NEW YORK NEWS
On New Year’s Day, anti-Israel protesters caused traffic disruptions at John F. Kennedy International Airport during the “Flood JFK For Gaza” protest organized by Palestinian-led activist group Within Our Lifetime. Demonstrators yelled inflammatory chants, temporarily blocking the Belt Parkway and causing chaos.
Protesters in vehicles waved Palestinian flags and honked horns, resulting in delays for 60 flights, with 15 attributed to crew lateness. Some protesters were issued summonses. The FBI is investigating the release of balloons during the protest for potential aviation safety threats. After being turned away from JFK, the group headed to LaGuardia Airport, facing similar blockades. Travel disruptions also extended to the Jamaica station. Outrage on social media ensued, with some users calling for arrests and consequences. The disturbance followed recent arrests of protestors blocking the Van Wyck Expressway, impacting JFK access.
Following the exposure of a video where she praised Hamas’s terrorist attacks on Jewish communities in southern Israel on October 7, scientist Amelia Fuller, a member of George Mason University’s Students Against Israeli Apartheid, has been fired from her position at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). The video depicted Fuller wearing a keffiyeh at a protest, smiling as she smoked a cigarette, and expressing pride in the attacks. NYBG promptly investigated the matter and stated that the celebration of violence and loss of life in the video does not align with their values. They announced Fuller’s termination, emphasizing their mourning for the ongoing suffering and loss of life in Israel and Gaza while expressing an urgent hope for peace.
A controversial cartoon published in the Buffalo News, depicting U.S. President Joe Biden in red-and-white striped pajamas with a bathroom sink leaking blood and skulls below Star of David-shaped faucet handles, has sparked criticism for its alleged antisemitic imagery. Tamar Schwarzbard of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it “disgusting,” while others compared the cartoon to anti-Semitic propaganda. Rabbi Mendy Labkowski of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Buffalo denounced the use of the Star of David, a Jewish symbol, and argued it went to the core of antisemitism. The cartoonist, Adam Zyglis, linked the drawing to the “Gaza death toll,” prompting accusations of insensitivity. The Buffalo News defended the cartoon as a criticism of Biden’s response to the Israel-Gaza situation, acknowledging its pointed nature and commitment to diverse viewpoints. The Buffalo Jewish Federation expressed outrage, stating that the entire letters-to-the-editor section of the next edition would address the cartoon.
In Midtown Manhattan, a driver attempting to evade the police struck and injured eight people on a sidewalk overnight Sunday. Cellphone footage captured the out-of-control Mercedes trying to escape NYPD officers, eventually crashing into an outdoor dining shed at Chirp, a Peruvian restaurant, and colliding with another car before being surrounded by officers. The incident began around 1:30 a.m. Monday during a police intervention in a dispute at the corner of 33rd and Seventh. The 44-year-old driver sped away, driving the wrong way on 34th Street, hitting cars and pedestrians, and crashing onto the sidewalk. Among the injured were a police officer and a 39-year-old woman pinned under a food truck. Despite property damage, no serious injuries were reported. The driver, arrested and in critical condition, was taken to Bellevue Hospital, with charges pending. The restaurant owner, Boris Torres, expressed relief that no severe injuries occurred but lamented property damage and uncertainty about reopening.
As part of Mayor Eric Adams’ crackdown on asylum seekers arriving in New York City, busloads of migrants are reportedly being dropped off in New Jersey and then using trains to reach their final destination in New York City. Secaucus, a family-friendly suburb, has seen an influx of migrants at its train station, with bus operators seemingly exploiting a loophole in the system to bypass the new order. Mayor Adams had issued an executive order requiring advance notice and restricting drop-off hours and locations for charter buses transporting migrants. Despite these measures, reports suggest that bus operators are evading the rules by dropping off migrants at transit stations throughout New Jersey. The mayor of Secaucus expressed concern, stating that the bus operators have found a way to thwart the requirements. The administration is working with federal and local partners to address the situation. The issue is part of a broader national humanitarian crisis, with New York City’s shelter system currently caring for over 68,000 migrants, projected to cost over $12 billion through 2025.
