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Epstein Victims Can Now Seek Compensation as Fund Begins to Accept Claims

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AP

By Rusty Brooks

“This Program provides victims of Jeffrey Epstein the opportunity to be heard outside the glare of public courtroom proceedings, and to receive acknowledgment by an independent third party as to the legitimacy of their experience and the long-term suffering it has wrought”

A statement released from a new fund which allows victims of the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein to seek compensation announced.

There are at least 70 announced victims who would seek justice, according to the NY Post.

The victim’s fund was in the making since November of last year, Jeffrey Epstein’s estate was being hit with so many lawsuits that  it has hired the former head of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund to steer a first-of-its-kind program to settle with his “victims.”, NY Post reported.

Law.com explained: The protocols for the claims process, which were finalized, allow survivors to submit a claim to administrator Jordana Feldmen, who will then review the application and make a proposed settlement offer, said attorney David Boies, whose firm represents five Epstein victims in the Southern District of New York. The offer can not be withdrawn by the estate, though victims participating in the claims process would have the option of whether to accept the settlement, he said.

In exchange, victims would relinquish all claims against Epstein’s estate, as well as any of its agents or employees. Those releases, however, would not apply to any alleged participant in Epstein’s sex-trafficking scheme. If a victim declines the offer, she would still be able to pursue her claims in court, said Boies, chairman and managing partner of Boies Schiller Flexner.

Epstein’s estate is valued at $577 million headed by Jordana Feldman, who was previously Deputy Special Master of the Victims Compensation Fund.

The suit filed in the US Virgin Islands in January alleged that Epstein used a system of private planes, helicopters, boats and vehicles to bring young women and girls to his island residence on Little St. James, CNN reported.

There, the victims were “deceptively subjected to sexual servitude, forced to engage in sexual acts and coerced into commercial sexual activity and forced labor,” the lawsuit said.

The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) was initially created in 2001 and ran through 2004. It was revived in 2011 and went into law in 2015, but only gave victims the opportunity to make claims until 2020

During its first four years, the fund gave out $7 billion to the families of more than 2,880 people who died and to 2,680 people who were injured in the 9/11 attacks, according to testimony on late 2019 by the VCF’s Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya.

When it was reactivated in 2011, it expanded eligibility and allotted $2.775 billion. The fund was set to end in 2016, but in 2015, Congress and President Obama allowed for the bill to continue another five years, until 2020, with another $4.6 billion, Fox News reported Bhattacharyya’s remarks.

In 2019:, the Senate voted  97-2 to permanently replenish the fund that would benefit police officers, fire fighters and other first responders who suffered harm or were killed because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. Without the reauthorization, the $7.4 billion fund would run out of money by December 2020, ABC reported.

West Village, UES, Astoria Get Most Complaints for Social-Distancing Violations

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Photo Credit: Wikipedia

By:  Ellen Cans

Since Phase 2 reopening  was introduced in New York City, allowing restaurants and bars to open up for outdoor seating, 311 call centers have been busy taking complaints about social distancing violations.  As reported by the NY Post, the West Village, Upper East Side and Astoria led the list of ZIP codes with the most social distancing violations during the weekends of June 11-13 and 18-20, as per 311 city data. Those six days yielded 2,480 complaints– 1,208 in the first weekend and 1,272 last weekend from Thursday to Saturday.   Apparently at many of the establishment, where alcohol was served on sidewalks and bike lanes, the beer goggles went on and the facial coverings came off, with social distancing turning into a thing of the past.

The reports prompted a response from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who reproached bar and restaurant owners, revelers and government officials on June 14.  “These are not hard-to-spot violations. People send videos of these violations,” he said. “I’m not going to allow situations to exist, that we know have a high likelihood of causing an increase in the virus . . . Local governments, do your job.”

Of the complaints logged over the two weekends, 82 of the calls were for the West Village 10014 ZIP code, topping all New York City neighborhoods, as per the data from New York City Department of Information Technology. A bar-lined two-block stretch of Hudson Street alone, fetched eight of the 311 complaint calls.  The Upper East Side’s 10028 ZIP code got 80 social-distancing complaint calls, with 28 of those for Second Avenue from 68th to 95th, or more than one grievance per block.  The Astoria neighborhood got the third most complaints, with 73 calls for the 11103 zip code.  Next on the list for complaints were Bay Ridge, SoHo, Williamsburg, and Astoria’s 11106 zip code, which logged 63, 61, 54 and 54 complaint calls respectively.  Other neighborhoods to make the top 10 the list for complaints over the two weekends included Hell’s Kitchen, East Village, and Kips Bay/Murray Hill.

“Look at the facts. Look at our viral infection rate. Look at the other 22 states [where the virus is on the rise], and you don’t want to be one of those other 22 states,” Cuomo said.  Cuomo pointed a finger at the Mayor for not cracking down on social distancing violations. “So I made a few phone calls and said to restaurant owners, bar owners, ‘What are you doing?’” Cuomo said. “‘We have the guidelines. I’m looking at a picture of your establishment taken 25 minutes ago, and people are violating everything, everything. No masks, no social distancing.’

