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Iran said it was reviewing the latest American proposals on ending the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the country with a new wave of bombing unless a deal is reached that includes reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

Hope that the two-month conflict could soon end buoyed international markets on Thursday, even as the U.S. military fired on an Iranian oil tanker attempting to breach an American blockade of Iran’s ports hours earlier. The developments followed days of mixed messaging from the Trump administration over its strategy to end the war.

Trump posted on social media that the two-month war could soon end and that oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict could restart. But he said that depends on Iran accepting a reported agreement that he did not detail.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote.

A fragile cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran has largely held since April 8. But in-person talks between the two countries hosted by Pakistan last month failed to reach an agreement. The war began Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday. “We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.”

But he declined to give a timeline, saying Pakistan would not disclose details of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“What I can tell you and this is what I have stated before that we remain positive, we remain optimistic, and we hope the settlement will be soon rather than later,” he said.

Asked whether Pakistan was expecting any response from Iran later Thursday, Andrabi said: “I will not comment on specifics or the movement of the messages.”

The Trump administration’s messaging throughout the Iran war has been shifting and often contradictory. This week, the president and his aides presented a dizzying narrative over the U.S. strategy to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and wrap up the war that drastically changed over the course of mere hours.

Iran has effectively shut the strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of supplies of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the U.S. is blockading Iranian ports.

On Wednesday, a U.S. fighter jet shot out the rudder of an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as it tried to breach the American blockade, U.S. Central Command said in a social media post.

Trump insisted Wednesday that Iranian officials want to end the war.

“We’re dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we’ll see whether or not they can make a deal that’s satisfactory to us,” the president said.

He suggested the U.S. could ultimately force a settlement.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump said on social media, “and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

The White House believes it is near an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to end the war, according to reporting by the news outlet Axios. Provisions include a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, lifting of U.S. sanctions, distribution of frozen Iranian funds and opening the strait for ships.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the possible agreement.

A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, told state TV that Tehran had “strongly rejected” U.S. proposals reported by Axios, but that it was still examining the latest U.S. proposal.

Trump has sought to increase pressure on Tehran after suspending on Tuesday a short-lived U.S. effort, dubbed Project Freedom, to force open a safe passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Only two American-flagged merchant ships are known to have passed through the U.S.-guarded route after it opened Monday. The U.S. military said it sank six Iranian small boats threatening civilian ships.

Hundreds of merchant ships remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait’s closure has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries, including major powers such as China.

Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, said in a statement that the strait’s shutdown is costing it around $60 million per week, with rising fuel and insurance costs hitting particularly hard.

On Thursday, the price of Brent crude oil stabilized at around $100 a barrel as investors waited to see whether the strait would reopen.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that France’s aircraft carrier strike group was moving into the Red Sea in preparation for a potential French-British mission to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow.

China’s foreign minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire Wednesday after meeting in Beijing with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Wang Yi said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict.

China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship to urge the Islamic Republic to open the strait.

Araghchi’s visit to China came ahead of a planned trip to Beijing by Trump, who is scheduled to attend a high-profile summit on May 14-15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump was the last U.S. president to visit China in 2017.

Araghchi told Iranian state TV that his visit included discussions about the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Trump has demanded a major rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

(AP)

The annual Lag B’Omer celebration at the 26-century-old El-Ghriba shul in Tunisia drew a modest but notable return of international visitors this year, worshipping together under tight security after a deadly 2023 attack.

Visitors came from France, China, the Ivory Coast, and Italy, including France’s ambassador to Tunisia, a symbolic gesture after two French citizens were among those killed in the 2023 attack. A national guardsman shot and killed five people at the El-Ghriba synagogue soon after the festival that year, spreading fear among the local Jewish population and international visitors.

Participants said about 500 people have attended this year’s celebration, held on the Mediterranean island of Djerba from April 30 to May 6 to celebrate Lag B’Omer. Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times, and the annual celebration remains central to the country’s small but long-standing Jewish community.

The El Ghriba shul, Africa’s most ancient shul, is located in the former Jewish village of Harah Sghira. According to local lore, the shul was established by a group of Kohanim from Eretz Yisrael, who settled on the island immediately after the destruction of the first Bais Hamikdash. (According to tradition, the Kohanim brought a door and a stone from the destroyed Bais Hamikdash with them.)

Inside the shul, visitors lit candles, read sacred texts and wrote wishes on eggs later placed in a sacred cave within the complex, a tradition believed to bring blessings.

Jews attend the Lag B’Omer celebration at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)

Among them was Redj Cahen, a Tunisian-Italian pilgrim who returned after missing last year’s gathering. “We are back, and we are proud to be Tunisian Jews,” he said. “It is a feeling you cannot explain. Only those who come here understand.”

The gathering draws both local worshippers and members of the diaspora returning to their ancestral roots and has long been seen as a symbol of coexistence, attracting Muslim visitors alongside Jewish pilgrims.

A visible but contained security presence surrounded the synagogue, while heavier measures were deployed at access points to the island, where police checkpoints and barricades controlled entry. Vehicles were searched and identification documents carefully inspected. Within Djerba, security was especially concentrated in Hara Seghira and Hara Kebira, the island’s main Jewish quarters.

Despite security worries, the traditional “Minara” procession took place for the first time since the 2023 attack, signaling a cautious easing of restrictions.

The Minara, a pyramid-shaped tower of gold and silver, is placed at the center of the synagogue. Women drape it with colorful scarves in a gesture associated with good fortune, fertility and marriage. A symbolic auction of paintings and Jewish religious items follows as part of a traditional fundraiser for the synagogue’s maintenance, after which the scarf-laden Minara is placed on a cart and paraded outside to the sounds of the traditional darbuka drum, singing and throwing of candy. It is later brought back into the synagogue, concluding one of the event’s pillar traditions.

Jews at a ceremony at the Lag B’Omer celebration at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, on Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bassem Aouini)

The celebration, one of the oldest in Africa, has historically drawn thousands from around the world. Attendance dropped sharply after the 2023 shooting outside the synagogue that killed two pilgrims and three security officers. The synagogue was also targeted by a 2002 truck bombing by al-Qaida that killed about 20 people.

“This year’s Ghriba pilgrimage marks a gradual return,” said former Tourism Minister René Trabelsi. “We are returning little by little.’’

Trabelsi said Tunisian authorities had pushed to maintain the pilgrimage despite the challenges. The event plays an important role in supporting the local economy.

Khedir Hnaia, who has worked at the synagogue for more than three decades, welcomed the return of longtime visitors. “We would like to reflect a good image to the world, to bring back the glory of Ghriba and make it even better than how it used to be,” he said.

“We need to stand up for our country, we love Tunisia very much and in the same way our country stood up for us we will always stand up for it,” said Chaim Haddad, a member of the Lag B’Omer celebration organizing committee from Zarzis.

(AP & YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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Last week, during the dismissal of Israeli students from schools, Hezbollah violated the “ceasefire” and launched barrages of rockets from Lebanon toward Israeli yishuvim on the northern border.

Security officials in the local councils, responsible for managing such incidents in real time, found themselves operating in a fog, with no information on the scope or direction of the rocket fire and unable to determine whether explosions were interceptions or direct impacts in open areas.

The reason for this security fog was that the Home Front Command had recently disabled local municipalities’ access to the Shu’al civilian emergency management system, used to track expected rocket impact zones. As a result, reserve liaison officers and local authorities were left operating under fire without this critical life-saving tool, Ynet reported.

The National Home Front Command and Control system (known by its Hebrew acronym “Shu’al”) is capable of predicting and marking expected impact locations, enabling targeted early warnings and the rapid deployment of emergency responders to precise locations after impacts.

According to the report, access to the system was blocked due to serious concerns of information from the system leaking to Iranian agents surveilling impact locations and Israeli alert systems in an effort to improve the accuracy of future strikes.

Heads of municipalities and security officials in the Galil are furious, saying they have been stripped of a basic operational tool to protect residents while under fire.

Asaf Langleben, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, sent a letter to Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shai Klapper, writing: “It’s absurd that Hezbollah knows where it is firing. At the very least, we should also know and be able to manage the incidents and responses we are required to provide.”

Local leaders in Kiryat Shmona, the most heavily targeted city in northern Israel, and in regional councils along the border, expressed similar frustration over the army’s unilateral decision, which was made without prior coordination.

“Shual is a critical, life-saving tool,” Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avichai Stern said. “Leaving us without it means abandoning even more lives in an area where most residents already lack protection. Now we are also being stripped of the ability to rescue the residents under fire.”

“This is a life-saving tool,” a security officer in one northern border community said in a meeting last week. “No one speaks with us, explains anything, or thinks they owe us answers. They simply cut us off.”

“Instead of assigning an information-security officer from Home Front Command to deal with the issue and stop the leak, they just blocked access,” he said. “Maybe it’s true that the enemy is obtaining information it shouldn’t have. So disconnect everyone temporarily, change passwords, restore the system within a few days, and establish confidentiality procedures. But in the army, instead of solving the leak problem, they chose the easiest option and shut it down for everyone. They are irresponsibly punishing us.”

In response, the IDF spokesperson said: “The access rights and operational data available through the civilian Sh’al system are reviewed and updated from time to time by authorized IDF officials, in accordance with operational needs and information‑security considerations.”

“The Shu’al system contains sensitive information, and during the war, cases were identified that required procedural adjustments and tighter access controls in order to prevent harm to information security.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The IDF spokesperson announced on Thursday morning that four IDF soldiers were injured on Wednesday, one seriously and two lightly, as a result of a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon.

The soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and their families were notified.

In two earlier incidents on Wednesday, three soldiers were injured by explosive drone strikes in southern Lebanon, one seriously, one moderately, and one lightly.

In several additional incidents on Wednesday, IDF forces launched interceptors at rockets and suspicious aerial targets in the area where IDF forces are operating in southern Lebanon. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no casualties among IDF forces.

Last week, a Hezbollah explosive drone hit an IDF cargo carrier at an artillery position on the northern border, setting it on fire and injuring 12 IDF soldiers, two moderately and 10 lightly.

The IDF is adopting measures to counter Hezbollah’s explosive drone attacks—which have emerged as the most serious threat to IDF soldiers on the northern front in recent weeks—including plans to supply troops in southern Lebanon with frangible ammunition.

Meanwhile, the IDF is equipping soldiers in Lebanon with hunting shotguns as a stopgap measure to counter the drones and has instructed troops to deploy protective nets over buildings and military equipment to reduce vulnerability to drone attacks.

Explosive drones fired by Hezbollah have killed three IDF soldiers and injured 38 since the start of the so-called ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump announced Project Freedom Sunday, a military initiative to escort ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz — but it turned out to have a short shelf life. Trump paused the operation Thursday when it became clear that allies in the region were not happy with Project Freedom, about which at least some of them reportedly were not consulted.

Saudi Arabia, for example, responded by denying the United States crucial airspace, thus forcing Trump’s hand after a call between the leaders of both countries resolved nothing. Saudi leadership were reportedly caught off guard by Trump’s Sunday announcement about Project Freedom.

According to NBC, the Qataris were also not informed; Trump spoke to Qatari leaders only after the initiative had been implemented.

Asked by NBC if the Saudis were surprised by the announcement, a Saudi source said, “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.” The source added that Saudi Arabia’s position was to push for a diplomatic solution to end the war.

The purpose of the pause is ostensibly to give the U.S and Iran a chance to finalize a deal.

A White House official denied in a statement that Gulf allies were taken by surprise, saying, “Regional allies were notified in advance.”

Regional allies, however, had a different take. An Omani official said that Oman had not been notified in advance, but he said the Omanis were not angry about it. “The U.S. made an announcement and then coordinated with us,” he said. “We were not upset or angry.”

Trump hit pause on the project less than two days after it had begun, announcing the pause in a Truth Social post.

“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran,” he wrote, “we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.”

Only two ships made it through the strait before Project Freedom ended, while hundreds had allegedly lined up in anticipation of crossing the vital waterway.

Former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani pulled back from the brink of death after last rites were administered by a priest while he was hospitalized in critical condition. His spokesperson, Ted Goodman, had revealed that the mayor was in “critical but stable” condition, but it appears his condition was more serious than was disclosed at the time.

The 81-year-old had returned from a trip to Paris feeling short of breath. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and placed on a ventilator. Following the September 11 terror attack on the Twin Towers, he suffered from restrictive airway disease caused by breathing in the pollution from the attack, which exacerbated the pneumonia.

Rudy Giuliani demonstrates his leadership in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in Manhattan. (From a post on X)

“On September 11th, 2001, as so many of us so vividly remember, Mayor Rudy Giuliani ran toward the towers to help those in need, which later led to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease,” Goodman posted on social media.

Goodman went on to say that Giuliani had improved to the point that he was taken off the ventilator.

“He is now breathing on his own, with his family and primary medical provider at his side,” he said. “Mayor Giuliani is the ultimate fighter — as he has demonstrated throughout his life — and he is winning this battle.”

Giuliani has been moved from the intensive care unit but will remain in the hospital for “some time” as he recovers, Goodman said.

“The mayor and his family appreciate the outpouring of love and prayers sent his way,” he added.

Last summer, Giuliani suffered serious injuries in an accident in which his car was rear-ended. Among his injuries were a fractured thoracic vertebra, several lacerations, injuries to his left arm and lower leg, and contusions.

President Donald Trump posted a graphic on Truth Social this evening drawing attention to the duration of major U.S. military conflicts, contrasting them with what he described as a brief “Iran Excursion.”

In the post, Trump wrote, “Wow. Study this Chart! President DJT,” alongside an image titled “Length of Wars.”

The chart lists several major conflicts and their durations in weeks, including the Afghanistan War at 543 weeks, the Iraq War at 457 weeks, and the Vietnam War at 439 weeks.

Also included are earlier conflicts such as the U.S. Civil War at 209 weeks, World War II at 196 weeks, the Korean War at 161 weeks, and the War of 1812 at 139 weeks.

At the bottom of the chart, a smaller highlighted entry labeled “Iran Excursion” is marked at just six weeks.

Trump did not provide additional commentary.

{Matzav.com}

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Officials and experts in Argentina are scrambling to determine if their country is the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has gripped an Atlantic cruise.

The health emergency aboard the ship that’s moored across the ocean comes as Argentina sees a surge of hantavirus cases that many local public health researchers attribute to the recently accelerating effects of climate change. Argentina, where the cruise to Antarctica departed, is consistently ranked by the World Health Organization as having the highest incidence of the rare, rodent-borne disease in Latin America.

Higher temperatures expand the virus’ range because, in part, as it gets warmer and ecosystems change, rodents that carry the hantavirus can thrive in more places, experts say. People typically contract the virus from exposure to rodent droppings, urine or saliva.

“Argentina has become more tropical because of climate change, and that has brought disruptions, like dengue and yellow fever, but also new tropical plants that produce seeds for mice to proliferate,” said Hugo Pizzi, a prominent Argentine infectious disease specialist. “There is no doubt that as time goes by, the hantavirus is spreading more and more.”

The Argentine Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 101 hantavirus infections since June 2025, roughly double the caseload recorded over the same period the previous year.

A hantavirus found in South America, called the Andes virus, can cause a severe and often fatal lung disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease led to death in nearly a third of cases in the last year, Argentina’s Health Ministry said, up from an average mortality rate of 15 in the five years before that.

Authorities said passengers on the MV Hondius ship tested positive for the Andes virus. Argentina on Wednesday said it was sending genetic material from the Andes virus and testing equipment to help Spain, Senegal, South Africa, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom detect it.

The cause of infection remains under investigation
Argentine officials say they’re trying to pin down where infected passengers traveled in the country before boarding the Dutch-flagged cruise liner in Ushuaia, a city in southern Argentina known as the end of the world. Once they know the itineraries, they plan to trace contacts, isolate close contacts and actively monitor to prevent further spread.

The U.N. health agency, or WHO, says that the first death on board, a 70-year-old Dutch man, happened on April 11. His 69-year-old wife, also Dutch, died on April 26. The third passenger, a German woman, died on May 2.

The virus can incubate for between one and eight weeks. That makes it hard to know whether the passengers contracted the virus before leaving Argentina for Antarctica on April 1; during a scheduled stop to a remote South Atlantic island; or aboard the ship.

The province of Tierra del Fuego, where the vessel docked for weeks before departing, has never seen a case of hantavirus. Before boarding, the Dutch couple went sightseeing in Ushuaia, and traveled elsewhere in Argentina and Chile, WHO said.

