Category: ESTA News

The risk of Legionella infection is spreading in New York City.

On the 10th, the City Department of Public Health announced that it had ordered immediate disinfection work after positive Legionella tests were confirmed in the cooling towers of a total of 31 buildings, including the famous Manhattan Guggenheim Museum. According to the Department of Public Health, as of that day, cleaning and disinfection work on cooling towers had been completed at 19 buildings, including the Guggenheim, and the remaining 12 buildings must complete the work by the 11th.

The Department stated that immediately after becoming aware of the Legionella cluster outbreak on the 2nd, it tested more than 180 cooling towers, confirming positive results at 31 locations. According to the Department of Public Health’s announcement on the 11th, the number of Legionella cluster cases in Manhattan’s Upper East Side has risen to 56. Currently, 16 people are hospitalized, and 31 have been discharged. There have been no deaths, and nine people did not require hospitalization. The three zip codes with a high concentration of infected individuals are 10028, 10128, and 10075. Major symptoms of Legionellosis, caused by Legionella bacteria, include coughing, high fever, muscle pain, and difficulty breathing.

Controversy has arisen after it was revealed that the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze 911 medical calls for the past two years without the public’s knowledge, connecting some callers to nurse support centers instead of ambulances. According to the Seattle Times, the Seattle Fire Department is using technology from Corti, a Denmark-based medical AI company, to analyze 911 medical calls in real time.

The AI listens to the caller’s symptoms and conversation, and if it determines that a particular patient has a low level of urgency, it sends a pop-up notification to the dispatcher (911 dispatch center staff) recommending that they be connected to Nurse Line, a nurse support center located in Texas. The fire department has been applying this system to real-time medical calls since December 2023 but did not notify citizens separately or undergo a public review process. It was only two months after the Seattle Times began investigating the matter that the fire department officially confirmed the use of AI.

The biggest controversy surrounding the introduction of AI is the “lack of transparency.” Citizens were completely unaware that their 911 calls were being analyzed by AI. There is no relevant notice on the fire department’s website, nor have evaluation metrics been disclosed regarding how effective the AI has actually been in improving patient classification and emergency response.

Ryan Carlo, a professor at the University of Washington (UW) School of Law, pointed out, “The fact that private companies’ AI intervened in the 911 reporting process without citizens’ knowledge raises serious concerns,” adding, “If someone was misclassified and pushed out of the emergency system, they have the right to know how that process was carried out.” In fact, Seattle’s nurse counseling centers have already been embroiled in controversy on several occasions.

Earlier this year, the Seattle Times reported instances where some patients waited anywhere from a few hours to over ten hours to receive an ambulance. Notably, in 2022, retiree Pamela Hogan was connected to a nurse counseling center after calling 911 and waited for an ambulance for over ten hours before eventually dying at her home without receiving proper treatment; her family is currently pursuing legal action.

The Fire Department emphasizes that AI does not make final decisions. Chris Lombard, Deputy Director of Resource Management, explained, “The dispatcher holds all decision-making authority, and the AI merely provides reference information.” Corti also stated, “AI is a tool intended to support, not replace, the judgment of medical professionals.” Nevertheless, experts are raising concerns regarding the risk of AI making biased judgments based on race, gender, and socioeconomic background, as well as privacy issues. In particular, the fact that the process by which AI analyzes 911 calls was not sufficiently evaluated under the City of Seattle’s Surveillance Ordinance is also a subject of controversy.

The fire department is currently paying Corti approximately $260,000 annually, and it is reported that last year, they even provided AI system demonstrations and tour programs to officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska, Taiwan, and Dallas, Texas. In the wake of this controversy, the City of Seattle has set out to establish an AI governance framework. Mayor Katie Wilson’s office stated, “We are establishing an open management system to evaluate the impact of AI use on privacy, bias, and the public interest.”

