defines their positions as part time.   
 
About a dozen members have outside jobs, some of the jobs are fairly modest, like Councilman Simcha Felder of Brooklyn is paid just $1,000 to $5,000 a year to teach at Touro College.

New York, NY - She Isn't Pregnant

New York, NY - The NYPD is warning business owners to be on the lookout for female jihadists who can hide explosives by faking pregnancy or sweet-talk their way past security officers.
"The threat posed by women is real, and it can't be overlooked," Rachel Weiner, an NYPD intelligence specialist, said at a security conference.

The warning was not in response to a threat against any specific targets in the city, but a general caveat for private security in light of the radicalization of women in other parts of the world.

Lakewood, NJ - Turmoil and Crisis in Town Hall

Lakewood, NJ - Shortly before Township Committeeman Charles Cunliffe walked into town hall, where he spoke against the firing of Police Director Al Peters, he was informed of an effort to kick him out of office.

A group calling itself the Committee to Recall Charles Cunliffe has filed a notice with the municipal clerk's office, the first step in a recall campaign. "It hasn't quite sunk in yet," Cunliffe said.
Fellow Committeeman Raymond Coles said that he suspected the people behind the recall effort are developers, angered by positions Cunliffe has taken. "I think it's a ridiculous move," Coles said.

The recall effort and the firing of Peters highlight what many residents have been saying for weeks: that turmoil in town hall is reaching a fever pitch, and Lakewood is in crisis. "I've never seen it like this before," said Coles, referring to the churning turn of events.
The Township Committee voted 3-1 to fire Peters, the township's third police director since 2003. Mayor Meir Lichtenstein and Committeemen Menashe Miller and Robert W. Singer voted to remove Peters. Coles was opposed, and Cunliffe abstained because his daughter is a member of the police force. Cunliffe said he was angered by the ousting of Peters, who he described as a victim. "It's unconscionable what they (other committee members) did," Cunliffe said.

Morris Plains, NJ - Man Arrested and Charged in Nursing Home Bias Crime

Morris Plains, NJ - A Morris Plains man was arrested for bias and anti-Semitic remarks to a Jewish man at a nursing home.

Harry Orchard, 57, of Morris Plains, was charged with bias intimidation, an indictable offense, as well as the disorderly persons charges of harassment and defiant trespass.

Orchard had been asked to leave the King James Center on Southern Boulevard several times by staff, but refused to leave, instead Orchard harassed the administrator of the nursing home, a Jewish man who was wearing a yarmulke, and told the man, "It's too bad that Hitler didn't finish the job."

Orchard remained in Morris County Jail on $5,000 bail. He could be released on that bail only on the condition that he undergoes a psychiatric evaluation and is prohibited from returning to the nursing home.

London - Bomb Scare at Synagogue

London - Police in South London have launched an investigation after bomb-making equipment was discovered in woodland close to Croydon Synagogue.

The Community Security Trust is working with the local police and Scotland Yard to ensure the safety of the synagogue and its occupants in response to the incident, involving the possibility of petrol bombs or similar devices.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said that police have discovered a number of suspicious items in a woodland area off Shirley Oaks Road. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Long Beach, NY +Power Outage+

Nassau County, Long Beach, NY +Power Outage+ A power outage for half of the City of Long Beach in the areas of Laurelton Blvd, Long Beach Road, Broadway and Park Avenue, LIPA has been requested to respond.

West Palm Beach, FL - Fatal Bus Accident

West Palm Beach, FL - A motor vehicle accident with one person killed and 11 others injured after a bus carrying senior citizens was hit by a truck.

The bus, operated by a Jewish community center, was traveling in West Palm Beach when it was struck by a Speedy Rooter truck, said Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue spokesman Don DeLucia.
Five bus passengers were taken to the trauma unit at St. Mary's Medical Center, DeLucia said. Police later said one of those passengers, Lillian Starkman, 92, died from her injuries. Seven other passengers were taken to hospitals with less serious injuries.
The bus driver and another passenger were uninjured, DeLucia said.

"It's a little bus route to the store and grocery shopping," said community center spokesman Scott Benarde.

The driver of the Speedy Rooter truck, Humberto Corrales, 59, was not hurt, said Ted White, a spokesman for the West Palm Beach Police Department.
Initial witness reports indicate Corrales may have run a red light when he crashed into the bus, White said.
The investigation is ongoing.

New York, NY - Curbing Illegal Construction

New York, NY - The City Council approved two bills to crack down on construction companies that do illegal work.
One bill, sponsored by Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr. of Brooklyn, makes demolishing a one- or two-family home without a required permit a misdemeanor, with violators subject to fines or jail time as well as civil penalties. The other bill, by Councilman Vincent J. Gentile of Brooklyn, increases the penalties for contractors who defy Buildings Department stop-work orders.

Katonah, NY +Kelly Concedes to Hall+

Katonah, NY - Six-term Rep. Sue Kelly, R-Katonah, has conceded her loss to John Hall, her Democratic challenger in last week’s mid-term elections.

"John Hall has won," Kelly said. "I congratulate him and wish him well as he endeavors to serve our nation and the people of the Hudson Valley."

Queen, NY +Suspicious Package+

Queen, NY +Suspicious Package+ NYPD of the 105th Pct and ESU are on the scene and calling a level one mobilization for a suspicious package at 39 Hillside Avenue and 239th Street, Bomb Squad requested to the scene. Cross Island Parkway is being shut down in regards.