The Argentine government’s leading hypothesis is that the couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing in Ushuaia, according to two investigators who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, with the investigation ongoing. Authorities are also tracing the Dutch tourists’ footsteps through the forested hillsides of Patagonia in southern Argentina where some infections are clustered.

Because early symptoms resemble the fever and chills of a flu, “tourists might think they just have a cold and not take it seriously. That makes it particularly dangerous,” Raul González Ittig, genetics professor at the National University of Córdoba and a researcher at state science body CONICET, said.

Climate change sends rodents to new frontiers
Argentina in recent years endured a historic drought. But it also had bouts of unexpectedly intense rainfall, part of a broader pattern of wild weather that scientists attribute to climate change.

Some of this variability has created conditions that have allowed hantavirus to flourish, experts say. Dry spells drive animals out of their usual habitats in search of food and water. Huge amounts of rain lead to vegetation growth, scattering seeds that attract leaf-munching rodents.

“When precipitation increases, food availability increases, rodent populations grow, and if there are infected rodents, the chance of transmission between rodents — and eventually to humans — also increases,” Ittig said.

Although hantavirus cases once were limited to the southern reaches of Patagonia, now 83% of cases are found in Argentina’s far north, according to the Health Ministry.

Argentina issued alerts early this year
The ministry issued an alert in January about several fatal outbreaks, including in the most populous province of Buenos Aires.

With rural hospitals underequipped, residents had no clue what hit them.

Daisy Morinigo and David Delgado said they initially thought their 14-year-old son had the flu when he came down with a fever and body aches. Doctors who first saw Rodrigo in the town of San Andrés de Giles sent him home with ibuprofen and orders to rest.

But the feisty fourth grader’s breathing worsened. On Jan. 1, they rushed Rodrigo to intensive care. He died just two hours after a hantavirus test came back positive.

“I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone in the world,” Delgado said.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An Australian man accused of killing 15 people in a massacre at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach will face 19 more charges related to the attack, officials said Wednesday.

Naveed Akram was already charged with 59 counts including murder, attempted murder and committing a terrorist act after two gunmen opened fire on the Jewish holiday event in December 2025. He hasn’t yet been required to enter a plea.

The 24-year-old was shot and wounded and his father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a gunbattle with police that ended the attack. The massacre was inspired by Islamic State group, Australian police said.

A procedural hearing in the younger Akram’s case was held Wednesday in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court to discuss a gag order that suppresses the identities of victims and survivors of the attack who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly.

A video link from jail was scheduled for the hearing but Akram did not appear on screen, Australian Associated Press reported. A further hearing will be held on the matter in June.

Since Akram’s last appearance, 19 more charges were added on April 15 to the court’s register for the case, court staff said Wednesday. The additional counts included 10 of shooting with intent to murder and six of discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest.

The men allegedly began their attack by throwing improvised explosive devices toward a crowd celebrating Hanukkah at one of Australia’s most popular beaches but the devices didn’t explode, according to court documents supplied earlier. A larger IED was found in the trunk of the son’s car, which had been draped with Islamic State group flags, police said.

The police investigation is one of three official inquiries examining Australia’s worst alleged terrorist attack and the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in 29 years.

Another one, which examined how law enforcement and intelligence agencies interacted before the attack produced an interim report in April urging stricter gun controls. It was part of a wider royal commission, Australia’s highest form of public inquiry, which is investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in daily life as well as the circumstances of the Bondi shooting. The commission began its public hearings on Monday.

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — Supreme Court justices are not “political actors,” Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday, insisting unpopular court decisions are based solely on the law.

“I think, at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions, we’re saying we think this is how things should be, as opposed to what the law provides,” he said. “I think they view us as purely political actors, which I don’t think is an accurate understanding of what we do.”

His remarks to a conference of judges and lawyers from the 3rd U.S. Circuit in Pennsylvania came at a time of low public confidence in the court, and about a week after the court handed down a decision that hollowed out the Voting Rights Act.

The high court struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana, finding it was an unconstitutional gerrymander based on race. The decision weakened the Civil Rights era law that has increased minority representation in Congress, and it opened the door for more redistricting across the country that could aid Republican efforts to control the House.

In recent years, the conservative majority court has also handed down landmark rulings overturning the constitutional right to abortion, expanding gun rights and ending affirmative action in higher education.

Roberts didn’t reference any specific decisions in his remarks, but said the court is “simply not part of the political process.”

Opinions, he said, are based on the Constitution — though he acknowledged disagreement with some outcomes. “One thing we have to do is make decisions that are unpopular,” he said.

Criticism, he said, should focus on rulings rather than personal attacks. He condemned the targeting of lower-court judges, a sentiment he’s repeated amid rising threats to the judiciary. “That’s not appropriate and it can lead to very serious problems,” he said.

High-profile criticism of judges in personal terms has come from Republican President Donald Trump, who also targeted Roberts and other justices who voted against him in the opinion that struck down tariffs the president levied under an emergency-powers law.

Kash Patel said the FBI misled a secret court in order to secure surveillance warrants used to monitor Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential race and into his presidency, alleging a wider pattern of misconduct within federal law enforcement.

Speaking Tuesday on “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” Patel told Sean Hannity that he spent years uncovering what he described as a coordinated effort involving political actors and intelligence channels. “It took me two years of my life to prove the following: that a political party in the United States of America, in the 21st century, would go overseas and hire some bogus intelligence asset to manufacture fraudulent, fake, unverified information,” Patel said.

He continued by describing how the material was allegedly used, stating that it was “funnel[ed] … to, not just the intelligence community, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” before being presented in court. According to Patel, authorities then took “those packaged lies that they had paid for with campaign finance funds and go into a secret surveillance court,” and “illegally spy on your opponent to be the next President of the United States.”

Recounting the outcome of his investigation, Patel said, “That took two years of my life,” adding, “And what did we find out? The FISA court themselves came back and said these warrants were illegal, that the FBI did not provide evidence of exculpatory evidence and innocence, and that the FBI essentially lied in those applications.”

Patel indicated that the issue extended beyond those initial findings, calling the episode only the beginning. “I knew it didn’t stop there,” he said.

He went on to claim that the practices continued during the years when Trump was out of office. “I knew in the four years that we were out of office that they continued to regenerate that institution of weaponization,” Patel said, asserting that during that time he discovered, “I was illegally spied on by the likes of [former U.S. deputy attorney general] Rod Rosenstein and [former FBI director] Chris Wray.”

According to Patel, others were also affected. He stated that “ten other staffers on the Hill, and people who were elected to serve this country in the halls of Congress” were similarly targeted.

“They were actually continuing the weaponization that Donald Trump and I exposed during Trump One [President Trump’s first term], and we caught them,” Patel said.

He further argued that officials involved documented their own actions. “I knew walking in the door the following: These individuals, these purported leaders of law enforcement and government are so arrogant that they write the stuff down themselves to memorialize how great they are,” Patel said.

Pointing to the origins of the evidence, he added, “That’s how we caught them in RussiaGate. It wasn’t my documents. It was their emails.”

Patel continued by citing specific materials, saying, “It was their FISA application. It was their bogus Steele dossier. It was their unverified reporting that was documented in FBI holdings that we put out and that you covered.”

He concluded by noting that additional information had been uncovered. “I knew there were other places that that information was hidden,” he said. “So, day one I set out to find it and we found it.”

Patel’s remarks come at a time of renewed attention on federal surveillance authorities, following Congress’s recent 45-day extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

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{Matzav.com}

A severe leg injury sustained during an anti-Israel protest Tuesday evening at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan sent a New York Police Department officer to the hospital.

Per the new bill that recently passed the City Council to create buffer zones around synagogues during protests, barriers were set up to prevent unruly protesters from charging into the buffer zone. But the pro-Hamas, pro-Hezbollah crowd weren’t about to let that stop them, and they attempted to force the barriers back. The police officer who got injured tried to stop them from moving the barriers.

“During the course of the demonstration, individuals attempted to remove barriers,” an NYPD spokesperson told a Jewish media outlet. “As a result, an officer sustained an injury to his leg and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.”

“Also, water was thrown on officers from a building on the demonstration route,” he added.

During the hours-long demonstration, the police did not arrest any protesters, the spokesperson said.

A Jewish woman argues with protesters, telling a non-white individual, “Hitler would have put you in an oven…He wanted an all-white society.” (From a post on X)

A spokesperson from Community Security Services, a nonprofit that protects Jewish communities, told the media outlet that, thanks to the buffer zone, people were able to enter the synagogue and also leave safely.

But at the barriers, it was another matter entirely. Police tried to keep the crowd back as protesters attempted to remove the barriers. Protesters carried Hezbollah flags and shouted slogans.

“How is it OK to wave terrorist flags in front of a Jewish daycare?” asked Leo Terrell, chair of the U.S. Justice Department’s task force on antisemitism, on X.

“What would have happened if these Jihadist terrorist supporters were able to get inside?” he wrote. “They support the murder of all Jews! The Jewish community should not live in constant fear! Don’t think your community won’t be next. This is INSANITY!”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also took to X to slam his party’s silence on the egregiously antisemitic display.

“Mob of Pro-Hezbollah/Hamas s***heads raging against law enforcement and terrorizing the NYC Jewish community near a synagogue and day care. Where’s my party’s condemnation?” he asked.

Both men were responding to podcaster and Jewish advocate Rabbi Poupko, who wrote, “To summarize the evening: the mob came to a Synagogue, forced a Jewish day care to close early, came with a Hezbollah flag, cheered for intifada, and said ‘we don’t want no Zionists here.’ We cannot normalize this behavior.”

But Jewish leaders also thanked the NYPD for their work in keeping worshippers safe.

Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, thanked the NYPD and its commissioner, Jessica Tisch, for doing “an extraordinary job ensuring worshipers could safely enter and leave” the house of worship.

“We are grateful for their preparedness and leadership, particularly under very challenging circumstances,” he said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani qualified his condemnation of the protest by doubling down on his anti-Israel rhetoric Wednesday, declaring that antisemitism has no place in New York City but also saying that Park East Synagogue was violating international law by hosting a real estate event that dealt with land sales in Judea and Samaria.

“We in this city believe in the sacrosanct nature of the right to protest” and “are committed to ensuring that any New Yorker can safely enter or exit from a house of worship,” he said. “I do believe that the police ensured that yesterday evening.”

“There is no tolerance for hatred of Jewish New Yorkers, which we have seen time and time again, whether it be in the graffitiing of swastikas on a number of homes across Queens recently,” he added. “I’ve also been clear to New Yorkers, my honest opinions about the fact that when we have a real estate expo that is promoting the sale of land, which includes the sale of land in occupied West Bank in settlements that are a violation of international law, that that is something that I firmly disagree with.”

“I also believe that many New Yorkers firmly disagree with it, because it has been at the heart of an ongoing effort to displace Palestinians from their homes,” he concluded.

While Mamdani signed a veto-proof bill to create buffer zones around synagogues, he vetoed a similar bill to create buffer zones around schools.

[Video below.] Barack Obama argued that the justice system and military must remain free of political influence during a wide-ranging interview with Stephen Colbert, in which he suggested that President Donald Trump had contributed to politicizing key institutions.

Speaking in a pre-recorded segment for one of the final episodes of CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Obama said, “We can’t overcome the the politization of the criminal justice system,” as he discussed concerns about the role of politics in law enforcement.

He continued by warning against the use of government power for partisan purposes, stating, “You can’t have a situation where whoever is in charge starts using that to go after their political enemies.”

Obama went on to emphasize the importance of independence within the Justice Department, saying, “Restoring some sense of the Justice Department being independent in making judgements about specific cases and prosecutions.”

Turning to the armed forces, Obama said, “The second thing is the military,” adding, “Don’t politicize our military.”

He elaborated on the role of the president as commander in chief, explaining, “As president, you are commander in chief,” and adding, “You are responsible for directing our military, but there had been a whole series of norms that were in place to ensure that you weren’t trying to make that military loyal to you as opposed to the constitution and the people of the United States.”

Obama said structural safeguards are needed, stating, “We’re going to have to find mechanisms to restore that,” and added, “And a good policy that I’d like to see followed is that the President of the United States shouldn’t have a bunch of side hustles.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Obama engaged in a lighter exchange with Colbert, encouraging him to consider a political run and remarking, “The bar has changed.”

Colbert responded by noting, “I’m looking for a new gig soon, and a lot of people tell me I should run for president,” prompting Obama to reply, “Well, you certainly have the look.”

The host dismissed the idea, saying, “Well, for the record, I think it’s a stupid idea,” and asked, “How dumb do you think it is for people to say that I should run for president?”

Obama answered, “Well, you know, the bar has changed,” adding, “Let me put it this way, I think that you could perform significantly better than some folks that we’ve seen.”

He concluded, “I have great confidence in that,” leading Colbert to ask, “Was that an endorsement?” to which Obama replied, “It was not.”

The interview comes shortly before “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” is scheduled to air its final episode on May 21, bringing an end to the long-running CBS program.

Violent antisemitic attacks in the United States climbed to unprecedented levels in 2025, even as the total number of reported incidents dropped sharply, according to a newly released audit by the Anti-Defamation League. The findings indicate that while fewer overall cases were recorded nationwide, physical violence against Jews intensified significantly.

The ADL’s annual report, published Wednesday, documented 203 antisemitic assaults in 2025. That figure marks a four percent rise from the 196 assaults recorded in 2024 and represents the highest number since the organization began tracking such data in 1979.

Incidents involving weapons rose dramatically, with cases increasing by 39 percent—from 23 the previous year to 32 in 2025. The report also noted that at least 300 individuals were victims of these violent attacks.

Three people lost their lives in antisemitic incidents during 2025, making it the first year since 2019 in which Jews were killed in such attacks in the United States.

Nissim Louk never wanted to be a politician. A mechanical engineer by training, he spent decades staying out of the arena his father once inhabited. Then Hamas killed his daughter.
Shani Louk Hy’d, 22, was abducted from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, her image — taken to Gaza in the back of a pickup truck — becoming one of the most widely circulated photographs of that day’s atrocities. She was later confirmed dead.

Now her father is channeling his grief into a new political party, Orot Hashachar – “Dawn Light,” evoking the moment before sunrise when the first light appears on the horizon. The party has been registered with Israel’s Interior Ministry in Jerusalem and positioning itself to the right of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud on the central question of what to do with Gaza and its population.

“I’m not connected to politics,” Louk told Belaaz in an interview. “But after the seventh of October, I feel that the land of Israel needs a better future, a better destiny.”

The party’s platform, as Louk describes it, rests on a demand that most of Israel’s established political parties have declined to adopt as official policy: the full transfer of the Palestinian population out of Gaza, Yehuda and Shomron, permanently.

Louk drew a distinction between several Arab populations he believes must be addressed. The first are Palestinians in Gaza and Yehuda and Shomron, whom he described as stateless refugees without Israeli documentation, living there for decades. The second are Israeli Arabs and Bedouins in mixed cities like Jaffa, Akko, and Beersheva who he said have intermarried with Palestinians from Gaza and Yehuda and Shomron, whom he regards as a potential internal security threat. He said the party’s platform covers all of these groups.

“We must do a full immigration for all the people of Gaza,” Louk said. “This is the first thing.”

He acknowledged the legal obstacles directly. “Moving two million people from Gaza to other countries is an international crime — we know it,” he said. “There are legal problems, international problems. But we have to fight for it, and we will succeed.”

Louk said the plan also calls for not rebuilding Gaza after the war, envisioning the territory converted into “an international park.”

As for where the displaced population would go, he offered no specific destination, describing it as a diplomatic challenge to be resolved.
The second plank of the platform, he said, is preparing Israel to absorb a large wave of Jewish immigration from the diaspora – particularly from North America and Europe, where he sees growing Muslim political influence as a push factor. The party also calls for investment in education and what Louk described as national renewal.

Orot Hashachar’s most prominent figure alongside Louk is Jonathan Pollard, who in Israel is widely regarded as a hero; a patriot who sacrificed his freedom for the state.

Pollard, a former civilian intelligence analyst for the United States Navy, pleaded guilty in 1987 to passing classified information to Israel and received a life sentence that drew immediate and sustained criticism from across the American legal and political establishment.
Dozens of Americans convicted of the same offense had received sentences averaging twelve years and served an average of four.

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, in a letter to President Obama, wrote that in eighteen years on the bench he had imposed life sentences on only four defendants — two murderers and two terrorists — and that Pollard’s offense “does not nearly approach any of those.”

