Posted inArticle

US names former commerce secretary, big Democrat donor to coordinate private sector aid for Ukraine

The Biden administration has tapped former Commerce Secretary and major Democratic donor Penny Pritzker to coordinate U.S. efforts to channel private sector reconstruction assistance to Ukraine. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment on Thursday, just moments after the Treasury imposed a raft of new sanctions on Russia and Russian operatives for their role in the war on Ukraine. Pritzker, a native of Chicago, heir to her family’s Hyatt hotel fortune and a prolific fundraiser for Democratic party candidates, served as secretary of commerce during the Obama administration.

Posted inArticle, Local, Newport Bureau

Rhode Island judge will rule on status of eviction of Touro Synagogue congregation

On Thursday, a Rhode Island judge will decide whether to lift a stay of eviction against the Orthodox congregation at Touro Synagogue in Newport. For the last 10 years, the local group has been embroiled in legal disputes with another congregation in New York over ownership of the synagogue and its property.

Posted inArticle

Evacuation order lifted for northern Canadian city after weeks of fire danger

An evacuation order was lifted for the northern Canadian city of Yellowknife — three weeks after a nearby wildfire forced the city’s 20-thousand residents out of their homes. The order for the capital of the Northwest Territories, which also included two the First Nation communities in the area, was downgraded Wednesday to an evacuation alert. The fire is considered held, meaning it wasn’t expected to grow under current conditions. Thousands of vehicles are expected to travel to Yellowknife in the coming days, and the first flight back to the territorial capital arrived this morning.

Gift this article