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Arrest of NYC Executive at Syracuse U Highlights Tensions Over Campus Anti-Semitism & School Safety 

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Arrest of NYC Executive at Syracuse U Highlights Tensions Over Campus Anti-Semitism & School Safety 

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

Last weekend, Ronn Torossian, a public relations executive from New York City and an associate of Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested during a confrontation at a pro-Hamas encampment on the campus of Syracuse University in upstate New York, as was reported on Friday in the New York Times.  The incident, which escalated into Torossian being taken into custody by campus security, has spotlighted ongoing issues of student safety, violence, and anti-Semitism that concern parents and university administrators alike.

Torossian, who is Jewish and the father of a Syracuse student, was participating in a protest with other parents against the university’s inadequate response to safety concerns in light of burgeoning campus Jew hatred. The tensions reached a peak when Torossian engaged with a student protester holding a sign that read, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free,” according to the information provided in the NYT report. Described by university officials as “especially aggressive,” his refusal to leave the scene led to his arrest. Syracuse University later issued a statement saying that “harassing behavior or conduct from anyone that creates a safety concern will not be tolerated.”

The events at Syracuse are part of a broader pattern of incidents at universities across the country, where protests and counter-protests have led to complex challenges for university administrations.The NYT report observed that the presence of non-students at these protests adds an additional layer of complexity, often blurring the lines between campus and community issues.

Torossian, known for his role in organizing fundraising events for Mayor Eric Adams, expressed frustration over the university chancellor’s refusal to meet with a group of concerned Jewish parents. According to the NYT report, these parents have been particularly vocal since the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, seeking more decisive action from university leadership to address the growing threat to Jewish students.

The catalyst for the demonstration was a distressing occurrence involving a confrontation between pro-Hamas protesters and Jewish students. According to multiple accounts, including those from witnesses, parents of an involved Jewish student, and official reports from the Syracuse Police Department, the incident unfolded over the course of a day starting at Walnut Park, the NYT report said. This location, adjacent to the university, is near several fraternity houses, including one identified as a Jewish fraternity.

The protesters, a mix of Syracuse University students and non-affiliated individuals, initially gathered at Walnut Park before marching to a campus encampment and then returning to the park. The information provided in the NYT report said that during the disbandment of the rally, a particularly hostile act occurred: a protester issued a Nazi salute directly across from the Jewish fraternity, which at that time was playing the Israeli and American national anthems at high volume. The situation escalated when a few Jewish students approached the protester to confront him, resulting in one of these students being punched in the face. The assailant then fled the scene.

In the aftermath, Torossian criticized Syracuse University for its lack of action, labeling the event as clear anti-Semitism that needed addressing, as per the NYT report. However, the university’s response, as articulated by Jeff Stoecker, the chief communications officer, highlighted a jurisdictional limitation, stating that the university does not have the authority to intervene in incidents that occur off-campus.

This stance has done little to quell the concerns of students and parents, who feel that the university should play a proactive role in ensuring the safety of all its students, regardless of where incidents occur. The NYT report noted that the lack of direct action from the university has led to frustrations among those who believe that a stronger institutional response could deter future incidents of a similar nature.

The situation escalated the following day when Torossian, along with two other parents, arrived on campus demanding to meet with Chancellor Kent Syverud. As was reported in the NYT, for months, these members of the Syracuse Jewish Parents Council had been attempting to secure a meeting with the chancellor to address their concerns regarding student safety and inaction over the growing number of anti-Semitic incidents.

Stoecker responded to these demands by clarifying the university’s stance towards the Syracuse Jewish Parents Council, noting that it does not recognize the group as having an official affiliation with the university. Noted in the NYT report was that he emphasized that university leaders have maintained daily communication with parents and families since October 7, the date marking a significant escalation in campus tensions. This communication included phone calls, emails, and Zoom sessions, one of which was hosted by the school’s Hillel chapter and attended by about 400 parents.

The controversy intensified when Torossian was arrested at a student encampment on campus. According to reports from The Daily Orange, the Syracuse student newspaper, campus security officials asked Torossian to leave the premises, but he refused. The information in the NYT report indicated that during the confrontation, he pointed out another individual present at the encampment whom he identified as a man not affiliated with the university who had previously been jailed for manslaughter. This identification was intended to highlight the security risks posed by non-students participating in campus protests.

Following his arrest, the university expressed frustration with Torossian, accusing him of distributing disinformation that inflamed the situation, as per the NYT report. Stoecker criticized these actions as attempts to drive personal agendas and portray an inaccurate assessment of the demonstration on the Quad, further complicating the university’s efforts to manage the situation and maintain campus safety.

Torossian questioned the rationale behind being asked to leave the campus while alleging that a known convicted felon was allowed at the same location. “Why am I being told to leave when a convicted felon is allowed to be on the premises?” he reportedly asked security officers, according  to the NYT report. The background and the reasons behind Torossian’s claim about the other individual’s criminal history remain unclear, but his confrontation with campus security led to his arrest on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing.

Following the incident, a university spokesperson announced a significant policy shift, stating that non-affiliates of the university would no longer be permitted on campus as part of protests. The NYT report revealed that this decision was likely a response to the growing concerns about safety and order on campus, highlighted by the presence of individuals not directly connected to the university involved in the protests.

The incident caught the attention of national figures, including Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who took to Twitter to express his concerns about safety at university protests. “Now we’ve got convicted killers on the loose in these encampments. Jail the lawbreakers. Expel the students. Deport the illegals. Send in the Guard,” Hawley tweeted, according to the NYT report. His statement reflected the intense emotions and divisive opinions that campus protests can generate, particularly when they intersect with broader national issues.

In a subsequent development, the individual whom Torossian had identified as having a criminal past was seen again at the protest encampment. Following this sighting, he was arrested on charges of trespassing, as confirmed by Stoecker, the NYT report said. This arrest seemed to affirm the university’s new stance on managing the involvement of non-affiliates in campus activities, particularly those that could lead to unrest or pose security challenges.

 

Israel’s Eden Golan Secures Fifth Place at Eurovision Amid Pro-Hamas Protests

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Edited by: Fern Sidman

Switzerland clinched the title at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest held in Malmo, Sweden, while Israel, amid a backdrop of violent pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protests achieved a commendable fifth place. The event, which traditionally celebrates cultural diversity and musical talent, was overshadowed by the war that Hamas terrorists launched on Israel on October 7th, and as a result, influenced both the audience’s reception and the voting patterns.