Pollard’s attorneys long argued that his life sentence was unfairly influenced by the anti-Israeli sentiments of then-Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, whose sealed sentencing memorandum was never made available to the defense. A 2014 letter to President Obama signed by former CIA Director James Woolsey, former Assistant Defense Secretary Lawrence Korb, and former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane called the sentence “grossly disproportionate” and the legal basis for keeping him imprisoned “patently false.”

Henry Kissinger, former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dennis DeConcini, and every Israeli prime minister from Yitzchak Rabin onward also called for his release.

Pollard himself maintained that he had provided only information vital to Israeli security that was being withheld by the Pentagon in violation of a 1983 intelligence-sharing memorandum between the two countries; including data on Soviet arms shipments to Syria, Iraqi and Syrian chemical weapons programs, the Pakistani nuclear project, and Libyan air defense systems. He was released in 2015 after serving thirty years and made aliyah to Israel in 2020.

Louk said the two men have spoken extensively by telephone but have not yet met in person, with an in-person meeting planned for this week.

“He heard me, and the story of Shani,” Louk said. “And when he heard that, he decided to join us. He is a very clever man. He really loves the people of Israel, and he’s part of us.”

Pollard, Louk said, brings credibility and intellectual depth to the party’s foreign policy thinking. “He knows so many things, and he’s so smart.”

A central argument of the party is that Israel’s governing right wing — including Netanyahu — has failed to act on its professed ideology. “There is no right party in Israel,” Louk said flatly. He pointed to the 1998 Wye River Memorandum, under which Netanyahu’s first government transferred additional territory to the Palestinian Authority, as evidence that the prime minister’s right-wing credentials are hollow. “If you give land to the Palestinians,” Louk said, “you cannot call yourself right wing in any aspect.”

He was sharply critical of what he described as a pattern of Israeli military advances in Gaza followed by withdrawals, which he said meant soldiers dying to retake the same ground repeatedly. “Each time that we conquer an area, soldiers are falling and dying, and the next month we are going back again, and we are conquering the same area for like 10 times,” he said. “Twenty soldiers are dying for nothing, because our government does not have a plan.”
Louk invoked President Trump favorably, noting that Trump had proposed relocating Gaza’s population to other Arab countries. “Instead of doing that, we waited and waited and waited,” he said, “and now America is deciding about what happens in Israel.”

One question facing any new party on Israel’s right is whether it can consolidate enough support to clear the electoral threshold and enter the Knesset – 3.25 percent of the national vote – rather than siphon votes from existing parties and leave the right weaker overall.

Asked about that risk, Louk said the party intends to serve as a unifying platform for several small right-wing factions and figures who currently cannot pass the threshold independently. He named Moshe Feiglin, the libertarian-nationalist politician who founded the Zehut party and several others. He described these as potential coalition partners within a broader slate, though he acknowledged that negotiations over details were ongoing and no unified list had been finalized.

There is a historical precedent that Louk was asked to address directly: the Kach party, founded by R. Meir Kahane, which advocated Arab expulsion and was banned from the Knesset in 1988 under anti-racism legislation, later designated a terrorist organization by both Israel and the United States. Louk argued that October 7 had fundamentally changed the political environment.

“Until the seventh of October, we were innocent – we were nice, and everything went well,” he said. “But on the seventh of October, all the people that saw that there was a chance of some kind of negotiation and peace with the Arabs woke up. Now most of the people understand that the peace they always wanted is not a real peace.”

He also met with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, whose father was assassinated in 1968 by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian. “We sat at the table for two hours,” Louk said. “I explained to him that there is no future in Gaza for any Palestinian – the kids in Gaza are going to be terrorists.”

Louk was careful to describe his political ambitions as time-limited and personal. He said he did not enjoy politics and did not seek a career in it.

“My aim is only one thing: to avenge the death of my daughter, and to avenge the death of 3,000 people, and to save and help the Jewish people, and to prepare the land for aliyah,” he said. “When I finish this – when the people of Gaza will not be there anymore – I’m going to leave politics.”

Orot Hashachar is formally registered as a political party with the Israeli Interior Ministry, Louk confirmed. Whether it can translate the raw intensity of post-October 7 grief into electoral power – and whether its platform survives contact with Israeli and international law – remains to be seen.

Louk’s daughter Shani’s name, the bereaved father notes, can be read in a way that translates to the word “change.”

“Shani will bring the change to the people of Israel,” he said. “I hope we will rebuild our country again, and the country will be safe.”

Israeli media personality Yinon Magal publicly called on Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu to move forward with the long-delayed draft law, warning that failure to do so would deepen frustration within the chareidi community and damage the coalition.

Magal, host of the program “The Patriots,” was responding Wednesday night to a report by political correspondent Avraham Freund indicating that Netanyahu had asked senior chareidi party officials to remove the draft law from the agenda and delay its advancement until after the elections.

Despite public denials from Moshe Gafni regarding efforts to advance the legislation, Magal said that messages coming from Netanyahu’s inner circle suggest a different reality. “I will be very disappointed if Netanyahu does not pass this,” Magal said.

“I hear from Netanyahu’s circle that he does not want to pass the law,” Magal stated, explaining that the hesitation stems from polling data indicating potential political fallout if the law is approved. However, he argued that failing to pass the measure could inflict even greater harm on the coalition. “The chareidim are ‘on the ropes,’ very frustrated and deeply disappointed. They feel they were screwed over in this coalition.”

Magal elaborated on what he described as a growing sense of grievance in the chareidi street, contrasting their situation with the achievements of other coalition partners. “Smotrich built an entire empire in Judea and Samaria; everyone in the coalition got what they wanted—and they (the chareidim) feel they got messed over,” he said. He also pointed to recent tensions surrounding events in Meron, incidents of police violence, and concerns over the arrest of draft evaders as factors fueling unrest.

“I trust Netanyahu knows what he’s doing; he’s a bigger politician than I am,” Magal added. “But personally, I think this law needs to be passed. It should be expedited—within two weeks, pass the law. Don’t count anyone, draft chareidim; this is an important and historic law.”

Concluding his remarks, Magal noted what he believes is a six-month window before elections and expressed hope that Netanyahu will act during that time. “I will be very disappointed if Netanyahu does not pass this.”

Rebuilding Gaza to prewar conditions will cost at least $71 billion over five years, according to a new joint assessment by the World Bank, United Nations, and European Union. But six months after the October ceasefire, reconstruction has stalled and pledged international aid is barely materializing.

The report, the most detailed damage assessment since fighting ended, found $35.2 billion in physical destruction and $22.7 billion in economic losses. Housing alone accounts for over half the physical damage, with nearly 85 percent of the 371,888 affected housing units completely destroyed.

Yet progress on the ground is nearly frozen. The IDF controls more than half the enclave and has restricted entry of heavy equipment needed for reconstruction. Meanwhile, the US pledged $17 billion through its Board of Peace in February, but only a fraction has been transferred as of early May.

“The situation in Gaza has not changed since the ceasefire until now,” said Saif al-Din Odeh, a Gaza-based economist. “Most people are living in tents because their homes were destroyed.”

The funding shortfall looms as international attention shifts. Previous Gaza reconstruction pledges after earlier conflicts went largely undelivered, and Gulf donors who promised billions were heavily impacted by the recent US-Israel war against Iran.

The reconstruction plan prioritizes emergency assistance in the first 18 months — food, temporary housing, field hospitals — before moving to large-scale rebuilding of housing, healthcare, and education systems. But without security progress and reliable funding, even that timeline appears uncertain.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Torah world and the Religious Zionist community are mourning the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Stern zt”l, former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and longtime rosh of the Halacha Berura Institute, who was niftar at the age of 81.

Rav Stern had been ill in recent months, and his condition deteriorated overnight before he was niftar.

Born in 1944, Rav Stern grew up in a Religious Zionist and chassidish home. He learned in Yeshivas HaYishuv HaChadash, Yeshivas Chevron, and later at Yeshivas Merkaz HaRav, where he became closely connected to HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook zt”l.

At Rav Tzvi Yehuda’s request, Rav Stern helped establish the Halacha Berura and Birur Halacha Institute, which became a major Torah project dedicated to clarifying halachic conclusions from the sugyos of Shas. Rav Stern led the institute from its founding and served as chief editor of its extensive Torah works.

Over the years, he was marbitz Torah in numerous yeshivos, including Merkaz HaRav, Yeshivas HaDarom, Ohr Etzion, Kiryat Shmona, Yeshivas Hakotel, Orot Shaul, and Aish HaTorah. He also helped restore Beit HaRav in Jerusalem as a center dedicated to the legacy of Rav Kook zt”l.

In 2014, after a long battle over the Jerusalem Rabbinate, Rav Stern was elected Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem alongside Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, who was elected Sephardi Chief Rabbi. During his tenure, Rav Stern worked to preserve kedushas Yerushalayim, strengthen halacha, and protect Shabbos observance in the capital. He was known to personally go out on winter Fridays together with Shabbos activists to urge stores to close early.

Rav Stern also served for decades as rav of the Har Chorev kehillah in Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, was a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, and headed Yeshivas HaDarom.

He leaves behind a distinguished family and many talmidim. A decade ago, he suffered the tragic loss of his daughter Shira a”h, who was killed in a car accident at age 20.

Levaya details will be announced.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF bagged another Hamas terrorist, the son of a really big gun, the military confirmed Wednesday. Azzam al-Hayya, a member of the elite Nukhba force of Hamas that led the charge into Israel on Oct. 7, was the son of Khalil al-Hayya, who was just elected earlier this week as the leader of the Gaza faction of Hamas, along with Khaled Mashal, the overall leader of the terror group, and Zaher Jabareen, leader of the West Bank faction.

Khalil al-Hayya lost four sons in IDF strikes. Is he next? (From a post on X)

Al-Hayya is no stranger to losing his sons to IDF strikes — Azzam marks number four. In 2008, his son Hamza was killed. In 2014, his eldest, Osama, was killed, along with Osama’s wife and son. In 2025, his son Hammam was killed in the largely unsuccessful Israeli attempt to take out Hamas’ leadership in Doha, Qatar. Al-Hayya was himself in Doha at the time and a target in that mission.

Al-Hayya had left Gaza before the Oct. 7 attack and has been managing affairs from Doha, reportedly engaging in indirect talks with the Israelis during previous negotiations.

Nassim Kalazani, a senior officer in Hamas’ police force, was also killed the same day in a separate airstrike.

Earlier this week, TLS reported about the state’s major traffic pattern change at the intersection of Route 9 and Central Avenue in Lakewood – which no longer allows left turns onto Central or Hurley.

In response, many area residents expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the change, stating it inconveniences thousands of residents.

Should the Township, County and State meet with area residents before changes are made to their areas, or just rely on engineers and studies?

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said she believes the Supreme Court will ultimately affirm the legality of AR-15 rifles nationwide, following a new Justice Department lawsuit challenging Denver’s restrictions on certain semiautomatic firearms.

Dhillon made the remarks after the DOJ filed suit against the city of Denver this week, arguing that its long-standing ban on so-called “assault weapons” violates the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans.

“We intend to make sure they do that,” Dhillon said during an interview with Just the News, referring to a potential Supreme Court ruling protecting AR-15 ownership nationwide.

She added that recent court decisions indicate the direction the justices may take. “The court has really signaled in several opinions where it is going with this. I think there is going to be a ruling eventually from the Supreme Court that AR-15s are legal for all law-abiding citizens to own and operate.”

The lawsuit focuses on Denver’s prohibition of certain semiautomatic rifles, including AR-15-style weapons, which the Justice Department argues are widely owned across the country.

The legal filing also takes issue with the term “assault weapon,” describing it as politically driven language advanced by gun-control advocates.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche framed the case as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reinforce Second Amendment protections.

“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Blanche said Tuesday.

“Denver’s ban on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles directly violates the right to bear arms.”

Dhillon credited President Donald Trump, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Blanche for placing a renewed emphasis on gun rights through the DOJ’s recently created Second Amendment Section.

“I want to thank the president for setting the tone at the beginning of his administration,” Dhillon said.

She argued that recent Supreme Court rulings have already laid the groundwork for overturning restrictions on AR-15-style firearms, citing cases such as District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which affirmed protections for weapons commonly used for lawful purposes.

Dhillon pointed to language from the court identifying the AR-15 as the most commonly owned rifle in the United States.

“That leads to the inexorable conclusion that the AR-15 is presumptively legal all over America,” she said.

City officials in Denver, however, indicated they have no intention of reversing course.

Mayor Mike Johnston rejected the federal challenge, saying the city would continue to enforce its ordinance, according to CBS News.

“We’re here today to let them know that our answer is ‘Hell no,'” Johnston said, defending the restrictions as necessary to curb gun violence.

Denver’s law, originally passed in 1989, bans certain semiautomatic firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines.

Supporters of gun rights argue the measure unfairly targets weapons that are protected under the Constitution and owned by millions of Americans.

The Colorado State Shooting Association welcomed the DOJ’s involvement and said it recently met with Blanche to discuss firearm regulations in the state.

Legal experts say the case could set the stage for a split among federal appeals courts, a development that often leads the Supreme Court to take up the issue.

In a major development for the Torah world and the growing chareidi community in Beit Shemesh, a massive five-dunam plot of land has officially been allocated for a new branch of Mir Yeshiva in the Ramat Beit Shemesh Hey 2 (Neve Shamir) neighborhood.

The new makom Torah will operate under the leadership of the Rosh HaYeshiva HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, continuing the remarkable expansion of the Mir, today recognized as the largest yeshiva in the world.

The allocation was finalized following an extensive approval process and reportedly received strong support from Shmuel Greenberg, who has made the strengthening of mosdos haTorah a major priority in the city’s development.

The move is being viewed as another historic milestone in the continued growth of the Mir empire, which began in Yerushalayim’s Beis Yisroel neighborhood and later expanded to major branches including Mir Brachfeld in Modi’in Illit and the Mir yeshiva ketanah in Ramat Shlomo.

The establishment of a Mir branch in Ramat Beit Shemesh Hey is also being seen as a powerful sign of the neighborhood’s emergence as a major Torah center. Residents and askanim expressed excitement over the arrival of hundreds of bnei Torah who will bring the unique atmosphere and hasmadah associated with the famed Mirrer olam hayeshivos to the rapidly developing area.

At this stage, hanhalas hayeshiva is preparing for the initial planning phase of what is expected to become a major new Torah campus that will accommodate the yeshiva’s continued growth and expanding demand in the burgeoning Ir HaTorah of Beit Shemesh.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA. (VINnews) – Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn said Tuesday that officials within the Trump administration recognize the critical role of immigrant labor in U.S. agriculture, warning that aggressive enforcement actions against farms could lead to rapid food shortages.

“There is a realization inside the administration that if they start going after the farms we are not going to have food in two weeks,” Bjorn said while highlighting the importance of America’s immigrant workforce.

The comments come amid ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and its potential impact on the agricultural sector, which relies heavily on foreign-born workers. Driscoll’s, a major producer of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, has long advocated for policies supporting farm labor stability.

More than 50% of the company’s U.S. employees are foreign-born, according to past company statements. Bjorn has previously emphasized that many farmworkers have lived in the United States for years and play an irreplaceable role in keeping fresh produce on American tables.

Agriculture industry leaders have warned that strict deportation measures without sufficient domestic labor replacements could devastate harvests, particularly for labor-intensive crops like berries. Driscoll’s operates farms across the U.S. and sources from growers who depend on programs such as H-2A visas for seasonal workers.

Bjorn’s remarks were made in the context of a discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference, where he addressed broader issues including labor policy, climate impacts on farming and supply chain resilience.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Bjorn’s assessment of internal administration thinking. Immigration enforcement remains a top priority for the current administration, with officials promising both border security and targeted actions against illegal immigration while aiming to protect key economic sectors.

Driscoll’s has positioned itself as a proponent of comprehensive immigration reform that balances enforcement with the practical needs of American farms.

A California college professor accused in the death of a 69-year-old Jewish man during a 2023 anti-Israel protest will avoid a trial after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, 54, of Moorpark, admitted Tuesday to felony involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily injury in connection with the death of Paul Kessler Hy’d, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Alnaji, who teaches computer science at Moorpark College, and Kessler had attended opposing demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war in Thousand Oaks in 2023 when prosecutors say Alnaji hit Kessler in the head with a megaphone during the confrontation.