New York - Jewish Leaders Have New Concern Over Metzitza B'Peh

New York - Eliot Spitzer’s transition team has yet to decide a single appointee. But speculation that the Democratic governor-elect may tap New York City health commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden for the state’s top medical post has some Orthodox activists worried.

Crain’s New York Business reported that Frieden’s efforts seem to have caught the eye of the reform-minded Spitzer.
Placing Frieden at the helm of the state health department would likely signal an end to the state’s relatively passive approach to the metzitza b’peh controversy. Earlier this year the state’s current health commissioner, Dr. Antonia Novella, met with Orthodox leaders and announced a set of guidelines that practitioners of metzitza b’peh should use to avoid the transmission of herpes to infants. Those nonbinding guidelines were rejected by Frieden.

“It would alienate a very large faction of our community,” said Rabbi Jacob Spitzer, a Borough Park activist on health-related issues who has met with Frieden to discuss the city’s investigation of neonatal herpes, “I would strongly advise the Spitzer administration to look for another candidate.”

Albany, NY - Court: Check Cashing Fees by Employment Agency Illegal

Albany, NY - The state's highest court just ruled that a temporary employment agency with about 18,000 workers in New York was charging illegal fees to cash workers' checks and ordered the company to fork over almost $70,000.

In a 7-0 decision, the Court of Appeals ruled that Labor Ready Inc., made unlawful deductions from the paychecks of workers who wanted to be paid in cash. The company will have to pay $69,888 dollars in restitution, fees and interest, said Christine Pritchard, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

The state Department of Labor began investigating complaints against the company in western New York in 2002 and determined the extra fees violated state labor law.

Edinburgh, Scotland - Mobile Phone Mast To Go Up Despite Radiation Concerns

Edinburgh, Scotland - A controversial proposal to install a mobile phone mast at an Edinburgh synagogue has won planning permission regardless of the suspicions of parishioners.
Three antennas and a transmission dish will be added to the existing mobile phone equipment at the Salisbury Road synagogue.

The planning application for the equipment, which was made by T-Mobile, attracted opposition from people who claimed a potential health hazard through radiation.  
They got eight objection letters, one of them said: "I am very concerned on the health impact from mobile phone airwaves."

But the council's planning officers ruled that the new antennas and transmission dish would not bring about any significant change to the area as there is already mobile phone equipment in place. So they agreed to grant planning permission.

Montreal, Canada - Female Officers to Step Aside When Male Victims Prefer Not to Deal With Them

Montreal, Canada - An internal police memo suggesting that female police officers call in male colleagues when male victims prefer not to deal with a women police officer, is sparking heated debate in Montreal.

The issue has been raised in an internal publication for the Montreal police officers. And it suggests that female officers let their male partners deal with victims and witnesses if they're Hasidic Jewish men whose religion frowns on fraternization with most women. 
The head of the city's police union said that it is outrageous and that women officers have the same right and the same respect as their male officers counterpart.

But Mayer Feig, a spokesman for the Orthodox Jewish community in Montreal, says the controversy, at least as far as Hasidic Jews are concerned, is nonsense. 
Feig says his community has never asked for any limitation on female police and that he deals with women officers on a daily basis without any problem.

Manhattan, NY +FDR Drive Closed Down+

Manhattan, NY +FDR Drive Closed Down+ A misplaced box truck on the south bound side of the FDR Drive and East 92nd Street, has the NYPD currently closing all lanes, expect delays.

New Jersey +Tornado Watch+

New Jersey - The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch is in effect for central and south New Jersey.

Chester, NY - Camp La Guardia Homeless Shelter to Close for Good

Chester, NY - City Department of Homeless Services officals and Orange County Executive Edward Diana are expected to make an announcement in New York City, that the Camp La Guardia homeless shelter is to be Close for Good, and Orange County will buy the camp property for $8 million.

Congratulations Al Qaeda and Kiryas Joel

New Hampton, NY - A passerby notice this sign and took a photo of the New Hampton Lumber Co in New Hampton, where the store owner offers his congratulations to two groups on the election of Democrat John Hall to Congress.

Marlboro, NJ - Rabbi Indicted in Thefts from Charitable Account

Marlboro, NJ - Rabbi Peter Light, the former leader of the Marlboro Jewish Center, was arrested after a Monmouth County grand jury indicted him on a charge of stealing $86,000 from the coffers of Congregation Ohev Shalom.

The board of trustees at the Jewish center, had urged the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to investigate Light, after it conducted its own internal review of how money in the rabbi's discretionary fund was used.
The discretionary fund, made up largely of donations, is used when a congregant in an unexpected crisis approaches the rabbi for help. It is loosely monitored and set up specifically so a congregant can work one-on-one with the rabbi and keep personal problems from becoming common knowledge, members said.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, Light was the sole signatory for the account, and could disburse the funds as he saw fit.

"The criminal conduct of Rabbi Light not only depleted the Marlboro Jewish Center's charitable account, but also stole the trust the congregation had unequivocally bestowed on this man when he was hired to lead their community," Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin said in a prepared release. "This defendant fraudulently obtained money specifically designated to help others and used it for his own selfish purposes."

Monsey, NY - Camp Fined for Inadequate Supervision of Kids While Swimming During Summer

Monsey, NY - The Rockland County Board of Health fined Ephraim Weissmandl the operator of a day camp for girls for failing to properly supervisor the youngsters while they were swimming in the facility's pool.

