* President Donald Trump said he will nominate the economist E. J. Antoni as commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. * Antoni would replace Erika McEntarfer, who Trump fired as BLS commissioner on Aug. 1 after accusing her of manipulating jobs report data. * Antoni is the chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, and his candidacy for the BLS spot had been promoted by former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon.
A top official at the Federal Reserve said Saturday that this month’s stunning, weaker-than-expected report on the U.S. job market is strengthening her belief that interest rates should be lower. Michelle Bowman was one of two Fed officials who voted a week and a half ago in favor of cutting interest rates. Such a move could help boost the economy by making it cheaper for people to borrow money to buy a house or a car, but it could also threaten to push inflation higher. Bowman and a fellow dissenter lost out after nine other Fed officials voted to keep interest rates steady, as the Fed has been doing all year. The Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, has been adamant that he wants to wait for more data about how President Donald Trump’s tariffs are affecting inflation before the Fed makes its next move. At a speech during a bankers’ conference in Colorado on Saturday, Bowman said that “the latest labor market data reinforce my view” that the Fed should cut interest rates three times this year. The Fed has only three meetings left on the schedule in 2025. The jobs report that arrived last week, only a couple of days after the Fed voted on interest rates, showed that employers hired far fewer workers last month than economists expected. It also said that hiring in prior months was much lower than initially thought. On inflation, meanwhile, Bowman said she is getting more confident that Trump’s tariffs “will not present a persistent shock to inflation” and sees it moving closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Inflation has come down substantially since hitting a peak above 9% after the pandemic, but it has been stubbornly remaining above 2%. The Fed’s job is to keep the job market strong, while keeping a lid on inflation. Its challenge is that it has one main tool to affect both those areas, and helping one by moving interest rates up or down often means hurting the other. A fear is that Trump’s tariffs could box in the Federal Reserve by sticking the economy in a worst-case scenario called “stagflation,” where the economy stagnates but inflation is high. The Fed has no good tool to fix that, and it would likely have to prioritize either the job market or inflation before helping the other. On Wall Street, expectations are that the Fed will have to cut interest rates at its next meeting in September after the U.S. jobs report came in so much below economists’ expectations. Trump has been calling angrily for lower interest rates, often personally insulting Powell while doing so. He has the opportunity to add another person to the Fed’s board of governors after an appointee of former President Joe Biden stepped down recently. (AP)
Thousands of bnei torah attended the levaya this evening of Harav Baruch Shmuel Deutsch zt”l, Rosh Yeshivas Be’er Shmuel and a leader of Peleg Yerushalmi, who was niftar earlier today.
NY Governor Hochul visited Camp Hasc today. Towards the end of her visit, her staff asked that she take a photo with all the Hatzalah Members who were at the camp.
Secret British intelligence files have revealed that MI5 once considered Hans Wilsdorf — the German-born founder of Rolex — a potential Nazi sympathizer and even a possible spy during the Second World War. The newly declassified records, held at the UK National Archives and first reported by The Telegraph, describe Wilsdorf as “most objectionable” and “well known” for his political leanings toward Adolf Hitler’s regime. Born in Bavaria in 1881, Wilsdorf moved to London in 1903, married a British woman, and eventually founded Rolex, later relocating the company’s headquarters to Geneva in 1919. By the early 1940s, British officials were alarmed by claims from the British consul in Geneva that Wilsdorf had “strong Nazi sympathies,” with reports linking his brother to Joseph Goebbels’ propaganda ministry. Swiss federal police were already monitoring him for allegedly spreading Nazi messaging abroad. An MI5 report from 1943 said the agency was tracking Rolex’s British operations in Bexleyheath and suspected Wilsdorf of “espionage on behalf of the enemy.” Officials also questioned the motives behind one of his most famous wartime acts — sending free Rolex watches to British prisoners of war. While the gesture became a celebrated part of Rolex lore, some British authorities at the time speculated it was an image-building exercise designed to curry favor, rather than pure charity. Jose Pereztroika, the horology historian who discovered the MI5 file, believes the evidence supports the view that Wilsdorf sympathized with the Nazis. He also pointed to Rolex’s sales of dive watches to the Italian navy’s “frogmen” — an elite Axis-aligned unit — as another potential source of wartime suspicion. Rolex has confirmed it is aware of the archive file and has commissioned Swiss historian Dr. Marc Perrenoud to conduct an independent review, promising to publish his findings. For decades, many Jews have avoided purchasing goods from companies with historical ties to Nazi Germany — whether Volkswagen, BMW, Siemens, or certain European luxury brands. The revelations about Wilsdorf’s suspected Nazi sympathies now raise questions for the Jewish market, where Rolex enjoys strong brand recognition and prestige. In recent years, many tzedakos have turned to high-value luxury watch raffles — often featuring Rolex models — as a way to draw donors. The strategy has proven lucrative, but the MI5 files may force an uncomfortable conversation: should tzedakah be raised through the sale or promotion of a timepiece with alleged Nazi associations? For donors who already avoid cars, appliances, or clothing brands tied to the Third Reich, the choice of prize may now merit closer scrutiny. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The UJA-Federation of New York announced it will send $1 million to IsraAID — Israel’s largest nongovernmental aid organization — to provide food, medicine, and water filtration systems to civilians in Gaza. The pledge, revealed by UJA CEO Eric Goldstein, marks one of the largest wartime aid commitments to Gaza ever made by a mainstream Jewish organization. IsraAID, which has historically operated abroad in disaster zones, has expanded its work since October 7 to include operations in both Israel and Gaza, working alongside the IDF’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories and international agencies. Goldstein condemned Hamas for holding hostages, blocking aid, and triggering the conflict, but said the Jewish community has a “moral imperative” to help those suffering in Gaza. “Not everyone agrees on what should be done, or how,” he wrote, adding, “We must hold tight to what has always anchored the Jewish people: the belief that all human life is sacred.” Critics, however, argue the decision is deeply misguided — particularly while Israeli soldiers are still in combat and hostages remain captive. They contend that such aid risks benefiting Hamas-controlled systems and undermines Israel’s military and diplomatic position. The United Nations claims 98 children have died from acute malnutrition since last October — 37 in the past month alone — and warns of “starvation, pure and simple.” Israel disputes the starvation narrative, saying it has significantly expanded the volume of aid allowed in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the American Jewish Committee made waves by pledging $25,000 to repair Gaza’s Holy Family Church, damaged by what Israel described as “stray ammunition” during a nearby operation. That gift, intended to bolster Jewish-Catholic relations, was an unprecedented gesture — but far smaller in scale than UJA’s $1 million commitment. The timing of the UJA announcement is particularly contentious. Israel’s security cabinet is weighing a plan to fully take over Gaza and install Arab forces to govern, while mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt push for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Protests have erupted across Israel, both for and against renewed negotiations. Internationally, the political climate is shifting. On Monday, Australia announced it would support recognition of Palestinian statehood at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “shameful” and critics described as rewarding Hamas. New Zealand signaled it may follow suit. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
– 3 dead after shooting in Target parking lot – Suspect stole 2 cars during getaway – Suspect later arrested alive – Cops say the white male “has a mental health history” – Motive unknown
It’s the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth — a 54-pound (25-kilogram) meteorite that fetched more than $5 million at a New York auction last month, setting a world record. But in the West African nation of Niger, where the rusty-red rock was unearthed in the Sahara Desert, officials have launched an investigation into what they call possible “illicit international trafficking,” claiming it may have been smuggled out of the country. Here’s what to know about the meteorite and the legal dispute: How it was found Sotheby’s said the rock, named NWA 16788, was blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and traveled 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth. It was discovered in the Sahara in northwestern Niger by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, according to the auction house. His identity was not disclosed. Nor was the identity of the buyer last month. Meteorite hunting is growing in arid Saharan countries like Niger. Though meteorites can fall anywhere on Earth, the Sahara has become a prime spot for their discovery in part due to the favorable climate for their preservation. Hunters often search for space rocks that can be sold to collectors or scientists. The rarest and most precious are from Mars and the moon. According to the Heritage academic journal, the rock was sold to an international dealer before it ended up in a private galley in Italy. A team of scientists from the University of Florence examined the rock last year to learn more about its structure and where it came from before falling to Earth, the publication said. The meteorite was also briefly on display in Rome before it was next seen in public in New York last month during the auction. Why Niger is investigating Following the sale, Niger raised questions about how the meteorite came to be sold at auction. Niger’s government announced an investigation last month to determine the circumstances of the meteorite’s discovery and sale, saying in a statement it was “akin to illicit international trafficking.” Last week, President Abdourahamane Tiani suspended the export of “precious stones, semi-precious stones and meteorites nationwide” in an effort