Authorities said the impact caused Kessler to collapse onto the pavement, where he suffered a fatal head injury.

As part of the plea agreement, Alnaji acknowledged “aggravating factors that he used a weapon and that the victim was particularly vulnerable” and that he had “personally inflicted great bodily injury to Kessler,” prosecutors said.

Although he pleaded guilty, Alnaji is expected to receive formal probation and could spend up to one year in jail, according to the district attorney’s office. He had originally faced a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

“Alnaji should be sentenced to prison for his violent behavior, and our office strongly objects to any lesser sentence,” Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement.

“While no amount of punishment will ever fully account for the Kessler family loss, a prison commitment underscores the severity of this crime and will deter others from committing similar acts of violence.”

“Mr. Alnaji made a thoughtful decision today, one guided by his family’s well-being and a deep concern for community peace,” Alnaji’s attorney, Ron Bamieh, told The Post.

“The tragedy that befell Mr. Kessler, compounded by the geopolitical tensions surrounding Israel and Gaza, led Mr. Alnaji to reconsider pursuing a full trial,” he added.

Bamieh argued that Kessler approached Alnaji during the protest and “thrust a cellphone in his face while making inflammatory accusations.”

According to the defense attorney, Alnaji had only intended to knock the phone away when he struck Kessler in the head.

“Mr. Kessler suffered from an epidermoid cyst located on his brain stem—a rare condition that had previously caused balance problems and contributed to his falling weeks before the confrontation, witnessed by multiple people,” Mr. Bamieh added.

Bamieh said the central dispute at trial would have focused on whether Kessler’s fall was caused by the blow or by the preexisting medical condition.

Alnaji remains free on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on June 25.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the planned White House ballroom will be significantly larger and more expensive than originally envisioned, but insisted the project is progressing efficiently and remains under budget.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump rejected media reports suggesting the project’s cost had unexpectedly surged, blaming what he described as inaccurate coverage.

“The White House Ballroom is going up rapidly on the East side of the White House,” Trump wrote.

He explained that the increase in cost is tied to changes in the project’s scope rather than mismanagement. “The only reason the cost has changed is because, after deep rooted studies, it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal.”

According to Trump, the original estimate for the ballroom stood at around $200 million, while the updated design—featuring a larger footprint and upgraded specifications—will come in at “something less than $400 million.”

He said the expanded facility is intended to better accommodate large-scale gatherings, official functions, and future inaugurations.

“It will be magnificent, safe, and secure!” Trump wrote, adding that media portrayals of the revised cost as a budget overrun are misleading and that the project is actually “coming in ahead of schedule, and under budget.”

The ballroom initiative is part of a broader push by the administration to upgrade and reinforce security measures throughout the White House complex amid increasing threats targeting public officials.

As part of that effort, a recently approved Senate reconciliation bill allocates $1 billion for Secret Service enhancements connected to modernization efforts in the East Wing.

Republican lawmakers have emphasized that this funding is intended for security-related improvements rather than construction expenses.

The broader Republican-backed package, valued at nearly $72 billion, also includes substantial increases in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, as part of ongoing efforts to advance Trump’s border security priorities through the reconciliation process.

Trump has repeatedly maintained that the ballroom project is essential for both operational needs and safety concerns.

In the aftermath of last month’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, he renewed his call to relocate major presidential events to a secure venue within the White House grounds.

“What happened last night is exactly the reason” a secure ballroom is needed, Trump said in an earlier Truth Social post, arguing the facility would include “every highest level security feature there is.”

The project is currently facing a legal challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed suit seeking to block construction, claiming that congressional approval was required before work could begin.

However, a federal appeals court has allowed construction to proceed while the legal case continues.

Democratic leaders have criticized both the ballroom project and the associated security funding. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York accused Republicans of prioritizing a “ballroom” instead of focusing on broader economic issues.

Republicans have pushed back, arguing that enhancing security at the White House and safeguarding presidential events are legitimate national priorities in light of growing threats against officials.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Trump said the project is moving forward quickly.

“This was a necessary change,” he wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF drafted approximately 360 Chareidi men this week, the military announced, marking progress in its efforts to integrate Chareidim into compulsory military service despite staunch opposition from rabbanim and roshei yeshiva.

Of the recruits, 231 joined combat roles including the Chashmonaim Brigade, the Netzach Yehuda Battalion, and the Paratroopers Brigade. Another 131 were assigned to combat support positions, including fighter jet technician units. The IDF expects more Chareidi conscripts to arrive over the coming two weeks as part of the same draft cohort.

The push comes as the IDF says it faces acute manpower shortages. Some 80,000 Chareidi men aged 18-24 remain eligible for service but have not enlisted. The IDF says it urgently needs 12,000 recruits — primarily combat troops — to sustain operations across multiple fronts.

“We are drafting more Chareidi soldiers out of operational necessity,” the military insisted.

The IDF has expanded infrastructure to accommodate Chareidi service members, implementing new protocols that allow them to maintain religious observance while serving. However, Chareidi leaders say the new frameworks for Chareidi soldiers are woefully inadequate. ‘

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) – Former Major League Baseball pitcher Noah Syndergaard said meeting President Trump was a “dream come true” and expressed bafflement at the negativity directed at the president, following an Oval Office event Tuesday promoting youth fitness.

Syndergaard, known as “Thor” during his standout years with the New York Mets, joined other athletes at the White House as Trump reinstated elements of the Presidential Physical Fitness Award aimed at encouraging physical activity in schools.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of President Trump and I met him for the first time today!” Syndergaard said. “I just really don’t quite understand the negativity or the pessimism he gets with the media and some of the population of this nation — because he’s just such a patriotic guy and he cares so much about everybody and just the health of this nation and the health of this world.”

The event included interactions with young athletes on the White House lawn, where participants engaged in basketball, pull-ups and other activities.

“It’s important to be healthy and to be active and get out and compete and just expose yourself to as many sports and activities as you possibly can,” Syndergaard said. “Just the interaction I had with all the kids today, getting able to throw a couple of basketballs, do some pull-ups, just get out in the sunshine and the White House lawn was just an amazing experience.”

Trump introduced Syndergaard during the ceremony, noting his imposing physique and nickname. The former right-hander pitched for several teams including the Mets, Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies before retiring.

The gathering highlighted Trump’s push to revive annual fitness testing in American schools. Syndergaard’s comments were made in a post-event interview.

NEW YORK (AP) — When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, Beth Knobel, a future TV news correspondent, was in graduate school. Emerging from class, she saw TV sets had been set up in the lobby. They were tuned to CNN, the 24/7 news channel that Ted Turner had launched about five years earlier, which was carrying the launch live.

“Shuttle launches were just kind of routine and the broadcast networks weren’t even covering them anymore,” says Knobel, who worked for CBS News in the 1990s and now teaches journalism at Fordham University. “CNN did. So when things went so tragically wrong, there they were on top of the story like no one else.”

That, says Knobel, who now teaches a class on TV’s biggest innovators, is just one example of why Turner was the biggest of them all — huge steps ahead of anyone else in his understanding of how news needed to be delivered.

Turner’s death comes at a fraught time for cable news, which has struggled to retain viewership in an era of countless media choices and abundant streaming video. CNN has not been immune; changes in the media ecosystem, the company’s financial picture and multiple editorial resets over the years have left it a markedly different entity than the one Turner built.

But that misses an important point: He built it.

“We use the word giant sometimes to describe people that really aren’t giant,” Knobel says. “Ted Turner truly is a giant. He invented around-the-clock news.”

Early on, Turner saw news as something global
Many in and around the news industry struggled Wednesday for big enough words to describe Turner’s impact on how we consume news. Longtime TV analyst Robert Thompson said the issue was hyperbole-proof.

“Death and hyperbole often go together,” said Thompson, director of Syracuse University’s Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture. ”But there is no hyperbole here. I can think of very few other things in the 20th century that so dramatically changed American politics, journalism and civic engagement than the invention of 24-hour cable news.”

He does add a caveat: The real impact would not be truly felt until others started doing it. Which, of course, they did. But for a long time, and certainly well into the 90s, “CNN became almost generic for breaking news,” Thompson says,” like Kleenex for facial tissues and Xerox for photocopying.”

But it isn’t just the 24-hour cycle that defines Turner’s legacy in news. A number of analysts cited, too, how he conceived of news as a global commodity.

Knobel recalls that when she was Moscow bureau chief for CBS beginning in the early 1990s, she would walk into the Kremlin and see CNN on televisions.

“That was the way in which they came to understand what the world was thinking about Russia,” Knobel says. The same was true in other seats of power across the world. “Global programming didn’t exist before Ted Turner came along and said, ‘Not only am I going to build a new channel for America, but there are a lot of people around the world that will probably want to watch this news channel.’”

All of this has become so ingrained by now that it’s hard to convey to younger people that it once didn’t exist. Back in the ’70s when Turner — an insomniac — was first dreaming of 24/7 news, in many places you’d turn on your TV late at night and would see only static, a test pattern or an American flag until about 6 am.

Former CNN White House bureau chief Frank Sesno, now a media and public affairs professor at George Washington University, tells his students about the “Walter Cronkite era” — when news was delivered at an appointed time, by a voice from on high, in a 30-minute broadcast (which actually doubled the 15-minute broadcasts there once were.)

“I teach these young people and they have no idea who Ted Turner is,“ Sesno said. “I remind them this was, in fact, the world of Walter Cronkite. Ted Turner came in and and CNN was seen as an upstart, as something that wasn’t going to succeed.” Thus the derisive moniker “Chicken Noodle News,” which was echoing across the industry when Sesno joined the network in 1984 .

“When they hired me, I had zero television experience,” he says.

But CNN wasn’t looking for star anchors at the time. The news was supposed to be the star. The stable of stars came later.

The first Gulf War was a turning point
For CNN, a moment of particular success came in October 1987, the year after the Challenger explosion, when 18-month-old Jessica McClure was rescued from a well in Texas after a two-day ordeal. CNN covered not only the outcome but the incremental developments — standard fare today but certainly not so then for TV.

Brooke Erin Duffy, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University, points to public appetite for that story as a key moment for CNN, which covered the “hours and hours of waiting” and allowed audiences to regularly tune in for updates.

But it was during the first Gulf War with Iraq when the entire foundation of news shifted. When other journalists left Baghdad, CNN stayed. With correspondents Bernard Shaw, John Holliman and Peter Arnett doing reports under siege from Baghdad’s al-Rashid Hotel, the network changed war journalism forever.

A key factor was technology. CNN’s news managers “went to Turner and said you know, there’s a war coming. We need some money to cover it, and Ted Turner said to them well what do you need?” Knobel said. ”What they did with that money is to bring in satellite phone technology that no one else had.” It enabled CNN to continue to broadcast news when communications were knocked out.

“I’m someone who competed against CNN for many years working for CBS (and) I can say CNN always had a technological advantage over everybody else,” she said, crediting Turner for giving his network the edge.

The 24/7 schedule of broadcasting continuous developments also vastly reshaped what it was like to actually work in the TV news industry. Journalist were increasingly expected to “be available 24/7 to satiate the public’s appetite for news,” Duffy said.

After CNN found success, more and more outlets followed suit. The uptick in competition for around-the-clock content made time even more of a currency when it came to breaking news.

“I think one of the consequences is the race for eyeballs within the saturated media landscape,” Duffy said. “Time is the currency in news media.”

Gedolei Yisroel are scheduled to travel to South America in the coming days for a special mission on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah, with a packed itinerary planned in Brazil and Argentina.

The gedolim participating in this mission include Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a, Rav Yaakov Hillel shlit”a, Rav Shimon Galai shlit”a, Rav Avraham Salim shlit”a, and Rav Yosef Chevroni shlit”a.

The trip is set to begin on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Behar-Bechukosai, with the delegation departing for Paris en route to South America, arriving in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday afternoon. They will be joined on Monday morning by Rav Malkiel Kotler shlit”a, and a group of board members from the United States.

The formal schedule is set to begin Monday morning in Brazil with Shacharis at 7:45 a.m. Later in the day, the delegation is expected to attend a private gathering with local tomchei torah before joining the broader kehilla for Mincha and Maariv at the Beis Yaakov Safra synagogue. The event is expected to include divrei chizuk and addresses from the rabbanim.
Later on, a dinner with prominent philanthropists is scheduled for Monday evening.

On Tuesday morning, the gedolim are scheduled to daven Shacharis at the Makor Chaim shul in São Paulo, followed by breakfast and departure to the airport. The rabbanim are then scheduled to fly to Argentina late Tuesday morning and arrive there in the afternoon.

Upon arrival in Argentina, an asifas chizuk is planned at Yeshivas Shuva Yisrael, followed by a central dinner for philanthropists in the Argentine kehilla.

The Argentina schedule is expected to continue Wednesday morning with Shacharis at the Yeshurun shul, along with a community reception. Later that morning, the rabbanim are scheduled to visit the Torateinu school, where approximately 2,000 children and parents are expected to take part in a major kabalas panim.

At around midday Wednesday, a special gathering of Argentine rabbanim with the Gedolei Yisroel is planned, with roughly 100 rabbanim expected to participate.

The mission will then conclude, with the delegation returning to the United States and Eretz Yisroel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

DoorDash said Wednesday it expects to spend more than $50 million in the second quarter on gas price relief for its delivery drivers.

The San Francisco-based company said in March that it would offer extra compensation to U.S. and Canadian drivers as part of a temporary program to offset a sharp increase in gas prices due to the Iran war. The national average for a gallon of gas on Wednesday was $4.53, up 44% from a year ago, according to AAA.

DoorDash said demand for deliveries remained strong in the January-March period despite higher gas prices, with total orders rising 27% to 933 million. That fell short of Wall Street’s forecast of 954 million, according to analysts polled by FactSet. DoorDash said winter storms closed businesses and dampened demand in some locations.

Revenue also fell short of expectations. DoorDash said its revenue rose 33% to $4.0 billion, which was shy of the $4.15 billion analysts were forecasting.

The company said it’s paying for gas price relief by adjusting investments in other areas. DoorDash said in November that it would be spending heavily on new products and services this year, including the addition of restaurant reservations in its app and robot deliveries.

“We did have to push out some investments … in order to make room for this,” DoorDash Chief Financial Officer Ravi Inukonda said during a conference call with investors. “If we do decide to extend the program, our goal is to find offsets.”

DoorDash said its net income fell 5% to $184 million, or 42 cents per share, for the January-March period. That was partly due to a 30% increase in research and development costs compared to the same period last year.

Still, that beat analysts’ forecast of a 36-cent per share profit, according to FactSet.

DoorDash’s shares rose more than 11% in after hours trading Wednesday.

DoorDash’s earnings report came a week after rival Uber announced a deal with Expedia Group that will let users make hotel reservations through the Uber app.

When asked if DoorDash plans to add a similar service, DoorDash Co-founder and CEO Tony Xu said the company still sees plenty of room to grow its core area of restaurant and retail delivery.

“We are a tiny fraction of what’s actually available and addressable, which in some sense means that there’s a large runway and opportunity for us to become even better in breed in terms of what it is that we can offer,” he said. “And if we can keep doing that, I think we’re going to be just fine.”

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that a federal anti-fraud task force has uncovered widespread irregularities in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including thousands of deceased individuals still listed as recipients.

Speaking at a rally in Iowa, Vance said, “We’ve got 186,000 dead people getting SNAP benefits. 186,000 dead Americans getting food stamps right now. I know the fake news media is going to say that the big headline from this speech is ‘JD Vance proposes that we take away food stamps,'” Vance said during an appearance at an Iowa rally Tuesday.

He continued, “That’s what they’re going to say. I actually think that we should take food stamps away from dead people. I am guilty of that. I think that’s a reasonable thing.”

The task force was created in March through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, as part of a broader effort to root out fraud across federal programs.

Trump has placed a strong emphasis on eliminating waste and abuse in government spending, particularly as economic concerns and cost-of-living issues remain top priorities for voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

The renewed focus on fraud enforcement follows earlier allegations involving misuse of public funds at day care centers operated by Somali residents in Minneapolis, which led to a federal immigration crackdown in the area and sparked widespread demonstrations.

Vance described the process of uncovering fraud within government systems as straightforward. He said Tuesday that finding fraud in the federal government is “kind of like fishing in a barrel with dynamite.”

He added that the scope of what has been uncovered has been surprising. He said he was “shocked every single day by the things” the task force has discovered.

