U-Haul driver’s NYC ‘rampage’ leaves 8 hurt, police say

Authorities say a man driving a U-Haul truck struck and injured several people in New York City before police were able to pin the vehicle against a building. It followed a mileslong pursuit through Brooklyn. Two people were in critical condition Monday. Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell described the driver’s actions as a “violent rampage through Brooklyn.” The truck sped through the Bay Ridge neighborhood before police stopped it more than 3 miles away near the entrance to a tunnel leading from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The driver was arrested. He was identified by his son as Weng Sor, who was living in Las Vegas before showing up recently in New York.

Judge to release parts of Georgia special grand jury report

A Georgia judge has ordered the partial release later this week of a report by a special grand jury that investigated efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney announced the decision on Monday. It comes three weeks after hearing arguments from prosecutors, who urged the report be kept secret until they decide on charges, and a coalition of media organizations, which pressed for its release. McBurney said the introduction and conclusion of the report, as well as a section in which the grand jurors expressed concerns that some witnesses may have lied under oath, will be released Thursday.

11 states consider ‘right to repair’ for farming equipment

Lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states have introduce bills that would force farming equipment manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs. The bills are a response to farmers unable to repair their own tractors and combines, forcing them to wait sometimes days and paying steep labor costs. The proposition has found pushback from manufacturers worried about releasing trade secrets, the safety of users who could more easily tinker with the software, and the operator’s ability to bypass the emissions controller.

Moldovan leader outlines Russian ‘plan’ to topple government

Moldova’s president has outlined what she says is Moscow’s plans to overthrow Moldova’s government. She claims it involves the use of external saboteurs that would ultimately “put our country at the disposal of Russia” and throw it off course to one day join the European Union. President Maia Sandu’s briefing Monday comes a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country had intercepted plans by Russian secret services to destroy Moldova, claims that were later confirmed by Moldovan intelligence. Sandu said the plans involved attacks on state buildings and taking hostages. There was no immediate reaction from Russian officials to Sandu’s claims.

Netanyahu launches contentious overhaul as thousands protest

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested outside the parliament building in Jerusalem in a show of force against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his government formally launched a contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary. The protest Monday took place as Netanyahu’s allies pushed the plan through a parliamentary committee in a first step toward passage. Netanyahu and his supporters say the proposed changes are needed to rein in a judiciary that wields too much power. But his critics say Netanyahu has a conflict of interest at a time when he is on trial for corruption charges. They say the attempt to take over the judicial system is tantamount to a coup and will destroy Israeli democracy.

Philippines says China ship used laser against coast guard

The Philippines has accused a Chinese coast guard ship of hitting a Philippine coast guard vessel with a military-grade laser and temporarily blinding some of its crew in the disputed South China Sea. According to the Philippines, the Chinese ship also maneuvered dangerously close to block the Philippine patrol vessel from approaching one of the disputed islands last week. The Philippines has filed nearly 200 diplomatic protests against China’s aggressive actions last year alone. China claims the South China Sea virtually in its entirety, putting it on a collision course with other claimants. A Philippine official says it’s the first time China has used lasers on Filipino personnel. China responded by accusing the Philippines of trespassing in its territorial waters.

Antisemitism worries rising for many U.S. Jews, survey finds

More than four in ten Jews in the United States feel their status in America is less secure than it was a year earlier. That’s according to a new survey by the American Jewish Committee. The AJC — a prominent Jewish advocacy organization — conducted the survey last fall, toward the close of a year of high-profile incidents of antisemitism. Those included a hostage-taking at a Texas synagogue and anti-Jewish statements shared by celebrities on social media. Former President Donald Trump dined with two openly antisemitic guests. A quarter of the survey respondents said they were directly targeted by antisemitic expressions. Nearly four in 10 changed their behavior to lower risks to their safety.

By wire sources