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‘We need the joy’: Jews around the world gear up for Purim despite the pain

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Costume masks. Credit: Jeaneves/Pixabay.

By Sarah Ogince

(JNS) More than 2,000 years ago, when the Jews of Persia triumphed over an existential threat, they celebrated by proclaiming a holiday: They gave charity, the Scroll of Esther recounts, sent each other presents of food, ate, drank and were happy.

But as Jews in Israel and the Diaspora prepare to celebrate the raucous festival of Purim this year, many are feeling that the party is premature–the wounds of the horrific Hamas massacres on Oct. 7 are too fresh; the war’s casualties mount daily; hostages remain in Gaza.

“On the one hand, we are still waiting for victory—we do not feel there at all, and we are all dealing with trauma,” says Sarah Reinstein, a psychiatrist living in Elkana, a Jewish community in the northwestern Samarian hills. “On the other hand, we need the joy.”

But Purim, which this year begins on the evening of March 23 and continues until nightfall on March 24, leaves little room for conflicted feelings. Feasting, masquerades, and giving charity and gifts of food are the prescribed order of the day. Jewish law actually prohibits public displays of mourning on the holiday, even for those grieving close relatives. (Observant Jews do, however, fast on March 21 from morning until evening—the Fast of Esther—commemorating the events in Shushan, the capital city where the Scroll of Esther is set.)

One time-honored Purim custom may seem particularly appealing this year—the rabbis of the Talmud famously advise Purim revelers to drink until they can’t tell the difference between Mordechai, the Jewish hero of the Scroll of Esther, and Haman, the enemy of the Jews. But even with antisemitism rising around the world, many Jews say they’re not planning to overindulge this year.

If anything, the moment requires more vigilance, Elliot Cosgrove, senior rabbi at Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue told JNS: “The challenge right now is to be eyes wide open to what’s happening in Israel and Gaza, and also appreciate the here and now.”

The synagogue’s Purim play (“mischief, mayhem and mishugas aboard the cruise liner SS Shushan”) will be performed as usual, though the funds raised during the holiday will go to Israel, along with $18 million the congregation has already sent to the Holy Land. “The community response was incredibly affirming,” Cosgrove says, “but in the scope of the need, a drop in the bucket.”

And the insistence on keeping Purim celebrations “as usual” is deliberate, Cosgrove says: “My congregants don’t want their Judaism to be reduced to the hatred of others.”

Honoring the victims

The most dedicated and zealous group of Purim observers is unlikely to have any trouble carrying on as usual this year. Melinda Strauss, a news and social-media content creator in Long Island, N.Y., has not shared her mixed feelings about the holiday with her kids. “I don’t want to take away from their Purim joy,” says the mother of two. “If they want to hang out with friends, make a ton of mishloach manot, dress up, and all of that, I am so in to support them.”

Melinda Strauss
Melinda Strauss. Credit: Courtesy.

But Strauss herself is looking for ways to keep Oct. 7 in mind, even in the midst of the holiday madness. “My mishloach manot will be smaller as I donate more to Israel,” she says. She is also planning to honor two of the victims—Hadar and Itay Berdichevsky—by baking and distributing Hadar’s favorite cake. “I think we can feel joy and sadness at the same time, and that’s OK,” she says.

In Israel, however, where almost everyone has been touched directly by the events of the last few months, the question is not only one of sadness but of “trauma we have not seen in our generation,” psychologist Norman Goldwasser says.

Goldwasser, who lives and practices in Florida, was in Israel on Oct. 7 and treated survivors in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. He recently returned to train other psychologists in a new trauma center for soldiers returning from the Gaza Strip.

He’s not advising any of his patients to abstain from Purim celebrations this year, Goldwasser told JNS: “No one should allow Hamas or the delusional elements of the world who are attempting to vilify Israel to dampen our ability to celebrate a joyous holiday.”

And although it might seem counterintuitive, he believes that the Scroll of Esther resonates with those recovering from trauma. He cites the famous phrase v’nahafoch hu, which describes the many reversals in the Purim story, as good characters triumph and evil ones fall: “The concept of the reversal of outcomes [gives us] the ability to have faith that God is in charge and can give us the strength and resilience to carry on,” he says.

Laughing at ourselves

In the true spirit of reversals, for one group of Jews, having a more serious Purim is a reprieve. “For me, it’s easier, because there are fewer expectations from comedians this Purim,” Mendy Pellin says.

A “kosher comedian” and filmmaker, Pellin plans to spend the day at home in New York City, “schlepping around boxes” of mishloach manot with his kids. But as someone who has tackled once-taboo issues like child sexual abuse in his Brooklyn Chassidic community, he believes that Purim, like comedy, has the potential to “help us laugh at the way our mind processes trauma.”

“Purim is a time to step away from logic and lean closer to irrational feelings of joy,” Pellin says, “V’nahafoch hu—turning things on their head—in today’s climate means sanity.”

Mendy Pellin
Mendy Pellin. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

But perhaps the best reason to celebrate Purim this year is that it is a quintessentially communal holiday, the feasting, charity and gifts building bonds that endure to provide support and comfort. OneFamily, an organization that helps terror victims and their families in Israel, has already hosted a Purim party last month for bereaved families in Jerusalem, with more to come this month.

“Every holiday is an opportunity to spark some joy, bring some light,” says CEO Chantal Belzberg, “and to use the power of community and togetherness to help the very people hurting the most.”

Israeli envoy to Ireland receives death threats, ‘white powder’ in mail

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Dana Erlich- Screen shot

(i24) Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich received a letter containing white powder and photographs of victims of the October 7 attack with a note saying: “You’re next,” – beside a photo of the Israeli envoy, according to a report in the Irish Times on Friday.

“We will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced,” ambassador Erlich, who had faced calls for expulsion since the Israel-Hamas war outbreak, commented on the threat in her X (formerly Twitter) post.

A package is said ot have arrived at the Israeli embassy in Dublin earlier on March 14, leading to the evacuation of the building and the deployment of military Emergency Ordnance Disposal teams. Further investigation showed the white powder was sugar.

The Special Detective Unit of the Gardai, in charge of the embassy’s external security, said: “A cordon was put in place around the area, and the services of the Army EOD team were requested. The package was subsequently deemed safe and a hoax.”

The Gardai also announced they would implement a review of the security situation at the embassy citing the increasing number of threats.