Significant protests against Israel took place outside the arena in Malmo, reflecting the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Israel in international forums. Inside the stadium, smaller protests, though less visible, also occurred, indicating a concerted effort by some attendees to express their hatred for Israel in a more subtle fashion.

Israel was represented by Eden Golan, whose performance of the song “Hurricane” resonated strongly with the public, securing the second-highest tally in the televote with 323 points, according to a report on The Times of Israel web site. However, the jury votes told a different story, placing Israel 12th, which starkly contrasted with the public’s admiration and ultimately determined the fifth-place finish, as was reported by the TOI. The disparity between public affection and jury appraisal highlighted the anti-Israel animus of the contest’s scoring system.

Golan’s scores from the national juries varied, with the highest being 8 points each from Norway, Cyprus, and Germany. Other countries gave lower scores, reflecting the clearly biased nature of the jury opinions across Europe. The report in the TOI indicated that despite the lack of maximum scores from any jury, the support Golan received was notable, considering the competitive nature of the contest.

The competition this year was heavily influenced by political elements. Israel’s spokesperson, Maya Alkulumbre, faced a controversial moment when she appeared on screen without a yellow hostage pin—a symbol of solidarity with the hostages still in Hamas captivity in Gaza that she had worn during the preparations, according to the information provided in the TOI report.  Reports from Ynet suggested that Alkulumbre was instructed by Kan, the Israeli broadcaster, to remove the pin to avoid provoking the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), though Kan did not comment on the matter, the TOI report said. This incident sparked boos during the broadcast, both when Alkulumbre presented and when points were awarded to Israel, reflecting the pervasive pro-Hamas sentiment and the contentious environment surrounding Israel’s participation.

Also noted in the TOI report was that despite the competitive and political pressures, Eden Golan expressed pride in Israel’s achievement and the impact of her performance. Her statement after the contest emphasized the dual purpose of her participation: to project Israel’s strong voice globally and to remember the ongoing plight of the hostages—a personal and national concern that she highlighted as a driving force behind her Eurovision journey.

Interestingly, this year’s Eurovision saw the deployment of anti-boo technology by the EBU during the broadcast. The TOI reported that this technology was notably used to mute audible disapproval during Golan’s performance, indicating the EBU’s efforts to maintain a focus on the contest’s artistic and cultural objectives, rather than its political undercurrents.

In the competitive realm, the Israeli-born singer representing Luxembourg, Tali, who performed the song “Fighter,” finished in 13th place. Notably, Tali’s highest points came from Israel, indicating a cultural and possibly sentimental connection that influenced the jury’s decision, the report in the TOI suggested. However, despite her robust performance, she did not emerge as a frontrunner in the contest.

The contest also served as a platform for other manifestations of visceral Jew hared. According to the information provided in the TOI report, Portugal’s representative, Iolanda, made a political statement during the opening “flag parade” by wearing a dress designed by a Palestinian designer and sporting nail art in the colors of the Palestinian flag along with a keffiyeh pattern. This fashion choice was a deviation from her semifinal appearance, suggesting a deliberate decision to make a political statement during the more widely viewed final.

Ireland’s contestant, Bambie Thug, also drew attention for political symbolism. Initially, Bambie Thug had pro-Palestinian messages written on their face in an ancient Irish language, which they were ordered to remove by the European Broadcasting Union. The TOI report noted that despite this, Bambie Thug continued to express solidarity by carrying a stuffed watermelon in the green room, a symbol that has gained recognition in pro-Hamas movements.

Throughout the event, the audience’s reactions were a mix of support and dissent. Israeli flags waved prominently in the crowd, showcasing strong support among many attendees for the Israeli contestant. Conversely, boos were reportedly heard when Eden Golan, the Israeli contestant, appeared on stage during both the flag march and her performance, although these were muted in the broadcast, the TOI report said.

Adding to the controversy, Sweden’s previous Eurovision winner, Loreen, reportedly stated before the competition that she would refuse to hand over the trophy to Golan if Israel won.

In a striking move, the representatives from Finland and Norway, tasked with announcing their country’s jury votes, chose to withdraw from their roles. Citing discomfort with the current political undertones associated with the event, their decision shed light on the divisive nature of this year’s contest, according to the TOI report. They were promptly replaced by other representatives, but the gesture marked a significant moment of political expression within the Eurovision framework.

The contest took a dramatic turn when Joost Klein from the Netherlands, a fan favorite, was disqualified by the EBU following a threatening incident with a Eurovision camerawoman. The disqualification, confirmed by the EBU as unrelated to Israel, nevertheless became a focal point for further controversy. The TOI reported that many online commentators incorrectly linked Israel to the incident, criticizing the EBU for its perceived inconsistency in enforcing rules and questioning its decision-making process in allowing Israel’s participation while barring the Netherlands. The disqualification of the Netherlands’ contestant not only shocked fans but also ignited a firestorm of reactions on social media.

The selection of Israel’s entry itself was a tale of contention and resilience amid widespread calls for its exclusion from the storied international event.

Israel initially selected “October Rain” as its entry for Eurovision. However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) disqualified the song on the grounds that it was too political, reflecting the strict guidelines that seek to keep the competition culturally focused and free from overt political statements, as was indicated in the TOI report.

Following the disqualification, a monthslong campaign spearheaded by activists sought to bar Israel from the competition entirely. This campaign was part of a broader effort by some groups to leverage international cultural platforms such as Eurovision to protest against political actions by the Israeli government, according to the TOI report. Despite these intense pressures, Eurovision organizers remained firm in their decision not to exclude Israel, adhering to their principles of inclusivity and non-discrimination among participating nations.

Eden Golan, with her song “Hurricane,” faced unprecedented challenges in the lead-up to the contest. Due to heightened security concerns and threats, Golan was largely confined to her hotel room, missing most of the extracurricular activities that form a part of the Eurovision experience, as was noted in the TOI report. Her participation was limited to essential appearances such as the live shows and dress rehearsals, highlighting the severity of the security concerns surrounding her and the Israeli delegation.

Amidst the glitz of Eurovision’s “turquoise carpet” event, Golan and the Israeli delegation held a small Holocaust Remembrance Day gathering, as per the TOI report. This somber observance served as a poignant reminder of the deeper historical and cultural layers that often accompany nations’ participation in such international events, offering a moment of reflection in an otherwise festive atmosphere.

With Switzerland’s victory at Eurovision, it is poised to host the 2025 edition of the competition. The country has a history of success in the contest, having won twice before. The TOI also reported that Israel, with its own storied Eurovision history including four wins, the most recent being Netta Barzilai’s 2018 victory with “Toy,” continues to be a competitive and controversial participant.