“Look, the state is going to enforce the rules,” he added.

Gov. Cuomo May Delay Indoor Dining in NYC Amid Coronavirus Resurgence

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On Monday June 29th, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he is considering delaying the reopening of indoor dining and retail malls in New York City, due to worries of a resurgence in coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

By Benyamin Davidsons

On Monday June 29th, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he is considering delaying the reopening of indoor dining and retail malls in New York City, due to worries of a resurgence in coronavirus cases.  “Malls and indoor dining are things that I’m concerned about and we may consider slowing them down for next week. Not going backwards, but we may actually slow them down,” Gov. Cuomo said during a call-in interview with NY1.

Last week, we entered Phase Two of the reopening, allowing restaurants to offer outdoor seating.  Indoor dining at restaurants with 50 percent capacity, and indoor malls are scheduled to reopen in the city this upcoming Monday, July 6.  As reported by the NY Post, the governor said he’ll be having discussions with business leaders about possibly requiring the installation of HEPA filters in air conditioning units to help prevent the circulation of COVID-19 indoors. “We’ll have a final decision [on whether restaurants reopen] by Wednesday so people operating those businesses will know what they’re doing,” the governor said.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio also reiterated the governor’s apprehensions about reopening the city’s restaurants.  “The New York City story is pretty damn good when it comes to the comeback we’re making from the coronavirus,” de Blasio said at a separate briefing on Monday.  “The rest of the nation – I don’t need to tell you – is looking more and more troubling, and that is causing us to think about each step we are taking and to examine what we’re seeing from around the country,” the mayor said.

“My team spoke with the governor’s team yesterday, and we’re increasingly concerned, they are as well,” de Blasio said.  “We are now going to reexamine the indoor-dining rules for Phase 3. The rest of Phase 3 is moving on pace for Monday, July 6 – this coming Monday. But the indoor dining element is now in question.”

States like Florida, Texas, Arizona and California have seen an alarming resurgence in Covid-19 cases, making both the mayor and governor wary.  Cuomo said he would not want to endanger the progress New York is making.  “I would not want to roll back anything we’ve done. I want to continue to move forward, but we may move forward with caution,” he said.  On Sunday there were only seven COVID-19-related deaths in NY, down from a peak of 800 deaths. The infection rate for New Yorkers has also dropped to below 1 percent.  “We’ve been reopening, and the spread is still gone down with our reopening, because we have a phased in and we have it calibrated,” Cuomo said.

The governor also delicately touched on the protests across the city, which were mostly held without masks or social distancing.  “New York City is different. It is more complicated than other parts of the state. Our numbers are good, very good right now, but there are troubling signs,” Cuomo said.  “We still have large gatherings which are going on, which are not helpful. We went through the protests, and now we’re seeing continued large gatherings. We’re seeing large social gatherings on sidewalks.”  Cuomo also took a stab at the Mayor and the NYPD saying, a “lack of compliance and a lack of enforcement” in social gathering violations were “not helpful”.

Owners Scramble to Make NYC Hotels Safe During COVID-19

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Hotel owners are working to answer existential questions, like how to make their public spaces safe? How to serve guests without coming into close contact with them? Photo Credit: Wikipedia

By : Hadassa Kalatizadeh

While the Coronavirus has impacted every industry, perhaps the hardest hit in New York City is the hospitality industry.  With tourism and traveling virtually non-existent, hotels are counting on locals and staycations to bring in some business.  Many hotels have not yet decided if it will be worth reopening their doors.  The problems of social distancing and increased cleaning protocols for public spaces still present obstacles.  As reported by Crain’s NY, hotel owners are working to answer existential questions, like how to make their public spaces safe?  How to serve guests without coming into close contact with them?  The hardest question of all for now is, does the city need so many hotels with tourism at historical lows?  The Big Apple already has close to 123,000 hotel rooms.  More hotels are in construction, with 25 additional hotels expected for next year, and another eight set to open in 2022-23   “Many discussions are going on,” said Vijay Dandapani, chief executive of the Hotel Association of New York City.

Hotel owners are working on necessary changes to enhance safety.  David Orowitz’s new 46-floor mixed-use hotel, rising above West 47th Street, boasts 75,000 square feet of retail space on eight floors, and an elevated 4,000 square foot outdoor Theatre.  Located on Broadway and Seventh Avenue, the TSX Broadway tower, is under construction at the former sight of the Double Tree Hilton hotel and the landmark Palace Theatre.   The outer facade will feature an 18,000-square-foot LED advertisement sign, and the 669 hotel rooms will feature floor to ceiling glass windows with views overlooking Times Square.  The $2.5 billion tower, which is set to open in early 2022, is already working to implement changes to make the tower safer.  “Obviously we’re evaluating things,” said Orowitz. Ventilation systems may be altered to improve air flow. Windows may be reconfigured so they can be opened.  Guests probably won’t use keys to enter their rooms, but rather an app for touchless entry.  The hotel is lucky to have time on their side and be able to make alterations to the building now for optimal results when they open.