NY Expands Access to Birth Control as Pharmacists Now Dispense Without Prescription

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Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a move aimed at enhancing access to reproductive healthcare and safeguarding reproductive freedoms, New Yorkers will soon have the option to obtain a year’s supply of hormonal birth control from pharmacies without a prescription, following a recent order issued by the New York State Department of Health, according to information provided in a recently published New York Times report.

The measure, which was passed by the State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul last year, formalizes the authorization for pharmacists to dispense three different types of hormonal birth control: birth control pills, vaginal rings, and contraceptive patches, as was reported in the NYT.  This initiative extends to both New York residents and out-of-state visitors, with pharmacists also providing counseling and information regarding the medication, as well as risks associated with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Although it may take a few weeks for pharmacies to fully implement the new regulation, state officials anticipate widespread participation, with approximately 85 percent of pharmacies expected to offer this service.

Speaking to the NYT was James McDonald, the state health commissioner. He emphasized the significance of this decision, stating, “This is about access to care, it’s about individual autonomy, it’s about health equity. But it’s also about protecting reproductive rights, which are all very core to the mission of the New York State Department of Health.”

New York joins more than two dozen other states, including New Jersey, California, and Oregon, in authorizing pharmacists to distribute birth control, the NYT report added. However, New York’s commitment to establishing itself as a safe harbor for reproductive care sets it apart from other states, particularly in a climate where reproductive freedoms are increasingly under threat.

The implementation of this measure reflects a broader effort to remove barriers to contraception access and ensure that individuals have the autonomy to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. By empowering pharmacists to provide hormonal birth control without the need for a prescription, New York aims to improve healthcare access and promote reproductive rights for all individuals.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, Hochul has spearheaded a series of initiatives aimed at safeguarding reproductive rights and ensuring access to essential healthcare services for all individuals. As was indicated in the NYT report, these efforts include substantial financial allocations, legislative measures, and public advocacy, all of which underscore New York’s commitment to women’s autonomy and reproductive health.

Anticipating an influx of out-of-state abortion seekers following the Supreme Court’s decision, Hochul allocated $35 million to support healthcare workers, recognizing the critical need for resources amidst changing legal landscapes. Subsequently, lawmakers passed a bill aimed at protecting abortion providers from out-of-state litigation and initiated steps to enshrine a right to abortion in the State Constitution, signaling a proactive stance in defense of reproductive rights.

In her proposed budget for the current year, Hochul has called for a significant increase in spending, allocating $100 million to support reproductive healthcare providers, the NYT report added. This substantial investment underscores New York’s commitment to ensuring access to essential reproductive healthcare services for all residents, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status.

Hochul’s recent announcement regarding access to hormonal birth control without a prescription further exemplifies New York’s progressive approach to reproductive health. Speaking at a press event in Albany, Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of women’s autonomy and reproductive rights, stating, “Here in New York, you have the power to walk into a pharmacy… and to make that decision… to control your life,” the NYT report said.

The significance of these initiatives is heightened against the backdrop of a national trend towards increasing restrictions on abortion access. With more than 20 states implementing bans or severe restrictions on abortions since Roe was overturned, women’s health advocates stress the critical importance of making contraception widely available and accessible, the report in the NYT explained.

With Democrats and some Republicans advocating for the preservation of reproductive freedoms, contrasting with Republican leadership’s resistance in the House of Representatives, the stage is set for a contentious battle ahead of the November elections, where the issue of abortion is expected to take center stage.

While Republicans, including former President Donald J. Trump, have signaled support for a nationwide abortion ban, Democrats are rallying around the cause of reproductive justice, viewing it as a critical battleground in the upcoming election, as per the information in the NYT report. With President Biden poised to face off against Trump, the stakes are high as the nation grapples with divergent visions for the future of reproductive healthcare.

In addition to the groundbreaking birth control rule, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on the Equal Rights Amendment in November. If passed, this amendment would enshrine protections against gender-based discrimination, including restrictions on reproductive care, into the State Constitution, the NYT reported. Furthermore, it would extend protections against discrimination based on race, disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation, marking a historic step towards equality and justice for all New Yorkers.

Worldwide Support Pours in For Princess Kate After Shock Cancer Announcement

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ate, the Princess of Wales - AP

(AP) – Support poured in from around the world Saturday for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after she revealed in a candid video message that she is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer following major abdominal surgery.

The princess’s poignant video, in which she spoke about the “huge shock” and “incredibly tough couple of months” for her family after her diagnosis, came after weeks of frenzied speculation on social media about her health and well-being.

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” Kate said in the video, which was recorded Wednesday in Windsor.

“It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK,” she added, referring to her three young children.

Kate, 42, did not say what type of cancer was discovered after she underwent what she described as “major” abdominal surgery. She said she is now in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy, and is “getting stronger every day.”

The royal said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous, until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis.

The announcement will at least partly tamp down the intense and sometimes fantastical speculation and conspiracy theories about her condition that have multiplied on social media since Kensington Palace announced in mid-January that she had been hospitalized for unspecified abdominal surgery.

Hashtags including “WeLoveYouCatherine” and “GetWellSoonCatherine” were trending Friday on X, formerly Twitter, while political leaders and cancer survivors sent messages of support.

“She has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. “She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday “we are incredibly sad” to hear the “terrible news.”

King Charles III, who is also undergoing treatment for an unspecified type of cancer, said in a statement that he was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did.” Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who have been estranged from the royal family since their move to California in 2020, said they wished “health and healing for Kate and the family.”

Until Friday there had been little information about Kate’s condition, and her months-long disappearance from public view fueled a flurry of rumor-mongering about the “missing” future queen.

Officials had only said that Kate’s surgery in January was successful and recuperation would keep the princess away from public duties until April.

Feelings of distrust about the royals gained ground earlier this month after Kate acknowledged that she had edited an official photo released to mark Mother’s Day in the U.K.

The photo, which was meant to calm and reassure the public, triggered a backlash after The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the image over concerns it was manipulated.

Even a video published last week by The Sun and TMZ that appeared to show Kate and William shopping near their home did not dispel the negative coverage, with some armchair detectives refusing to believe the video showed Kate at all.