Sinwar is not in Rafah, Israeli officials report

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Yahya Sinwar,

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Contrary to prior speculation, October 7th terrorist mastermind, Yahya Sinwar is not hiding in Rafah, but according to intelligence reports, is most likely in tunnels under Khan Younis, an area the IDF left about a month ago, Israeli officials told The New York Times.

Although the IDF has succeeded in eliminating Hamas’s number 3 leader, Marwan Issa, along with a several senior commanders, Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, chief of Hamas’s military wing, still remain at large.

Israel has made the elimination of Sinwar a major priority in the war against Hamas, and at several points, the IDF reported that it was in the process of closing in on the terror leader.

In a video released in February, Sinwar appeared to be walking through a tunnel accompanied by family members.

During recent hostage negotiations, Yahya Sinwar was held responsible by US officials for creating roadblocks preventing potential agreements.

A senior Biden administration official said that although other Hamas leaders in Qatar showed a willingness to compromise, Sinwar’s maximalist demands, such as refusing to release any hostages prior to Israel’s guarantee of a full and permanent ceasefire, continually won out.

ISRAEL MOVING TO DISSOLVE RA’AM-AFFILIATED NGOS OVER TERROR FUNDING

“Sinwar has made the decision he’d rather hold [the hostages] rather than securing a ceasefire, and that’s just the truth of the situation,” the official said.

Israeli president Isaac Herzog said that capturing Hamas head Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the October 7th attacks, is crucial for the release of the Israeli hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.

The reality is this, and the world and us must accept it, everything begins and ends with Yahya Sinwar,” Herzog said.

“He’s the one who decided on the October 7 massacre, it’s he who has looked to spill the blood of innocents, he who works to enflame the whole region … does everything to ruin coexistence, here and across the region, to cause us to fight with each other and with the whole world,” he continued.

“We must get to Sinwar – either dead or alive – so that we can see the hostages back home,” he added.

 

Two Dozen House Dems Slam Biden on Withholding Military Aid for Israel; Say it Emboldens Hamas

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The best encouragement the students received was from President Joe Biden, who, when asked about anti-Semitism on college campuses, condemned it but then added that he was just as concerned about “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.” It was, as Alan Dershowitz and Andrew Stein wrote in The Wall Street Journal, a “very fine people” moment for the president. Photo Credit: AP

Two Dozen House Dems Slam Biden on Withholding Military Aid for Israel; Say it Emboldens Hamas

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

In a striking move that reverberated through the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., more than two dozen House Democrats, led by Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, have expressed deep concerns over President Joe Biden’s decision to withhold military aid from Israel, according to a report that appeared on Friday in the New York Post.  This group of lawmakers, alarmed by the implications of such a decision, articulated their apprehensions in a forthright letter to Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser.

Their letter sharply criticizes the withholding of military support, arguing that such a move “only emboldens our mutual enemies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other Iranian-backed proxies, ” as was reported by the Post. The timing of their letter, coming seven months after what was aptly described as “the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the end of the Holocaust,” sheds light on the heightened sense of urgency and peril. The Post also reported that according to these lawmakers, Iranian-backed groups continue to pose severe threats, launching attacks against both Israeli and American targets. This backdrop of ongoing aggression serves to amplify their alarm.

The lawmakers’ distress is compounded by a globally rising tide of anti-Semitism, which they see as spreading unchecked, adding a layer of socio-cultural threat to the strategic and physical menaces.

President Biden’s stance, as he articulated in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, reflects a nuanced approach to the complex geopolitical and humanitarian issues at play. He declared a conditional withholding of arms, specifically if Israeli forces proceed with an invasion of Rafah, a crucial stronghold of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to the Post report. This decision not to supply arms for such an operation highlights a strategic pivot, focusing on the potential humanitarian impact on Rafah’s civilian population, estimated at 1.5 million people.

The specifics of the withheld military aid include substantial quantities of munitions, detailed by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, the report in the Post noted.  “We are especially focused on the end use of the 2,000-pound bombs and the impact they could have in dense urban settings as we have seen in other parts of Gaza,” Jean-Pierre stated. She also noted that no final decision has been made regarding the continuation of this military aid.

Jean-Pierre’s statements further clarified that the objective of the administration’s decision is to prevent the use of American-supplied weaponry in specific types of military operations that could endanger large numbers of civilian lives.

This decision comes in the wake of a harrowing conflict that began with an October 7 invasion by Hamas, leading to the death of 1,200 people, including 33 U.S. citizens, and the kidnapping of 240 individuals. The Post report said that among those kidnapped, more than 130, including five Americans, remain held in the Gaza Strip, under uncertain conditions regarding their survival or well-being.

In a stark response to the U.S. decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video message that conspicuously avoided mentioning Biden, expressed a resolute stance for his nation. “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone,” Netanyahu declared, according to the Post report.

Critics of the U.S. decision, including more than two dozen House Democrats led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, argue that withholding such critical aid emboldens Iranian-backed terror groups and complicates efforts to secure a hostage agreement. These lawmakers contend that the pause in military support inadvertently supports the agendas of Iranian backed terrorist groups such as Hamas, characterized by chaos, brutality, and hatred.

The Democrats argue that by stalling the shipments, it could lead to increased vulnerability for Palestinians. According to them, terror groups may exploit the lack of military pressure to continue diverting humanitarian aid meant for civilian relief, thus putting innocent lives at greater risk, the Post reported. This assertion calls attention to a broader concern about the consequences of interrupting aid flows in conflict zones, where non-state actors might leverage power vacuums to their advantage.

Echoing President Biden’s previous statements, the group reminded the administration of its commitment to eliminate Hamas, which Biden emphasized after the tragic events of October 7. They argue that the administration’s current stance might contradict its earlier assertions about its commitments in the region, particularly concerning America’s closest ally, Israel.

The Post reported that the Democratic members also highlighted the potential geopolitical risks of reducing military support at such a critical juncture. “When we abandon these duties, we leave a vacuum of American leadership for our anti-democratic adversaries to fill,” they stated, suggesting that the absence of decisive American intervention could invite further destabilization by empowering regimes opposed to U.S. interests and democratic values globally.

Amidst these concerns, Gottheimer and his colleagues have sought a classified briefing to gain clearer insights into the administration’s strategy and to ensure that the significant sum of $17 billion in military aid approved by Congress for Israel is expedited, as was noted in the Post report. Their request aims to secure a timeline and reassurances that the aid will reach its intended destination promptly to support Israel’s defense capabilities in a region fraught with conflict and uncertainty.

