Jooish News

An image showing an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Yoshka in southern Lebanon has ignited strong reactions online, drawing criticism from activists, politicians, and social media users.

The Israeli military acknowledged on Monday that the photograph, which spread rapidly across social platforms and drew more than 5 million views on X, is genuine.

According to the military, a preliminary examination found that the image depicts an Israeli soldier “operating in southern Lebanon,” where Israeli forces carried out a ground incursion last month alongside airstrikes.

Officials added that a formal probe has been launched and stated that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings.”

Reacting online, Ayman Odeh, a Palestinian member of the Knesset, responded with sarcasm, writing: “We’ll wait to hear the police spokesperson claim that ‘the soldier felt threatened by Yoshka.’”

Another Arab lawmaker, Ahmad Tibi, posted on Facebook that individuals who destroy mosques and churches in Gaza and harass Christian clergy in Yerushalayim without consequences are not deterred from damaging a statue of Yoshka and sharing it publicly.

“Perhaps these racists have also learned from Donald Trump to insult Yoshka and insult Pope Leo?” he asked.

The statue was reportedly located on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Debl, near the Israeli border.

BRUSSELS (AP) — More than 60 nations sent representatives to Brussels Monday to discuss with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa stability, security and long-term peace in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, as global attention largely remains focused in the Middle East on the ongoing crises in Iran and Lebanon.

Ongoing attacks in the West Bank and continued devastation in Gaza have dimmed the prospect for a two-state solution, said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot ahead of the meeting Monday. He is co-hosting the meeting with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

“We observe without naivety that the two-state solution is being made more difficult by the day,” Prévot said. “But Belgium and many European and Arab partners continue to believe that this remains the only realistic path to a lasting peace, for Israelis, for Palestinians and for the stability of the entire region.”

Nikolay Mladenov, the director of the Board of Peace created by United States President Donald Trump, and a well-known figure in Brussels, also attended the meeting.

Palestinian PM calls for unity
Palestinians in the West Bank say that Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to tighten its grip over the territory, as settler attacks surge and the military imposes additional wartime restrictions on movement, citing security.

Gaza requires “one state, one government, one law and one goal,” Mustafa said on Monday in Brussels.

“Our common objective of achieving one security structure under the legitimate authority should guide the effective coordination between the International Stabilization Force, the Palestinian Authority, security institutions and other international actors. Security must not be fragmented,” he said.

He also called for “the gradual and responsible collection of arms from all armed groups and also the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.”

Europe eager for relevance in Middle East
The 27-nation European Union is the largest single donor to the Palestinian Authority, with its 90-year-old president Mahmoud Abbas ruling from Ramallah for two decades. And while the EU has avoided directly joining the Board of Peace, preferring the multilateralism of the United Nations and global legal norms, the bloc is eager to not be sidelined in diplomacy in a volatile region just across the Mediterranean.

Outrage in Europe over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza drove many EU leaders to condemn Israel’s war conduct and to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. With the recent election defeat of long-serving Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Netanyahu, there might now be enough political support within the bloc for stronger actions like targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers or even the suspension of some ties to Israel.

Hungarian election winner Péter Magyar said during his first news conference on April 13 that he would seek “pragmatic relations” with Israel but also rejoin the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Orbán had defied that warrant while hosting Netanyahu in Budapest in 2025 and then started the process of Hungary leaving the world’s only court for war crimes and genocide.

Magyar said that he might not continue Orbán’s policy of vetoing actions on Israel — a stumbling block that EU leaders critical of Israel have failed to overcome over the past three years of brutal conflict in the Middle East.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wants the EU to tear up its long-standing Association Agreement with Israel.

In force since 2000, that agreement sets out the legal and institutional framework within which the bloc and Israel conduct trade and cooperation. The EU had found indications Israel had violated that agreement in its military campaign in Gaza.

“We have nothing against the people of Israel; quite the contrary,” Sánchez said in a post on X on Sunday. “But a Government that violates international law and, therefore, the principles and values of the EU cannot be our partner.”

Spain will table a formal proposal at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday to end the agreement with Israel, he said.

Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands have voiced deep criticism of Israel’s military campaigns in the Middle East but have failed to garner enough support to spur joint EU action.

Sen. John Fetterman said the Democratic Party is grappling with a significant issue related to antisemitism, pointing to a series of recent controversies and public figures as evidence during a televised interview.

Speaking with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, the Pennsylvania Democrat did not hold back in his criticism of his own party, citing the case of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as a troubling example.

“I mean, the guy that’s gonna win the primary in Maine has a Nazi tattoo on his chest. And that’s no problem for a lot of voters. That’s crazy,” Fetterman said.

Platner has said the tattoo dates back to 2007, when he was in his 20s serving in the Marine Corps and had it done while in Croatia. He later covered it with another tattoo and claimed he did not understand its meaning at the time. Fetterman, however, pointed to reports challenging that explanation.

💥NEW: CNN's Kasie Hunt: "Do you think your party has a problem with antisemitism?"

John Fetterman: "Sure! Definitely! I mean, the guy that’s gonna win the primary in Maine has a Nazi tattoo on his chest! And that’s no problem for a lot of voters. That's CRAZY!" pic.twitter.com/xpMjt7JCxo

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) April 17, 2026

“And now we know he knew what that was,” Fetterman said, referencing accounts that Platner had previously described the tattoo as his “Totenkopf.”

Fetterman, who has become one of the more outspoken pro-Israel voices among Democrats, also raised concerns about the party’s association with online commentator Hasan Piker.

“He absolutely is proud to cheer for Hamas, loves Hamas. Democrats are proud to stand with him and campaign with him,” Fetterman said.

The senator further cited past remarks attributed to Piker, including statements that “America deserved 9/11,” that Hamas is a “1,000 times better” than Israel, and “It doesn’t matter if rapes happened on October 7th.”

“We have a serious problem with my party. So if I have to be the last man standing in the Democratic Party, I’m proud to stand with Israel,” Fetterman said.

His comments come shortly after a Senate vote in which all but seven Democratic senators supported two resolutions introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders aimed at blocking a U.S. arms sale to Israel.

The interview also aired the same day that Kamala Harris, who is weighing a potential presidential run in 2028, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and accused him of drawing President Donald Trump into the conflict with Iran.

Additional controversy surfaced ahead of the broadcast when Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said in a separate CNN appearance that he sees no distinction between Israel’s government and Hamas, stating both are “evil.” When asked directly whether he considers Netanyahu a “war criminal,” El-Sayed responded, “Absolutely. When you conduct a genocide, you’re a war criminal.”

Fetterman has taken visible steps to demonstrate his support for Israel since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. He displayed posters of Israeli hostages in his Senate office and kept them up until all were accounted for.

During protests outside his office accusing Israel of genocide, Fetterman responded by going to the roof of the building and waving an Israeli flag.

{Matzav.com}

Most French Jews don’t feel safe living in France — and no wonder. When your nanny tries to poison your whole family, when you get attacked on your way home from shul Friday night, when your grandmother is beaten by Arab thugs, you start getting the message that maybe the environment is a little hostile to Jews.

France houses the largest population of Jews outside of Israel and the United States, but it’s been bleeding Jews for decades.

A survey released by the Jewish Agency for Israel titled the “One People Report” paints a stark picture of Jewish attitudes toward their un-neighborly neighbors.

More than 75 percent of French Jews no longer feel safe, compared to 22 percent who do — and how much do you want to bet that that small percentage comprises anti-Zionist Jews, the “good” Jews who are the only acceptable Jews in today’s climate? Of course they feel safe.

A swastika defaces the entrance of the Gisèle Halimi Center in Bordeaux, France.

Nearly half of European Jews — 43 percent — and more than a third of North American Jews have experienced Jew hatred directly or within their family in the past year. Sixty-nine percent of Jews worldwide believe that antisemitism poses the greatest challenge to the safety of the Jewish community today. Nearly half of those surveyed said that the second greatest threat is their host country’s perception of Israel.

Still, even these concerns can’t repress the optimism of Jews worldwide. Seventy-four percent of young adults believe that despite rising Jew hatred, they can positively influence the future direction of their community. Strong communal support surely generates that sort of hopefulness — more than half said it’s important both to remain connected to their Jewish community and that their community offers strong support.

The Paris office of El Al airlines is vandalized in August 2025.

Meanwhile, the survey confirmed the widespread belief in the importance of Zionism. Nearly 90 percent said they believe Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, while 85 percent said they believe Israel’s existence is essential for the flourishing of the Jewish people.

The moral of the story — our host countries might succeed in making Jews feel unsafe, but they can’t destroy their spirit.

A powerful earthquake has struck off the northern coast of Japan, sending shockwaves across the region and triggering tsunami warnings along multiple areas on the coastline.

The quake, measured at approximately 7.7 magnitude, hit offshore at a relatively shallow depth, which intensifies its impact and prompts immediate emergency alerts. Within minutes, authorities issued tsunami warnings, cautioning that waves could reach up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) in some areas. While initial waves were smaller, ranging from under a foot to a few feet, stronger surges could still follow.

IWATE, JAPAN – APRIL 20: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘IWATE GARRISON OF JAPAN / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Soldiers stationed at the Iwate Garrison, part of the Japanese Army, are making preparations following a tsunami alert in Iwate, Japan on April 20, 2026. A strong earthquake of 7.4 magnitude jolted Japan on Monday evening local time, with waves of a tsunami observed in the northern and northeastern parts of the country. The Japanese Meteorological Agency warned of earthquakes of a similar magnitude this week. The earthquake was recorded at around 0752GMT, with its epicenter at around 71 miles off Miyako city, located in the Iwate province, according to the US Geological Survey. The Japanese government recorded the magnitude of the quake as 7.5, and issued a tsunami warning along the Pacific Coast in Aomori, Hokkaido, and Iwate. (Photo by Iwate Garrison of Japan / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Tens of thousands of residents across northern Japan were urged to evacuate coastal zones, with emergency systems activated and local transportation, including bullet trains, temporarily being shut down out of an extra precaution.

So far, there have been no immediate reports of widespread destruction or casualties, though the situation remains fluid as aftershocks continue to ripple through the region. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued an advisory of an increased risk of a potential “mega-quake”, which is a much larger earthquake that could follow in the coming days. While such an event is not certain, they say that the probability has risen above normal levels, meaning residents should remain on high alert and be prepared for more seismic activity.

The quake struck in a region that still remembers the 2011 disaster vividly, when a massive earthquake and tsunami killed more than 20,000 people, making any warnings especially chilling. Japan is located along the active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” and therefore, they are no stranger to earthquakes, but the combination of a powerful offshore tremor, tsunami alerts, and renewed mega quake concerns has made many very nervous.

The following letter was submitted to TLS by a Rosh Mosad in Lakewood. I think the subject of getting into school is one of the most serious issues facing our community. It is not new, and it is not small it and it affects real families in very real ways.

But there is another question that needs to be asked: what is our responsibility in how we talk about it?

It is absolutely legitimate to report on challenges. But there is a difference between reporting a problem and amplifying it in a way that creates unnecessary fear. An article that highlights a difficult situation without context, direction, or acknowledgment of solutions may inform but it can also create anxiety and panic.

In a community where families are already under pressure, especially during sensitive times like high school admissions, how we present information matters. There are hundreds of girls and parents navigating uncertainty. The way we frame the issue can either help people understand reality or leave them overwhelmed by it.

We often speak about accountability in many areas of life. When you walk into a store, there are standards for what is sold and how it is presented. There is a system of trust and supervision. You don’t walk in blindly you expect structure, clarity, and responsibility.

The same principle should apply, in some form, to the information we bring into our homes.

This is not about silencing discussion. The school placement issue is real and deserves to be addressed openly especially when that discussion leads to awareness, planning, and real solutions like expansion or funding. But when an article offers no direction no clarity, no solutions what it leaves behind is not understanding, but anxiety. Awareness should never come at the cost of increased fear. In a close knit community, a headline doesn’t stay on the page it becomes a Shabbos table conversation for parents, and added pressure on families already stretched thin. Not everything that can be written should automatically be written without thought to its impact.

This is why we must rethink how we frame these conversations. Not just “Will my kid get into school?” splashed across headlines for attention or clicks. But asking what responsibility we carry for what we choose to bring into our homes. Because words don’t only report reality they shape it, especially in a community already under pressure. And the reality of children not getting placed is deeply painful and affecting far too many families. To amplify that pain for engagement, without care for its impact, is wrong wrong, and wrong again.

Yes, the system faces real strain. Yes, families are under pressure. And yes, solutions must continue to be developed, expanded, and improved.

But alongside that, there must also be awareness that how we talk about problems can either contribute to resolution or unintentionally add to the burden.

The issue is not only the challenge of school placement itself. It is also the responsibility that comes with how we speak about it.

There needs to be accountability not just for the problem, but for the narrative. And that responsibility belongs to all of us.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a controversial interview on the eve of Israel’s Remembrance Day, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett launched a sharp attack on Monday morning on the charedi public that does not enlist, claiming that avoiding military service is costing soldiers’ lives.

“We need to say a harsh but true thing: draft evasion is costing the lives of our soldiers,” Bennett said in an interview with Radio 103FM.

According to Bennett, “As of today, the IDF cannot meet its missions because it is short about 20,000 soldiers. Soldiers are sent again and again and become worn out. When you are worn down for so long, your sharpness declines, and in the end there are casualties. Because of the lack of soldiers, they are forced to capture a position but cannot hold it, and then they withdraw.”

Bennett continued and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich:“This is not fate, it stems from a terrible political decision. There are 100,000 healthy charedi men who can enlist. If even a fifth of them enlist, we’ve solved the problem.”

To encourage charedi enlistment, Bennett proposed:
“To completely halt all funding, the dozens of financial pipelines that enable this draft evasion. The era of education against the values of the State of Israel, without mathematics and without English, is over — we will no longer fund it. Not a single shekel will go to those who don’t put on a uniform. This is costing human lives. There will not be an autonomous charedi state within the State of Israel, it’s over.”

Bennett also sharply attacked Smotrich and his party:“Smotrich is, to a large extent, the architect of draft evasion. He was supposed to represent religious Zionism, the people who give 500–600 days in reserve duty, but because of his alliance with Yitzhak Goldknopf and Aryeh Deri, he simply sold them out. It’s a crime.”

When asked whether he expects support from the right, Bennett replied:“Judge me by my actions. As Prime Minister, I was much tougher than my predecessors. Out of roughly 22 seats, about nine come from Likud and religious Zionism. I travel across the country and am received very well.”

In response, pro-government news anchor Yinon Magal blasted Bennett for his attack on the charedim. According to Magal, Bennett’s accusation against the charedi sector crosses a red line and is intended solely to serve political needs.

“Cursed be you for blaming the charedim for the deaths of soldiers,” Magal lashed out. “You will pay politically, you will pay with your career for what you said this morning.”

April 29, 2026- BOE Meeting Public Announcement- In Person

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene circulated a social media post suggesting that the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, may not have unfolded as officially described, raising questions about the response and subsequent investigation.

In her own accompanying remarks, Greene questioned why Trump himself has not taken a more aggressive role in uncovering details about the incident involving gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks. During the rally on July 13, 2024, Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop, and Trump was struck by a “bullet that pierced the upper part” of his right ear.

“Extremely important post worth the read and consideration,” Greene wrote. “Corey Comperatore’s family deserves to know the truth about Matthew Crooks and what happened in Butler on July 13, 2024.”

“President Trump, of all people, should be leading the charge,” Greene added. “Why isn’t he? That’s the question.”

The message Greene amplified originated from Trisha Hope, who identified herself as “a long time Trump supporter” and a national delegate. In her post, Hope recounted attending the Republican National Convention and listening to Trump describe the shooting.

“At the convention of course there was massive concern for President Trump the consensus was it was divine intervention that saved Trump and we were all incredibly grateful,” Hope wrote. “On the night Trump spoke, he had the ear patch on and many in the crowd did also. As Trump begin to speak, he started with this: ‘So many people have asked me what happened. Tell us what happened, please. And therefore, I will tell you exactly what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s actually too painful to tell.’”

Hope said the way Trump introduced the topic struck her as unusual and raised doubts in her mind.

The lady continued to state that her “first thought was how odd for him to begin this way,” adding that it was her “first red flag.” She described this as being “completely out of character” for Trump.

She went on to question whether the president’s remarks were intended to limit further discussion about the attack.

“When people tell a lie, certainly a big one it is tough to keep all the details straight and doing so is an effort,” the lady continued in her post. “In my opinion Trump made that statement to stop any further conversation about what happened. He gave us his official story, would only do it once and that was the end of it.”

The post also raised concerns about the conduct of the Secret Service following the shooting, questioning personnel decisions and the handling of the situation.

“Following the inauguration, I found it odd that Trump wasn’t going aggressively after those who allowed this to happen. He seemed to behave like it was no big deal.

“His Secret Service detail failed him massively, allowed him to be shot, and they allowed that perfectly timed photo op to take place.

“Instead of his SS detail being terminated as they should have been, Trump made the gentleman in the white shirt the HEAD of the Secret Service on January 22, 2025. Instead of losing his job Sean Curran was given a massive promotion.

“Now, I want you to look critically at this photo. They allowed President Trump to stand up, exposing multiple potential kill shots, as the flag is gently lowered. Interesting that the other SS agents lower their heads as the perfectly time ICONIC photo is taken. Honestly, it couldn’t have been scripted better if were to have been done in a studio.”

The Butler rally shooting resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a former Pennsylvania fire chief, who was killed while shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire.

Following the incident, then–Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense scrutiny over security lapses during the event. She ultimately stepped down from her role later that month.