In contrast, many of Saturday’s newspaper frontpages featured sympathetic headlines, with The Sun proclaiming: “Kate, you are not alone.” The Daily Telegraph featured an opinion piece that read: “Sickening online trolls revelling in Princess’s misery ought to be ashamed.”

Well-wishers and fans visiting Windsor and Kensington Palace expressed their support for Kate.

“I hope that they can find hope and some togetherness in their family,” said Andrea Stunz, who was visiting London from Texas when she heard the news about Kate. “We´ll be praying for them. We will be praying for the family.”

Israel prefers US support, but will enter Rafah alone if need be, Netanyahu tells Blinken

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Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu meets in Tel Aviv with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Jan. 9, 2024. Credit: Chuck Kennedy/U.S. State Department.

“I told him that I hope we would do this with U.S. support but if necessary, we will do it alone,” Netanyahu said, after the two met privately on Friday in the Kirya in Tel Aviv, in a translation his office provided of his Hebrew statement.

Blinken is also slated to meet today with the expanded War Cabinet, according to Netanyahu’s office. A schedule released by that the U.S. State Department said Blinken and Netanyahu were slated to meet at 11:15 a.m. Israel time, and that the broader meeting with the War Cabinet was called for 12:10 p.m. local time.

Both were closed to the press, according to the State Department.

The prime minister also told Blinken that he greatly appreciates that the two have stood together in the war against Hamas for more than five months.

“I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the combat zones and—of course—also see to the humanitarian needs,” Netanyahu added. “We are working to this end.”

Blinken “reaffirmed the United States’s commitment to Israel’s security and the lasting defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah,” said Blinken, according to a readout that Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesman, released after the secretary met with Netanyahu and then the War Cabinet.

Blinken “discussed efforts to reach an agreement for a ceasefire of at least six weeks that would secure the release of hostages and enable a surge in humanitarian assistance,” Miller said, and the secretary “emphasized the need to protect civilians in Gaza and increase and sustain humanitarian assistance, including through both land and sea routes.”

Blinken also “briefed the War Cabinet on his consultations in Jeddah and Cairo about efforts to achieve lasting peace and security for Israel, the Palestinian people and the broader region,” Miller added.

Also on Friday, Miller released a readout of what he said was “a call” in Tel Aviv between Blinken and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The two “discussed the ongoing negotiations to achieve a ceasefire of at least six weeks, which would secure the release of hostages and enable a surge of critical humanitarian assistance into Gaza,” according to Miller.

Blinken “reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security and the lasting defeat of Hamas,” said Miller, using nearly the same language as the other readout.

The secretary also stressed “the need for Israel to take all possible measures to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza—including through the prompt, effective facilitation of critical humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza,” Miller added. “The secretary also underscored the U.S. commitment to securing lasting peace and stability in the region.”

’She Is Never Here’: Residents Of AOC’s District Blast NYC’s Crime Wave, Migrant Crisis

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(Daily Caller) Residents of Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional district blasted New York City’s crime wave and migrant crisis Tuesday.

“Fox and Friends Weekend” host Rachel Campos-Duffy spoke to disgruntled residents in Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional district around 10 a.m. Tuesday in a segment that aired Saturday morning. Ocasio-Cortez’s constituents expressed contempt toward the progressive Democrat, stating that she “abandoned” them.

“She is never here,” one woman said of the Democratic representative. “I was a volunteer for her. She completely abandoned our community.”

“We would ask her to do her job of taking care of this neighborhood, to do a better job,” one man told Campos-Duffy when asked what he would say to Ocasio-Cortez.

“She should come and walk around here and see all, see everything” another man said. “All the garbage, all the people getting robbed during the daytime and the nighttime.”

 

The residents complained to Campos-Duffy about New York City’s migrant crisis and crime surge.

“There’s so much immigration now,” one man told Campos-Duffy. “There’s so many Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, Mexicans that crossed over. You know, due to Biden.”

“Are you seeing crime? More crime?” the Fox News host asked.

“Crime? Yeah, more crime. There’s more crime going on. Robberies, a lot of crackheads,” he replied.

One woman told Campos-Duffy that “you cannot walk around” in the district past 7 p.m. Another woman said that she feels “very unsafe, truly,” mentioning that someone attempted to assault her three times.

A man and woman who own a café told Campos-Duffy that their business “was affected” by crime, stating that other businesses close early as a result.

“Brick-and-mortar businesses are suffering a lot. We have a lot of closed doors, a lot of businesses that are just closing every single day because they can’t compete with the prices that the street vendors outside are, are giving everyone,” another man said.

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in early March that she was deploying the National Guard and the New York State Police (NYSP) to New York City subways. This comes as residents say their quality of life has dropped due to crime and illegal migration, according to polling data.

Murder in Manhattan Apartment Linked to Squatter Craze, As Online Videos Teach How to Take Over Private Property

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Murder in Manhattan Apartment Linked to Squatter Issue Sparks Concern Over Property Rights

In a grim turn of events, a murder mystery unfolds in Manhattan, shedding light on the perils associated with squatter laws and the current surge in squatting trends.

Videos, have popped up online teaching potential property thieves  how to invade private property, when owners  are on on vacation or away from their homes for an extended period of time,  and take it over, due to legal loopholes.

According to police sources, Nadia Vitels, 52, met a tragic fate inside her late mother’s New York City apartment in the Kips Bay neighborhood.

Two suspects on the run were apprehended by the US Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force in York, Pennsylvania, in connection with the homicide of 52-year-old Nadia Vitel, whose body was discovered in a duffel bag in her upscale Manhattan apartment last week, two senior law enforcement officials said Friday.

The individuals, a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old, are now facing charges related to Vitel’s death. Specifics on the charges weren’t immediately clear, nor were details regarding their capture, NBC News NY reported

Halley Tejada, 19, and Kensly Alston, 18, were tracked down by US Marshals in York, west of Philadelphia, just before 11 a.m. and taken into custody, the sources said.

NY Post reported: Investigators believe the suspects had been squatting in the upscale apartment and beat Vitels to death when they came face to face with her there on March 12, police said.

 

Reports suggest that Vitels, who had traveled from Spain to prepare the apartment for occupation by a family friend, was unaware of the two individuals unlawfully residing there. Surveillance footage captured her movements as she visited the vacant apartment, unaware of the presence of the squatters.

