National

32 of forming a government,” Shaked said. After elections, each party submits a recommendation to the president as to The Jewish Home | SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 who should form the next government as its prime minister. Under the agreement between Shaked and Bordny, Shaked’s Yamina party will take the first, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth spots on the Jewish Home slate. Brodny will sit in the second spot and take the fourth and seventh. Shaked helped Bennett revive Jewish Home in 2013.

Operation Hot Chile

As Mexico’s green chile season heats up, agricultural inspectors are heading to the border.

These inspectors are there to ensure that shipments of chile coming from Mexico aren’t tainted by pests that could affect the production of chiles in New Mexico, where green chile is a signature crop and a cultural icon.

“Chile is a huge crop for farmers in New Mexico so it is important that CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] agriculture specialists identify and stop any dangerous pests from making it into the state and potentially spreading,” acting Columbus Port Director Sam Jimenez said in a statement.

At the port of entry in Columbus, New Mexico, inspectors process around 100 chile shipments a day during the busy season – which is generally in September and October, although it could stretch until mid-December.

As part of “Operation Hot Chile,” Jimenez said agricultural inspectors are being assigned to Columbus from other locations to help with the increased traffic. Last year, they handled just under 11,000 shipments of red and green peppers from Mexico.

All Mexican chile imports are subject to an X-ray scan. Then comes a physical inspection by a Customs and Border Protection specialist who searches for pests, diseases and any contaminated soil or noxious seeds.

If anything is found, digital images are sent to officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who determine whether the shipment can be released or returned.

In 2021, the inspections resulted in 25 cases where shipments had to be returned to Mexico.

Imports have grown significantly each season, with inspectors seeing a nearly 25% jump since 2016. Officials are expecting continued growth this year.

Despite the mounds of hot veggies coming in from the south, New Mexican farmers aren’t hurting. They say the state’s reputation for growing what many have anointed as “the best green chile in the world” is expanding, according to Travis Day, executive director of the New Mexico Chile Association.

The state’s chile harvest starts in late July but gets cranking in August.

So far this season, officials said New Mexico’s green chile harvest is more

A Season of Not Giving

People should blame inflation this year if they don’t receive a gift from their co-worker this December holiday season. That’s because rising prices – consumer prices increased by 8.5% in July over last year – have forced people to budget how they are going to be paying for necessities over the next few months. With grocery, gas, and clothing prices soaring, there’s little room for gift giving.

That’s the forecast given by consulting firm Deloitte for the upcoming 2022 holiday shopping season.

34 People have been tapping into their savings and racking up credit card debt to keep up with the higher cost of living. The Jewish Home | SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 Over the past year, credit card debt has jumped by $100 billion, or 13%, the biggest percentage increase in more than 20 years. According to Deloitte, retail sales for the key year-end gift-buying months of November, December and January (when post-holiday gift cards are redeemed) are expected to increase 4% to 6%. This compares with a robust 15.1% increase for the same timeframe last year. The projected sharp pullback from last year “reflects the slowdown in the economy,” Daniel Bachman, Deloitte’s U.S. economic forecaster, said in a report. “Retail sales are likely to be further affected by declining demand for durable consumer goods, which had been the centerpiece of pandemic spending.” Still, there are some markets that are going to be seeing increases in the next few months, including the clothing, toy, and gift card categories. Restaurant spending, entertainment, and travel should also see an increase. Separately, the firm expects online holiday spending to increase 12.8% to 14.3% in 2022, outpacing last year’s 8.4% jump.

Experts say that people won’t be cutting back on toys for their children. And while they may cut some far-off cousin from their gift list, the gifts that they do give will be much more meaningful and thoughtful.

First U.S. Monkeypox Death

On Monday, it was confirmed that a Los Angeles County resident had died from monkeypox. This is first such death from the virus in the United States.

The department and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the link and said the person had a severely weakened immune system and had been hospitalized.

“Persons severely immunocompromised who suspect they have monkeypox are encouraged to seek medical care and treatment early and remain under the care of a provider during their illness,” the news release says.

Deaths from monkeypox are extremely rare and often affect babies, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as from HIV. A person in Harris County, Texas, who had monkeypox died last month, but the virus’ role in that death has not been confirmed.

There have been almost 22,000 cases of probable or confirmed monkeypox reported in the U.S. this year, as of Monday. California has the most cases: 4,300.

Globally in this outbreak, there have been almost 58,000 cases and 18 confirmed deaths, according to CDC data, which does not yet include the U.S. death.

Cases are seen as dwindling around the world, although experts still say people should be cautious.