If the pandemic’s grip does not let up soon, however, some say there is a possibility that some underpreforming hotels will be converted for other uses, such as apartments to meet the city’s housing needs.  Hotel owners, however, may not be very keen to convert into apartments with rent payments currently in mayhem.  “If your rental income is sliding, why convert to another use that’s not working well?” Dandapani said.  Office buildings may be another option, but middle class jobs in the hospitality industry would take a big loss.  The hotel workers union said that 95 percent of its 40,000 members were laid off when the city was shuttered for COVID-19 concerns.

“Molotov Cocktail” Lawyer Pleads Not Guilty To NYPD Squad Car Attack

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Urooj Rahman, the radicalized lawyer pleaded not guilty to multiple charges after attacking a police car with a Molotov cocktail

By Jared Evan

The radicalized lawyer who tossed a Molotov cocktail at a squad car in Brooklyn, at the height of the George Floyd Riots, pleaded not guilty to all charges, NY Post reported

Urooj Rahman, 31, who was previously ordered held at the Metropolitan Detention Center pleaded not guilty to charges of  use of explosives, arson, using an explosive to commit a felony, arson conspiracy, use of a destructive device, civil disorder and possessing and making a destructive device in the alleged May 30 attack in Brooklyn. These all add up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

Her partner in crime, Colinford Mattis, who was driving the get-away van, pleaded not guilty to his charges last week.  Mattis, 32, a graduate of Princeton University and the New York University School of Law, was allegedly behind the wheel of the minivan they were in when Rahman allegedly hurled the device, NY Post reported.

TVJ previously reported: The first several nights of the George Floyd protests were extremely violent, particularly in Brooklyn. Hours of footage of the crowd gathered from social media display the protestors, spitting at cops, cursing them out, and some rioters physically confronting them. By all accounts it was perfectly reasonable for NYPD to have a presence, since the initial protests triggered violence, looting and several murders all across the nation.

The radicalized Brooklyn born lawyer Urooj Rahman however did not see a need for police at these violent riots. Urooj Rahman, 31, was one of the two suspects in the brazen Molotov cocktail attack on a police car.

A few weeks ago a video interview taken before the attack with Rahman surfaced.

TJV reported: “I think this protest is a long time coming,” lawyer Urooj Rahman said in a videotaped interview filmed near the Barclays Center in Brooklyn at around 12:15 a.m. May 30.

“This s–t won’t ever stop unless we f–kin’ take it all down. And that’s why the anger is being expressed tonight in this way,” she said. The NY Post continued: During the four-minute interview, Rahman claimed to be unaware that cops had been hurt by protesters during violent clashes sparked by the police killing of George Floyd — but said de Blasio should have held back the NYPD “the way that the mayor in Minneapolis did.”

Although the protests have not been the center of  media attention in recent weeks, they are still raging and still violent, as several have been shot and killed  in the last several weeks, reporters attacked at public parks, Catholics assaulted for praying, homeless attacked with fireworks, private property invaded and many city officials around the nation still permitting the madness to sweep the country as radicalized leftists and assorted others continue to terrorize America and the world. Urooj Rahman is just the tip of the iceberg.

Extension of the $600 Corona Enhanced Unemployment Benefits to Expire End of July

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$600 coronavirus unemployment bonus is running out in July, unless an extension is agreed upon (AP)

By: Jared Evan

Since April millions of unemployed Americans have been receiving enhanced benefits of $600 in addition to their regular claim weekly , as part of the $2.2 trillion stimulus package CARES Act passed in March, and at the end of July it’s set to expire.

Given that approximately 10% to 15% of U.S. GDP is driven by consumption, allowing those benefits to expire will strip more than 20 million Americans of a total of nearly $842 billion to spend, according to data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, a U.S. government agency that provides official macroeconomic and industry statistics, Market Watch reported.

While recently 1.5 million new people filed for unemployment in Mid June, the number is still around 21 million unemployed as some have returned to work.

The argument against extending the benefits is essentially people will remain unemployed as long as the extra $600 is part of their weekly claims, because many are receiving more than they would normally make while working.

“You want to help people, but you also want the economy to recover,” says Weidinger. “The recovery will be slower, and people will be less likely to recover if the bonuses continue.”, Matt Weidinger, a Rowe Fellow in Poverty Studies at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute who studies unemployment insurance told CNBC.

Josh Bivens, director of research at the Economic Policy Institute argued in favor of the bonus unemployment by pointing out “When the economy’s growth is demand-constrained, anything that keeps households from cutting back on spending actually supports growth,” he said. “Cutting off a policy support that helps households maintain spending is a terrible idea, both for these households’ welfare and for macroeconomic stabilization.”

Keeping the supplemental $600 in place through the middle of next year “would provide an average quarterly boost to GDP of 3.7% and employment of 5.1 million workers,” Bivens predicted, using the Bureau of Economic Analysis data, Bivens concluded when explain his view to Market Watch.

The argument on behalf of those favoring the extension is that the extra spending money from the unemployed, will keep more from getting laid off by adding to the GDP conversely The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently released a report that concluded “the extension of the additional $600 per week would probably reduce employment in the second half of 2020, and it would reduce employment in calendar year 2021.”

