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Ghazal Molan was nineteen, newly married, and the youngest woman ever to take up arms with the Komala Peshmerga against the Islamic Republic. A native of Mahabad, she had fled Iran at eighteen after coming under IRGC surveillance for her role in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising, slipping across the border to join the Kurdish armed opposition in northern Iraq. She did not last a year. This week, an IRGC suicide drone struck the Komala camp in Surdash, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, tearing through a residential compound that housed fighters and their families. Ghazal was critically wounded and bleeding out by the time her comrades loaded her into a car.

Her comrades rushed her first to Shorsh Hospital, which lacked the equipment to save her, then to Bakhshin Hospital, where staff kept the door shut for forty-five minutes. The official reason, according to activists who accompanied her, was that admitting a “leftist Peshmerga” might bring IRGC retribution on the hospital. By the time she reached Faruk Medical Center, doctors told her husband there was nothing left to do. The ordeal did not end in the emergency room. Morgue workers allegedly refused her bloodied body. Her friends prepared her themselves, on the floor of a Sulaymaniyah library, and held a farewell for her husband there. The following morning, as her coffin was being carried to the Peshmerga cemetery, the IRGC launched another missile strike on the burial ground itself, forcing a hurried, half-secret funeral in a smaller plot in Sulaymaniyah.

Ghazal’s death is not an isolated tragedy. Since the war broke out at the end of February, when U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iran’s nuclear and leadership infrastructure, the Islamic Republic has launched roughly 650 drone and missile attacks into the Kurdistan Region, the majority aimed at Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups sheltering there. Many strikes have come from IRGC suicide drones fired directly from Iranian soil; others have been outsourced to Iran-backed Iraqi militias like Kataib Hezbollah, the regime’s preferred fig leaf. The attacks have continued through a fragile, Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, and even targeted the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. Kurdish officials have called them war crimes. Iraq’s new president, Nizar Amidi, insists his country will not become a battlefield for Iran and America, yet Baghdad continues to accommodate the militias that treat Iraqi territory as an extension of the Islamic Republic.

The reason the regime reaches so hard into Iraqi Kurdistan is that it fears the Kurdish card above all. During the Woman, Life, Freedom protests, Iranian Kurdistan was the country’s beating heart of resistance, and Tehran has spent years trying to crush the political movements that could galvanize a cross-ethnic uprising of Kurds, Baloch, Arabs, Azeris and others along its periphery. Komala leaders openly describe Israel’s military operations against Iran and its proxies as defensive, and view the collapse of the Islamic Republic as the precondition for any regional peace. Ghazal Molan is now their youngest symbol of that fight. A regime that had to kill a teenage girl, bar her from a hospital, and shell her funeral to feel safe is not a regime that feels secure. And that is precisely what her comrades want the world to see.

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The U.S. is preparing to board and seize Iran-linked oil tankers and other commercial ships in international waters in the coming days, expanding its pressure campaign on Tehran.

U.S. officials said the operation would target Iranian-flagged vessels and “dark fleet” ships used to move sanctioned Iranian oil to pressure it to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal shipping.

Iran escalated this weekend by tightening its control over the Strait of Hormuz, attacking commercial vessels and warning that ships trying to cross could be destroyed.

Tehran said it was doing so because the U.S. had not guaranteed free passage for ships traveling to and from Iran, and said it would keep the strait under tight control until that changed.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order dramatically accelerating federal efforts to study and approve psychedelic drugs for medical use. The order directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fast track the review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapies, including substances like ibogaine, which has shown promise in treating severe mental health conditions.

At the center of the initiative is a growing crisis in the US, particularly in mental health among U.S. veterans. The administration pointed to high rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, with thousands of veterans dying by suicide each year, as a driving force behind the policy shift. The executive order also allocates at least $50 million in federal funding to support research partnerships with states and expand clinical trials for psychedelic based treatments.

Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness🇺🇸@JoeRogan: "For 56 years we've lived under those terrible conditions. We're free of that now. Thanks to all these people… and thanks to President Trump." https://t.co/j1tkGACSM7 pic.twitter.com/aQmZl3z4PG

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 18, 2026

As aforementioned, one of the most talked-about drugs is ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic derived from an African plant, which is currently classified as a Schedule I substance in the U.S., meaning it is considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Despite that classification, interest in the drug has surged, particularly among veterans who have traveled abroad for treatment. Supporters say early results are promising, especially for individuals who have not responded to traditional therapies.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 18: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office before signing an Executive Order April 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. The executive order directs the Food and Drug Administration to issue new guidance on the use of psychedelic drugs intended for clinical trials for U.S. veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The order is designed to remove regulatory barriers that have long slowed research in this field, allowing scientists and doctors to more easily study and potentially use these treatments under controlled conditions.

