PITTSBURGH: A man charged with shooting 11 worshipers to death at a Pittsburgh synagogue was due to make his first court appearance on Monday as more details of the attack emerged and the congregation struggled to come to terms with the deadliest ever attack on America’s Jewish community.
“I think people are in various stages of trauma, mourning, disbelief, shock all rolled into one,” Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Synagogue told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday.
Robert Bowers, 46, who has a history of posting anti-Semitic material online, has been charged with 29 criminal counts, including the violation of US civil rights laws in what federal prosecutors say was a hate crime.
Several of the charges against Bowers, who was wounded in a gunbattle with police, can be punishable by the death penalty. Bowers was discharged from Allegheny General Hospital on Monday morning a few hours before his scheduled court appearance.
Bowers is accused of storming into the Tree of Life temple in Squirrel Hill, the heart of Pittsburgh’s close-knit Jewish community, yelling “All Jews must die” as he opened fire on members of three congregations holding Sabbath prayer services there on Saturday morning.
According to a document filed at the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, three handguns and an AR-15 rifle were recovered at the scene.
The complaint quoted Bowers as saying to one law enforcement officer, in substance, “they’re committing genocide to my people.”
“I just want to kill Jews.”
A police report on the shooting rampage described an exchange of fire outside the synagogue between police officers and Bowers, who retreated inside. Police entered the building and Bowers was shot multiple times and critically wounded. A police officer was also shot a number of times.
Jeffrey Cohen, president of Allegheny General Hospital and a member of the Tree of Life Synagogue, told ABC on Monday he went to the hospital because he wanted to see the man accused of the shootings.
“He’s taken into my hospital and he’s shouting, ‘I want to kill all the Jews,’ and the first three people who are taking care of him were Jewish,” Cohen said.
In addition to the 11 mostly elderly worshipers who were killed, six people, including four police officers who confronted the gunman, were wounded before the suspect surrendered. Two of the surviving victims remained hospitalized in critical condition.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised $589,000 for victims. The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh by Monday had raised nearly $120,000 for victims.
About 2,500 people attended an interfaith memorial service for the victims late on Sunday on the University of Pittsburgh campus.
The dead included two brothers in their 50s, David and Cecil Rosenthal, a married couple in their 80s, Sylvan and Bernice Simon, and 97-year-old Rose Mallinger, the oldest of the victims.
Another was Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, a family physician who initially escaped the attack only to be killed when he returned to render aid to the wounded, according to a Wall Street Journal op-ed column by Pittsburgh carpet salesman Lou Weiss, who knew five of the victims personally.
The killings rocked the Squirrel Hill community, an enclave that encompasses several synagogues and Jewish religious schools, and sparked security alerts at places of worship across the country.
Gab.com, the website where the suspected gunman posted anti-Semitic views, said on Monday it has provided “plenty of evidence” to the Department of Justice and the FBI.
Gab went offline after GoDaddy Inc. asked it to move the domain to another registrar while PayPal Holdings Inc. and Stripe Inc. blocked the website from using their payment services.
Gab said it is working around the clock to get back online but will be inaccessible for a period of time.
The massacre also took on political overtones as some complained that the confrontational, nationalistic rhetoric of US President Donald Trump has encouraged right-wing extremists and fed a surge in activity by hate groups.
The United States is just over a week away from midterm elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress.
Trump, who branded Saturday’s shooting an act of pure evil and called on Americans to rise above hatred, was already facing similar criticism after pipe bombs were mailed last week to some of his most prominent political adversaries. The targets, mostly Democrats, included former US President Barack Obama.
Cesar Sayoc, 56, a strip club DJ and part-time pizza delivery man whose van was pasted with pro-Trump images and slogans disparaging the political left, was arrested in the pipe bomb case on Friday and faced his first court appearance on Monday in Florida.
As Pittsburgh synagogue reels from massacre, suspect due in court
As Pittsburgh synagogue reels from massacre, suspect due in court
- Robert Bowers, 46, who has a history of posting anti-Semitic material online, has been charged with 29 criminal counts
- Several of the charges against Bowers, who was wounded in a gunbattle with police, can be punishable by the death penalty
The Saudi foreign minister meets with the US Secretary of State in Brazil
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations, developments in the Middle East, and the efforts being made in these regards.
The meeting was attended by the Director-General of the Office of the Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Aldawood.
Starmer stays quiet on Ukraine’s use of UK Storm Shadow missiles
- Britain, which has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range missiles, has consistently pushed to ease restrictions on Kyiv’s use of the weapons
RIO DE JANEIRO: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said he would not “get into operational details” after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to use Western-supplied long-range missiles against Russia.
Speaking to broadcasters at the G20 in Brazil, Starmer refused to be drawn “because the only winner, if we were to do that, is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”
Kyiv has long sought authorization from Washington to use the powerful Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, to hit military installations inside Russia as its troops face growing pressure.
A US official said Washington’s major policy shift on the missiles was in response to Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops in its war effort.
Britain, which has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow long-range missiles, has consistently pushed to ease restrictions on Kyiv’s use of the weapons.
Putin had previously warned that letting Ukraine use long-range weapons would mean NATO was “at war” with Moscow.
In parliament in London, lawmaker Roger Gale asked if Britain planned to “align with the United States” in granting Kyiv permission to use the UK-supplied missiles “as it sees fit in its own defense.”