{Matzav.com}

The following is an ‘Ask The Chief’ question submitted to TLS, and the Chief’s response. Email your questions for the Chief to [email protected].

Question:

Good morning!

Thank you for all your hard work.

There are many corners in Westgate that are clearly marked as a No Parking Zone and striped that way as well.

However many people ignore it and park there anyways. This a daily issue. This makes turning very very difficult for busses and even regular cars. I am unsure what these selfish people are thinking but they continue to park there.

I don’t know what the solution is but perhaps metal poles can be placed a foot into the street so as to prevent cars from trying to park there? Or even a one-two day crackdown may help.

Thank you

Westgate resident

The Chief’s response:

Thank you for your question. We will take a look and see how we can best try to resolve the parking situation.

————-
Have a question for the Chief? Email it to [email protected]

Have a question for the Mayor? Email it to [email protected]

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The New York Times reported overnight Sunday that Hamas is willing to give up several thousand automatic rifles and additional weapons belonging to its policing forces, according to two sources within the organization.

The report stated that this would be an “unusual concession” by Hamas, which until now has publicly refused to surrender any weapons. The sources said Hamas is prepared to hand over the weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, established as part of the U.S. administration’s “Peace Council” plan.

It was also emphasized that the proposal from the two Hamas sources falls far short of full disarmament or the demilitarization of Gaza, the main demand of Israel and a key element of Donald Trump’s plan. When asked whether the technocratic committee would be able to confiscate weapons belonging to Hamas’s military wing, the sources did not provide a clear answer.

Both sources belong to the Hamas office responsible for the Gaza Strip and responded anonymously to written questions submitted by the newspaper.

These remarks come amid a proposal by Nikolay Mladenov, director of the Peace Council, under which Hamas would begin disarming as a condition for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. During discussions held last week in Egypt, senior Hamas officials did not give a positive response to the proposal, saying they would “hold consultations,” according to reports in Arab media.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it launched another strike on a boat accused of ferrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people Sunday.

The Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 181 people in total. Other strikes have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Despite the Iran war, the series of strikes have ramped up again in the past week or so, showing that the administration’s aggressive measures to stop what it calls “narcoterrorism” in the Western Hemisphere are not letting up. The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.

The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.

In the latest attack Sunday, U.S. Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion engulfs the vessel in flames.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.

Turkey’s foreign minister sharply criticized Israel over the weekend, accusing it of using security concerns as a cover for territorial expansion, in remarks that reflect worsening tensions between the two countries.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Mediterranean resort city, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan alleged that Israel is pursuing broader ambitions beyond self-defense.

“Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land,” Fidan charged, adding, “Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land.”

Addressing a panel in English, Fidan argued that Israel has misrepresented its actions on the world stage.

“It has become very clear, especially in recent years, that it is more than that,” he said.

He went on to claim that Israel’s activities—from Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and eastern Yerushalayim, to areas near Lebanon and Syria—reflect a pattern of continued expansion.

“I think this has to stop,” Fidan said.

“Israel has to know that the only way to live peacefully in the region is to let other countries enjoy their own security, territorial integrity and freedom, and not to use power against them,” he added.

Relations between Turkey and Israel had been improving prior to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, but have since deteriorated, with Turkish officials—particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—repeatedly condemning Israeli actions.

In March of last year, Erdogan labeled Israel a “terror state” following Israeli strikes on Hamas-linked targets in Gaza.

Later, he described the government of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as a major destabilizing force in the Middle East.

In April 2024, Erdogan hosted then-Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, months before Haniyeh was later killed in an Israeli operation.

Following that meeting, Erdogan emphasized the importance of unity among Palestinian factions, saying it was “vital” and adding, “The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity.”

In subsequent weeks, Erdogan stated that over 1,000 Hamas members were receiving medical care in Turkish hospitals and objected to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referring to Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Tensions escalated further last week when Istanbul prosecutors filed a sweeping indictment against 35 senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, over the Israeli navy’s interception of the “Sumud” flotilla headed to Gaza in October.

The charges carry the possibility of severe penalties, including life sentences and additional cumulative prison terms totaling thousands of years.

Israel responded forcefully, with Defense Minister Yisroel Katz condemning the move and directing harsh criticism at Erdogan.

“Turkish President Erdogan, who did not respond to missile fire from Iran into Turkish territory and was revealed as a paper tiger, is fleeing to the realms of antisemitism and declaring field trials in Turkey against Israel’s political and military leadership,” Katz said.

He added, “What an absurdity. The Muslim Brotherhood man, who massacred Kurds, is accusing Israel of genocide for defending itself against his Hamas partners.”

“Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination – and he had better sit quietly and shut up.”

{Matzav.com}

LONDON (AP) — British police have arrested two teenagers in connection with a weekend arson attack on a synagogue in northwest London as Jewish leaders express concern about a wave of recent incidents targeting their community.

Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes of London’s Metropolitan Police Service on Monday said officers arrested two young men, aged 19 and 17, overnight in relation to the attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in the borough of Harrow. The department has made 15 arrests related to six attacks on Jewish targets and a Persian-language media company that occurred over the past few weeks, he said in an interview with the BBC.

One “serious line of inquiry” is that Iran is hiring local criminals to carry out these attacks amid tensions in the Middle East, including the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic, Jukes said.

“We’ve seen a pattern with other actors of thugs for hire, people taking cash that looks like quick and easy money,” Jukes said.

“This is part of the modern hybrid war fought by proxies,” he added.

In the most recent incident, a bottle containing a flammable liquid was thrown through the window of the Harrow synagogue on Saturday night, causing smoke damage, police said.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — What began as a troubling rumor in the halls of Congress has, in recent days, turned into an official federal investigation at the highest level. The slew of disappearances and deaths of senior American scientists has now reached an astonishing total of 11 victims. All of them worked on sensitive projects for the U.S. Air Force, NASA, or nuclear facilities, and all either vanished without a trace or died under suspicious circumstances.

The online uproar forced U.S. President Donald Trump to address the issue last Thursday. “I hope it’s a coincidence, but we’ll know within the next week and a half,” he told reporters, adding that it is a “very serious matter.” A White House spokesperson confirmed that the FBI has joined the investigation to look for common links between the cases and “turn over every stone.” Congressman Eric Burlison warned that this could be a national security crisis potentially connected to China, Russia, Iran, or even hidden secrets about UFOs.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) on Sunday said the committee will investigate the deaths and disappearances of the  scientists, who all had links to U.S. nuclear or space research programs. Authorities have not confirmed an official connection between members of the group, though it’s been noted that each of them had high-level security clearances at certain national research facilities.

As if the federal investigation weren’t enough, another bizarre event reignited conspiracy theories. On April 8, residents in Ohio documented a cluster of glowing, flickering lights moving in a triangular formation above the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, before splitting apart and disappearing. This base is not just any military installation—it is rumored to house the famous “Hangar 18,” where alien remains from the Roswell incident were allegedly taken.

The truly chilling detail? The base was previously managed by Major General William McCasland, the senior officer who has been missing since late February. McCasland reportedly left his home on foot, leaving behind his phone and smartwatch, and taking only a .38-caliber handgun. In a recently revealed 911 call, his wife is heard saying that it seemed he “planned not to be found.” McCasland has previously been linked, through WikiLeaks disclosures, to programs involving reverse engineering of alien technology and alternative energy. Online users are now divided over whether the lights above the base were military parachuters using flares or something extraterrestrial connected to his disappearance.

While authorities are trying to unravel the disappearance of McCasland and four other scientists (all of whom, notably, left their homes on foot and left their phones behind), disturbing details are emerging about related deaths.

One prominent case is that of Amy Eskerdge, a 34-year-old researcher who worked on anti-gravity technology. In 2022, she was found shot in the head in what was ruled a suicide. However, it has now emerged that before her death she warned close associates that she was receiving threats due to her intention to reveal secrets about extraterrestrials.

“If you stick your neck out… they’ll bury you, they’ll burn your house while you’re sleeping, and it won’t even make the news,” she reportedly said.

A former British intelligence officer who investigated the case told Congress that Eskerdge was murdered and may have been attacked using a “directed energy weapon.”

Is a mysterious force, human or extraterrestrial, systematically eliminating some of America’s brightest minds? Now that the FBI is involved, the truth may finally come to light.

Naftali Bennett has been waging a battle in recent days to win over secular voters for his “Bennett 2026” party after beginning to slip in the polls.

Last week, he added the founder of an anti-Chareidi organization to his party list, a figure at the forefront of the battle against the Olam HaTorah.

However, Bennett’s statements in an interview on Monday morning with Army Radio went far beyond the anti-Chareidi agenda, aiming at the heart of the most basic Jewish values and religious status quo. Bennett, who formerly headed the religious Yamina and Bayit Yehudi parties, made shocking public statements in support of public Chillul Shabbos and non-halachic marriage.

“Public transportation should be allowed on Shabbos in every city that wants it,” he said.

He also expressed his support for civil marriage in Israel for “anyone who wants”—a public statement of support for intermarriage and gay marriage.

At the same time, Bennett claimed that he is still right-wing and compared the elections in Israel to the elections in Hungary: “We must learn from the Hungarian model of a right-wing but also state-oriented public,” he said. “We must stand behind right-wing positions, and thus we can replace the government.”

The Shas party responded sharply: “Anyone willing to sell the state’s Jewish identity—the holy Shabbos and marriage k’das Moshe and Yisrael—for political gain—will one day also sell Eretz Yisrael and Yehudah and Shomron.”

UTJ chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf said, “I would not be impressed by Bennett’s promises of civil marriage and Chillul Shabbos. He also promised not to sit with Mansour Abbas and signed a paper on a live broadcast that he would not allow Lapid to become prime minister. Even those on the left understand that he is trying to deceive people and steal votes.”

Democrats chairman Yair Golan rushed to praise Bennett’s statements, saying, “Bennett, welcome. Civil marriage in a liberal democratic country is a must. This is our Judaism, and we will demand it in the next government.”

“You’ve come a long way from the Bayit Yehudi until now. It’s nice to see that even in politics there are pleasant surprises and that even on the right they understand that only a strong liberal Israel will prevail.”

Golan expressed his hopes that Bennett will become a full-fledged liberal and also abandon his support for Yehuda and Shomron.

“I hope Bennett’s journey will continue one more step towards the necessary understanding that even political moves— parting with annexation fantasies— and courageous decisions are the right and only way to real security,” Golan wrote.

Golan did not explain why he still believes—after Israel was “rewarded” for giving up Gaza with the October 7 massacre— that giving up the fight for Yehudah and Shomron would lead to “real security.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of religious issues, saying the president lacks understanding of faith and describing recent remarks about Pope Leo as inappropriate.

Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie also took aim at Vice President JD Vance, suggesting his alignment with Trump on religious matters could carry political consequences.

Christie said, “This vice president, who is, you know, now a Catholic convert, early on in your Catholicism, taking on the pope probably isn’t the greatest thing in the world. But, you know, JD Vance is following, as he always does the lead of Donald Trump. He cannot get out from Donald Trump’s back. He cannot ever do anything that isn’t completely 110 percent supportive of what Trump says. But here’s the problem, he’s leading himself to a real, real political problem for himself. Donald Trump knows about as much about the Catholic Church as my phone does.”

He continued his criticism of the president’s familiarity with religion more broadly.

He continued, “This is a guy who knows nothing about religion, has no religious basis at all. Ramesh and I were speaking in the green room about the time when they asked him about which one he preferred, the New Testament or the Old Testament. He goes, well, I like them both. I like them both. You know, this is a guy who’s a fake. He’s a phony. And JD I have a little advice for you this morning, don’t be following a phony on issues of religion and taking on Pope Leo. The other complication here, Jon, is, this is the first American pope. So, American Catholics not only follow him as Catholics, but they have a great pride of ownership in this pope. And so it’s personal on top of being theological.”

Christie said the situation could have lasting political ramifications, particularly among Catholic voters.

He added, “And so, I think this is a real problem politically for them. Catholics are not going to forget that this president, and my party’s leadership, has taken on Pope Leo in a really, really gross way.”

Two U.S. Embassy officials were killed early Sunday after helping dismantle clandestine methamphetamine labs in northern Mexico, when their vehicle plunged into a ravine as they returned from the operation. The crash in Chihuahua also killed two senior Mexican law enforcement officials.

The team had just taken part in a joint operation in the mountainous region between Guachochi and Morelos, where authorities located and destroyed two drug labs. Investigators seized large amounts of equipment and materials used in illegal substance production, with one site described by officials as among the largest found in the area.

As the convoy made its way back around 2 a.m., one of the vehicles reportedly skidded while navigating steep terrain and fell into a deep ravine. The car was traveling with several other units, but only the lead vehicle went over the edge. All four occupants were killed at the scene.

Mexican authorities identified the victims as Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, director of Chihuahua’s State Investigation Agency, and his bodyguard Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes. The two Americans, who have not been publicly identified, were U.S. Embassy instructors working alongside Mexican forces in a training and advisory role.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths, calling them “a solemn reminder of the risks” faced by those working to protect their communities. The incident comes as ongoing joint efforts between U.S. and Mexican authorities continue to disrupt cartel-linked drug production networks.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Mossad, IDF, and Shin Bet  revealed on Monday that a terror network operating in Azerbaijan under Iranian direction had been foiled.

According to the statement, the network planned to target the oil pipeline running through Georgia and Turkey (the BTC pipeline), as well as several Jewish and Israeli targets in the country, including the Israeli embassy, a synagogue in Baku, and leaders of the local Jewish community.

Members of the operational cell were arrested by Azerbaijani authorities while in possession of explosive drones and fragmentation devices that had been smuggled into the country. The cell members had been gathering intelligence on their targets, including through physical surveillance and photography.

Israel’s intelligence community also revealed today the full structure of the covert terror apparatus of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The exposure followed a series of assassinations carried out by the Israeli Air Force during the “Roar of the Lion” war against senior figures in the network, alongside intensive operations by the Mossad and its partners in global security and law enforcement agencies. These efforts culminated in widespread arrests and interrogations of terror cells operating on behalf of the apparatus around the world.

At the head of the network was Rahman Moqaddam, who also served as head of the Special Operations Division (Unit 4000) within the IRGC’s intelligence organization. He was eliminated by the Israeli Air Force at the beginning of the Roaring Lion campaign.
Unit 4000, which he led, was responsible for promoting terror operations outside Iran against Israeli and Western targets, as well as for attempts to smuggle advanced weapons into Israeli territory.

In recent years, Moqaddam advanced the organization’s global terror efforts, including recruiting and training operatives in Iran and abroad. This activity aimed to gather intelligence on Israeli political leaders, members of the Israeli security community, as well as military sites, ports, and Israeli vessels both in Israel and worldwide.

Operating under his command was Mohsan Souri, a senior figure in Unit 4000 and a key operative in the network. He was also killed during the war in a safehouse along with other IRGC members. As part of his operational role — like other operatives in the covert terror network — Souri played a significant part in activities outside Iran, taking part in multiple operational cycles during which he met with local terror cells and directed them in carrying out missions on the ground.

Alongside Souri, other IRGC officers operated across Europe, the Middle East, and Azerbaijan, including Mehdi Yakah-Dehghan, known as “the Doctor,” who led terror efforts in Azerbaijan.

Dehghan has been known since earlier this year following the arrest of an operational network in Turkey that, under his direction, smuggled explosive drones from Iran into Turkey and from there to Cyprus, while collecting intelligence on the U.S. Air Force base at Incirlik in Adana.

According to the Mossad, the Roaring Lion campaign has led to further escalation in Iranian aggression in the region, including efforts to expand its capabilities.
It is also known that members of this network cooperate with additional actors, such as pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, in carrying out planned attacks.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Hundreds of people attended a ceremony Sunday marking the reestablishment of the Sa-Nur settlement in northern Samaria, which was evacuated 21 years ago during Israel’s 2005 disengagement. The event followed the arrival of the first families who have moved back to the site.

Government ministers and Knesset members took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves in the Defense Ministry. He thanked Defense Minister Israel Katz and described the move as a turning point.

“We are carrying out a historic correction, killing the idea of a Palestinian state and returning to Sa-Nur,” Smotrich said. “This is a holiday for the settlement movement.”

Smotrich, who is the effective ruler of the region as minister responsible for Judea and Samaria, added that 11 new communities are slated to be built in Northern Samaria in the near future.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan also welcomed the return, calling it both a national and personal milestone.

Dagan, whose family had been evicted from Sa-Nur during the disengagement, arrived on Sunday morning with his wife, Oriah, and their children, unloaded their belongings at their new–old home, and then cut the ribbon at the entrance to the community. He  recited with emotion the blessing: “Baruch Matziv Gvul Almana.”

אחרי 21 שנה: השרים סמוטריץ׳ אלקין ויוסי דגן חונכים את היישוב שא-נור המחודש.
עם ישראל חי.🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/Qqq2jo7kKH

— מה חדש. What’s new❓ (@Gloz111) April 19, 2026

“Today we are making history and effectively reversing the expulsion from northern Samaria,” Dagan said. “Sa-Nur will become a city, and northern Samaria will become one of the most thriving regions in Israel.”

About a year ago, the security cabinet quietly approved the establishment of 22 settlements in the region, including the dismantled settlements of Homesh and Sa-Nur. The proposal was promoted by Defense Minister Katz and Smotrich.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country’s longstanding economic partnership with the United States has turned into a liability, pointing to sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that have strained cross-border trade.

In a video address released Sunday, Carney argued that Washington’s recent trade policies mark a significant shift.

The United States has “fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression.”

