“In the pantheon of the more than 1,500 people who have been arrested for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Zachary J. Alam captured his moment of fame as the man who was recorded punching the glass windows leading to the Speaker’s Lobby. Using a helmet to finish smashing the glass, he created the space into which Ashli Babbitt then climbed, where she was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer. U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich pointed to his ‘lack of remorse’ as she sentenced him to eight years in prison …. In court, Alam said he was aware of discussions around pardons for people like him. ‘But I will not accept a second-class pardon,’ Alam said. ‘I want a full pardon with all the benefits that come with it, including full compensation.'” (11/07/24)
“The Israeli military announced Thursday an expansion of its month-old ground operation in northern Gaza to include part of Beit Lahiya, a town that has been heavily bombed since the earliest days of the war, where Israel says Hamas militants have regrouped. … Briefing journalists Tuesday night, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, who commands the IDF’s 162nd Division operating in Gaza, said that since troops had been forced [sic] to enter some areas twice, including the Jabaliya camp, ‘there is no intention of allowing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes.'” (11/07/24)
“Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell told reporters on Thursday he will not resign before the end of his term, even if President-elect Trump asks him to leave. Powell’s intention to serve out the rest of his term sets up a new battle between the central bank and Trump, who disregarded long-time norms that presidents do not talk about Fed policy. Powell’s comments came in response to a question at a press conference, held after the Fed cut interest rates for the second time this year.” (11/07/24)
“At least five UN peacekeepers were wounded in an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon on Thursday, the United Nations said, in a raid that also killed three civilians. Israel, which has not commented on the incident in Lebanon’s Sidon city, launched a barrage of strikes after Hezbollah said it carried out a missile attack targeting a military base near Israel’s main international airport on Wednesday.” (11/07/24)
“Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday unsealed an arrest warrant for an alleged rebel from the Central African Republic accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, extermination, rape and persecution more than a decade ago. According to his warrant, which was originally issued under seal in 2018, Edmond Beina commanded a group of about 100-400 fighters responsible for murdering Muslims in early 2014 in a village in the west of the impoverished nation. Prosecutors say Beina’s group was part of the anti-Balaka, a mainly Christian militia that fought against the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebel force in 2013-2014.” (11/07/24)
“An attempt to sue Meta using a law that shields tech giants from liability is dead for now.
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a suit brought by a professor who wants to build a tool that allows Facebook users to unfollow everyone in their feed. Ethan Zuckerman, who teaches public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, had asked a federal court to rule that Meta, Facebook’s owner, couldn’t sue him if he went through with his plan. Mr. Zuckerman and his lawyers, who work at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, were relying on a little-used portion of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that shields Meta and other tech giants from lawsuits over content posted by their users. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Meta’s request to dismiss the lawsuit on Thursday, according to court records. The judge said Mr. Zuckerman could refile the lawsuit at a later date.” (11/07/24)
“Israeli soccer fans were ambushed and brutally assaulted in Amsterdam overnight Thursday by a mob shouting ‘Free Palestine,’ leading the Jewish state’s government to send planes to evacuate its citizens, officials said. Hundreds of fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club were targeted as they walked out of the stadium following a Europa League game against a Dutch team, AFC Ajax, the Israeli Embassy to the United States said. The embassy also shared footage of the attacks, including one assailant that screamed ‘Free Palestine’ as a victim cowered in fear. … Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar requested the Dutch government help Israelis reach the airport safely in a phone call with his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp Friday. Sa’ar said at least 10 citizens were injured, CNN reported.” (11/08/24)
“SpaceX launched another batch of 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday afternoon. The 3:19 p.m. EST launch had been plagued by bad weather and technical problems, including a helium leak last Sunday that forced a scrub, and multiple weather issues that forced SpaceX to stand down the launch a few times this week prior to the successful Thursday mission.” (11/07/24)
“A federal judge in Texas on Thursday ruled against a Biden administration program for undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens. The ruling means roughly 500,000 people who lack legal [sic] status but are married to a citizen will have a longer process to get a green card. The program, called ‘Keeping Families Together,’ would also have benefited stepchildren of U.S. citizens by creating an easier path to citizenship.” (11/07/24)
“Argentina’s beef exports during the first nine months of this year rose to their highest level in 57 years, as shipments of one of the South American country’s best-known food staples grew among buyers in the United States and neighbouring Chile. Official data released on Thursday showed that January-to-September beef exports totalled nearly 700,000 metric tons, with most of that volume, or nearly 70 per cent, bought by Chinese buyers.” (11/07/24)
