EPA Administrator Zeldin 'heartbroken' after shooting of Israel embassy staffer he met just two weeks ago
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers of the Embassy of Israel to the United States — a couple set to be engaged — were shot and killed as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night.
Zeldin posted to X Thursday afternoon that he had met Milgrim, who was an American employee of the embassy, two weeks ago in his office.
"I just met Sarah two weeks ago in my office at EPA HQ," Zeldin posted. "She struck me as a young woman filled with life and positivity."
"Heartbroken to learn she was one of two tragically murdered last night by a Jew-hating radical screaming 'Free Palestine,'" he continued. "May Sarah and Yaron rest in peace."
Zeldin shared a smiling photo of himself and Milgrim from the day they met.
Milgrim and Lischinsky were killed as they left the museum's event focused on finding humanitarian solutions for Gaza.
Lischinsky was born in Israel and grew up in Germany. His father is Jewish and his mother is Christian.
Authorities took Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old man from Chicago, into custody. Upon being taken into custody, Rodriguez began shouting: "Free, free Palestine."
The FBI is investigating the incident as "an act of terror."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
16 minutes ago
- Fox News
From New York to Arizona, migrant facilities shuttering in wake of Trump's border crackdown
Migrant shelters in the United States are closing their doors in large numbers as the border crisis has waned significantly. In January, two shelters shuttered in Pima County, Arizona, according to the Arizona Daily Star. In San Diego, the Jewish Family Service closed its shelter in February, specifically citing policy changes like the CBP One app going away as part of the reason for its closure. In Texas, the San Antonio-based Migrant Resource Center that opened in 2022 closed in February due to the plunge in people crossing into the United States, according to Texas Public Radio. On the East Coast, New York City closed 63 migrant shelters this year, according to PIX11, and Massachusetts is down to four shelters from over 120 in 2024, according to NBC 10 Boston. The outlet reported that 24 of the Massachusetts shelters closed their doors this week. "President Trump ended Joe Biden's illegal alien invasion and ushered in the most secure border ever. Migrant shelters are shuttering because illegal aliens are no longer being released into our great country – that's the Trump Effect," White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The White House is also touting that processing facilities along the border have closed, as the United States Customs and Border Protection told Fox News Digital in May that all of its "soft-sided" facilities in Texas, California and Arizona have shut down. "Due to the unprecedented drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens as a result of the President's recent executive actions, CBP is not operating any temporary, soft-sided processing facilities where illegal aliens have been held in specific locations along the southwest border. CBP no longer has a need for them as illegal aliens are being quickly removed," a CBP spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time. "The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in USBP's permanent facilities. Manpower and other resources dedicated to temporary processing facilities will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP's progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border," the spokesperson added. In Mexico, there has also been a reported drop in people seeking to come to the U.S. illegally. The latest border numbers revealed that numbers remain significantly lower than they were compared with the Biden administration, as there were only 6,070 southern border apprehensions in June by Border Patrol, and there were zero releases in May or June. On June 28, there were only 137 encounters at the southern border, according to CBP data. The comments from the White House come as the House is in its closing hours of deciding on the Trump-backed reconciliation bill, which includes major funding for the president's border and immigration agenda totaling out to roughly $170 billion, according to Reuters. Billions will go toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the agency ramps up its deportation efforts, including a goal of hiring at least 10,000 more agents, according to the White House. In addition, the bill seeks to more than double the detention capacity for those in deportation proceedings and fund further border wall construction, according to Reuters. "Once the One, Big, Beautiful Bill is passed, this historic border security progress will be made permanent and the largest mass deportation campaign in American history will be carried out," Huston added. Unsurprisingly, not everybody is on board with the immigration measures outlined. "A deportation machine will be unleashed on steroids," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies said during his lengthy House floor speech on Thursday.
Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
What Happens To Diddy's Civil Lawsuits? How His Convictions Could Help Plaintiffs
The dozens of plaintiffs who have filed civil suits against Sean 'Diddy' Combs, many of which accuse him of sexual assault and sex trafficking, may be helped by his criminal convictions, even though he was acquitted on more serious crimes by a Manhattan jury Wednesday. Sean "Diddy" Combs still faces dozens of civil lawsuits. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage) WireImage Combs was convicted on two criminal counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted on two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering conspiracy, but the music mogul still faces sentencing in his criminal case, as well as dozens of civil lawsuits. Mark Zauderer, a veteran trial and appellate lawyer, told Forbes the verdict is 'only going to help plaintiffs in civil cases,' stating the criminal trial could provide civil suit plaintiffs a 'roadmap to witnesses with helpful testimony.' Even though Combs was acquitted on sex trafficking in the criminal trial, his conviction on transportation to engage in prostitution could help support the civil suit plaintiffs' claims of sexual abuse or trafficking if evidence overlaps, Zauderer said, noting civil cases have a lower standard of proof required to find a defendant liable. 'At a minimum, [plaintiffs] are going to get an advantage by seeking evidence that may be admissible in the civil case about the conduct of the defendant,' Zauderer said. Former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow said Combs would not be able to point to his sex trafficking acquittal in his criminal trial as 'proof he didn't commit misconduct against these plaintiffs.' Chutkow said, though, Combs' acquittal on sex trafficking and racketeering charges could be discouraging to potential civil plaintiffs who have already sued or may have planned to sue Combs, stating they would have seen the 'excruciating' testimonies of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and 'Jane Doe,' who testified under a pseudonym. Combs may have to be prepared to pay significant amounts of money if he settles or owes damages to plaintiffs in his civil lawsuits, should they proceed to trial. Chutkow said Combs' settlement with Ventura, reported to be $20 million, was likely so large because of both the severity of Ventura's claims and his willingness to contain a scandal. Zauderer told Forbes courts could seize Combs' assets or money from his various businesses to make payouts to successful plaintiffs. If his civil cases proceed to trial, Combs may be more likely to testify, which he did not do in his criminal trial. 'In a civil case, if you don't testify, that can be harmful to you,' Chutkow said, stating there is an expectation both the defense and prosecution will present a case, unlike in criminal cases, in which the burden of proof is on prosecutors. Tangent Because civil and criminal cases have different standards of proof, if a jury feels the evidence is not strong enough to convict in a criminal case, it may still be enough to find a defendant liable in a civil case. In a criminal case, jurors must believe a defendant is guilty 'beyond a reasonable doubt,' a much higher standard of proof than civil cases, which abide by the 'preponderance of the evidence' standard, meaning jurors must believe the defendant is more likely than not to be liable. Chutkow pointed to a famous example where a civil and criminal trial ended in different ways: O.J. Simpson was found not guilty for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in his criminal trial, but in a civil trial, he was found liable for their deaths and was ordered to pay $33.5 million to their relatives. Ventura filed a quickly settled civil lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, accusing him of sex trafficking, rape and physical abuse. Ventura's lawsuit kicked off a barrage of at least 70 suits filed against Combs, many of which were supported by attorney Tony Buzbee, and most of which accuse him of sexual assault, sex trafficking or physical abuse. Some of these lawsuits were filed by celebrities, including Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who also testified in his criminal trial. Richard accused Combs of physical abuse and 'inhumane working conditions.' Producer Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones sued Combs for alleged sexual assault, sex trafficking and racketeering, though a judge later tossed the racketeering claims. Some of the lawsuits involve minors, including plaintiff Liza Gardner, who sued Combs in November 2023, accusing him of drugging and assaulting her when she was 16 years old in 1990. Combs has consistently denied all allegations made in the dozens of lawsuits filed against him. Surprising Fact Combs was sued multiple times in the final days of his criminal trial. On Tuesday, Edmond Laurent, a former model and actor, sued Combs and several anonymous co-defendants in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and sexual battery, accusing Combs and a woman of drugging and raping him in the late 2000s. Another lawsuit filed last Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court accused Combs and his son, Justin Combs, of luring a woman from Louisiana to Los Angeles with the promise of a job, where they, alongside two other men, allegedly gang-raped her. What's Next For Combs' Criminal Trial? Combs' sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3, but Judge Arun Subramanian set a hearing for July 8 for both sides to present arguments for whether his sentencing should be expedited. Until he is sentenced, Combs will remain in jail at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. Combs' legal team requested he be released on bail, but the judge denied the request, noting the defense had conceded Combs has a violent past, citing the surveillance footage of Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel. If Combs is given the maximum sentence on both convictions, he could serve a total of 20 years in prison, but prosecutors said in a court filing Wednesday federal sentencing guidelines could support a sentence of about four to five years in prison, while the defense is pushing for less time. Further Reading Sean 'Diddy' Combs Denied Bail After Trial (Forbes) Cassie, 50 Cent And More Major Reactions To Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial Verdict (Forbes)
CNN
21 minutes ago
- CNN
Reverting records, a written apology and policy changes: How UPenn reached a deal with the White House over trans athletes and $175 million in federal funding