Referring to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Vance said, “Brooke [Rollins] has found out that we’ve got 355,000 people on SNAP benefits receiving double benefits, that we’ve got 186,000 dead people getting SNAP benefits,” Vance said, referring to the agriculture secretary. “186,000 dead Americans getting food stamps right now.”

He also said that Rollins identified additional questionable cases, noting, “there are people who have Lamborghinis who currently receive SNAP benefits.”

Vance concluded by arguing that such situations defy common sense. “I’m a pretty conservative guy, but I would think that like 95% of the United States of America would agree that if you are wealthy enough to afford a Lamborghini, then you are wealthy enough to not receive SNAP benefits from the American people,” said Vance. “Is that common sense?”

In a community where conversations around money are often filled with stress, pressure, and “how are we going to manage,” one Monsey woman is helping hundreds of frum women completely rethink the conversation.

And with the next round beginning tomorrow, women are rushing to sign up.

Chany Rosengarten, founder of The Money Tree, has spent the past seven years helping frum women transform their relationship with money, abundance, self-worth, and opportunity. Known for her warm, relatable approach that resonates deeply within the heimish community, Rosengarten has led more than 50 courses, hosted 26 retreats, and worked with over 3,500 women seeking a healthier, more empowered relationship with money.

And now, the course is opening again.

Video here https://youtube.com/shorts/lZ9XzQhLEOw  or https://vimeo.com/1189892107?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

The course, called The Money Tree, is a 12-part guided program designed to help women shift the way they think and feel about money – not through gimmicks or “get rich quick” promises, but through mindset work, emotional clarity, and practical reframing rooted in personal growth and Torah values.

The headline that’s been catching attention?

“Money doesn’t grow on trees. Unless you learn to plant one.”

Participants say the course helped them stop living in constant financial fear and start recognizing opportunities they once ignored.

One testimonial shared by the program describes a woman who wrote down an income number during the course that felt completely unrealistic at the time – only to later discover her husband unexpectedly began receiving that exact amount monthly through a side commission.

Another participant wrote that after taking just the first class, she eventually found herself earning over $10,000 a month – something she previously believed was impossible for her.

The course includes:

• 12 pre-recorded classes

• 3 live group sessions

• Interactive support

• Live Q&A opportunities

• One year access to materials

Topics range from rewiring limiting beliefs around money to communicating about finances with a spouse, recognizing opportunities, clarifying personal worth, and learning how to stop operating from scarcity.

Rosengarten says the goal isn’t simply “more money,” but helping women become emotionally and mentally open to receiving abundance in healthier ways.

“We open up to getting more by changing how we think about money,” she writes on the course page. “You become the person money looks for.”

The program has especially resonated with women who feel overwhelmed, unsupported, or stuck financially despite working hard and doing “everything right.”

And unlike traditional financial programs, The Money Tree intentionally avoids shame-based messaging.

“I don’t make you get a better job. I don’t make you do a budget. I don’t tell you that if only you were more spiritual you’d have more money,” Rosengarten explains in the course description.

The current enrollment is priced at $797, with payment plan options available.

Women aren’t only walking away with new financial habits. They’re walking away feeling capable, supported, and open to opportunities they once thought were out of reach.

More information about The Money Tree can be found at:

https://bit.ly/moneytreescoop

A new poll reveals deep Israeli anxiety about ending the Iran war and growing concerns that the United States — not their own government — holds greater sway over defense decisions.

According to the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute’s monthly survey of 751 Jewish and Arab Israelis conducted in late April, 59 percent believe ending the war “under current conditions” is incompatible with Israel’s security interests. Support for continuing the conflict cuts across the political spectrum: 52 percent on the left, 70 percent in the center, and 65 percent on the right hold this view.

By contrast, only 26 percent of Jews and 48.5 percent of Arabs believe a war’s end would be compatible with Israeli security. The divide underscores the political fragmentation over how to resolve the conflict.

The pessimism extends beyond the immediate war. Sixty-two percent of Israelis — including 64 percent of Jews and 52 percent of Arabs — say there is a high likelihood of returning to war with Iran, suggesting many view any ceasefire as temporary.

Perhaps most striking, 51 percent of Israelis believe the United States “has greater influence over Israel’s defense decisions than the Israeli government” — a view held by 56.5 percent of Jews and 25.5 percent of Arabs. The finding reflects broader concerns about Israeli autonomy in foreign policy decisions.

General optimism about Israel’s national security dropped to 39 percent in April from 47 percent in March, a sharp one-month decline. Optimism about Israeli democracy fared somewhat better at 44 percent.

On the Lebanon front, the poll found similarly grim expectations: 73 percent believe there is little chance of reaching a stable diplomatic agreement with Lebanon that includes Hezbollah’s disarming. Only 17 percent of Jews expressed optimism on this front.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Jackson Township officials announced a major enforcement initiative targeting landlords who have failed to comply with local rental registration requirements, with hundreds of properties now facing violations and steep penalties.

According to Mayor Jennifer Kuhn and Township administrators, a recent cross-comparison audit conducted by staff within the Rental Safety Housing Bureau identified 458 rental properties that had not been properly registered as of Wednesday morning.

Township officials said the unregistered properties are currently in violation of local ordinances governing rental property registration.

As a result of the noncompliance, the Township says landlords collectively owe $45,800 in unpaid registration fees. In addition, current ordinances impose a $500 fine for each non-compliant property, bringing the total amount in penalties to $229,000. Combined, the Township says the outstanding balance tied to the violations now totals $274,800.

Beginning Friday, May 8, 2026, the Rental Safety Housing Bureau will begin issuing Notices of Violation to all landlords identified as being out of compliance.

“We are not going to stand for landlords not following the rules,” Mayor Kuhn said in a statement. “The Township will fully enforce Council’s ordinances to ensure fairness, safety, and accountability across all rental properties in Jackson. For too long, many landlords have taken advantage of our town and have ignored our laws. Under my administration, that stops now!”

Township officials are urging all property owners to immediately review their rental registration status and bring their properties into compliance in order to avoid further enforcement action.

Officials said the initiative is part of Jackson Township’s ongoing effort to maintain safe and properly regulated housing while ensuring all landlords are held to the same standards.

The U.S. Air Force is working toward a July 4 target date to bring a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar into service as part of the Air Force One fleet, potentially aligning its debut with the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, according to a U.S. official and another source familiar with the effort.

The luxury aircraft was accepted by the White House in 2025, after which the Air Force was directed to fast-track its conversion to meet presidential requirements. L3Harris was selected to handle the modifications, and if the timeline is met, President Donald Trump could have the upgraded jet ready for use during the upcoming national milestone.

According to one source, there had also been consideration of completing delivery roughly three weeks earlier to coincide with Trump’s birthday on June 14. The acceptance of the aircraft from Qatar has faced criticism from Democrats and government watchdog groups, who argued it could present a conflict of interest and potentially influence presidential decision-making.

Trump has rejected those concerns, saying it would be “stupid” to turn down the offer of the 13-year-old aircraft. At present, the Air Force One fleet includes two specially configured Boeing 747-200B planes, though any Air Force aircraft carrying the president is designated as Air Force One.

Experts have noted that converting the Qatari jet requires extensive upgrades, including advanced security systems, enhanced communications designed to prevent eavesdropping, and defensive capabilities to counter potential missile threats.

An Air Force spokesperson said, “The aircraft is on schedule to deliver this summer.”

The Air Force reported Friday that the plane has completed its modification phase and flight testing and is currently undergoing painting.

Meanwhile, the official replacement program for Air Force One—Boeing’s project to transform two 747-8 aircraft into next-generation presidential jets—continues to face delays. The initiative is now running about four years behind schedule, with delivery not expected until the middle of 2028.

Originally awarded in 2018 as a fixed-price contract valued at $3.9 billion, the program’s costs have since risen to over $5 billion, with Boeing absorbing approximately $2.4 billion in losses tied to the project.

In an effort to regain control of the timeline, Boeing brought in Steve Sullivan in 2025, a former Northrop Grumman executive with experience on the B-21 bomber program, to oversee the work. The Air Force also recently introduced a new paint scheme for its executive aircraft fleet, featuring red, white, dark blue, and gold—reviving a design long favored by Trump after an earlier version was abandoned in 2022.

This updated color scheme will be applied to the VC-25B, the military designation for the Boeing 747-8, replacing the white and blue design that has been used since the Kennedy administration.

Additionally, four Boeing 757-200 aircraft used by the vice president, cabinet members, and other senior officials are set to receive the same repainting treatment. In December, the Air Force also acquired two former Lufthansa 747-8i jets for $400 million—one to be used for training purposes and the other for spare parts—as preparations continue to phase out the current fleet, which has been in operation since 1990.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK CITY (VINnews) – Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and killed in a Gaza tunnel after 328 days in captivity, spoke of her ongoing grief and the enduring power of love in a recent interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“Love is stronger than death. Love is stronger than time. So, the love for him keeps growing,” Goldberg-Polin told Tapper.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American, was wounded and abducted from the Nova music festival during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. He was held hostage until he and five other captives were executed by their captors in an underground tunnel in Rafah, Gaza. Israeli forces recovered their bodies on Aug. 31, 2024.

In the interview, Goldberg-Polin discussed her journey through loss while promoting her new memoir, “When We See You Again,” which details the family’s desperate search for information in the chaotic days after the attack, their tireless advocacy for Hersh’s release and the devastating confirmation of his death.

Goldberg-Polin and her husband, Jon Polin, became prominent voices in the global campaign to free the hostages, meeting with world leaders and addressing the Democratic National Convention. Despite the immense pain, she described grief as intertwined with love.

The couple has continued to honor Hersh’s memory and advocate for the remaining issues tied to the Oct. 7 atrocities.

Hersh’s story has become a symbol for many in the Jewish community and beyond of resilience amid unimaginable tragedy.

The sacred work of Chevros Kadisha is among the most humble and quietly performed mitzvos – carried out by individuals for whom this final act of kindness is its own reward. Recently, however, more than 100 men devoted to this ultimate chessed shel emes stepped out from behind the scenes and joined together for chizuk, networking, and practical guidance at the Men’s Chevra Kadisha Leadership Conference.

Hosted by the Orthodox Union and NASCK (National Association of Chevra Kadisha), the conference brought together administrators and active tahara leaders from more than 50 cities across 17 U.S. states, as well as Canada. Representing Chasidish, Yeshivish, Chabad, Sefardi and Modern Orthodox communities, participants were united in their avodas hakodesh.

“The people who devote the most time and energy to serve Klal Yisrael often go unrecognized, by choice,” says OU Director of Torah and Halacha Initiatives Rabbi Ezra Sarna, who organized the conference together with NASCK Director of Chevra Relations Rabbi Shmuel Fromowitz. “They do their chessed quietly. Yet to be in a room with others who understand their expertise and who are similarly carrying Klal Yisrael on their shoulders gives them strength. The exchange of knowledge and experience, along with the relationships formed, significantly enhances their work and service.”

Rabbi Elchonon Zohn is a world-renowned halachic expert in afterlife care, the director of the Chevra Kadisha, Vaad Harabonim of Queens, New York, and the founder and president of NASCK, which he launched over 25 years ago as a resource for Chevros Kadisha. NASCK offers education and practical guidance on a broad range of issues relating to kovod hameis with a special focus on tahara and the broader role the Chevra Kadisha plays in its communal work.

Rabbi Zohn reflects that the sense of achdus cultivated by the diverse community representatives was truly inspirational. “From smaller communities in Seattle and San Francisco to the major Torah centers of Brooklyn, Monsey, and Lakewood, the energy and synergy were palpable,” he says. “Everyone was engaged — learning, growing, sharing, and united by a common sense of purpose, mission, and the goal to emulate Hashem and His chesed shel emes, as defined by His Toras emes.”

In his keynote address, Rabbi Zohn recognized the overwhelming power and collective impact of the chesed represented at the conference, and underscored the basic precepts of chesed shel emes: to treat each tahara as a singular moment of loss for that specific family and neshama, to perform this selfless mitzvah in the spirit of Hashem’s boundless kindness, and to ensure that every act of chesed is guided by the halachos and minhagim passed down through generations.

Throughout the day, participants attended sessions exploring both halacha and best practices, covering topics such as rechitzah, tahara, tachrichim, and complications that arise in the tahara room.

“The tahara process is not very complicated, but it is highly detailed,” says NASCK Associate Director Rabbi Yaakov Lyons, who coordinates the men’s division of the Boca Raton Chevra Kadisha and presented at the conference. “Every step carries significance, and our goal is to ensure that each individual is treated with the utmost dignity. Modern medical interventions often introduce complexity to the tahara process, so this leadership conference focused on some of those complex scenarios.”

A panel discussion entitled Working with Funeral Homes offered insights into how Chevros Kadisha can cultivate positive relationships with funeral homes. Topics included how to set the tone of the partnership, how to communicate the standards of the Chevra Kadisha, and how to encourage funeral homes to promote traditional burial and tahara to the broader Jewish community.

“This is a very important topic because, in most communities, Chevros Kadisha operate independently of funeral homes yet rely heavily on them, making the relationship both essential and delicate,” says Rabbi Fromowitz. “There is also a responsibility to educate and sensitize funeral home staff to the needs of the traditional Jewish community, ensuring that families are cared for in accordance with their minhagim and values. Clear communication is critical.”

For Ari Wartelsky, who oversees the Bergen County Chevra Kadisha, the open exchange of ideas sparked by the networking sessions stood out as particularly valuable.

“While funeral home costs can be challenging, Chevros Kadisha depend on them to serve kehillos with dignity and care,” says Wartelsky, who presented on transporting the deceased in Bergen County, New Jersey. “At the same time, we must continue exploring ways to reduce the financial burden on families.”

A conference highlight was the informal networking that took place between sessions and over lunch, where participants exchanged experiences and practical approaches.

“I met a Chevra Kadisha volunteer from New York whose team carries out taharos and related protocols with remarkable care, precision, and efficiency,” says Yisroel Salamon, who oversees Chesed Shel Emes of Connecticut. “I plan to send members of my Chevra to observe how they operate so we can learn from their approach. That’s just one of the many benefits that came out of the conference.”

Equally meaningful were two roundtable sessions in which participants divided into small groups, each focusing on a specific area such as meis mitzvah, tahara team organization, volunteer recruitment and retention, shmira, coordination with medical examiners, community education, and cemetery relations.

“The smaller format allowed every participant to contribute as well as learn,” says Rabbi Fromowitz. “Each discussion generated thoughtful exchanges about best practices, with insights shaped by the size and dynamics of different communities. We received amazing feedback on these sessions.”

What stood out most for Salamon was how each Chevra navigates the unique regulations of its state while addressing the needs of its community.

“I moderated one of the discussions where we compared approaches in Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, upstate New York, Indiana, and Texas, each with its own challenges and community dynamics,” he says. “While every group brought different practical wisdom and creative solutions, the shared values, goals, and sense of purpose were the same.”

Rabbi Fromowitz reflects that partnering with the OU helped bring valuable experience and a strong understanding of communal needs to the event.

“The OU’s involvement reinforces that this is a national priority for Klal Yisrael,” he says. “Beyond that, there is tremendous value in organizations working together to strengthen and elevate communal infrastructure. We hope this marks the beginning of continued partnerships that will further support these vital efforts.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

One person was injured following a serious motor vehicle accident in Lakewood this evening, which left the driver trapped inside.

The crash occurred near the intersection of Oak Street and River Avenue, prompting a heavy response from Hatzolah, Lakewood Police, Lakewood Fire and EMS. Upon arrival, first responders found the vehicle on its side with the driver entrapped due to the extent of the damage.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Moments ago, on Oak Street in Lakewood pic.twitter.com/ShcAb8nfsr

— The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) May 6, 2026

Doris Fisher, who founded Gap Inc. with her late husband, Donald Fisher, died at the age of 94 in San Francisco.

Almost every American household, if not every household, boasts an item or two — or many — from Gap, an iconic clothier that has influenced American fashion since its inception in 1969.

She once said that the couple opened the clothing retailer “after a frustrating shopping experience when Don couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit.” Their first shop sold Levi’s jeans and records, but eventually grew into a massive worldwide chain that included such famous brands as Old Navy and Banana Republic.

Doris and Donald Fisher are pictured in 1969, the year they founded Gap. (From a post on X)

By the time of Fisher’s death, the apparel giant was raking in a cool $15 billion per year in revenue.

As the company’s chief merchandiser, Fisher served as the creative force behind the company, shaping the “cultural tone of Gap advertising and product development, maintaining a quiet but steadfast presence in the company’s evolution and pushing the company to focus intently on the customer.”