 

 

 

 

New York visits Indiana with 2-1 series lead

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New York Knicks (50-32, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (47-35, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Pacers -6; over/under is 218.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks visit the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Pacers won the last matchup 111-106 on May 10 led by 35 points from Tyrese Haliburton, while Donte DiVincenzo scored 35 points for the Knicks.

The Pacers are 32-20 in conference matchups. Indiana is the top team in the Eastern Conference with 57.9 points in the paint led by Pascal Siakam averaging 13.1.

The Knicks have gone 35-17 against Eastern Conference opponents. New York is fifth in the league with 45.2 rebounds per game. Isaiah Hartenstein leads the Knicks with 8.3.

The Pacers’ 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.7 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Knicks give up. The Knicks’ 46.5% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.1 percentage points lower than the Pacers have allowed to their opponents (49.6%).

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner celebrates at the end of Game 3 against the New York Knicks in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Indianapolis. The Pacers won 111-106. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Pacers, Nuggets looking to even conference semifinals following key Game 3 victories
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) blocks a shot by New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second half of Game 3 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Late 3 gives Pacers 111-106 victory over Knicks
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second half of Game 3 against the New York Knicks in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Indianapolis. The Pacers won 111-106. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Andrew Nembhard’s late 3 gives Pacers 111-106 victory over Knicks. Indiana moves within 2-1

TOP PERFORMERS: Siakam is averaging 21.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Pacers. Myles Turner is averaging 19.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over the past 10 games.

Jalen Brunson is averaging 28.7 points and 6.7 assists for the Knicks. DiVincenzo is averaging 18.5 points over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 6-4, averaging 118.4 points, 41.9 rebounds, 30.9 assists, 5.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.

Knicks: 7-3, averaging 112.7 points, 45.1 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 5.5 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin: out for season (shoulder).

Knicks: OG Anunoby: out (hamstring), Julius Randle: out for season (shoulder), Mitchell Robinson: out (ankle), Bojan Bogdanovic: out for season (foot).

Trump trial turns to sex, bank accounts and power: Highlights from the third week of testimony

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(AP) — The alleged sexual encounter at the center of Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial got a graphic airing in court this past week as porn actor Stormy Daniels shared her account before a rapt jury.

Daniels’ testimony about her time with Trump was by far the most awaited moment of the trial, which now enters its fourth week of witnesses as prosecutors come close to wrapping up their historic case.

But it wasn’t all salaciousness. Manhattan jurors saw documentary evidence meant to directly tie Trump to the hush money payments that were sent to Daniels in what prosecutors say was an effort to buy her silence in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election.

A look at what happened over the last week:

THE (IM)BALANCE OF POWER
The jury heard for seven-and-a-half hours from Daniels, who testified in vivid detail about a 2006 sexual encounter she says she had with Trump, which he has denied.

 

Though she’s shared details before, one striking aspect of her testimony centered on her perception of an “imbalance of power” in the Lake Tahoe hotel suite where Daniels said she and Trump had sex.

With a bodyguard positioned outside the suite, she described Trump as “bigger and blocking the way.” When the sex was over, she added, “It was really hard to get my shoes on; my hands were shaking so hard.”

Here is what Stormy Daniels testified happened between her and Donald Trump
Daniels made clear under questioning that she was not physically or verbally threatened to have sex and that she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.

But defense lawyers were unnerved enough by her characterizations of the encounter that they moved for a mistrial, telling Judge Juan M. Merchan that her testimony was inflammatory and differed in important ways from what she’d previously said. Her statements — she said she felt “lightheaded” and “blacked out” while with Trump — amounted to a “dog whistle” for rape, Trump attorney Todd Blanche said.

 

“The issue is she has testified today about consent, about danger. That’s not the point of this case,” Blanche told the judge.

Merchan denied the mistrial request but also conceded that the testimony included “some things that were better left unsaid.” The judge also rejected a separate request to permit Trump to respond publicly to Daniels’ testimony in spite of a gag order barring him from incendiary out-of-court comments about witnesses.

‘PHONY STORIES ABOUT SEX’
Given the salacious nature of Daniels’ testimony, and the volume of objections from defense lawyers as she spoke, it was hardly surprising that she faced a combative cross-examination in what was easily the most heated back-and-forth of the trial so far.

The Trump team painted Daniels as an untrustworthy witness as it picked apart her personal life and profession.

There were questions about her past claims that she lived in a haunted house and about her participation in a 2018 strip club tour called “Making America Horny Again.” (For the record, Daniels said, she “hated” that tagline.) There were suggestions, too, that she stands to profit handsomely by continuing to share her account even as the defense branded it pure fiction.

“You have made all of this up, right?” Trump lawyer Susan Necheles asked.

“No,” came the answer.

In several particularly biting exchanges, Necheles invoked Daniels’ porn actor profession to cast doubt on her credibility, telling her at one point, “You have a lot of experience in making phony stories about sex appear to be real, right?”

“Wow,” Daniels replied. “That’s not how I would put it. The sex in the films, it’s very much real. Just like what happened to me in that room.”

The lawyer also implied that Daniels’ experience in the porn industry made it unlikely that she would have been rattled or frightened by the sight of Trump on the bed.

“You’ve acted and had sex in over 200 porn movies, right. And there are naked men and women having sex, including yourself, in those movies?” Necheles asked. “But according to you, seeing a man sitting on a bed in a T-shirt and boxers was so upsetting that you got lightheaded, the blood left your hands and feet, and you felt like you were going to faint.”

A ‘CONTEMPTUOUS’ DEFENDANT
Trump’s out-of-court comments related to the jury and witnesses have earned him monetary fines and repeated rebukes from a judge.

But his demeanor inside the courtroom this past week led to a separate scolding directed at his attorneys.

At one point, Merchan summoned defense lawyers for a quiet discussion at the bench, where he told them he had observed Trump reacting in improper ways during Daniels’ testimony.

“I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that’s contemptuous. It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that,” Merchan said, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

“I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him,” he added.

 

Apart from that exchange, Trump drew a separate $1,000 fine for comments about the case made during an interview last month and was warned in the most direct manner yet about the possibility of jail time for further violations of Merchan’s gag order.

THE ‘DJT’ ACCOUNT

Jurors heard more than just salacious testimony. They also learned about the financial transactions at the center of the case and saw payment checks bearing Trump’s signature.

Prosecutors worked to tie Trump directly to the hush money payments to Daniels. They elicited testimony that most of the checks used to reimburse Michael Cohen, Trump’s then-lawyer and fixer, for the payments to Daniels were drawn from Trump’s personal account — which went by his initials, “DJT.”