“We’re continuing to see a downward trend in Europe,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week. “While reported cases from the Americas also declined last week, it’s harder to draw firm conclusions about the epidemic in that region. Some countries in the Americas continue to report increasing number of cases, and in some there is likely to be underreporting due to stigma and discrimination or a lack of information for those who need it most.

“A downward trend can be the most dangerous time if it opens the door to complacency,” he warned.

Symptoms of monkeypox include rashes, bumps or blisters on the hands, feet, chest, or face, along with flu-like symptoms. It is spread through close, physical contact between individuals.

Alcaraz is No. 1

Carlos Alcaraz is now the youngest world No. 1 in the history of the ATP rankings after defeating Casper Ruud in the US Open Final on Sunday.

The 19-year-old defeated 23-year-old Ruud 6-4 2-6 7-6(7-1) 6-3 in a match that took over three hours in New York.

Alcaraz is the youngest world No. 1 since the ATP rankings began in 1973 – breaking the mark set by Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 when he became number one in 2001 – and becomes the youngest men’s singles grand slam winner since compatriot Rafael Nadal, won the first of his major titles in June 2005.

“This is something I’ve dreamt of since I was a kid. To be No. 1 in the world, to be a champion,” Alcaraz said.

“I always say it’s not time to be tired in the final round of the grand slam, you have to give everything you have inside,” he said.

Ruud, who was trying to become the first Norwegian to capture the top spot, said he’ll continue chasing the No. 1 spot. He will rise to second in the world from number seven.

Alcaraz played three consecutive five-set matches on the way to the final, including the second-longest match in the history of the US Open when he overcame Jannik Sinner at 2:50 a.m. in the quarterfinals on Thursday – the tournament’s latest ever finish.

Throughout the US Open, the Spaniard enthralled crowds with his speed, athleticism, and outrageous shot-making. This latest victory could be the first of many grand slam titles over the course of his career.

A clay court specialist, Alcaraz has drawn comparisons to 22-time grand slam champion Nadal and is just the second player in the Open Era to make the US Open final in his teens after Pete Sampras.

Yellen: Gas Prices Could Rise

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is not optimistic about decreasing gas prices. On Sunday, Yellen said that there is a “risk” that U.S. gas prices could rise again later this year.

“Well, it’s a risk. And it’s a risk that we’re working on the price cap to try to address,” Yellen told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” when asked if Americans should be worried about gas prices rising again later this year.

36 “This winter, the European Union will cease, for the most part, buying Russian oil. And, in addition, they will ban The Jewish Home | SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 the provision of services that enable Russia to ship oil by tanker. And it is possible that that could cause a spike in oil prices,” she added. Yellen continued: “Our price cap proposal is designed to both lower Russian revenues that they use to support their economy and fight this illegal war, while also maintaining Russian oil supplies that will help to hold down global oil prices. So I believe this is something that can be essential, and it’s something that we’re trying to put in place to avoid a future spike in oil prices. Earlier this month, finance ministers from the G7 group of countries – the U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom – said they would ban the provision of “services which enable maritime transportation of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products globally” above the price cap. That could block insurance cover or finance for oil shipments. The maximum price would be set by “a broad coalition” of countries, they said in a joint statement. It would take effect alongside the European Union’s next batch of sanctions, which include a ban on seaborne imports of Russian oil starting in early December.

Yellen on Sunday also addressed the looming recession, highlighting her faith in the Federal Reserve to determine how best to avoid an economic recession, but acknowledged a potential recession is “a risk when the Fed is tightening monetary policy to redress inflation, so it’s certainly a risk that we’re monitoring.”

“We’re seeing some slowdown in growth, but that’s natural,” she said.

In response to high inflation, the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates four times so far in 2022 and is likely to raise rates again this year.

Troubled Waters

Maine politicians and fishermen are angry about a new recommendation published by California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.

Every year, the group publishes a list of sustainable seafood, ranking different seafood products as “red,” “yellow,” or “green.” Last week, Seafood Watch added a number of new seafood species to the “red” ranking, which they urge consumers to avoid. Among those species are lobsters because the fishery “poses a risk to overfished or at-risk species, including endangered North Atlantic right whales,” the rating stated. Fisheries using vertical lines can entangle the whales, posing a risk to the already-endangered species.

There are just over 300 North Atlantic right whales left in the wild, according to the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium.

“Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause of serious injury and death to North Atlantic right whales. As a result, bycatch management is rated ineffective for all pot and set gillnet fisheries operating within the North Atlantic right whale’s range because current management measures do not go far enough to mitigate entanglement risks and promote recovery of the species.”

But politicians in Maine are not too pleased with the red ranking. Maine is known for its lobsters.

