Two Israeli embassy workers shot dead in US - Newstrends
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Two Israeli embassy workers shot dead in US

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Two Israeli embassy workers shot dead in US

Two Israeli embassy staff members were sh0t and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC on Wednesday evening.

Authorities say a suspect is in custody following what officials describe as a targeted, hate-motivated attack.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith said officers responded to multiple 911 calls around 9:08 p.m. regarding a shooting near the museum. When they arrived, they found two people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram, unconscious and not breathing.

Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, allegedly acted alone.

Smith said his firearm was recovered. Witnesses reportedly saw Rodriguez pacing outside before he opened fire on a group of four people exiting the museum, including the victims.

After the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum, where he was detained by event security. While in custody, he reportedly shouted, “Free, free Palestine!” according to Smith.

The victims were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

Tal Naim Cohen, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy, confirmed the two diplomats were shot “at close range.”

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“We have full faith in law enforcement authorities on both the local and federal levels to apprehend the shooter and protect Israel’s representatives and Jewish communities throughout the United States,” Cohen said.

The event was aimed at young Jewish professionals working in foreign policy and featured a panel discussion on humanitarian solutions for Gaza.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called the attack “horrific” and said, “There is no active threat.” She added, “We will not tolerate this violence or hate. We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism. We will not tolerate antisemitism.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, said the two victims were in a relationship and planning to get engaged. “The man had just purchased a ring with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter shared.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Department of Homeland Security is “actively investigating” the shooting. “Please pray for the families of the victims.

We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice,” she wrote on X.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office is also involved, investigating the shooting for potential ties to terrorism or as a hate crime. FBI Assistant Director Steven Jensen called it a “heinous crime.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called the shooting a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.”

In a statement on X, he said, “Harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line.

We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world.”

Two Israeli embassy workers shot dead in US

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International

‘Completely False’ — Moreno Denies Using AI to Prepare Games

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Robert Moreno has begun his interim tenure as South Korea’s coach with a denial of one of the more unusual controversies attached to his coaching career, claims that he used ChatGPT to help prepare his teams for matches.

The Spanish coach, who arrived in South Korea this weekend, was asked about the allegation as he began work with the national side.

Moreno was accused by Russian media earlier this year of heavily relying on artificial intelligence during his spell at Sochi, where he left in September 2025 following a poor run of results.

He has consistently rejected the claim.

Moreno said the reports were “completely false” and argued that his use of technology had been misrepresented.

His explanation comes as he takes over a South Korean side attempting to recover from a turbulent World Cup campaign. The team crashed out in the group stage, leading Hong Myung-bo to resign and leaving the Korea Football Association under pressure over both the team’s performance and its previous recruitment process.

The KFA appointed Moreno as a temporary replacement rather than immediately committing to a permanent coach. He is expected to lead the team through six international matches, beginning with September and October friendlies against Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela and Uzbekistan.

His first squad includes veteran captain Son Heung-min, who now plays for Los Angeles FC, as well as Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae.

Moreno said he wants his tenure to be about more than results, with the immediate goal of rebuilding the relationship between the national team and its supporters.

I want to make Korean football fans happy,” he said.

For now, however, the AI controversy remains part of the baggage surrounding his appointment, something Moreno appears keen to put behind him as he begins the task of rebuilding South Korea’s national team.

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Trump Downplays Report of Chinese Satellite Help to Iran

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US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has played down a report alleging that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a US military base in Jordan before and after a deadly Iranian missile strike.

The report, published by The Wall Street Journal, said US officials had linked high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities to Iran’s July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, where three American soldiers were killed and four others injured.

Trump, however, appeared to dismiss the significance of the allegation while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

When they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” he said, adding that the two countries essentially engage in similar intelligence activities.

The report has not established that Beijing directly authorised or participated in the alleged transfer. US officials cited by the Journal did not identify the Chinese entities involved, while Chinese officials reportedly rejected the allegation and asked Washington to provide evidence.

The development comes as Washington and Beijing prepare for a potentially sensitive meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, expected to take place at the White House on September 24.