Experts unanimously agree that while the expansion of AI utilization in the medical field is an inevitable trend, transparency, accountability, and sufficient oversight mechanisms must be in place, especially in areas directly linked to citizens’ lives, such as emergency medical care. In particular, with the possibility raised that an era may come where AI voice operators, rather than humans, directly answer 911 calls, interest and concern are growing simultaneously regarding what changes artificial intelligence will bring to the emergency medical system.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco is scheduled to host a special exhibition by the Korea Fashion Illustration Association (KOFIA) from today, the 7th, until September 18th at the reception hall on the first floor of the Consulate.

Since its founding in 1995, KOFIA has been an organization that has introduced the genre of fashion illustration to the public through various exhibitions and competitions. This exhibition features works by a total of 41 domestic and international artists who have interpreted and expressed traditional Korean clothing and ceramics in a modern way.

The association stated, “Through this special exhibition, we wish to demonstrate that Korean heritage is not a fixed tradition, but a living aesthetic language that is constantly varied and expanded .” Since 2018, the Consulate General has been implementing the “Consulate Cultural Space Project,” which utilizes the consulate’s reception hall (consular waiting room) as a cultural exhibition space to provide a venue for Korean artists to showcase their talents and foster a sense of pride as

artists; this exhibition marks the 30th such event. The Consulate General of San Francisco plans to continue the Consulate Cultural Space Project by providing exhibition spaces for Korean artists and fostering continuous communication and cooperation with the local community, with the goal of making the beauty and excellence of Korean art known not only in Northern California but throughout the United States.

The Thomas Jefferson Center (President Lee Jong-kwon) has published an English commentary on the U.S. Declaration of Independence titled “A Decent Respect: Line by Line A Korean Approach to the Declaration of Independence” to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

Since 2022, the Thomas Jefferson Center has been publishing Korean-language books promoting the Declaration of Independence and the founding spirit every year on July 4; this is the fifth book in the series and the first in English. President Lee Jong-kwon stated, “As an 18th-century prose text, the Declaration of Independence features surprisingly difficult and complex sentences, making it common for even Americans to struggle to understand the text.” He added, “While many existing commentaries have merely summarized or paraphrased the content, this book aims to reconstruct the logical structure, historical context, and philosophical significance of the Declaration of Independence by analyzing each sentence individually.”

This book compiles the content of online lectures conducted at the Thomas Jefferson Center. Each chapter follows a structure consisting of Original Text, Discussion, Reflection, and Comparative Translations. Every sentence in the text is explained line by line, and accurate translations were achieved through linguistic, historical, and philosophical reflection. CEO Lee explained, “In this process, the translation not only achieved natural Korean but also preserved and reproduced the structure, logic, philosophy, and tone of the original text.

This fact was verified through AI-driven backtranslation and synchronization rates across different fields.” The verified translation demonstrates the potential for the Declaration of Independence to be used as a source code for new translations into all languages.

A source code refers to the role of a master key that enables the form and content of the Declaration of Independence to be transferred to any language. The theory posits that if the structure of the original text remains intact in the translation, it can be reproduced without distortion in a third language through AI that transcends language barriers; this book successfully applied this theory to Spanish.

The next book, currently being written as a follow-up (*A Decent Respect: 250 Years Later – The Declaration of Independence Across Languages*), will present the principles, theories, experiments, and results of translating the Declaration of Independence into languages worldwide, based on the new translation theory established in the first volume.

CEO Lee stated, “The meaning of the Declaration of Independence was surprisingly not widely known due to its demanding and complex archaic 18th-century language and the multi-semantic systems of its terms.” He added, “Through ongoing translation experiments, we have already succeeded in translating it into about 10 languages, and we are currently working on translating the Declaration of Independence with a goal of translating it into 108 languages in the future.”

The Los Angeles City Council has abruptly suspended plans to put a proposal to grant local election voting rights to non-citizens to a referendum this coming November.

On the 30th, the City Council unanimously removed the proposal from the vote and referred it to a committee for further review. This decision followed criticism from some council members that “sufficient review and public discussion had not taken place.”

Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who has been pushing the bill, acknowledged that there was “insufficient communication with the community” and that concerns had been raised, particularly within the Black community. He stated, “Black and Latino solidarity is very important,” adding, “I do not want to proceed in a way that could be viewed negatively by the city.” However, he made it clear that he intends to pursue the matter again in future elections.

