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The Republican vice-presidential candidate is facing a backlash after raising suspicions that the Democratic vice-presidential candidate discharged himself from the National Guard in the past to avoid deployment to Iraq.

According to American political media outlets The Hill and USA Today on the 14th, more than 1,000 veterans and their families released an open letter protesting Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance (currently a U.S. senator) and former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for raising suspicions about Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz (currently a Minnesota governor)’s military service.

In the letter, the veterans wrote, “Vance’s recent comments attacking Walz’s military service are disrespectful and deeply disappointing,” adding, “This is especially true given Vance’s own military service (in the Marines), for which we are also deeply grateful.” The veterans also criticized Rep. Vance’s attack on Governor Walz as a “politically motivated attack.”

During a campaign rally on the 7th, Rep. Vance claimed that Governor Walz discharged to avoid being deployed to Iraq, saying, “When Tim Walz’s country asked him to go to Iraq, he discharged himself, and his unit went to Iraq without him.” The claim was that Governor Walz served in the National Guard (non-regular) for 24 years starting in 1981 when he was 17 and discharged in 2005 while preparing to run for the House of Representatives, just as his unit was about to be deployed to Iraq.

It is true that Governor Walz’s unit was deployed to Iraq after his discharge, but the chronology between when the governor learned of his unit’s planned deployment and when he applied for discharge remains controversial.

Rep. Vance also criticized Governor Walz for making remarks suggesting that he had been to war with a gun in a speech calling for stronger gun control despite having no combat experience. Some of these suspicions were also issues during Governor Walz’s gubernatorial campaign, and while they are controversial, some say that raising the suspicions themselves is excessive in a society where military service is especially valued.

Governor Walz himself recently counterattacked Rep. Vance during a campaign, saying, “If I were you, I would thank you for your military service.”

A law has been enacted in New Jersey that imposes fines of up to $10,000 on employers who exploit or threaten employees based on their immigration status. Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who is acting for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy who is on vacation, signed a bill on the 8th that penalizes employers who exploit employees based on their immigration status or force them to not report labor law violations. The bill passed the state Senate and Assembly in May and June, respectively, and took effect immediately after Way signed it.

The new law imposes fines of up to $1,000 for the first offense, up to $5,000 for the second offense, and up to $10,000 for each subsequent offense. In addition to the existing penalties for labor law violations, fines are added for unfair acts that exploit or threaten workers. The new law also includes provisions to protect all workers regardless of their immigration status, including those with work visas.

“Workers should not be forced to remain silent about workplace injustice for fear of their immigration status being revealed to authorities,” said State Senator Teresa Ruiz, who introduced the bill in the state legislature. “The new law is intended to prevent undocumented workers from being forced to remain silent because their employers threaten to report their illegal presence to authorities, even if they are paid less than minimum wage.”

The New Jersey Immigrant Justice Coalition welcomed the bill, saying, “Hardworking immigrants deserve equal protection regardless of their immigration status. The new law will protect them from coercion and intimidation based on their immigration status.” According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are an estimated 440,000 undocumented immigrants living in New Jersey.

A Manhattan district court has sided with New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a class action lawsuit challenging the expansion of the CityFHEPS program. Manhattan District Judge Lyle Frank ruled in favor of the City Council, Legal Aid Society (LAS), and others in a class action lawsuit challenging the city’s expanded rental housing voucher program. In his ruling, Frank stated that “the Department of Social Services (DSS) has primary authority to establish and amend the program under state law,” and that “since the Council’s ordinance ultimately conflicts with state law, the lawsuit brought by the Council and LAS is hereby dismissed.”

In response, the City Council and LAS, advocacy groups for the expansion of CityFHEPS, strongly opposed this and announced that they would immediately appeal. In a statement released that day, a City Council spokesperson stated, “It is deeply regrettable that the City Government (executive branch) is directly responding to the City Council (legislative branch)’s efforts to resolve the issues of forced evictions and homelessness in the midst

of a deepening housing crisis,” and emphasized that they would “file an appeal.” LAS also added, “This ruling leaves no way to rescue thousands of citizens who are at risk of forced eviction or are already homeless,” and “If the CityFHEPS expansion ordinance passed by the City Council is not implemented, New York City will end up spending millions of dollars more to accommodate them.” The ‘rental apartment voucher expansion ordinance’ passed the City Council last year, but Mayor Adams exercised her veto, citing budget constraints, and the City Council, in response, re-voted the ordinance (42 in favor, 9 against), automatically enacting it. However, when the market refused to implement it, it eventually escalated into a lawsuit.