Tragically, upon her arrival, the suspects returned to the scene, leading to a confrontation resulting in Vitels’ death from blunt force trauma to the head. Her body was discovered concealed in a duffel bag within the apartment’s front closet.

The superintendent of the building, Jean Pompee, expressed shock and dismay, recounting the grim discovery made by concerned family members. The suspects, identified through surveillance footage, were seen fleeing the scene in Vitels’ Lexus, which was later involved in an accident in Pennsylvania.

 

The incident underscores the urgent need for reevaluation of squatter laws in New York and beyond. Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz has been vocal about the need to address loopholes that afford squatters legal protection after a mere 30 days of occupancy. 

NY Post reported on Squat0ter craze.

Blumencranz’s proposed legislation aims to mitigate the risks associated with squatters’ rights, aiming to prevent situations where individuals exploit the system for personal gain. Squatting, a growing concern across the nation, poses significant threats to homeowners’ rights and public safety.

In a disturbing trend, online forums and dark web platforms offer guidance on trespassing and establishing residency in vacant properties. Squatters strategically target homes based on various criteria, often exploiting properties left unattended for extended periods.

While high-profile cases, such as mansion takeovers, garner attention, instances like Vitels’ tragic death underscore the broader implications of squatting on individuals and communities.

As Vitels’ grieving son mourns the loss of his mother, the call for action to safeguard property rights grows louder. With thousands of homes vulnerable to invasion by squatters, urgent measures are needed to address this pressing issue and protect homeowners’ rights across the country.

New York AG Targets Trump’s Westchester Golf Cub Amid Bond Struggle

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New York AG Targets Trump’s Westchester Properties Amid Bond Struggle

New York Attorney General Letitia James is eyeing Donald Trump’s Westchester golf course and Seven Springs estate as the former president grapples with meeting the bond requirements on his $464 million civil fraud judgment from last month.

Documents reveal that shortly after Judge Arthur Engoron’s verdict on February 16, James’ team moved to register the judgments in Westchester County, indicating potential jeopardy for Trump’s properties in the area, including Trump National Golf Club Westchester and the sprawling Seven Springs estate spanning 212 acres, NY Post reported.

Trump’s legal team argued in a court filing on Monday that meeting the bond requirement was unfeasible given the hefty sum, estimating it at potentially $557 million due to accrued interest and appeals costs. They claimed that Trump lacked the cash flow and faced difficulties in offering real estate as collateral, with numerous insurance companies reportedly unwilling to accept it.

James’ team countered these arguments, suggesting Trump could seek smaller loans and dismissing claims of unattainability. Trump’s attorneys condemned the bond condition as unreasonable and unconstitutional.

Trump swiftly appealed the decision last month, seeking to reduce the bond amount to around $100 million, but was denied by an appeals judge. With a March 25 deadline looming, James has warned of asset seizures if Trump fails to comply.

While registering the judgment in Westchester doesn’t guarantee immediate confiscation, it provides James with the option to pursue such actions, including levying liens or initiating foreclosure proceedings.

However, James has not pursued similar actions in other states where Trump holds properties, such as Florida or Illinois.

The case stems from allegations that Trump and his children manipulated asset valuations to secure favorable loans, inflating values by billions annually. Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing loan repayments and expressing frustration over the financial burden of the bond requirement.

In response to the developments, Judge Engoron expanded the oversight authority of the monitor observing the Trump Organization’s real estate dealings, further intensifying scrutiny over the former president’s business operations.

What We Know About ISIS-K, Alleged Perpetrators of Moscow Concert Hall Massacre

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A file photo shows the ISIS terrorist group's flap. (Hussein Malla/AP Photo)

By Bill Pan(Epoch Times)

At least 133 people died in a massacre at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday night in what was the deadliest terror attack on Russian soil in over a decade. Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), a terrorist group based in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the carnage.

The ISIS branch claimed responsibility for the massacre in a statement posted on affiliated social media channels, although neither the Kremlin nor Russian security services have officially assigned blame for the attack.

A U.S. intelligence official, meanwhile, told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had confirmed that ISIS was responsible for the attack.

 

Hinting at a potential Ukrainian involvement, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Saturday that the attackers have co-conspirators on the Ukrainian side of the border. “They were traveling towards Ukraine where, according to preliminary information, they had a window to cross the border,” he said on Saturday.

While questions remain concerning what the group’s motivations were or whether at all the group was behind the attack, here is what is known about ISIS-K.
Who Is ISIS-K?

Emerging in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014, ISIS-K remains one of the most active terrorist groups that fight under the ISIS banner. It has said it aims to create an Islamic caliphate spanning across West and Central Asia.

Over the past decade, ISIS-K has established a reputation for brutality, sometimes fighting against the Taliban, who now run the country after the United States and its allies withdrew their forces in August 2021. The group’s targets also include Iran, the Islamic Republic dominated by a clerical hierarchy following the Shia school they consider heretics.

Moscow Says France Priming Troops for Ukraine; Paris Slams ‘Disinformation’
In January, nearly 100 people were killed in two explosions at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who died in a U.S. drone strike four years ago. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, which was confirmed by U.S. intelligence.

In September 2022, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at the Russian embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Russia is one of the few countries to have maintained a diplomatic mission in Kabul after the Taliban takeover. While the Kremlin does not officially recognize the Taliban regime, there have been talks over a potential deal to import Russian oil products in exchange for Afghan minerals.

ISIS-K’s active opposition against Taliban rule also extends to Beijing, which is seeking to forge a closer tie with the new regime in an effort to secure trade routes and access to raw materials critical to its military buildup. In December 2022, ISIS-K bombed a Chinese-owned Kabul hotel that served mostly Chinese nationals.

Amid the chaotic 2021 evacuation, a suicide bomber detonated explosives at Kabul International Airport, claiming the lives of 13 U.S. service members and more than 150 Afghans seeking to flee the country. Last April, the White House told families of the 11 Marines, the sailor, and the soldier killed in the blast that the ISIS-K leader who organized the airport attack was “killed in a Taliban operation.”

On March 7, the top general overseeing the U.S. military operations in the Middle East warned that ISIS-K appears to be gaining momentum toward launching attacks on the soil of Western countries.

“I assess ISIS-Khorasan retains the capability and will to attack U.S. and Western interests abroad in as little as six months and with little to no warning,” said Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command.