CNBC reported: Ending the benefits now would be a “terrible idea,” Arindrajit Dube, an economics professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said in a tweet. Many households have already spent the one-time stimulus check they received, and unemployment is expected to remain high through 2021. Without the extra $600, benefits will revert to the standard state amount, which averaged $378 per week in March. That is a sudden income reduction of 60%, without another stimulus check to fall back on.

There are many fields which have not returned. Most working in hospitality, tourism and live events will be out of work for months on end. In NYC Broadway remains closed, across the nation, hotels are empty, restaurants are still operating at partial capacity, there are no concerts, sporting events scheduled to occur with spectators for the foreseeable future.

As of press, no finalization as to the unemployment has been reached, many Republicans are sternly against it, and with millions still out of work, especially in the fields still shut down because of the pandemic, this might not sit well with voters.

Big Names Boycott Facebook Ads; Denny’s, Ford & Clorox Join List

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (AP/Alex Brandon, File)

Facebook market value drops a whopping $56 billion as major corporations pull ads over company’s failure to block hate speech and fake news.

By: Paul Shindman

Facebook’s failure to adequately monitor hate speech and fake news has cost it over $7 billion in advertising losses, Bloomberg reported over the weekend.

Major advertisers continued to cancel advertising contacts with the social media giant, helping plunge the value of Facebook shares by 8.3 percent on Friday alone – its worst loss in the past three months, the report said.

Retail giant Unilever, one of the world’s largest advertisers, joined other major brands last week in pulling their advertising from the social media platform. Unilever had almost $60 billion in revenue last year and markets thousands of food, beverage, home care, beauty and personal care brands worldwide.

The drop in Facebook shares knocked $56 billion off of Facebook’s market value and dropped Zuckerberg’s personal net worth to $82.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him now only the fourth richest person in the world. His former third place position is now occupied by Louis Vuitton CEO Bernard Arnault.

Amazon owner Jeff Bezos and Microsoft founder Bill Gates top the list.

Coca-Cola, Verizon Communications and the Hershey candy company also announced they stopped advertising on social media in the wake of criticism that Facebook has not done enough to combat the vast amounts of hate speech and fake news that is spread on its platform.

Last Friday, Zuckerberg said Facebook would now label all voting-related posts and expanded its definition of prohibited hate speech, adding a clause saying no advertising would be accepted if it attacks another demographic, labeling such content as “dangerous.”

“There are no exceptions for politicians in any of the policies I’m announcing here today,” Zuckerberg said.

Facebook and Zuckerberg have come under intense criticism for refusing to remove Holocaust denial from its platform, which Zuckerberg defended in the name of freedom of expression.

(World Israel News)

read more at: www.worldisraelnews.com

 

NY Office Buildings Subjected to Security & Health Checks Before Reopening

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Landlords, architects and lawyers are working to reconfigure office density, how to run the lobby spaces, and elevator protocol. Photo Credit: Wikipedia

By Hellen Zaboulani

As the barren office buildings across the Big Apple gear up for reopening, landlords are giving workspaces a post-pandemic makeover.  The first changes to be implemented will be as per the guidelines for commercial buildings published by the Real Estate Board of New York on June 4th. The recommendations entailed therein call on landlords to stock up on cleaning supplies, reconfigure seating to allow for social distancing in common spaces.  Building owners will also be responsible to take the temperature of everyone entering the building, and require everyone to wear facial coverings.

As reported by Crain’s NY, however, landlords are expecting that the changes set forth by the trade association are just a start.  Landlords, architects and lawyers are working to reconfigure office density, how to run the lobby spaces, and elevator protocol.  At the forefront of their minds is how to return all the employees into the same confined office spaces, said Antonio Argibay, the managing principal at architecture firm Meridian Design.

“I think working from home will become part of the ecosystem,” said Bill Rudin, REBNY’s chairman and Rudin Management’s CEO.  “But you still need to connect.”  Rudin is on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s NY Forward advisory board, which has been counseling the city how to reopen, and devising protocols for building reentry and managing construction sites.   Argibay expressed doubt that work places can resume the same way with congested workspaces any time in the near future.  “People supporting dense spaces touted it as collaborative and a good way to induce collaboration,” Argibay said. “I think collaboration happens when people have a certain level of comfort in their workplace.”  While many experts are stressing the use of plexiglass barriers, he is suggesting more social distancing.  In the new floor plans Argibay is working on, he is making smaller clusters for no more than four people.  When large conference rooms are required he is stamping in suitable distance markers to allow for personal space.

Luxury add-ons, such as shared social spaces and faculty gyms that high-end developers invested in for their buildings, remain an enigma.  “I’m not saying that amenities are gone forever,” says Ken Fisher of Fisher Brothers, who owns several  Manhattan properties.  “But there’s going to be changes in the ways people interact.”  Fisher is thinking about making changes to his buildings such as automatic doors, voice-activated elevators and ultraviolet light in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. Letting in more fresh air will be great for the building, said Fisher.  Those kinds of changes will not come overnight though.  In the interim tenants will need to settle for elevator operators who push the buttons with a limited number of riders permitted at a time, and old-fashion ways to mark standing spaces.