The rental apartment voucher expansion ordinance includes ▲eliminating the requirement to reside in a homeless facility such as a shelter for 90 days before CityFHEPS support ▲expanding the CityFHEPS support eligibility from 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) ▲dramatically expanding the beneficiaries, such as allowing CityFHEPS support even if there is a letter requesting a rent increase.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in remote work, and the need for office space where all employees can work together has decreased significantly, office vacancy rates in Fairfax County, Virginia, are on the rise. According to recent data from the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), the vacancy rate in Fairfax County rose from 16.7% in July of last year to 17.2% by the end of the year, the highest in a decade. Areas with particularly high vacancy rates include the Centreville and Reston areas in the western part of the county, along Dulles Toll Road and Route 28, where some buildings are over 50,000 square feet in size but more than 65% are vacant. There are 28 buildings with particularly high vacancy rates countywide, and the combined empty space in these buildings amounts to a whopping 3.7 million square feet.

Fairfax County, which has seen a significant decrease in commercial real estate tax revenue due to these empty buildings being left empty for years, is reportedly considering ways to repurpose these buildings for other purposes, such as multifamily housing. An official from the Economic Development Authority said, “Currently, real estate companies have expressed their intention to demolish and redevelop 70 empty buildings with 7.1 million square feet of office space,” and “We are also considering converting 8 buildings to residential use.” Separately, county officials expect that interest rates will fall soon, which will help the commercial real estate market breathe a little easier. They

are also pursuing a plan to attract artificial intelligence companies, which have recently been hiring a lot of people.

A heartbreaking incident occurred in which a Korean man in his 60s went missing while hiking in the scorching heat and was found dead five days later. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in California, Korean man Kim Han-tae (61, photo, provided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office), who lived in Chula Vista near San Diego, was found dead in Snow Creek Canyon in the Whitewater area between Palm Springs and Cabazon in Riverside County on the 10th.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said that a missing person’s report was received on the morning of the 7th for Kim. At the time, Kim had gone hiking in the rugged mountainous area of Fuller Ridge, about two miles northeast of Idyllwild, and then lost contact, the Sheriff’s Office said. After

receiving the missing person’s report, authorities mobilized a helicopter to search for him, dispatched a professional rescue team to the scene, and conducted daily search operations with the assistance of a civilian mountain search team, and finally found Kim’s body, the Sheriff’s Office said.

According to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office report, it was not immediately known what caused Kim’s death or whether he had any injuries. However, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said Kim’s death did not appear to be criminally related, raising the possibility that he died from extreme heat after being stranded in the rugged mountainous region.

Riverside County, where Kim went missing, and neighboring areas have been experiencing a brutal heatwave this week, with highs well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit daily, local media reported.

The surge in COVID-19 variant infections in New York City has put public health on high alert for the summer. According to data from the city’s Department of Health, as of March 22, the average number of COVID-19 cases per week was 687, a whopping 250% increase from two months ago.

In addition, an average of 53 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 per day, and an average of one person died. This analysis suggests that the number of infected people is increasing rapidly as we enter the summer.

The city’s Department of Health says that the COVID-19 virus currently spreading is a variant of the Omicron virus, ‘FLiRT’. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of ‘FLiRT’ infection are like those of the existing Omicron strain. As of July, the borough with the most infections among the five boroughs is Queens, requiring special attention from the elderly and those with weak immune systems.

According to the latest data from the city Health Department as of the 30th of last month, the average number of infected people in Queens is rising sharply, reaching 236 per week. The number of infected people per 100,000 people was also 73.34, nearly 10 more than the five boroughs’ average of 63.5. Following Queens in terms of weekly infections, Brooklyn came in first with 181, followed by Manhattan with 151, the Bronx with 140, and Staten Island with 48.

