分类： society

A far-right Jewish-American organization, Betar USA, has been compelled to cease operations in New York State following a comprehensive investigation by Attorney General Letitia James. The probe revealed the group engaged in systematic bias-motivated harassment and violence against targeted communities.

The investigation, conducted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), determined that Betar USA repeatedly targeted individuals based on their faith and ethnic origin, specifically focusing on Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and Jewish New Yorkers. The group’s tactics included physical intimidation, assault, and psychological terror campaigns.

Attorney General James stated: “New York will not tolerate organizations that use fear, violence, and intimidation to silence free expression or target people because of who they are. My office’s investigation uncovered an alarming and illegal pattern of bias-motivated harassment and violence designed to terrorize communities and shut down lawful protest.”

The investigation documented multiple incidents where Betar-affiliated individuals targeted people perceived as Muslim or pro-Palestinian, attempting to force “beepers” on them—a reference to an Israeli operation in Lebanon that killed people using exploding pagers. Group members threatened academics with ongoing harassment and warned at least one individual that they would visit their home.

Evidence showed Betar USA actively promoted and encouraged violence, urging members to bring weapons to protests including knives, pepper spray, and attack dogs. The group celebrated violent incidents online, including sharing footage of a national leadership member physically striking a woman wearing a keffiyeh.

Under the settlement agreement, Betar USA is permanently barred from instigating or encouraging violence, physically assaulting or threatening individuals, harassing protesters, or damaging property based on protected characteristics. The group agreed to a suspended $50,000 penalty that will be enforced if violations occur, and will dissolve its not-for-profit corporation in New York.

The investigation also revealed that Betar USA failed to register as a New York charity despite actively soliciting donations through its website and social media platforms.

Founded in 1929 and revived in June 2023 by Israeli-American entrepreneur Ronn Torossian—a Trump campaign donor—and Congressman Ritchie Torres, Betar USA described itself as “loud, proud, aggressive and unapologically Zionist.” The group recently obtained US tax-exempt nonprofit status in July 2024 and claimed chapters in multiple cities, though actual membership numbers remain unclear.

Betar USA is part of a century-old international organization that helped shape Israel’s far-right movement. The group originated from the right-wing Zionist ideology of Ze’ev Jabotinsky and later integrated into the Irgun militia, which became part of the Israeli army following Israel’s establishment in 1948—an event Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or catastrophe.

A catastrophic construction accident in northeastern Thailand resulted in significant casualties on Wednesday when a massive crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train. The incident, which occurred in the Nakhon Ratchasima province, involved a crane that was part of an elevated high-speed railway construction project plummeting onto an active train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province.

The impact caused immediate derailment of the train cars followed by a serious fire outbreak. Emergency response teams from the Nakhon Ratchasima Public Relations Department quickly mobilized to the scene, working to contain the blaze and initiate rescue operations for passengers potentially trapped within the wreckage.

According to official statements from Transport Minister Piphat Ratchakitprakan, the tragedy claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals among the 195 passengers and crew aboard the train at the time of the accident. Minister Ratchakitprakan has immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the crane failure and subsequent derailment, focusing on construction safety protocols and regulatory compliance within the infrastructure project.

In a significant gesture marking two decades of transformative leadership, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan presented a specially curated photo album to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum during their meeting at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The commemorative gift celebrates Sheikh Mohammed’s twenty-year tenure leading the federal government, highlighting pivotal moments from their shared journey in service to the nation’s development. The album contains carefully selected photographs documenting key achievements and milestones during this period of unprecedented national progress. President Sheikh Mohamed personally inscribed the album with a heartfelt message addressing his counterpart as “my brother and lifelong companion,” expressing profound pride in their collaborative work. The inscription further praised Sheikh Mohammed’s exceptional and inspirational leadership while offering prayers for his continued health and wellbeing to further serve the UAE and its citizens. This symbolic presentation underscores the strong partnership between the nation’s leadership and reflects on the remarkable transformation Dubai has undergone since Sheikh Mohammed assumed leadership of the emirate on January 4, twenty years ago. Under his visionary guidance, Dubai has evolved into a global benchmark for innovation, infrastructure development, and ambitious urban transformation, routinely achieving what was once considered impossible.

India’s juvenile justice system, established to protect young offenders, is systematically failing thousands of children across the nation despite comprehensive legislation. The case of Pooja (name changed), who spent six years in adult prison for alleged murder despite being a minor at the time of arrest, exemplifies the system’s critical implementation gaps.

Arrested in 2018 from Uttar Pradesh’s impoverished neighborhood, Pooja should have been presented before a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) within 24 hours as mandated by law. Instead, she remained in adult incarceration for six years until her case was finally transferred to a JJB in 2024, which confirmed her minor status and ordered her immediate release.

This case represents broader systemic failures documented in the India Justice Report, which reveals that over half of cases before 362 JJBs remained pending in 2023. Critically, one in four JJBs lacks a full bench despite legal requirements, while approximately 745 districts nationwide share only 707 JJBs.

The system’s weaknesses extend beyond judicial panels to rehabilitation facilities. Child care institutions, observation homes, and special homes frequently suffer from overcrowding, inadequate counseling services, and insufficient educational or vocational programs. Many facilities fail to maintain mandated age-based segregation, creating environments where violence, sexual abuse, and gang culture replication occur.

Experts attribute these failures to multiple factors: poor governmental oversight, insufficient data transparency, and widespread apathy among officials. Maja Daruwala of IJR emphasizes that data deficiencies indicate inadequate oversight and accountability mechanisms. Meanwhile, frontline workers like Fr Antony Sebastian of Echo NGO note that many authorities believe children in the system are ‘beyond help,’ contradicting the law’s rehabilitative spirit.

Successful rehabilitation models do exist. Organizations like Echo demonstrate that vocational training in dairy farming, poultry management, and hotel operations, combined with consistent counseling, can effectively reintegrate even those convicted of serious offenses like murder and rape. Their success stories prove that with appropriate intervention, meaningful transformation is possible.

The 2012 Delhi gang rape case prompted significant juvenile justice reforms, including provisions trying children 16-18 as adults for heinous crimes. However, implementation failures continue undermining these legislative advances, leaving thousands of children like Pooja without proper legal protection or rehabilitation opportunities.

Saudi Arabian authorities have apprehended a Pakistani expatriate on serious charges involving the harassment of a minor, marking another enforcement of the Kingdom’s stringent anti-harassment legislation. The arrest of Khursheed Muhammad Nazir was executed through a coordinated operation between Najran Region Police and the General Directorate of Community Security and Combating Human Trafficking.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed that formal legal proceedings have been initiated against the suspect, who has been formally transferred to the Public Prosecution for further judicial processing. This case highlights Saudi Arabia’s rigorous application of its 2018 Anti-Harassment Law (Royal Decree No. M/96), which mandates severe punishments for such offenses.

Under Saudi jurisprudence, standard harassment violations carry penalties of up to two years imprisonment and/or fines reaching 100,000 riyals. However, the legal framework imposes significantly heightened sanctions when the victim is a child, with potential sentences extending to five years incarceration and financial penalties up to 300,000 riyals.

The enhanced penalty structure also applies under multiple aggravating circumstances, including cases involving repeat offenses, victims with special needs, perpetrators in positions of authority, incidents occurring in educational or workplace environments, same-sex harassment, crimes committed against unconscious victims, and offenses during times of crisis or disaster.