He said the evolving relationship has altered Canada’s economic position in a fundamental way.

This has meant that “many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses — weaknesses that we must correct.”

Carney’s remarks come as tensions escalate between the two countries following the imposition of tariffs that have disrupted decades of cooperation. Among the measures is a broad 10% tariff applied to goods not covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade pact, known as CUSMA.

Additional duties have targeted key industries, including a 50% tariff on Canadian goods primarily composed of steel, aluminum, or copper, along with a 25% levy on products largely made from those materials. Certain categories of heavy machinery exported from Canada now face tariffs of 15% when entering the U.S.

Canadian officials say the economic consequences have been severe, affecting multiple sectors and creating widespread uncertainty.

Ottawa says the effect of these measures has been profound, “displacing workers, disrupting supply chains, forcing companies to rethink where they source their materials and products, and causing uncertainty that is curbing investment.”

While Canada still benefits from relatively favorable terms compared to other U.S. trading partners, Carney acknowledged that the reliance on American markets can no longer be taken for granted.

“we cannot rely on our most important trade relationship as we once did. We must build our strength at home,” Carney said.

He added that key industries are feeling the pressure from the tariffs.

“Workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs in autos and steel and lumber are under threat,” he said. “Businesses are holding back investments restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s hanging over all of us.”

Amid the ongoing trade conflict and President Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada could become the “51st state,” Carney’s government moved earlier this year to strengthen ties with China. In January, Canada and China reached an agreement to ease certain tariffs on each other’s goods.

Under the deal, China reduced duties on Canadian agricultural exports, while Canada cut tariffs on tens of thousands of Chinese-made electric vehicles.

President Trump criticized the agreement and warned of potential retaliation.

“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric and general way of life,” the U.S. president asserted.

Despite that criticism, Carney defended efforts to diversify Canada’s trade relationships, emphasizing the need for broader economic independence.

“We will attract new investment so we can build more for ourselves, striking new partnerships abroad so we can sell into new markets.

“It’s about taking back control of our security, our borders and our future.”

{Matzav.com}

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The Shin Bet and Israel Police’s Central District major crimes unit have blown the lid off yet another Iranian recruitment operation targeting Israeli citizens, announcing the arrests of two young men from the country’s heartland who allegedly served Tehran’s intelligence handlers for months.

The primary suspect, Sagi Haik, 19, from Ness Ziona, was detained earlier this year after a covert investigation revealed he had been in sustained online contact with an Iranian foreign agent. Investigators allege he had been in contact for several months with an Iranian agent through online channels, during which he provided identifying personal information about himself and members of his family. He also agreed to carry out training in an Arab country and was asked to recruit additional individuals to assist in tasks directed by the Iranian handler.

A view of an Iranian missile after it fell near Qamishli International Airport, near the Turkish border in the Qamishli district of Hasakah, Syria, on March 4, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. (Photo by Amjad Kurdo / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Several family members began receiving direct threatening messages from the Iranian agent, but despite this, Haik continued the relationship. Rather than going to authorities, he pressed on, eventually pulling in a friend, Asaf Shitrit, 21, a resident of Beit Oved, a moshav in central Israel, to help carry out at least one assignment for Tehran. Shitrit was arrested once Haik confessed his role during Shin Bet questioning.

Authorities say a serious indictment is expected to be filed against both suspects in the Central District Court in Lod, with charges reflecting the gravity of serious security offenses committed on behalf of a hostile foreign state.

Credit: Shin Bet

Iranian intelligence has massively scaled up its digital recruitment campaign against Israelis, using Telegram, social media and encrypted messaging platforms to dangle cash, cryptocurrency and the promise of easy money in exchange for surveillance, graffiti, arson and in some cases far more sinister missions. In its annual report published in February, the Shin Bet said 25 Israelis and foreign residents were indicted in 2025 for spying for Iran, while 120 separate Iranian espionage incidents were thwarted that year. The agency also noted that attempts to recruit Israelis rose by 400% in 2025 compared with 2024.

Recent cases paint a disturbing portrait of how Tehran operates. Investigators filed an indictment against a 14-year-old from central Israel accused of carrying out paid assignments for hostile actors he believed were tied to Iran, including spray-painting graffiti, filming near Ichilov Hospital, documenting neighborhoods in Ramat Gan, and recording the Tel Aviv skyline. In another case, a resident of the central city of Rishon LeZion was arrested on suspicion of carrying out surveillance missions under the direction of Iranian intelligence, including photographing near the home of former prime minister Naftali Bennett. The pattern is almost always the same: simple, well-paid “errands” online that slowly escalate into full-scale espionage.

Security officials have repeatedly warned that Iran is deliberately exploiting financial pressure, loneliness and adolescent naivety to weaponize Israeli citizens against their own country. The Shin Bet has urged the public to immediately report any suspicious online approach offering money for unusual tasks, stressing that seemingly harmless assignments are almost always the first rung on a ladder leading to far more dangerous operations.

Concern is growing over the condition of the Belzer Rebbe, who has weakened in recent days and is in great need of tefillos.

On Sunday evening, an urgent call was issued to the public to daven for the Rebbe.

A special announcement was released on the Kol Belz phone line saying that the Rebbe will not attend Maariv and Sefiras HaOmer at the large Beis Medrash in Kiryat Belz in Jerusalem.

The Rebbe’s son, Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach, issued a personal and emotional request, saying: “Since my father, the Rebbe, is very weak, we ask everyone to say several perakim of Tehillim, give tzedaka, and arouse Rachamei Shamayim.”

Chassidim worldwide began organizing tefillah gathering on Sunday evening.

The public is asked to daven for the refuah sheleimah of the Rebbe, Yissachar Dov ben Miriam, b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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A Creature Whose Very Existence Testifies to a Designer

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) Every creature in the natural world is a mofes, a living testimony to the chochmah of the Borei Olam. But some creatures testify louder than others. Some, when examined honestly, simply cannot be explained by any process of slow, gradual, unguided change. They demand a Designer. The secretary bird — Sagittarius serpentarius — is one of these.

Walking the open savannas of sub-Saharan Africa on absurdly long legs, crowned with a spray of dark quill-like feathers that look like the goose quills a scribe once tucked behind his ear, this bird does something no other raptor on earth does. It hunts venomous snakes — cobras, mambas, vipers — by kicking them to death. And not with ordinary kicks. With kicks so fast, so forceful, and so neurologically demanding that they strain the very limits of what biology can do.

A Predator Built for a Task

The open grasslands where the secretary bird lives offer no cover. There are no trees from which to ambush prey, no thick canopy to dive through. Rodents, lizards, and snakes move through the tall grass, briefly exposed and then hidden again. The classic raptor strategy — spot, dive, seize with talons – does not work here.

So the secretary bird walks. It strides through the grass, flushing out prey. And when a snake rears up to strike, the bird strikes first.

Its legs are long enough to keep its body just beyond the snake’s lunging range. Its foot comes down on the snake’s head — the one target that reliably neutralizes the threat — with devastating force. Miss by an inch, and a fanged mouth full of neurotoxic venom finds a leg. Strike correctly, and dinner is served.

This is a precision weapon system no different than the new Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) just used against Iran.

The Numbers That Should Stop Us Cold

A 2016 study published in Current Biology put the secretary bird’s kick under the microscope. Researchers trained a male bird named Madeleine at the Hawk Conservancy Trust in England to strike at a rubber snake fitted with instruments, and the results were extraordinary.

The average peak force of a kick: roughly five times the bird’s body weight — about 195 newtons from an animal weighing less than four kilograms. The duration of contact with the target: approximately 15 milliseconds. That is not a typo. Fifteen one-thousandths of a second.

To appreciate what this means, consider that the adult human nervous system takes between 200 and 300 milliseconds to process tactile information and issue a corrective motor response. The secretary bird’s entire strike — impact, force delivery, withdrawal — is complete in less than one-twentieth the time it takes a person to even register that something has touched their skin.

The researchers drew the obvious conclusion: the bird cannot possibly be using real-time sensory feedback to guide the kick. There is no time. The entire motion must be planned, aimed, and committed to before it begins. The bird’s brain effectively fires a ballistic missile at a moving snake’s head — and hits.

Why This Speed Could Not Have Evolved Gradually

Here is where the story turns from remarkable to impossible — at least, impossible within the framework of slow, random, step-by-step change.

The standard evolutionary model taught holds that complex behaviors emerge incrementally. A mutation produces a slightly longer leg. That leg confers a tiny survival advantage. Over generations, longer legs accumulate. Somewhere along the way, the bird begins kicking prey. Kicks become stronger. Aim improves. And eventually, after countless generations, you arrive at the modern secretary bird.

But apply that logic honestly to what the 2016 study actually measured, and the whole edifice collapses.

Consider what the secretary bird’s kick requires, simultaneously, in order to function at all:

First, legs long enough to reach beyond a striking snake’s range. A slightly longer leg does not help. The leg must be long enough, specifically, to exceed the lunge distance of a cobra. Shorter legs put the bird in the kill zone.

Second, muscular and skeletal architecture capable of generating five times body weight in peak force. Bones must be reinforced at the same time as tendons must be tuned like springs. Joint geometry must permit the motion. A bird with the legs but not the musculature produces a weak slap, not a killing blow.

Third, a nervous system capable of pre-programmed ballistic targeting. The entire strike unfolds faster than feedback can travel from foot to brain and back. This means the visual system must predict where the snake’s head will be, compute the required trajectory, and fire the motor command — all before contact. A bird that kicks “mostly right” at a cobra dies.

Fourth, the behavioral instinct to kick the head specifically. A kick aimed at the body of a cobra leaves the head free to strike back. A kick aimed at the head must be hardwired, not learned, because learning requires surviving mistakes — and there are no surviving mistakes when the teacher is a mamba.

Fifth, scaled armored feet. An ordinary foot, unprotected, would be punctured on the first encounter. The secretary bird’s feet carry specialized scaling to absorb fang pressure.

Now ask the honest question: which came first?

Long legs alone provide no benefit — they only put the bird closer to snakes it cannot yet kill. Strong leg muscles without the neural targeting system produce only a clumsy stomp. Neural targeting without the musculoskeletal hardware produces a beautifully aimed kick that bounces off. Armored feet without any of the rest are just oddly thick feet on a bird that doesn’t hunt snakes. The instinct to aim at a cobra’s head, absent every other component, is a suicide program.

Each component is useless — actively lethal, in fact — without all the others already in place. This is what the philosopher of biology Michael Behe called irreducible complexity, but one does not need Behe to see it. One needs only honesty. A system that must be complete to function cannot be assembled one random mutation at a time, because the intermediate stages do not help the bird survive. They kill it.

And the speed itself — that fifteen-millisecond window — seals the case. Speed that exceeds the nervous system’s feedback loop is not something a bird can gradually “get better at.” Either the entire predictive-ballistic neural architecture is in place, or the bird is operating blind against a venomous snake. There is no slow improvement from sighted feedback-guided kicking to blind predictive kicking, because feedback-guided kicking at a snake is itself a death sentence at these timescales.

Yad Hashem — The Signature on the Work

The Rambam, in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah (2:2), teaches that the path to ahavas Hashem and yiras Hashem runs directly through the contemplation of His creations: “When a person contemplates His wondrous and great works and creatures, and sees through them His wisdom which has no measure and no end — immediately he loves and praises and glorifies, and desires with a great desire to know the great Name.”

The Chovos HaLevavos devotes the entire Shaar HaBechinah to this avodah — the service of examining creation and drawing from it emunah in the Creator. The Rabbeinu Bachya writes there that every creature is a letter in a vast sefer, and that one who fails to read these letters has squandered the clearest proof of Hashem’s existence available to the human mind.

The secretary bird is such a letter.

Its long legs, its armored feet, its pre-programmed neural targeting, its hardwired instinct to strike the head of a venomous snake — each piece fits the others with the precision of a Master Engineer’s drafting. Remove any one piece and the animal cannot exist in its niche. Assemble all the pieces at once, in coordinated perfection, and you have a creature that walks the African grasslands as a living refutation of blind chance.

Secular biology calls this “convergent specialization” and moves on.

But the language papers over the problem rather than solving it. Naming a phenomenon is not explaining it. The question remains: how does a process that works by tiny, cumulative, random changes produce a system in which no intermediate stage is survivable? The honest answer is that it does not.

Such a system must be designed.

The Gemara in Chullin (127a) observes that Hashem filled His world with creatures of every kind to demonstrate His greatness, and that each one has something to teach. The secretary bird teaches something particular. It teaches that the chochmah of the Borei is not a vague, diffuse cleverness visible only in the large-scale beauty of the cosmos. It is a specific, engineered, mathematically quantifiable precision visible in the tendons of a bird’s leg and the timing circuits of its brain.

Yad Hashem is visible in the data.

What the Secretary Bird Asks of Us

When Dovid HaMelech stood before the creations of Hashem and sang “mah rabu maasecha,” he was explaining that the honest examination of a single creature is sufficient to drive a thinking human being to praise. The Malbim, commenting on this posuk, emphasizes the word “kulam” — all of them. Not merely the grand and obvious. Every one.

A bird kicks a cobra in the head at a speed faster than its own nervous system can consciously monitor. Every element of its anatomy, musculature, nervous system, and instinct is tuned to this single task, and every element is useless without the others. There is no gradual pathway from an ordinary bird to this one. There is only the design, complete, handed down from the Maker of birds and snakes and grasslands alike.

Mah rabu maasecha Hashem. Kulam b’chochmah asisa. How manifold are Your works, Hashem. All of them — including this strange, stalking, long-legged prophet of Your wisdom — in chochmah You made them all.

———

Rabbi Yair Hoffman can be reached at [email protected]

The Mets’ season has taken a nasty turn, and now the questions are coming from everywhere.

With the team losing 11 straight games, their longest losing streak since 2004, frustration is building up. On paper, the issues are normal, struggling with pitching, inconsistent hitting, and missing important opportunities.

But for some, speculation has taken on a life of its own.

A viral moment earlier this month, when NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani was seen greeting and embracing members of the Mets organization, specifically the Mets mascot, has now become the centerpiece of what some are calling the “Mamdani Hug Curse.” Since that interaction, the Mets haven’t won a single game.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 09: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani meets Mrs. Met and Mr. Met at Citi Field prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 09, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)

Social media has exploded with posts tying the two together.

“Mets lose! Mets lose! And today makes 11 since the ‘NYC Mayor hug’… and you’re gonna tell me that’s not karma?!” one widely shared post by Sid Rosenberg read.

Mets lose! Mets lose! And today makes 11 since the “@NYCMayor Hug”
and you are gonna tell me that’s not Karma you dumb bastards! Happy birthday to me! If @StevenACohen2 calls me maybe I’ll lift the curse!

— Sid Rosenberg (@sidrosenberg19) April 19, 2026

Sid Rosenberg ties in another recent event into this streak of bad luck. Sid has pointed to the team’s decision to cancel a planned Jewish Heritage Night, which he and many others viewed as unnecessary and offensive.

Now, in the middle of a historic losing streak, those reasons are being used to explain the broader narrative, with some fans openly speculating about karma and consequences.

[Video below.] U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Sunday pushed back against criticism of President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States could target key Iranian infrastructure if Tehran rejects a proposed peace agreement.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that if Iran refuses to accept what he described as a “very fair and reasonable” deal, the U.S. military “is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single bridge” in the country.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Waltz was asked by host Jonathan Karl whether such actions could be considered war crimes. In response, he said they “would be an escalatory ladder.”

Waltz also drew a historical comparison to World War II, noting that U.S. and allied forces “bombed and took down bridges, other infrastructure, power plants” in Germany that “could be used for civilian [purposes] but also are used to manufacture drones and missiles.”

Under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, deliberately targeting civilians or civilian structures not involved in military activity is classified as a war crime. However, the United States is not a member of the ICC, and Trump imposed sanctions on the court last year after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC,” Trump wrote in his executive order at the time. “Neither country has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war.”

Waltz also accused Iran’s leadership and affiliated militant groups of embedding military operations within civilian settings, including “deliberately hiding military infrastructure in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods and other civilian assets.” He argued that this undermines claims against potential U.S. actions, stating that they have “no ground to stand on, number one.”

He continued by outlining additional points, saying, “Number two, they have a long history of commingling,” and “Number three, it’s perfectly acceptable in the rules of land warfare. Number four, the Iranian regime is launching drones and missiles directly into civilian homes, hotels and resorts across the Gulf.”

“So, this is just a ridiculous argument we’ve heard in the media and from the Iranians and frankly, from some lawmakers here at home,” Waltz concluded, referring to Democratic lawmakers who have criticized Trump’s threats toward Iran.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A new national survey indicates that most registered voters believe President Donald Trump bears significant responsibility for the recent increase in gasoline prices.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, 51 percent of respondents said they blame Trump “a lot” for the surge in fuel costs, while another 14 percent said they blame him “some.” In contrast, 11 percent said they blame him “not much,” and 23 percent indicated they do not blame him at all.

Fuel prices across the country currently average $4.04 per gallon, based on data from AAA. At the same point last year, the average stood at $3.17 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The rise in prices has been largely attributed to disruptions in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global passageway that handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply. Iran closed the route following the outbreak of U.S.-Israeli military operations, contributing to supply constraints.

In response, the United States has implemented a naval blockade aimed at preventing Iran from controlling which vessels are allowed to pass through the strait.

Despite the current spike, Trump said on Wednesday that he expects prices to fall “tremendously” in the coming months and expressed confidence that oil costs will not remain elevated by the time of the midterm elections.

However, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that gasoline prices may not dip below $3 per gallon until sometime next year.