Effective January 1, 2024, New York’s minimum wage workers experienced pay increases, with the rate in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County rising from $15 to $16, and the remainder of the state seeing an increase from $14.20 to $15. This annual adjustment is part of an agreement between Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders, with the state’s minimum wage expected to rise every year until it reaches $17 in New York City and its suburbs, or $16 in the rest of the state by 2026. Future hikes will be tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The federal minimum wage in the United States remains $7.25 per hour. Meanwhile, app-based delivery workers for Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub in New York City are set to earn $17.96 per hour, following a ruling by a state appeals court enforcing the city’s minimum wage law for these workers.
US NEWS
In December 2023, the US southern border witnessed an unprecedented surge in illegal migrant encounters, with over 302,000 documented incidents, marking the highest total for a single month and the first time encounters exceeded 300,000. Since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, more than 785,000 migrant encounters have been reported, representing the highest first-quarter total on record. Republicans attribute the surge to the administration’s policies, including the reversal of Trump-era measures, while the administration contends it is addressing a broader hemisphere-wide challenge and calls for increased funding and immigration reform from Congress. Officials in Texas have been sending migrants nationwide, with Mayor Michael Gonnelli of Secaucus, New Jersey, reporting that busloads of migrants bound for New York City have stopped at the town’s train station, attempting to bypass the city’s regulations on migrant arrivals. Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited Mexico City, affirming commitments to orderly and humane migration and discussing potential legal status for certain undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, declared former President Donald Trump’s primary petition “invalid” for the state’s 2024 presidential primary, citing a violation of the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause due to his conduct leading up to the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Trump’s legal team had sought Bellows’ recusal, alleging bias, but the request was denied. The ruling comes amid various challenges to Trump’s candidacy based on the 14th Amendment in different states, with Colorado briefly removing him from its primary ballot before being reinstated after a U.S. Supreme Court petition. Trump’s team plans to file a legal objection in state court to contest the decision in Maine.
The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected an attempt to remove former President Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot, contrasting with the recent disqualification by the Colorado Supreme Court. The Michigan decision emphasizes differences in election laws, suggesting that Trump’s disqualification in Colorado under the 14th Amendment does not apply to Michigan. Justice Elizabeth Welch clarified that appellants failed to identify an analogous provision in Michigan Election Law requiring attestation of legal qualifications for the presidency. Trump, responding to the ruling, called it a “Desperate Democrat attempt” to remove him from the ballot, asserting that similar efforts failed in other states leaning towards Democrats.
A federal judge has rejected Sen. Bob Menendez’s request to delay his corruption trial by two months. Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, is accused of accepting bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes. The trial, which also involves Menendez’s wife, is scheduled to begin on May 5. Menendez’s defense team had sought the delay, citing the unprecedented foreign-agent charge against a sitting senator and the extensive discovery process involving 6.7 million documents. The judge dismissed this argument, asserting that the volume of discovery material was consistent with the parties’ expectations. The charges include conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, and extortion under the color of official right. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Karrem Nasr, a 23-year-old New Jersey man, was arrested in Kenya while en route to join the Somalia-based Islamist terror group al-Shabaab. Nasr faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He had moved to Egypt in July to study Arabic and became motivated to become a jihadi after Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel. Nasr planned to meet al-Shabaab members in Kenya after engaging with an FBI source posing as a facilitator for terrorist organizations. He expressed his intent to engage in jihad and aspired to be a martyr. Nasr was arrested by Kenyan authorities on December 14, and his case highlights the ongoing challenge of individuals radicalizing and attempting to join extremist groups abroad.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign is adjusting its advertising strategy ahead of the Iowa caucuses, with data revealing no reserved future television ad space. Despite initially announcing an eight-figure ad campaign targeting Iowa and New Hampshire, the campaign has spent $1.8 million on TV ads in Iowa and $1.3 million in New Hampshire. Ramaswamy, critical of TV ad spending, highlighted a shift towards data-driven, targeted spending in a social media post. Although speculation arose about the campaign winding down, Ramaswamy insists on staying in the Republican primary through the caucuses, teasing a “big surprise” on January 15. The campaign plans a new TV ad soon, emphasizing data-driven, targeted spending methods.
