Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday. Dozens gathered on Veterans Day at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Maryland’s Dorcester County for a formal ceremony making Tubman a one-star brigadier general in the state’s National Guard. Gov. Wes Moore called the occasion not just a great day for Tubman’s home state but for all of the U.S. “Today, we celebrate a soldier and a person who earned the title of veteran,” Moore said. “Today we celebrate one of the greatest authors of the American story.” Tubman escaped slavery herself in 1849 and settled in Philadelphia. Intent on helping others achieve freedom, she established the Underground Railroad network and led other enslaved Black women and men to freedom. She then channeled those experiences as a scout, spy and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War, helping guide 150 Black soldiers on a gunboat raid in South Carolina. Nobody would have judged Tubman had she chosen to remain in Philadelphia and coordinate abolitionist efforts from there, Moore said. “She knew that in order to do the work, that meant that she had to go into the lion’s den,” Moore siad. “She knew that leadership means you have to be willing to do what you are asking others to do.” The reading of the official order was followed by a symbolic pinning ceremony with Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece, Tina Wyatt. Wyatt hailed her aunt’s legacy of tenacity, generosity and faith and agreed Veterans Day applied to her as much as any other servicemember. “Aunt Harriet was one of those veterans informally, she gave up any rights that she had obtained for herself to be able to fight for others,” Wyatt said. “She is a selfless person.” Tubman’s status as an icon of history has only been further elevated within the last few years. The city of Philadelphia chose a Black artist to make a 14-foot (4.3-meter) bronze statue to go on display next year. In 2022, a Chicago elementary school was renamed for Tubman, replacing the previous namesake, who had racist views. However, plans to put Tubman on the $20 bill have continued to stall. (AP)
Opponents of offshore wind energy projects expect President-elect Donald Trump to kill an industry he has vowed to end on the first day he returns to the White House. But it might not be that easy. Many of the largest offshore wind companies put a brave face on the election results, pledging to work with Trump and Congress to build power projects and ignoring the incoming president’s oft-stated hostility to them. In campaign appearances, Trump railed against offshore wind and promised to sign an executive order to block such projects. “We are going to make sure that that ends on Day 1,” Trump said in a May speech. “I’m going to write it out in an executive order. It’s going to end on Day 1.” “They destroy everything, they’re horrible, the most expensive energy there is,” Trump said. “They ruin the environment, they kill the birds, they kill the whales.” Numerous federal and state scientific agencies say there is no evidence linking offshore wind preparation to a spate of whale deaths along the U.S. East Coast in recent years. Turbines have been known to kill shorebirds, but the industry and regulators say there are policies to mitigate harm to the environment. Trump has railed against offshore wind turbines spoiling the view from a golf course he owns in Scotland. But numerous environmental groups say the real reason he opposes offshore wind is his support for the fossil fuel industry. There is almost 65 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity under development in the U.S., enough to power more than 26 million homes, and some turbines are already spinning in several states, according to the American Clean Power Association. Currently operating projects include the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project and the South Fork Wind Farm about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point on New York’s Long Island. Trump is unlikely to end those projects but might have more leverage over ones still in the planning stage, those in the debate say. Bob Stern, who headed an office in the U.S. Energy Department responsible for environmental protection during the Ford, Carter and Reagan administrations, said Trump can get Congress to reduce or eliminate tax credits for offshore wind that were granted in the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Those credits are an integral part of the finances of many offshore wind projects. Stern, who leads the New Jersey anti-offshore wind group Save LBI, said Trump also could issue executive orders prohibiting further offshore leases and rescinding approval for ones already approved while pushing Congress to amend federal laws granting more protection for marine mammals. The president-elect also can appoint leaders of agencies involved in offshore wind regulation who would be hostile to it or less supportive. Opponents of offshore wind, many of them Republicans, were giddy following the election, saying they fully expect Trump to put an end to the industry. “I believe this is a tipping point for the offshore wind industry in America,” said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, one of the most vocal groups opposing offshore wind on the East Coast. “They have been given a glidepath by Democrat-run administrations at the federal and state level for many years. For this industry, (Tuesday’s) results will bring […]