The proposal that was put on hold this time contained provisions allowing the Los Angeles City Council to grant voting rights to non-citizens in city and school board elections through an ordinance. However, key issues, such as specifically who would be granted voting rights and whether the LA County election system could handle it, remained unresolved.

Councilmember Tracy Park pointed out the lack of administrative preparation, stating, “It is a situation where even voters do not know what they are voting for,” while Councilmember John Lee cited the San Francisco case and expressed concern over the “potential exposure of non-citizen information to ICE.” In this regard, San Francisco already allows non-citizen voting in school board elections, but it includes a warning on its election website stating that personal information could be shared with federal agencies.

Meanwhile, the City Council also withdrew another referendum proposal at the last minute on the same day, which would have partially transferred Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) policy authority from the Police Commission to the City Council. It is believed that the decision was influenced by the police union’s threat to sue, claiming the move was pushed through without prior consultation.

While this ruling puts discussions on expanding immigrant rights in LA on hold for the time being, it is highly likely to re-emerge as a key political issue ahead of upcoming elections.

On the 30th, the Supreme Court issued a ruling abolishing spending limits on campaign funds used by political parties to support candidates. As a result, political parties will now be able to invest unlimited funds to support candidates, just like Super PACs. This effectively represents a further relaxation of campaign finance regulations, and it is predicted that this will work to the short-term advantage of the Republican Party, which currently possesses more financial resources than the Democratic Party.

According to U.S. media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Supreme Court ruled by a 6-to-3 vote that federal regulations restricting campaign funds that political parties can spend in consultation with candidates are unconstitutional in a lawsuit led by Republicans, including Vice President J.D. Vance. Currently, U.S. campaign funding is broadly categorized into three types: direct donations to candidates, donations to political parties, or support through Super PACs.

Following a 2010 Supreme Court ruling, political funding through Super PACs became virtually unlimited, but limits remain set on direct donations to candidates. Expenditure limits are also set for funds provided by parties in consultation with candidates. Given the close relationship between parties and candidates, campaign funds spent through mutual consultation have been regulated on the grounds that they are like direct donations to candidates. However, Vice President Vance and others filed a lawsuit arguing that spending restrictions violate the First Amendment, which prohibits the infringement of freedom of speech, and the conservative-majority Supreme Court accepted this argument without reservation.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, ruled that “political parties influencing nominees or public officials is not corruption, but a natural part of representative democracy within a party system.” On the other hand, three justices appointed by the Democratic Party issued a dissenting opinion.

Advertising and Marketing group, society Justice Elena Kagan pointed out that conservative justices are reinterpreting campaign finance regulations to circumvent donation limits, thereby increasing the risk of “quid pro quo corruption.” This implies that if political parties and candidates act as a single entity to spend campaign funds without limit, regulations limiting direct donations to candidates are effectively rendered powerless. This ruling is expected to benefit the Republican Party in the short term.

While individual Democratic candidates have generally raised more campaign funds than Republicans, the Republican Party holds the advantage in terms of the financial strength of the party itself. Sean Cooksey, former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), analyzed that this ruling will empower the Republican Party, as it allows them to secure candidate advertisements at lower prices.

Under current law, candidates can receive lower rates than the party if they purchase TV advertisements directly; however, going forward, parties will also be able to benefit from lower rates by funding the advertisements purchased by candidates. The Wall Street Journal also interpreted this ruling as allowing political parties to consult with candidates and provide campaign advertising funds on their behalf.

However, former Chairwoman Cooksey predicted that in the long run, this ruling would benefit both parties. She explained, “The influence of direct donations to political parties will grow compared to going through Super PACs, and the capacity of parties and candidates to maintain a united strategy will be strengthened.” The Wall Street Journal also predicted that the standing of Super PACs, which have wielded immense influence using unlimited donations as a weapon, would narrow, and party-centered politics would be reinforced. However, the Democratic Party is pushing back, arguing that the election rules have been restructured to favor the Republican Party. Representative Susan DelBene, Chair of the House Election Committee, and Ken Martin, Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), issued a joint statement criticizing the ruling, stating, “Today’s ruling is a victory for billionaire donors and special interest groups seeking to influence the Republican agenda,” and warning that it “will serve as a catalyst for fostering corruption.”

