NEW YORK NEWS
Former President Donald Trump is preparing to surrender to prosecutors in Manhattan on Tuesday, making him the first former president to face criminal charges. Dozens of reporters and camera crews were stationed outside the criminal courthouse on Centre Street in Lower Manhattan on Friday, while 20 court officers stood at the courthouse entrances. Mr. Trump is expected to enter the courthouse with his Secret Service protection to answer charges before a state judge.
Mr. Trump intends to travel to New York on Monday and stay the night at Trump Tower. He has no plans to hold a news conference or address the public while he is in New York. Mr. Trump remained largely quiet on Friday at Mar-a-Lago, his resort in Florida, where he spent the day talking on the telephone with advisers. One of his lawyers, Joe Tacopina, said in a television interview that the former president would not take a plea deal and was prepared to go to trial, a typically defiant stance that is likely to endear him to his supporters. Conservative Republicans continued to criticize the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, whose office rebuked House Republicans for attempting to interfere in the case. The case, which could drag on for months and whose outcome is far from clear, is likely to test the country’s institutions and the rule of law. It will also have deep repercussions for the 2024 campaign for the White House, a race in which Mr. Trump remains the Republican frontrunner. Mr. Trump has sought to capitalize on the criminal charges to energize his core supporters. On Thursday, he called Mr. Bragg “a disgrace” and denounced the indictment as “political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is opening an office in Brooklyn, in response to rising anti-Semitic incidents in the area. Brooklyn is home to around 600,000 Jews, representing a majority of New York City’s Jewish population and nearly a quarter of the borough’s residents. The ADL’s 2022 national audit of anti-Semitism revealed a 36% rise in incidents nationwide compared to the previous year, with a 39% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in New York state. The majority of the 111 anti-Semitic assaults tallied in 2022 targeted Orthodox Jews, and 52 of them took place in Brooklyn alone. The ADL’s new office will open with a staff of two and will work under the auspices of the ADL’s New York-New Jersey regional office. The office will be tasked to respond directly to anti-Semitic incidents in Brooklyn, work directly with law enforcement and community leaders in responding to acts of hate, and build bridges of understanding and acceptance. The ADL partnered with other Jewish security organizations in New York and New Jersey to form a new umbrella group called the Jewish Security Alliance in response to the rising tide of anti-Semitism.
A Brooklyn jury has found Douglass Mackey guilty of conspiring to deprive others of their right to vote through a meme campaign during the 2016 presidential election. The campaign occurred on private Twitter groups and involved individuals who concealed their identities and used lies and attacks to support a Republican victory. The participants included Trump supporters and avowed Hillary Clinton haters. Prosecutors say that Mr. Mackey crossed a line from political speech to criminal conduct when he posted images on Twitter resembling campaign ads for Clinton and falsely stated that people could vote by texting “Hillary” to a particular phone number. Mr. Mackey now faces up to 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
US NEWS
The town council of Jackson, New Jersey, home to a growing Orthodox Jewish community, has announced that it will be lowering the zoning threshold for houses of worship. Under the new regulations, individuals who wish to build new synagogues in the area will only need a one-acre plot, compared to the previous requirement of two acres. This change is expected to make it much easier for religious groups to find suitable land for their places of worship. Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudah’s New Jersey office, hailed the decision as a “giant step forward for religious rights” in Jackson. He noted that the growing Orthodox population in the town will now be able to exercise their religious rights freely, thanks to the new regulation. Mayor Mike Reina has been a key proponent of this ordinance, and Schnall expressed his willingness to collaborate with the mayor on similar issues in the future. In recent years, young Orthodox Jewish families have been moving to adjacent towns, such as Jackson and Toms River, seeking more affordable and available housing. Jackson is located in central New Jersey, adjacent to Lakewood, which has an estimated 85% Jewish population, the majority of whom are frum.
Two Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed during a routine nighttime training exercise in southwestern Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard, according to U.S. Army investigators. The crash happened Wednesday night, and it is unclear what caused it. One helicopter had five people aboard, and the other had four, according to the 101st Airborne Division. The helicopters crashed in a field near a residential area, and no injuries were reported on the ground. An aviation safety team from Alabama will investigate the accident. The helicopters have something similar to the black boxes on passenger planes, which records the performance of aircrafts in flight and are used by investigators to analyze crashes. Fort Campbell, located near the Tennessee border, is about 60 miles northwest of Nashville, and the crash occurred in Trigg County, Kentucky. The Black Hawk helicopter is a critical workhorse for the U.S. Army and is used in security, transport, medical evacuations, search and rescue, and other missions.
Josselyn Berry, press secretary for Arizona’s Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, has resigned after posting an incendiary tweet suggesting “transphobes” should be shot in response to a woman identifying as transgender killing six people at a Christian school in Nashville. Reports from local Arizona media indicated that Berry resigned following pressure from people close to her and other lawmakers. A statement from Hobbs’ office expressed the Governor’s condemnation of violence in any form and emphasized mutual respect as the administration’s guiding value. The statement further stated that Berry’s post was not reflective of the administration’s values and that Hobbs had received and accepted her resignation. Berry had posted a GIF on Twitter taken from a movie featuring an actress wielding two pistols and captioned “Us when we see transphobes.” The tweet appeared on Monday amid national mourning for the murders of three 9-year-old children and three adults at the Presbyterian-run Covenant School in Nashville. Berry also tweeted earlier, “If you work in the progressive community and are transphobic, you’re not progressive.”
