Not many people would think of Chicago as a holiday destination. Many see it as a stop-off to somewhere else, since it is one end of Route 66 and a major hub for United Airlines.

For actor Ilan Goodman there was a tad more than usual to consider while preparing for his role in the UK premiere of Red Light Winter at the Theatre Royal in Bath.

On top of the quick-fire dialogue spoken by his character Matt, a lovelorn writer on the verge of a nervous breakdown; and aside from the rehearsal-room tension of getting naked for the raw and tender sex scenes with his co-star Sal

For actor Ilan Goodman there was a tad more than usual to consider while preparing for his role in the UK premiere of Red Light Winter at the Theatre Royal in Bath.

On top of the quick-fire dialogue spoken by his character Matt, a lovelorn writer on the verge of a nervous breakdown; and aside from the rehearsal-room tension of getting naked for the raw and tender sex scenes with his co-star Sal

Rahm Emanuel has been sworn in as the first Jewish mayor of Chicago.

The former chief of staff to President Barack Obama officially replaced long-time incumbent Richard Daley on Monday afternoon following his victory in February's bitterly fought election.

Mr Emanuel, whose father fought for Israel during the war of independence, also previously worked for President Bill Clinton.

The son of an Irgun member who fought during Israel’s war of independence has been elected the first Jewish mayor of Chicago.

Barack Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is back in the running to become the next Mayor of Chicago.

Mr Emanuel, the son of an Irgun fighter, confirmed his interest in succeeding long-time Mayor Richard Daley in the post last October, when he left Washington Dc to return to his home city.

However his candidacy has been beset by queries over whether he qualifies as a resident, having lived outside the city, and earlier this week a court ruled that his name should be taken off the ballot.

Rahm Emanuel is expected to appeal against a decision banning him from running for mayor of Chicago.

Mr Emanuel, formerly President Barack Obama’s chief of staff and a onetime senior aide to Bill Clinton, has been declared ineligible for the vote on February 22 because he has not been a resident in the city for long enough.

An Illinois court said that Mr Emanuel did not qualify to appear on the ballot because he had not lived in Chicago for the last year.

Barack Obama’s former chief of staff has hit an unusual obstacle in his bid to become the next mayor of Chicago.

Rahm Emanuel, the Jewish politician who left the White House in September to concentrate on the 2011 vote, could be challenged by his own tenant.

Rob Halpin, who has described himself as “a businessman, not a professional politician”, has told US reporters that he is planning to take on his landlord.

He has already proved a problem by refusing to move out of the property he was renting when Mr Emanuel returned to the city from Washington.

A Chabad house at a prestigious American university has been vandalised.

Attackers broke the bulbs and one branch of a statue of a menorah outside the Jewish centre, which serves students at the Northwestern University campus in Illinois.

Local police said they were viewing the incident as a hate crime and investigating what happened.

The Chabad director, Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein, told the student newspaper that the vandalism reinforced “the need to educate people on the importance of different religious symbols.”