to ensure their traceability. Sotheby’s said in a statement sent to The Associated Press the meteorite was exported from Niger and transported in line with all relevant international procedures. “As with everything we sell, all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved.” the statement read. Authorities in Niger did not respond to AP questions. What international law says While global agreements are in place to regulate the trade of cultural artifacts, there is ambiguity about whether meteorites are covered. Patty Gerstenblith, a cultural heritage lawyer and expert on illicit trade, said that under the UNESCO convention on cultural property — which Niger and the U.S. have ratified — meteorites can qualify as cultural property. However, Gerstenblith said Niger needs to prove it owned the meteorite and that it was stolen, as illegal export from the country does not make the meteorite illegal in the U.S. “If the meteorite was not stolen and if it was properly declared upon import into the U.S., then it would not seem that Niger can recover the meteorite,” she told […]
A gunman opened fire Monday in the parking lot of a Target store in the Texas capital, killing at least three people, then stole two cars during a getaway that ended with police using a Taser to detain him on the other side of the city, authorities said. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect is a man in his 30s with “a mental health history.” Davis said the suspect fled the scene in a stolen car, wrecked that car then stole another from a car dealership. He was captured in south Austin, where he was taken into custody, she said during a news conference. She said responding officers found three people who had been fatally shot in the Target parking lot. “This is a very sad day for Austin. It’s a very sad day for us all and my condolences go out to the families,” she said. Davis said she had no information to release about the victims. Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said two people were pronounced dead at the scene and one person was taken to a hospital where they were pronounced dead. He said another person was treated on the scene for unrelated injuries. The shooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of the upcoming school year. (AP)
Six Lebanese soldiers were killed earlier this week in an explosion at a Hezbollah site near the Israeli border, the Lebanese army announced. On August 7, the Lebanese government announced that its cabinet has approved a US-backed proposal for disarming Hezbollah and other armed terror groups and set a deadline of the end of 2025 to complete the process. The soldiers were killed during an attempt to clear weapons from a Hezbollah facility. The US has been applying increasingly heavy pressure on the Lebanese government in the past year to disarm Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government finally made a decision to carry it out. However, Hezbollah has fervently rejected the move, vowing “to die rather than disarm.” Most of Lebanon’s Shiite community remain faithful to Hezbollah, partially due to ideology but mainly due to their financial dependence on the terror group, which continues to be funded by Iran. Shiites make up about 40% of Lebanon’s population. In fact, a senior Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, is traveling to Lebanon this week for “consultations” with the government. His visit comes after Tehran expressed strong opposition to Lebanon’s plan to disarm its proxy Hezbollah. Hezbollah is also determined to remain armed due to fear of retaliatory attacks from Sunnis and Christians, a perception bolstered by the recent clashes between sectors in Syria that ended in a massacre in the Druze town of Sweida. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, the leader of the largest party in the Netherlands, spoke with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday and offered words of support amid the wave of antisemitic actions and accusations directed at Israel in recent weeks Wilders, who is known for his steadfast support of Israel, wrote on X following the conversation, “Just had a conversation by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and I told him that besides criticism from weak politicians and biased media, there are millions and millions of people in Europe supporting him and his brave actions to free both Israel and Gaza from the terrorists of Hamas.” “His fight is our fight since we cherish life and freedom while they love death and destruction.” “Am Yisrael Chai,” he concluded. Last week, Wilders called out Hamas for the savages they are. “Victims don’t hold hostages. Savages do,” he wrote. “Heroes support the hostages. Traitors support Hamas and call for sanctions. What side are you on?” Last month, after the Dutch government announced a series of anti-Israel measures it was adopting last month, Wilders wrote on X: “Never compromise with evil. Destroy Hamas completely and ignore the useful idiots of the EU.” He also ridiculed French President Emmanuel Macron for his announcement that France plans to recognize a Palestinian state, saying that the “Palestinian state” will be established in France. “Here will be the new Palestinian state,” he wrote. “Big parts of France are already Islamic anyway.” “Good luck, Emmanuel Macron and France! Happy suicide!” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
