Latest news with #Israeli-Hamas
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
People lit on fire in ‘targeted terror attack' in Colorado
A view of the Boulder County Courthouse on the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder on Aug. 14, 2021. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline) Multiple people were injured Sunday in downtown Boulder when a man reportedly lit them on fire, according to local police. Eight victims ranging in age from 52 to 88 years old were transported to hospitals in the region, police said. One was described as being in critical condition, with other victims' injuries ranging from serious to minor. The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Saliman, was taken into custody by police and was treated for minor injuries at a hospital, Mark D. Michalek, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Denver field office, said during a Sunday evening press conference. 'Witnesses are reporting that the subject used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd,' Michalek said. The attack took place near the Boulder County Courthouse on the Pearl Street Mall, an area in the heart of the city that typically attracts hundreds of people on the weekend. The first calls about the attack came at 1:26 p.m., Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said earlier Sunday. 'The initial callers indicated that there was a man with a weapon and that people were being set on fire,' he said. 'When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims that were injured with injuries consistent with burns and other injuries.' Participants in the Boulder branch of Run For Their Lives, which organizes events calling for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, were the apparent target of the attack. Michalek said the suspect was 'heard to yell 'Free Palestine' during the attack.' He called it a 'targeted act of violence' and said the FBI was investigating it as an act of terrorism. Kash Patel, director of the FBI, earlier on Sunday called the incident a 'targeted terror attack,' and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said it was a 'heinous act of terror.' The Anti-Defamation League said on social media it was 'monitoring the situation in Colorado.' Joe Neguse, a Democrat who represents Boulder in the U.S. House, characterized the attack as targeting Jewish people. 'I am horrified by the heinous act of terror that took place in downtown Boulder this afternoon,' he said in a statement. 'Tonight, as many prepare to mark the Shavuot holiday, our Jewish community has been subjected to yet another brutal and horrific act of violence. The scourge of antisemitism has metastasized across our country, and we must do more — now — to stop this hatred and violence.' Phil Weiser, Colorado's attorney general, also indicated the group was targeted. 'From what we know, this attack appears to be a hate crime given the group that was targeted,' Weiser said in a statement. 'People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences. Hate has no place in Colorado.' Chase Woodruff contributed to this report. Like the SC Daily Gazette, Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Six people injured in petrol bomb attack at pro-Israel protest in Colorado
Molotov cocktails In one video apparently of the attack, a shirtless man holding clear bottles in his hands is seen pacing as the grass in front of him burns. He can be heard screaming "End Zionists!" and "They are killers!" towards several people in red t-shirts as they tend to a person lying on the ground. Other images showed billowing black smoke. The six people injured were aged between 67 and 88, and had all be transported to local hospitals, Michalek said. Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn told reporters that "at least one victim was very seriously injured, probably safe to say critical condition." The suspected perpetrator had also been injured before being taken into custody, Redfearn said. He hailed the bravery of the responding officers, who "immediately ran into a chaotic situation where a man was throwing Molotov cocktails and using other devices to hurt people." Asked if it was a terror attack against the protesters, Redfearn insisted it was "way too early to speculate motive" behind the violence, which took place shortly before 1:30 pm (1930 GMT). There had initially been reports of a possible second perpetrator, but Redfearn stressed that "at this point, we do not believe that there is an additional suspect at large." "We're fairly confident we have the lone suspect in custody." FBI chief Kash Patel immediately described Sunday's incident as "a targeted terror attack," while Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser labeled it "a hate crime." "People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences. Hate has no place in Colorado," Weiser said. The White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside the Cockroach-Filled ICE Facility Where Trump's Goons Tossed Danish Dad of 4