The White House hosted the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event, “UFC Freedom 250,” on June 14 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. However, a June 15 article in The New York Times titled “A Spectacle Showcasing American Decline” argued that the grand event revealed America’s decline.

The article was written by columnist Michelle Goldberg. The full text of the article is translated as follows: Only the worst screenwriters would use this method to depict America’s decline. Consider this: on the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, this aging US president turned the White House lawn into a vulgar, bloody gladiatorial arena while simultaneously surrendering to Iran.

Mike Judge, in his 2006 satirical comedy *Idiocracy*, almost captured some of our decadence. The film depicts an America led by a professional wrestler whose middle name is “Mountain Dew.” But if *Idiocracy* captures some of the atmosphere of the Trump administration, it’s both premature and too lighthearted to accurately portray its many ugly details.

For example, in the face of June 14th, MMA fighter Josh Hockett, standing in an octagon plastered with cryptocurrency advertisements, referred to former First Lady Michelle Obama as a “man.”

Of course, the Iran war appears to be over, which is indeed a good thing. Once Trump dragged the US into the quagmire, there was no way to end this disaster in a way that was in America’s best interest. Contrary to the lamentations of American hawks regarding Iran, the agreement Trump reached wasn’t the problem in itself—it was merely a tacit acceptance of a doomed outcome. Nevertheless, it remains a shameful moment in American history.

“It is truly shocking that the world’s most powerful and militarily capable nation, in cooperation with the world’s most powerful intelligence agency—Israel’s Mossad—has failed to achieve any strategic objectives against a third-rate regional power,” said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran program at the International Crisis Group.

Details of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran are still emerging; the White House has stated that the text of the memorandum will be released within the next day or two. However, its main achievement appears to be the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which was certainly open before the war. No nuclear agreement has yet been reached.

Reports suggest that Iran is not required to abandon its ballistic missile program or its support for proxies such as Hezbollah. Undoubtedly, the suffering Iranian people have not escaped the oppressive policies of their rulers.

Although Vice President Vance stated that Iran could receive a $300 billion reconstruction fund, the specific form of this funding remains unclear, as does whether Iran will use its control of the Strait of Hormuz to collect some kind of transit fee. However, by demonstrating its ability to hold the global economic lifeline while withstanding U.S. bombing, Iran has gained a previously lacking deterrent force.

“Before the midterm elections, Iran is unlikely to take the possibility of a U.S. return to war seriously,” wrote Daniel Shapiro, the Obama administration’s ambassador to Israel, on social media. “This means we will conduct diplomacy without a credible threat of force.”

The timing of this memorandum of understanding, finalized during the UFC cage fight at the White House, is likely no coincidence. Besides celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary, the UFC event also served to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday. Iran and some Democrats suspect he wants to finalize the Iran nuclear deal currently.

Trump may hope that this event—which at one point featured a Marine Corps honor guard, placard girls in sequined red-hot pants, and a life-sized Monster Energy drink can—will help win back young men disillusioned by war and economic turmoil. Perhaps this will work. Joe Rogan, a podcast host who has increasingly criticized Trump in recent months, has agreed to be a commentator.

The Wall Street Journal reported on an excited fan who drove seven hours hoping to catch Trump’s spectacle, saying, “It’s like the Colosseum in real life.” For America’s Founding Fathers, the decline of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire is a cautionary tale. For some in the MAGA camp, it’s clearly an aspiration. But for others, the combination of America’s failure in Iran and Trump’s Temu Colosseum should clearly paint a picture: decay and weakness are trying to hide behind a facade of masculine kitsch. This administration has the capacity to create massive, epic destruction, but it creates almost nothing beyond spectacle.