Donald Trump LGBTQ issues People in sports Education policyFacebookTweetLink Follow President Donald Trump's alma mater recognized early on it could be under threat. A week after the University of Pennsylvania alumnus' inauguration, the university president composed a message to the school community: 'Like you, I am closely monitoring recent developments from Washington that directly affect higher education.' 'Together we will protect and preserve what defines us as Penn,' then-interim President J. Larry Jameson wrote. A week later, the university was under investigation by the federal government. What followed was a high-stakes, months-long back-and-forth between one of the country's most prestigious universities and the Department of Education. But the battle over $175 million in frozen federal funding that centered around women's sports at UPenn, and one transgender swimmer in particular, would unfold much differently — for now — from the ongoing funding fight its sister Ivy League institution, Harvard University, has been waging with the Trump administration. The deal reached this week between UPenn and the DOE, which restored the federal funding to the university, drew substantial praise from the Trump administration and conservatives. It also drew accusations of surrender and capitulation from some faculty, local politicians, and more. In the end, UPenn's president maintained the university remained committed to 'fostering a community that is welcoming, inclusive and open to all students, faculty and staff.' But Jameson acknowledged the deal with the administration was made because 'if unresolved, (the investigation) could have had significant and lasting implications for the University of Pennsylvania.' The conflict began in earnest in early February, when President Trump signed an executive action titled 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports.' 'You've been waiting a long time for this,' said Trump, flanked by dozens of young girls and female athletes at a ceremonial signing at the White House. 'So have I.' The following day, the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights announced an investigation into three entities, including the University of Pennsylvania, for violating Title IX by 'denying women an equal opportunity to participate in sports.' Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination at any academic institution that receives federal funding. The DOE specifically cited Lia Thomas, a transgender woman and UPenn swimmer, as the basis for the investigation into the university. In 2022, Thomas won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship for Penn competing in the women's 500-yard freestyle. Since then, Thomas has become a symbol for those — including Trump — hoping to prevent transgender women from competing in women's sports. After the president's executive action, the NCAA announced a new policy limiting 'competition in women's sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.' UPenn said it complied with the new rules of the NCAA—and maintained it hadn't violated Title IX when Thomas competed three years ago, saying it was just following NCAA guidance at the time. But the university said it was blindsided when it learned 'through various news outlets' that the Trump administration had frozen $175 million of federal funding to the school anyway. Jameson said the funding cut impacted research, 'preventing hospital-acquired infections, drug screening against deadly viruses, quantum computing, protections against chemical warfare, and student loan programs.' 'We expect to continue to engage with (the DOE Office of Civil Rights), vigorously defending our position,' he wrote to the Penn community on March 25. By the end of April, the DOE's investigation concluded Penn had violated Title IX. But also that month, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn came to the negotiating table. The demands by the DOE's Office of Civil Rights to become Title IX compliant were relatively straightforward. UPenn had to issue a statement that it would comply with Title IX in its athletic programs, restore records and titles to the women who competed against Thomas and any other transgender women, and write apologies to those women who competed against Thomas. As UPenn's leadership released public statements on a new front with the Trump administration — visas for foreign students being threatened — internally, the university was working with the administration to comply with the Title IX investigation. 'UPenn came back to the table and asked us what they can do to make it right,' said Education Secretary Linda McMahon in remarks published Tuesday evening. 'We said, 'You have to completely rewrite your institutional policy.' They signed on the dotted line,' said McMahon. 'We said, 'You have to take these steps with records and reporting so this never happens again.' They signed on the dotted line.' 'We said, 'You owe (former UPenn swimmer Paula Scanlan), (former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines), and the other female athletes you've wronged a formal written apology. On Penn letterhead. In 10 business days.' 'Even that provision made it into the agreement,' said McMahon. In a statement to the community, UPenn confirmed it agreed to these terms, reiterating that it believes it has always followed Title IX regulations under NCAA guidelines. On its athletics website, Thomas' swimming records set for UPenn are now a footnote in Penn Women's Swimming. CNN has reached out to Thomas for comment. On Wednesday morning, a White House official confirmed to CNN it had restored the $175 million in frozen funding. By Wednesday afternoon, the agreement had been trumpeted as a major victory for President Trump. 'About dang time,' wrote former UPenn swimmer Paula Scanlan on X, adding in another post, 'I got what I voted for!' 'A long overdue step in the right direction,' wrote Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick. 'Fantastic news,' posted Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. But criticism spilled out as well. 'By following a path of political expediency at the expense of trans athletes, Penn makes all trans students, faculty, staff, and community members less safe, exposing them to renewed and emboldened harassment and discriminatory treatment,' wrote the UPenn chapter of the American Association of University Professors. 'This move is not about equity,' wrote Pennsylvania State Representative Rick Krajewski and Philadelphia City Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Rue Landau in a joint statement calling the deal a 'surrender.' 'It is about appeasing the Trump administration.' McMahon applauded UPenn's decision to comply, adding Tuesday, 'We advise every institution that is currently violating women's rights under Title IX to follow suit — not just in college sports, but in K-12 and every other institution covered by Title IX.' CNN's Betsy Klein and Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