Still, not everyone is convinced. Medical experts warn that while psychedelics may show promise, they also carry big risks, including heart complications and the need for strict clinical oversight.

In a feel-good moment with a deeper message behind it, former President Barack Obama met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a visit to a Bronx early childhood center, marking their first in person meeting since Mamdani took office.

Great spending time with New York City’s Cutest. And thanks to @NYCMayor for giving me an excuse to break out my best “Wheels on the Bus” pic.twitter.com/RxJ7ZRZse6

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 18, 2026

The visit itself was lighthearted and community focused, with the two leaders spending time reading to preschoolers, singing classic preschool songs, such as “Wheels on the Bus”. During the meeting, Obama offered to serve as a “sounding board” for Mamdani, making himself available as a resource as the new mayor navigates the challenges of leading one of the world’s most complex cities.

For Mamdani, still early in his career, the gesture represents more than just a meeting, it’s a sign of support from a former president known for his leadership and experience on the national stage. Obama, who has largely stayed out of daily politics, occasionally steps in to mentor rising leaders, and his willingness to connect with Mamdani reflects that same approach.

The interaction appeared less about politics and more about guidance, an experienced leader offering perspective to someone just beginning a major role.

On Erev Shabbos, a heavy downpour left local areas soaking wet. Looking for a way to entertain the children after a long afternoon, Yossi Rubinstein, a dedicated member of Bergen County Chaverim, originally planned to take his family to Secor Farms in New Jersey.

As they waited with their turn indicator on to enter the farm, a nearby park on the right side caught his eye. Hoping to find some playground equipment that wasn’t too wet from the rain, they decided to pull over and investigate. While the children played on the swings, the slide was too wet to use, but it quickly became the focal point of a remarkable discovery. Resting in the corner of one of the slide’s steps was a velvet embroidered tefillin bag. It was protected by plastic but had gotten a little wet from the rain.

Realizing what he had stumbled upon, Yossi called out to his companion, Bergen Chaverim Coordinator Sol Itzkowitz, and immediately opened the bag. They found a phone number embroidered inside, but to their dismay, the number was disconnected. Based on the park’s scenic pond, they deduced that a Bar Mitzvah boy had likely been there for a photo shoot the day prior and accidentally left his tefillin behind. They were deeply relieved the tefillin had not stayed out in the elements over Shabbos.

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Yossi and Sol collaborated with Rockland Chaverim to locate the boy’s family, as markers from the tefillin bag indicated he was likely from the Chasidish community. With the assistance of Rockland Chaverim, they used the name on the bag to successfully track down the very relieved family.

In the end, the family did make it to Secor Farms to purchase flowers for Shabbos. However, Yossi beautifully noted that being able to return the tefillin to the Bar Mitzvah boy was “the nicest flower”. Reflecting on the profound chain of events, Yossi shared, “The best feeling going into Shabbos was… doing a mitzvah of hashavas aveidah, especially with such a special and expensive mitzvah of tefillin.”

ASHDOD (VINnews) — An Israel Defense Forces reservist was killed and nine others were wounded Thursday when an engineering vehicle struck a Hezbollah-planted explosive device in southern Lebanon, the military said.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Lidor Porat, 31, of Ashdod, was killed in the blast, the IDF announced. He served in the 769th “Hiram” Regional Brigade’s 7106th Battalion.

The incident occurred during routine operations in IDF-controlled territory in southern Lebanon as part of the ongoing ceasefire. An initial military probe found that the engineering vehicle drove over a bomb planted by Hezbollah. Soldiers securing the area were hit by the explosion.

One soldier was seriously wounded, four were moderately injured and four sustained light wounds, the IDF said. All wounded were airlifted to hospitals and their families have been notified.

Following the blast, the IDF struck several targets in the area. The military is continuing to investigate the incident.

Porat’s death marks the first Israeli fatality in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to continue building a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling a day after a lower court judge continued to block above-ground construction on the site of the former East Wing.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit late Friday put on temporary hold the order by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon halting part of the project. The panel scheduled a hearing for June 5 to review the case.

In his ruling Thursday, Leon continued to block above-ground construction of the 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom addition while allowing only below-ground work to continue on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site.