Conservative writer Marc Thiessen attempted to portray Trump’s lowbrow extravaganza as a display of his populism, opening the White House to those who attended motocross races and giant truck shows. “If you’re offended by this, you’re probably an elitist,” he wrote. Leaving aside Thiessen’s past criticisms of Obama’s failure to maintain “presidential dignity,” by that standard—that UFC brawls, which John McCain once called “human cockfighting,” should be allowed in the White House simply because many Americans enjoy them—there are no standards whatsoever.

Pornography is as popular as ultimate fighting, but I find it hard to believe that Thiessen would defend a Democratic president who, while losing a battle, invites a group of OnlyFans creators into the Oval Office. This easily evokes images of “bread and circus,” but that’s not the case. Quite the opposite; Trump and his allies commercialized the event on the 14th.

In March, Trump acquired a stake in the UFC’s parent company. To watch the fight, the public needed to subscribe to Paramount+, a platform controlled by Trump’s ally David Ellison, who acquired CBS and made it more aligned with the Trump administration’s interests. This event was less a gift to restless supporters and more another example of the Trump administration betraying America for its own benefit.

Before the fight, UFC fighter Derek Lewis (who was later knocked out by Hockett) told the Wall Street Journal that he felt he was participating in something historic. “This is one of those events that people will still be talking about 100 years from now,” he said. He may be right, but it’s not quite what he envisioned. Perhaps one day, someone will write—or more likely, make—an American version of Edward Gibbon’s *The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*.

The creator might want to include a scene where 92-foot-tall steel claws stand atop the White House, while those inside frantically try to repackage a foreign policy disaster as a great victory.

Maryland is completely replacing its aging tax administration infrastructure, which has been in use for over 30 years, with a state-of-the-art cloud-based system.

On Tuesday, September 1, the State Comptroller’s Office will launch “Maryland Tax Connect,” an integrated digital tax portal for residents and tax representatives. The newly introduced “Maryland Tax Connect” offers free services such as real-time account balance inquiries, verification of past filing history, income tax filing and payment, and installment payment applications.

While operations were previously limited to select corporations, the service will be expanded to all individual taxpayers starting in September. The authorities plan to transfer approximately 4 billion tax records accumulated in the existing system to the new cloud platform.

Consequently, statewide tax systems will be suspended for 10 days, from Friday, August 21 to Monday, August 31, when demand for tax administration is lowest. The Comptroller’s Office has announced that it will not impose any penalties or surcharges on tax filings or payments that fall within the system suspension period.

According to the key schedule announced by state authorities, in-person check payments for personal income taxes and other taxes close on Friday, July 24, while electronic filing and payment via the existing online system will only be available until midnight on Wednesday, July 29. Subsequently, all services will return to normal through the new portal starting Tuesday, September 1.

Detailed schedules and information can be found on the dedicated guide page within the State Comptroller’s Office official website (MarylandComptroller.gov/IndividualTaxHub).

“Stone Fist” Alex Ferreira (39, Brazil) is challenging for the legendary feat of conquering three weight classes—an unprecedented achievement in UFC history—for the first time in history right in the heart of the White House.

Ferreira, a former UFC Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion, will engage in a fierce single-elimination match for the interim heavyweight title against Cyril Gann (36, France), ranked No. 1 in the 120.2kg heavyweight division, in the co-main event of “UFC Freedom 250,” a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 15th (KST).

To date, only 11 fighters in UFC history have conquered two weight classes, either simultaneously or with a time gap. However, since the inception of the UFC in 1993, not a single fighter has reached the top of three weight classes. If Ferreira wins this match, he will become the first fighter in history to achieve the monumental record of being a “three-weight class champion.”

Although this is an interim title fight, the interim champion will succeed to the official title if the return of official champion Tom Aspinall, who has been sidelined for eight months due to an eye injury, is delayed. Even if Aspinall returns, a unification title fight against the winner of this match is scheduled, making this effectively a matchup to determine the next heavyweight throne. Pereira (13 wins, 3 losses), who bulked up in a lower weight class to move up, confidently made the heavyweight weight limit.