The Danish dad of four detained at his interview to become a U.S. citizen has spent the last month in an ICE facility infamous for reports of a cockroach-filled kitchen and abuse by its guards. Kasper Juul Eriksen, 32, was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, last month because he missed a paperwork deadline a decade ago. His wife was left to drive three hours back to their Mississippi home alone, while he was taken to the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana, about 140 miles northwest of Baton Rouge. An immigration attorney told the Daily Beast on Thursday that the rural facility is infamous even by ICE's standards, with its location making it ideal for holding migrants whom the agency wants to keep visitors from. Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who has been detained since March for organizing demonstrations regarding the Israeli-Hamas war, is also being held there. Known as CLIPC for short, it is a for-profit facility that the GEO Group operates. It was a juvenile correctional center in the 1990s, but was shut down after reports of children being beaten, tear-gassed, and pepper-sprayed emerged. GEO reopened the facility in 2008 to jail migrants on behalf of ICE. Complaints of abuse and 'inhumane' conditions followed, according to a Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights report published in August. That report featured allegations by a detainee named Alex, who filed multiple grievances related to forced labor practices, medical neglect, and contamination of the food they were served. 'A woman at CLIPC working in the kitchen discovered rat feces covering food bags and bread in the kitchen,' the report said. 'Officials forced her to serve the food after brushing aside the excrement.' Whistleblowers also claimed the facility ranks detainees by 'risk level,' with those deemed less risky in yellow and most risky in red. Those colors can reportedly change in a snap, however. One detainee alleged they were bumped from orange to the dreaded red jumpsuit 'after a verbal disagreement with an officer' over law library access. It is unknown what Eriksen's risk level is considered, but he has no criminal record. Conditions have been described as uncomfortable to downright deadly. In 2016, three migrants in custody died before July 1. The Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties investigated and determined that an improper medical response was a contributor to the deaths. The following year, the detention center ranked in the top five of U.S. immigrant jails for the number of sexual assault complaints it received. The Kennedy nonprofit said these issues are compounded by staffing issues, as there is just one guard for every 230 detained people. Even basic liberties are often denied, detainees allege. That included the reported denial of access to toothbrushes and tampons, as well as claims that guards gave detainees used razor blades and forced a man in solitary confinement to spend three months without clean laundry or bedding. 'People treat their dogs better than how this jail treats us,' a detainee named Daniel told the nonprofit. 'There is no respect for human life. No humanity. It is impossible for me to get the right treatment for my diabetes here. Every day, I fear for my life. At CLIPC, 'PC' stands for 'punishment custody,' not 'protective custody.'' The GEO Group told the Daily Beast in a statement that it provides 'around-the-clock access to medical care, in-person and virtual legal and family visitation, general and legal library access, dietitian-approved meals and specialty diets, and recreational amenities.' The organization added, 'We are proud of the role our company has played for 40 years to support the law enforcement mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.' Eriksen has been in ICE custody since he arrived at his citizenship interview after living in Mississippi for over a decade. He works as a welder and first came to America as a foreign exchange student in high school. Eriksen's wife, Jennifer, told the Mississippi Free Press that he was detained because he did not submit Form I-751, otherwise known as 'Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence,' by a deadline in 2015. The deadline came and went as the family was grappling with the fallout of her suffering a stillbirth with their first child, she said. Sarah F. Rogerson, a professor at Albany Law School in New York, told the Daily Beast that Eriksen's missing form was a serious one in the naturalization process. 'Unfortunately, certain forms in immigration carry a lot more weight than what a reasonable person would perceive as mere paperwork,' she said. 'Something like a missed filing deadline for a Form I-751, though it seems like a harmless error, could result in a determination by immigration authorities that a person has abandoned their entire application for residency and therefore, no longer wish to naturalize. It can also sometimes result in the government unilaterally terminating the individual's application for failure to timely file.' Eriksen has a court date scheduled for May 27 to determine whether he can be released on bail, according to a GoFundMe run by Savannah. Rogerson said whether he gets out will largely depend on the judge he is assigned to. At best, Rogerson says he could be released on bail and continue pursuing citizenship. At worst, he could be placed in removal proceedings that could take years to play out. 'The next few days and weeks are extremely important,' she said. 'It's a terrifying story that immigrant families face every time they report to ICE officials, even when they think that their paperwork is in order, and even when the delay is not on their end, but a result of government error.'