The poll revealed sharp political divisions over who is to blame for the rising costs.

Among Democrats, 91 percent said they blame Trump “a lot,” 6 percent said “some,” and 1 percent said “not much.”

Independent voters were also more likely to fault the president, with 53 percent saying they blame Trump “a lot,” 20 percent saying “some,” and 10 percent saying “not much,” while 15 percent said they do not blame him at all.

Republicans showed a markedly different view. Just 9 percent said they blame Trump “a lot,” 13 percent said “some,” and 23 percent said “not much.” A majority, 53 percent, said they do not hold him responsible at all.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are set to continue, with negotiations between the United States and Iran scheduled to begin this week in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Global leaders have been urging both sides to de-escalate tensions and work toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz to restore stability in energy markets.

The survey also measured public opinion on military involvement, finding that 40 percent of registered voters support U.S. military action against Iran, while 53 percent oppose it. Seven percent said they were unsure or declined to respond.

The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,028 registered voters nationwide between April 9 and April 13 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has effectively assumed control over Tehran’s military operations and negotiating posture over the weekend, according to analysts who spoke with the New York Post on Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who leads the IRGC, along with close allies, has reportedly taken charge of key state decisions. Analysts point to recent Iranian attacks on vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s refusal to participate in peace talks with the United States this week as clear indicators, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.

The shift toward a more aggressive stance also indicates that relatively moderate figures within Iran’s leadership, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have been pushed aside.

Araghchi had initially agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after reaching an understanding with the Trump administration. However, the IRGC intervened, insisting the strategic waterway remain closed in response to the American blockade on Iranian ports.

Vahidi is said to have secured support from Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a longtime IRGC figure, further solidifying his control over decisions involving the strait.

Beyond the naval standoff, cooperation between Vahidi and Zolghadr has extended into diplomatic matters. Earlier this month, Vahidi reportedly brought Zolghadr into Iran’s negotiating delegation.

Zolghadr’s role was to ensure the delegation adhered strictly to IRGC directives and the authority of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership following his father’s death.

“Zolghadr sent a complaint to senior IRGC leaders, almost certainly including Vahidi, that Araghchi had surpassed his mandate during the negotiations by expressing flexibility regarding Iran’s support for the Axis of Resistance,” the ISW said of the initial peace talks.

That complaint triggered a response from senior figures in Tehran. According to the think tank, “Zolghadr’s anger caused senior leaders in Tehran, including former IRGC Intelligence Organization Chief and long-time member of Mojtaba’s inner circle, Hossein Taeb, to call the negotiating delegation back to Tehran.”

The alliance between Vahidi and Zolghadr has effectively positioned Vahidi as Iran’s primary decision-maker, second only to Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since being injured in the opening US-Israeli strikes that killed his father and other senior officials.

As a result, figures such as Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—despite their strong rhetoric against the United States—have been sidelined and are now viewed as lacking real authority.

According to the ISW, this dynamic weakens their ability to engage in meaningful negotiations, as they lack “leverage or formal executive authority to shape decision-making.”

The developments also cast doubt on claims from the Trump administration that it was dealing with a reformed Iranian leadership following the elimination of numerous senior officials during the conflict.

With no new date set for renewed US-Iran talks, uncertainty remains over whether the fragile cease-fire will hold beyond the Tuesday deadline.

Israeli and Lebanese representatives are moving closer to launching direct negotiations, with diplomatic sources pointing to meaningful progress and a possible extension of the current ceasefire as discussions intensify.

A second preparatory meeting between Israeli and Lebanese officials is expected to take place as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, according to a report by MTV Lebanon. The session is part of ongoing efforts to pave the way for formal, face-to-face negotiations between the two countries.

The upcoming meeting follows an earlier round of talks held in Washington, which included the participation of both nations’ ambassadors and was viewed as an unusual and notable step in relations between Israel and Lebanon. The next round is expected to focus on finalizing preliminary understandings, including setting a specific date and location for the start of direct negotiations.

At the same time, one of the key issues on the agenda will be whether to extend the current ceasefire between the two sides.

Officials involved in the process say the United States is pushing for a continuation of the temporary truce, with proposals ranging from an additional 10 days to as long as a month. The goal is to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed without a renewed escalation in hostilities.

In parallel, discussions are also taking place behind the scenes regarding a possible diplomatic development: a visit by Lebanon’s president to Washington as part of coordinated political talks. However, sources caution that the prospect of a direct meeting between him and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu remains distant and is currently viewed as highly sensitive from both a political and security standpoint.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday that he would use every available tool to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from appearing at polling locations in the city during the upcoming November midterm elections.

Speaking in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mamdani was asked how he would respond if federal immigration agents were stationed at voting sites. He replied, “I will do everything in my power to ensure that is not the case. I think it speaks to a vision of this country where democracy is something to be suppressed, as opposed to something to be protected.”

Mamdani argued that the broader use of ICE reflects misplaced priorities at the federal level. “I think that what we are seeing time and time again is an attempt to utilize ICE for all of the other functions of government that Republicans are unable to fund because they don’t want to ensure that these kinds of quality of services continue across the country,” he said.

Asked whether he had directly addressed the matter with President Donald Trump, Mamdani said he had raised his concerns repeatedly. “I’ve said to the president, ICE has nothing to do with elections. I’ve said to him time and time again that ICE is a cruel and inhumane agency, and that here in New York City, we are focused on delivering public safety. I talk about affordability every single day.”

The mayor also pushed back on suggestions that he has developed a uniquely effective approach in dealing with the president, attributing their communication to a shared connection to the city. “To be honest with you, I’m lucky in that I have something that no one else does, which is that I’m from New York City. And New York City holds a very special place for him, as well as for me,” Mamdani said.

He emphasized that their discussions often extend beyond national issues to more localized matters. “We’re both from this same city. And it means that our conversations are not just of the scale that is typical with the president, but also granular about even the things as specific as zoning law changes in Midtown Manhattan.”

Mamdani added that the president’s longstanding ties to New York influence his interest in the city’s future. “I think that speaks to the fact that Donald Trump is not just the president of this country. He’s also someone who’s been a New Yorker for his entire life, and there is an investment in this city doing well.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Monday it test-launched ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads in the second such test this month, likely underscoring its push to expand its capabilities to penetrate U.S. and South Korean defenses.

The report by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency appeared to refer to the multiple ballistic missile launches South Korea, Japan and the U.S. detected Sunday off North Korea’s east coast.

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un, rear left, with his daughter observes what it says a test launch of an upgraded surface-to-surface ballistic missile at an undisclosed place in North Korea Sunday, April 19, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

KCNA photos showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter, both wearing black leather jackets, watching from a coastal observation point as a projectile soared over the water, trailing gray smoke. South Korea’s spy service recently assessed that the daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, could be considered Kim’s heir.

Kim oversaw the launches of five upgraded surface-to-surface Hwasong-11 Ra ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads and fragmentation mine warheads, KCNA said.

The missiles struck an island target and Kim expressed satisfaction over the launches, saying “It is of weighty significance in military actions to boost the high-density striking capability,” according to KCNA.

In the earlier launch this month, North Korea tested Hwasong-11 Ka surface—to-surface ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads that it said “can reduce to ashes any target covering an area of 6.5-7 hectares (16 to 17.2 acres).”

North Korea has tested cluster bomb warheads before. But observers say the Iran war may have prompted North Korea to display it has cluster munitions and accelerate efforts to develop better ones.

This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says a test launch of an upgraded surface-to-surface ballistic missile at an undisclosed place in North Korea Sunday, April 19, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The destructiveness of cluster munitions has been highlighted in the ongoing war, with Israel accusing Iran of using such weapons to challenge the country’s stretched air defenses. The warheads burst open at high altitudes, scattering dozens of smaller bomblets across a wide area that are difficult to intercept.

More than 120 countries have signed an international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions, but North Korea, Iran, Israel and the United States are not among them.

North Korea has been pushing to expand its nuclear arsenal and acquire an array of high-tech weapons since Kim’s nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Among them are multi-warhead nuclear missiles, hypersonic weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, whose possessions would sharply increase prospects for North Korea defeating U.S. and South Korean missile defenses.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to restore diplomacy with Kim, and the North Korean leader has recently left open the door for dialogue with Trump but urged Washington to drop demands for the North’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.

Trump is to travels to Beijing for a rescheduled summit with Xi Jinping in May. Some observers North Korea’s recent testing activities were likely meant to increase its leverage in future dealings with the U.S., as the Trump-Xi meeting could provide a diplomatic opening with Pyongyang.

The summer zeman of תשפ״ו officially began on Sunday, the second of Iyar, with yeshivos and kollelim across the Torah world reopening their doors. Some yeshivos, including Mir and Tifrach, had already resumed learning at the end of last week, as bochurim returned refreshed after a month of bein hazmanim and the Pesach Yom Tov, observed this year in the shadow of the war with Iran.

This year’s opening comes under the weight of ongoing gezeiros affecting the עולם התורה, most notably cuts to kollelim funding. Compounding the strain is the historically low dollar exchange rate, which directly impacts American donations—the financial backbone of many Torah institutions.

Despite these pressures, the קול התורה continues to expand. Across the yeshiva world, the standard masechtos being learned follow the established סדרי הלימוד of Chevron—Bava Kamma—and Ponovezh—Bava Basra. Notably, bulletin boards in Modiin Illit are filled with announcements from dozens of kollelim accepting new avreichim for the upcoming zeman, reflecting continued growth—kein yirbu.

At Kollel “Siach Yitzchak,” under the leadership of Rav Yeshaya Levinstein, a new chaburas halacha has opened in its main Bnei Brak branch on Donolo Street, headed by Rav Vakshtok, formerly a rosh chaburah in Kollel Gertler. Meanwhile, Kollel “Ohel Yiska” in Petach Tikvah, led by Rav Moshe Pinkus and Rav Daniel Freiman, will temporarily relocate to the Chevra Chevron shul in Ganei Hadar due to renovations, where they will focus on the inyanim of gezeilah.

Tragedy in Netanya Casts Shadow Over Zeman Opening

In Yeshivas Tushia–Tifrach, the zeman began as early as Wednesday under a heavy cloud, following the devastating loss of two bochurim. Yissachar Dov Spiegel ז״ל drowned at the Netanya beach on Erev Shabbos, and his brother, Avraham Yeshaya Spiegel ז״ל, a bochur in shiur alef, was missing for ten days before being found just as the zeman began.

Even amid the tragedy, the yeshiva continues to grow. A major expansion of the beis medrash is underway, including the addition of a new gallery level to accommodate the increasing number of talmidim. The current classrooms are slated to be integrated into the beis medrash, with a new floor to be constructed above them. Construction is being carefully scheduled during bein hazmanim so as not to disrupt the sederim.

At Yeshivas Grodna in Be’er Yaakov, the zeman also opened in mourning following the passing of bochur Yehoshua Raam ז״ל, who drowned during bein hazmanim. The yeshiva is simultaneously preparing for the anticipated return of its rosh yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok ben Nechama Hacker, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, who had been seriously ill over the winter. A new vehicle has been arranged to assist him in traveling to the yeshiva, and he is expected to deliver a shiur klali in the coming week.

At Yeshivas Rina Shel Torah in Karmiel, headed by Rav Avraham Stewart, the yeshiva has finally returned home after an extended displacement to Bnei Brak during the war, following the closure of its building by Home Front Command. With the easing of restrictions, the yeshiva has now resumed operations at its original location with appropriate protected spaces.

Bochurim from Gur in Ashdod, who had temporarily relocated during the war and were learning in Grodna’s dormitory and local בתי חסידים, have now returned to Chatzor following the ceasefire.

Bava Basra Continues at Ponovezh and Across the Yeshiva World

At Yeshivas Ponovezh, the summer zeman continues the annual cycle of Bava Basra, a uniquely long masechta that spans an entire year of learning. After completing the first half during the winter, the yeshiva will now focus on the second half, dealing with hilchos yerushah and nachalos, learning perek Yesh Nochalin in seder alef and perek Mi Shemeis in seder beis.

Many other yeshivos that follow Ponovezh’s structured learning cycle will also continue with Bava Basra. The widely circulated weekly publication “Oholei HaYeshivos,” which compiles insights and questions from roshei yeshiva, will likewise continue this summer, now focusing on perek Yesh Nochalin.

Demand for admission into Ponovezh’s kibbutz and shiur gimmel has been exceptionally high. Out of more than sixty bochurim tested during the month of Nissan by Rav Yosef Kahaneman, about twenty were accepted.

Due to overcrowding in the yeshiva’s batei medrash, the arrangement introduced during Chanukah will remain in place: bochurim in kibbutz and avreichim will learn in Heichal HaGra”Ch, while the main heichal will be reserved for shiur gimmel and part of shiur alef.

On the physical side, extensive preparations were made during bein hazmanim, including deep cleaning, maintenance, and landscaping throughout the campus. In addition, Ponovezh is continuing its transition to advanced and energy-efficient systems, with solar panels currently being installed to provide sustainable electricity.

Appointments and Changes Across the Torah World

A l’chaim gathering was held marking the appointment of Rav Yisroel Klein as mashgiach in the yeshiva of Rav Moshe Sternbuch in Beit Shemesh. The event was attended by rabbanim and roshei yeshiva. Rav Klein will continue serving in his role at Yeshivas Tiferes HaTalmud. Construction has also begun on a permanent building for the expanding yeshiva in Ramat Beit Shemesh Dalet.

At Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchok in Hadera, a major expansion of the heichal is nearing completion to accommodate the growing number of talmidim, including a newly constructed grand entrance.

Yeshivas Migdal Oz in Givat Ze’ev announced the appointment of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, son of Rav Elya Boruch Finkel זצ״ל, as a new ram in the yeshiva.

In Yeshiva Ketana Divrei Mordechai in Bnei Brak, it was noted that the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yosef Berman, has begun wearing a new rounded hat in place of his longtime kneitsch.

Sephardic Yeshivos Begin Early with Strengthened Commitment

Following longstanding tradition, Yeshivas Porat Yosef began the summer zeman immediately after Pesach, as instituted by Rav Ezra Attiya זצ״ל. The opening featured a powerful shmuess by Rav Binyamin Finkel of Yeshivas Mir, emphasizing the unique schus of those who continue learning while others are still on break.

Rosh Yeshiva Chacham Moshe Tzadkah also delivered a shmuess, encouraging bochurim to remain steadfast in their commitment. “יכול מראש חודש? ת״ל ביום ההוא… מלמד שלא שינו”—urging them not to deviate from the mesorah of the yeshiva.

Similarly, Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim resumed learning early, following the directive of its late rosh yeshiva Rav Meir Mazuz זצ״ל. The zeman opened with a special gathering marking the first yahrtzeit, where rabbanim spoke about his legacy. The current rosh yeshiva, Rav Tzemach Mazuz, urged talmidim to continue in his brother’s path.

Learning at Kisei Rachamim has now begun perek Hazorek in Maseches Shabbos for bekius, along with hilchos shehiyah and hatmanah, following the successful completion of a comprehensive test on amirah l’akum at the end of the winter zeman.

{Matzav.com}

Argentina’s Javier Milei is doubling down on his bet that closer alignment with Israel — and, by extension, Washington — can redefine his country’s place on the global stage.

On a high-profile visit to Israel on Sunday, his third since taking office, the libertarian president stood alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to roll out a package of diplomatic, economic and security moves that signal a sharp geopolitical pivot: a new bilateral pact, plans for direct flights, and a renewed push to relocate Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem.

At the center of the visit is the signing of the so-called “Isaac Accords,” a framework agreement designed to expand cooperation on security, artificial intelligence and economic policy, while also positioning Argentina and Israel as anchors of what Netanyahu described as an emerging “alliance of freedom.” The branding is deliberate, echoing the Abraham Accords that reshaped Israel’s ties in the Arab world and now serve as a model for outreach beyond the region.

“This is a historic moment,” Milei said during the signing ceremony, casting the agreement as both a bilateral milestone and a broader ideological project aimed at linking Israel with Western Hemisphere allies around shared democratic and security priorities.

Behind the rhetoric is a more concrete agenda. According to a joint statement, the accords envision coordination against Iranian influence in Latin America, deeper alignment in international forums and expanded cooperation in technology and trade, including an ambitious push to position Argentina as a global hub for artificial intelligence.

“Israel is now a leading technological power, and Argentina has the human capital and regulatory freedom to become the world’s next AI center,” Milei said, outlining plans for joint development and training initiatives.

The visit also produced tangible deliverables. Officials confirmed that direct commercial flights between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires are expected to launch by the end of the year, a move both sides framed as symbolic as well as practical. “You have brought our people closer. Now we’re bringing them even closer,” Netanyahu said.

Perhaps more politically charged is Milei’s renewed commitment to move Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem, a step that would align Buenos Aires with a small group of countries, including the United States, that recognize the city as Israel’s capital. The pledge had appeared to stall earlier this year amid tensions tied to energy exploration disputes, but Milei’s remarks suggest the plan is back on track.

The Argentine leader’s embrace of Israel comes with broader geopolitical implications. Milei, a staunch ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has positioned his foreign policy around a pro-Western, anti-Iran posture, including recently expelling Tehran’s envoy and intensifying rhetoric over Iran’s alleged role in past terror attacks on Argentine soil.

That history loomed over the visit. Milei invoked the 1992 bombing of Israel’s embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 attack on a Jewish community center — both widely attributed by Argentine authorities to Iran — as a shared point of trauma binding the two countries.

“Argentina and Israel are brothers in pain,” he said.