At least 21 people were killed by a powerful storm system that generated severe tornadoes in at least six US states on Friday. The outbreak of extreme weather resulted in a roof collapse at a venue in Illinois that was filled with 260 people, leaving one person dead and 40 others injured. Fatalities were reported in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, with seven people killed in Tennessee alone. In Arkansas, four people were killed in separate tornadoes, while one person died in northern Illinois. Communities in the affected areas have begun assessing the damage and declaring states of emergency. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas and Mayor Frank Scott Jr. of Little Rock confirmed they had spoken to President Joe Biden, who offered federal resources to assist with the disaster relief efforts. At a news conference on Saturday, officials urged patience as they work to respond as quickly as possible. Emergency shelters have been set up to accommodate those in need of food and shelter, with many towns having been severely damaged by the extreme weather.
Donald Trump’s campaign announced on Friday that they had raised over $4 million in the 24 hours since news of his indictment in Manhattan became public. The Trump campaign reported that more than 25% of the donations were made by first-time donors, further solidifying his status as the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary. Over the past day, the campaign also received 16,000 volunteer sign-ups. The former president sent out over half a dozen fundraising solicitations by email and called for donations on his Truth Social platform as well. Trump faces about 30 charges related to document fraud stemming from hush money he allegedly paid to cover up affairs. Subject lines on his fundraising emails included “America needs you right now,” “BREAKING: PRESIDENT TRUMP INDICTED,” “RUMORED DETAILS OF MY ARREST,” and “Yes, I’ve been indicted, BUT.” On Truth Social, Trump urged those who are “doing well” to send their contributions to donaldjtrump.com. Following the launch of his 2024 bid in November, the Trump campaign struggled to raise money, pulling in only $9.5 million over the past six weeks of the year through the campaign and a joint fundraising committee.
WORLD NEWS
Three Israeli soldiers were hit by a Palestinian terrorist in a ramming attack south of Bethlehem on Saturday night, according to the military. The soldiers were operating to secure roads in the area from rock-throwers and other attacks when the driver accelerated towards them and hit them near the West Bank village of Beit Ummar. The assailant was shot dead by other soldiers. One of the wounded soldiers was in serious condition, another was moderately hurt, and a third suffered light injuries. They were treated at the scene and taken to a hospital. Palestinian media identified the attacker as a 23-year-old officer in the Palestinian Authority security services. The incident comes amid escalating violence in the region, with Israeli-Palestinian tensions heightened following the collapse of peace talks in 2014.
Russian authorities detained a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and accused him of espionage. According to two Russian lawyers who have worked on similar cases, Evan Gershkovich is likely to spend over a year in a high-security prison in almost complete isolation while awaiting the end of a lengthy investigation and trial. However, the Journal and US officials have denied the allegation, and the Russian authorities have provided no evidence for the charge. If convicted, Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in a Russian penal colony. The proceedings are likely to take much longer, up to two years, according to Ivan Pavlov, a Russian lawyer who has defended Russian clients in espionage and treason cases. During that time, details of the case will most likely be shrouded from the public, he said. Gershkovich will probably stay at Lefortovo, a high-security prison, throughout the trial. The prison is considered to have above-average living conditions by Russian prison standards, but isolation is a real challenge, especially since lawyers usually have a chance to see their clients only once every few weeks. Lawyers have to draw lots to determine who can visit their client in Lefortovo, and investigators have tools at their disposal to exert pressure on Gershkovich, including allowing or denying him family visits. The investigation could take up to 18 months, and the trial could take up to six months, with an appeal after that taking another four months, according to Pavlov.
An airstrike targeting Damascus in Syria, carrying out attacks against several positions of the Syrian army in the Al-Midan neighborhood of Damascus, injured two Syrian soldiers and causing “some material damage,” state media reported. Syrian air defense systems were triggered, shooting several missiles down, as Syrian media claimed that Israel was responsible for the attack. According to regional sources, the alleged Israeli warplanes carried out the attack from the Golan Heights, leading to reports of various loud explosions in the region. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported several casualties as a result of the alleged Israeli airstrike. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, stated that it was the fifth Israeli strike on Syria this month. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities declined to comment. In response to the attack, the foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack, accusing Israel of “attempting to escape internal fragmentation” in an apparent reference to recent protests against a judicial overhaul that were ultimately delayed.
Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican after a three-day hospital stay, during which he received treatment for bronchitis. The 86-year-old pontiff was admitted to a hospital in Rome on Wednesday afternoon. On Saturday, he left the hospital to go to the Vatican. Before departing, he thanked journalists for their work and greeted well-wishers who cheered and waved hello. Francis signed the cast of a boy who had broken his arm playing soccer and prayed with a couple whose daughter had just died. He was asked how he was feeling and replied, smiling, “Still alive, you know.” He expressed gratitude for his visit to young oncology patients at the hospital and praised the work of the medical staff. After leaving the hospital, he went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he prayed. Outside the Vatican walls, he greeted a group of people who were waiting and wished them a happy Easter before returning to the Casa Santa Marta, where he has lived for the duration of his 10-year papacy. The pope’s recent hospitalization has raised concerns about his health, as he had major surgery in 2021 and often uses a cane or wheelchair due to knee problems and sciatica.
The Italian Guarantor for the Protection of Personal Data (GPDP) has issued a temporary ban on artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT and its parent company OpenAI due to data privacy concerns. The GPDP cited OpenAI’s lack of a legal basis to collect data from Italian users to train the model and its absence of age verification systems to protect children from inappropriate responses. The agency also expressed concern about the volume of data collected by ChatGPT to train its language models, which could lead to inaccuracies. In addition, the GPDP noted a data breach that occurred on March 20, exposing conversations and payment information of some paid version users. The ban went into effect immediately, and OpenAI must notify the GPDP of compliance measures within 20 days, or face a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s global revenue. This move follows a recent report of a Belgian man committing suicide after interacting with a different chatbot, ELIZA, powered by a different language model.
By QJL Staff