Inspectors from the Health Board visited Camp Merockdim Girls, which operates out of 142 Grandview Ave., Monsey, but uses swimming facilities at a camp near Routes 306 and 202 in Ramapo, three times at last summer, and onn each of the three occasions, inspectors observed inadequate supervision of the girls.
The fine was the largest assessed at the Board of Health meeting.

Tiburon, CA - Town Puts Expansion of Synagogue in Limbo When it Proposed Restrictions to Address Neighbors

Tiburon, CA - Hotly contested plans to expand a synagogue remained in limbo as town officials entered a new package of regulations into the discussion.

The Town Council unanimously approved a set of recommendations including parking management, reductions in building and event size and activity on the Kol Shofar Synagogue.
In proposing the recommended solution, Vice Mayor Tom Gram, who helped draft the package, called it "our attempt to balance the issue on both sides." "We've proposed a series of restrictions and controls on Kol Shofar, which we believe address neighbors concerns," Gram said.
The town council wants to cut back in the number of events and people in attendance as well ending events an hour earlier on weekends.

"We have asked only for space and for usage for critically needed religious uses," said expansion proponent Ron Brown. Synagogue officials contend the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act was created for cases such as theirs. The act prohibits "substantial burdens" on the exercise of religion by government regulations, unless a compelling need can be demonstrated.

Gaza - Hamas Says Talks on Captive Israeli Soldier Frozen

Gaza - Negotiations aimed at freeing a captive Israeli soldier in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners have been frozen, the ruling Hamas movement said.
"There is no dialogue, no talks. Talks have stopped." Hamas spokesman Ismail Rudwan said.

Washington, DC +Passengers Stranded Underground on Stuck Train+

Washington, DC - A power outage has stranded one subway train underground between the Dupont Circle and Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro stations, with passengers stuck on the train underground.

U/D: 08:08
Power is back on.

Ramapo, NY +Mtorcycle Pursuit onto the PIP+

Ramapo, NY +Mtorcycle Pursuit onto the PIP+ nEw York State Police and Town of Highland Police are in a pursuit of a motorcycle on the south bound of the Palisades Interstate Parkway passing now Exit 15, num agencies to stage at all exits.

U/D: 22:07
Police hit the motorcycle with their RMP near Exit 13, requesting EMS and medics to respond on a rush.
PIP is shut down.

Washington, DC - Dozens Arrested Posing as Religious Workers to Gain Visas

Washington, DC - Dozens of Pakistani immigrants who came to the United States posing as religious workers were arrested, as Homeland Security agents tried to close a commonly exploited avenue for illegal immigration.

Immigrants who were supposed to be teaching or conducting religious ceremonies were arrested across the East Coast, where they worked as gas station attendants, taxi drivers, landscapers and factory workers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been scrutinizing the religious worker visa program, Homeland Security officials found fraud in one of every three religious visas they reviewed.

New York, NY - City Council Vote Raises Its Own Pay

New York, NY - In a 41-5 vote the 51-member City Council gave itself a pay raise, increasing yearly compensation for its members to $112,500 from $90,000.

New York, NY - Iran Complains to UN Over Repeated Israeli Threats

New York, NY - Iran, whose president has vowed to wipe Israel off the map, complained to the United Nations that the Jewish state was repeatedly threatening to bomb it.

The threats were "matters of extreme gravity" and the U.N. Security Council should condemn them and demand that Israel "cease and desist immediately from the threat of the use of force against members of the United Nations," Iranian U.N. Ambassador Javad Zarif said.
His comments came in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and circulated at the United Nations.

Manhattan, NY - Tax Break Approved to Expand Diamond District

Manhattan, NY - The board of the city's Industrial Development Agency voted to extend up to $37.5 million in tax breaks to a developer, to build a $434 million office tower for diamond and jewelry businesses in Midtown's Diamond District along 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues.

The tax breaks will be administered on a sliding scale, "dependent on the level of occupancy by businesses that are within the diamond and jewelry industry and businesses that are new to, or expanding in, New York City. "Some nearby building owners and some tenants in the Diamond District had complained that the subsidy would give the developer an unfair advantage, allowing the landlord to attract existing district tenants by offering below market rents. The city said the subsidy is necessary to attract new private investment to New York's dwindling diamond industry.

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Pelosi Urged Village Leadership to Switch Parties

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - A congressional staff said that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called before the election the town's mayor Abraham Weider, as did another local congressman, Eliot Engel, and their message was "The Democrats were going to win the House so it would make sense to get on board with the winners."

Manhattan, NY +NYPD Pulling Over Hatzolah Member+

Manhattan, NY +NYPD Pulling Over Hatzolah Member+ An NYPD officer in Manhattan just pulled over an Hatzolah member on his way to a call for an aided with chest pain.

The Hatzolah member went to the call with lights and siren on, and was pleading with the office that he is responding to a code-1 call to 5th Avenue between West 47th And West 48th Streets, but obviously the officer didn't want to believe him and kept him waiting for a while until he (the officer) got on the air with the base.

Baltimore, MD - Jewish Schools Gets Large Grant

Baltimore, MD - The private Baltimore-based Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which has more than $2 billion in assets, announced that it will contribute $2 million a year for the next five years to the Baltimore area’s 12 Jewish day schools.
The grants will start in 2007, but the foundation also announced that it would immediately give an additional $1 million to the schools.

There are more than 200,000 students in 750 Jewish day schools across the United States, and Baltimore – with some 6,000 students in a community of roughly 100,000 – has one of the highest concentrations in the country, according to Lawrence Ziffer, executive vice president of the city's Center for Jewish Education, which worked with the foundation to write the grant.