Israel has officially confirmed its responsibility for a series of lethal pager attacks that struck Hezbollah-controlled areas in Lebanon this September, in an unprecedented operation against the Iran-backed militant group. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the assault, said Omer Dostri, spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, marking Israel’s first open acknowledgment of involvement in the attack. The incident, which took place on September 17, saw thousands of pagers explode in Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut and surrounding regions. In a coordinated wave, the pagers emitted a beep as if receiving a message before detonating, causing extensive casualties. Among those injured, many suffered severe injuries, including eye damage, lost fingers, and abdominal wounds. Hezbollah officials described the attack as the “biggest security breach” faced by the terrorist group amid the ongoing conflict with Israel. A follow-up attack the day after the pager explosions involved sabotaged walkie-talkies, bringing the total death toll to 39 and injuring over 3,400 others. Israeli media later reported that Netanyahu acknowledged his role in approving the operation during a closed cabinet session, stating that he had overruled senior defense and political advisors opposed to the pager detonations. As a low-tech means of communication to evade Israeli tracking, Hezbollah has increasingly relied on pagers instead of mobile phones. This reliance made the devices particularly susceptible to the attack, which targeted Hezbollah operatives directly. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday named former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency as he continues to build out his future administration with loyal supporters. Trump, in a statement, said Zeldin, who mounted a failed bid for governor of New York in 2022, would “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Zeldin, who left Congress in 2023, was a surprising pick for the role. His public appearances both in his own campaigns and on behalf of Trump often had him speaking about issues like the military, national security, antisemitism, U.S.-Israel relations, immigration and crime. He was among the Republicans in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results. While in Congress, he did not serve on committees with oversight of environmental policy. In 2016 he pushed to change the designation of about 150 square miles of federal waters in Long Island Sound to state jurisdiction for New York and Rhode Island. He wanted to open the area to striped bass fishing, which is allowed in state waters but banned in the federal area. Trump often pointed to Zeldin’s performance in the 2022 gubernatorial race — where the Republican did far better than had been expected against Gov. Kathy Hochul — when he insisted he could be competitive in his Democratic home state. While Trump didn’t win New York, he did far better than he had during previous elections, particularly in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The announcement comes after Trump selected longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration and named Rep. Elise Stefanik as his nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Confirming the Miller appointment, Vice President-elect JD Vance posted a message of congratulations Monday on X and said, “This is another fantastic pick by the president.” The announcement was first reported by CNN. Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018. Miller has also helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches, and was often the public face of those policies during Trump’s first term in office and during his campaigns. Since leaving the White House, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisers fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech and religion and national security. He was also a frequent presence during Trump’s campaign this year, traveling aboard his plane and often speaking ahead of Trump during the pre-shows at his rallies. Miller drew large cheers at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden during the race’s final stretch, telling the crowd that, “your salvation is at hand,” after what he cast as “decades of abuse that has been heaped upon the good people of this nation […]
The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Sunday he will travel to Iran in the coming days to hold talks regarding the country’s nuclear program. The visit comes amid wider tensions gripping the Mideast over the Israel-Hamas war and uncertainty over how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will approach Iran after his inauguration in January. Specifically, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mariano Grossi, will have high level meetings with the Iranian government and will hold technical discussions on all aspects related to the joint statement agreed with Iran in March 2023. It is intended as a path forward for cooperation between the IAEA and Iran on how to expand inspections of the Islamic Republic’s rapidly advancing atomic program. The 2023 statement included a pledge by Iran to resolve issues around sites where inspectors