NEW YORK NEWS
In a burst of legislative activity, Governor Kathy Hochul signed and vetoed a total of 85 bills in the final days of 2023. Notable among these actions was the signing of a bill requiring limited liability corporations (LLCs) to disclose their owners, aimed at increasing transparency, particularly in sectors like real estate.
However, Hochul vetoed legislation that would have prohibited non-compete clauses in employment contracts, expressing a willingness to consider future legislation that strikes a balance for middle-class and low-wage workers. The governor also rejected a measure mandating the public posting of emergency contracts, citing potential burdens on agencies during disaster relief efforts. A lobbying effort by big business influenced the decision on non-compete clauses, while a compromise on LLC ownership transparency was reached, but with information accessible only to law enforcement and government entities, not the public. Additionally, local elections outside New York City will now align with even-numbered years, a move that is seen as a manipulation of the electoral process to favor Democrats.
The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in New York City filed a lawsuit against Mayor Eric Adams, alleging that he violated state law by implementing $550 million in mid-year spending cuts to the public school system amidst a migrant crisis. The lawsuit contends that Adams breached the law prohibiting education spending cuts unless overall revenues decline, which the UFT argues did not happen since tax revenues reportedly rose last year. The union calls for the reinstatement of the Department of Education budget to the previous year’s levels. Adams attributes the cuts to the financial strain caused by the migrant influx, planning additional reductions if more aid isn’t received. The lawsuit challenges the mayor’s handling of the migrant crisis, questioning the accuracy of the claimed $11 billion cost. Despite recent pay raises for teachers, the lawsuit seeks to protect education services affected by the cuts, emphasizing the need for federal and state support. Another union, District Council 37, has filed a similar suit against budget cuts. Adams defended his actions, stating the courts should determine the next steps.
After spending 37 years in prison for a 1984 double murder conviction in Rochester, New York, Michael Rhynes was released from Attica Correctional Facility following the overturning of his conviction. Rhynes, now 62, was charged in connection with a botched robbery at Rico’s Restaurant, where two people were killed. Acting state Supreme Court Justice Stephen Miller overturned the conviction last week after two key witnesses recanted their testimony. Despite lacking DNA, fingerprints, or witnesses placing him at the scene, Rhynes had been convicted in 1986. His daughter, Michelle Miller, expressed joy at experiencing holidays and milestones with her father outside of prison for the first time, emphasizing gratitude despite the challenging journey.
New York’s attorney general filed suit Wednesday against SiriusXM, accusing the satellite radio and streaming service of making it intentionally difficult for its customers to cancel their subscriptions.
The New York Health Department has issued a cease and desist order to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in Gramercy Park, directing it to immediately halt the closure of inpatient beds, deeming the move unlawful without state approval. The hospital had previously submitted a proposal to shut down by July 2024, prompting community leaders and various officials to resist the closure. The order puts the closure process on hold, but the hospital argued it was losing over $1 billion with low bed occupancy, justifying the closure. Supporters of keeping the hospital open contend that reducing services created a self-fulfilling prophecy of financial struggles. Despite the cease and desist order, the hospital’s closure by July 2024 remains likely.
New York has witnessed a significant population decline, with nearly 102,000 people leaving the state from July 2022 to July 2023, making it the state with the largest population loss in the country during this period, according to data from the United States Census Bureau. Frustrated lawmakers and former residents attribute the exodus to factors such as rising crime rates and the high cost of living. Red states like Texas and Florida experienced notable population growth during the same timeframe. Critics blame progressive policies for the decline, emphasizing increased living costs, crime rates, and perceived prioritization of illegal immigrants and criminals. New York’s population stood at about 19.57 million as of July 1, down from approximately 19.67 million a year ago. The state’s population loss since the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 has reached 631,000 people. The Northeast, the only region to experience a population decline, contrasts with the national trend of overall growth, amounting to a 1.6 million increase in the U.S. population over the last year.
US NEWS
President Joe Biden had a lengthy and private conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a day after the Biden administration supported Israel at the UN Security Council, which adopted a resolution calling for an acceleration of aid deliveries to Gaza without explicitly endorsing a cease-fire. Biden clarified that he did not request a cease-fire during the call, while Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel would continue its military campaign until all its objectives were achieved. The leaders discussed the goals and phases of Israel’s military operations, with Biden emphasizing the protection of civilians and the need for them to move safely away from conflict areas. They also discussed the importance of securing the release of all remaining hostages and agreed to maintain regular consultations through their respective national security teams.