New York, NY - Hearing To Examine Building Dept.

New York, NY - The Assembly Committee on Cities, chaired by Assemblyman James F. Brennan (D-Park Slope), will hold a public hearing to examined the NYC Department of Building’s regulation of construction and development and its effectiveness in New York City and the Enforcement of the Building Code and Compliance with the Zoning Resolution.

The purpose of this hearing is to explore the powers, duties, obligations, and accountability of New York City's regulatory system for construction, development, and zoning enforcement.

Washington, DC +Lott Elected as GOP's Leader+

Washington, DC - Trent Lott, ousted as Republican leader in the Senate two years ago because of a remark considered racially insensitive, won election now to the party's No. 2 leadership post by a single vote.

Cumberland, MD - Jack Abramoff Reports to Prison

Cumberland, MD - Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, convicted of federal charges after using expensive gifts, campaign donations and exotic trips to win access to the powerful in Washington, went to prison this morning.

Abramoff arrived at a relatively secluded prison facility in western Maryland and began to serve a nearly six-year prison sentence for a fraudulent deal to buy a fleet of casino ships in Florida.
The part of the camp where Abramoff will be kept is a 334-bed minimum security facility located near an industrial park along the north branch of the Potomac River.

New York, NY - City Council Bill for Supersized Ambulance Plan Ripped

New York, NY - Bigger patients don't need bigger ambulances, the chief of the Fire Department's EMS insisted.

Testifying on a proposed law to require the EMS to buy special ambulances for patients weighing 500 pounds or more, Chief John Peruggia told a City Council hearing that the EMS' current 400 ambulances can transport patients weighing up to 1,100 pounds.
Anyone heavier can be transported by the FDNY's rescue companies, he assured, and wider ambulances would impair EMS' ability to promptly respond to medical emergencies in the city, he said.

The Council is weighing a bill requiring EMS to have two specially built ambulances in each borough to transport morbidly obese individuals. No vote was taken, and the bill's future is uncertain.

Manhattan, NY - More Than $1 Million Swindled from Foundation by Executive Director

Manhattan, NY - The head of a philanthropic foundation helped himself to more than $1 million of the organization's money.

In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation - which helped Yeshiva University and also contributes to lots of Orthodox Jewish institutions - accuses Michael Jaspan of cheating it through a variety of scams while he was executive director.

Jaspan, 54, served as executive director, vice-president and a board member of the foundation until the wrongdoing was discovered. The misconduct would have been discovered sooner, but the accountants hired by the board of directors to find out where all of its cash was going only reported Jaspan's wrongdoing to one person - Jaspan.

Sderot, Israel - Palestinian Rockets Kills Israeli Woman and Seriously Injuries Defense Minister's Bodyguard

Sderot, Israel - Six rockets were fired from the northern Gaza Strip and some of them landed in the town of Sderot.

One of the rockets hit a busy street in town, killing a 57 year old Israeli woman and seriously wounding a 24 year old man, one of the Defense Minister Amir Peretz's bodyguards who was on duty at the time, Peretz resides near the street where the rocket landed. The bodyguard lost both his legs and is currently still in surgery.

Six others were also injured but not serious.

Tokyo, Japan +Strong Earthquake Hits Kurile Islands

Tokyo, Japan - An 8.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Kurile Islands and Japan's meteorological agency says a tsunami is expected to hit north and eastern Japan after the earthquake that hit the islands north of the country, they say incoming tsunami will be at least 6 1/2 feet high and Pacific coast residents should flee to higher ground.

U/D: 07:59
A small tsunami estimated to be just 16 inches high hit northern Japan, warning for a larger one is still on.

Manhattan, NY +Wild Turkey Stopes Traffic on Triborough Bridge+

Manhattan, NY - A wild turkey wandered onto the toll plaza of the Triborough Bridge, halting traffic for about 15 minutes as workers chased it down.

The loose 10-pound bird ended up on the Triborough Bridge, with six MTA officials chasing it around the Manhattan toll plaza.
"Watching it unfold on our cameras, it seemed the only thing missing was someone playing 'Turkey in the Straw,'" said Triborough Bridge General Operations Manager Ray Bush.
The frightened turkey skittered back and forth across the plaza, evading capture for 15 minutes. Bridge officers finally cornered it, and a construction worker snatched it.

MTA officials talked with state and city animal control authorities and released the turkey into a wooded area on nearby Wards Island, which has acres of open land inhabited by pheasants, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks.

Cherry Hill, NJ - Severed Pig's Head Left at Former State Senator's Doorstep

Cherry Hill, NJ - A former state senator and an outspoken critic of local government leaders found a pig's severed head on her front porch.

Alene Ammond, was at home celebrating her granddaughter's birthday with family and friends when she said her son said he thought he heard running and then a plop, when she opened the door she saw a pig's snout and eyes staring at her "it almost made me sick."

Ammond, a frequent critic of Cherry Hill has in recent months, loudly complained about how the township has handled municipal taxes.
Police received the complaint, and dispatched officers to Ammond's home in the Barclay Farm neighborhood, said Lt. William Kushina, the investigative division commander.
"The hog's head was roasted," Kushina said, noting he couldn't recall a similar act of vandalism in the township's recent past.

Ammond, who praised the local police response, said she was considering registering the incident with the FBI. "I'm not calling it a hate crime, but it is harassment," she said.