“The recent decision by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch to ‘Red List’ Maine lobster with scant evidence of impacts on right whales is a reckless piece of activism that will inflict substantial negative real-world consequences on an important and iconic industry in Maine,” wrote the Maine delegation in a release. “In a courtroom, we require evidence before convicting someone of a crime; but you are seeking to sentence Maine’s lobstermen with conjecture, assumptions, and guesswork instead of hard facts.”

According to the politicians, there is not enough evidence to conclude lines used to fish lobsters are specifically hurting North Atlantic right whales. They claim there has not been a confirmed whale entanglement in Maine lobster gear since 2004.

More Respect for Muslims Since 9/11

many hate attacks. But in the years since then, Muslims in the U.S. have seen their political and cultural power grow.

Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage, a Muslim American civic group, explained to Changing America that Muslim Americans could have stayed silent in the aftermath of 9/11 as a “way to defend their interests and their freedoms” because of hostile rhetoric.

But eventually, Alzayat said, the community warmed to a more affirmative agenda, engaging in political discourse, and becoming an active voter block in U.S. elections.

By 2020, a record number of Muslim Americans voted and were running for elected office.

There were 1.5 million registered Muslim American voters in 2020 and nearly three-quarters — 71 percent — cast a ballot. The figure was four percentage points higher than the national average of about 67 percent.

The country has also seen an increase in the number of Muslim candidates and elected officials.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) was the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2007.

In addition, Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) became the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress. The progressive “squad” members are two of the most prominent Muslim voices in American politics, elected in the “blue wave” 2018 midterms during the Trump administration.

A record 81 Muslim American candidates ran for office in 2020 across 28 states and Washington, D.C., according to a report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Despite the rise in politics, Muslims are still the targets of Islamophobia. In 2020, the Justice Department (DOJ) found there were 110 anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S., the second highest after anti-Jewish acts.

A Pew Research survey from 2021 found Republicans increasingly associated Muslims and Islam with violence, with 72 percent of Republicans in 2021 believing Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage

38 violence. Among Democrats, 32 percent felt the same. Abdullah Hammoud, the first MusThe Jewish Home | SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 lim American mayor of Dearborn, Mich., told Changing America that there was a sense of urgency among members of the Muslim American community to step up and push back against Islamophobia in a post-9/11 America. Dems Support FarRight Candidates

Hoping to sail through to victory in November, Democrats are estimated to have spent more than $53 million across nine states boosting far-right candidates in GOP primary elections.

The money has gone toward a Democratic strategy that elevates far-right candidates who have questioned or denied the results of the 2020 election, boosting rivals they see as easier to defeat in the general election. The strategy has caused an intraparty divide, as some Democrats have embraced the practice, while others have denounced it as dangerous.

Democrats are shrewd when implementing the strategy. They allocate funding for ads that seek to paint farright candidates as “too conservative” — highlighting their stances on abortion, former President Donald Trump, or guns. The goal is to make those candidates resonate with conservative Republicans who come across the ad, influencing voters to support them in GOP primaries. At the same time, Democratic groups have aired attack ads against most centrist Republicans they view as being harder to defeat in the November election.

In this way, Democrats hope to run against far-right candidates in November, which will make Dems seem almost tame in comparison.

But the strategy hasn’t been overwhelmingly successful thus far, with Democrats only succeeding in a handful of the races in which they’ve intervened. Overall, Democrats poured money into 13 primaries: six gubernatorial races, two Senate elections, and five House contests.

The party has succeeded in just four of those, with two more races left to be determined in New Hampshire on Tuesday. In those four races, Democrats spent $37.8 million to boost far-right candidates for governor in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, as well as a House race in Michigan, according to data compiled by the Washington Post. Meanwhile, the party failed in seven other races after spending another $11.9 million.

The strategy of boosting far-right GOP candidates has caused a rift within the Democratic Party, with several House members issuing a letter in August that denounced the practice for being dangerous and risky.

“As members of the Democratic Party, we are dismayed by the recent practice of Democratic organizations intervening in Republican primaries to promote candidates who deny the outcome of the last presidential election,” Democratic lawmakers wrote. “These destructive primary tactics aim to elevate Republican candidates who Democrats hope they can more easily beat in November. But it is risky and unethical to promote any candidate whose campaign is based on eroding trust in our elections.”

It’s unclear how the strategy will play out in the November elections, although Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is optimistic about the elections.

“The political decisions that are made out there, are made in furtherance of our winning the election,” she said in July. “We think that the contrast between Democrats and Republicans as they are now is so drastic that we have to — we have to win.”

Will There Be a Railroad Strike?

It’s possible that the U.S. will suffer from a national railroad strike this week, as a contract agreement between unions and railway carriers is expected to end on Friday.

The unions represent 57,000 conductors and engineers.

The strike could potentially derail