Fisher also came up with the name, since her goal was to bridge the generation gap. In 2005, she earned the distinction of being named one of the 100 most powerful women in Forbes magazine.

Doris and Donald Fisher in their later years. (Credit: Getty Images)

Fisher was born in 1931 to Bertram Joseph Feigenbaum, a lawyer and former California state legislator, and Dorothy Feigenbaum. She graduated from Stanford University in 1953, married Donald in that same year, and bore three sons — Robert, William and John, who joined the family business and who still remain involved both in the business and in the family philanthropies.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who is also Jewish, paid tribute to the clothing magnate.

“Doris Fisher leaves behind a legacy of deep commitment to her family and our city,” he said. “In addition to her incredibly successful business career at Gap, she was a champion of San Francisco’s young people, supporting educational efforts across the city and providing counsel to young people early in their careers.”

A sharp decline in global oil reserves last month, tied in part to the ongoing Iran conflict, has sparked growing worries about fuel availability and rising prices as the summer travel season approaches.

New figures from S&P Global Energy, cited by the Financial Times, show that worldwide crude inventories dropped by close to 200 million barrels in April, equal to about 6.6 million barrels per day. The steep fall is attributed largely to escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have interfered with shipping lanes and energy facilities.

“This is massive; it is far above the usual range,” Jim Burkhard, head of crude research at S&P, told the Financial Times, warning that “an inevitable market reckoning is coming.”

The plunge in reserves occurred even as global demand weakened significantly, with consumption reportedly declining by around 5 million barrels per day—marking the most pronounced drop outside the COVID-19 period.

Experts say the supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict have outweighed the effects of reduced demand, placing additional strain on already tight markets.

Oil markets have faced volatility since late February, when joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran led to a wider regional confrontation. In response, Tehran took steps to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage that carries about 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas exports.

The Trump administration has sought to contain the fallout through Project Freedom, a US-led naval initiative aimed at safeguarding commercial vessels passing through the strait and maintaining the flow of global trade.

This week, however, President Trump indicated a potential shift toward diplomacy, announcing a temporary halt to the operation to allow renewed efforts at reaching an agreement with Iran.

“Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social while emphasizing the United States would continue pressuring Iran economically.

Oil prices initially spiked amid fears that disruptions in the strait would persist, but eased somewhat on Wednesday, according to the BBC, after Trump’s remarks raised expectations that a deal might be within reach.

Brent crude prices dipped below $110 per barrel after earlier surging by more than 6 percent during the latest escalation.

Despite the slight easing in prices, analysts caution that the situation remains unstable and could deteriorate further.

Goldman Sachs estimates that global supplies of refined fuels have dropped to roughly 45 days of available inventory, with especially sharp reductions reported in Asia and Africa.

In the United States, gasoline stockpiles are expected to fall to historic lows during the peak summer driving months.

“The speed of depletion and supply losses in some regions and products is concerning,” Goldman researchers warned.

Governments around the world have already begun taking steps to shore up energy security. Australia has announced plans to invest heavily in boosting fuel reserves, Norway is increasing oil output, and Qatar is working to conserve its domestic energy capacity, according to Semafor.

Even as fuel prices climb to around $4.50 per gallon in some parts of the United States, demand from American drivers has remained steady, adding further pressure on limited supplies.

Burkhard cautioned, “The worst of the crisis is ahead of us.”

Palestinian terrorists from the village of Al-Mughayyir in the Binyamin area infiltrated grazing areas of a nearby farm overnight and poisoned about 20 water troughs used by livestock.

The terrorists also broke the locks on some of the water troughs and poured in a poisonous substance mixed with oil, intended to keep the poison floating near the surface and be drawn in the first bucket of water used to feed the animals.

A shepherd from the farm who arrived in the afternoon to water his flock noticed a suspicious substance in one of the wells, prompting him to immediately stop the sheep from drinking.

A few minutes later, several sheep began to develop severe poisoning symptoms, including foaming at the mouth, and convulsing.

The shepherd summoned other residents of the farm and alerted security forces, who launched searches in the area and discovered that the other nearby wells had also been poisoned.

The shepherds tried to provide emergency veterinary treatment to the poisoned sheep while police forces collected evidence from the scene.

This is the ninth poisoning incident that has occurred over the past two years, and it constitutes part of a new and increasing terror method targeting Jewish shepherds in Yehuda and Shomron.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Military police carried out several overnight attempts to arrest bnei yeshivos in Herzliya, Tel Aviv, and Dimona.

One of the incidents took place shortly after 4 a.m., when military police officers arrived at the home of a bochur from Yeshivas Chazon Mordechai in Herzliya. Two of the yeshiva’s talmidim were previously arrested by the military police over the past week.

The family members accidentally opened the door, allowing military police officers to enter the apartment and conduct what the family members described as a brutal search of the home.

During the incident, members of the family contacted the “Tzeva Shachor” hotline, an activist network that mobilizes protesters during arrest attempts of bnei yeshivos.

When the commander of the force noticed that the mother was speaking with a representative from the organization, he ordered the officers to withdraw from the scene.

Military police also tried to arrest a bochur in Tel Aviv, a talmid of the Kiryat Malachi yeshiva. However, the bochur was not at home.

Another attempted arrest took place in Dimona, where military police tried to arrest an avreich from the Gerrer community.

In that case as well, family members contacted the “Tzeva Shachor” network, and after local residents arrived at the scene, police forces left the area without carrying out the arrest.

According to the Notnim Gav organization, the latest attempted arrests come in addition to several detentions carried out over the past week.

Among them, the group said, was the arrest of a ben yeshiva at his home in Herzliya on Sunday evening, as well as another draft evader who was handed over to military police by Israel Police officers at a gas station near the exit from Ashdod.

Attorney Shlomo Hadad is assisting the detainees on behalf of the Notnim Gav organization.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The NYPD has released CCTV images of four suspects accused of carrying out a disturbing antisemitic vandalism spree targeting Jewish sites, homes, and private property across Queens.

According to police, the suspects allegedly spray painted swastikas and other Nazi graffiti at five separate locations during the early morning hours Monday, sparking outrage from community leaders and an active investigation by the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force.

Authorities said the vandalism targeted two Jewish institutions, two residential properties, and a parked vehicle in Forest Hills and Rego Park.

One woman told investigators she was jolted awake after hearing a loud noise outside her home, only to discover vandals had spray painted a swastika on her window.

One of the suspects also allegedly defaced Congregation Machane Chodosh by painting a swastika on the synagogue’s front facing wall.

Additional antisemitic graffiti was discovered at the Rego Park Jewish Center. Police also said a resident returned home to find a swastika spray painted on his garage door.

In another incident connected to the spree, a local man discovered Nazi graffiti on his parked vehicle after leaving it overnight in the neighborhood.

The newly released footage shows four young men dressed in baggy clothing walking together down a street during the alleged crime spree.

The incidents prompted condemnation from the city’s Commission on Religious Leaders, which described the attacks as “hatred directed against all of us.”

The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is continuing to investigate.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1 800 577 TIPS.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Wednesday night that Israel remains fully aligned with the United States regarding developments in negotiations with Iran, dismissing reports suggesting Jerusalem had been caught off guard by recent progress in the talks.

Speaking at the start of a political-security cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasized the ongoing coordination between the two countries. “We are in constant contact with our friends in the United States. I speak with President Trump almost on a daily basis. My people and his people speak on a daily basis, including today. And I will also speak with President Trump later tonight. We have full coordination, there are no surprises. We share common goals, and the most important goal is to remove the enriched material from Iran, all the enriched material, and dismantle the enrichment capabilities from Iran,” Netanyahu said.

He added that Israel is preparing for all possible outcomes, even as diplomatic efforts continue. “President Trump believes he can achieve it one way or another. But we are prepared for any scenario, and this is my instruction to the IDF and our security forces. Israel is stronger than ever, Iran and its proxies are weaker than ever,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Reuters reported that Israeli officials had been surprised by what was described as a shift in President Donald Trump’s stance toward negotiations with Iran.

President Trump said on Wednesday that a deal aimed at ending the conflict with Iran could be finalized before his planned trip to China next week.

A separate report from Axios indicated that Washington and Tehran are close to reaching a concise, one-page framework agreement designed to end the war. According to the report, the proposed deal would include mutual easing of restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, along with US steps to lift sanctions and release frozen Iranian assets. In return, Iran would agree to a “moratorium” on nuclear enrichment, with certain provisions dependent on a broader final agreement.

Following the Axios report, Trump issued a warning to Iran, stating that “if they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

At the same time, Trump told the New York Post that it is “too soon” to discuss direct negotiations with Iranian officials and said he does not believe new talks in Pakistan are imminent.

A man accused of firing a gun at law enforcement officers near the Washington Monument this week was walking along the path of Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade before the shooting and made a vulgar remark about the White House after the confrontation, according to a court filing Wednesday.

Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, was shot multiple times during Monday’s confrontation and was in the back of an ambulance on his way to a hospital when he said, “'(expletive remove) the White House’ and “Kill me, kill me, kill me,’” a Secret Service agent said in an affidavit.

The sworn statement does not specify whether investigators believe Marx had a particular target.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that her office “will pursue the most serious charges available against anyone who brings gun violence to our streets, particularly when that violence unfolds steps from the seat of our government and the path of the Vice President of the United States.”

Marx was walking along the path of Vance’s motorcade when officers spotted him near the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue. The officers were responding to a Secret Service agent’s report that Marx was seen near with White House complex with a firearm concealed on the right side of his body, the affidavit says.

Marx pulled a firearm from his waistband as he ran away from Secret Service officers and fired at one of them, but a bystander behind the officer was shot in the leg, the affidavit says. Officers returned fire and struck Marx in his abdomen, a hand and his left arm, according to the filing. It says Marx spit at officers as they provided him with aid after the shooting.

The teenage bystander was not seriously injured and has been released from a hospital, ABC News reported. ABC was first to report what the suspect allegedly said after the shooting.

Marx was charged in a complaint with assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a violent crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The shooting came just over a week after a California man tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives. Cole Tomas Allen has been charged in that incident with attempting to assassinate the president and firing a gun at a Secret Service officer.

Around the time of Monday’s shooting, President Donald Trump was holding a small business event at the White House, which was briefly locked down as authorities investigated.

Online court records did not immediately list the name of a lawyer representing Marx.

Marx has used aliases, including Michael Patrick and Michael Zavici, according to the affidavit. It says Marx had a 2011 drug trafficking conviction in Florida that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

(AP)

Slabodka rosh yeshiva Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch has stepped back from his earlier resistance to moving forward with the Draft Law, bringing an end to a period in which the legislation was effectively delayed due to his concerns about its potential impact on yeshiva bochurim.

Rav Hirsch had initially been in favor of the bill, but later withdrew his support after legal advisors introduced revisions that, in his view, could result in stricter penalties for chareidim who do not enlist.

According to a report by Channel 12 News, Knesset members from the Degel HaTorah faction within United Torah Judaism—who act in accordance with Rav Hirsch’s guidance—worked to convince him to back the legislation. They maintained that failure to pass the bill at this stage could leave chareidi men vulnerable to even tougher consequences, including cuts in government funding and the possibility of arrests.

The MKs also cautioned that if the law does not go through, there could be growing frustration among chareidi voters, potentially leading to lower turnout in the upcoming elections.

Following these discussions, Rav Hirsch agreed to remove his opposition, contingent on the position of Slabodka rosh yeshiva Rav Dov Landau.

“Go to Rav Landau; if he approves, I will not oppose it,” he stated. Sources within the chareidi political sphere believe there is a strong likelihood that Rav Landau will give his backing to the move.

Separately, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni met at length on Sunday with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. During their conversation, the prime minister indicated that should the leading rabbonim give their approval, the coalition is prepared to move the Draft Law forward for a vote before the elections take place.

El Al has inaugurated a massive new Tamam airline catering facility at Ben Gurion Airport, billed as one of the most advanced flight-meal plants in the world and the largest of its kind for kosher aviation catering. The new facility is part of the El Al Group and marks a major upgrade to one of the quiet engines behind Israel’s national airline.  

The numbers are serious: about 14,000 square meters, hundreds of millions of shekels invested, and capacity for roughly 50,000 meals a day, up from around 30,000 at the previous facility. The plant includes upgraded systems for food preparation, quality control, and more efficient service for El Al passengers.  

Tamam has long been a major player in kosher aviation food, serving El Al and other airlines from Ben Gurion Airport. The older operation had been described years ago as the world’s largest kosher food plant, with peak output around 40,000 meals a day, before the industry was shaken by the COVID aviation crash.  

The new facility will begin full operations gradually over the coming months. For El Al, this is more than better airplane food — it is a major infrastructure investment aimed at raising the passenger experience and supporting the airline’s continued growth out of Israel.

Submitted: “If I would have pulled into the shoulder for any reason, I would not have seen them on time to stop.”

An 18-year-old man has been charged with shooting at two Toronto-area shuls in March, Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police announced Wednesday. A third shul was targeted just days earlier in what authorities are treating as coordinated antisemitic violence.

The suspect, whose identity is protected because he was 17 when the alleged shootings occurred, faces nine charges including two counts of discharging a firearm into a place of worship, two counts of property damage exceeding $5,000, and multiple counts related to unauthorized firearm possession and careless storage.

The violence began March 2, when shots were fired at Temple Emanu-El Reform synagogue, piercing the front windows. Five days later, on March 6, the suspect allegedly opened fire at the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT), damaging the front doors. Two people were inside the shul at the time but were not injured.

Just after midnight on March 7, the suspect allegedly targeted Shaarei Shomayim shul, again firing at the front entrance and causing damage to the building.

Police had announced Friday they were seeking a suspect in connection with the attacks.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

This past Thursday, history was made once again, with the second “Knishta D’Kehuluh” convention. Numerous projects were discussed that BEZ”H, will rewrite the map of safeguarding our purity and intensifying the fervent battle against the challenges of our generation.

For the second time, over a hundred esteemed Askanim from numerous Kehiilos across New York, New Jersey, and Canada gathered under one roof. They spent long hours together, and they brainstormed and strategized to spark fresh revolutions in the respective Kehillos and circles they serve.

This event carried several vital objectives, primarily the gathering of the community Askanim themselves, those on the front lines doing the practical work. It provided an unparalleled opportunity to meet, connect, exchange advice, and share personal experiences. As everyone shared what they were doing in their own communities, each learned from the other. This provided immense inspiration and courage to continue their holy work, alongside the crucial new information they acquired to better guide the public in navigating technology safely, both spiritually and physically.

Since last year’s event, Baruch Hashem, a powerful collaboration has blossomed among the Askanim. This unity has led to monumental achievements and practical progress, helping Yiden remain insulated from severe technological temptations while simultaneously providing a wide array of kosher alternatives. These solutions make it infinitely easier to conduct business and access necessary services in a completely permissible manner.

The grand convention took place this past Thursday at the spacious “Events at the Mill” halls in Yonkers, New York. Close to 150 Askanim from over thirty communities across North America gathered as one man with one heart. Participating communities included: Emunas Yisroel, Bobov, Bobov-45, Boyan, Belz, Gur, Vizhnitz Boro Park, Vizhnitz Williamsburg, Vizhnitz Montreal, Vizhnitz Monsey, Vizhnitz Kiamesha, Vien, Vizhnitz Bnei Brak, Vizhnitz Merkaz, Tosh, Machnovka-Belz, Satmar Williamsburg, Satmar Kiryas Joel, Slonim, Skver, Pupa, Sanz, Sanz-Klausenburg, Kosson-Linden, Toldos Aharon, Toldos Yehuda-Stutchin, Toldos Mordechai, Rachmastrivka, Rachmastrivka Linden, Rachmastrivka Spring Valley, and more.

The day’s schedule was expertly crafted to maximize every moment, mainly featuring open panels where experienced Askanim shared their insights on critical topics. Major filter giants and technology companies serving the frum public were also present to showcase their latest developments directly to the Askanim.

Setting Boundaries – Filter AssociationsThe event opened with a critical topic: community associations with filter companies. Various proposals from the companies for advanced features and new options were discussed. Crucial initiatives that are already in motion were reviewed, with hopes of releasing the full details to the public very soon.