At the weigh-in, Pereira recorded 113.9 kg, passing the weigh-in with a body weight 1.6 kg heavier than the heavyweight regular Cyril Gahn (112.5 kg, 13 wins, 2 losses, 1 no contest), demonstrating his peak condition. Pereira, who appeared on the day dressed in the traditional attire of the Patacho tribe—the indigenous Brazilian tribe to which he belongs—stepped onto the outdoor stage of the White House South Lawn, shook hands firmly with Cyril Gahn, and struck a fighting pose with a sharp gaze.

Cyril Gan, a former French Muay Thai champion, expressed his relaxed sentiments, stating, “I am very happy to fight Alex Ferreira in the iconic venue of the White House,” and adding, “It is always a pleasure to face a strong opponent with a new style.” In response, Ferreira addressed the crowd filling the White House, saying, “Thank you to everyone who came here today,” and vowed to ascend to the throne, adding, “As this is a special day marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, I will repay you with a great match in the octagon tomorrow.”

The crowd responded enthusiastically by chanting Ferreira’s signature catchphrase, “Chama (Fire).” Ferreira, who dominated the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions in GLORY, the world’s premier kickboxing organization, is now dominating the mixed martial arts (MMA) scene as well. True to his nickname “Stone Fist,” his weapon is a formidable one-punch knockout power capable of knocking out an opponent with a mere graze.

On the other hand, Cyril Ghan is a well-rounded technician possessing agile footwork uncharacteristic of a heavyweight, a variety of kicks, and clever striking techniques. Meanwhile, ‘UFC Freedom 250,’ which will be held for the first time in history on a special outdoor stage at the White House, will be broadcast live on the terrestrial sports entertainment channel tvN and the OTT platform TVING starting at 9 a.m. on the 15th.

Around 11:30 PM on the night of the 13th in the Manhattan area of New York. It was a night where even those with absolutely no interest in basketball could not simply close their eyes. Cheers erupted simultaneously from every corner of the streets, and cars honked their horns as if by prior agreement.

As the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) clinched the championship for the first time in 53 years, the excitement from watching the game in Manhattan’s restaurants, bars, and parks poured directly out onto the streets. On this day, the Knicks staged a comeback victory, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on the road in San Antonio, Texas.

Trailing throughout the game, the Knicks managed a dramatic turnaround in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Fans wearing the Knicks’ iconic orange and blue uniforms lined the streets. As game time approached, the streets of Manhattan were unusually quiet for a weekend evening. Instead, bars showing the broadcast were packed with fans without exception, and long lines formed waiting to enter. Some regular restaurants also installed large TVs for customers at outdoor tables.

A bar manager in Manhattan’s Upper West Side described the atmosphere, saying, “Of course we had to show the Knicks game today; otherwise, there would have been riots.” Large electronic screens were also installed at major landmarks such as Central Park and Pier 17, where cheering battles unfolded.

Before the game, fans chanted “Knicks in 5,” hoping for a 4-1 series victory, and after the championship was confirmed, they sang Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” in unison and shouted, “Knicks Forever.” Major buildings, including Manhattan landmarks like the Empire State Building, also celebrated the victory by lighting up orange and blue celebratory lights.

On the day the Knicks were challenging for the championship, another sporting festival awaited just across the river from Manhattan. In New Jersey, the World Cup group stage match between Brazil and Morocco was taking place, and soccer and basketball fans flocked all at once to the area around Penn Station in Manhattan, where trains heading to the World Cup stadium stop.

Even amidst the green and yellow (Brazil) and red (Morocco) soccer uniforms, orange and blue (Knicks) uniforms were overwhelmingly more numerous. Inside Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ home arena located right near Penn Station, a concert by a major band was held, further intensifying the congestion. In anticipation of the simultaneous influx of World Cup spectators and Knicks supporters, New York City issued a “traffic paralysis alert,” strengthened traffic management, and significantly increased police deployment. However, once the championship was confirmed for the first time in 53 years, the fans’ joy sometimes escalated into violent behavior.

As excited fans poured into the streets, vehicle traffic was blocked in some areas, and some individuals climbed onto lampposts or structures or vandalized police vehicles. Police moved to contain the crowd by firing tear gas and other means.

Local media, including the New York Post, reported that at least four people were arrested on charges including property damage and obstruction of official duties.