As for a solution to crowded workspaces, businesses are considering staggered shifts for employees, said Richard G. Leland, a real estate attorney at Akerman.  While there are several options, employees may be assigned different days to come into the office, and work remotely the other days of the week.  This is an obvious way to reduce traffic and occupancy levels in a building, and ensure social distancing.  “Are these going to be permanent changes?” Fisher said. “It depends on how long the hangover from this lasts.”

In Competition for Residential Apt Buyers, Bklyn Edges Out Manhattan

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New Yorkers are starting to choose Brooklyn over Manhattan according to new residential sales data. Brooklyn is already the most populous of the five boroughs of New York City, boasting 2.6 million residents. Photo Credit: DumboNYC

By: Benyamin Davidsons

New Yorkers are starting to choose Brooklyn over Manhattan according to new residential sales data. Brooklyn is already the most populous of the five boroughs of New York City, boasting 2.6 million residents.  As per a recent article in Crain’s NY, Brooklyn also seems to winning the battle for new buyers post-pandemic.  New Brooklyn developments units are outselling those in Manhattan, as New Yorkers seek out larger space and more greenery, as per data from Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing.  Between March 13 and June 13, Brooklyn went to contract on 132 residential units while Manhattan had only 98 sales through the pandemic.  So, Manhattan only scored 43 percent of sales between the two, the data shows.

Brooklyn homes are also selling out faster than Manhattan homes.  The data shows Brooklyn came in at an average of nine new sales per week, while Manhattan only made seven sales per week. “Over the last eight to ten years, there’s definitely been a rivalry as Brooklyn has transformed from a secondary option for buyers to a primary option,” said Stephen Kliegerman, president of the real estate marketing firm.  “With the increase in condo offerings and the increase in levels of quality and design in Brooklyn,” he said, “the competition between Manhattan and Brooklyn has become more fierce.”

The coronavirus, forced people all over the country to stay put in their homes for several months.  When the pandemic hit, residents realized they would like to have more spacious homes, and an outdoor space of their own.  Brooklyn undoubtedly offers more space for the money.  In Brooklyn, the median list price per square foot is $716, compared to Manhattan where half of the units are $1,371 and up, as per Zillow.  “At the moment, I think this is a market under significant change that’s sorting itself out,” said Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel, “but I don’t necessarily see this as a temporary phenomenon.

One third of all the homes sold as per the data, featured some form of outdoor space, such as a yard, deck or balcony, compared with only 11 percent last year.  Most of those outdoor spaces were in Brooklyn.  Brooklyn also offers more public spaces and parks that are walking distance.

Downtown Brooklyn was the star location, boasting 16 sales.  Kliegerman attributed the neighborhood’s popularity to its proximity to Lower Manhattan and other parts of Brooklyn. People are turned off by public transportation, he said, making walkability crucial.  In Manhattan, most of the sale were in the Upper West Side and Upper Manhattan, with 28 and 20 units sold respectively.  Those neighborhoods were similarly popular for their outdoor spaces and nearby parks, said Robin Schneiderman, the managing director of Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing.

Sales prices in Manhattan were 18 percent lower this year compared to 2019, as per the report.  Brooklyn prices too were down 16 percent.  “Brooklyn development has previously relied heavily on rental development much more so than Manhattan,” said Miller. “The recent uptick in condo development reflects the market’s search for more affordable product.”

Consumer Alert: DS Services (Crystal Water) Co Accused of Unethical Business Practices

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DS Services specializes in delivering an array of bottled water brands such as Crystal Water, Fiji Water, Hinckley Springs, Sierra Springs, and Mountain Valley Spring Water, among others. Photo Credit: water.com

By: JV Staff

In these fraught times in which we live, (coronavirus and economic hardship) the last thing that companies who have struggled to remain open and viable need is to deal with fraudulent vendors who are seeking to exploit and cheat those they purportedly serve.

Case in point:  Long before the onset of the coronavirus, the Jewish Voice had opened an account with DS Services, a water delivery and breakroom supply company. This company delivers a water cooler for office and residential use as well as monthly supplies of 3-5 gallon bottles of water

DS Services specializes in delivering an array of bottled water brands such as Crystal Water, Fiji Water, Hinckley Springs, Sierra Springs, and Mountain Valley Spring Water, among others.

Problems began mounting from the onset with DS Services. Firstly, their customer service leaves much to be desired. Other than an 800 number in which one speaks to an agent, their web site does not list an e-mail address in which to communicate with them.  There was no account manager assigned to the Jewish Voice, nor is there any manager or supervisor that can be spoken with.

Officials from the Jewish Voice said that when water bottles were delivered, two weeks later an invoice would arrive that did not accurately reflect the amount of the delivery. When one called to question the charges on the invoice, one did not receive a satisfactory response. Secondly, the invoice from DS Services required immediate remittance of payment. If payments were not received by the company within only days after receipt by the Jewish Voice, a hefty late fee charge would be added to the already bloated and inaccurate invoice. The amount of the late fee was so extravagant that it at times matched the amount of the invoice or even surpassed it.