Washington, DC - Schumer is No. 3 Democrat in Senate

Washington, DC - Sen. Charles Schumer was promoted to the third-highest Democratic position in the Senate as a reward for helping his party recapture the majority. He also will stay on as the campaign chief for the next election.
"Obviously, it's just been a wonderful day for me," said Schumer.

Riverdale, NY +MVA+

Riverdale, NY +MVA+ A motor vehicle accident on Fairfield Avenue West 232nd Street, Hatzolah responding with two buses, requesting additional BLS and ALS also to respond in.

Berlin, Germany - Holocaust Denier Goes on Trial

Berlin, Germany - A German accused of denying the Holocaust and using the Internet to spread his views went on trial on after being deported from the United States.

The 42-year-old chemist, Germar Rudolf, is accused of denying and belittling the wartime extermination of Jews by Germany's Nazi regime. Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany which can carry a prison sentence of up to 5 years.

Queens, NY +GCP Closure+

Queens, NY +GCP Closure+ Numerous Police and Fire Department units are on the Grand Central Parkway at Marine Air Terminal for a motor vehicle accident closing down all west bound lanes and one east bound lane of the parkway, major traffic delays between the LaGuardia Airport and Tribourgh Bridge.

Queens, NY - Kenyan Diplomat Arrested and then Freed on Imunity, After Report of Beating his Son

Queens, NY - Officers of the NYPD investigating reports that a Kenyan diplomat had beaten his 9-year-old son briefly detained him but let him go because of his diplomatic immunity.

Fred Matwanga, the second secretary of the Kenyan mission to the United Nations, was taken into custody at his home in Queens, but was released after police discovered he had a U.S. State Department-issued credential identifying him as a diplomat.
But despite Matwanga's release, the Administration for Children's Services took custody of his son and daughter pending an investigation.

Ulster - No-Plea Policy to be Abolished When Spitzer Becomes Governor

Ulster - Because of the new State Police policy of no-plea bargaining on vehicle and traffic tickets, the Town of Ulster could stand to lose some $200,000 next year. Towns collect local fine revenue in plea cases, but if they go to trial, as is the case now, the state gets all the money.

In order to recoup some of it, the town has assigned the town attorney and a special town attorney to handle the majority of the V&T tickets issued by the State Police.
Supervisor Nick Woerner said with 11 miles of the Thruway going through the Town of Ulster, it used to collect a sizeable amount of ticket fines. “It appears that this will be an additional cost to the town of approximately $20,000 a year; however, we anticipate with the election of Eliot Spitzer as New York State’s new governor, this will most likely change on January 1st,” he said.

The Town of Ulster Justice Court handles 9,800 cases per year with 4,800 of them single V&T tickets issued by the State Police.

Washington, DC +New Majority Leader+

Washington, DC +New Majority Leader+ Senate democrats elect Harry Reid of Nevada as the new majority leader.

Brooklyn, NY +Plane Landing at Ball Field+

Brooklyn, NY +Plane Landing at Ball Field+ NYPD Aviation is confirming that a small plane has landed on the ball field at Cropsey Avenue and Belt Parkway NYPD of the 60th Pct have been notified, ESU on the scene with no reports of fire or any injuries yet.

U/D: 10:56
Plane made an emergency landing on the field, all units are 10-98, pilot awaiting tow.

Cedarhurst, NY +Pedestrian Struck+

Nassau County, Cedarhurst, NY +Pedestrian Struck+ NCPD on the scene requested an ambulance to respond forthwith and also medevac avation to fly for a motor vehicle accident with pedestrian that was struck in front of 575 Chestnut Street, Police reporting multiple trauma on location.

Minsk, Belarus - Holocaust Memorial Defaced

Minsk, Belarus - Vandals painted a swastika on the Holocaust memorial in Minsk.
A spokesman for the police said vandals also left anti-Semitic leaflets at the Yama memorial, signed by the White Russian Front for Aryan Resistance, a previously unknown group.
Police opened an investigation on charges of damage done to public property.

In August, the Yama memorial, erected in 1946 in memory of Jewish inmates of the Minsk ghetto during World War II, was covered with human waste and burned fragments of wreaths. That police investigation has yielded no result so far.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Dryer Fire in Basement of Synagogue+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Dryer Fire in Basement of Synagogue+ Fire Department are on the scene at the synagogue at 165 Clymer Street for a fire in the basement of the shul after a dryer exploded, no one injured.

New York - ShopRite to Launch New Program in 30 Stores

New York - With an estimated 275,000 kosher consumers and more than $1.1 billion in kosher food sales, the ShopRite chain is taking a new step to serve kosher consumers.
More than 30 of its stores will be part of a “Fine Foods from Israel” campaign in December to coincide with the holidays. The program is being launched in conjunction with the Israel Export Institute. Designed to introduce many new Israeli products to the American market, the promotion will feature a special section in each store displaying the “Fine Foods from Israel”.

Among the participating companies you'll be able to find fine products made by Osem, Elite Strauss, Wissotsky Tea, Amnon & Tamar, Barth Ltd., Couscous Maison, Eretz Shemen Zait, Kinneret Farm, Kvutzat Yavne, Leiman Schlussel, Machroum Delicacies, Matzot Aviv, StarKist, Tempo, Tnuva, Tivit and Neptune Food Products.

Queens, NY +Dead of Baby Under Inquiry+

Queens, NY A three-week-old girl, sleeping next to her mother in their Queens home, died after the woman apparently rolled over the child in her sleep.