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Israel envoy wraps up 4-year stint in PH amid Independence Day commemoration
Outgoing Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss onstage with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/ GMA Integrated News Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss on Thursday commemorated Israel's 77th National Independence Day as he begins to wrap up his four-year stint in the country. During the celebration in Makati on Thursday, Fluss shared that he was a 'balikbayan diplomat,' having worked in the Philippines in the 90's before he was named ambassador in 2021. 'In the 90s, Manila was a different world. No MRT or BGC… Brown-outs were a part of daily life. Our kind neighbors then shared with us a generator so we could have electricity and water. But, the Filipino people haven't changed. They are still the nicest people on earth,' he said. 'Congratulations for the progress of this amazing country… Our hearts never truly left this country. We've always felt a strong bond with the Philippines, a country whose warmth, hospitality, and family values mirror those of Israel,' he added. The outgoing ambassador also highlighted that the partnership between the Philippines and Israel resulted in the creation of 3.5-hectare greenhouse Metro Pacific Fresh Farms (MPFF) in Bulacan, and noted plans of producing a modern dairy farm sometime in the future. Fluss also prayed for 58 remaining hostages in the Israeli-Hamas war and remembered notable individuals during the October 7 Hamas attacks, particularly Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Camille Jesalva, who helped her 95-year-old employer by giving her savings to a Hamas member, 'We pray for the return of the remaining 58 hostages from the end of this war, and we continue to pray for peace,' he said. Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus Domingo acknowledged the connection between Philippines and Israel, noting that it was rooted in history. 'We recall with pride the Philippines's open-door policy, offering refuge to the Jewish people fleeing the Holocaust, and our crucial vote in favor of the United Nations Resolution 181, which paved the way for Israel's recognition as a nation-state. These historical cornerstones form a bedrock where strong bilateral ties,' he said. Domingo said that the partnership between the two countries continue in several sectors, including Agriculture, Technology, and Security. 'Our people-to-people connections continue to strengthen, fostered by tourism, public exchanges, and the shared democratic values that underpin our societies. We are both people of song, and one thing that we Israelis and Filipinos, we love a good song." He added that while Fluss would be a 'tough act to follow,' the country looks forward to continued collaboration with the Embassy in the future. 'As we look to the future, the Philippines is committed to further strengthening this multi-faceted partnership. We are confident by continuing to work together, we can achieve greater prosperity and security for both our nations, and contribute positively to the global community… And may the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Israel continue to flourish in the years ahead,' he said. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was also in attendance during the event, joining a toast on stage and receiving a token of appreciation filled with vegetables from MPFF. She also joined Fluss and other officials of the embassy by testing out a hologram of Fluss powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a series of questions. Israel celebrates its independence day in the same month as Palestinians commemorate the Nakba, or "catastrophe," the violent mass displacement and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948, during the war at the birth of what is now the state of Israel. Israel is also conducting a military assault and blockade of Gaza, with the declared intent of targeting Hamas within the Palestinian enclave. It has struck hospitals, schools and refugee camps, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians including thousands of women and children. South Africa has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide against the Palestinian people. Israel Embassy mourns fallen colleagues in Washington During his speech, Fluss condemned the killing of two staff members of the Israel Embassy on Wednesday evening in Washington, DC. 'I have to share the shocking news of two colleagues, employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were murdered just a few hours ago because they were working at the Israeli Embassy,' he said. 'I want to send my condolences to the families. We condemn this act of terrorism, but we will not let terrorism and antisemitism win,' he added. Israeli flags were placed at half-mast during the event as a sign of mourning. Domingo also extended condolences on behalf of the DFA and the Philippines. 'Join me also in wishing our condolences and prayers to our Philippine colleagues in Washington, D.C.,' he said. Lischinsky and Milgrim were fatally shot outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. "Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act,' Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a post on X. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Navigating Uncertainty: Legal Strategies for Market, Economic, and Geopolitical Volatility
Zachary Swartz, Partner, Real Estate Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions, Vinson & Elkins LLP By Zachary Swartz Recently, economic and market volatility seem to have become the norm, rather than the exception. While current events could cause even the most seasoned lawyer's head to spin, in-house legal departments have an important role to play in helping their boards and management teams navigate their companies through these uncertain times. The Only Certainty is Uncertainty Following President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on April 2, 2025, global stock markets experienced a significant downturn and increased volatility. Markets declined at a rate that hadn't been seen since the 2020 market decline, which occurred during the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A week later, President Trump announced a 90-day decrease to 10% on all tariffs except those imposed on China, which caused markets to surge. Although the volatility in the market continued following the announcement of the 90-day pause, as of this writing, markets had generally recovered to levels close to where they were on 'Liberation Day,' and the VIX, a popular measure of stock market volatility, had decreased to a more 'normal' level. However, longer-term uncertainty still exists with respect to the economy, particularly around inflation and interest rates. The economy appears to have remained resilient with low unemployment and strong consumer spending, but there are fears that a tariff-heavy trade policy could cause inflation to spike, which would suggest that the Fed could keep rates higher for longer; but then again, if the economy tips into a recession, the Fed could be pressured to bring rates down. This general economic uncertainty comes at a time where significant geopolitical uncertainty continues to exist as well. President Trump continues to attempt to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, but has also suggested that such a deal is 'maybe…not possible.' Conflicts in the Middle East continue to rage on, and evidence of fractures within the Trump Administration over the Israeli-Hamas conflict and U.S. relations with Iran have created additional geopolitical uncertainty. And while trade and geopolitical developments continue to take up the lion's share of the front page news of many media outlets, a significant amount of uncertainty exists with respect to domestic regulatory policy as well. While the Trump Administration has already taken steps to begin the implementation of its deregulatory agenda, a number of the President's key political appointees have either only recently been confirmed, are awaiting confirmation, or in some cases, haven't even been nominated yet. This likely means that significant additional regulatory changes can be expected in the coming months.
