New York - Amidst all the chaos, confusion and contradictory reporting surrounding the horrific tragedy in Mumbai, VIN News would like to single out two institutions for going well above and beyond the call of duty: the Israeli Consulate of New York, and the New York office of the U.S. State Department. Keeping a diplomatic office open after hours for an international emergency is not...

Toronto, Canada - A proposal to expand a North Toronto Jewish high school to allow student dormitories is stirring up unresolved conflicts.   Gedolah Yeshiva school at Lawrence and Fairholme Aves. has boarded students for about 15 years without the required permissions, an issue for some of the 50 people in attendance at a community meeting.   The school is seeking a rezoning to allow...

New York - A new federal rule gives states sweeping authority to charge premiums and higher co-payments for doctors’ services, hospital care and prescription drugs provided to low-income people under Medicaid. The rule, published Tuesday in the Federal Register, is expected to save money for the federal government and the states. But public health experts and even some federal officials...

Kenmore, WA - Federal agents have recovered an 18-karat gold bookmark reportedly belonging to Adolf Hitler and arrested the 37-year-old man who was trying to sell it during an undercover sting at a Bellevue Starbucks. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the bookmark and several pieces of jewelry were stolen in Spain in 2002 just before the items were to be auctioned...

Buenos Aires, Argentina - An Argentinean family is suing Iran for $3 million for its role in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires over 14 years ago. Eighty-five people were killed and more than 200 were wounded in the July 18, 1994, bombing, the single worst terrorist attack on Argentinean soil. The blast leveled the seven-story building, a symbol of Argentina's...

Jerusalem, Israel - citizens now living in Jerusalem continue to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving? A quick survey of the Jerusalem street produces answers ranging from “Certainly yes, in order to celebrate the value of giving thanks,” to “Absolutely no, in order not to pollute the Jewish State with any foreign influence.” One Orthodox Jewish high school for English...

Israel - Kadima Party chairwoman and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni discovered last week that her portrait had been expunged from dozens of Kadima's campaign billboards in Jerusalem. The reason for this, her advisers explained to her, was the fact that the billboard company with rights for Jerusalem, Maximedia, forbids displaying pictures of women in the city for fear of offending ultra-Orthodox...

New York, NY - The fiscal crisis may wipe out 3,000 city jobs, dental clinics may close and property owners may not get their $400 rebate check, but Mayor Bloomberg still wants to give deserving city workers a raise. "More than ever before we want to [incentivize] our employees," the mayor said. Asked if he'd ditch raises to save jobs, the mayor said no. "I've always thought that we should...