NEW YORK NEWS
Mayor Eric Adams has vetoed a controversial bill known as the “How Many Stops Act,” which would require police officers to record demographic data in all levels of street stops. The bill had overwhelming support in the City Council, and there is a likelihood that the veto will be overridden.
Adams faces the challenge of recruiting council members to his side to prevent the override. The legislation mandates more detailed reporting on all stops, including level 1 stops, specifying age, gender, and race/ethnicity of individuals involved. Adams argues that the NYPD already uses body cameras for documentation and that the bill would be a waste of resources. The veto has sparked a feud between Adams and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the initial sponsor of the legislation. Council leadership is confident in an override, accusing the mayor of misleading and inciting fear. Some council members have expressed doubts, but the fight is seen as less about the bill’s merits and more about denying the mayor a win. The administration believes it could block the override with recent council assignments and new members. The mayor suggested a concession to report a simple count of level 1 stops without further detail, but Williams rejects this compromise. The mayor has also vetoed another bill related to solitary confinement, facing a tougher battle despite federal monitor issues.
A Manhattan judge has rejected former Marine Daniel Penny’s motion to dismiss charges in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely. The judge ruled against Penny’s motion, citing the medical examiner’s testimony and Neely’s death certificate, which stated that Neely died from “compression of the neck (chokehold).” The judge also found the grand jury presentation to be properly done. Penny faces charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide for the May 2023 killing caught on camera. Protesters confronted Penny outside the court, and he faces up to 19 years in jail if convicted. Penny’s attorney expressed disagreement with the decision but stated confidence in a just verdict from a jury. The Neely family’s attorney considered the ruling a “big win” and expects Penny to be found guilty. The next hearing is scheduled for March 20, with a likely trial in the fall.
Jermain Rigueur, a 27-year-old hospital employee from Queens, has been identified as the alleged perpetrator in a stabbing spree in Queens over the past two weeks. Rigueur, who works as a greeter at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, was taken into custody after a frantic manhunt by the NYPD. He is accused of randomly targeting at least five victims in the series of attacks. The victims were left wounded after Rigueur allegedly used a hunting knife on them. The attacks began on January 8, and one victim reported that Rigueur smiled at him after stabbing him from behind. The NYPD alerted the public and conducted a press conference before apprehending Rigueur. No charges had been filed as of early Thursday, and police are investigating whether he was involved in another attack on a Brooklyn subway platform. Community members were on edge before the arrest, with concerns about public safety.
New York prosecutors have returned two artworks stolen by Nazis from Jewish performer and collector Fritz Grünbaum, a Holocaust victim. The artworks, “Portrait of a Man” and “Girl with Black Hair” by Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, were surrendered by museums in Pittsburgh and Ohio. Grünbaum’s heirs have accepted the artworks, collectively valued at around $2.5 million. The Holocaust Expropriated Recovery Act led to a 2018 ruling that two other Schiele works be returned to Grünbaum’s heirs. However, a legal battle continues over a third artwork, “Russian War Prisoner,” held by the Art Institute of Chicago, which disputes any wrongdoing.
US NEWS
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Biden administration may cut through or tear down razor wire placed by Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Texas Governor Greg Abbott had installed the razor wire to slow down illegal immigration. The state filed a lawsuit after the U.S. Border Patrol cut through sections of the wire. The Supreme Court’s temporary order allows the Biden administration to continue removing the razor wire. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed to continue fighting, stating that the destruction of Texas’s border barriers does not help enforce the law or keep American citizens safe.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. Polling experts note a shift in the race, with Republicans rallying around Trump after his indictment in early 2023, giving him a significant lead over DeSantis and others. DeSantis praised Trump, stating he is superior to President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley. Trump congratulated DeSantis and expressed gratitude for the endorsement, emphasizing the need to defeat Biden. DeSantis’ decision and endorsement were widely praised on the political Right, with Trump supporters uniting against Haley. Notable conservatives, including Donald Trump Jr., James Woods, Megyn Kelly, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, applauded DeSantis’s move.