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group, previously deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in response to the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, is returning to its home port in Norfolk, Virginia. The strike group includes the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, support aircraft, guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy, and missile destroyers. U.S. 6th Fleet officials state that the fleet will redeploy as scheduled, and the Department of Defense will continue evaluating global force posture. Meanwhile, other ships, including the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, cruisers, destroyers, and amphibious ships, will remain in the Middle East and Mediterranean. This move comes amid ongoing security concerns in the region, with Houthi rebels conducting attacks in the Red Sea.
Claudine Gay has resigned as the president of Harvard University amid numerous plagiarism allegations and controversy surrounding her congressional testimony on combating anti-Semitism on campus. The resignation follows almost six months in office, making it the shortest tenure in the university's history. Gay faced about 50 allegations of plagiarism, affecting eight of her published works. The handling of the accusations by Harvard drew criticism, with one of the scholars she allegedly plagiarized expressing concerns about the university's response. Additionally, Gay, along with other university presidents, testified before Congress on whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated their codes of conduct, leading to a congressional investigation into Harvard over anti-Semitism and plagiarism allegations. The controversy also impacted donations to the university and resulted in a 17% decrease in early applications to Harvard.
Israel NEWS
Israel’s cabinet approved Energy Minister Israel Katz’s appointment as the new foreign minister, pending Knesset approval. This move comes as Foreign Minister Eli Cohen completes his one-year term based on an internal Likud party rotation agreement. Despite leaving the Foreign Ministry, Cohen will continue as a security cabinet member and will return as foreign minister in 2026. Some critics believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rotation agreement “made no sense” before the war in Gaza, and that Netanyahu has sidelined the Foreign Ministry by centralizing responsibilities within his own office. The change in leadership occurs amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, and Katz, previously foreign minister from 2019 to 2020, will navigate diplomatic challenges during this crucial time.
Israeli forces took control of a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City, seizing more than 30 buildings, underground bunkers, and tunnels near civilian areas. The operation targeted Hamas’s Eastern Military Post and included 37 buildings with operational command and control rooms. The underground complex, discovered to be 20 meters deep, contained operational rooms, hideouts for Hamas leaders, and various weapons. Soldiers also found communication devices and identified five interconnected tunnel shafts. In one of the shafts, Israeli Air Force’s elite Shaldag Unit engaged in close-quarter combat with Hamas terrorists, resulting in the destruction of the entire tunnel route by combat engineers.
Israeli forces conducted raids on foreign exchange and money transfer agencies in Ramallah and other West Bank cities, seizing millions of dollars suspected of funding the Islamist group Hamas. Clashes erupted in Ramallah, resulting in at least one death and 14 injuries. The raids, involving police, army, and Shin Bet security personnel, led to 21 arrests in Ramallah, Tulkarm, Jenin, and Hebron. The operation targeted terrorist funds, confiscating tens of millions of shekels, safes, documents, recording systems, and phones. The military also addressed cryptographic currencies, involving a cybercrimes unit in the investigation. Clashes occurred in various locations, with Israeli forces opening fire in response to attacks with explosives, petrol bombs, and rocks.
Israel’s High Court justices have overturned a law repealing the “reasonableness clause,” a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform. The clause, part of an amendment to Basic Law, aimed to limit judicial oversight powers by preventing the court from intervening in state policies solely based on rationality standards. The ruling, supported by 12 out of 15 judges, sparked criticism from officials, including the Justice Minister, who argued that it hampers unity in wartime and disrupts the balanced division among government branches, giving the Supreme Court excessive power over legislative processes.