Deborah Tarasoff, a Trump Organization accounts payable supervisor, said that once Trump became president, checks written from his personal account had to first be delivered, via FedEx, “to the White House for him to sign.”

The checks would then return with Trump’s Sharpie signature. “I’d pull them apart, mail out the check and file the backup,” she said, meaning putting the invoice into the Trump Organization’s filing system.

Still, she and another witness, Jeffrey McConney, a former Trump Organization controller, acknowledged not getting direct instructions from Trump himself about the ins-and-outs of the payments.

Tarasoff, for instance, conceded that she did not interact much with Trump over the years and had no reason to believe that he was hiding anything or that there was anything improper about the checks.

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
Jurors got a glimpse at the high-rolling social life Trump enjoyed before becoming president, full of celebrity wattage and bold-faced names.

A redacted contact list that Trump’s assistant at his company sent to another Trump aide, representing people he spoke to frequently or might want to, included former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, tennis player Serena Williams, casino mogul Steve Wynn, “The Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett, “Saturday Night Live” mastermind Lorne Michaels and NFL legends Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Their contact details were redacted, but the information nonetheless offered a window into the celebrity universe inhabited by Trump.

Controversy Surrounds UN Gaza Casualty Figures Amid Accusations of Data Manipulation

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Edited by: Fern Sidman

The United Nations has recently made a significant adjustment to its previously published data regarding the number of women and children killed in Gaza, leading to serious questions about data accuracy and the processes used to verify such critical information, according to a report published on Saturday in The Jerusalem Post. This change in reported fatalities raises concerns about the reliability of the data provided by local sources and highlights the challenges in obtaining accurate casualty figures in conflict zones.

On May 6, the UN reported that 34,735 people had been killed in Gaza, including over 9,500 women and over 14,500 children. These figures were based on data collected from the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health and the Government Media Office in Gaza, as well as Israeli authorities, as was reported by the JPost. Just two days later, on May 8, the numbers were revised. The updated data showed a total of 34,844 fatalities, but the number of women and children reported killed was significantly lower, with 4,959 women and 7,797 children listed.

The initial and revised figures were drawn from local administrative sources within Gaza and corroborative data from Israeli sources. The UN itself included a disclaimer below the data: “The UN has so far not been able to produce independent, comprehensive, and verified casualty figures,” as per the information provided in the JPost report.

The revised figures indicate that as of April 30, a total of 24,686 deaths had been identified. Among these, 10,006 were men, and 1,924 were elderly, the JPost report explained.  The distribution of fatalities, according to the latest data, shows that men constituted 40% of the identified deaths, children 32%, and women 20%.

The integrity of casualty figures reported by Gazan authorities has been a subject of intense scrutiny and controversy, culminating in significant international criticism and accusations of data manipulation. The recent UN revision of the number of women and children killed in Gaza, which saw a dramatic halving of the previously reported figures, further fuels the ongoing debate about the accuracy of the data provided by Hamas officials at the Gaza Health Ministry.

For several months, prominent statisticians and policy analysts have questioned the casualty figures released by the Hamas operated health ministry in Gaza.  Criticism peaked with the release of a report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in January, which pointed out major discrepancies in the fatality reports attributed to the Hamas authorities in Gaza, the JPost report pointed out.  The institute’s analysis suggested that these discrepancies were likely due to deliberate manipulation of data.

 

Professor Abraham Wyner’s commentary to Tablet Magazine further elucidates the statistical improbabilities found in the Hamas supplied data. The JPost reported that according to Wyner, the pattern of reported deaths was unnaturally consistent, showing a regular increase by approximately 270 plus or minus 15 percent. Wyner argued that such regularity is statistically impossible in the context of warfare, where the intensity and thus the fatalities should be highly irregular, as was indicated in the JPost report.  His analysis implies that the figures might have been altered to present a misleading narrative or to serve specific political or humanitarian agendas.

The potential manipulation of casualty data has profound implications. Accurate and reliable data are crucial for:

Humanitarian Response: Misrepresentation of death tolls can lead to misallocation of international aid and resources, potentially diverting assistance away from other urgent needs.

Political Repercussions: Inflated or manipulated casualty figures can influence international opinion and policy decisions, possibly leading to escalations in conflict or affecting peace negotiations.

Public Perception: Accuracy in reporting affects public perception both locally and internationally. Inaccurate reporting can fuel propaganda and mistrust among the international community.

Verifying casualty figures in a conflict zone is fraught with challenges. The primary issues include:

Access Restrictions: Often, conflict zones are inaccessible to international observers, making independent verification difficult.

Reliability of Sources: In many cases, the only available sources are local authorities or organizations with potential biases.

Technological and Methodological Limitations: In the chaos of conflict, collecting precise data is often not feasible. Methods used may lack the necessary sophistication to ensure accuracy.

 

 

 

 

4 IDF soldiers killed in Zeitoun Gaza

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The soldiers from the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion were identified as Sgt. Itay Livny, 19, Sgt. Yosef Dassa, 19, Sgt. Ermiyas Mekuriyaw, 19, and Sgt. Daniel Levy, 19. (photo credit: IDF)

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Four IDF soldiers were killed during an operation in Gaza on Friday.

The soldiers, all from the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion, were identified as Sgt. Itay Livny, 19, from Ramat Hasharon; Sgt. Yosef Dassa, 19, from Kiryat Bialik; Sgt. Ermiyas Mekuriyaw, 19, from Beersheba and Sgt. Daniel Levy, 19, from Kiryat Motzkin.

They were carrying out an operation against terrorists who were hiding in a school in the Zeitoun neighborhood when they were ambushed and hit with explosives.

In addition, two soldiers from the 401 Armored Brigade’s 9th Battalion were severely wounded by RPG fire on a tank in Rafah.

Two soldiers from the 9th Battalion of the 401st Brigade were seriously wounded in the southern Gaza Strip.

The deaths of these four soldiers bring the IDF casualty number during the Gaza ground war to 171.

On Friday, the IDF was continuing the Rafah operation initiated on Monday when troops captured part of the Salah a-Din road, along with the Rafah Crossing to Egypt.

Tanks have moved further into Rafah, but according to Reuters, only in areas that civilians have evacuated.

IDF troops neutralized dozens of terrorists before operating in the Zeitoun neighborhood.

The IDF seized the Rafah crossing, which will negatively impact Hamas’s ability to smuggle weapons and people back and forth from neighboring Sinai.