have questions about possible undeclared nuclear activity, and to allow the IAEA to “implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities.” The meetings in Tehran will build on Grossi’s discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, a statement by the IAEA said. “It is essential that we make substantive progress in the implementation of the joint statement agreed with Iran in March 2023,” Grossi said. “My visit to Tehran will be very important in that regard.” Iran is rapidly advancing its atomic program and continues to increase its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels in defiance of international demands, according to recent reports by the IAEA. Grossi, has warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels to make “several” nuclear bombs if it chose to do so. He has acknowledged the U.N. agency cannot guarantee that none of Iran’s centrifuges may have been peeled away for clandestine enrichment. Iran’s 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers had put limits on its nuclear program — which the West fears could be used for making nuclear weapons although Tehran insists is only for peaceful purposes — while lifting punitive economic sanctions imposed on Iran. But the deal collapsed after the Trump administration in 2018 pulled the United States out of the agreement, leading Iran to abandon all limits the deal had put on its program and enrich uranium to up to 60% purity. That is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. By IAEA’s definition, around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible. As Trump is to take office again in a few weeks, Iranians are divided on what his next presidency will bring. Some foresee an all-out war between Tehran and Washington, particularly as other conflicts rage in the region. Others hold out hope that America’s 47th president might engage in unexpected diplomacy as he did with North Korea. (AP)
In a scathing analysis, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria offered a harsh critique of the Democratic Party just days after former President Donald Trump decisively secured a second term, sweeping critical battleground states and winning the popular vote. On his program GPS, Zakaria argued that Democrats’ electoral woes were a result of missteps, tone-deaf policies, and a fundamental misreading of American public sentiment. Zakaria, who has often leaned toward nuanced perspectives, held nothing back in pinpointing where the Democrats went wrong, particularly Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign and the broader party strategy. He attributed the election’s outcome to an electorate fed up with Democratic policies and messaging, accusing the party of alienating voters on critical issues from immigration to identity politics. “At first glance, it would seem easy to explain last year’s election as part of a 2024 global wave against incumbents plagued by post-Covid challenges and inflation,” Zakaria said. “But Democrats should have seen this coming.” Zakaria outlined three major blunders by the Democrats, beginning with their mishandling of immigration, which he argued had spiraled into chaos. “An asylum system meant for a few persecuted individuals is now being exploited by millions,” Zakaria said, criticizing the Biden administration’s lax stance and liberals’ dismissal of critics as “heartless and racist.” He highlighted the public’s increasing dissatisfaction, noting that while only 28% of Americans wanted to curb immigration in 2020, that number had soared to 55% this year. Zakaria suggested that if Harris had been willing to admit a need for stricter border policies, she might have resonated with voters. Instead, the administration’s stance left a majority of Americans feeling ignored. The second misstep, according to Zakaria, was the Democrats’ weaponization of the legal system to attack Trump. He cited Alvin Bragg’s New York case against Trump as “particularly egregious,” suggesting it was pursued at the urging of left-wing figures despite Bragg’s own doubts. Zakaria argued that while some cases, like the one in Georgia, may have had merit, the sheer volume and timing of legal attacks against Trump gave his supporters further reason to view Democrats as willing to bend rules for political gain. “Lawfare,” he concluded, “turned Trump from being a political liability into a hero.” Zakaria’s final criticism focused on the Democrats’ embrace of divisive identity politics, including terms like “Latinx,” which he labeled “weird” and alienating. He pointed to the Democrats’ obsession with cancel culture, rigid stances on gender identity, and censorship, arguing that this fixation rendered the party “deeply illiberal” and out of touch with mainstream America. Rather than fostering unity, Zakaria argued, Democrats had ostracized dissenters, casting those with differing views as enemies. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Index cards taped to a large board on the wall at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, reveal the sometimes blunt and gritty reasons that new recruits took a chance at a last-ditch program to get into the Army. “Eviction notices motivate me,” one said. Others talked about getting free college, a good job and a way to better themselves. Known as the “Why Wall,” the board is meant as an inspiration for the recruits who could not meet the Army’s physical and academic test standards, so they went into the Future Soldier Prep Course. It provides weeks of instruction to help them bring up their scores. Started as a trial program two years ago to help boost dismal recruiting numbers, the prep course is fueling the Army’s enlistment comeback. Recruiting has suffered for all the military branches in recent years coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, amid low unemployment and stiff competition from private companies able to pay more and provide similar or better benefits. By the end of this budget year on Sept. 30, the Army had made its recruiting goal of 55,000, and service leaders said more than 13,000 of those recruits — or 24% — came into active duty through the prep course. Army leaders increased the goal to 61,000 for this year and are relying on the prep course to provide a significant chunk again. During a recent visit to Fort Jackson, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth spoke with recruits and program leaders to see how the course is going and what changes may need to be made. She said the successful program, which more than 31,000 trainees have gone through since it started, deserves to be made permanent. Wormuth said the Army may make adjustments based on a long-term study on the recruits coming out of the course, including looking at how well they did in their first enlistment and whether there were behavioral or disciplinary problems. “We really want to see what kind of soldier kind of comes out at the back end of that first term, how do they do in terms of discipline,” Wormuth said. Drill sergeants have expressed concerns that they are seeing more discipline issues, disrespect and complaints from trainees in the academic course. And they say trainees whose first language is not English have a more difficult time understanding orders and dealing with computers. While they see fewer discipline issues from recruits in the fitness section, they do see more injuries, including ankle, knee and hip problems. Those trainees, they say, may need to be brought along even more slowly, to increase their strength and conditioning, rather than moving them to basic training the minute they hit the minimum level of requirements. Commanders told Wormuth that the fitness program aims to give trainees a healthy foundation in eating and working out. Instructors said they do not want to break the recruits before they get to basic training, so they do a lot of yoga, stretching and other exercises to help avoid injuries. In the classrooms, they are learning basic math, English and other academic skills. The bulk of recruits going through the program are in the academic course. So far, Wormuth said, the data does not reflect some of the concerns expressed by drill sergeants and commanders. Instead, she and other […]
Six young Arabs were arrested on Sunday near the Chareidi neighborhoods in Antwerp for planning to attack Chareidi Jews. Antwerp police confirmed the information to local media. “A few young people planned yesterday to carry out a similar action as in the Netherlands (an hour and a half drive from the Netherlands) in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp, and as a result, we increased patrols,” said Antwerp police spokesperson Wouter Bruyns. The police arrested six suspects, including several minors. Some of the suspects were caught in a local park and others were caught in the Chareidi neighborhood itself. “Suspects with suspicious items in their pockets, or flags, were detained for several hours,” Bruyns said. However, he added that the suspects were released once “the threat was removed.” “We are very quick in our responses,” he said. “Last week, we managed to intercept messages related to the Jewish neighborhood in Antwerp. We are very vigilant.” Police began patrolling the Chareidi neighborhoods after threatening messages were circulated on social media calling for violence against local Jews. The messages appeared shortly after the mass attack on Israelis in Amsterdam last week. In addition to foot patrols, the police deployed a drone over the Chareidi neighborhood and the local Shomrim organization was on standby with about twenty volunteers. According to the report, no warnings were issued to the residents so as not to frighten them. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
John Hinckley Jr., infamous for the 1981 shooting that wounded then-President Ronald Reagan, recently addressed a troubling influx of violent messages directed toward him on social media. Hinckley, now 69, spent decades in a mental health facility following his attempt on Reagan’s life, which he claimed was to impress an actress. Since his release two years ago, Hinckley has promoted music and peace, distancing himself from his violent past. This week, just days after former President Donald Trump won a second term in the White House, Hinckley posted on urging people to “leave him alone.” While he did not specify the reason for his post, many speculate it was in response to calls for him to revert to his violent history and attack Donald Trump. The recent violent rhetoric surrounding Trump echoes recent assassination attempts against him, most notably in June at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. During that event, a bullet intended for Trump instead struck and killed a supporter, 50-year-old Corey Comperatore. In another incident, in August, a man named Ryan Routh allegedly planned to shoot Trump while he was golfing at his West Palm Beach golf club. According to CBS News, a Secret Service agent thwarted the attempt, spotting Routh with a firearm near the course. Just this past week, a third assassination threat against Trump emerged, this time with international implications. The U.S. Justice Department charged Farhad Shakeri, 51, with an alleged Iran-backed plot to surveil and ultimately target Trump. Authorities are still searching for Shakeri, who remains at large. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Joe Biden laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday for Veterans Day as thousands marched through the streets of New York. Smaller parades were held across the nation to honor Americans who have served in the U.S. military. The Veterans Day holiday began more than a century ago, albeit under a different name, as a celebration of the end of World War I. Over time its name and purpose evolved into a day of recognition for U.S. veterans of all wars as well as those currently serving in uniform. It’s also day off for U.S. postal workers and other federal government employees, as well as many schoolchildren. Numerous stores and businesses offer giveaways and discounts. Here’s a look at how the United States celebrates Veterans Day and how it started: What’s the history behind Veterans Day? It began as Armistice Day to celebrate the agreement between the Allied nations and Germany to cease all fighting during World War I that took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. The U.S. marked its first Armistice Day under President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Congress made Nov. 11 an official federal holiday in 1938. A holiday dedicated to those who fought in what had been known as “the war to end all wars” got a reevaluation after World War II. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day, reflecting a broader purpose to honor veterans of all wars. Other changes weren’t so well received, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ website. Federal Veterans Day observances were moved to Mondays in the early 1970s, causing confusion as some states stuck with the Nov. 11 date. In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law moving federal observances back to Nov. 11. The U.S. has celebrated Veterans Day on that date ever since. How is Veterans Day commemorated? Communities around the U.S. have held parades celebrating war veterans on Nov. 11 dating back to the first Armistice Day in 1919. The nation’s largest Veterans Day parade is held in New York with a procession along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to the United War Veterans Council, which organizes the parade, an estimated 20,000 marchers were taking part in 2024. U.S. presidents lay a wreath during a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. In remarks at the cemetery’s memorial amphitheater Monday, Biden said it had been his life’s honor to serve as commander in chief of “the finest fighting force in the history of the world.” Other countries including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia also honor veterans on or near Nov. 11. They call their day of commemoration Remembrance Day. How does Veterans Day differ from Memorial Day? While Veterans Day events tend to focus on giving thanks to all U.S. military veterans, both living and dead, Memorial Day observances traditionally have been about memorializing those killed during wars. Memorial Day got its start after the Civil War, with the first national observance of what was then called Decoration Day on May 30, 1868. An organization of Union Army veterans called for decorating war graves with flowers. Since 1971, the U.S. has marked Memorial Day on the last Monday in May rather than on May 30. The resulting three-day weekend has led to some complaints that the day’s true purpose of somber remembrance […]
Paris police said Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for a France-Israel soccer match to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation a week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam. France and Israel are playing in a UEFA Nations League match on Thursday that French President Emmanuel Macron will attend, the Elysee presidential palace said. Israel’s National Security Council, in a statement Sunday, warned citizens abroad to avoid sports and cultural events, specifically the match in Paris, and be careful of violent attacks “under the pretense of demonstrations.” “There’s a context, tensions that make that match a high-risk event for us,” Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez said on French news broadcaster BFM TV, adding authorities “won’t tolerate” any violence. Nuñez said that 2,500 police officers would be deployed around the Stade de France stadium, north of the French capital, in addition to 1,500 others in Paris and on public transportation. “There will be an anti-terrorist security perimeter around the stadium,” Nuñez said. Security checks will be “reinforced,” he added, including with systematic pat-downs and bag searches. Nuñez said that French organizers have been in contact with Israeli authorities and security forces in order to prepare for the match. Israeli fans were assaulted last week after a soccer game in Amsterdam by hordes of young people apparently riled up by calls on social media to target Jewish people, according to Dutch authorities. Five people were treated at hospitals and dozens were arrested after the attacks, which were condemned as antisemitic by authorities in Amsterdam, Israel and across Europe. Before the game, large crowds of supporters of the Israeli team could be seen on video chanting anti-Arab slogans as they headed to the stadium, escorted by police. On Sunday, Dutch police detained several people for taking part in a demonstration in central Amsterdam that had been outlawed following the violence targeting Israeli fans, a local broadcaster reported. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed Friday that the France-Israel match would go ahead as planned. “I think that for a symbolic reason we must not yield, we must not give up,” he said, noting that sports fans from around the world came together for the Paris Olympics this year to celebrate the “universal values” of sports. Macron’s expected attendance not only is a show of support for the French team, but also aims as sending “a message of fraternity and solidarity following the intolerable antisemitic acts that followed the match in Amsterdam,” an official in Macron’s entourage said. The official couldn’t be named in line with the Elysee’s customary practices. (AP)
The IDF is reportedly close to concluding a successful ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, achieving major strategic gains with limited international media coverage. Conducted over the past six weeks, the IDF’s campaign has involved thousands of troops from four divisions, marking a substantial military effort without reaching the scale of a full invasion. The operation has led to the destruction of approximately 30 Hezbollah-controlled villages along the Israel-Lebanon border. These locations had been transformed into heavily fortified terror bases, designed as launching points for a potential Hezbollah invasion into Israel. In each village, IDF troops uncovered and dismantled hidden terror positions, extensive underground facilities, and large stockpiles of weaponry that Hezbollah had amassed with billions of dollars in investments over recent years. According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Israeli forces seized more than 66,000 Hezbollah weapons, including around 6,000 explosive devices and thousands of anti-tank missiles. The large volume of captured weaponry has led the IDF to consider equipping new units with Hezbollah arms to enhance their operational capabilities. Estimated casualties range from 1,000 to 2,000 Hezbollah fighters killed since the start of the ground campaign, in addition to hundreds of casualties from prior airstrikes. Hezbollah’s mounting losses have led to reports of abandoned positions along the border. As IDF forces advanced, at least 14 Hezbollah-held villages were reportedly deserted by the group’s fighters, signaling the psychological toll of Israel’s offensive and the declining morale among Hezbollah ranks. Rather than resisting Israeli advances, many Hezbollah operatives have reportedly retreated deeper into Lebanon, opting for concealment over confrontation. While Hezbollah has inflicted some casualties on IDF forces through ambushes and other attacks, the group has struggled to slow Israel’s progress. IDF sources report fewer than 50 Israeli soldiers killed in this campaign—considerably lower than the 120 Israeli fatalities in the 2006 Lebanon War, which yielded less decisive outcomes. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A shooting early Sunday during homecoming weekend at Tuskegee University in Alabama left one person dead and injured 16 others, a dozen of them by gunfire, authorities said. One arrest was announced hours later. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Jaquez Myrick, 25, of Montgomery, was taken into custody while leaving the scene of the campus shooting and had been found with a handgun with a machine gun conversion device. The agency said in a statement that Myrick faces a federal charge of possession of a machine gun. It did not accuse him of using the gun in the shooting or provide additional details. The agency did not say whether Myrick was a student at the historically Black university where the shooting erupted as the school’s 100th Homecoming Week was winding down. Authorities said an 18-year-old man who died was not a university student but that some of the injured were students. It was not immediately known if Myrick had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Twelve people were wounded by gunfire, and four others sustained injuries not related to the gunshots, the state agency said. Several were being treated at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery, the university said in a statement. Their conditions were not immediately released. The FBI joined the investigation and said it was seeking tips from the public, as well as any video witnesses might have. It set up a site online for people to upload video. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also was involved in the investigation, a local prosecutor said. Tuskegee University canceled classes Monday and said grief counselors will be available in the university’s chapel to help students. The parents of the victim were notified, and an autopsy was planned at the state’s forensic center in Montgomery, Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley told The Associated Press. Tuskegee city’s police chief, Patrick Mardis, said the injured included a female student who was shot in the stomach and a male student who was shot in the arm. City police were responding to an unrelated double shooting off campus when officers got the call about the university shooting at the West Commons on-campus apartments, Mardis said. “Some idiots started shooting,” Mardis told the news site Al.com. “You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there.” A person who answered the phone at Mardis’ office said no other information was available. In his 37 years as coroner, Bentley said he couldn’t recall any shootings during the school’s past homecoming celebrations. The mood around the small town of around 9,000 people was somber, he said. The shooting left everyone in the university community shaken, said Amare’ Hardee, a senior from Tallahassee, Florida, who is president of the student government association. “This senseless act of violence has touched each of us, whether directly or indirectly,” he said at the school’s homecoming convocation Sunday morning. A pastor who leads the Tuskegee National Alumni Association told those at the convocation service that the shooting is a reminder of the fragility of life. “It is in moments like these that we need to be reminded not to stand on our own understanding because in a moment like this, I don’t have understanding,” said the Rev. […]
A disturbing incident captured on video shows two people on a motorcycle swiping a yarmulka off the head of a Jewish man as he was crossing a street in Staten Island. The video, shared on social media by Staten Island Shomrim, depicts the riders approaching the man and knocking off his kippah before speeding away. Shomrim posted the footage on X, urging the public’s assistance in identifying the individuals involved. “Help us apprehend these individuals. Wanted for a despicable act of pushing a Kippah off a Jewish man’s head,” the Shomrim’s statement read. Shomrim encouraged anyone with information to contact the NYPD’s 121st Precinct Detective Squad at 718-697-8712 or the Shomrim hotline directly at 718-370-2121. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Don’t count me among those celebrating Jared Kushner’s return to Trump’s inner circle. Has anyone heard from Jared – or Ivanka, for that matter – throughout Trump’s campaign or during the countless challenges he faced over the past few years? I certainly haven’t. Back in 2022, it was widely reported that Jared and Ivanka wanted to steer clear of politics to focus on their young family. In February of this year, Jared himself stated that he wouldn’t join a second Trump administration if his father-in-law were reelected: “I’ve been very clear that my desire at this phase of my life is to focus on my firm…I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity as a family to be out of the spotlight. Both my wife and myself were working in the White House, which is a 24/7, high-stakes job, and so we both really enjoyed the opportunity to be down here in Florida with the kids,” Kushner said. He went on to categorically affirm he would not be part of a future Trump administration. Meanwhile, throughout Trump’s recent trials and tribulations, Don Jr. and Eric were out there constantly defending their father on the media circuit, never wavering in their support. But Jared? Ivanka? Nowhere to be seen. As recently as a few days before the election, reports were still claiming that Jared and Ivanka intended to keep their distance from the campaign trail and any potential future administration. Yet now, Yisrael Hayom reports that Jared has “returned to closely assist the president-elect in preparations for building the new administration.” I acknowledge the contributions Jared made during the first Trump administration, like the Abraham Accords, though he often took a more liberal stance on certain issues. But, pardon me for saying this—someone who sticks around only when things are going well should also be there during the tough times. It feels unsettling that after staying completely out of Trump’s grueling campaign and the challenges he faced, Jared would swoop back in, just days after Trump’s victory, to help “in preparations for building the new administration.” Basic menschlichkeit would seem to demand some explanation for this sudden reappearance. E.G. Brooklyn, NY The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
Williamsburg Hatzolah has added 11 new members to its team. This strategic expansion is designed to meet the community’s growing needs, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of Williamsburg residents. The new members joining Williamsburg Hatzolah are: Mordchai Stein (W300) Mendy Rosner (W301) Menachem Moskowitz (W302) Avrum Duvid Binik (W303) Duvid Launda (W304) Hershi Hirsch (W305) Avrumi Lefkowitz (W306) Ari Schwartz (W307) Hershi Deutch (W308) Isumer Tovia Schwartz (W309) Yosef Yitzchok Biener (W310) With these additions, Williamsburg Hatzolah strengthens its ability to provide rapid, reliable emergency care, ensuring residents that help is always close by.