The Supreme Court rejected special counsel Jack Smith’s request to expedite consideration of the debate on whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution. The denial is a setback for Smith’s efforts to accelerate his 2020 election case against Trump in Washington, D.C., with a trial scheduled for March. The case now remains with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which accepted Smith’s separate request for an expedited review of the immunity claim, with oral arguments scheduled for January 9. While the case is expected to return to the Supreme Court eventually, Smith’s team had sought an early review, claiming precedent from the Nixon Watergate tapes case. The case involves allegations of Trump unlawfully plotting to overturn the 2020 election results, and the trial is set to begin on March 4, 2024. Trump faces multiple criminal cases, and he denies any wrongdoing, attributing the legal actions to politically motivated prosecutors conducting a “witch hunt” against him.
A newly disclosed report by The Detroit News reveals that Donald Trump pressured two election officials in Michigan not to certify the 2020 vote totals in Wayne County. The report includes a recording of a post-election phone call on November 17, 2020, in which then-President Trump, along with Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, spoke to Wayne County elections authorities Monica Palmer and William Hartmann, both Republicans. Trump warned the canvassers that they would look “terrible” if they certified the results, after they had initially opposed certification. The former president’s 2024 campaign neither confirmed nor denied the recording’s authenticity, emphasizing that Trump’s post-election actions aimed to uphold his oath of office and ensure fair elections. Despite Trump’s consistent promotion of false claims about the 2020 election, no evidence of voter fraud altering the outcome has been found in numerous investigations.
244 US transport planes and 20 ships have delivered over 10,000 tons of armaments and military equipment to Israel since the beginning of the war. The Defense Ministry in Israel has made additional purchases of almost $2.8 billion from the US. The report addresses claims of a decrease in artillery shelling of Hamas targets in southern Gaza and dismisses allegations of “armament economics,” stating that there has been no case of the IDF refraining from striking due to ammunition shortages. The Defense Ministry had earlier publicized the arrival of the 200th US cargo plane carrying military equipment for the IDF on December 6, emphasizing the joint effort involved in the procurement. The delivered equipment includes armored vehicles, armaments, personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and ammunition.
Nvidia and its employees have raised $15 million, marking the company’s largest humanitarian fundraiser, to support nonprofit organizations aiding Israeli and Gazan civilians affected by the conflict with Hamas. Thousands of Nvidia employees worldwide donated $5 million, which the company matched and doubled to $10 million. The funds will be directed to various nonprofit organizations, including Asor Fund, Doctors Without Borders, Friends of United Hatzalah, and others. Nvidia expressed pride in its employees’ volunteering efforts and support for colleague Avinatan Or, who was taken captive by Hamas during a raid on the Supernova desert rave in October. The company has also donated computers to evacuated families and provided meals from its Yokne’am office cafeteria. Nvidia, a global tech giant, has expanded its presence in Israel, particularly after acquiring Mellanox Technologies in 2020.
Apple announced has stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US, due to an ongoing patent dispute. The International Trade Commission ruled in October that Apple violated Masimo Corp.’s patents related to blood oxygen saturation measurement in the watches. As the presidential review of the order is underway, Apple is taking preemptive steps to comply if the ruling stands. The Series 9 and Ultra 2 models constitute a significant portion of Apple’s watch sales, generating over $17 billion in fiscal 2023. The sales halt will also affect some older models, impacting Apple’s core Wearables, Home, and Accessories business, which generates over $40 billion annually. Apple plans to appeal the decision and contends that the ruling is erroneous. The watches will still be available through third-party retailers during the review period.
Israel NEWS
The Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon Sunday night and into Monday morning, targeting buildings and infrastructure belonging to the Iranian-backed group. In response, the IDF began closing communities and roads along the Lebanese border in northern Israel. The closures impact the Upper Galilee, Mevo’ot HaHermon, and Mateh Asher regional councils. Incidents at the northern border included an anti-tank missile fired at Kibbutz Misgav Am from Lebanese territory, with no reported injuries. Additionally, two anti-tank missiles were fired at Moshav Beit Hillel in the Galilee. The IDF responded to these incidents by firing at the source of the launches. The airstrikes and subsequent border incidents follow the Israeli military’s retaliation for rocket fire on Shlomi and the Keren Naftali archaeological site on Sunday.