Navy SEALs Christopher J. Chambers, 37, and Nathan Gage Ingram, 27, were identified as the two killed in action during a mission off the coast of Africa. Spain and Japan assisted in the search after they went missing on January 11 during a nighttime interdiction mission. They were knocked off a vessel by powerful ocean waves while climbing up. The SEALs were part of a mission intercepting a ship illegally transporting advanced Iranian conventional weapons to Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen. President Biden mourned their deaths, praising their commitment to protecting Americans. The incident is under investigation.
Demolition began at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the site of the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history in 2018. The new building will honor the 11 people killed in the attack and include spaces for worship, a museum, an education center, and a movie theater. Portions of the sanctuary walls will be preserved. Carole Zawatsky, overseeing the project, expressed mixed emotions, calling it a symbol of resilience. The congregation hopes to create a memorial and a walkway with 11 sculpted forms of open books to honor the victims. The attacker was sentenced to death last year.
A Maine judge has temporarily put on hold a decision regarding former President Donald Trump’s ballot status, awaiting the US Supreme Court’s ruling on a similar case in Colorado. The judge lacks authority to stay the proceedings but can send the case back to the secretary of state with instructions to await the Supreme Court’s decision. The Maine case involves Trump’s removal from the presidential primary ballot by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, citing the insurrection clause in the US Constitution related to his role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the Colorado case on February 8.
The US Senate rejected a resolution by Sen. Bernie Sanders seeking a report on Israel’s actions against Hamas. The bipartisan majority voted 72-11 to table the resolution, which aimed to determine if US assistance contributed to human rights abuses in Gaza. Sanders, along with nine Democrats and one Republican, supported the resolution. The measure, linked to the Foreign Assistance Act, could lead to restricting security aid based on human rights violations. Senators opposing it, including Sen. Chris Coons, expressed concerns about risking US support for Israel during its conflict with Hamas.
The US imposed sanctions on Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO, accusing them of assisting Iran’s military wing and proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. The Treasury Department also designated three leaders of the Iran-aligned militia Kataib Hezbollah and a business involved in moving and laundering funds for the organization. Meanwhile, the US imposed a fifth round of sanctions on Hamas for abusing cryptocurrency since the October 7 attack on Israel. The sanctions aim to disrupt Iran’s illicit activities and block access to U.S. property and bank accounts for the targeted entities.
Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the second time in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in 2021. This follows a new grand jury indictment. Initially charged on Jan. 31, the charges were dropped in April. Video footage released in November showed Baldwin directing crew members to move out of the way before the shooting. The new charge may be influenced by this video. Baldwin’s lawyers look forward to their day in court. Hutchins was killed, and director Joel Souza was wounded in the incident. Baldwin denies pulling the trigger.
Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta, announced that she will not seek reelection to the company’s board of directors after her term ends in May. Sandberg, who spent over 14 years as COO and 12 years on the board, stepped down from her executive role in 2022. She mentioned focusing on philanthropy but will continue to serve as an advisor to Meta. Sandberg, known for her work with Lean In, a women’s empowerment organization, played a crucial role in growing Meta’s business. Her departure from the board comes as Meta faces scrutiny on various fronts, including concerns about its impact on democracy and user well-being.
Israel NEWS
Family members of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip disrupted a parliamentary meeting in Jerusalem, demanding that Israel’s government does more to secure their release. The protesters, relatives of people seized by Hamas in an attack on October 7, chanted “Release them now, now, now!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected new Hamas conditions for ending the conflict, leading to concerns about the fate of the hostages. The families of the remaining 130 hostages are turning to more drastic measures, including protests and demonstrations outside Netanyahu’s home, as they fear their relatives’ plight is being overshadowed by Israel’s military objectives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, stating that Israel would retain security control over all territory west of the Jordan River. This marks a significant rejection of US foreign policy, which supports a two-state solution. The Biden administration responded, affirming its commitment to a two-state solution and stating that there would be no Israeli reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict concludes. Netanyahu vowed to continue the offensive against Gaza until Israel achieves a “decisive victory over Hamas.”