Days before Senate Republicans pick their new leader, President-elect Donald Trump is pressuring the candidates to change the rules and empower him to appoint some nominees without a Senate vote. Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida are running in a secret ballot election Wednesday to lead the GOP conference and replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who is stepping aside from the job after almost two decades. All three have courted Trump’s support in the race, vying to show who is the closest to the president-elect as they campaign to become majority leader. Trump has not endorsed in the race, but on Sunday he made clear that he expects the new leader to go around regular Senate order, if necessary, to allow him to fill his Cabinet quickly. In a statement on X and Truth Social, Trump said that the next leader “must agree” to allow him to make appointments when the chamber is on recess, bypassing a confirmation vote. “Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner,” Trump posted, adding that positions should be filled “IMMEDIATELY!” The Senate has not allowed presidents to make so-called recess appointments since a 2014 Supreme Court ruling limited the president’s power to do so. Since then, the Senate has held brief “pro-forma” sessions when it is out of town for more than 10 days so that a president cannot take advantage of the absence and start filling posts that have not been confirmed. But with Trump’s approval paramount in the race, all three candidates quickly suggested that they might be willing to reconsider the practice. Scott replied to Trump, “100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible.” And Thune said in a statement that they must “quickly and decisively” act to get nominees in place and that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments.” Cornyn said that “It is unacceptable for Senate Ds to blockade President @realDonaldTrump ’s cabinet appointments. If they do, we will stay in session, including weekends, until they relent.” He noted that recess appointments are allowed under the Constitution. The social media exchange on Sunday became a first test for the three candidates since Trump was decisively elected last week to a second term. Trump’s relationship with Congress — especially the advice and consent role afforded to the Senate when it comes to nominations — was tumultuous in his first term as he chafed at resistance to his selections and sought ways to work around lawmakers. With Trump now entering a second term emboldened by his sweeping election victory, he is already signaling that he expects Senate Republicans, and by extension, their new leader, to fall in line behind his Cabinet selections. Trump also posted on Sunday that the Senate should not approve any judges in the weeks before Republicans take power next year — a more difficult demand to fulfill as Democrats will control the floor, and hold the majority of votes, until the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. Trump posted that […]
President-elect Donald Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration. Confirming the appointment, Vice President-elect JD Vance posted a message of congratulations on Monday to Miller on X and said, “This is another fantastic pick by the president.” The announcement was first reported by CNN. Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018. Miller has also helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches, and was often the public face of those policies during Trump’s first term in office and during his campaigns. Since leaving the White House, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisers fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech and religion and national security. He was also a frequent presence during Trump’s campaign this year, traveling aboard his plane and often speaking ahead of Trump during the pre-shows at his rallies. Miller drew large cheers at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden during the race’s final stretch, telling the crowd that, “your salvation is at hand,” after what he cast as “decades of abuse that has been heaped upon the good people of this nation — their jobs stolen looted and from them and shipped to Mexico, Asia and foreign countries. The lives of their loves ones ripped away from then by illegal aliens, criminal gangs and thugs who don’t belong in this country.” “We stand here today at a crossroads,” he went on, casting the election as “a choice between betrayal and renewal, between self-destruction and salvation, between the failure of America or the triumph of America.” (AP)
The Israel Defense Forces has announced the death of Major (Res.) Itamar Levin Fridman HY’D, 34, from Eilat, who served as a squad commander in the ‘LOTAR Eilat’ Unit. He was killed during combat operations in the northern Gaza Strip. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
More than half of the monkeys bred for medical research that escaped from a compound in South Carolina last week have now been recovered unharmed, officials said Sunday. Twenty-four monkeys were captured on Sunday, a day after another of the 43 escaped monkeys was recovered. A “sizeable group” remains active along the compound’s fence line and bedded down in the trees for the night, police in Yemassee, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, said in a statement. Veterinarians have been examining the animals and initial reports indicate they are all in good health, police said. The Rhesus macaques made a break for it Wednesday after an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee didn’t fully lock a door as she fed and checked on them, officials said. Since their escape, the monkeys have explored the outer fence of the Alpha Genesis compound, cooing at the monkeys inside. The primates continued to interact with their companions inside the facility Saturday, which police have said was a positive sign. Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard has said that efforts to recover all the monkeys will continue for as long as it takes. The monkeys are about the size of a cat. They are all females weighing about 7 pounds (3 kilograms). Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police all said the monkeys pose no risk to public health. The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical and other researchers. Alpha Genesis provides primates for research worldwide at its compound in Yemassee, according to its website. (AP)