South Korea’s military said Saturday it detected North Korea removing some of its loudspeakers from the inter-Korean border, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts, in a bid to ease tensions. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t disclose the sites where the North Koreans were removing speakers and said it wasn’t immediately clear whether the North would take all of them down. In recent months, South Korean border residents have complained that North Korean speakers blasted irritating sounds, including howling animals and pounding gongs, in a tit-for-tat response to South Korean propaganda broadcasts. The South Korean military said the North stopped its broadcasts in June after Seoul’s new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, halted the South’s broadcasts in his government’s first concrete step toward easing tensions between the war-divided rivals. South Korea’s military began removing its speakers from border areas on Monday but didn’t specify how they would be stored or whether they could be quickly redeployed if tensions flared again. North Korea, which is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its authoritarian leadership and its third-generation ruler, Kim Jong Un, didn’t immediately confirm it was taking down its speakers. South Korea’s previous conservative government resumed daily loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year, following a yearslong pause, in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South. The speakers blasted propaganda messages and K-pop songs, a playlist designed to strike a nerve in Pyongyang, where Kim has been pushing an intense campaign to eliminate the influence of South Korean pop culture and language among the population in a bid to strengthen his family’s dynastic rule. The Cold War-style psychological warfare campaigns further heightened tensions already inflamed by North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and South Korean efforts to expand joint military exercises with the United States and their trilateral security cooperation with Japan. Lee, who took office in June after winning an early election to replace ousted conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, wants to improve relations with Pyongyang, which reacted furiously to Yoon’s hard-line policies and shunned dialogue. But Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, rebuffed overtures by Lee’s government in late July, saying that Seoul’s “blind trust” in the country’s alliance with the United States makes it no different from its conservative predecessor. She later issued a separate statement dismissing the Trump administration’s intent to resume diplomacy on North Korea’s denuclearization, suggesting that Pyongyang — now focused on expanding ties with Russia over the war in Ukraine — sees little urgency in resuming talks with Seoul or Washington. Tensions between the Koreas can possibly rise again later this month, when South Korea and the United States proceed with their annual large-scale combined military exercises, which begin on Aug. 18. North Korea labels the allies’ joint drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up military demonstrations and weapons tests aimed at advancing its nuclear program. (AP)
While Israel works to defeat Hamas, a Yisrael Hayom report on Monday revealed that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and senior Justice Ministry officials are preventing the Defense Ministry’s Immigration Administration from advancing a voluntary emigration program for residents of the Gaza Strip. Since negotiations for a deal collapsed, Israel has intensified operations in the Gaza Strip. However, efforts to promote the voluntary emigration of Gazans to third countries have stalled. This initiative—seen by Israel as a potentially decisive measure that could also pressure Hamas—is facing internal resistance. Sources familiar with the details revealed that the Attorney General is preventing the Voluntary Immigration Administration from establishing a website that would provide Gazans with information on emigrating abroad. According to the report, Israeli judicial officials are also creating many obstacles to the voluntary immigration of Gazans. The Administration, led by Maj. Gen. (Res.) Kobi Blitstein, is intended to assist Gazans who wish to leave the Strip. However, its work has been repeatedly stalled due to legal challenges by Israeli judicial authorities. According to these sources, the Attorney General sees the possibility of emigration from the Gaza Strip as an action that is contrary to international law and has expressed this in several meetings with the political echelon. Due to her stance, Baharav-Miara is significantly curtailing the government’s actions on the issue and the activities of the Immigration Administration. The sources noted that the right to emigrate is recognized in international law as a basic human right, and there are many judicial experts who support the policy that the Israeli government and US President Donald Trump are promoting. Lawyers and public activists for Gazan civilians have repeatedly applied in recent months for assistance in leaving the Strip and have expressed surprise that Israel declares its desire to encourage voluntary immigration but does not allow communication with government officials for assistance and has not even established an informational website. The report also states that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is personally engaged in the matter, holding weekly consultations to move the plan forward. Netanyahu has repeatedly asserted that immigration is a basic democratic right and not a “forced transfer.” Meanwhile, four left-wing organizations have petitioned Baharav-Miara and Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi against the program, claiming that “voluntary emigration from Gaza is effectively the deportation of a civilian population—a war crime and a crime against humanity.” A Justice Ministry spokesperson claimed that the information in the report is “false.