The dubious business practices of DS Services did not stop there. During the coronavirus when Jewish Voice officials had closed their offices in compliance with the lockdown restrictions that were mandated by the city of New York, the company immediately contacted DS Services and asked that no more water bottle deliveries be sent to their offices.

DS Services totally ignored this request and made the delivery of water bottles despite the specific instructions given to them. Jewish Voice officials have said that the water bottles were found outside on the street and soon thereafter, yet another bogus invoice was sent; one which again demanded immediate remittance of payment.

Moreover, on many occasions, DS Services would deliver water bottles to the Jewish Voice without picking up the empty water cannisters, even though that service was included in their bill.

What made this untenable situation even more frustrating to the Jewish Voice officials was that there was no way of documenting their legitimate grievances in written form as the company does not engage in e-mail communication with customers. This is a highly circumspect way of conducting business in the age of the internet and the proliferation of electronic correspondence.

Research of DS Services has revealed that the Jewish Voice is certainly not the only company that has suffered maltreatment at the hands of this water delivery service.

According to the Better Business Bureau website, there was 980 complaints filed by customers against DS Services in the last year alone.

In the category titled “Billing/Collection Issues” on the BBB web site, many irate customers have voiced their angst at DS Services.

As of June 9th of this year, one customer said to DS Services:

“Why am I STILL being charged for an ENERGY SURCHARGE, WHEN GASOLINE IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW? I was told that we were being charged a monthly Energy Surcharge because of the high costs of Fuel at the time. Now that Fuel Costs have been at an ALL TIME LOW we are still being charged monthly, back when it began it was less than $3.00 monthly, now is at $5.82 a month with fuel lower than it has been in years. I do not believe it is legal to charge this fee, especially during this time, with fuel costs so low.”

Under the category listed as “Problems with Product/Service” another customer also said on June 9th:

“No water delivery since early May! We moved to a new location a mile away from where we were receiving service. I put in the change of address request online and then called 3 subsequent times when I was transferred to ‘account experts’. I spent around 45 minute on each call and each time ‘account expert’ was taken by surprise that my address had changed and each time they apologized profusely, made a system change of address and promised that water will be delivered very soon.

I was given dates like May 16 then May 22nd and so on. In the mean time I have the rental equipment and continuing to pay for it while there is no water delivered. I even asked them after the first call if they have trouble delivering water to the new location and if so I could cancel the service. But they always apologize and confirm the service will start very soon and give out a date but no delivery. This way they keep the account and continue to get rental equipment payments without providing the service! I originally got the service from Costco and talked to them about the situation as well. They suggested that I call and complain about this issue with Crystal Springs directly.”

Yet another customer in June said of DS Services on the BBB website under the category “Problems with Product/Service”

I have been trying for two months to have 40 empty 5 gallon water bottles picked up and a refund issued for the deposit. I have been trying for two months to have 40 empty 5 gallon water bottles picked up and a refund issued for the deposit. I have spent over 3 hours on the phone with them, and each time, they say they will send someone out to pick them up, but nobody has been out. Customer service is the worst I have ever dealt with in over 15 years of managing purchasing. I expect a refund for the empty bottles. They will be thrown out before the end of the week. We cannot have trash in our plant. It is a fire hazard.

In the aforementioned complaint, it is noteworthy to emphasize that the customer said: “Customer service is the worst I have ever dealt with in over 15 years of managing purchasing.”

Before filing their own grievance against DS Services for the lack of service that they have provided, Jewish Voice officials await a resolution of their legitimate issues from company executives.

Tunnels Collapsed, Hamas Explores Attacks on Israel by Sea

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An Israeli Navy ship patrols off the coast of Gaza. (Flash90/Edi Israel)

Channel 12 News reported that the loss of tunnels has led Hamas to train dozens of terrorists as naval commandos.

By: Lauren Marcus

Terrorist group Hamas is currently exploring maritime options to infiltrate Israel as underground tunnels have become less viable, reported Israel’s Channel 12 News on Monday.

Hamas has traditionally utilized extensive networks of underground tunnels to smuggle weapons, supplies, narcotics and even terrorists from Gaza into Israel.

But since the IDF began constructing an underground barrier that prevents tunneling, along with systematically destroying the tunnels, Hamas has had to explore alternative options to attack the Jewish state, including by air and sea.

Channel 12 News reported that the loss of tunnels has led Hamas to train dozens of terrorists as naval commandos, to be used for a maritime invasion of Israel via the Mediterranean Sea. Hamas has obtained advanced equipment that enables training for underwater warfare and invasion scenarios.

Much of the naval training is taking place at bases in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp area and near Gaza City. Some of these bases have previously been the site of airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force.

Hamas views its developing naval unit as a significant part of its military capability, as critical as its rockets launching and explosive kites, said Channel 12 News.

Israeli security forces are closely watching the maritime threat. Following the successful efforts to destroy terror tunnels, the IDF was aware Hamas would seek out other ways to invade Israel.