The US has previously accused Chinese companies of assisting Iran’s military capabilities. Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite firms in May over alleged support for Iran’s military operations.

Despite the latest dispute, Trump struck a conciliatory tone when discussing Xi, saying the Chinese leader had “behaved reasonably well” and that the US had done the same.

Trump’s response leaves the satellite imagery allegations unresolved, with Beijing denying involvement and Washington yet to publicly identify the companies allegedly involved.

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Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

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Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was caught up in a major security scare involving a Russian drone attack after a passenger train was struck near Ukraine’s border with Poland, shortly after a diplomatic train carrying him and other European officials had passed through the area.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 13, 2026, near Yahodyn in Ukraine’s Volyn region, about two kilometres from the Polish border.

Johnson was travelling from Kyiv after attending the Yalta European Strategy conference, where he joined other international political and security figures for discussions on the Russia-Ukraine war and European security.

He was aboard a diplomatic train carrying several prominent European figures, including former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, as the delegation travelled towards Poland.

The train reportedly passed through the Yahodyn area shortly before a Russian drone struck the locomotive of another passenger train.

The incident triggered heightened security measures in the area, although reports indicate that Johnson was not evacuated from the train and was not injured.

Ukraine’s state railway operator said the diplomatic train had departed the station earlier than scheduled because of security concerns.

A separate passenger train was subsequently targeted by a Russian drone near Yahodyn.

Railway officials said the drone was detected before the strike, allowing emergency procedures to be activated. The drone eventually hit the locomotive, but no casualties were reported.

The railway operator said there was a possibility that the diplomatic train carrying Johnson and other senior officials could have been the intended target. However, Ukrainian authorities have not conclusively established that the delegation was specifically targeted.

Another high-profile passenger in the area was former CIA Director David Petraeus, who was reportedly travelling separately and was also at Yahodyn around the time of the incident.

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The attack has attracted international attention because of its proximity to Poland, which is a member of NATO and shares a long border with Ukraine.

The strike occurred only about two kilometres from Polish territory, raising fresh concerns over the potential for Russia’s war against Ukraine to create security risks along NATO’s eastern flank.

Polish authorities heightened their monitoring of the border area following the attack but there was no immediate indication that the Russian drone entered Polish airspace.

The incident came as Russia launched another major wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities reported hundreds of drones being used during the overnight assault, with several regions targeted.

The western part of Ukraine has increasingly become a target of Russian long-range attacks despite being located far from the main battlefield.

The country’s railway network has also remained a key target because of its importance in transporting civilians, military equipment, humanitarian supplies and international officials.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, while Moscow maintains that its attacks are directed at military and strategic facilities.

The latest strike also underscored the dangers faced by foreign politicians and diplomats travelling inside Ukraine.

Johnson has remained one of the strongest Western supporters of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

During his time as British prime minister, he developed close relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and strongly backed Western military and financial assistance to Kyiv.

Since leaving office, Johnson has continued to advocate greater military support for Ukraine and has repeatedly called for stronger measures against Russia.

Following the latest attacks, he renewed calls for increased air-defence assistance for Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv needs additional capabilities to protect its cities and critical infrastructure from Russian drones and missiles.

The incident also comes amid growing debate over the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.

Western governments have frozen hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of Russian central bank assets since the invasion, although questions remain over the legal and financial implications of using the funds directly.

The security scare near Yahodyn is particularly significant because the area is an important transport corridor linking Ukraine with Poland and the wider European Union.

The railway route is regularly used by foreign delegations travelling to and from Kyiv, making it strategically important for Ukraine’s diplomatic engagement with Europe.

The latest attack has therefore raised concerns about the safety of the route as Russian strikes increasingly reach western Ukrainian infrastructure.

Despite the seriousness of the incident, Johnson was not reported to have been injured, and there was no indication that other members of the diplomatic delegation were harmed.

The circumstances surrounding the drone strike, including whether the diplomatic train was deliberately targeted, remain under investigation.

The incident nevertheless provides another indication of how the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to pose security challenges well beyond the immediate front lines, particularly in areas close to NATO territory.

Boris Johnson Caught in Russian Drone Strike Scare Near Poland Border

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