Suspect Arrested After Creating Fire Outside the Federal Building in New York City

Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Contributor

W. Waweru is a Jadetimes News Reporter Covering America News

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Image Source: Robert Sullivan/AP News

New York City, New York – The man arrested for building fireworks outside at the federal building on Monday morning (July 20) was a former U.S Army Soldier, according to an FBI official. Andrew Arrabaca, who was a mechanic on Patriot missile systems, is in custody and participated in an interview. 

James Barnacle, assistant director of the FBI’s New York Field Office, stated at a news conference that the 43-year-old Arrabaca arrived with a bad reputation and came with various weapons such as a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. He reported that he fired five to seven pellets from an air rifle that was directed at the building.

"He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist," said Barnacle. 

According to Spectrum News, “no charges have been announced yet against Arrabaca, and it was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer. As the flames erupted outside an entrance to the building at 26 Federal Plaza, the person was tackled by a security officer and taken into custody, video shows.”

The lower Manhattan building, 26 Federal Plaza, became a focal point for demonstrations against the policy of immigration for the Administration of Donald Trump.

The individual in custody carried anti-immigration and Customs Enforcement material, according to preliminary information that was arranged by law enforcement and explained by a person familiar with the matter who was unauthorized to continue with this investigation.

Image Source: Robert Sullivan/AP News

The Department of Homeland Security accused the person of being an “anti-ICE rioter” and reported the incident happened around 8:20 am, when the person allegedly set off fireworks outside the building and poured what they thought was gasoline on the staircase to be set on fire.

DHS stated the person had what eventually appeared to be two pellet guns in the orange bucket.

Fireworks grazed the bystander, and the Security Officer tackled the person with multiple injuries. The New York Fire Department reported that one person was rushed to the Hospital; however, the injuries did not become life-threatening. 

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a statement on Social Media.

"What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing," said Mamdani. "I'm relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody."

Mamdani explained that his team was connected to the police and would support the federal investigation. The FBI addressed that its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force was investigating.

The investigation houses several government offices such as the New York office of the FBI and the Immigration Court, where agents handled the chaotic scene that led to the aggressive warrant in the hallway as migrants left hearings.

Surveillance photos and photos were shown as evidence of a fire that was filled with smoke on the sidewalk, as well as officers arresting the suspect.

About Wanjiru Waweru

Wanjiru Waweru is a Jadetimes Contributor. You can email Wanjiru at sellmypaperwork@gmail.com.

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Pope Offers Prayers for Taiwan and Asia After Deadly Typhoon Ragasa

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: Focus Taiwan

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday offered prayers for the victims of Typhoon Ragasa, which battered Taiwan and several parts of Asia last week, leaving heavy casualties and widespread damage.

Speaking during the Jubilee of Catechists Mass at St. Peter’s Square, the Pope addressed thousands of faithful, noting that a “very powerful typhoon” had struck the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China’s Guangdong region, and Vietnam.

“I assure the affected populations, especially the poorest, of my closeness and my prayers for the victims, the missing, the many displaced families, the countless people who have suffered hardship, as well as the rescue workers and civil authorities,” Pope Leo XIV said, according to the Vatican Times.

Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone recorded globally this year, unleashed torrential rain and destructive winds across northern Taiwan. As of Sunday, 17 people were confirmed dead and seven remained missing. Guangfu Township in Hualien County suffered the heaviest toll, after floodwaters from the Matai’an Creek Barrier Lake surged into residential areas, sweeping away homes and scattering debris.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, speaking on behalf of President Lai Ching-te, conveyed Taiwan’s gratitude for the Pope’s compassion. Lin added that Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) would continue cooperating with the Vatican to promote humanitarian relief efforts.

This is not the first time the Pope has extended support to Taiwan in the wake of natural disasters. In July, he offered both prayers and aid following Typhoon Danas. The Holy See remains Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Europe, maintaining formal ties since 1942.

Beyond Taiwan, Typhoon Ragasa also devastated parts of the Philippines’ Luzon island, while Hong Kong, Macau, South China, and Vietnam experienced significant disruption from the storm’s powerful winds and flooding.

Shigeru Ishiba Resigns as Japan’s Prime Minister Amid LDP Power Struggles

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: Willy Jou, East Asia Forum

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on 7 September 2025, ending a turbulent year in office. He will formally step down once the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) selects a new leader on 4 October.

Ishiba’s departure follows months of internal pressure after the LDP suffered heavy defeats in both the October 2024 lower house election and the July 2025 upper house contest. With the party losing its parliamentary majority, the government has relied on opposition support to pass legislation. Funding scandals, rising living costs, and U.S. tariff threats further weakened his administration.

Ishiba had narrowly secured the LDP leadership in October 2024 after years as a party outsider. His reputation as a maverick once drew public support, but his criticisms of past LDP governments alienated many colleagues. That lack of internal backing ultimately undermined his leadership. Former prime minister Taro Aso and other senior figures openly demanded his resignation after the July election setback, sealing his fate.

Despite protests urging him to stay, Ishiba admitted in his resignation statement that he had sacrificed his individuality in pursuit of party unity. His stalled reform agenda including support for separate family names for married couples disappointed both voters and allies.

Attention now turns to the LDP leadership race. Frontrunners include former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi, who could become Japan’s first female prime minister, and Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, praised for tackling rising food prices. Other contenders are Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and former ministers Takayuki Kobayashi and Toshimitsu Motegi.

The next leader inherits daunting challenges: economic strain, security uncertainties, and voter frustration with entrenched party politics. Ishiba’s downfall highlights not just electoral setbacks, but deepening factional rivalries within the LDP itself.