The frantic parents called 911 after realizing the baby was not breathing, medics rushed the baby to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The ME is investigating the case, they say that the initial reports were inconclusive and additional info is needed.

New York, NY - CCRB Wants Police-Card Rules

New York, NY - A watchdog groups want the NYPD to lay down some rules about the police union courtesy cards that many motorists display in hopes of beating traffic tickets.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board says it has heard 11 cases in which it says cops improperly took the cards away from drivers.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly is looking into whether the cops should be allowed to revoke the cards, which are seen as a way to gain favor with the Finest. "It's understandable that police officers confiscated them from individuals who used the cards to try to unduly influence them," Kelly said.

In nearly a dozen cases, motorists say they flashed the cards after being stopped by cops - in hopes of catching a break. Instead, cops snatched the cards.
Even though the CCRB is investigating the cases, plenty of cops don't think the officers did anything wrong. "A card is not a get-out-of-jail-free card," said a highway patrol officer who didn't want his name used. "The cops feel they should not be in possession of them, so they take them."

Baghdad, Iraq - Up to 150 people kidnapped from Institute

Baghdad, Iraq - As many as 150 Shiite and Sunni men were kidnapped from an Iraqi government research institute.

Gunmen wearing Iraqi police commando uniforms had a list of names and claimed to be on a mission from the government's anti-corruption body. They separated the women and took only men from the Baghdad facility.
Those kidnapped included the institute's deputy general directors, employees, and visitors.

Meantime, other violence today claimed at least 32 lives.

Brooklyn, NY +BQE Traffic Alert+

Brooklyn, NY +BQE Traffic Alert+ A four car motor vehicle accident with some trapped and injured on the west bound side of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway near Tillary Street exit FD and PD are on the scene jaws put to work, some lanes are blocked off.

Bentonville, Ark - Wal-Mart Pulls T-Shirts with Nazi Logo

Bentonville, Ark - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Is pulling a skull-and-crossbones T-shirt from its shelves after a blogger complained that the image was identical to a Nazi SS emblem from World War II.
The blogger posted a picture of the shirt next to an image of a divisional insignia that was used by the 3rd SS Division, a unit of Adolf Hitler's Waffen SS.

New York - Giuliani Takes First Step For White House

New York - Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has taken the first step toward a possible 2008 White House bid by forming a presidential exploratory committee panel that would allow him to raise money for a White House run and travel the country.
A document from the New York Department of State says Giuliani made the initial filing to create the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Exploratory Committee Inc.

Cedarhurst, NY +Pedestrian Struck+

Cedarhurst, NY +Pedestrian Struck+ Hatzolah on the scene for a motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian that was struck on Central Avenue and Maple Avenue in front of Sabra Pizza store, Fire Department and Police Department all on the scene.

US - Kosher Market Grows By 15 Percent

United States - Sales of kosher foods in the grew by 15 percent in the last 12 months, according to data just released.  

The annual survey released in advance of the upcoming kosher food show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center indicates that this is the 10th straight year for double digit growth by the industry. An estimated 11.2 million Americans buy kosher food products on a fairly regular basis with nearly three times the amount (21 percent of all Americans) buying an occasional product.

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Very New World When Mayor Walked Into Enemy Territory

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - When Kiryas Joel Mayor Abe Wieder and his top lieutenant, Szegedin, walked into John Hall's victory party on election night, it was as though they had entered a new dimension.

Their longtime courtroom antagonist, Michael Sussman, could hardly contain himself: He startled Szegedin with a hearty bear hug. Other giddy Democrats greeted their black-hatted, Republican visitors with handshakes and "thank you's."
"All of a sudden," Szegedin recalled, "I walked into enemy territory, and it was like I was an old friend."
"It was wild," Sussman agreed.

Why the friendliness? As everyone now knows, Wieder & Co. had dropped Rep. Sue Kelly, R-Katonah and endorsed her Democratic challenger, giving Hall just enough votes to win in a squeaker. And that was more than enough, at least for one jubilant, night, to forget past battles with the Wieder regime.

So add this saying to the book of political wisdom: Contenders hate a voting bloc until it gets behind them. Then they love it.

Paris, France +Skyscraper Evacuated After Bomb Alert+

Paris, France - Some 3,000 people were evacuated from the Tour Montparnasse, one of the tallest buildings in central Paris, after a bomb alert.

An official from the Paris police department said a bomb warning was called in, and sniffer dogs and bomb experts are searching the building.

Washington, DC +Neteuri Karta to Protest Against Olmert

Washington, DC - Yisroel Dovid Weiss, from Neturei Karta, will take to the streets of Washington today at Lafayette Park, leading a protest against Israeli PM Olmert.

Manchester - Jewish Old-Age Home Saved

Manchester - After months of speculation, residents at a Jewish old age home in Manchester have been told that the home will continue to operate.

In August the Greater Manchester Housing Association announced that Newlands, in Salford, north Manchester would be likely to close due to mounting debts.
But now the GMJHA Chief executive David Helman told residents that the property has been bought by Angel Care, which ran the nearby Cherry Trees Care Home.
The home will continue to be fully kosher with the food under the supervision of the Manchester Beth Din (rabbinical court).

Jerusalem, Israel +Bomb Discovered at Rosh Yeshiva's Residence+

Jerusalem, Israel - Police were all on the scene in Mia Shurim at the home of H'Rav R' Chaim Shlomo Lebowitz - Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovitz - for two home made pipe bombs that were found at the door. 