Junior defense minister Maria Eagle said the government intended to “align with our allies” on how Ukraine “can make use of the capabilities that’s been offered” by its backers.
Starmer added: “I’ve been really clear for a long time now we need to double down.
“We need to make sure Ukraine has what is necessary for as long as necessary, because we cannot allow Putin to win this war,” he said.
Asked if he had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20, he said: “I haven’t spoken to Russia and I’ve got no plans to do so.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, speaking to reporters after a UN Security Council meeting in New York, also refused to discuss the use of British missiles, because it “risks operational security.”
Asked how concerned he was about the implications of Donald Trump’s presidency on the war in Ukraine, he said: “One president at a time.”
“We’re dealing with President (Joe) Biden and we are committed to putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position,” he added.
Biden in ‘historic’ pledge for poor nations ahead of Trump return
- The outgoing leader unveiled the money for the International Development Association as he attends the G20 summit underway in Rio de Janeiro, his last time at the gathering of world leaders
RIO DE JANEIRO: US President Joe Biden announced a “historic” $4 billion pledge for a World Bank fund that helps the world’s poorest countries, the White House said Monday, before Donald Trump takes office with a new cost-cutting agenda.
The outgoing leader unveiled the money for the International Development Association as he attends the G20 summit underway in Rio de Janeiro, his last time at the gathering of world leaders.
“The president announced today that the United States intends to pledge $4 billion over three years... which is really exciting,” a senior US administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The official said the pledge would not be binding on Trump’s incoming administration but said previous Republican governments had also backed top-ups for the fund.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer earlier called the pledge “historic” and said Biden would “rally other leaders to step up their contributions.”
The International Development Association is the concessional lending arm of the World Bank and is used for some of the poorest countries in the globe, including for projects focused on climate.
During a six-day tour of South America, Biden has been trying to shore up his international legacy ahead of President-elect Trump’s return to the White House on January 20.
On Sunday he visited the Amazon rainforest in Brazil to promote his record on climate change, saying that the United States had hit its target of increasing bilateral climate financing to $11 billion a year.
Billionaire Trump has pledged to take a wrecking ball to many of Biden’s policies and has appointed tech tycoon Elon Musk as head of a commission to target what he calls federal government waste.
Holders Spain strike late to beat Switzerland in Nations League
TENERIFE, Spain: Bryan Zaragoza won and converted a late penalty to help Euro 2024 winners Spain beat Switzerland 3-2 in a Nations League dead rubber on Monday.
The Nations League holders, already guaranteed top spot in Group A4, twice took the lead but were pegged back by the already-relegated Swiss in Tenerife.
It was the first Spain match on the island in 28 years and fans were able to celebrate a win after Bayern Munich winger Zaragoza’s late spot-kick settled the game.
Coach Luis de la Fuente changed his whole line-up from the win over Denmark on Friday, handing Athletic Bilbao center-back Aitor Paredes his debut in defense.
Yeremi Pino, a Canary Islander, sent Spain ahead on home territory after 32 minutes after Pedri’s penalty was saved.
Captain Alvaro Morata won the penalty and handed Pedri, born in Tenerife, the ball to take the spot kick, but Yvon Mvogo saved the Barcelona midfielder’s effort.
“Here at home with a goal, the win... I can’t ask for more,” Pino told TVE.
“It was a very special game... full marks to the fans.”
De la Fuente sent on another Spain debutant at half-time in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.
Joel Monteiro levelled for Switzerland but a few minutes later Bryan Gil stole the ball back to restore Spain’s lead.
Andi Zeqiri fired home from the spot after a foul by Fabian Ruiz in the 85th minute but Zaragoza ensured Spain could finish a spectacular year on a high.
The winger, on loan at Osasuna from Bayern, burst into the box and was brought crashing down by Vincent Sierro.
Zaragoza clinically dispatched the resulting penalty to spark jubilant celebrations in Tenerife.
Saudi minister highlights nation’s leadership in digital innovation and AI during G20 Summit
- IT minister Abdullah Al-Swaha says the Kingdom aims to drive economic growth and productivity through adoption of AI technologies
- He also underscores nation’s achievements in its efforts to empower women and youth in the technology sector
RIO DE JANEIRO: Saudi Arabia on Monday reaffirmed its desire to be a global leader in digital innovation and artificial intelligence, and its commitment to leveraging advanced technologies for the benefit of humanity.
Speaking on the sidelines of the opening day of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil, the Kingdom’s minister of communications and information technology, Abdullah Al-Swaha, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to drive economic growth and productivity through the adoption of AI technologies.
He also underscored the nation’s achievements in its efforts to empower women and youth in the technology sector, noting that participation by women increased from 7 percent in 2018 to 35 percent in 2024.
He credited Saudi Vision 2030, the national plan for development and diversification, as a key enabler of this progress, in particular its promotion of digital governance as a cornerstone for digital inclusion and trust.
Al-Swaha pointed out the growing global international recognition of the Kingdom as a leader in digital services; in September it ranked fourth worldwide in the Digital Services Index, which is part of the UN’s E-Government Development Index.
The minister also highlighted the launch of the nation’s AI Readiness Framework, in collaboration with the UN International Telecommunication Union, and the establishment of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, in partnership with UNESCO.
He reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to the enhancement of international cooperation and the development of policies that promote technological innovation and global welfare.