“There is Another Way” – Premium Filtering OptionsSeveral Askanim took the floor to share their firsthand experiences with the superior filtering options currently available on the market, such as NetFree, Geder SafeZone, and Meshumer WebGuard. A developer of the highly sophisticated new ‘TechLock Enhanced’ filter, which offers robust and advanced filtering, also addressed the crowd. A comprehensive, clear brochure was distributed so that every Askan and community has this vital information at their fingertips, served up like a fully set table.

**“Lev Lehaazin”**A deeply moving presentation was delivered by the renowned Mechanech Rabbi Yeshaya Meir Kraus Shlita, a counselor with the ‘Lev Lehaazin’ organization. He detailed the organization’s inception following the publication of the booklet Where is Yossele?. When calls poured in from individuals pleading for help because they lacked a supportive figure, a voicemail system was established. As the burning need became apparent, realizing that struggling youth must be spoken to immediately, while their inspiration is fresh, a specially trained secretary was hired to field live calls. The entire operation is guided by a Rabbinical Committee.
He highlighted their three main approaches:

1. Clarifying to the caller that he is not a failure; rather, he possesses an evil inclination that he was put in this world to overcome.
2. Encouraging him never to give up.
3. Providing practical guidance to navigate temptations.
   He also explained how ‘Lev Lehaazin’ has expanded into an anonymous helpline for hundreds of yungerleit, saving generations in the truest sense of the word.

Open DiscussionsDuring an open forum, Askanim presented their recent initiatives. Topics included securing discounts for Kollel members at “Pro-Click” and promoting offline kiosks in Monsey to eliminate the need for personal internet access. A Halachic meishiv on technology matters also shared actual questions he has recently fielded.

Innovations in the Tech WorldMr. Dovid Goodman, an expert from the global firm IQSIM, spoke about the new era of implementing filters directly via SIM cards, which can prevent many modern pitfalls, especially regarding AI phone numbers. This presentation highlighted the profound understanding the Askanim have of the technological landscape as they seek the best solutions for the frum public.

Dinner and NetworkingDuring dinner, an uplifting scene unfolded as circles of Askanim from across North America gathered to help one another with practical advice. Several new products from kosher filter companies were showcased, alongside community installations like the public phones already set up throughout Kiryas Yoel, and various new informational materials.

Focused Breakout SessionsTwo separate breakout meetings followed. In one corner, the ‘Vaad HaIshur’ from various communities and institutions met to share strategies for maintaining high spiritual standards, reflecting on their immense privilege as guardians of the very foundations of Yiddishkeit. In another corner, the ‘Aseh Tov’ group focused on inspiring growth and positive resolutions among all age groups, yeshiva bochurim, and children, sharing brilliant ideas to implement across the board.

The Shlosha InitiativeHarav Hagoen R’ Yisroel Margaliyos, shlita, director of Ezer LaYeshivos and a leader of the ‘Shlosha’ initiative, discussed the foundational progress ‘Shlosha’ has made for those who must use the internet for business. He stressed that work environments must be set up in the most kosher manner possible. Recognizing the massive void that still exists, he noted that much work remains until every G-d-fearing Yid knows exactly how to utilize technology purely out of necessity, strictly following the directives of our Gedolim.

Principals’ Gathering & Kehuluh’s FutureA report was given on the collaborative meetings between yeshiva menahalim arranged by ‘Lev Lehaazin’ and ‘Ezer LaYeshivos’ regarding technology’s impact on yeshivos. It was also announced that ‘Kehuluh’ is preparing to open a dedicated office to assist any Kehilla looking to establish tech-related initiatives.

A Halachic Tech CenterA major highlight was the address by Harav Hagoen R’ Dovid Mering Shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Ahavas Yisrael Vizhnitz. He stressed the critical need to establish a Halachic center for tech-related inquiries, covering Halacha, Hashkafa, and practical application. He read real questions submitted to existing Kehiilah committees, demonstrating the chaos that ensues when there is no designated address for these dilemmas. His powerful words spurred immediate action, with several Kehiilos already forming such committees to ensure every individual can receive clear Torah guidance.

Working Like a YidEsteemed Askanim then addressed the painful reality of poorly filtered (or unfiltered) computers in the workplace. This sparked an open discussion on a joint community campaign to raise awareness about the basic obligation to install robust Jewish filters on all devices, especially work devices used for hours each day. B’shem Hashem Na’aseh V’Natzliach.

Returning in PeaceSaturated with treasures of encouragement, knowledge, and fresh ideas, the Askanim returned home, ready to continue their holy work with renewed strength. Productive meetings and conversations continued even on the journey home and into the following days. Baruch Hashem, the seeds planted at this grand Knishta D’Kehuluh are already sprouting into practical initiatives. The results are evident everywhere: Askanim are energized and equipped with the guidance needed to advance massive projects for the benefit of all holy Kehillos and every individual, ensuring they remain guarded against the constant trials of our times, BEZ”H.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that recent discussions with Iran have been productive and suggested that a potential agreement could be within reach, emphasizing that Tehran has indicated it is willing to forgo nuclear weapons.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, “They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” underscoring his administration’s central demand in the negotiations.

Trump also pointed to what he described as the significant weakening of Iran’s military capabilities, stating that “had a Navy with 159 ships, and now every ship is blown to pieces and lying at the bottom of the water. They had an Air Force, lots of planes, and they don’t have any planes. They don’t have any anti-aircraft. They don’t have any radar left. Their missiles are mostly decimated. They have some. They have probably 18, 19 percent, but not a lot by comparison to what they had. And their leaders are all dead. So I think we won.”

He added that while negotiations are ongoing, further action remains possible if talks fail. “Now we have to get what we have to get. If we don’t do that, we’ll have to go a big step further. But with that being said, they want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” said Trump.

Reiterating his stance, Trump said, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And they won’t. And they’ve agreed to that, among other things.”

The remarks followed an earlier ultimatum Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, where he wrote, “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He also issued a warning, stating, “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Trump’s comments came after a report by Axios indicated that Washington and Tehran are approaching a concise, one-page agreement aimed at ending the conflict. According to the report, the framework could include reciprocal easing of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of US sanctions along with the release of frozen Iranian assets, and Iran’s commitment to a “moratorium” on nuclear enrichment, with certain provisions dependent on a broader final agreement.

A day earlier, Trump announced that “Project Freedom” operations in the Strait of Hormuz would be temporarily suspended to provide space for ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.

BALTIMORE (VINnews)-The Coalition for Jewish Values on Wednesday thanked President Donald Trump for his May 4 proclamation marking Jewish American Heritage Month, which encourages Jewish Americans to observe a “national Sabbath” in keeping with Jewish tradition.

In the proclamation, Trump called on Jewish Americans to mark the occasion by observing the Sabbath from sundown Friday through nightfall Saturday. The Coalition for Jewish Values, which represents more than 2,500 traditional and Orthodox rabbis, described the gesture as especially meaningful amid rising antisemitism in the United States.

“It is a profound gesture of support for the Jewish community,” said Rabbi Yaakov Menken, executive vice president of the CJV.

Menken said the idea originated from discussions within the Jewish community about how to express patriotism this year, noting that Independence Day 2026 falls on the Sabbath.

“Noting that July 4 will be on the Sabbath this year, we suggested to friends in the Trump Administration, and to other Jewish organizations, that our community might express our patriotism on that Sabbath,” Menken said. “It is truly remarkable that President Trump is, instead, encouraging the Jewish community to express our patriotism simply by observing the Sabbath itself.”

The organization is urging Jewish Americans to observe the Sabbath on May 15-16 in response to the president’s call and to continue the practice in the weeks ahead.

US officials have signaled “optimism” about reaching a framework agreement to end the Iran war, with President Donald Trump conveying that assessment directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But the deal hinges on resolving a single thorny question: which country will take Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

According to a Channel 12 report citing two Israeli officials, Iran has shown “surprising openness” to transferring its uranium stockpile to a third country — a significant concession in talks aimed at de-escalating the two-month conflict. Yet negotiators have found no consensus on which nation would accept the material.

Trump made clear to Netanyahu that without resolving the uranium question, there will be no deal, the officials said.

Beyond the uranium impasse, Israel remains deeply concerned about what it views as insufficient attention to Iran’s ballistic missile program. Jerusalem is pushing for a framework clause that would limit the range of Iranian missiles — though Israeli officials acknowledge there would be no credible verification mechanism to ensure Iran’s compliance.

The omission reflects a fundamental tension in the negotiations: achieving a breakthrough on nuclear materials while the most destabilizing weapons systems remain unaddressed.

Perhaps the greatest uncertainty lies within Iran’s own power structure. While “part of the Iranian leadership” appears willing to take “significant steps” toward an agreement — including surrendering its uranium stockpile — Israel and the US fear the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could derail the entire deal.

The IRGC, which answers to Iran’s Supreme Leader rather than the civilian government, has historically opposed nuclear concessions and holds considerable sway over Iran’s military posture.

Israel is preparing for multiple scenarios, including a complete collapse of negotiations, the officials indicated.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Asked about the timeframe for the United States and Iran to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) permanently ending the war between them, U.S. President Donald Trump responded that it could take one week.

Speaking during a phone interview with Fox News, the president sounded cautiously optimistic regarding the potential diplomatic breakthrough. However, observers note that Mr. Trump has been known to offer varying timelines pertaining to the ongoing Iran talks during the unprompted phone calls he frequently takes from journalists.

The president’s timeframe follows a report by Axios earlier in the day, which indicated that the U.S. is expecting a response from Iran regarding the MoU within the next 48 hours. It remains unclear whether Trump is suggesting that an additional few days of negotiations would still be required following Tehran’s anticipated response.

The prospective agreement reportedly seeks to remove Iran’s highly enriched uranium and place a moratorium on all uranium enrichment for at least 12 years. Nevertheless, the deal would eventually permit limited enrichment and would not mandate the removal of Iran’s full nuclear stockpile.

Nuclear experts are closely analyzing the reality of dismantling Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, particularly following the June 2025 war with Iran and the current conflict.

Analyst David Albright told Channel 12 the recent military conflicts “have changed the situation dramatically.” Albright noted that satellite imagery demonstrates that Israel “significantly” degraded Iran’s ability to manufacture nuclear weapons through past strikes, though he cautioned that “you can’t eliminate it a hundred percent.”

Addressing the potential removal of the full uranium stockpile, Albright stated that “given the destruction of [Iran’s] centrifuge program” during previous U.S. and Israeli military strikes, “we would really have years before we’d have to think about Iran enriching significant amounts of weapon-grade uranium.”

Ultimately, Albright emphasized the practical limitations of the current diplomatic efforts. “What you’re trying to do is lengthen the time and reduce the chance of success,” he explained. “If the goal is to eliminate a nuclear program to where it can never be reconstituted or rebuilt, I think that’s not a realistic goal.”

Firefighters in Lakewood faced an unusual fire late Tuesday night, after an underground blaze erupted in a drainage system beneath Warren Avenue.

Crews from the Lakewood Fire Department responded to reports of a fire in the area and discovered flames burning deep beneath an underground drainage network, making access and suppression difficult.

After several hours, firefighters eventually brought in a Department of Public Works jetting truck to help extinguish the blaze. The specialized equipment, typically used to clear sewer and drainage lines, was instrumental in reaching the fire and ultimately bringing it under control.

No injuries were reported.

Officials did not immediately release information about the cause of the fire.

https://vimeo.com/1189880080

NEW YORK CITY (VINnews) – Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his family Wednesday, labeling them “real radical Islamists” and warning they pose a serious threat to the United States and the Jewish community.

“[Mamdani and family] are incredibly dangerous to the well-being of America and the Jewish community,” Hikind said.

“[Mamdani and family] are incredibly dangerous to the well-being of America and the Jewish community.”

— Dov Hikind called NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his family ‘real radical Islamists’@HikindDov @ymenken @BiancaDLGarza pic.twitter.com/CZSYooxAfW

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) May 6, 2026

Hikind, a longtime Brooklyn Democrat and founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, has repeatedly voiced concerns about Mamdani’s background, policies and associations since the Democratic socialist took office as the city’s 112th mayor on Jan. 1, 2026. Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York, previously represented the 36th Assembly District in Queens.

The former assemblyman made the remarks during a radio appearance amid ongoing debates over antisemitism in the city, Mamdani’s stance on Israel and his administration’s early decisions, including nullifying an executive order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

Hikind has warned that a Mamdani administration could embolden extremists and has urged voters and Jewish leaders to oppose what he calls the mayor’s radical agenda. He previously broke with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to endorse Andrew Cuomo in an effort to block Mamdani’s election and has continued his criticism in the months since.

Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hikind’s strong language reflects deepening divisions in New York City’s Jewish community over the mayor’s leadership and responses to rising hate crimes. VINnews has previously reported on Hikind’s clashes with Jewish leaders who have engaged with Mamdani.

The mayor has faced scrutiny for refusing to strongly condemn certain radical Islamist actions and for positions critics describe as anti-Israel.

Israel’s political system was thrown into turmoil Wednesday following a report that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu asked senior chareidi party officials to remove the draft law from the agenda and postpone its advancement until after the elections.

The report triggered swift and sharp reactions. In response, the office of Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni quickly issued a denial, insisting the report “never happened.” However, that immediate dismissal raised eyebrows among political observers, as the original publication did not attribute a direct quote to Gafni, prompting questions about how he could so definitively reject the claim.

Political insiders suggested that Gafni may have been aware of the discussions through internal channels and moved quickly to deny the report before it became clear who had been approached or how the information was leaked. In any case, the denial itself only intensified the uncertainty surrounding the behind-the-scenes developments.

Throughout the day, figures within the chareidi parties and those close to the prime minister reportedly attempted to identify the source of the leak, but no clear answer had emerged.

Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism chairman and Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf did not echo the denial and instead launched a direct attack on Netanyahu. Responding to the report, he said: “The truth has come out. As I have said from the beginning, Netanyahu has no and never had any intention of honoring the coalition agreement and the commitments to the chareidi parties.”

Strong remarks were also heard from within the government. Minister Shlomo Karhi said in an interview with Kol Berama radio that the draft law must be passed “the way we want,” even if it leads to a confrontation with the High Court. He added: “The legal advisory system is trying to thwart and interfere with our policy; the golem must return to its natural place and to the dust.”

{Matzav.com}

A new intelligence assessment from the US Department of Homeland Security indicates that the gunman who disrupted President Trump’s dinner with White House correspondents and fired a weapon roughly ten days ago may have been driven in part by opposition to the war in Iran.

“The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, had numerous political and social grievances. The conflict in Iran may have contributed to his decision to carry out the attack,” the report states. Officials pointed to the suspect’s online activity, which included posts critical of the war in Iran.

A representative for the Department of Homeland Security declined to address the contents of the assessment directly. “These reports inform our partners of the most up-to-date information available following significant events impacting homeland security,” the spokesperson said.

As reported earlier, Allen forced his way into the Washington dinner event attended by President Trump and members of the White House press corps, where he fired at a Secret Service agent. The agent was unharmed. Secret Service personnel subdued Allen at the scene. During subsequent questioning, he has not revealed what led him to attempt to assassinate Trump.

Court documents filed by the Department of Justice show that Allen has been charged with a series of offenses, including attempted assassination, using a firearm during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a weapon, and shooting at a Secret Service agent. Prosecutors wrote in their filings that “Allen disagreed with Trump politically and sought to fight against the administration’s policies and decisions, which he viewed as morally wrong.”

{Matzav.com}

Teen drivers are inexperienced, take risks, and are easily distracted when they’re behind the wheel. Those factors are among the findings that contribute to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is the leading cause of death and injury in teens age 13 to 19 years old: motor vehicle crashes.

Parents can help minimize the risks by providing professional driving instruction, modeling safe driving behavior, and putting their teen in the safest vehicle possible. But how can you know which models are safest, especially if you’re on a budget? Edmunds has done the research for you and compiled a list of the five best used SUVs for teen drivers under $20,000.

Each of our picks below earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, you can find clean examples with less than 60,000 miles for under $20,000. We’ve included a variety of SUV sizes and types, but these five crossovers all have one thing in common: favorable crash test ratings. They’re listed below in alphabetical order.

2021-2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Chevy’s latest Trailblazer is small in size but big on personality. It is surprisingly roomy and practical, and its engine is reasonably fuel-efficient. The model years we picked for the Trailblazer did not come standard with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. This is a driver assist feature we think is beneficial for teens, so be sure to find a used Trailblazer that came with it as an optional add-on. However, every Trailblazer includes Teen Driver technology, which lets parents monitor their child’s driving habits while they’re away from home.