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At the same time, The U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning that an “imminent” terrorist attack would occur in Moscow, telling Americans in the city to avoid crowds, monitor local media, and be aware of their surroundings.

This warning came hours after Russian officials said they successfully prevented an ISIS-K attack targeting a synagogue in the city. The Russian Federal Security Service, the country’s counterintelligence agency, said the terrorists were “preparing to attack the congregants of a synagogue using firearms” and were “neutralized” during a gunfight.
Russia Pursues a Potential Ukrainian Link

In a televised address, Mr. Putin hinted at a potential connection between Friday’s massacre and Ukraine, which has entered its third year in fending off a full-scale Russian invasion.

“I am speaking to you today in connection with the bloody, barbaric terrorist act, the victims of which were dozens of innocent, peaceful people,” Mr. Putin, who recently won a landslide reelection victory, said in his first public remarks since the attack.

“All four perpetrators of the terrorist attack who shot and killed people have been detained. They were traveling towards Ukraine where, according to preliminary information, they had a window to cross the border,” he said.

Ukraine has denied any involvement and has accused the Kremlin of exploiting the attack to whip up domestic support for its war effort.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has denied any involvement.

“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he said in a post on X. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.

“There is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war,” he said in the post. “And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s foreign ministry also denied that the country had any involvement and accused Moscow of using the attack to try to build support for its war effort.

“We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community,” the ministry said in a statement.

Putin says gunmen who raided Moscow concert hall tried to escape to Ukraine. Kyiv denies involvement, ISIS Takes Responsibility

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AP

(AP) — Russian authorities arrested the four men suspected of carrying out the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday during an address to the nation. He claimed they were captured while fleeing to Ukraine.

Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in Friday’s attack on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk and the Islamic State’s Afghanistan affiliate claimed responsibility.

Kiev media reported:

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has said a deadly shooting on a concert hall in Moscow on March 22 is a “deliberate provocation by Putin‘s special services.”

“This is a deliberate provocation by Putin’s special services, about which the international community warned,” Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson of Ukraine’s military Intelligence, told Ukrainska Pravda.

In a post on its Telegram channel, HUR claimed the shooting is intended to justify “even tougher” attacks on Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia.

“The public execution of people in Moscow should be understood as Putin’s threat of an even greater escalation and expansion of the war,” HUR wrote.

Putin didn’t mention IS in his speech, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault in order to stoke fervor in Russia’s war in Ukraine, which recently entered its third year.

 

U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by IS’s Afghanistan affiliate that it was responsible for the attack, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. U.S. intelligence agencies gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow, and U.S. officials privately shared the intelligence with Russian officials earlier this month, the U.S. official said. The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Putin said authorities have detained a total of 11 people in the attack, which also injured more than 100 concertgoers and left the venue on Moscow’s western rim a smoldering ruin. He called it “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said Russian authorities captured the four suspected gunmen as they were trying to escape to Ukraine through a “window” prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border.

Russian media broadcast videos that apparently showed the detention and interrogation of the suspects, including one who told the cameras he was approached by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher via a messaging app channel and paid to take part in the raid.

Russian news reports identified the gunmen as citizens of Tajikistan, a former Soviet country in Central Asia that is predominantly Muslim and borders Afghanistan. Up to 1.5 million Tajiks have worked in Russia and many have Russian citizenship.

Officials in Tajikistan, who denied initial Russian media reports that mentioned several other Tajiks allegedly involved in the raid, didn’t comment on Saturday’s arrest of the four suspected gunmen.

Many Russian hardliners called for a crackdown on Tajik migrants, but Putin appeared to reject the idea, saying “no force will be able to sow the poisonous seeds of discord, panic or disunity in our multi-ethnic society.”

He declared Sunday a day of mourning and said that additional security measures have been imposed throughout Russia

The attack, the deadliest in Russia in years, is a major embarrassment to the Russian leader and happened just days after he cemented his grip on the country for another six years in a vote that followed the harshest crackdown on dissent since the Soviet times.

Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who have relentlessly suppressed any opposition activities and muzzled independent media, failed to prevent the attack despite the U.S. warnings.

The attack came two weeks after the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a notice urging Americans to avoid crowded places in view of “imminent” plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings, including concerts. Several other Western embassies repeated the warning. Earlier this week, Putin denounced the warning as an attempt to intimidate Russians.

Investigators on Saturday were combing through the charred wreckage of the hall for more victims, and authorities said the death toll could still rise. Hundreds of people stood in line in Moscow early Saturday to donate blood and plasma, Russia’s health ministry said.

Putin’s claim that the attackers tried to flee to Ukraine followed comments by Russian lawmakers who pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. But Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied any involvement.

“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he posted on X. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.”

Ukraine’s foreign ministry accused Moscow of using the attack to try to stoke fervor for its war efforts.

“We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community,” the ministry said in a statement.

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)
A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

Images shared by Russian state media Saturday showed emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, which could hold more than 6,000 people and has hosted many big events, including the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant that featured Donald Trump.

On Friday, crowds were at the venue for a concert by the Russian rock band Picnic.

Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire, which eventually consumed the building and caused its roof to collapse.

Dave Primov, who survived the attack, told the AP that the gunmen were “shooting directly into the crowd of people who were in the front rows.” He described the chaos in the hall as concertgoers rushed to leave the building: “People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them.”

After he and others crawled out of the hall into nearby utility rooms, he said he heard pops from small explosives and smelled burning as the attackers set the building ablaze. By the time they got out of the massive building 25 minutes later, it was engulfed in flames.

“Had it been just a little longer, we could simply get stuck there in the fire,” Primov said.

Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families have streamed in from around the world.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned “the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack” and underlined the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the terrorist attack “in the strongest possible terms,” his spokesman said.

IS, which lost much of its ground after Russia’s military action in Syria, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the group’s Aamaq news agency, IS’s Afghanistan affiliate said it had attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk.

On Saturday, the group issued a new statement on Aamaq saying the attack was carried out by four men who used automatic rifles, a pistol, knives and firebombs in the attack. It said that attackers fired at the crowd and also used knives to kill some concertgoers, casting the raid as part of IS’s ongoing war with countries that it says are fighting Islam.

In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt.

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)
A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. (Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP)

The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia’s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union.

Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secure an area at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Alexander Avilov/Moscow News Agency via AP)
Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secure an area at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Alexander Avilov/Moscow News Agency via AP)

On March 7, just hours before the U.S. Embassy warned about imminent attacks, Russia’s top security agency said it had thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an IS cell, killing several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days before that, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia, in Russia’s Caucasus region.

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Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo in Washington and Colleen Long in Wilmington, Delaware, contributed to this report.

Princess Catherine Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Requests Privacy Amid Family’s Struggle

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ate, the Princess of Wales - AP

Princess Catherine Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Requests Privacy Amid Family’s Struggle

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a poignant video message released on Friday, Catherine, Princess of Wales, bravely disclosed her recent cancer diagnosis, shedding light on the tumultuous journey her family has endured over the past months, as was reported on Friday in the New York Times. The announcement, coming on the heels of King Charles III’s own battle with cancer, underscores the profound challenges faced by the British royal family in the wake of these health crises.

The revelation marks a somber chapter in the life of Catherine, 42, who alongside her husband, Prince William, has navigated the public spotlight with grace and dignity. Addressing the public, Catherine acknowledged the trying nature of the past months, stating, “It’s been incredibly tough for our entire family,” the NYT report said.  Her words echo the sentiments of resilience and unity shared by her and Prince William as they confront this unexpected challenge.

Despite the gravity of her diagnosis, Catherine remained steadfast in her resolve to prioritize her family’s privacy, urging the public and news media to respect their need for space during this period of treatment, as was indicated in the NYT report. “We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” Catherine expressed, emphasizing the importance of privacy in navigating this deeply personal journey.

The news of Catherine’s illness comes amidst a backdrop of speculation and uncertainty surrounding her health, exacerbated by her recent absence from public engagements following abdominal surgery in January. Her decision to address the rumors directly reflects her commitment to transparency and authenticity in sharing her experiences with the public.

“This of course came as a huge shock,” Catherine confessed, revealing the emotional toll of grappling with her diagnosis, the report in the NYT said. “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time.” Her candid acknowledgment of the challenges faced by her and Prince William underscores the depth of their commitment to supporting each other and their children during this difficult period.

Speaking directly to the public in a video message recorded by the BBC in Windsor, Catherine recounted the journey that led to her diagnosis. The NYT report noted that initially, doctors believed her condition to be noncancerous when she underwent surgery, which was deemed successful. However, further tests revealed evidence of cancer, prompting her to embark on a course of chemotherapy.

“It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” Catherine shared in the video, the NYT reported . “But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”

The timing of Catherine’s announcement eerily parallels that of her father-in-law, King Charles III, whose own battle with cancer was made public earlier this year, as per the information in the NYT report. Despite assurances from Buckingham Palace that the king’s cancer is not prostate cancer, the specific details of his diagnosis and prognosis remain undisclosed, leaving room for speculation and uncertainty.

The announcement serves as a sobering reminder of the fragility of life and the indiscriminate nature of illness, even within the highest echelons of society. With both the monarch and his daughter-in-law confronting grave health challenges, the British royal family finds itself plunged into a period of profound uncertainty, grappling with the implications for the future of the monarchy.

Prior to Catherine’s video message, Kensington Palace had released limited information about her condition, leading to a vacuum of information that fueled rumors and conspiracy theories on social media, as was explained in the NYT report.

In the video, Catherine is depicted sitting on a bench outside, surrounded by the beauty of nature with daffodils and blossoming trees in the background. Her hands clasped on her lap, she exudes a sense of calm and resolve as she bravely confronts the challenges ahead, the NYT report observed.

“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous. The surgery was successful,” Catherine revealed, according to the report in the NYT. “However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team, therefore, advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.” Her candid disclosure underscores the unpredictability of illness and the importance of remaining vigilant in monitoring one’s health.

Throughout her statement, Catherine emphasized the central role of her three children and their well-being in shaping the timing of her announcement. “As I have said to them,” she expressed, “I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body, and spirit. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance, too,” as was reported by the NYT.

The decision to share the news with the public was carefully considered, with Catherine and William choosing to wait until the children’s school had broken up for the Easter holidays. The NYT report said that a Kensington Palace official explained that the couple wanted to share the information when they felt it was right for them as a family, highlighting their commitment to prioritizing their children’s well-being amidst the upheaval caused by Catherine’s diagnosis.

In concluding her video statement, Catherine offered words of encouragement and support to others grappling with a cancer diagnosis. “At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer,” she remarked. “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.” Her message serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration to all those touched by cancer, offering solace and reassurance in the face of adversity.

 

Moscow Concert Hall Massacre: Masked Gunmen Leave Trail of Death and Destruction

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(TJV) Masked gunmen stormed into a concert hall in Moscow,  at least 100 deaths, according to RT News. The attackers, clad in camouflaged clothing, opened fire and set off explosives, causing a massive fire at the Crocus City Hall on the western outskirts of Moscow. Videos circulating on social media captured the horrifying scene, with plumes of black smoke billowing from the venue and reports suggesting up to 100 people may be trapped inside.

UPDATES: RT News reports over 100 have been killed, and the attack is ongoing.

Reports have emerged one suspect has been arrested. 

Russian officals claim the terroriss were Ukranian operatives, the US Embassy in Moscow has denied this, according t multiple sources.

Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova labelled the incident, which security services believe took 40 lives, a “terrorist attack”.

According to news outlet 112, the death toll could be as high as 40, with around 100 others wounded, although these numbers are subject to change. Riot police and special services swiftly responded to the incident, while firefighters initially delayed tackling the blaze until the area was secured.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes of people lying on the floor to evade gunfire and attempting to crawl to safety. Some were evacuated from the roof of the burning building. Ambulance crews rushed to the scene to provide medical assistance to the injured.

Both the Moscow Mayor and the governor of the Moscow region expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged assistance. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but it occurred during a concert by the Soviet-era rock band Picnic.

This tragic event comes despite warnings issued by the US and UK embassies two weeks prior, indicating a potential attack on crowded venues by extremists.  On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Russia issued a warning about possible terrorist attacks in Moscow over the following 48 hours.The US embassy had specifically cautioned against attending large gatherings, including concerts, in Moscow. Social media experienced interruptions following the attack, adding to the turmoil of the situation.