The number of infected people per 100,000 people was 70.99 in Staten Island, 69.03 in the Bronx, 64.78 in Manhattan, and 49.57 in Brooklyn. Fresh Meadows in Queens was the most vulnerable to infection among the five boroughs, including Queens, with 83 infections per 100,000 people. It was followed by Long Island City-Astoria with 77 people, Bayside-Little Neck with 74 people, Forest Hill-Ridgewood with 70 people, and Flushing-Clearview with 57 people per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, the city health department stated, “The testing rate is low, so we cannot 100% diagnose the current situation,” and added, “However, recent testing and wastewater testing results show that the current situation is showing a similar surge to last summer.”

Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, is in final criminal settlement talks with the Justice Department over the series of crashes involving its 737 Max planes, Bloomberg reported on the 29th, citing sources.

The settlement, which is currently being negotiated, is expected to include provisions to increase oversight of Boeing, and a final agreement could be announced as early as next week, the sources said. Prosecutors have indicated that they believe Boeing needs to be prosecuted for the 737 Max crashes, but it is unclear whether Boeing will admit to any wrongdoing, the sources said.

The Justice Department previously reached an agreement with Boeing to pay $2.5 billion (about 3.5 trillion won) in a criminal settlement in exchange for deferred prosecution of two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. The agreement, reached in 2021, also included provisions to review compliance practices and submit regular reports. Then, on January 5 of this year, two days before the three-year deferred prosecution period under the 2021 agreement was to expire, another 737 Max accident occurred.

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger plane taking off from Portland International Airport in Oregon made an emergency landing after its windows and part of the wall were torn off while flying about 5,000 meters above the ground.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined in its preliminary investigation that four bolts that secure the door were missing during the assembly of the plane. Reuters previously reported that the Justice Department could extend the 2021 settlement or impose stricter monitoring conditions instead of prosecuting Boeing. However, if it does not prosecute Boeing, it could face strong opposition from the families of the crash victims.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg assessed that even if Boeing reaches an agreement with the Justice Department, the legal risks it faces will not be resolved.

U.S. authorities are continuing to investigate the Alaska Airlines crash, and a grand jury in Seattle could decide to bring additional charges against Boeing in connection with the crash, Bloomberg reported.

The Maryland U.S. Senate election is more closely contested than any other election. According to The Hill’s analysis of five public opinion polls, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (Democrat) is ahead of former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (Republican) by 0.6% with 43.5%, with 42.9%. However, four out of five polls showed higher approval ratings for Hogan, and only one showed higher approval ratings for Alsobrooks.

In Maryland, one of the two Senate seats becomes vacant following the retirement of U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (Democratic). Hogan, who won a landslide victory in the Republican primary in last month’s primary, will compete with Alsobrooks in the general election in November.

According to a poll by Opinion Worth and the Baltimore Sun (April 7-10), Hogan had 54%. Also, Brooks was ahead with 36% and Hogan was ahead by a whopping 18%. Additionally, a Goucher College poll (March 19-24) had Hogan at 44% and Alsobrooks at 40%, and a University of Maryland poll (March 5-12) had Hogan at 50% and Alsobrooks at 36%., an Emerson University poll (February 12-13) also showed that Hogan’s approval rating was high, with 42% for Hogan and 37% for Alsobrooks.

On the other hand, in a public opinion poll conducted by the Public Policy Opinion Research Institute on May 6-7, Alsobrooks was ahead by 9%, with 46% and Hogan with 37%. The Hill commented that both Hogan and Alsobrooks, who are considered centrist candidates in the Republican Party, have political experience and a strong support base in Maryland, so the competition is expected to be fiercer than any other race.

Former Governor Hogan made new history by serving as Governor of Maryland for eight years from 2015 to January of last year in a blue state, a stronghold of the Democratic Party. Hogan, who was rated as the most popular governor by Marylanders in Maryland’s 60-year history, also recorded a high approval rating of 77% when he left office.