2019-2023 Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai redesigned its midsize SUV for the 2019 model year, infusing it with a long list of standard driver assist features that can help keep a teen driver safe on the road. Not only that, but an active subscription to Hyundai’s Bluelink communication service also gives parents the ability to program alerts for vehicle speed, a teen’s curfew time, and when the SUV travels beyond a geo-fenced boundary. There is no need to upgrade to the Santa Fe’s optional turbocharged engine; the standard four-cylinder offers enough power without encouraging dangerous driving.

2018-2023 Mazda CX-5
Mazda redesigned the CX-5 small crossover SUV for the 2017 model year, but in 2018, it added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard equipment. That was also the first year the CX-5 earned top ratings from both the IIHS and the NHTSA. No matter which model year you choose, make sure the CX-5 has the i-Activsense package (it became standard in 2020), which fully equips the vehicle with all available driver assist features. Parents can also rest easy knowing that the infotainment system includes automatic 911 emergency assistance technology that contacts first responders in the event of a collision.

2019-2023 Subaru Forester
If you think your teen driver needs a small SUV that is very easy to see out of and comes with standard all-wheel drive and a raised ride height to help with outdoor recreational use, look no further than the Subaru Forester. This small crossover received a redesign in 2019 and added many standard driver assist features, including one that alerts the driver when traffic ahead is moving again. Just keep in mind that blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were unavailable on the base trim level, so find a used Forester with those features and within your budget.

2021-2023 Volkswagen ID.4
Going electric? The Volkswagen ID.4 is a safe choice for a teen driver. This compact crossover is available with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and can travel an EPA-estimated 209-275 miles on a full battery charge depending on the version you pick. An active subscription to Car-Net Safe & Secure equips the ID.4 with emergency assistance and automatic crash notification systems, and this electric VW includes an impressive list of standard safety features. It even has Emergency Assist, which can bring the ID.4 to a safe stop if it detects the driver has become unresponsive.

Edmunds says
With a budget of $20,000, you can find a safe and clean used SUV for your teenager to drive. The models listed above can protect your child in a collision, but they’re also equipped with modern technologies that can help to prevent one from occurring in the first place. However, these are just a sampling of potentially suitable choices. We encourage you to prioritize crash test ratings when conducting your own research, as well as standard and available driver assist features.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping new initiative to reduce psychiatric medication use, calling it an effort to correct what he characterized as an overmedication crisis. The move immediately drew cautious support and withering criticism from the American Psychiatric Association.

“Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the overuse of psychiatric medications — especially among children,” Kennedy said during a Make America Healthy Again Institute summit on mental health and overmedicalization.

The initiative, dubbed the “deprescribing” program, would shift treatment standards toward prevention and holistic approaches while requiring greater patient autonomy, informed consent, and shared decision-making between doctors and patients. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will issue a report on prescribing trends as part of the effort.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter issued Monday, top HHS officials wrote that psychiatric medications “should not be understood as the only treatment option” — a statement that, while seemingly uncontroversial, signals a significant reorientation of federal health policy under Kennedy’s leadership.

The announcement reflects Kennedy’s long-held skepticism of psychiatric pharmacology. He has previously suggested that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants widely prescribed for depression and anxiety, could be linked to school shootings — a claim that has no scientific support. Kennedy has also asserted that these medications are more addictive than heroin, a claim contradicted by medical evidence. Kennedy himself is a recovering heroin addict.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16.5 percent of American adults in 2020 were taking psychiatric medications for mental health conditions.

The American Psychiatric Association’s response suggested the contours of an emerging debate within the mental health community. While the organization signaled receptiveness to Kennedy’s call for greater investment in research on prescribing practices, it pushed back sharply against his framing of the crisis.

“We are supportive of the Administration’s plans for further investment in research and clinician training on the issues of prescribing and deprescribing,” the APA said in a statement. “That being said, while APA supports efforts to improve the quality, safety, and evidence base of mental health treatment, we strongly object to framing the nation’s mental health crisis as primarily a problem of ‘overmedicalization’ or ‘overprescribing.'”

The APA added a warning note: “Deprescribing alone is not a sufficient response to this crisis.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A ban on circumcision or Jewish ritual slaughter usually marks the beginning of an era of persecution. One of the first decrees of King Antiochus back in the day banned bris milah. More recently, the Nazis banned shechitah as early as 1933, an edict that became incorporated into the infamous 1935 Nuremberg Laws.

So Jews in Belgium are understandably on edge with the coming indictment of three mohels.

Belgian lawmakers decided Wednesday to indict the three men for what they alleged was unlawfully performing the procedure, which under Belgian law must be performed by a certified surgeon. Traditionally, mohels tend not to be certified surgeons.

The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, and the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, blasted the decision.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar.

“Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism,” Sa’ar wrote on X. “This is a scarlet letter on Belgian society.”

Responding to Sa’ar’s post, White warned, “Belgium will be thought of now as antisemitic by the world. Until this is resolved — there is no way around it.”

Belgium has grown increasingly hostile to the United States and Israel. The country joined the International Court of Justice case against Israel brought by South Africa, and a leading politician posted a video comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.

U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White (Photo by Bert Van Den Broucke/Photonews via Getty Images)

The investigation into the mohels began last year when anti-Israel activist Moshe Aryeh Friedman, who has pushed for limits on Jewish traditions like gender separation at Haredi schools, filed a complaint against the three men.

Belgium joined the Greeks and the Nazis, as well as several European nations, in banning shechitah. But it’s the first European country to ban bris milah.

Are the Nuremberg Laws coming to town?

You can’t make this stuff up. The Muslim owner of an Israeli restaurant in Germany has been subjected to a torrent of anti-Jewish hate.

If you even dare to associate with Jews, the mob is coming for you.

Billal Aloge, a Kurdish-Syrian Muslim, wanted to promote peaceful coexistence in the city of Freiburg in western Germany, where he lives. To that end, he opened an Israeli restaurant called “Jaffa,” and life has never been the same.

The Jew haters immediately heaped abuse on him. His restaurant was repeatedly vandalized, with incidents including a time-honored favorite: throwing rotten eggs at his establishment. Filing endless complaints with the police did nothing to curb the flood.

Billal Aloge, a Kurdish-Syrian Muslim, opened an Israeli restaurant in a show of support to the Jewish community, but no good deed goes unpunished. (From a post on X)

Things came to a head last Tuesday, when Aloge parked his pride and joy, a brand-new food truck, in Colombipark in the heart of the university city, according to German media.

It lasted only one day.

Vandals splashed paint across the truck, defaced Israeli symbols with Palestinian symbols and hateful slogans, kicked the door in and smashed the side mirror. All told, they caused 30,000 euros in damage.

“The food truck was brand new. I bought it for the new season and had it lovingly refurbished,” Aloge told the German newspaper Bild.

“Once again, I had to file a police report, and now I estimate the total damage from the two attacks at approximately 30,000 euros,” he added.

These words, scrawled on a wall in a heavily Jewish neighborhood in Berlin, means, “Only a dead Jews is a good Jew.” (From a post on X)

Freiburg Mayor Martin Horn issued a statement condemning the attack, warning that those involved would be held to account.

“There is no place in Freiburg for antisemitism, anti-Muslim racism or any other form of hatred and incitement,” he said.

Like cities large and small across the globe, Freiburg has contended with a huge spike in antisemitism since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel more than two years ago. Just in the past week, residents of the Pankow district of Berlin, home to a large Jewish community, awoke to separate incidents of graffiti in their neighborhood. The slogans include such charmers as “Kill all Jews,” “Only a dead Jew is a good Jew” and a swastika. In a heartwarming epilogue, children covered the sidewalk there with hearts and peace signs.

Also recently, a synagogue in Cottbus in eastern Germany was vandalized twice in four days.

These days, you don’t have to be Jewish to become a target of Jew hate. If your business was once owned by Jews, if a building used to be a synagogue, or if you dare to openly express support for Jewish people, it’s all fair game for the haters.

Chareidi askanim have warned that they may launch a widespread consumer boycott against the Israeli airline Israir if it continues to operate flights on Shabbos, according to a report aired Tuesday by N12 News.

Israir CEO Uri Sirkis acknowledged the mounting pressure, confirming that he had been called to Yerushalayim to meet with leading chareidi figures in an effort to address the growing dispute.

“It is important that public discourse be conducted with respect, while avoiding exclusion, ostracism, or boycotts,” Sirkis told investors, concluding with the Leviticus phrase, “You shall love your neighbor as thyself.”

Among Israel’s four main airlines, only El Al refrains from operating on Shabbos. Israir, Arkia, and Air Haifa all continue to run flights during the day of rest, serving a sizable portion of secular travelers and tourists.

Since Air Haifa primarily serves northern routes with limited destinations, a shift in Israir’s Shabbos policy would effectively leave Arkia as the sole airline offering Shabbos flights to most locations.

The potential boycott could extend well beyond air travel. Israir is owned by businessman Rami Levy, who also controls a large supermarket chain that carries his name.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Israeli forces carried out a strike in Beirut targeting the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, the Israeli military said Wednesday, in what officials described as an effort to neutralize a key figure responsible for attacks on Israeli communities and troops.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement confirming the operation, saying the IDF targeted the Radwan commander “in order to neutralize him.” Radwan militants under his leadership were responsible for firing toward Israeli communities and harming IDF soldiers, the statement said.

“No terrorist has immunity — Israel’s long arm will reach every enemy and murderer,” the statement read. “We promised to bring security to the residents of the north — this is how it is done and this is how it will be done.”

Israeli media reported that the commander, identified as Malik Balut, and his deputy were assassinated in the strike. It marked the first known IDF strike in Beirut since early April. Netanyahu personally confirmed the operation.

Israeli officials estimated Balut was killed in the attack. The operation was coordinated and approved by the United States, according to reports from Israeli channels.

The Radwan Force is Hezbollah’s special operations unit, tasked with cross-border incursions and assaults on northern Israeli communities.

The strike comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israel vowing to continue operations to secure its northern border. Hezbollah has not immediately commented on the reports.

(AP) – Five months ago, President Donald Trump was stinging from one of the first political defeats of his second term as Republican state senators defied him on redistricting in Indiana. Now he has proved he can still punish wayward party members after he endorsed a slate of challengers who defeated almost every one of the lawmakers he wanted to dislodge.

The results will likely bolster Trump’s confidence heading into upcoming Republican primaries where he wants to help oust more incumbents, including U.S Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Indiana’s primary also ratchets up the pressure on Republican lawmakers in other states to move aggressively to redraw congressional district boundaries before the November elections. Alabama and Tennessee have already begun special sessions that could limit Black voters’ strength in Democratic-leaning districts, and some of Trump’s allies in South Carolina want to follow suit.

The results were a clear signal that despite Trump’s lame duck status, sagging poll numbers and difficult prospects in the November elections, his decade-long dominance over the Republican Party remains unrivaled.

State Sen. Linda Rogers, one of the Indiana lawmakers who voted against redistricting and lost her seat Tuesday, said the outcome “will probably discourage others in other states.”

“If someone is going to ask you to take a tough vote, you may think twice about your conscience and what’s best for your community and instead what’s best for you and your career,” she said.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, who sided with Trump, said it was a “historic night” and he thanked Republican voters who “stood with me and President Trump to nominate some great America First conservatives.”

Trump started the redistricting competition
Redistricting efforts began last year when Trump saw an opportunity to give Republicans an additional edge. Indiana stood out as a Republican-run state that declined to give Trump what he wanted, even as GOP- and Democratic-led states traded gerrymandering maneuvers in a national competition.

After the Indiana Senate rejected the redistricting plan in December, Trump pledged to punish defiant lawmakers. His allies spent more than $8.3 million on races that usually see very little spending.

Andy Zay, a state senator who voted for redistricting, resigned in January to become chair of a state utility commission. He was a target of harassment and threats in the months leading up to the vote, and he said Trump’s influence and heavy spending made it tough for incumbents to hang on in the primaries.

“Trump matters and money matters,” he said.

Five of Trump’s targets lost their races. One won. One race was too close to call.

Trump allies celebrated the results and warned other Republicans who might be thinking of opposing the president

“Redistrict ASAP for the November election or you face a real risk of losing your seat. No excuses,” Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist, wrote on social media. “Reschedule primaries if you must but redraw the map. Voters demand action NOW, not weakness.”

Redistricting efforts were supercharged last week when the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a provision of the Voting Rights Act that influenced how political lines are drawn in areas with large nonwhite populations.

James Blair, one of Trump’s top political advisers, was more direct, posting an image from the movie “Gladiator” depicting Russell Crowe’s ancient Roman character Maximus exulting after a combat victory.

In Congress, Massie and Cassidy have stood up to Trump
Trump was relatively restrained on social media. He shared a series of photos celebrating the victories of candidates he endorsed in Indiana and Ohio, which also held primaries Tuesday. But he otherwise passed on boasting or renewing his attacks on Massie or Cassidy.

Massie has been among the members of Congress who frustrated the president by pressing for release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files, challenging Trump for taking military action in Iran without congressional approval and voting against the party’s sweeping tax-and-budget bill last year.

“I vote with the Republican Party and this president 90% of the time, and the 10% of the time that I’m not voting with the party or the president, I’m keeping the promises that the president and I campaigned on,” Massie recently told Kentucky’s PBS affiliate.

Explaining his vote against Trump’s signature domestic achievement, Massie called it “a big spending bill” and said he has voted consistently “not to bankrupt this country.”

Trump has endorsed Massie’s challenger, retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, and campaigned for him before the May 19 primary. In Louisiana, Trump backs Rep. Julie Letlow over Cassidy in their May 16 primary, which includes other candidates.

Cassidy was among the Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on 2021 impeachment charges after the Jan. 6 riot. But he also has given Trump consistent support. Most notably, the Baton Rouge physician advanced Robert Kennedy Jr.’s controversial nomination as Trump’s health secretary.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., noted Wednesday that Trump has gone after Massie before, only for the congressman to win reelection.

“Thomas Massie has been very popular in his district,” McCarthy said during a “Fox & Friends” interview. Still, he warned, it is not an ideal situation for any Republican to run without Trump’s backing.

“I would not want President Trump against me in any election,” McCarthy said, calling Trump’s influence with Republican primary voters unprecedented.

Indiana shows how far Trump will go to purge GOP
It is unusual for a sitting president to be focused on attacking and defeating his own party members this deep into a midterm election year.

Rogers, the Indiana state senator, faced almost $670,000 in television advertising against her, funded by political action committees associated with Braun and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind.

She said she does not regret her vote against redistricting.

“It would have been easy for me to hit that ‘yes’ button,” she said. “To hear the number of people who asked me not to, then the number of people who thanked me, would mean I wasn’t representing them.”

London’s Metropolitan Police announced Wednesday the creation of a specialized team dedicated to protecting the city’s Jewish communities, responding to an unprecedented spike in hate crimes and violent attacks.

The new “community protection team” will deploy 100 additional officers combining neighborhood policing with specialist protection and counterterrorism capabilities, the Met said in a statement. The unit aims to provide “a more visible, intelligence-led and coordinated presence” across London’s Jewish neighborhoods.

“It brings together experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence-led protection,” Met Commissioner Mark Rowley said in a statement.

The new unit emerges from a troubling pattern of antisemitic violence. In March, an arson attack destroyed four Hatzolah ambulances. Authorities have also investigated separate incidents involving bottles suspected of containing gasoline thrown at two shuls, a stabbing attack that injured two visibly Jewish men in Golders Green, and more.

The Met said it arrested over 80 people in the past four weeks in connection with antisemitic hate crimes and the string of arson attacks. Some of the incidents are under examination for possible links to Iran amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.

Rowley previously indicated he had been in discussions with government ministers about creating a larger 300-officer policing team, which he described as necessary to address what he called the greatest-ever threat facing British Jews.

The announced unit, roughly a third of the initially proposed force size, represents what the commissioner characterized as “an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing.”

The Met stressed that while the new unit will focus primarily on protecting the Jewish community, it is “also intended to provide a blueprint for how policing responds when tensions rise” in other communities. The force added that the initiative does not deprioritize protections for other groups.

“Hate crime in all its forms—including ongoing efforts to tackle racism, anti-Muslim hate crime, homophobia and other forms of hatred in the capital—remains a core policing priority,” the Met said.

The announcement comes as England’s chief prosecutor signaled a tougher law enforcement response. Stephen Parkinson, the chief prosecutor for England and Wales, announced Tuesday that hate crime prosecutions will be fast-tracked in response to the “deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)