The crossing is part of the wider Philadelphi Corridor running along the Gaza-Egypt border, which has for years been a central supply line for Hamas smuggling.

Prior to the Rafah operation, the IDF evacuated 150,000 of the million Palestinians in the area, and evacuations are still ongoing.

The war cabinet has approved “measured” actions in Gaza to avoid what could be termed as a “major operation,” which would affect Israel’s alliance with the US.

US President Joe Biden has said he would halt the delivery of weapons and military aid to Israel if it launches a major operation in Rafah.

‘Deeply concerned’ about message Biden admin sending to Hamas, 26 House Democrats say

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U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during a Feb. 14, 2024 press briefing at the White House. Credit: Oliver Contreras/White House.

(JNS) A group of 26 House Democrats sent a letter to Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, on Friday expressing concern about U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to withhold weapons shipments to Israel.

“We are deeply concerned about the message the administration is sending to Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist proxies by withholding weapons shipments to Israel, during a critical moment in the negotiations,” wrote the House members, led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine).

With Jew-hatred “spreading globally like wildfire,” the 26 representatives “fear that public disputes with our critical ally only emboldens our mutual enemies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed proxies.”

“It also buttresses their agenda of chaos, brutality and hate, and makes a hostage agreement even harder to achieve,” they wrote. “Hamas still holds more than 130 hostages, including eight Americans, five of whom may still be alive.”

“The president’s unyielding commitment to passing emergency supplemental funding for Israel showed the world our commitment,” they added. “When we abandon these duties, we leave a vacuum of American leadership for our anti-democratic adversaries to fill.”

The 26 asked Sullivan for a classified briefing “about your decision and to better understand how and when the aid that Congress has authorized and appropriated for Israel will be delivered.”

All Eyes on Harvard as Police Clear Pro-Hamas Encampments at MIT, Penn

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Another elite bastion of Jew hatred is Harvard University. Credit: hillel.org

(Breitbart) Harvard University’s “encampment” is one of the last major pro-Palestinian (effectively, pro-Hamas) occupations still standing after police cleared demonstrators Friday from the nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Pennsylvania.

According to The Tech, the MIT student newspaper, police arrived at the center of campus early Friday morning and began clearing the encampment and making arrests (original emphasis):

4:03 AM: A 15 minutes’ notice was issued to pro-Palestinian student demonstrators to vacate the premises.

Within minutes, encampment affiliates and other pro-Palestinian student demonstrators were escorted out of Kresge Oval and onto Mass Ave.

…

7:38 AM: In a statement to the MIT community at 7:38 a.m., President Kornbluth detailed the events of this morning and presented a timeline of key events since the establishment of the encampment up to its removal. Kornbluth writes that she “had no choice but to remove such a high-risk flashpoint at the very center of our campus.”

Later in the day, pro-Palestinian protesters and their supporters held a rally on campus to protest the removal of the encampment. Some chanted, “Oink, oink, piggy, piggy / we’re going to make your life sh*tty,” The Tech reported.

 

The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that 33 people were arrested at the Philadelphia campus, “including” students:

Penn Police officers in riot gear, with the assistance of Philadelphia Police, arrested 33 individuals at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at around 6 a.m. on Friday.

The arrests and clearing of tents took place on the 16th day of the encampment, which began on the afternoon of April 25. Up to 40 tents took up one square of College Green ufntil [sic] Tuesday, when at least eight tents were moved over as the encampment expanded east of the Ben Franklin statue. Penn Police officers completed arrests after about an hour, including by moving several individuals out of their tents.

…

The spokesperson added that approximately 33 individuals were arrested “without incident” and cited for defiant trespass. They said that, after searching the encampment, Penn Police found “several long lengths (6-10 feet) of heavy gauge chains, as well as smaller chains with nuts and bolts attached that could be used as weapons.”

The Daily Pennsylvanian noted that “at least” seven of the 33 arrestees were students. Penn, formerly known as a heavily Jewish campus, has been a hotbed of antisemitic rhetoric and protests since the Hamas attack October 7.

Harvard has warned the dozens of protesters still occupying Harvard Yard to leave, and has placed them on what is called — in a typically Harvardian euphemism — “involuntary absence.” Graduation in the Yard will be held May 22.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

 

1,594 Israeli soldiers and civilians killed since last Memorial Day

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Friends and relatives mourn at the funeral of IDF Sgt. Barkey Ishai Shor on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on July 29, 2014. Shor was one of 66 Israeli soldiers killed during last summer's war with Hamas. Credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90.

(JNS)  Since the last Memorial Day (April 25, 2023), 1,594 Israeli soldiers and civilians have died. This includes 760 Israel Defense Forces soldiers (61 of whom succumbed to their wounds from previous years) and 834 civilians, of which 822 were killed on or after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, according to numbers released by the Israeli Ministry of Defense on Thursday.

A total of 30,134 security forces and civilians have been killed in defending the land of Israel and in terrorist attacks since 1860, the year in which the first Jews left the walls of Jerusalem to build new Jewish neighborhoods.

IDF casualties in the Gaza war left behind 1,294 grieving parents, 248 widows, 520 orphans and 2,174 bereaved brothers and sisters.

Those murdered in the hostilities left behind 630 orphans; 177 widows and widowers; 1,355 grieving brothers and sisters; and 693 bereaved parents.

Before Oct. 7, 12 civilians were added to the number of those murdered in hostilities, including Chana Nachenberg, 52, who was wounded in the 2001 Sbarro suicide bombing in Jerusalem and died this year from her injuries. New York-born Nachenberg had been in a vegetative state for 22 years since the attack.

 

A total of 106 men, women and children were returned from captivity in the Gaza Strip as part of an exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Currently, more than 200 days after the massacre, 132 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including 65 civilians. Thirty of those have been killed, of whom eight were returned to Israel for burial.

Israel’s Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism (Yom Hazikaron) will begin on Sunday evening, May 12, at sundown.

Far-left Dems celebrate Biden’s decision to withhold Israel aid as ‘step forward’

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By Matthew Xiao, Washington Free Beacon

The far-left Uncommitted National Movement on Thursday celebrated President Joe Biden’s decision to withhold military aid from Israel as an Israeli assault on Rafah looms, calling the pause in weapons supply a “step forward.”

“Biden’s announcement to halt American arms for Israel’s Rafah invasion marks a step forward, propelled by our growing anti-war movement,” spokeswoman Layla Elabed said on Thursday, according to National Review.

“But, as the Democratic Party has fractured over Israel’s atrocities in Gaza over the past several months, Biden’s actions will always speak louder than his words,” Elabed, the younger sister of “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), added.