Israeli security forces recently thwarted an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack near the Knesset in Jerusalem. Two eastern Jerusalem residents, identified as ISIS supporters, were arrested. They watched daily ISIS videos, possessed ISIS and Hamas flags, and had chemical materials for explosives. The suspects planned to blow up a truck with gas tanks near the Knesset. This incident follows the arrest of two other Palestinians inspired by ISIS, planning attacks in Jerusalem. They intended to plant improvised explosive devices around eastern Jerusalem targeting security forces.
Aleph Farms, an Israeli company, has received preliminary approval from health officials to sell the world’s first steaks made from cultivated beef cells. The Israeli Health Ministry granted the initial approval in December. Aleph Farms plans to introduce a cultivated “petite steak” in Israel, grown from cells derived from a fertilized egg of a Black Angus cow named Lucy. Regulators need to approve labels and conduct a final inspection, which may take months before the product reaches consumers. The move follows the approval of lab-grown chicken in the US last year.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has reversed its decision to bar Israel from competing in its world championship events, citing security concerns. Israel had strongly objected to the initial decision, describing it as “antisemitic” and “dangerous.” The IIHF now states that Israel will participate in an upcoming tournament in Bulgaria, having received confirmation from local authorities regarding the required safety and security support. The IIHF will review Israel’s participation in future tournaments, with further decisions to be announced next month.
The National Library of Israel in Jerusalem has received a significant collection of Yemenite Jewish manuscripts, making it the most extensive collection of its kind in the world. The 60,000 items include Judeo-Yemenite renditions of works by Maimonides and Rabbi Yihya Saleh, as well as centuries-old marriage certificates. The collection, endowed by the family of the late Yehuda Levi Nahum, consists of 45,000 manuscripts and legible fragments, with 70% already scanned and added to the library’s digital preservation project. This collection is considered a transformative addition to the library’s documentation of Yemenite-Jewish heritage.
WORLD NEWS
Elon Musk visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau site privately on Monday before addressing a conference on rising anti-Semitism. The European Jewish Association (EJA) stated that Musk participated in a memorial ceremony and laid a wreath at the wall of death. His visit came amid controversy surrounding his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, which faced criticism for anti-Semitic content. Musk, along with EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, journalist Ben Shapiro, and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev, attended the memorial ceremony. Musk later spoke at a conference in Krakow addressing the increase in anti-Semitism since the Israel-Hamas conflict in October.
Three Jewish individuals in their 20s were violently attacked in central London’s Leicester Square early on Sunday morning, reportedly targeted after being overheard speaking Hebrew. The victims initially attempted to defuse the situation but were confronted again with threats and offensive language. The assailants, numbering 15 to 20 people, physically attacked the victims. Despite making distress calls to the Metropolitan Police, no officers responded immediately. Police arrived at the scene after 28 minutes, and an investigation into the incident as an anti-Semitic hate crime is underway. The delayed response has raised concerns, and the police have pledged to speak with the victims and urged witnesses to come forward.
European Union foreign ministers expressed concern about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of the idea of a Palestinian state, stating that the creation of a Palestinian state is the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East. The EU ministers discussed the war in Gaza, with Israel and the US in opposition to the EU’s push for a two-state solution. The EU urged for a cease-fire in Gaza, emphasizing the urgency due to the risk of famine and epidemics. Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz showed videos about alternative projects but did not provide details on Israel’s plans for the future. The EU also approved a naval mission to enhance maritime traffic security in the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, stated in an interview with CNN that normalization of relations with Israel would not happen without a credible and irreversible path to a Palestinian state. He emphasized the importance of a Palestinian state as the only way to break the cycle of violence. The statement comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and signals Saudi Arabia’s stance on normalization, aligning with broader international calls for a two-state solution to achieve peace in the Middle East. The interview also touched on the need for de-escalation in Gaza and the potential for Saudi Arabia to support reconstruction efforts based on progress towards a solution.