Intel has reached an agreement in principle with the Israeli government to invest $25 billion in building a chip manufacturing plant in Kiryat Gat. Described as “unprecedented” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the investment will fund a plant utilizing cutting-edge technology. This marks the largest-ever investment in Israel and reflects confidence in the nation’s economy. Intel will pay a 7.5% tax rate, up from the current 5%, and receive a government grant at 12.8% of the investment under the Encouragement of Capital Investment Law. The Kiryat Gat factory is expected to open by 2027, employing thousands and operating until at least 2035.
Strauss, an Israeli food company, has introduced new packaging for its popular “Elite Turkish coffee” product in response to public calls to boycott Turkish goods due to Turkey’s support for Hamas in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The temporary packaging maintains the product’s familiar look but adds an Israeli flag and patriotic slogans like “The victory generation,” “Stronger together,” and “Am Yisrael Chai” (“The People of Israel Live”). The move aims to address consumer demand and emphasize that the coffee has no connection to Turkey beyond its name, clarifying that the coffee beans come from other countries. The company seeks to boost morale in Israel, particularly among soldiers operating in Gaza who often consume the product. The new packaging was well-received on social media, with some users suggesting similar slogans for other household items. This change follows previous instances where Israelis expressed discontent with the branding of “Turkish coffee” during conflicts with Turkey.
The Bank of Israel has cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.5%, marking the first reduction since April 2022. The decision is attributed to the significant economic consequences of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, affecting both real economic activity and financial markets. The uncertainty surrounding the severity and duration of the conflict has contributed to the decision. The pace of inflation is declining, and there are expectations that inflation will enter the target range of 1% to 3% in the first quarter of the year. Despite challenges, the bank notes a sharp recovery in various economic sectors and forecasts GDP growth of 2% in 2024 and 5% in 2025. Governor Professor Amir Yaron emphasizes the positive economic starting point with low debt-to-GDP ratio, low unemployment, and encouraging growth forecasts.
WORLD NEWS
The world population has increased by 75 million people in the past year, reaching over 8 billion on New Year’s Day, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The global growth rate was just under 1%, with an expectation of 4.3 births and two deaths worldwide every second at the beginning of 2024. In the United States, the growth rate for the past year was 0.53%, adding 1.7 million people and resulting in a population of 335.8 million on New Year’s Day. Demographers predict that the 2020s could be the slowest-growing decade in U.S. history, with a growth rate of less than 4% from 2020 to 2030, similar to the slowest-growing decade during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Despite lower birth and death rates, immigration is expected to offset population decline in the U.S.
Papua New Guinea has decided to open a consulate in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, according to Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen. While the specific location and opening date were not disclosed, it is reported that the consulate is scheduled to be in the settlement of Ariel. This marks the first time a state has chosen to open a consulate in a settlement in the West Bank. There has been no official comment from Papua New Guinea on Cohen’s announcement.
The U.S. military engaged Houthi rebels in the Red Sea after they attacked the Maersk Hangzhou cargo ship, escalating the maritime conflict tied to the Israel-Hamas war. The USS Gravely destroyer, in response to anti-ship ballistic missiles, sank four Houthi boats that attacked the vessel. The Houthis acknowledged 10 fighters killed. The U.S. Central Command stated it would act in self-defense in the future. The Maersk shipping company suspended Red Sea transits after the attacks. The incidents mark the 23rd Houthi attack on international shipping since Nov. 19. The U.S. and allies have established a maritime security mission in response to Houthi threats.
South Africa has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over alleged violations of the Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The application claims that Israel’s actions are “genocidal in character” and that it failed to prevent and prosecute incitement to genocide. The ICJ has been asked to indicate provisional measures to protect the rights of Palestinians and ensure Israel’s compliance with the Genocide Convention. Israel has rejected the claims, stating they lack factual and legal basis, and accused South Africa of cooperating with the terrorist organization Hamas. The ICJ may join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in examining the Israel-Palestine conflict.