The Uncommitted National Movement, which led more than 100,000 Democratic voters to vote “uncommited” in Michigan’s primary earlier this year to protest Biden’s role in the Israel-Hamas war, is calling for a pause on all U.S. military aid to Israel and an “immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

Biden had announced during a CNN interview on Wednesday that the United States would not supply weapons that Israel could use to carry out its planned military operation in Rafah, the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza.

“I made it clear that if [Israeli forces] go into Rafah—they haven’t gone in Rafah yet—if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem,” Biden said.

The Biden administration has reportedly already halted a shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs to Israel, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirming on Wednesday that “one shipment of high payload munitions” to the Jewish state has been paused.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday responded to Biden’s threat by saying Israel would continue to “defeat our enemy and those who want to destroy us” regardless of U.S. support.

“If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone. I have said that, if necessary, we will fight with our nails. But we have much more than nails, and with that same strength of spirit—with God’s help—together, we will win,” Netanyahu said.

Rudy Giuliani Suspended From Radio Show Over 2020 Election Claims

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Photo Credit: AP

Rudy Giuliani was suspended Friday from his radio show over refusing to not talk about the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to The New York Times.

Giuliani was suspended from his WABC radio show for defying requests from station owner John Catsimatidis to not talk about the 2020 election, according to The New York Times. Giuliani, in a livestream on X (formerly Twitter), denied the claims, saying he had been talking about accusations of electoral fraud on the show for years.

“We’re not going to talk about fallacies of the November 2020 election … We warned him once. We warned him twice. And I get a text from him last night, and I get a text from him this morning that he refuses not to talk about it,” WABC’s billionaire owner told The New York Times.

Catsimatidis also confirmed the suspension in a text message to the Associated Press (AP). The AP also obtained a letter from the station’s owner to Giuliani dated May 4, 2024 stating he could not discuss, “(topics which) include, but are not limited to, the legitimacy of the election results, allegations of fraud effectuated by election workers, and your personal lawsuits relating to these allegations.”

Ted Goodman, a spokesman for Giuliani, claimed his client did not know about the directive before Thursday. 

 

Giuliani was found guilty of defamation by a Washington, D.C. court in December, 2023. The case was brought by Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman over unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud in Georgia. The judge awarded the two former Georgia election workers over $148 million in damages. The former New York mayor subsequently filed for bankruptcy.

Eurovision Song Contest final under way after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant’s expulsion

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AP

(AP) — The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.

Video above: Eurovision Official Roundup: All 37 Songs Of Eurovision 2024

A raucous Croatian rocker, a nonbinary Swiss performer with a soaring voice and — contentiously — a young Israeli singer with a powerful ballad are among favorites to win the competition, which pits nations against one another for the continent’s musical crown.

Before the final, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Malmo to oppose the participation of Israel, with a small group shouting “shame” at fans heading into the Malmo Arena for the show. Separately, Dutch contender Joost Klein was expelled from the contest over a backstage altercation that is being investigated by police.

What to know about this year’s Eurovision Song Contest:

Competition organizer the European Broadcasting Union said a female member of the production crew had made a complaint against Klein. The organizer said it wouldn’t be appropriate for Klein to participate at the event while the legal process was underway.

Klein, a 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper, had been a favorite of both bookmakers and fans with his song “Europapa.”

 

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters that collectively fund and broadcast the contest, said that as Klein came offstage after Thursday’s semifinal, he was filmed without his consent and in turn made a “threatening movement” toward the camera.

The broadcaster said Klein didn’t touch the camera or the female camera operator, and called his expulsion a “very heavy and disproportionate” punishment.

The protests and dissent are overshadowing a competition that has become a campy celebration of Europe’s varied — and sometimes baffling — musical tastes and a forum for inclusiveness and diversity with a huge LGBT following.

Competitors from 25 nations are performing in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world. Each contestant has three minutes to meld catchy tunes and eye-popping spectacle into performances capable of winning the hearts of millions of viewers. Musical styles range across rock, disco, techno and rap — sometimes a mashup of more than one.

The contest returned to Sweden, home of last year’s winner Loreen, a half-century after ABBA won Eurovision with “Waterloo” — Eurovision’s most iconic moment. The opening act wasn’t the pop supergroup, which hasn’t reunited onstage for decades. Instead, it was Björn Skifs, the first Swedish artist to score a No. 1 hit in the U.S. – in 1974 with “Hooked on a Feeling.”

This year’s contenders include the goofy 1990s nostalgia of Finland’s Windows95man, who emerges from a giant onstage egg wearing very little clothing. Bambie Thug summons witchy spirits onstage and has brought a scream coach to Malmo, while Spain’s Nebulossa boldly reclaims a term used as a slur on women in “Zorra.”

 

The favorites include Swiss singer Nemo — who would be the first nonbinary Eurovision winner if the operatic song “The Code” tops the voting — and Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. His song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is a rollicking rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

Though Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” this year’s event has proven divisive.

Tensions and nerves were palpable in the hours before the final. Several artists were absent from the Olympics-style artists’ entrance at the start of the final dress rehearsal, though all but Bambie Thug went on to perform.

The Irish performer issued a statement saying the absence was due to a situation “which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU” and telling fans: “I hope to see you on the stage later.”

French singer Slimane cut short his song “Mon Amour” at the dress rehearsal to give a speech urging people to be “united by music, yes — but with love, for peace.”

Norwegian singer Alessandra Mele, who had been due to announce her country’s jury results, said that she was withdrawing because “there is a genocide going on” and the united by music slogan was “empty words.” Finland’s announcer, musician Kaarija, also pulled out, saying announcing the votes “does not feel right.”

Though Israel was allowed to compete, Eurovision organizers ordered a change to the original title of its song, “October Rain” — an apparent reference to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza.

Israeli singer Eden Golan has shot up the odds since performing the power ballad, now titled “Hurricane,” in Thursday’s semifinal. Golan faced some booing at dress rehearsals, but was voted into the final by viewers around the world.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised 20-year-old Golan for performing despite “contending with an ugly wave of antisemitism.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters argue that Israel shouldn’t be allowed to take part amid a war that has killed almost 35,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Thousands of people marched for the second time this week on Saturday through Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to demand a boycott of Israel and a cease-fire in the seven-month war.

A few Palestinian flags were waved in the auditorium during Saturday’s Eurovision dress rehearsal, in defiance of a ban on flags other than those of competing nations.