Recently, the IDF constructed an observation pier opposite Zikim Beach, near the Erez Border Crossing, to thwart swimmers and divers attempting to infiltrate Israel from the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Navy has also deployed a series of underwater sensors that report real-time threats, and a dedicated fleet of Navy ships and observers regularly patrol and monitor the waters between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Two weeks ago, the IDF released a video of an attempted weapons-smuggling attempt from Sinai, Egypt to Gaza via the sea. The Israeli Navy thwarted the attempt, capturing Mohammed Bakar, a senior smuggler who often works with Hamas.

Last Friday, the IAF struck sites in the Gaza Strip after several rockets were launched Thursday night from Gaza into Israel. The rockets exploded in open areas; no Israelis were hurt.

(World Israel News)

read more at: www.worldisraelnews.com

 

Shin Bet Revelation: Israelis Being Recruited to Spy for Hezbollah

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Beirut Mahmoud (r) and her husband Balal Bizari recruited Israeli citizens to spy on the Jewish State. (Shin Bet Spokesperson’s Unit)

The two Israelis were recruited by a former resident of their town now living in Lebanon, the Shin Bet says.

By: David Isaac

Iran proxy Hezbollah, the terror group based in Lebanon, has been attempting to recruit Israeli citizens to spy on the Jewish State, Israel’s internal security service, the Shin Bet, revealed on Tuesday.

Two Israeli citizens of Arab extraction living in the Israeli-Arab town of Majd al-Krum in the Galilee were recruited by a former resident of their town now living in Lebanon, the Shin Bet says.

That former resident, Beirut Mahmoud, works as a writer for the Lebanese-based newspaper Al-Akhbar, which supports Hezbollah.

The two Arab-Israelis had been in touch with Mahmoud and met with her in December 2019 in Turkey. The Shin Bet interrogated the two women who confirmed the contacts.

Beirut moved to Lebanon, where she married her husband Balal Bizari, after she was interrogated herself by Israeli security officials in 2013 over her suspected ties to Hezbollah. It was discovered that she had met with Hezbollah members at a 2008 conference in Morocco and at another conference in Tunis in 2012.

The Shin Bet reports it has gained a better understanding of how Hezbollah works to recruit spies within Israel as a result of its investigation.

The internal security service released the two female would-be spies to their homes under restricted conditions. It also informed Beirut and Balal that it was aware of their attempts to recruit spies for Hezbollah and warned them to cease attempting to turn Israeli citizens into Hezbollah agents.

The Shin Bet said, “The General Security Service will continue to work resolutely to monitor and thwart any Hezbollah terror or espionage activities, as well as highlight the utmost seriousness with which it takes the exploitation of Israeli citizenship in aid of terrorist and espionage activities.”

(World Israel News)

read more at: www.worldisraelnews.com

 

Iran Issues Arrest Warrant for Trump, US Calls it ‘Propaganda Stunt’

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President Donald Trump, left, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. (AP)

“Our assessment is that Interpol does not issue Red Notices based on a political nature,” said U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook at a news conference in Saudi Arabia.

By: JNS

Iran has issued an arrest warrant for President Trump and dozens of others it has accused of being behind the U.S. drone strike that eliminated Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3.

The Islamic Republic asked Interpol for help in detaining Trump and 35 others, though the international organization that enables global law-enforcement cooperation later said that it would not honor the request.

U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook called the arrest warrant a “propaganda stunt.”

“Our assessment is that Interpol does not intervene and issue Red Notices that are based on a political nature,” he said at a news conference in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

“This is a political nature. This has nothing to do with national security, international peace or promoting stability. … It is a propaganda stunt that no-one takes seriously,” said Hook.

Although Trump faces no danger in being apprehended, the Iranian arrest warrant exemplified the tension between Tehran and Washington since the latter withdrew in May 2018 from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Shortly afterwards, the United States reimposed sanctions lifted under it, along with enacting new penalties—financial, military and diplomatic—as part of what the Trump administration has called a “maximum pressure” campaign.

In a related development, World Israel News reported on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said despite the coronavirus crisis there were issues that could not wait, contradicting his coalition partner, Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Speaking at a press conference Monday together with visiting U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, Netanyahu said, “We have serious issues to discuss – they are so serious that they cannot even wait for COVID-19.”

Netanyahu appeared to have forgotten about the social distancing regulations as he shook hands with Hook before the meeting, although the two did wear masks.

Hook was in Jerusalem for talks on U.S. and Israeli efforts to restrain Iran from developing nuclear weapons and the pending expiration in October of an arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

Netanyahu said it was time for the world to take stiffer action against Iran, which continued to reject international norms.

“I believe it is time to implement snapback sanctions,” Netanyahu said. “I don’t think we can afford to wait. We should not wait for Iran to start its breakout to a nuclear weapon, because then it will be too late for sanctions.”