Trump’s Social Media Company Approved to Go Public, Potentially Netting Former President Billions

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The Truth Social account for former President Donald Trump is seen on a mobile device, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in New York. Trump’s Truth Social looks set to hit Wall Street in a move that could give him stock worth billions of dollars on paper. But the former president likely can’t cash it out right away, unless some things change. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

(AP) — Donald Trump is returning to the stock market, and the former president stands to reap a sizeable payout in the process.

Shareholders of Digital World Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded shell company, approved a deal to merge with the Trump’s media business in a Friday vote. That means Trump Media & Technology Group, whose flagship product is social networking site Truth Social, will soon begin trading on the Nasdaq stock market.

Trump is set to own most of the combined company — or nearly 79 million shares. Multiply that by Digital World’s closing stock price Thursday of $42.81, and the total value of his stake could surpass $3 billion.

The greenlight arrives at a time the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is facing his most costly legal battle to date: a $454 million judgment in a fraud lawsuit.

But Trump won’t be able to cash out the deal’s windfall immediately, unless the company’s board makes changes to a “lock-up” provision that prevents company insiders from selling newly issued shares for six months.

Trump’s presidential campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.

When a publicly traded shell company agrees to buy a private company, the target company takes its place on a stock exchange once the combination is approved by shareholders. If recent activity in Digital World’s stock is any indication, shareholders of Trump Media could be in for a bumpy ride.

Many of Digital World’s investors are small-time investors who are either fans of Trump or trying to cash in on the mania, instead of big institutional and professional investors. Those shareholders helped the stock more than double this year in anticipation of the merger going through. After the deal was cleared Friday, shares fell as much as 12% before bouncing back to be down about 2.5% around midday,

Trump’s earlier foray into the stock market didn’t end well. Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts went public in 1995 under the symbol DJT — the same symbol Trump Media will trade under. By 2004, Trump’s casino company had filed for bankruptcy protection and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Ahead of Friday’s approval, Digital World’s regulatory filings listed many of the risks its investors face, as well as those of the Truth Social owner once Trump Media also goes public.

One risk, the company said, is that Trump would be entitled to vote in his own interest as a controlling stockholder — which may not always be in the interests of all shareholders. Digital World also cited the high rate of failure for new social media platforms, as well as Trump Media’s expectation that it would lose money on its operations “for the foreseeable future.”

Trump Media lost $49 million in the first nine months of last year, when it brought in just $3.4 million in revenue and had to pay $37.7 million in interest expenses.

Trump Media and Digital World first announced their merger plans back in October 2021. In addition to a federal probe, the deal faced a series of lawsuits leading up to Friday’s vote.

Truth Social launched in February 2022, one year after Trump was banned from major social platforms including Facebook and Twitter, the platform now known as X, following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He’s since been reinstated to both, but has stuck with Truth Social as a megaphone for his message.

Trump promoted Truth Social in a post on the social media network Thursday evening, saying: “TRUTH SOCIAL IS MY VOICE, AND THE REAL VOICE OF AMERICA!!! MAGA2024!!!”

Trump Media hasn’t so far disclosed Truth Social’s user numbers. But research firm Similarweb estimates that it had roughly 5 million active mobile and web users in February. That’s far below TikTok’s more than 2 billion and Facebook’s 3 billion — but still higher than other “alt-tech” rivals like Parler, which has been offline for nearly a year but is planning a comeback, or Gettr, which had less than 2 million visitors in February.

A plunge into the public market means Trump’s social media business will soon have to disclose more details.

Private companies are accountable to their owners, while public ones are accountable to the shareholders who own the company’s stock. Once public, Trump Media will be required to report its quarterly finances as well as other material news to federal regulators.

In this sense, Truth Social faces some of the same problems that X has been contending with — mainstream advertisers who don’t want to be associated with hate speech and other controversial content.

China, Russia veto US ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council

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China and Russia vetoed a U.S. drafted resolution about Gaza at the U.N. Security Council on March 22, 2024. Credit: United Nations photo.

(JNS)  China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution at the U.N. Security Council on Friday morning, saying the text didn’t go far enough in calling for a ceasefire in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Washington’s resolution, which underwent six drafts, states that an immediate, sustained ceasefire is “imperative” and “towards that end, unequivocally supports ongoing international diplomatic efforts to secure such a ceasefire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”

 

Eleven council members supported it. Guyana abstained, and China, Russia and Algeria voted against it. (As permanent members, China and Russia have veto power, while Algeria, as a non-permanent member, does not.)

“The American resolution—should it have passed—would have marked a moment of morality for the U.N., a place where good is evil, and justice is injustice,” Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador to the global body, stated after the vote. “It would have been the very first time that this council—or any U.N. body—condemned Hamas and their brutal massacre.”

“Sadly, for purely political reasons, this resolution did not pass, and terrorists can continue benefiting from this council whitewashing their crimes,” he added.

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“The United Nations was established in the wake of the Holocaust to prevent such atrocities from happening again. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, thank you for defending these values,” Erdan added. “Your determination to condemn the Hamas monsters and your conviction that the release of the hostages is not something that can be postponed shows true moral clarity.”

“The council’s decision to not condemn Hamas is a stain that will never be forgotten,” Erdan said.

‘Read into it’

The draft resolution’s language was the strongest Washington has used so far about a ceasefire.

The text was crafted so that all council members should be able to “read into it what they need to” in order to support it, Robert Wood, deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters on Thursday.

Beijing and Moscow still saw enough that made it unpalatable to them.

Gilad ErdanIsraeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan at the U.N. General Assembly Hall in New York, Jan. 16, 2023. Photo by Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90.
Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters before the vote that a ceasefire “should not be linked to any number of issues” being negotiated between Israel and Hamas.

That includes the release of hostages and how long it takes to halt hostilities; how long the Israeli military remains in the Gaza Strip; and how long it takes to repopulate the northern part of the enclave.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, said on Friday that any resolution was “pointless” if it didn’t call explicitly for an immediate ceasefire. Moscow’s envoy criticized Washington for its previous “cold blood” vetoes of resolutions that otherwise had broad council support.

The United States has consistently rejected calls for immediate ceasefires to allow negotiations to continue, though that position has become more difficult to defend daily. The negotiations have been strung out, reportedly due to unrealistic Hamas demands.

Prior U.S. resolution drafts had called for a ceasefire “as soon as practicable” and for a period of six weeks, though such a halt in fighting was always linked to the release of the hostages still being held captive in Gaza.