Bomb Squad were called to neutralize them, no motive or any claim of reasonability. Police are investigating.

Lakewood, NJ - Details Sketchy on Police Director's Exit

Lakewood, NJ - The factors behind the anticipated departure of Police Director Al Peters remain shrouded as township officials work out the terms of his leaving. Meanwhile, Peters said he remains on the job.
"There's been no resolution. All the details have not been resolved," Peters said. "I am not supposed to be commenting on this. They've put a gag on this thing."
Mayor Meir Lichtenstein also said he couldn't comment on Peters' job status, citing a restriction on discussing personnel matters. "We have the utmost respect for Mr. Peters and the programs he's brought to town hall," Lichtenstein said, however.

Township Committeeman Charles Cunliffe's response: "If you have the utmost respect for him and his programs, then why are you firing him?"

Peters confirmed earlier this week that he was informed by Lichtenstein that his days as police director likely were numbered, but he declined to specify why he's on the brink of being fired.

Iran - President: Israel's Destruction Near

Iran - Iranian President Mahoud Ahmadinejad declared today that Israel was destined to ‘disappearance and destruction’ at a council meeting with Iranian ministers.

“The western powers created the Zionist regime in order to expand their control of the area. This regime massacres Palestinians everyday, but since this regime is against nature, we will soon witness its disappearance and destruction,” Ahmadinejad said.

Auschwitz-Birkenau - Plans for Beautiful Death Camps Anger Holocaust Survivors

Auschwitz-Birkenau - Holocaust survivors are up in arms over a plan to make the memorial at the Auschitz-Birkenau death camps more aesthetic.

The new director of the memorial, Dr. Piotr Cywinski, said he plans to replace the current exhibit with a more attractive one aimed at delivering an educational message against anti-Semitism and racism.

The survivors fear the "improvements" will be more grandiose than the pleasant gardens at Dachau and Sachsenhausen. Noah Flug, president of the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors, "We are opposed to the beautification of the site."

Maryland - Prisons To Offer Kosher Food

Maryland - Governor Robert Erlich has approved a plan to serve kosher food in the state’s prisons to Jewish inmates requesting it. About 200 of the state’s 26,000 prisoners are Jewish.

The decision was made even though a federal judge last year ruled that the state did not have an obligation to serve kosher food, finding that the vegetarian diet that was available was a sufficient accommodation.

Borough Park, Brooklyn, NY +Pedestrian Struck+

Borough Park, Brooklyn, NY +Pedestrian Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian that was struck on 58th Street and 13th Avenue, Hatzolah responding BLS and ALS

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Pedestrian Struck+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Pedestrian Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian that was struck on Wythe Avenue and Williamsburg Street East, Hatzolah on the scene requesting an ambulance.

U/D: 21:13
Aided RMA.

New York, NY - FAO Schwarz Plans For Two More City Stores

New York, NY - FAO Schwarz plans to open two more stores in the city, smaller than the flagship store on Fifth Avenue.
The company is reportedly looking to have a presence in neighborhoods like Union Square and Park Slope, Brooklyn.

FAO Schwarz is the oldest toy store in the country. More than two million people visit its New York City location each year.

Tehran, Iran - Prosecutor Demands Arrest of Argentinean Officials

Tehran, Iran - A top Iranian prosecutor demanded an arrest warrant be issued for Argentinean judges and prosecutors, after Argentina demanded the arrest of Iranian officials over the bombing of a Jewish center.

New York, NY - Survivor of Lidle Plane Crash Home After Month in Hospital

New York, NY - Ilana Benhuri the 50-year-old mother of three spent 30 painful days recovering from severe burns she suffered when Cory Lidle's plane crashed through her apartment wall, setting off a fireball and an explosionin.
"The explosion threw me up in the air, and it threw me down on the debris," Benhuri said outside New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, recounting her experience. "I was screaming. I could not stop screaming. I did not know what it was."

Benhuri, who suffered burns below her waist, managed to crawl to the door, then to run down the building stairs to safety, accompanied by her housekeeper who was uninjured. During her month in the hospital after the Oct. 11 crash, Benhuri underwent surgery and multiple skin grafts.
"She's still in pain," said her attorney, Bob Sullivan, who added that a lawsuit was likely against Lidle's estate.

The family is staying for now at an undisclosed Manhattan location, where she headed with her husband, Dr. Parviz Benhuri. He is a cardiologist affiliated with New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The Benhuris are Jewish immigrants from Iran, where he attended medical school.

Acadia Park, FL +Bias Crime+

Acadia Park, FL - Police are on the scene investigating a possible hate crime, after the owner from house came home to find that vandals spray-painted profanities and swastikas on the walls inside his house after kicking in the front door at 5500 Northwest 184th Street . They are estimating damages totaled $1,250.

Oak Park, MI - Starbucks Could Join Dunkin' Donuts on Going Kosher

Oak Park, MI - Going kosher was good for business at Dunkin' Donuts in northwest Oak Park, an enclave of Orthodox Jewry. It has helped a nearby 7-Eleven, which is often filled with kids in yarmulkes clamoring for kosher Slurpees. And now, kosher might become a draw at a Starbucks.

Starbucks is eyeing a spot at a shopping center under construction at 10 Mile and Greenfield, the strip, adjacent to a Jewish high school, and Oak Park Mayor Gerald Naftaly is hoping it will offer an expanded kosher fare.
Naftaly said he and local rabbis are pressing Starbucks, whose coffee is kosher, to stock kosher creamers and milk at its new location. He said he's working to also get Starbucks to sell packaged kosher baked goods, perhaps from a local bakery.

