New York Metro Area Experiences Series of Anti-Jewish Attacks

At least five people were attacked in a Rockland County, New York, home last Saturday, all of them Jewish. The suspect, Grafton E. Thomas, 37, was apprehended afterward. Investigators claim that Thomas had searched online for “Why Did Hitler Hate the Jews,” in addition to finding a journal with references to claims and arguments often put forth by the Black Hebrew Israelites, known for their anti-Semitic beliefs.

This follows an attack earlier this month by two Black Hebrew Israelites which killed four people in a series of attacks in Jersey City, two of them Orthodox Jews.

Trump Impeached by House, Faces Trial in Senate

President Donald Trump this month became the third president in US history to be impeached, with a majority of the House of Representatives voting to impeach him on two charges, one for abuse of power regarding his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the request to investigate Hunter Biden, and one for obstruction of Congress for not providing documents from the White House in the course of the inquiry.

 The vote was near party line, with nearly all Democrats voting for both charges and no Republicans voting for either. Independent Justin Amash of Michigan, who broke from the Republican Party earlier this year after he came out in favor of impeachment even before the Ukrainian issue came forth, voted to impeach on both counts. Notably, Democratic presidential contender Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii voted “present” on both counts, saying she favored censure of the president rather than impeachment. Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey voted against both impeachment charges as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party days later.

While impeachment articles are usually quickly sent to the Senate to begin the trial phase (two thirds of the Senate must vote to convict the president to remove him, an unlikely scenario given the chamber’s Republican majority), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has withheld sending them over, claiming concerns that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will not conduct a fair trial but seek to have Trump exonerated quickly with as little political damage as possible. McConnell has said  he is working with the White House during the process, something that has been opposed by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a leading moderate and potential swing vote.

Wildfires Rage in Australia

Australia’s wildfire season has been exacerbated by intense heat and
abnormally dry conditions

Credit: eyeweed/flickr

Massive wildfires have threatened thousands of acres of Australian brushland and hundreds of homes as winds and dry conditions fan the flames forward. In one seaside city, thousands of residents and tourists took refuge on the beach or even on boats as wildfires approached the city. At least 12 so far have died in this year’s wildfire season.

This year has been the driest on record for the continent, with high, gusty winds and sweltering summer heat exacerbating the problem.

Most of the country is under a firework ban this New Year’s, though the city of Sydney has been exempted to allow for its massive firework display along the shore.