Netanyahu, for his part, leaned into the personal and political symbolism of the relationship, praising Milei as both a “great economic leader” and a close ally. In a rare gesture, the Israeli leader announced that Milei would be honored at Israel’s upcoming Independence Day ceremony — the first time a foreign leader has received that distinction.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

MIAMI (VINnews) — One of the largest emergency departments in the United States is set to open this week at Jackson Memorial Hospital, following a $400 million expansion aimed at transforming emergency care in South Florida.

The new 178,000-square-foot facility is about three times the size of the hospital’s existing ER, which is already among the busiest in the nation. Officials say the expansion is designed to reduce wait times, improve patient flow and provide greater privacy.

David Zambrana, CEO of Jackson Health System, said the rollout will take place in phases. The first phase will include 134 rooms, with capacity expected to grow to more than 200 beds. A 57-bed observation unit will allow patients to stay for short-term monitoring without full admission.

A second phase will introduce a pediatric emergency department with 24 beds.

The new facility also includes private waiting areas for families and an additional helicopter landing pad. Hospital officials said the expansion marks a significant step forward while the Ryder Trauma Center will continue handling Level I trauma cases.

The emergency department is scheduled to open Wednesday, with the full project expected to be completed in 2027.

A leading nuclear expert is warning that any U.S. effort to physically seize Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium would be far more complex — and far more dangerous — than past operations, potentially requiring a massive military deployment deep inside the country.

Speaking on 60 Minutes Sunday, Andrew Weber, who helped orchestrate the covert removal of more than 1,300 pounds of highly enriched uranium from Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union, said replicating such a mission in Iran would be on an entirely different scale.

That earlier operation, which transported nuclear material to the United States, took roughly 30 personnel and six weeks to complete. But Weber made clear that Iran presents a dramatically more hostile and fortified environment.

“In Iran, we couldn’t send a team in to do this unilaterally without great risk,” Weber said. “You would need to set up in the middle of the country, a secure perimeter. It would probably take thousands of U.S. troops to secure the facility while our experts excavated the HEU.”

The material in question is believed to be stored at the Isfahan nuclear facility, a heavily fortified site where uranium is reportedly kept in container-sized canisters buried deep inside underground tunnel networks. According to the report, those tunnels may be so deep that even America’s most powerful bunker-busting munitions could struggle to reach them.

The warnings come as questions continue to swirl over the true extent of damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear program during U.S. and Israeli strikes last year.

Matthew Bunn, a former White House nuclear adviser, directly challenged claims that the program had been “completely obliterated.”

“You can’t say that a program that still has enough nuclear material for a bunch of nuclear bombs is ‘obliterated,’” Bunn said. While acknowledging that the strikes significantly degraded Iran’s capabilities, he emphasized that critical elements remain intact. “You can’t bomb away their knowledge.”

At the center of concern is an estimated stockpile of nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% purity — just a short technical step away from weapons-grade. According to Bunn, that quantity could be further refined into material sufficient for roughly 10 to 11 nuclear weapons.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A devastating accident claimed the life of Rafael Ari Noach Koteiner, a 25-year-old member of the Gerer community in Ashdod, who was killed Sunday afternoon in a serious collision between his private vehicle and a truck on Route 57 near the Nitzanei Oz interchange.

According to emergency services, the crash occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m. Rescue teams worked to extricate the victim from the wreckage. Paramedics reported that the young man had sustained severe multi-system injuries and showed no signs of life, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ronen Karasik, a volunteer medic who responded to the incident, said, “This was an accident involving a truck and a private vehicle. Sadly, the driver of the car was pronounced dead due to the severity of his injuries.”

Emergency response volunteers were dispatched to the scene and worked to ensure proper respect for the deceased while collecting remains. Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

The victim’s body was transferred to the national forensic institute in Abu Kabir. Details regarding the funeral, which is expected to take place Monday, will be announced.

Rafael Ari Noach was born in Ashdod on April 12, 2001, to his father, Rabbi Avraham Chanuch Koteiner, a member of the Gur community and manager of the local Gur cooperative store, and to his mother, Rivka Koteiner, daughter of Rabbi Chaim Brodzek, a longtime communal figure who previously served as chairman of the religious council in Ashdod and Arad.

He was educated in Gur institutions, including Yeshivas Beis Yisroel in Ashdod, and later continued his studies in Gur yeshivos in Chatzor and in the general Chassidic kibbutz yeshiva Chayei Torah in Beitar Illit.

For his livelihood, he initially worked at Mishkan Hatecheiles and in recent years held a senior position at the Osher Ad supermarket branch in Afula. He was on his way to work at the time of the fatal accident.

Friends and acquaintances described him as a warm and gentle individual, devoted to his family and known for his kindness and respect toward his parents.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

I am writing as a local woman who has spent the past several weeks trying to purchase a sheitel and finding the experience far more complicated than it should be.

The sheitel market today is thriving. Advertisements appear everywhere: in magazines, on social media, in community papers. The photography is beautiful, the styles are varied, and the prices span every budget. What is conspicuously absent from almost all of these ads, however, is any mention of kosher certification confirming that the hair does not originate from Hindu avoda zara ceremonies in India — the very issue that sent the sheitel world into upheaval over twenty years ago and that many poskim continue to treat as a serious halachic concern.

Like many women, I follow the guidance of my rav, who, along with numerous other rabbanim, advises purchasing only a sheitel with a reliable hashgacha. So I did what any conscientious consumer would do: I started calling. And here is what surprised me. Many of these companies do, in fact, hold a kosher certification. The information exists. It simply isn’t being shared.

I understand that advertising space is limited and that companies want to lead with their most appealing features. But for a frum woman trying to be tznius while also ensuring she is not inadvertently wearing hair that may be assur, knowing the certification status is not a minor detail — it is often the deciding factor.

Every kosher food establishment, from a small takeout shop to a large catering hall, displays its hashgacha prominently.

Sheitel companies should take the same approach. If you have a hashgacha, say so in your ad. List the certifying rav or organization. Make it easy to verify. The women purchasing your product are not asking for anything unreasonable — they are asking for the same basic transparency they receive from every kosher restaurant in their neighborhood.

I hope this letter reaches sheitel retailers and encourages them to make this small but meaningful change.

A Concerned Woman

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.

Thousands gathered late Sunday night to accompany Avraham Yeshaya Spiegel, a 17-year-old talmid of Yeshivas Tifrach, to his final resting place after his body was located following ten days of searches in the wake of a tragic drowning at sea on Erev Shabbos.

The levayah, like that of his brother Yissachar Dov z”l days earlier, began outside the family home on Rechov Rav Kahaneman in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim. Despite the short notice following the confirmation of identification, large crowds assembled. The procession opened with the recitation of Tehillim led by his uncle, Rav Reuven Miletzky.

The first to eulogize was the grieving father, Rav Shlomo Spiegel, who accepted the Divine decree and spoke through tears. “Hashem gave and Hashem took; blessed be the Name of Hashem. It is written that Hakadosh Baruch Hu rejoices when a pure and righteous soul comes to Him—but ‘My handiwork is drowning in the sea and you say song’? How can one rejoice? Yet with Hashem there is also joy, and at the same time ‘in hidden places My soul weeps’—and with Hashem, this is not a contradiction.”

He described his son as exceptionally pure and meticulous in halachah, devoted to his learning and careful in his conduct. “Everyone tells me he is a communal sacrifice. I say he is like the Parah Adumah—he purifies everyone. He was good to everyone.”

Speaking of the double tragedy that struck the family, he said, “We have been struck doubly. One plus one is far more than two. When someone who loves you strikes you, it hurts much more. Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave us a beautiful family; everything flowed like honey, with tranquility—and to receive such a blow, and in double measure—it is ‘woe to us, for we have been struck doubly,’ and may Hakadosh Baruch Hu give us ‘Nachamu, nachamu ami’ in double measure.”

He then asked that his son serve as an advocate on behalf of the family. “Be a melitz yosher for me and for your mother, that we should be able to raise the family with glory and sustain the yeshiva. Be a melitz yosher for all the devoted volunteers who worked so hard to find you—people invested great effort to bring you home.”

Rav Aviezer Piltz, rosh yeshiva of Tifrach, followed with words of hesped, opening with a pasuk. “Kol Hashem bakoach, kol Hashem behadar, kol Hashem shover arazim. The ‘cedars’ are these bochurim, Yissachar Dov and Avraham Yeshaya, who were planted in the house of Hashem, flourishing in the courtyards of our God—and Hakadosh Baruch Hu broke these cedars in a way that is beyond nature.”

He described the profound grief within the yeshiva. “All the talmidim are broken and one can see the mourning upon them. Avraham Yeshaya was unique in his joy for life—a life of Torah, of tefillah, and of ahavas chaveirim.” He added a reference to the pasuk, “Tashiv enosh ad daka vatomar shuvu bnei adam”—Hashem has brought such crushing blows that the soul is in deep anguish.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Rav Piltz spoke about the broader matzav facing the olam haTorah. “We must all awaken regarding the decree of the draft. The tears of Rav Isser Zalman, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, and the Rav of Tchebin, who went to the authorities to secure exemptions for bnei yeshiva and succeeded—apparently we now require more zechuyos for that to continue.”

Rav Yisroel Gans then delivered a hesped, noting that he had learned with the niftar as a chavrusa until his final day, describing him as a ben aliyah of the highest caliber.

The mashgiach, Rav Binyamin Finkel, drew a parallel to the current yamim of mourning over the talmidim of Rabbi Akiva, when 24,000 students perished. He noted that Rabbi Akiva did not despair, but immediately continued teaching five new talmidim, from whom Torah was rebuilt. “I say to you, Rav Shlomo—continue your avodas hakodesh in the yeshiva despite the pain and difficulty.”

He recounted a striking incident: a bochur who was in the midst of shidduch meetings declared he would not become engaged during the mourning period for his friend Yissachar Dov z”l. The rebbetzin heard and called him during the shivah, telling him, “All the brachos should come upon your head, and I want you to get engaged.” Rav Finkel noted how the family transforms its pain into simchah for others, adding that the young man indeed became engaged.

The final hesped was delivered by Rav Yehoshua Mishkovsky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Imrei Moshe, where Avraham Yeshaya had studied in his earlier years. He quoted the pasuk, “Bayam darkecha u’shvilcha b’mayim rabim v’ikvosecha lo noda’u.” He recalled asking the bochur the previous year where he wished to continue learning. “You told me you wanted to go to Tifrach. I asked you why, what is special about Tifrach? And you answered: ‘Harotzeh lehachkim yadrim’—I want a place detached from this world, I want to grow.”

“He was elevated in the sense of ‘Vayigbah libo b’darchei Hashem.’ He was not just another bochur—he stood above, in his knowledge, his aspirations, and his entire outlook,” Rav Mishkovsky said.

Following an additional keriah and the recitation of Kaddish by the father, the levayah proceeded to Har Hamenuchos, where Avraham Yeshaya was laid to rest beside his brother.

A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children, including seven of his own, and shot two other people Sunday in an early morning attack of domestic violence carried out across two houses, authorities said, shaking a Shreveport neighborhood in one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in more than two years.

Those killed ranged in age from 1 to about 12 years old, and one of the adults wounded was the mother of some of the suspect’s children, said Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon. The suspect, whom Bordelon identified as Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit.

Investigators did not say what may have set off the violence. Bordelon said there was still much to investigate but that detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident.”

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” Bordelon said.

He said Elkins had been known to police and was arrested in 2019 in a firearms case. Officials were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.

Officers fired at the suspect during a chase after he carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint, Bordelon said.

Police said the attacks began before sunrise in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport when the suspect shot a woman at one home and then drove to the other location “where this heinous act was carried out.”

Seven children were killed inside the second house, and one was found dead on the roof after apparently trying to escape, Bordelon said.

State Rep. Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door. “I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she said at a news conference.

The two wounded women were in critical condition, officials said.

Family member says suspect was separating from his wife

Shamar Elkins and his wife were in the middle of separating and were due in court Monday, said Crystal Brown, who is a cousin with one of the wounded women. Brown said the couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting.

“He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.”

Elkins shared four children with his wife and three children with another woman who lived close by and who was also shot, according to Brown. All the children were together at one house, she said.

Authorities had yet to publicly identify the shooting victims.

Brown described all the children as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”

A neighbor wakes up to a mass shooting

Liza Demming, who lives two houses down from where most of the victims were shot, said her security camera captured video of the suspect running away along with the sound of two shots.

“That’s pretty much all I saw, was him running out of the house and the cars leaving,” she said.

Demming later went outside and saw the covered body of a child on the home’s roof. She said she did not know the gunman’s name.

“He looks like the dad that comes over here,” she said, adding that he was just with the children a few days ago.

The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office released a statement on Sunday saying it was not yet releasing any of the children’s names because identification of the victims was pending.

“What began as a domestic dispute has ended in irreversible harm,” the parish’s district attorney’s office said in a statement.

Shreveport is overwhelmed by grief

It was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.

“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning.”

Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to help investigate. In a statement, state police said no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.

State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Shreveport, said in separate statements that they were heartbroken and praised law enforcement for their response.

“We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Johnson said in a statement.

(AP)

For much of his political career, Benjamin Netanyahu has sold himself to the Israeli public as the indispensable steward of the country’s international standing, the one statesman fluent enough in Washington, confident enough on the world stage and tough enough at home to keep Israel secure and its alliances intact. The question now is whether the long-term ledger supports that claim, or inverts it.

The short-term picture is difficult to dispute. Israel is more polarizing in American politics than at any point in recent memory. The war has supercharged a deterioration in U.S.-Israel relations that was already underway, and the damage is showing up in the numbers that most concern Jerusalem: the American public and the Congress that translates public opinion into policy.

Polling by Pew finds that favorable views of Israel have collapsed across nearly every slice of the American electorate since 2022. Support has dropped 31 points among older Democrats, 22 points among both younger Democrats and younger Republicans, 23 points among Catholics, 20 points among the religiously unaffiliated and 14 points among Protestants. Even white Evangelicals, long the most reliable pro-Israel constituency in the country, have slipped 15 points from an 80% favorability rating three years ago. The last holdouts with majority favorable views are older Republicans and white Evangelicals. Everywhere else, the floor has given way.

Congress is catching up to the electorate. Last week, 40 Senate Democrats voted for a resolution to block arms sales to Israel, up from 15 on a similar vote a year ago. Every Democratic senator seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender voted yes.

“Netanyahu is destroying the bipartisan nature in terms of support for Israel,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told Punchbowl News.

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a military veteran long considered a reliable pro-Israel Democrat, told Axios: “We need to have a discussion about how to normalize that relationship and what change is necessary. There’s no doubt about that.”

In the House, the shift has moved into territory once considered untouchable. Some Democrats are now turning against even defensive assistance, including funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. “Seen as insanely fringe four years ago,” Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., told Axios of that position. Multiple Democrats who voted to fund Iron Dome in 2021 told Axios they are now finished providing Israel with financial aid.

Netanyahu’s defenders argue that much of this was inevitable, that any Israeli prime minister prosecuting a war of this scope would face the same backlash, and that the prime minister has delivered concrete wins: the Abraham Accords, deeper normalization talks in the Gulf, sustained U.S. military support through the war and the degradation of Iran’s strategic position. They argue that headlines and polls are lagging indicators and that the regional map has shifted in Israel’s favor in ways that will outlast the current anger.

The harder question is whether those gains survive their political foundations. American support for Israel has historically been resilient because it was bipartisan, generational and cultural. What the Pew data shows is a collapse on all three axes at once: Democrats and younger Americans are leaving fastest, but the slide is now reaching into older Democrats, Catholics, Protestants and even white Evangelicals. A pro-Israel consensus that required no defending for half a century is suddenly doing so from a narrower and older base.

Netanyahu’s bet has long been that Israel’s strategic relationship with Washington is durable enough to absorb whatever political friction he generates along the way. That bet may still pay out. But the votes in the Senate this week, the reversals on Iron Dome in the House and the polling across nearly every demographic group raise a question that was, until recently, close to unaskable: whether the prime minister who has cast himself as the guarantor of Israel’s place in the world is also the one most responsible for eroding it.

The answer is not yet in.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

[Video below.] Rep. Elise Stefanik forcefully defended President Donald Trump on Sunday, rejecting accusations that his recent statements about Iran amounted to advocating genocide during a contentious exchange on CNN.

Appearing on “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper, the New York Republican dismissed the allegation outright. “President Trump didn’t call for genocide, Jake. You are putting those words in his mouth.”

The exchange came amid criticism of Trump’s recent rhetoric about confronting threats from Iran, with some detractors arguing that his language could be interpreted as targeting civilians. Administration officials have countered that the president’s comments are aimed specifically at Iran’s leadership, which the U.S. State Department classifies as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Stefanik echoed that position during the interview, emphasizing, “He’s targeting the terrorist regime.”

Tapper pressed further, asking whether references to eliminating threats might cross a line, reflecting concerns raised by critics. Stefanik rejected that framing and accused the media of distorting Trump’s message.

“You’re adding genocide. That’s not what he’s stating,” Stefanik said.

She went on to draw a comparison to prior congressional hearings involving university presidents, suggesting a contrast in clarity.

“The difference with those university presidents is they couldn’t answer the simple, direct question,” Stefanik said. “President Trump didn’t call for genocide.”

Stefanik also shifted focus to Iran’s actions, highlighting the regime’s record.

“The Iranians have killed tens of thousands of their own people,” she said. “President Trump effectively brought the Iranians to the table. He effectively delivered a ceasefire.”

She criticized those who have raised concerns about Trump’s rhetoric, adding, “If you want to prop up the Iranian terrorist regime, that’s on you.”