Trump tore down the East Wing last fall to build the massive ballroom in that space. The National Trust for Historic Preservation later sued to block construction, arguing that Trump had overstepped his authority by moving forward with the project without first getting approval from key federal agencies and Congress.

Leon ruled in favor of the nonprofit group at the end of March, but put his decision on hold for a brief period while allowing the underground work to continue. The administration appealed.

Trump has said the ballroom is a long-overdue addition to the White House complex and argues that he has the right to build it because the cost will be covered by donations from wealthy individuals and corporations, though taxpayer dollars will pay for the security aspects.

This time, the business owner wasn’t even Jewish — he just didn’t bother to take down the sign of the previous owner, which read “jewish futures.” That was enough to mark the business in the London neighborhood of Hendon as a target for a random Jew hater.

Friday night, a man was seen carrying a plastic bag, which was later found to contain three bottles of fluid; placed it in front of the building; and attempted to set it on fire. The fuel failed to ignite fully, and the perp fled.

Police were called to the scene at 10:32 p.m. Although the attack isn’t being classified as terrorism, Counter Terrorism Policing London is investigating because of its similarity to other arson attacks against the Jewish community, according to the unit’s commander, Helen Flanagan.

This photo shows the front of the building where the arson attack took place, with “jewish futures,” the name of the previous business, still prominently displayed. (From a post on X)

The front of the building sustained minor damage.

A Jewish MP from Hendon spoke to Sky News about the incident, telling the media outlet that this will “undoubtedly add to the concerns” of Hendon’s large Jewish community.

“In Hendon we are proudly the home of a large Jewish community,” he said. “We’ve seen the attacks on Hatzola in Golders Green which is just a mile down the road. [Also] the attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue, which is just a few miles away, so obviously this adds to the concerns the community has.”

But in London, even if you’re not Jewish, you ought to be concerned. Just ask the non-Jewish business owner whose establishment was attacked Friday night.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a forceful statement praising Israel, calling it a “GREAT ally” of the United States in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“Whether people like Israel or not, they have proven to be a GREAT Ally of the United States of America,” Trump wrote.

He continued, “They are Courageous, Bold, Loyal, and Smart and, unlike others that have shown their true colors in a moment of conflict and stress, Israel fights hard, and knows how to WIN!”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

LONDON (AP) — A life jacket worn by a passenger on RMS Titanic as she escaped the sinking steamship on a lifeboat sold at auction on Saturday for 670,00 pounds ($906,000).

The flotation device was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger on the doomed ocean liner, and is signed by her and other survivors from the same lifeboat.

It was the star among items in a sale of Titanic memorabilia by Henry Aldridge & Son auctioneers in Devizes, western England, and sold to an unidentified telephone bidder for well over the presale estimate of between 250,000 and 350,000 pounds.

A seat cushion from one of the Titanic lifeboats sold at the same auction for 390,000 pounds ($527,000) to the owners of two Titanic museums in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri.

The prices include an auction-house fee known as the buyer’s premium.

“These record-breaking prices illustrate the continuing interest in the Titanic story, and the respect for the passengers and crew whose stories are immortalized by these items of memorabilia,” auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said.

Billed as the world’s most luxurious ocean liner and described as “practically unsinkable,” the Titanic hit an iceberg off Newfoundland during its maiden voyage from England to New York. It sank within hours on April 15, 1912. Some 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew died.

The Titanic is still a subject of worldwide fascination, in part because of the range of passengers aboard the ship, from paupers to plutocrats.

Francatelli was traveling with her employer, fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon, and Lucy’s husband Cosmo Duff Gordon. All three survived in the ship’s lifeboat No. 1, which was launched carrying 12 people despite having capacity for 40. Its failure to pick up survivors from the frigid water became a source of controversy.

The record auction price for a piece of Titanic memorabilia is 1.56 million pounds (almost $2 million at the time) paid in 2024 for a gold pocket watch given to the captain of RMS Carpathia, the ship that rescued 700 Titanic survivors.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris accused President Donald Trump of being drawn into war with Iran at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the conflict something “the American people do not want.”

Speaking at a Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus event in Detroit, Harris charged that Trump used Operation Epic Fury as “a feeble attempt to distract from the Epstein files” — invoking a line of criticism that has gained traction on both flanks of the political spectrum.

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Harris used the speech to mount a sweeping attack on the administration, calling it the “most corrupt, callous, and incompetent” in American history.

On foreign policy, she argued that Trump has broken with decades of bipartisan tradition by abandoning the alliances that have anchored U.S. influence abroad. “This president is the first president of the United States of either party since World War II to abandon America’s responsibility to nurture and protect our alliances, our friendships,” she said.