“First and foremost, we want to see an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that leads to the release of all hostages being held by Hamas and other groups,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said before the vote on Friday. “That will allow much more life-saving humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.”

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“Of course, we can’t just want that to happen, we have to make that happen. We have to do the hard work of diplomacy,” she added. “I know you’ve heard me say that a lot, and that’s because it’s the truth. A Security Council resolution means much less if it is not actually made real on the ground.”

Thomas-Greenfield said that Washington, Cairo and Doha are “working around the clock” to secure an “immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that leads to the release of all hostages being held by Hamas and other groups,” which “will help us address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

“We believe we’re close. We’re not there yet, unfortunately. And this moment is one where the Security Council has a critical role to play,” she added, prior to the vote. “By adopting the resolution before us, we can put pressure on Hamas to accept the deal on the table.”

After Russia and China vetoed the resolution, Thomas-Greenfield shifted blame to the two, citing their rejection of previous drafts due to their unwillingness to condemn Hamas for the Oct. 7 massacre and other war crimes.

The U.S. envoy called those rejections “cynical” and “petty.”

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.N. Security CouncilLinda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, vetoes a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire to the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, put forth by Algeria, at U.N. Security Council on Feb. 20, 2024. Credit: Manuel Elías/U.N. Photo.
Rafah military operation

The U.S. draft also includes language expressing concern about an impending Israeli military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, the last remaining Hamas stronghold.

Washington moved that text to the resolution’s beginning, called a “preambular,” rather than the “operative” section, lessening its weight.

Critics say that gives a green light, in effect, to Israel to carry out its plans in Rafah, although Washington has consistently been critical of a Rafah offensive.

After meeting privately in Tel Aviv on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel must enter Rafah to destroy Hamas. The Jewish state would rather do so with U.S. support, but it will go alone if necessary, Netanyahu said that he told Blinken.

A spokesman for the Israeli mission to the United Nations told JNS on Thursday that it “could live” with the U.S. resolution, although it has some concerns about parts of it.

Notably, the resolution doesn’t mention UNRWA, the embattled U.N. Palestinian-only aid and social services agency, which Israel has accused of extensive ties to Hamas and other Gazan terror groups. The United Nations has said that it is investigating.

Text in the resolution referred only to “U.N. agencies” that the council should support in their efforts to increase humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza.

The resolution is the ninth about the war upon which the Security Council has voted. Only two have passed, both addressing only humanitarian aid.

 

The so-called E10—the 10 elected, non-permanent members of the Security Council—has its own resolution, which calls for an immediate ceasefire. Japan, Korea and Ecuador dropped their support for it late this week.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority’s U.N. envoy, told reporters that the resolution will come up for a vote Friday afternoon or Saturday, though no council member has confirmed that yet.

Thomas-Greenfield said on Friday morning that the E-10 resolution doesn’t account for “sensitive negotiations” in the region, appearing to imply Washington might well veto it if it comes to a vote.

Daily Wire Severs Ties With Candace Owens

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The Daily Wire’s Candace Owen, 33, has taken to Instagram to tell Kardashian what she thinks of her silence on this matter. Photo Credit: AP

Nicole Silverio(DailyCaller) 

The Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing announced Friday that the outlet has severed ties with Candace Owens.

Owens hosted a show on The Daily Wire after becoming a prominent name in the conservative movement. The outlet abruptly made the announcement of her departure for reasons currently unknown.

“Daily Wire and Candace Owens have ended their relationship,” Boreing announced without an explanation.

“The rumors are true— I am finally free,” Owens tweeted in part after the news broke. “There will be many announcements in the weeks to come.”

Owens clashed with Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro after she criticized him for his views on the Israel-Hamas war. Shapiro called Owens’ “behavior” during the conflict “disgraceful” in Nov. 2023.

“The question is about Candace Owens. Her behavior during this has been disgraceful, without a doubt,” Shapiro said during a live event. “And she still works at my company, and I think she’s been absolutely disgraceful.”

Shapiro called for Owens to leave the company over their spat in November after she suggested that she could not “serve both God and money.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,” Owens posted. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

“Candace, if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit,” Shapiro replied in a Nov. 2023 tweet.

Owens then accused Shapiro of acting “unprofessional and emotionally unhinged,” calling him “utterly out of line” for saying she cannot quote scripture.

She further called Shapiro’s comments “ad-hominem attacks” that she could not respond to “on a level of intellect.”

“I can’t respond to it beyond what he’s saying because they are just ad-hominem attacks,” she told Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson. “I can’t respond to it on a level of intellect because there’s nothing that he has expressed, at least in that short clip, that he fundamentally disagrees with in terms of what I said … If that was me that was caught on a video saying that about colleagues I work with, I would be embarrassed. So I think that the video speaks more to Ben’s character than it speaks to mine.”

Owens further said she and Shapiro have disagreed on a number of issues, including the COVID vaccine and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Man Allegedly Hijacks Metro Bus With BB Gun, Crashes Into Luxury Hotel

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(Daily Caller) A man allegedly hijacked a Los Angeles County Metropolitan bus Wednesday while armed with a BB gun, causing the bus to crash into several cars and a hotel, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

The suspect, later identified as Anai Lindsey, boarded the bus approximately 11:10 p.m., the LAPD said in a press release. Shortly after, he then allegedly approached the bus driver and issued vocal threats.

Afterward, he allegedly “reached into his waistband as if he had a” firearm and told the operator, “Just Drive!” When the drive made a turn, “the suspect grabbed the steering wheel and caused the bus to collide with several vehicles,” the press release stated. “One of the vehicles … was occupied” during the incident. The person inside the vehicle is in stable condition, police said.

Security camera footage showed the bus blowing through an intersection where it collided with a vehicle. The bus then crashed into a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Downtown L.A., according to the LAPD.

 

The “suspect fled the scene on foot” after the bus crashed into the hotel, the press release stated. The bus driver was taken to a local hospital and has since been released, according to the police.

Officers found the handgun, which was later identified as a BB gun, on the sidewalk in front of the Metro bus, the press release noted.

Lindsey is a Nevada resident, according to police. The 24-year-old was arrested by the LAPD, charged with a felony and held on a $100,000 bail, according to LAPD inmate records.

There were no other passengers aboard the bus when Lindsey allegedly attempted to highjack it, the press release stated.