Residents of Bat Hefer, near the West Bank city of Tulkarem, reported hearing digging sounds under their homes, prompting the local council to order further inspections for possible tunnels from the West Bank. Three sets of tests have found nothing so far, but two more checks are planned. The heightened concern over potential terror attacks comes as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza. Despite complaints from residents for years, there is no evidence of tunneling, and the tests aim to allay fears of potential attack tunnels. Security measures have been increased in the area, and additional checks will be carried out in the coming days.
Israeli forces, including soldiers from the Yahalom special operations unit and the 401st Brigade combat team, destroyed a secret underground network of tunnels in Gaza City on Wednesday. The tunnels, part of the senior quarter used by Hamas, contained apartments, offices, and living quarters for senior Hamas officials, including leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Muhammad Deif. The network, known as “Commander’s Square,” was strategically located between a high-class residential area and was used for managing Hamas operations and movements. The IDF demolished the tunnel system in a controlled manner, noting its use for storing equipment taken from civilians and providing shelter for Hamas leadership.
Israeli security forces conducted an overnight raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem in the West Bank, seizing makeshift rockets and other weapons. The discovery, including dozens of primed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), is notable as Tulkarem is closer to Israel’s major population centers. During the operation, clashes erupted with Palestinian gunmen, resulting in one soldier being lightly wounded. The troops destroyed an explosives lab in a controlled manner and detained suspects. In a separate incident in the Fawwar refugee camp near Hebron, soldiers shot dead two Palestinians during a military raid, prompting clashes and additional casualties.
An Israeli advocacy group, Shurat Hadin, has filed a legal complaint against the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), accusing it of inaction and bias regarding Israeli hostages held by terrorists in Gaza. The complaint criticizes ICRC for allegedly failing to fulfill its mandate and moral duty to visit kidnapped Israelis in Gaza and work for their release. The families of 24 hostages out of the 129 still held in Gaza filed the complaint. Shurat Hadin claims that ICRC was slow to intervene and did not act firmly to facilitate visits or supply needed medicines to the hostages. ICRC, in response, stated that it has continuously called for the release of hostages and has been engaging in humanitarian diplomacy efforts to gain access to them. Shurat Hadin accuses ICRC of bias and apathy toward Israeli lives.
WORLD NEWS
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have issued an ultimatum to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, demanding his resignation and the dissolution of the Palestinian government. The Gulf nations pledge to recognize and support a new government of their choosing; otherwise, they threaten to cease all financial aid to the Palestinian territories. This move signals a significant intervention in Palestinian politics by the Gulf states, aiming to exert more influence and align political affairs with their interests. Concurrently, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls for disbanding the war cabinet if the Gaza assault intensity diminishes, with the threat to dissolve the government if the war doesn’t resume. The United States advises Israel to reduce civilian casualties, but Israel shows no signs of heeding the advice. International condemnation follows Israel’s threat to use a nuclear bomb on Gaza, with resolutions calling for urgent humanitarian assistance and a ceasefire by the United Nations Security Council and regional organizations.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have reportedly rejected an Egyptian proposal for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which would involve relinquishing power in return. According to Egyptian security sources, both groups declined concessions beyond the potential release of hostages seized during the October 7 attack in southern Israel. The proposal, supported by Qatari mediators, suggested a broader agreement, including a permanent ceasefire and a leadership overhaul in Gaza, with Egypt proposing elections and assurances to Hamas members. However, both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied the reported rejection, emphasizing the need for a complete end to aggression. The ongoing political dynamics in Gaza remain complex amid regional efforts to address the situation.
A student opened fire at Charles University in Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring over 20, marking the Czech Republic’s worst mass shooting. The incident occurred in the philosophy department building, with the shooter reported to be a student who later died. Authorities initially reported 15 deaths but revised the figure. The gunman is suspected of killing his father earlier in the day and was allegedly planning suicide. The shooter legally owned multiple guns, and the motive remains unclear. University security will be enhanced immediately, and the Czech government declared a national day of mourning. This incident is a rare occurrence in the Czech Republic, prompting expressions of shock and condolences from leaders globally.