The Trump administration has maintained that its policy is centered on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and limiting its regional influence, stressing that its actions are directed at the regime rather than the Iranian population while applying pressure to bring Tehran to negotiations.

Reiterating that stance, Stefanik concluded, “The president has been very effective in calling out the Iranian terrorist regime.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s population has reached 10.244 million ahead of the country’s 78th Independence Day, reflecting an increase of approximately 146,000 people, or 1.4 percent, over the past year, according to new data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The report shows that 7.79 million residents, or about 76 percent of the population, are Jewish. Arabs make up 2.157 million people, accounting for 21.1 percent, while approximately 296,000 individuals, or 2.9 percent, are classified under other categories.

Population growth over the past year was driven in part by about 177,000 births, along with the arrival of roughly 21,000 immigrants to the country. The data also indicates that a significant majority of the population—around four out of five citizens—were born in Israel.

According to the bureau, Israel’s population has grown more than twelvefold since the country was established in 1948.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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In general, Bais Medrash Govoha has maintained an unwavering stance on its “freezer” policy, with the hanhalah consistently enforcing the restriction on bochurim dating during their initial months in the yeshiva. The policy has long been regarded as a cornerstone of the yeshiva’s approach, designed to allow new talmidim to fully immerse themselves in learning. Despite periodic rumors or external pressure due to the growing shidduch crisis, Bais Medrash Govoha has shown no inclination to bend or reinterpret its guidelines.

To join via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/645572066

 929-205-6099  ID: 645572066

By Rabbi Efrem Goldberg

FBI Director Kash Patel threatened to sue The Atlantic on Friday after the magazine published a lengthy investigative piece alleging erratic behavior, excessive drinking and unexplained absences during his tenure leading the bureau.

Patel, through his attorney, called the claims defamatory and said legal action was imminent. “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook,” Patel said in a statement included in the report itself.

The piece, headlined “The FBI Director is MIA,” was written by Atlantic staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick and draws on interviews with more than two dozen current and former officials, Capitol Hill staff, lobbyists, and hospitality-industry workers — all speaking anonymously.

Among the allegations: that Patel had a “freak-out” earlier this month after being locked out of a computer system, believing he was about to be fired in the wake of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s departure; that early morning meetings were repeatedly rescheduled due to late-night drinking; that members of his security detail had difficulty waking him on multiple occasions; and that a request was submitted for breaching equipment — typically used by SWAT teams — because he had been unreachable behind locked doors.

The report also raised questions about whether alcohol played a role in social media posts Patel made containing inaccurate information about active law enforcement investigations.

“Some of Patel’s colleagues at the FBI worry that his personal behavior has become a threat to public safety,” Fitzpatrick wrote, quoting one unnamed official: “That’s what keeps me up at night.”

The White House and Justice Department quickly rallied around Patel. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said he “remains a critical player on the Administration’s law and order team.” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called the piece an “anonymously sourced hit piece” that does not constitute journalism, adding that Patel “has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years.”

FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Ben Williamson, who denied the allegations directly to Fitzpatrick before publication, was more caustic. “This article is a compilation of pretty much every obviously fake rumor I’ve heard the last 14 months,” he said, “except The Atlantic is the only one dumb enough to actually print it.”

Patel’s attorney, Jesse Binnall, had sent the magazine a letter before publication warning that the claims were false and noting that Patel’s team had been given fewer than two hours to respond. Binnall singled out one allegation — involving the breaching equipment — as having “no corroborating public record whatsoever” and possibly being “fabricated or drawn from a single hostile and unreliable source.”

Both Patel and his team said a lawsuit would be filed. “They were on notice that the claims were categorically false and defamatory. They published anyway. See you in court,” Binnall wrote on X.

Patel told Fitzpatrick directly: “See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court … But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay up.”

Fitzpatrick, appearing on MSNBC Friday night, said she stood by the reporting. “I am a very careful, very diligent, award-winning investigative reporter,” she said. “We have excellent attorneys.”

The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, echoed her: “We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A high-risk confrontation in the Gulf of Oman has pushed tensions between Washington and Tehran to the brink, as the United States seized a massive Iranian-flagged cargo ship while diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict appeared to unravel in real time.

According to President Donald Trump, the nearly 900-foot vessel — identified as the TOUSKA — attempted to breach a U.S.-enforced maritime blockade before being intercepted by the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111).

U.S. Central Command said the ship ignored repeated warnings over a six-hour standoff as it sailed toward Bandar Abbas. In a calculated escalation, the destroyer ordered the evacuation of the vessel’s engine room before firing multiple rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 naval gun, disabling the ship’s propulsion and leaving it dead in the water.

U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded the crippled vessel and took it into custody. Officials described the operation as “deliberate, professional, and proportional,” stressing that force was used only after sustained noncompliance.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Trump said the ship had been under U.S. Treasury sanctions tied to prior illicit activity and confirmed its cargo is now under inspection.

The dramatic seizure marks the most aggressive enforcement yet of the blockade imposed on April 13, which spans Iranian ports and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — a critical artery for global oil shipments.

American forces in the region, backed by assets including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), remain actively engaged in enforcement operations. Another carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), is now moving into the region.

At the same time, warnings of a broader conflict are intensifying.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to “critical,” citing risks of mines, navigation interference, and sudden hostile encounters. The agency described the wider Arabian Gulf as a “high-risk operating environment,” warning that even minor incidents could spiral rapidly.

Iran has already signaled that it views Sunday’s events as an act of aggression.

The country’s joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, accused the United States of violating the ceasefire by attacking what it says was a commercial vessel traveling from China, and vowed retaliation against what it called “armed piracy.”

But even as military tensions surged at sea, diplomacy on land appeared to collapse.

Iran formally rejected participation in a second round of U.S.-led talks, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency, which cited “excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade” as reasons for its refusal.

IRNA also accused Washington of playing a “blame game,” alleging the U.S. falsely claimed Iran would attend talks to increase pressure.

Earlier Sunday, Trump said Iran had committed a “serious violation” of the ceasefire but insisted a deal remains within reach. In comments reported by journalist Jonathan Karl, Trump maintained optimism, later telling Axios: “I feel fine about it. The concept of the deal is done. I think we have a very good chance to get it completed.”

The White House had been preparing for negotiations in Islamabad, with a delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff, and senior adviser Jared Kushner expected to attend.

Two sources told The Jerusalem Post the U.S. hoped to secure a framework agreement before negotiating details. But Iranian officials have repeatedly denied any such talks will take place while the blockade remains in effect.

The result is a rapidly widening gap: escalating military confrontation in one of the world’s most critical waterways, paired with a diplomatic track that is faltering — if not already broken.

With Iran vowing retaliation, U.S. forces surging into the region, and talks hanging by a thread, Sunday’s events may mark not just a dramatic maritime seizure — but a turning point toward a far more dangerous phase of the conflict.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on FIFA to pay the full cost of rail transportation for fans attending World Cup matches in the New York–New Jersey area, as NJ Transit prepares to sharply increase ticket prices to reach MetLife Stadium.

In a statement issued Sunday, the New York Democrat criticized the steep fare hikes, noting that travel costs for fans are set to skyrocket despite FIFA’s massive expected profits. He said he supports NJ Transit’s financial concerns but argued that the burden should not fall on local riders, pointing out that “FIFA is set to rake in approximately $11 billion in revenue off the tournament while New York fans are being hit with $150 NJ Transit round-trip tickets to get to the game.”

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will serve as a major venue during the tournament, hosting eight matches, including the championship game on July 19. While the typical train fare from Penn Station to the Meadowlands is $12.90, prices will jump to $150 between June 13 and July 19. Shuttle services will also be available at a cost of $80.

NJ Transit CEO Kirs Kolluri defended the increase, saying the agency should not pass the cost of hosting the global event onto everyday commuters. “It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey’s diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Equally important, (Gov. Mikie Sherrill) has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair,” Kolluri said, adding that the tournament will cost NJ Transit approximately $48 million.

Travel disruptions are also expected, with Penn Station scheduled to partially shut down for several hours before each of the eight matches, affecting regular commuters and travelers.

Schumer argued that the situation leaves fans with little choice but to use public transportation, especially since parking options are being eliminated. Nearby parking at the American Dream mall is expected to cost about $225, and pedestrian access to the stadium will not be permitted. As a result, mass transit is “effectively the only way in or out of the stadium on match days,” according to his statement.

Despite his criticism of the situation, Schumer emphasized that NJ Transit itself is not to blame, instead directing his concerns toward FIFA.

“The total NJ Transit operation to move fans to and from MetLife is projected to cost $62 million, with approximately $11 million dedicated to security alone. The federal government is contributing $10.6 million and the NY/NJ Host Committee is contributing just over $3 million, leaving NJ Transit to foot a $48 million bill with zero financial contribution from FIFA.

“Meanwhile, FIFA has told other host cities they can offer fans mass rail for as little as $2.50 round trip, a fraction of what New York fans are being charged.”

Schumer also criticized the magnitude of the fare increase itself. “Charging more than eleven times the normal fare for a train ride is a ripoff, plain and simple.”

FIFA is projected to generate roughly $11 billion in revenue during its 2023–2026 cycle, representing a 71% increase compared to the previous period and making it the most lucrative World Cup to date.

Schumer noted that ticket prices for matches are already high, with group-stage games costing around $700 and final tickets at MetLife reaching as much as $10,000 under FIFA’s dynamic pricing system.

“We are carrying more fans, more riders, and more disruption than any other region in this tournament,” Schumer added. “FIFA needs to step up accordingly. Past practice does not cut it when you are eliminating parking, shutting down Penn Station, and forcing every fan onto one transit system. FIFA should cover the ride, not stick New York fans with the bill.”

While FIFA has not traditionally contributed to transportation costs in host cities, Schumer argued that the New York–New Jersey region presents unique challenges due to its population density and the scale of the event.

Kolluri also pointed out that maintaining the standard $12.90 fare would result in the majority of NJ Transit’s costs being absorbed by regular commuters. “No one that I have spoken to thinks that’s fair or reasonable. Commuters in New Jersey should not carry the cost years into the future for a wonderful event, no doubt. But the fans going to the games should burden the cost. That’s all we’re trying to say,” he said.

With the transportation plan now finalized, FIFA World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi addressed the issue in a statement, defending the organization’s broader approach.

“Ever since the host city agreements were signed in 2018, FIFA has worked in collaboration with the Host Committees and their partners to develop a transportation plan that provides efficient and accessible mass transit options for ticketed fans attending the eight matches at NY NJ Stadium. The goal is to minimize congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and ensure the fan experience is positive and memorable, defined by the action on pitch, not delays on the roads.

“The NJ Transit current pricing model will have a chilling effect. Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup.”

WASHINGTON (Israel Hayom) – Buckley Carlson, the son of conservative and anti-Israel media personality Tucker Carlson, is leaving the White House to start his own political consulting firm, according to a Politico report citing two sources.

Carlson, who served as deputy press secretary to Vice President JD Vance, “first informed the vice president’s office of his intention to leave as early as December, but stayed on for several months to ensure a smooth transition,” a source in Vance’s office said.

Last November, Vance responded sharply to a journalist who raised questions about Buckley Carlson and, in light of his family ties, asked whether “a senior adviser to the vice president is also an evil racist.” In response, Vance said, “I have a special tolerance for disagreement and criticism from many people in our coalition,” but added, “I am a very loyal person, and I have zero tolerance for scumbags who attack my staff. And yes, anyone who attacked Buckley is a scumbag.”

The Vice President’s office has not yet responded to a request from Israel Hayom for comment on the matter.

The report on Carlson’s expected departure comes amid rising tensions between Trump and Tucker Carlson, Buckley’s father, over the war with Iran, after Carlson tried to persuade the president not to attack the ayatollahs’ regime.

At the start of the campaign, Carlson said that “this war is completely disgusting and evil.” He later said that “this is the biggest mistake Trump, or any American president, has made in my lifetime,” adding that “it happened because Israel wanted it to happen. This is Israel’s war, not America’s.” He later even called on administration and military officials to refuse Trump’s orders: “Now it’s time to say no, absolutely not, and say it directly to the president, no.”

Trump did not let Carlson’s harsh remarks go unanswered. In posts the president recently published on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Carlson “is a low-IQ person.” In another post, he wrote that Carlson “couldn’t even get into college” and that he has been “a broken man” since being fired from Fox News, suggesting that he “should see a good psychiatrist.”

NEW YORK (AP) — A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday.

Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system.

It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.

Companies must submit declarations listing the goods on which they collectively put billions of dollars toward the import taxes the court subsequently struck down. If CBP approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.

The government expects to process refunds in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments. Any number of technical factors and procedural issues could delay an importer’s application, so any reimbursements businesses plan to make to customers likely would trickled down slowly.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 found that Trump usurped Congress’ tax-setting role last April when he set new import tax rates on products from almost every other country, citing the U.S. trade deficit as a national emergency that warranted his invoking of a 1977 emergency powers law.

Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs were entitled to money back.

Not all taxed imports immediately eligible
Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments.

Not all of those orders qualify for the first phase of the refund system’s rollout, which is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of a final accounting.

To receive refunds, importers have to register for the CPB’s electronic payment system. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest, the agency said.

System requires accuracy
Meghann Supino, a partner at Ice Miller, said the law firm has advised clients to carefully list in their declarations all of the document numbers for forms that went to CBP to describe imported goods and their value.

“If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said.

Supino thinks the portal going live will require composure as well as diligence.

“Like any electronic online program that goes live with a lot of interest, I would expect that there might be some hiccups with the program on Monday,” she said. “So we continue to ask everyone to be patient, because we think that patience will pay off.”

Nghi Huynh, the partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at accounting and consulting firm Armanino, said most companies claiming refunds will have imported a mix of items, and not all will qualify right away.

“It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”

Patience with the process
Small businesses have eagerly awaited the chance to apply for refunds. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he starting compiling records and preparing to enter information into the system the minute CPB announced the launch date.

The company imports cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Last year, it paid $34,000 in tariffs and absorbed much of the cost instead of raising customer prices, Jackson said.

Last spring, he had a two-week delay in a shipment due to a missing document, so he is being more careful with refund documents, he said.

“My main concern is the turnaround time,” Jackson said. “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”

Will consumers see refunds?
Tariffs are paid by importers, and some companies pass on the tax costs to consumers via higher prices.

The system starting up Monday will refund tariffs directly to the businesses that paid them, which are not obligated to share the proceeds with customers. However, class-action lawsuits that aim to force companies, ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, to reimburse shoppers are winding their way through the U.S. legal system.

Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers. FedEx has said it would return tariff refunds to customers when it receives them from the CPB.

“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”

(AP) – U.S. Central Command released a message sent by a U.S. Mariner to the Iranian-flagged tanker in a video posted on X, saying it shows the moments before the U.S. seized Touska for crossing the U.S.-imposed blockade line in the Gulf of Oman.

“Motor vessel Touska, Motor vessel Touska. Vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We are about to subject you to disabling fire,” can be heard in the video. Later, three rounds are fired, leaving smoke in their wake.

CENTCOM said its fire targeted the vessel’s engine room before forces seized the ship. It said Touska was headed to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and ignored multiple U.S. warnings over six hours to evacuate the engine room. The USS Spruance then fired, after which Marines boarded and took hold of the ship.

“American forces acted in a deliberate, professional, and proportional manner to ensure compliance,” it wrote on X.

Iran is accelerating efforts to rebuild and expand its missile and drone launch capabilities following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes, according to statements attributed to a senior military official.

Majid Mousavi, commander of the aerospace division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, said the country is now updating and replenishing its launch systems at a faster pace than before the conflict, according to remarks carried by Nournews, an outlet affiliated with the Iranian government.

The statement was released alongside an edited video purportedly showing Mousavi inspecting an underground missile facility. The footage includes images of drones, missiles, launch systems, and apparent ground-based missile launches from subterranean sites. The video’s authenticity could not be independently verified.

The comments come after a wave of U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, which aimed in part to degrade Iran’s missile infrastructure. Assessments of the campaign’s effectiveness appear to differ. A recent report by The New York Times cited U.S. intelligence officials as estimating that Iran retains access to roughly 60 percent of its missile launchers.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that the joint bombing campaign had “functionally destroyed” Iran’s missile program and left its military “combat ineffective for years to come.”

Other U.S. officials, cited by The Wall Street Journal, offered a more cautious view, suggesting Iran may be able to recover some of its capabilities by repairing or excavating launch systems that were damaged or buried during the strikes.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

On an almost daily basis, left-wing outlets publish articles with various claims about “settlers” attacking Palestinians. Most of the reports leave out vital information, omitting the fact that the settlers were only responding to an Arab-initiated attack. Some of the reports are completely false.

One of those incidents occurred about a month ago, when IDF and police forces were deployed to the Shomron to assist Jewish shepherds who were attacked by Arabs. While the Israeli forces were restoring order, one of the Arabs, a resident of the Palestinian Authority, was killed.

The Shin Bet and police later arrested an IDF reservist from the Shomron who was “suspected” of being involved in the Palestinian’s death. Media outlets reported that the reservist was suspected of “killing” the Palestinian without even mentioning that he was engaged in protecting the lives of Jews who were attacked!

The soldier, who served hundreds of days of reserve duty as an officer during the war in Gaza, was imprisoned for several days on an exceptional order preventing him from meeting a lawyer.

Attorney Nati Rom from the Honenu legal aid organization, who is now representing the soldier, slammed the Shin Bet and police, saying that none of the Arabs who attacked the shepherds were arrested or investigated, while the soldier who came to defend them is now imprisoned under draconian orders.