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Mexican authorities are accusing sportswear company Adidas of plagiarizing artisans in southern Mexico, alleging that a new sandal design is strikingly similar to the traditional Indigenous footwear known as huaraches. The controversy has fueled accusations of cultural appropriation by the footwear brand, with authorities saying this is not the first time traditional Mexican handicrafts have been copied. Citing these concerns, local authorities have asked Adidas to withdraw the shoe model. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday that Adidas was already in talks with authorities in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca to provide “compensation for the people who were plagiarized,” and that her government was preparing legal reforms to prevent the copying of Mexican handicrafts. The design at the center of the controversy is the “Oaxaca Slip-On,” a sandal created by U.S. designer Willy Chavarría for Adidas Originals. The sandals feature thin leather straps braided in a style that is unmistakably similar to the traditional Mexican huaraches. Instead of flat leather soles, the Adidas shoes tout a more chunky, sports shoe sole. According to Mexican authorities, Adidas’ design contains elements that are part of the cultural heritage of the Zapotec Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, particularly in the town of Villa Hidalgo de Yalálag. Handicrafts are a crucial economic lifeline in Mexico, providing jobs for around half a million people across the country. The industry accounts for around 10% of the gross domestic product of states like Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guerrero. For Viridiana Jarquín García, a huaraches creator and vendor in Oaxaca’s capital, the Adidas shoes were a “cheap copy” of the kind of work that Mexican artists take time and care to craft. “The artistry is being lost. We’re losing our tradition,” she said in front of her small booth of leather shoes. Authorities in Oaxaca have called for the “Oaxaca Slip-On” to be withdrawn and demanded a public apology from Adidas, with officials describing the design as “cultural appropriation” that may violate Mexican law. In a public letter to Adidas leadership, Oaxaca state Gov. Salomón Jara Cruz criticized the company’s design, saying that “creative inspiration” is not a valid justification for using cultural expressions that “provide identity to communities.” “Culture isn’t sold, it’s respected,” he added. Adidas responded in a letter Friday afternoon, saying that the company “deeply values the cultural wealth of Mexico’s Indigenous people and recognizes the relevance” of the criticisms. It requested to sit down with local officials and to discuss how it can “repair the damage” to Indigenous populations. The controversy follows years of efforts by Mexico’s government and artisans to push back on major global clothing brands who they say copy traditional designs. In 2021, the federal government asked manufacturers including Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl to provide a public explanation for why they copied clothing designs from Oaxaca’s Indigenous communities to sell in their stores. Now, Mexican authorities say they’re trying to work out stricter regulations in an effort to protect artists. But Marina Núñez, Mexico’s undersecretary of cultural development, noted that they also want to establish guidelines to not deprive artists of “the opportunity to trade or collaborate with several of these companies that have very broad commercial reach.” (AP)
Explosions at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh left one dead and dozens injured or trapped under the rubble Monday, with emergency workers on site trying to rescue victims, officials said. The explosions sent black smoke spiralling into the midday sky in the Mon Valley, a region of the state synonymous with steel for more than a century. An Allegheny County emergency services spokesperson, Kasey Reigner, said one person died and two were currently believed to be unaccounted for. Multiple other people were treated for injuries, Reigner said. Allegheny County Emergency Services said a fire at the plant started around 10:51 a.m. The explosions sent a shock through the community and led to officials asking residents to stay away from the scene so emergency workers could respond. “It felt like thunder,” Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told WTAE-TV. “Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building, and then when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill and put two and two together, and it’s like something bad happened.” Dozens were injured and the county was sending 15 ambulances, on top of the ambulances supplied by local emergency response agencies, Reigner said. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said via X that “multiple explosions” occurred at the facility. Clairton residents like Amy Sowers, 49, felt an explosion nearby. Sowers, who was sitting on her porch located less than a mile from the plant, felt her house shake. “I could see smoke from my driveway,” she said. “We heard ambulances and fire trucks from every direction.” Sowers decided to leave the area after she said she smelled a faint smell in the air. Sowers, who grew up in Clairton, has seen several incidents at the plant over the years. Despite health concerns, Sowers said many residents cannot afford to leave. A maintenance worker was killed in an explosion at the plant in September 2009. In July 2010, another explosion injured 14 employees and six contractors. “Lives were lost again,” Sowers said. “How many more lives are going to have to be lost until something happens?” Air quality concerns and health warnings The plant, a massive industrial facility along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, is considered the largest coking operation in North America and is one of four major U.S. Steel plants in Pennsylvania that employ several thousand workers. In a statement, U.S. Steel said an “incident” occurred at the plant’s coke oven batteries 13 and 14. The company, now a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Steel Corp., said emergency teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, but it gave no other details about the cause of the explosions, casualties or damage. The company’s CEO, David Burritt, said in the statement that U.S. Steel is working with authorities to investigate the cause. The plant converts coal to coke, a key component in the steel-making process. To make coke, coal is baked in special ovens for hours at high temperatures to remove impurities that could otherwise weaken steel. The process creates what’s known as coke gas — made up of a lethal mix of methane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi said his heart goes out to the victims of Monday’s explosions. “The mill is such a big part of Clairton,” he said. “It’s just […]
President Donald Trump said Monday he’s taking over Washington’s police department and activating 800 members of the National Guard in the hopes of reducing crime, even as city officials stressed crime is already falling in the nation’s capital. The president, flanked by his attorney general, his defense secretary and the FBI director, said he was declaring a public safety emergency and his administration would be removing homeless encampments. “We’re going to take our capital back,” Trump declared, adding he’d also be “getting rid of the slums.” For Trump, the effort to take over public safety in Washington reflects an escalation of his aggressive approach to law enforcement. The District of Columbia’s status as a congressionally established federal district gives him a unique opportunity to push his tough-on-crime agenda, though he has not proposed solutions to the root causes of homelessness or crime. Attorney General Pam Bondi will assume responsibility for Washington’s metro police department, Trump said, as he also railed against potholes and graffiti in the city and called them “embarrassing.” The president did not provide a timeline for the control of the police department, but he’s limited to 30 days under statute. As Trump spoke, demonstrators gathered outside the White House to protest his moves. And local officials rejected the Republican president’s depiction of the district as crime-ridden and called his actions illegal. “The administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful,” District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. “There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia.” Schwalb, a Democrat, said violent crime in the district reached historic 30-year lows last year and is down another 26% this year. Combating crime The president dismissed the idea Washington needed to enlarge its 3,500-officer police force, even as he seeks to have more armed personnel going through the city with the goal of reducing crime. “What you need is rules and regulations, and you need the right people to implement them,” he said. Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act in an executive order to declare a “crime emergency” so his administration could take over the city’s police force. He signed a directive for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to activate the National Guard. While Trump has portrayed himself as a friend to law enforcement and enjoyed the political backing from many of their groups, he pardoned or commuted the sentences of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers. About 500 federal law enforcement officers are being tasked with deploying throughout the nation’s capital as part of Trump’s effort to combat crime, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal law enforcement personnel being assigned to patrols in Washington, the person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are contributing officers. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department didn’t immediately have a comment Monday morning. The National Guard Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, questioned the effectiveness of using the National Guard to enforce city laws and said the […]
Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a shocking antisemitic attack that took place this past Friday in a park in Montreal, Canada, in which a 32-year-old Jewish man was brutally assaulted in front of his two young children. Video of the incident shows the attacker punching and kicking the victim as his daughter screams in terror. The victim sustained injuries that police described as non-life-threatening. Authorities announced the arrest on Monday, saying the suspect, a 24-year-old male, was taken into custody without incident. No further details about the suspect’s identity have been released pending formal charges. Police have not yet confirmed whether the attack will be prosecuted as a hate crime. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