Loreen, last year’s Eurovision champion — and one of only two performers to win the contest twice — said world events were “traumatizing,” but urged people not to shut down the “community of love” that is Eurovision.

“What heals trauma … Does trauma heal trauma? Does negativity heal negativity? It doesn’t work like that,” she told The Associated Press. “The only thing that heals trauma for real — this is science — is love.”

___

Hilary Fox in Malmo, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.

Pictures: Strong Solar Storm Sparks Aurora Lights Show Across Northern Hemisphere

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.AP

 (AP) – An unusually strong solar storm hitting Earth produced stunning displays of color in the skies across the Northern Hemisphere early Saturday, with no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, hours sooner than anticipated. The effects of the Northern Lights, which were prominently on display in Britain, were due to last through the weekend and possibly into next week.

Many in the U.K. shared phone snaps of the lights on social media early Saturday, with the phenomenon seen as far south as London and southern England.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at St. Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast, England, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at St. Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast, England, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

There were sightings “from top to tail across the country,” said Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, Britain’s weather agency. He added that the office received photos and information from other European locations including Prague and Barcelona.

NOAA alerted operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to take precautions.

 

“For most people here on planet Earth, they won’t have to do anything,” said Rob Steenburgh, a scientist with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Northern lights appear in the night sky over the Pferdskopf near Treisberg in the Hochtaunus district of Hesse, Germany, early Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Lando Hass/dpa via AP)

Northern lights appear in the night sky over the Pferdskopf near Treisberg in the Hochtaunus district of Hesse, Germany, early Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Lando Hass/dpa via AP)

The storm could produce northern lights as far south in the U.S. as Alabama and Northern California, NOAA said. But it was hard to predict and experts stressed it would not be the dramatic curtains of color normally associated with the northern lights, but more like splashes of greenish hues.

“That’s really the gift from space weather: the aurora,” Steenburgh said. He and his colleagues said the best aurora views may come from phone cameras, which are better at capturing light than the naked eye.

Snap a picture of the sky and “there might be actually a nice little treat there for you,” said Mike Bettwy, operations chief for the prediction center.

In this long exposure photograph, a car drives past and illuminates poplars as the northern lights glow in the night sky above the village of Daillens, Switzerland, early Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

In this long exposure photograph, a car drives past and illuminates poplars as the northern lights glow in the night sky above the village of Daillens, Switzerland, early Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

The most intense solar storm in recorded history, in 1859, prompted auroras in central America and possibly even Hawaii. “We are not anticipating that” but it could come close, NOAA space weather forecaster Shawn Dahl said.

This storm poses a risk for high-voltage transmission lines for power grids, not the electrical lines ordinarily found in people’s homes, Dahl told reporters. Satellites also could be affected, which in turn could disrupt navigation and communication services here on Earth.

 

An extreme geomagnetic storm in 2003, for example, took out power in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa.

Even when the storm is over, signals between GPS satellites and ground receivers could be scrambled or lost, according to NOAA. But there are so many navigation satellites that any outages should not last long, Steenburgh noted.

Northern lights shine over Portsmouth, N.H., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

Northern lights shine over Portsmouth, N.H., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

The sun has produced strong solar flares since Wednesday, resulting in at least seven outbursts of plasma. Each eruption, known as a coronal mass ejection, can contain billions of tons of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona.

The flares seem to be associated with a sunspot that’s 16 times the diameter of Earth, NOAA said. It is all part of the solar activity ramping up as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle.

NASA said the storm posed no serious threat to the seven astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The biggest concern is the increased radiation levels, and the crew could move to a better shielded part of the station if necessary, according to Steenburgh.

This image provided by NASA shows a solar flare, as seen in the bright flash in the lower right, captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on May 9, 2024. A severe geomagnetic storm watch has been issued for Earth starting Friday and lasting all weekend _ the first in nearly 20 years. (NASA/SDO via AP)

This image provided by NASA shows a solar flare, as seen in the bright flash in the lower right, captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on May 9, 2024. A severe geomagnetic storm watch has been issued for Earth starting Friday and lasting all weekend _ the first in nearly 20 years. (NASA/SDO via AP)

Increased radiation also could threaten some of NASA’s science satellites. Extremely sensitive instruments will be turned off, if necessary, to avoid damage, said Antti Pulkkinen, director of the space agency’s heliophysics science division.

Several sun-focused spacecraft are monitoring all the action.

“This is exactly the kinds of things we want to observe,” Pulkkinen said.

Israel orders Palestinians to evacuate from more areas of Gaza’s Rafah

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Palestinians in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 30, 2023. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

(TJV NEWS) Israel issued evacuation orders for Palestinians in multiple areas of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, directing them to relocate to what it termed an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, Reuters reported.

This move signaled Israel’s intentions to proceed with a ground attack on Rafah. Additionally, residents and displaced individuals in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza and 11 other neighborhoods were urged by a military spokesperson on social media to immediately move to locations west of Gaza City.

The Hamas-controlled Palestinian health ministry reported that overnight airstrikes in the enclave, including Rafah, resulted in the deaths of at least 37 Palestinians, with 24 fatalities occurring in central Gaza areas. Despite the evacuation directives, some residents expressed skepticism about the safety of the suggested locations, citing casualties from previous airstrikes.

Israeli airstrikes targeted numerous locations across Gaza, with ground troops reportedly engaging fighters in Zeitoun. Tragically, an Israeli airstrike claimed the lives of at least seven individuals from a single family in Beit Lahiya town in northern Gaza.

Residents of Rafah confirmed new evacuation orders for central areas of the city, heightening concerns about an imminent expansion of Israel’s ground offensive. Amidst international pressure and concerns raised by humanitarian groups, Israel remained determined to proceed with its incursion into Rafah, where a significant portion of Gaza’s displaced population sought refuge.

The closure of key crossing points, including Rafah and Kerem Shalom, hindered the delivery of aid to Gaza. Ceasefire talks appeared to stall, with Hamas reconsidering its negotiation stance following Israel’s rejection of a truce offer. The group hinted at potential changes in its terms for reaching a deal, prompting speculation about the future direction of negotiations.

The ongoing military campaign faced mounting criticism, notably from the United States, which raised concerns about potential violations of international humanitarian law by Israel. Despite this criticism, Israel maintained its offensive stance, prioritizing the release of hostages and the capture of Hamas fighters in Rafah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government encountered growing pressure over its handling of the conflict, including scrutiny over its use of military force and weapons supplied by the United States. While the Biden administration expressed concerns about possible violations of international law, it stopped short of making definitive judgments due to the complex nature of the conflict.

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