In some ways, being almost completely kosher is a disadvantage for the Dunkin' Donuts just north of the new center.  Owner Ted Jabbori said he can't carry meat products -- sausage and bacon, among them -- and he has to pass on new products that wouldn't pass muster with the rabbis who provide him direction.  
But, overall, being kosher has been good for business.  "If we had to do it all again, we probably would because of all the new friends we've made in the Jewish community. A lot of people appreciate it, and they tell us every day," he said.

Jabbori said he's not threatened by the possibility of a kosher Starbucks just down the road. He's got coffee, and Dunkin' Donuts customers, "our customer is not a Starbucks customer," Jabbori said.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Fall Victim+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Fall Victim+ Hatzolah responding BLS and ALS for an aided that fell from an unknown height from a ladder while hanging some signs inside the synagogue, aided is conscious and alert.

U/D: 12:19
Aided being removed by Hatzolah to Bellvue Hospital.

Chennai, India - Airports Tighten Security on FBI Alert

Chennai, India - Security was tightened at airports across India on Sunday following a warning from the FBI that a plane flying to the United States or Europe could be hijacked, officials and television channels said.

Passengers were frisked, baggage checked repeatedly and airport complexes barricaded after the FBI told Indian intelligence agencies that it had found an e-mail which spoke of plans to hijack a plane from India. "This new alert has only led to a further stepping up of security measures," Dinesh Kumar, director of Chennai airport, said.

New Square, NY - Multiple Dwelling Fire Still Under Investigation

New Square, NY - A week after three families were forced out of their home due to an intensely hot basement fire, an investigation still continues into its cause.

While unsure of the number of family members who escaped the Nov. 4 blaze at 21B Jefferson Ave., Israel Spitzer, the village's deputy mayor, said all were safe and staying with family and friends elsewhere in the densely populated village.

The fire began, fire officials said, in the multifamily home's basement, and spread throughout the house and up to the three-story home's attic. Manny Carmona, the village's building and fire inspector, said the building was demolished the next day. "We don't have a determination yet," the flames were so intense that an adjoining home, about 20 feet away, had some of its vinyl siding melted, he said.
Hillcrest Fire Chief Tim Wren said the fire was intensified by hundreds of small mattresses that were being stored in the basement.

Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik said the cause of the fire was still being investigated by his office's Arson Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Queens, NY - Students Protest Nazi Among Them

Queens, NY - A U.S. congressman rallied alongside hundreds of Jewish teenagers outside the home of a former Nazi camp guard - but some of the man's Jackson Heights neighbors say they should just leave the old man alone.

Jakiw Palij, 84, was stripped of his U.S. citizenship three years ago by a judge who ruled that Palij lied when he applied for an immigrant visa in 1949. But he has not been deported because the government can't find a country to accept him - which the activists said was unacceptable.
"No one is going to hide in our midst," declared U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens). "Thousands and thousands of people were murdered by this monster. He's not paying for his crimes by living here in a peaceful block in Jackson Heights."

Several hundred students from Rambam Mesivta High School in Lawrence, L.I., chanted, "We will not be silent!" and "Show your face!" outside Palij's home on 89th Street.

But several of Palij's neighbors, who describe him as quiet and frail, disagreed with the protesters. "It's wrong; why don't they just leave the people alone?" said Abraham Pabon, 48, a truck driver. "Everybody has a life to live. It's like they say, God forgives. It's very, very wrong what they're doing here."

New York, NY - Bias Crime Against Jews Soars

New York, NY - The number of hate crimes in the city is up almost 8 percent from last year, with attacks on Jews spiking the most, according to NYPD stats.

There were 230 confirmed verbal and physical incidents designated bias crimes by police from Jan. 1 to Nov. 5 of this year - up from 214 in the same period last year.
The number of crimes against Jews surged 28 percent, to 95 from 74.

The only declines were against whites and "others".

Sussex, England - War Memorial Defaced with Swastikas

Sussex, England - Police were called to the memorial in Chapel Road, Worthing, West Sussex for vandals who have defaced a war memorial with Nazi swastikas and daubed a nearby home and shop with anti-Semitic graffiti.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: "This is offensive and racist graffiti. We're not talking about somebody writing with a pen. It's fairly large-scale."

The Royal British Legion said it was "dismayed and upset" by the graffiti, a spokeswoman for The Royal British Legion said: ""We are very grateful to the council for their prompt reaction to this, allowing people to carry on and hold their service.
"We are glad that the vandal that was trying to disrupt such an important occasion didn't succeed."

Sderot, Israel - Rocket Attack Wounds Two

Sderot, Israel - A Kassam rocket slammed into the center of Sderot early this evening, wounding two residents, another rocket exploded barely two meters away from the Hesder Yeshiva in the city. An hour earlier, two Kassams crashed into agricultural land in the western Negev.

Queens, NY - Developers Chosen To Build Housing In Rockaways

Queens, NY - The Bloomberg administration has selected three private developers to build more than 1,600 units of middle-income housing and about 500,000 square feet of retail space in a now dilapidated section of the Rockaways in Queens.  

The project, to be built next to a similar development of 2,300 hundred units, will be constructed by the Bluestone Organization, L&M Equity, and Triangle Equities. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who ran for mayor last year, joked that he would invite Mr. Bloomberg back if the project was finished after his term expired. He was, of course, suggesting that he'd succeed Mr. Bloomberg in City Hall.