If Hogan is elected in the general election, the Republican Party will take over the U.S. Senate in Maryland, a Democratic stronghold, for the first time in 44 years since 1980. Meanwhile, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s Asian sponsorship event will be held at China Garden (11333 Woodglen Dr.) in Rockville from 5-8 p.m. on Sunday the 23rd.

There is a lot of attention after New York State considered banning the wearing of masks in subways, including public places where protests are taking place. New York Governor Cathy Hochul pointed out on the 13th, “Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people wearing masks to conceal their identity and committing anti-Semitic acts,” and added, “We will not tolerate people wearing masks to avoid responsibility for illegal or harmful acts.”. “We are discussing a plan to ban the wearing of masks to clearly enforce the law against hate crimes.”

According to the Governor’s Office, the mask ban currently under consideration is primarily focused on the New York City subway. This was triggered by an incident that occurred on the night of the 10th, when protesters wearing masks occupied a subway car in Manhattan, threatening passengers and shouting anti-Semitic slogans. The governor’s office explains that although there has not yet been a specific plan to ban wearing masks in the subway, exceptions will be made at a commonsense level, such as when masks are worn for health, cultural, or religious reasons, holiday costumes, Halloween, etc.

Additionally, it has been reported that areas where masks are prohibited will include public places where protests take place, in addition to the subway. Governor Hochul said, “In response to concerns from the Jewish community about the increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes, we have begun discussions with the mayor of New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and the state legislature to come up with a related plan,” adding, “The existing New York City, whose implementation was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, He emphasized, “Restoring the state mask-wearing ban is also one way.”

According to the Governor’s Office, New York State enacted a law banning the wearing of masks in 1845, but enforcement was suspended for the first time in 180 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This law was enacted to prevent people from covering their faces with bandanas during protests over rent issues at the time, and violators of the law were sentenced to 15 days in prison. New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed support for the governor’s push to ban wearing masks.

Mayor Adams said, “I support the reinstatement of the law banning the wearing of masks,” and emphasized, “We must return to the time before the pandemic when demonstrators were not allowed to wear masks.” Meanwhile, there is considerable opposition to the governor’s push to ban wearing masks.

The New York Civil Liberties Union expressed its opposition, saying, “wearing a mask should not be a crime,” and “a ban on wearing masks may be unfairly applied to people of color.”

The New York State Prosecutor’s Office warned that as online dating apps become active, romance scams, which involve approaching the opposite sex to win their favor and then extorting money, are serious. On the 6th, the State Prosecutor’s Office said, “Romance fraud is when fraudsters steal someone else’s identity to gain the love and trust of the victims and then demand money to defraud them.

If a person they met online asks for their bank account, there is a high possibility that they are a romance fraudster.” “He said. Romance fraud, or romance scam, is a combination of the words ’romance’, which means love, and ‘scam’, which means credit fraud. It is a scam that is used for various reasons after building trust through social media (SNS) or dating apps. A new type of fraud crime in which people extort money by paying for it has been on the rise across the United States for several years.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 19,000 complaints related to romance scams were received in 2022, and the amount of damage to victims was calculated to be approximately $740 million. However, as many victims are reluctant to disclose the financial damage caused by romance fraud, the actual amount of damage is estimated to be much higher than the estimated amount.

State Attorney General Letitia James said, “Scammers who engage in romance scams are characterized by detailed, intimate conversations that seek to gain the trust of the person they are swindling, while explaining the emergency situation in which they need financial help.”

He urged caution, saying, “Victims of this type of method are reported to come from a variety of age groups, from college students to people in their 80s who lost up to $2.8 million.”

The state prosecutor’s office warned that if someone you met online asks for your bank account or asks you to send money through an online money transfer app, it is likely to be a romance scam.

The state prosecutor’s office said that to prevent romance fraud, ▲ only use dating sites that are widely known and trustworthy ▲ be cautious in the process of sharing and exposing personal information online ▲ if the person you are talking to is consistently reluctant to meet in person, it is a red flag. ▲If you suspect fraud, you are advised to report it to the State Prosecutor’s Office’s financial crime reporting site (ko.ag.ny.gov/financial-fraud-complaint-form) or the hotline (800-771-7755).