“This is an absurd situation,” Rom said. “A soldier who dedicates his life to defending the state is being interrogated by the Shin Bet while Hamas issues a statement supporting the rioters. I call on the authorities to immediately reverse this harm to our heroic soldiers.”

The CEO of the Yesha Council, Omer Rachamim, condemned the reservist’s arrest, writing on X: “A reserve soldier is being held in a Shin Bet facility and denied access to a lawyer. I call on the Shin Bet to come to its senses and stop the questionable practice of denying access to legal counsel, especially regarding a heroic soldier who risked his life in the war.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City officials launched a public portal inviting residents to help determine locations for a network of e-bike battery swapping stations aimed at improving safety and supporting delivery workers.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and transportation officials said the city plans to install about 25 battery-swapping cabinets, allowing riders to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones. The initiative targets areas with high delivery activity, including parts of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Officials say the program is designed to reduce fire risks tied to lithium-ion batteries, which have been linked to unsafe charging practices and uncertified equipment. The cabinets will meet fire safety standards set by the Fire Department of the City of New York and include monitoring and fire suppression systems.

Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said the stations will make charging safer and more accessible for workers who often carry multiple batteries during long shifts.

The FDNY also announced an extension through September 2026 for applications related to outdoor charging installations, allowing more time for safety certifications.

The project builds on a pilot program that found battery-swapping stations to be safe and widely used. Officials expect final locations to be determined after public input, with the stations anticipated to be operational by 2028.

Online: https://nycdotprojects.info/project/1995/overview

Kosovo, a nation that relied on NATO peacekeepers for its own security in the aftermath of its war with Serbia, is preparing to send dozens of its soldiers abroad for the first time as part of the international force tasked with stabilizing Gaza.

“Our country has been a security consumer, meaning NATO countries have contributed to the security of the Republic of Kosovo,” Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci told The Associated Press. “Today we are entering a phase where we are becoming a provider, or exporter, of security.”

Kosovo’s parliament is set to formally approve the deployment on Friday, ratifying an earlier government decision to commit troops to the International Stabilization Force, a U.S.-backed mission established following last year’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The contingent will include several dozen officers, among them personnel from demining units, Maqedonci said. Their tasks will include humanitarian support, security assistance and other duties set by the mandate of the Gaza force. Final preparations are underway, with a U.S. representative assisting on vaccinations, visas and other technical arrangements.

The symbolism of the deployment runs deep in Pristina. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a split recognized by the United States and most of the European Union but still rejected by Belgrade. The path to statehood was opened by NATO’s 1999 intervention, which forced Serb troops out of the territory after Belgrade’s crackdown on Kosovo’s separatist rebels and cleared the way for the international peacekeeping deployment that has underwritten the country’s security ever since.

For Kosovo, contributing troops to the Gaza mission is treated as a demonstration of how far the country has come in the intervening quarter-century.

The ISF has not yet deployed. It operates under President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which Kosovo has joined alongside Indonesia, Albania and Kazakhstan, among other countries that have committed to participate.

Kosovo fields a security force of roughly 4,000 personnel that is being trained into a small, professional military aligned with NATO standards.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu met Sunday with widows and orphans from the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization just hours before the start of Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

During the meeting, Netanyahu spent time speaking with the families and offering comfort. At one point, in a quiet and personal moment, he sat with one of the orphaned children and drew him a picture of a giraffe and an elephant, an act that reflected the tone of the visit as he sought to connect with the children on a human level.

Netanyahu also shared his own experience with loss, speaking openly about the pain of losing his brother and trying to relate to the families gathered before him.

“How do you live with the grief? It’s very difficult, and I can tell you that we all feel it. I lost my older brother, and it was as if someone took an axe and cut off my arm and cut off my leg,” he said.

He recalled a moment from his own shivah, when someone approached him with a message that stayed with him.

“And then someone came to me during the shivah, and he told me that he had also lost a brother—he was a bereaved brother. He said to me: ‘I know you won’t believe me, but the suffering you feel now will not remain at this intensity and with the same pain that you are feeling now, and there is life after this.’”

Netanyahu acknowledged how difficult that message can be to accept in the moment, but emphasized that life can eventually rebuild.

“There are also new horizons, and you will have new lives and there will be new joys. There will be joy. I know it’s hard to believe right now, but there will be.”

He added that the sacrifice of their loved ones carries enduring meaning.

“But the greatest thing I can tell you is—it was not in vain. It was not in vain, because without them we have no existence. And we are here because of the heroes, our chain of heroes.”

Turning to the children, Netanyahu stressed the legacy left by their parents.

“Therefore, your parents are heroes, and you, with the pain and the memory and the loss, have one thing that you know: your fathers are the ones who ensure the eternity of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran announced that it will not take part in a second round of negotiations with the United States scheduled to take place in Pakistan this week, citing disagreements over American demands and the continued naval blockade in the Gulf.

In a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency, Tehran outlined its reasons for declining participation. “Iran stated that its absence from the second round of talks stems from what it called Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire,” the report said.

The announcement came just hours after President Donald Trump told The New York Post that diplomatic discussions were set to resume in Pakistan in the coming days.

According to Trump, a U.S. delegation that includes Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Islamabad on Monday. However, officials in Pakistan have not publicly confirmed that such a meeting will take place.

Iran’s decision to stay away from the talks underscores the continued strain between Washington and Tehran as the current ceasefire approaches its expiration later this week.

Trump has been pressing Iran to agree to a deal that would include relinquishing its nuclear materials and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He has also renewed warnings of potential military action targeting key infrastructure if Tehran does not comply.

“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

“NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” he added.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by condemning the remarks and rejecting accusations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

He insisted that Iran’s nuclear activities are limited to energy production and portrayed the country’s actions as defensive in nature, despite its involvement in conflicts across the region.

“We are pacifists and what we are doing is legitimate self-defense,” he asserted, according to Press TV.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from Qasrak air base on Thursday when a final convoy of soldiers and equipment departed the site in Syria’s Hasakah province, officials for both sides said.

The Syrian army has now taken full control of most military sites in the country where the U.S. military was once deployed.

Syria’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “the Syrian state’s restoration of sovereignty over areas that were outside its control, including the northeast and border regions, is the result of the Syrian government’s continuous efforts to unify the country within the framework of a single state.”

It said that the U.S. withdrawal came as a result of the successful implementation of a deal between Syria’s central government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — which had previously controlled much of northeast Syria — and of success in fighting the remnants of the Islamic State group.

U.S. Central Command chief spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed the withdrawal.

“U.S. forces have completed turning over all of our major bases in Syria, as part of a deliberate and conditions-based transition,” Hawkins said, adding that the U.S. military will “continue to support partner-led counterterrorism efforts, which are essential to ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS and strengthening regional security.”

Convoys of trucks could be seen leaving the base Thursday, hauling military vehicles and equipment.

U.S. forces began withdrawing from Qasrak in late February, in what appeared to be part of a larger drawdown of U.S. forces in Syria. Earlier that month, the U.S. military’s Central Command and Syria’s defense ministry announced that U.S. troops had left the al-Tanf base in eastern Syria near the border with Jordan.

The departure of U.S. forces from the bases came after the U.S. military completed the transfer of some 5,700 accused Islamic State terrorists from detention centers in northeast Syria to prisons in Iraq, where they will be put on trial.

The main mission of the U.S. troops in Syria was to prevent a resurgence of IS. The extremist group lost control of the last territory it held in Syria in 2019 but its sleeper cells have continued to stage periodic attacks in Syria, Iraq and abroad.

(AP)

The legal battle against the economic sanctions being imposed on the Chareidi public is escalating, and last week, the Emes L’Yaakov B’Yisrael organization filed a petition to the Supreme Court on Thursday, demanding an immediate halt to the “economic punishment campaign” against Chareidi families, which is being advanced by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara without any legal basis.

In an interview with Kol Chai Radio, Attorney and Rabbi Yehuda Stern, a Dayan and To’en Rabbani who submitted the petition, explained the arguments behind it. Stern accused the legal advisory system of blatantly disregarding basic democratic and legal norms. “This is collective punishment of an entire public, something unthinkable in any proper legal system,” Stern said.

One of the central claims raised in the interview concerns the deliberate concealment of information by the Attorney General’s office. Stern noted the letter written by Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, stating that the Attorney General received professional opinions warning that the sanctions would not lead to the enlistment of Chareidim but rather to economic devastation. Baharav-Miara did not submit the letter to the Court.

“The Attorney General simply omits the professional positions that don’t align with her agenda,” Stern said. “This is an extreme lack of integrity and the presentation of a distorted picture to the Court.”

Stern also emphasized the double standard between different populations in Israeli society. He referred to a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Knesset law denying benefits to parents of minors convicted of terrorism, on the grounds that social welfare tools cannot be used for punishment or for the ‘education’ of the public. “Suddenly, when it comes to bnei yeshivos, all these principles are forgotten, and sanctions are imposed on people in their 40s who have no connection to the draft age,” he said.

At the end of the interview, Stern referred to data presented in the Knesset by Brig. Gen. Shay Taib, showing that most draft evaders today are not from the Chareidi public. He questioned why benefits were not revoked from universities where hundreds of thousands of students did not report for reserve duty, while the Torah world is facing an unprecedented economic attack.

“We are doing our part to peel back the mask from the Supreme Court,” Stern concluded. “The question now lies before the justices: how will they justify this blatant discrimination between lomdei Torah and other sectors?”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

For tens of thousands of Israelis who’ve watched apartment prices climb out of reach, the next two weeks are going to feel like playing for the jackpot of their lives. The Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Israel Land Authority have officially opened registration for the 11th round of Dira B’Hanacha, the country’s flagship discounted housing program, offering a staggering 7,922 subsidized apartments in 19 cities and towns across the country. It’s the largest lottery of the year, and the discounts on offer can shave hundreds of thousands of shekels off the price of a brand-new apartment.

Azrieli Tower at night

For anyone new to the program, Dira B’Hanacha, literally “Apartment at a Discount,” is Israel’s main vehicle for making homeownership accessible to first-time buyers in a market where the dream feels further away every year. It’s the successor to the well-known Mechir Lamishtaken program launched roughly a decade ago, and it works on a simple premise: the state allocates land to developers at reduced rates, and in exchange, the developers agree to sell a large share of the apartments they build, usually 50 to 60 percent, at prices that are typically 20 to 30 percent below market value. The apartments are then distributed through a lottery system. Winners don’t get a cash prize. They get the right to buy a new apartment at a price that can feel almost surreal compared to what their neighbors paid a year earlier.

This picture shows a view the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on March 22, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, with Israel’s public broadcaster reporting that the Iranian supreme leader had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images) /

This round is being described by industry insiders as one of the most interesting in years, because of where the inventory is concentrated. Maale Adumim, just east of Jerusalem in Judea and Samaria, leads the list with 1,663 units, its 16th local lottery and a reflection of how popular the city has become with young Anglo and Israeli families priced out of the capital. Kiryat Gat follows with 1,433 units, and Kfar Saba rounds out the top three with 1,045 apartments, a rare opportunity for discounted housing in the high-demand center of the country. The remaining 16 localities span the full geography of the state, from Nahariya in the north to Eilat in the south: Mazkeret Batya (427), Beit Shemesh (425), Rekhasim (405), Beit Dagan (399), Kadima-Tzoran (315), Bat Hefer (271), Hadera (268), Ashdod (256), Nahariya (218), Bnei Ayish (179), Rishon LeZion (148), Kfar Manda (131), Yehud (121), Eilat (99), Yokneam Illit (89), and Rehovot (30).

The math, for those lucky enough to win, is genuinely life-changing. In Kfar Saba’s newer neighborhoods, a four-room apartment currently goes for between 2.3 and 2.7 million shekels on the open market. A 20 to 25 percent discount through the lottery translates into savings of 600,000 to 800,000 shekels per apartment. In Maale Adumim, where prices already run 30 to 50 percent below comparable Jerusalem properties, the layered discount can turn a new apartment into one of the best deals in the country. And the savings don’t end at the sticker price. Winners whose apartments are valued under 1.5 million shekels can put down as little as 10 percent, instead of the usual 25 to 30 percent required of mortgage applicants on the open market. In peripheral regions, additional grants of up to 60,000 shekels are available.

Under the directive of Housing Minister Chaim Katz, up to 50 percent of the apartments in this round are being reserved for active reservists, with about a quarter of those allocated specifically to combat reservists, a continuation of the wartime policy prioritizing those bearing the security burden. Katz framed the move bluntly, saying the enemy wants to destroy while Israel keeps building. Local residents, known as bnei makom, also receive preferential scoring for lotteries held in their home city, which meaningfully improves their odds.

Photo taken in Bat Yam, Israel

The program isn’t without its complications, and anyone registering needs to understand what they’re signing up for. Winners are locked into a purchase agreement, construction timelines on many projects stretch two to five years (and sometimes longer if building permits are still pending), and resale restrictions prevent winners from selling the apartment for five years from the occupancy certificate or seven years from the lottery date, whichever comes first. Prices are also linked to Israel’s construction cost index, meaning the final price can creep upward before the keys are handed over. For investors chasing liquidity, this isn’t the vehicle. But for a young couple, a family of reservists, or a first-time buyer who plans to live in the apartment for the long haul, the upside is hard to match anywhere else in the Israeli market.

Registration is open to Israelis without an apartment who hold a valid eligibility certificate, which can still be issued online through the three authorized companies, Milgam, Alonim, and Me’of, until the end of April. Applicants can register in up to three different cities to maximize their odds, and demand is already overwhelming the portal, with site operators reporting heavy traffic since the lottery opened. With housing prices in Israel rising for a second straight month after the ceasefire and supply finally starting to catch up to years of pent-up demand, this round of Dira B’Hanacha may be one of the most consequential opportunities the market has produced in a long time.

Israeli judo champion Raz Hershko maintained her winning streak Sunday, winning the gold for the second time in her life at the European Judo Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, and winning a medal for the fifth time overall.

Hershko won the gold on the last day of the championships in the over 78 kg category, beating her opponent, France’s Lea Fontaine, in just 52 seconds. That makes her the third Israeli ever to win more than one gold medal at the European Judo Championships.

The last time Hershko competed was in April — she had to skip the June games due to the 12-day war with Iran.

Hershko also won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s over 78 kg weight class.

Two other Israelis won medals at the competition. Timna Nelson-Levy won the silver medal in the women’s under 57 kg category, and 18-year-old Izhak Ashpiz took the bronze medal in the under 60 kg category on the men’s side.

At 31, Nelson-Levy became the oldest Israeli female athlete to ever win a medal at the European Judo Championships — an interesting distinction.

On the eve of its 78th Independence Day, Israel is not just surviving, it’s surging. The Central Bureau of Statistics put the country’s population at 10.244 million, up roughly 146,000 people, or 1.4 percent, over the past year. Born out of war, tested by war, and still absorbing the shock of October 7 and the campaigns that followed, the Jewish state enters Yom Ha’atzmaut more populous, more prosperous and, by its own citizens’ accounting, happier than most of the Western world.

Photo taken in Bat Yam, Israel

The demographic snapshot tells a story no adversary wants to hear. Jews and those classified as “others” make up 7.79 million residents, about 76 percent of the population. Arab citizens number 2.157 million, and roughly 296,000 are foreign nationals. Some 177,000 babies were born in the past year, a figure that dwarfs the birth rates of virtually every comparable developed economy, alongside around 21,000 new olim and 48,000 deaths. Four in five citizens are Israeli-born sabras. More than a quarter of the country is 14 or younger; only 13 percent are over 65. In an aging West, Israel is conspicuously young.

JERUSALEM – NOVEMBER 12: Religious Jews dance and sing ahead of a wedding ceremony at the Western Wall in the Old City on November 12, 2023 in Jerusalem. A month after Hamas’s October 7 attacks, the country’s military has continued its sustained bombardment of the Gaza Strip and launched a ground invasion to defeat the militant group that governs the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The contrast with 1948 is almost hard to process. The state was founded with 806,000 residents. It has since grown more than twelvefold, and today close to 45 percent of the world’s Jews live inside its borders, a reversal of nearly two millennia of exile that no planner in Ben-Gurion’s era would have dared predict. Life expectancy has climbed by nearly two decades since independence, now sitting at 81.1 years for men and 85.5 for women. Average wages have jumped from roughly 2,300 shekels a month in the 1990s to just under 14,000 today. Car ownership, that crude but telling marker of middle-class arrival, has climbed from 3 percent of households in 1959 to about 72 percent now.

Happy israeli jewish little boys runs with Israel national flag. Independence Day. Patriotism. Patriot kids, friends on open area field. Symbol of democracy, independence, future. High quality photo

Despite the hostage crisis, the rocket fire, the war with Iran, and the drumbeat of international hostility, Israelis overwhelmingly say they’re doing fine. Ninety-one percent report being satisfied or very satisfied with their lives. Eighty-three percent rate their health as good or very good. Ninety-six percent are satisfied with their family relationships. The United Nations’ World Happiness Report ranks Israel eighth in the world for 2026, ahead of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and nearly every European country that spent the past two years lecturing Jerusalem. The figures include war casualties, which makes the numbers less a boast than a statement of something deeper, a society that has absorbed extraordinary pressure and, rather than fracturing, is still building.

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting to discuss regional security in the Middle East as well as the U.S.-Israel partnership. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Enemies from Tehran to Gaza have for decades bet on an Israel that would shrink, tire, or demographically give way. The opposite is happening. A young, high-fertility, economically rising population is the single most durable answer the Jewish state can offer to those who still wish it gone. As the torches are lit on Mount Herzl and the flyovers streak across the coast, the 10.244 million number is more than a statistic. It is a verdict.