(JNS & World Israel News)

Read more at: www.worldisraelnews.com

 

After Embassy Move, U.S. to Sell Envoy’s House Near Tel Aviv for $87M

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The State Department has put the ambassador to Israel’s official residence outside Tel Aviv up for sale, in a decision aimed at cementing the American embassy’s controversial move to Jerusalem. Photo Credit: Matty Stern/US Embassy

By: Ilan Ben Zion

The State Department has put the ambassador to Israel’s official residence outside Tel Aviv up for sale, in a decision aimed at cementing the American embassy’s controversial move to Jerusalem.

The beachfront mansion in the affluent Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya is going on the market because most of Ambassador David Friedman’s day-to-day activities are based at the embassy in Jerusalem, the State Department said.

“Following the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem it made sense to sell the residence in Herzliya,” it said. “Much of the embassy’s operations have shifted to Jerusalem and the ambassador has established an official residence there.”

The Trump administration moved the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, shortly after recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Friedman, a long-time supporter of Israel’s hard-line settler movement, played a leading role in the embassy’s move.

Most foreign delegations have their embassies in Tel Aviv because of Jerusalem’s contested status.

Israel’s parliament, supreme court, president’s residence and most ministries are headquartered in Jerusalem. But the Palestinians claim east Jerusalem —which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed in a move unrecognized by most of the international community — as capital of a future state.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, said in April that he considered the Trump administration’s decision to move the embassy “short-sighted and frivolous,” but said he would not move it back to Tel Aviv if elected president in November.

News of the residence’s sale was first published in the Israeli business newspaper Globes on Monday. The paper said the house, which sits on a 1.25- acre (0.5 hectare) plot of land, has a roughly $87 million asking price. If it sells at that price, it would be the most expensive residential sale in the country, topping Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich’s recent purchase of a home in Herzliya for $65 million earlier this year.

The State Department said the sale is expected to go forward in the coming months.

(AP)

Sanders Signs Letter Calling for Halting of Aid to Israel

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Photo Credit: AP

Vermont Senator adds his name to letter spearheaded by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez against Israel’s sovereignty plans.

By: Elad Benari

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has added his name to a letter by Democrats against Israel’s plans to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.

The letter, which is being spearheaded by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, calls to limit or withhold US military aid to Israel should it follow through with the plan.

Sanders is one of a dozen Democratic lawmakers, and the only one from the Senate, to join the letter.

“Should the Israeli government move forward with the planned annexation with this administration’s acquiescence, we will work to ensure non-recognition as well as pursue conditions on the $3.8 billion in U.S. military funding to Israel, including human rights conditions and withholding funds for the off-shore procurement of Israeli weapons equal to or exceeding the amount the Israeli government spends annually to fund settlements, as well as the policies and practices that sustain and enable them,” says the letter, according to a copy obtained by Jewish Insider on Monday.

AIPAC launched a campaign against the letter, saying on Twitter on Monday that it “explicitly threatens the US-Israel relationship in ways that would damage American interests, risk the security of Israel & make a two-state solution less likely.”

An action alert urged activists from AIPAC to contact their representatives to oppose the letter.

Democrats have been vocal in their opposition to Israel’s plan to apply sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.

Earlier this month, a group of Democratic Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), issued a statement in which they expressed their opposition to the sovereignty move.

The senators noted that direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians are “the only path for a durable peace.” They warned that annexation “could undermine regional stability and broader US national security interests in the region.”

Last month, 19 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz in which they warn against an Israeli move to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

Sanders has repeatedly criticized the Israeli government and has asserted that it is racist.

Late last year, Sanders caused an uproar when he told the J Street conference that the US should redirect its aid to Israel and give it to Gaza instead.

(INN)

Pompeo: So Proud that Israel is Part of My Story &  America’s Story

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. Photo Credit: AP

Secretary of State speaks at virtual CUFI summit: Israel lives and our two countries have never been closer

By: A7 Staff

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on Monday at the virtual summit of Christians United for Israel (CUFI).

“No matter where you are, know that you have a great friend of Israel in President Trump, and this entire administration,” said Pompeo.

He praised Israel as a “bulwark of freedom”, noting that its economy is “unmatched in the region”.

“Zion, the Jewish people’s homeland, is a light unto the nations. It’s an honor to continue America’s very special and historic connection to Israel as your Secretary of State, because Israel’s story is a part of my story too,” continued Pompeo.

“In Congress, as a CIA Director and now at the State Department, I’ve seen how Israel is one of America’s most trusted partners and a major asset for the security of America’s people.”

“This administration,” he noted, “is strengthening its partnership with Israel. We’re making sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. We’re warning our friend about the new threats from the Chinese Communist Party. We’re condemning the International Criminal Court’s politically motivated attacks on Israel and American service members.”

The US is also strengthening its partnership with Israel by promoting President Trump’s Vision for Peace, said Pompeo, who described the plan as “the best and most realistic path to a comprehensive and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

“And importantly,” continued the Secretary of State, “we’re telling the truth. Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are not per se inconsistent with international law, and the Golan Heights are sovereign Israeli territory.”

“The battles for the Jewish state’s very survival have yielded a secure, prosperous and peace-loving nation. Israel lives and our two countries have never been closer. I’m so proud that Israel is part of my story and America’s story,” he concluded.

(INN)