Social media personality Dan Bilzerian, who has spent the past two years feeding his tens of millions of followers a steady diet of antisemitism, Holocaust denial and neo-Nazi content, filed last week to run for a U.S. House seat in Florida.

The 45-year-old registered as a Republican primary candidate in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, where he will challenge incumbent Rep. Randy Fine, who is Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel.

Bilzerian has 30 million followers on Instagram and more than 2 million on X. Among the views he regularly shares with them: that “Jewish supremacy is the biggest threat to the world today,” that Israel should be destroyed, and that his Jewish opponent should be tried for treason for “putting Israel before America.” He has said President Donald Trump should be impeached over an “Israel First” policy he argues contradicts the president’s “America First” campaign promise.

Asked by TMZ whether his description of Fine as a “fat Jew” was antisemitic, Bilzerian said the term itself is “kind of a made-up term,” arguing that “Palestinians are the real Semites.” Pressed on whether Adolf Hitler was antisemitic, he declined to answer directly, repeating that Arabs and Palestinians have a stronger genetic link to the region than “any Ashkenazi Jew from Eastern Europe.”

A year ago, Bilzerian said he wanted “to kill Israelis.” Asked on his feed who causes most of the world’s problems, his followers were offered options that included “16 million Jews,” which they selected overwhelmingly. In another poll of 178,000 respondents, one-third said Hitler was a “good person” and another 23% said they did not know.

In a televised interview with conservative commentator Piers Morgan, Bilzerian said he believed fewer than six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. He told Morgan that Judaism inherently promotes “Jewish supremacy” and that “Israel is an expression of that religion, and I think that religion is terrible.”

He has shared content from neo-Nazi figure Nick Fuentes and promoted the “Great Replacement” theory, which holds that Jews are orchestrating nonwhite immigration to replace white populations. He has also echoed the antisemitic trope that “Jews knew about the 9/11 attacks” and declared, “Give me a gun and send me there to kill Israelis. I truly believe most of that country is evil.”

Bilzerian’s candidacy extends a trend in which internet personalities leverage large online audiences into Republican primary bids. It also reflects a broader shift within the Republican Party, where openly antisemitic voices, Holocaust deniers and figures aligned with the neo-Nazi right have grown into a measurable political constituency, a trajectory that sharpened during the war with Iran.

Known online as the “King of Instagram,” Bilzerian built his brand around a hedonistic lifestyle. He has long said his fortune, estimated in the hundreds of millions, came from high-stakes private poker games with billionaires. Professional poker players have disputed that account, saying his skill level does not match the winnings he claims. His father, Paul Bilzerian, was a Wall Street financier who went bankrupt and served prison time for fraud in the 1980s.

Bilzerian enlisted in the U.S. military and washed out of Navy SEAL training shortly before completion, but has built a tactical, military-style image into his brand. That persona was undercut during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, when he filmed himself fleeing the scene rather than helping the wounded.

He is not the only anti-Israel Republican challenging Fine. Another primary candidate, Aaron Baker, criticized Bilzerian’s choice of district, saying on X that Bilzerian should have filed in Florida’s 16th Congressional District, where he grew up, to force AIPAC to spend more money defending the seat.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Is post-abuse repair possible? Or will my entire life be one unending game of trying to evade you and everything and everyone else that comes with it? Of surviving, but not actually thriving?

But decades have passed, and life is short. The loss of its quality is not a small thing.

I tell her my idea.
“Why do you want to do this? Are you sure?”

No. I don’t want to. I strongly don’t want to. But I need to. It’s the right thing for me. I know it is. I trust myself on that.

And so, I invite you in for a session.

I scrunch myself small into the arm of the couch, fortifying myself with pillows. Please move his chair deep into the corner, far, far away from me.

“He looks scared,” she tells me.

Wait. Don’t let him in. I’m not ready. But I’ll never be ready.

I close my eyes. Breathe. Invite him into this space.

And with that, you enter.

I don’t look up. I can’t. I’m still scared of you. But I am no longer mad at you, only deeply sad and afraid.

I let you know how much it’s cost me. Who else I hold responsible in this. My respect for your past attempts to repair.

I am brave. I am kind. I am honest.

Then I listen.

I hear you speak, and I know you are as broken as I am.

There are centuries of pain to dig up and work through. But now is not the time.

You leave. I stay.

I look at her with gratitude, with relief.

“Do you feel the joy-pain I’m feeling?” she asks.

But no, I’m the picture of “okay.” I’m always okay. No one sees my pain, please. Least of all me. It might overtake me.

I make my way to my car, and there, in its familiar safety, I shed tears of frustration, disappointment, anger, deep, deep grief, and hope.

I know there’s an unending journey ahead, one that will take the duration of my lifetime and then some. And I also know that He appreciates process. That’s all He asks for.

And so, I embrace it too.

Repair. It is possible.

A Survivor

P.S. My message to anyone out there who has ever offended is:
All is not lost. There is a way back.

1. Take full ownership of the destruction and pain you have caused.
2. Feel remorse and express it.
3. Make amends to your victim for the future.

You will bring healing to yourself, to your victim, and to the world.

We are Jews. We believe in teshuva. This is your moment.

Be strong.
Be courageous.
Be excruciatingly honest.

Come on, you can do it.

P.P.S. To any parent out there, I don’t wish what you and your children are going through on my worst enemy. I feel for you. Truly. Just as I do for my own parents and so many others.

Even less discussed than the topic of sexual abuse is the topic of reconciliation in appropriate circumstances post-abuse. I have only once heard this mentioned briefly on a public forum.

Know this: as a parent, whether your children are still minors or now adults, it is your responsibility to fix what broke under your protection.

I say that with care, with respect, and with a true understanding of this struggle.

Sexual abuse is not an issue that can be ignored or that will heal on its own. Your family will likely remain shattered, to everyone’s detriment, unless you step in as a parent and facilitate healing, as hard as that may be, beginning with your own work.

P.P.P.S. And to anyone out there who has been hurt in this way, I feel you. I know this pain. I’m in the trenches too.

Please don’t feel angry or pressured by the above. It was part of my journey, not necessarily for everyone.

If, though, reconciliation at any level is possible in your situation, I’ll say this: I wish it for people I love and care about, because I know how much empowerment and healing it brought to me.

This is true even though the level of reconciliation I have at this point is minimal.

It was one of the hardest things I initiated in my life, and also one of the most powerful.

It’s because I care that I’m saying this. It’s not spoken about enough. I didn’t even know reconciliation was an option until I pursued it myself out of desperation. It was so off my radar, I had no concept that such a choice existed.

It has to start becoming a viable option for people.

At the same time, know this: wherever your healing path takes you, you have my humble respect.

I’ve got your back.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said guidance he received from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has influenced how he runs City Hall, pointing to early results such as pothole repairs and financial settlements with landlords as evidence of his approach.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist who took office on Jan. 1 as the city’s 112th mayor, made the remarks in an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with moderator Kristen Welker. The conversation was recorded at City Hall, at the historic desk once used by former Mayor Fiorello La Guardia.

During the interview, Mamdani described La Guardia as the greatest mayor in New York City’s history and said working at his desk serves as “a reminder of all that’s possible.”

He told Welker that he has met with several former mayors, including Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio, and said, “there’s a hubris in our politics that you have to create everything yourself.”

When asked which piece of advice had stayed with him most, Mamdani singled out Bloomberg.

“Michael Bloomberg spoke to me about the importance of the team that you build around you and that you let that team do the work that you hired them to do,” he said.

He added that he has tried to avoid “the micro-managerial aspect in so much of this work.”

Mamdani connected that philosophy to what his administration is describing as early accomplishments, citing $32 million in settlements from what he characterized as problematic landlords, as well as the filling of 102,000 potholes.

He attributed those achievements to his staff, saying, “That’s a team that’s doing that, and I’m so lucky to have the one that I have around me.”

Welker asked whether Mamdani agreed with former Mayor John Lindsay’s characterization of the job as the toughest in the country after the presidency.

Mamdani acknowledged the challenge, calling it “a tough job,” but added that it is “also an incredibly” fulfilling one.

The interview comes as Mamdani reaches the 100-day mark of his administration while facing pressure to translate broad campaign promises into concrete policy.

Key proposals—including a rent freeze, free bus service, and universal child care—have yet to be fully implemented.

A citywide rent freeze remains pending a summer decision by the Rent Guidelines Board, while the plan for free buses has been scaled back to a limited pilot program combined with expanded bus lanes.

At the same time, the city is grappling with a projected budget shortfall of approximately $5 billion.

Last week, Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed support for a proposed “pied-a-terre” tax on second homes valued at $5 million or more, which is intended to help address part of the deficit.

President Donald Trump criticized the proposal in a post online, accusing the mayor of “destroying” the city.

{Matzav.com}

One of Israel’s top journalists, Amit Segal, reported exclusively — but with what he called “caution” because it hasn’t been finalized — the parameters of a new U.S.-Iran deal.

The most crucial element of the deal is uranium enrichment, with a 15-year ban that ended up as a compromise: The United States wanted 20 years; the Iranians wanted far less. The existing enriched uranium will be converted into fuel, which will make it harder to re-enrich.

Along this vein, Iran must provide complete transparency of its nuclear sites, allowing unfettered oversight and nuclear inspections.

A U.S. C-17 lands at Nur Khan Airbase near Islamabad Sunday for another round of U.S-Iran negotiations.

The United States also demanded the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranians demanded a complete end to the war, the withdrawal of U.S. forces and sanctions relief, all of which are included in this deal.

For Israel, sanctions relief is very worrisome, according to Segal. A major goal of the war for Israel includes creating the conditions to topple the regime. The regime was on the verge of collapse as a result of the deterioration of the economy, but removing sanctions serves only to strengthen the regime.

For Israel, it’s a bad deal all around.

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While the IDF is trying to promote the Chashmonaim Brigade as the ultimate solution for integrating bnei yeshivos into the army, voices from within the defense establishment itself are raising doubts about the unit’s ability to absorb mainstream Chareidi recruits, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

Former senior defence official and financial consultant to the IDF chief of staff, Brig. Gen. (res.) Re’em Aminach, who learned at a Chareidi yeshiva in the past, said on the Black Kippot program that the brigade’s current structure is far from meeting the needs of a typical yeshiva bochur.

“There needs to be truly Chareidi brigades—ones where a Chareidi mother who sends her son can be certain he will return Chareidi exactly as she sent him,” he said.

He clarified that the problem begins at the command level: “The staff in the Chashmonaim Brigade is ‘Chardal’ (an acronym for חרדים לאומיים, referring to the Dati Leumi sector). Some of them may be more learned or makpid than her son—but that’s irrelevant. She wants a Chareidi son, and this staff does not represent the Chareidi value system she wants for him.”

“The current Chashmonaim Brigade is not suitable for the average Chareidi bochur—it’s suitable for those on the margins,” he asserted. “If you were in a dropout yeshiva—it’s fine. But if you came from Ponevezh or Ohr Elchanan? It’s not suitable. The unit simply isn’t designed for that.”

Aminach’s remarks carry particular weight due to his personal background. As someone who studied in a Chareidi yeshiva, he understands the nuances between the Chardal sector and the mainstream Chareidi world—a distinction he argues the military is failing to grasp.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A wild brawl broke out at the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City, a block away from the University of Iowa, starting with fisticuffs and ending with gunfire that sent the crowd scattering and fleeing for their lives. Police responding to a call at 1:45 a.m. found that several people had sustained injuries.

According to an official statement, “At this time, multiple victims have been taken to area hospitals to be treated for wounds suffered in the shooting.” So far, five people have been verified to have sustained injuries, three of them university students, and one of them with critical injuries.

Police said that they were responding to a call about a fight when they heard the gunfire.

Police are searching for these suspects. (From a post on X)

University President Barbara Wilson issued a statement offering support and sympathy to the student community and the injured students.

“While we await additional information, I am thinking about these students and their families, friends, and all the people who care about them. I am holding them close in my thoughts, along with everyone in our community who is hurting or feeling shaken right now,” she said.

This is the second mass shooting Sunday. In Louisiana, a domestic dispute ended with eight children dead.

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) — On contaminated land that is too dangerous for human life, the world’s wildest horses roam free.

Across the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Przewalski’s horses — stocky, sand-colored and almost toy-like in appearance — graze in a radioactive landscape larger than Luxembourg.

On April 26, 1986, an explosion at the nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent radiation across Europe and forced the evacuation of entire towns, displacing tens of thousands. It was the worst nuclear disaster in history.

Four decades on, Chernobyl — which is transliterated as “Chornobyl” in Ukraine — remains too dangerous for humans. But the wildlife has moved back in.

Wolves now prowl the vast no-man’s-land spanning Ukraine and Belarus, and brown bears have returned after more than a century. Populations of lynx, moose, red deer and even free-roaming packs of dogs have rebounded.

Przewalski’s horses, native to Mongolia and once on the brink of extinction, were introduced here in 1998 as an experiment.

Known as “takhi” in Mongolia (“spirit”), the horses are distinct from domestic breeds, with 33 pairs of chromosomes compared with 32 in domesticated horses. The modern name comes from the Russian explorer who first formally identified them.

“The fact that Ukraine now has a free-ranging population is something of a small miracle,” said Denys Vyshnevskyi, the zone’s lead nature scientist.

With human pressure gone, parts of the exclusion zone now resemble European landscapes from centuries past, he said, adding: “Nature recovers relatively quickly and effectively.”

The transformation is visible everywhere. Trees pierce abandoned buildings, roads dissolve into forest, and weathered Soviet-era signs stand beside leaning wooden crosses in overgrown cemeteries.

Hidden cameras show the horses adapting in unexpected ways. They seek shelter in crumbling barns and deserted homes, using them to escape harsh weather and insects — even bedding down inside.

The animals live in small social groups — typically one stallion with several mares and their young — alongside separate bands of younger males. Many died after their introduction, but others adapted.

Tracking them takes time. Vyshnevskyi often drives alone for hours, setting motion-sensitive camera traps in camouflaged casings attached to trees.

Despite persistent radiation, scientists have not recorded widespread die-offs, though subtler effects are evident. Some frogs have developed darker skin, and birds in higher-radiation areas are more likely to develop cataracts.

However, new threats have emerged.

Russia’s 2022 invasion brought fighting through the exclusion zone as troops advanced toward Kyiv, digging defenses into contaminated soil. Fires linked to military activity swept through forests.

Harsh wartime winters have also taken a toll. Damage to the power grid left surrounding managed areas without resources, and scientists report increases in fallen trees and dead animals — casualties of both extreme conditions and hastily built fortifications.

“Most forest fires are caused by downed drones,” said Oleksandr Polischuk, who leads a firefighting unit in the zone. “Sometimes we have to travel dozens of kilometers to reach them.”

Fires can send radioactive particles back into the air.

Today, the zone is no longer just an accidental refuge for wildlife. It has become a heavily monitored military corridor, marked by concrete barriers, barbed wire and minefields — a landscape of what some describe as grim beauty.

Personnel rotate in and out to limit radiation exposure. Chernobyl is likely to remain off-limits for generations — too dangerous for people, yet full of life.

“For those of us in conservation and ecology, it’s kind of a wonder,” Vyshnevskyi said. “This land was once heavily used — agriculture, cities, infrastructure. But nature has effectively performed a factory reset.”

If anyone had doubts that accusations against Israel’s actions in Gaza often cross over into blood libel, look no further than the protest in Stockholm, Sweden, over the weekend — when a man who looked suspiciously like Itamar Ben-Gvir, covered in fake blood, mimed the slaughter of a Palestinian woman and her baby. Then he mimed telling everyone to keep silent or they’d be killed too — reflecting another antisemitic accusation that Jews silence anyone who dares to criticize Israel.

The grisly display sent shockwaves through the global Jewish community, with Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman, blasting the demonstration.

“Open acts of antisemitism, week after week on the streets of Stockholm,” he said. “The same centuries-old stereotypes and blood libels, repackaged by replacing ‘Jews’ with ‘Zionists.’ Authorities are allowing the abuse of ‘freedom of expression’ to promote hatred and incitement against a national minority.”

Hundreds of people who joined the protest marched with signs that said “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are bombed,” “Stop the attacks on Lebanon” and “End the starvation.” They gathered in Odenplan Square to protest Israeli policies vis-à-vis the West Bank and the operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The protest organizers defended the disgusting display, saying it falls within the bounds of free speech.

The ancient blood libel is back — cloaked in the protective guise of freedom of expression.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that gasoline prices appear to have reached their high point about a week ago and are expected to gradually fall in the coming weeks as the conflict with Iran winds down.

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Wright pointed to the broader geopolitical developments, saying, “Putting this 47-year conflict to an end and preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, of course, has come with short-term disruption. I think we’ve managed it fantastically, though.”

He emphasized the scale of the disruption while noting the relative stability of prices, adding, “Here we are in the middle of the largest interruption in [the] flow of energy ever, and gasoline prices peaked a week ago, about a dollar below the peak during the Biden administration.”

Wright cautioned, however, that it may take time before prices return to lower levels seen earlier this year, suggesting that a drop below $3 per gallon may not occur until next year. He noted that such pricing, especially when adjusted for inflation, would represent a significant benchmark.

According to the latest figures from the American Automobile Association, the national average for gasoline currently stands at $4.04 per gallon.

When asked about the timeline for further declines, Wright said, “That might not happen until next year, but prices have likely peaked, and they’ll start going down,” adding, “Certainly, with a resolution of this conflict, you’ll see prices go down.”

{Matzav.com}