Trump is also, she claimed, the first president to openly dismiss international norms around sovereignty and territorial integrity, leaving the U.S. “unreliable” to its partners and stripped of its credibility on the world stage.

Harris also addressed healthcare, reproductive rights, and the economy, though she offered few specifics. She closed on a bullish note for her party, predicting Democrats would retake the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rav Yehuda Silman, prominent posek from Bnei Brak, was released from a New York hospital after collapsing during a visit to the United States, and is expected to return to Eretz Yisroel for further medical treatment in the coming days.

Following several tense hours, Rav Silman – who traveled to the United States to garner financial support for Shuvu – was discharged after being hospitalized for approximately half a day due to the sudden incident during his trip.

Sources indicated that upon his return, he will likely undergo a cardiac catheterization procedure next week at a hospital in Israel as part of continued care.

In a moving scene captured on video, his close friend, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, rav of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood, visited Rav Silman’s bais medrash, Kehillas Chassidim, where he recited Tehillim on his behalf. Afterward, he conducted a Mi Shebeirach for his recovery along with all those in need of healing.

The public is asked to daven for the full recovery of Rav Yehuda ben Leah.

{Matzav.com}

SURFSIDE, Fla. (VINnews) — Five years after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South killed 98 people, a planned luxury condominium on the site has yet to secure a single buyer, according to a company executive and a report by The Real Deal.

Damac Properties purchased the oceanfront property in Surfside for $120 million in a court-ordered auction, with proceeds distributed to former unit owners and victims’ families.

The developer later unveiled plans for The Delmore, a 12-story project described as an ultra-luxury boutique condominium featuring 37 residences. Units are expected to start at $15 million, with average prices ranging from $35 million to $40 million.

A senior development executive told The Real Deal that no contracts have been finalized. The company had anticipated stronger demand following its initial launch but acknowledged the timing and market conditions did not meet expectations.

The redevelopment has drawn scrutiny, with some community members and families of victims advocating for a memorial at the site.

The executive also cited buyer hesitation tied to the company’s limited track record in the United States and broader market uncertainty. At least one potential deal involving more than $200 million in units fell through over concerns about the source of funds, according to The Real Deal.

The company said it is exploring potential partnerships with other developers but intends to move forward with the project.

Federal investigators have said the 2021 collapse likely began with a failure in the building’s pool deck structure before the rest of the tower gave way.

Exciting developments are in store for the burgeoning relationship between Israel and Argentina, as the Latin American country’s president is set to touch down in Israel Sunday for the historic opening of a direct flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Buenos Aires and the even more historic signing of the Isaac Accords.

But that’s not all. The visit will mark the opening of Argentina’s embassy in Jerusalem, and Milei will light a torch at a dress rehearsal in honor of Israel’s Independence Day.

The Abraham Accords include Middle Eastern countries, and their new offshoot is also designed to bring Latin American countries into a closer and more beneficial relationship with Israel.

Milei canceled his original plan to stay for the actual Independence Day. Instead, he will light a torch at the dress rehearsal the day before the main event, where the footage will be broadcast across the country. The president will fly home Tuesday.

(From a post on X)

Milei is a passionate Zionist, and as a sign of his devotion to the cause, he renamed a street in Buenos Aires called “State of Palestine Street” to “Bibas Street” in commemoration of the three members of the Bibas family who were abducted on Oct. 7 and brutally murdered by their captors.

The statement announcing Milei’s participation in the torch-lighting ceremony said as much.

“Milei … has expressed his support for Israel through a series of leadership decisions — from recognizing Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organizations, to efforts to secure the release of hostages, the decision to rename ‘Palestine Street’ as ‘Bibas Family Street,’ and his determined fight in international forums against antisemitism and in support of Israel’s right to defend itself,” the statement said.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who oversees the ceremony, profusely thanked Argentina’s leader for the solid friendship and support that he has shown Israel in its past difficult two and a half years.

“In these complex times we are living through, the State of Israel has found in Buenos Aires a true friend and a devoted partner,” she gushed. “President Javier Milei is among the most prominent leaders of the free world and one of Israel’s closest allies, a true friend and a genuine Zionist, a model of partnership, loyalty and appreciation for the Jewish people, and one of the greatest friends of the Jewish people.”

“His selection reflects the deep gratitude felt by all Israeli citizens for his leadership and our great pride in the warm and close ties between Israel and Argentina,” she added.

But Milei’s friendship with the Jewish state goes much deeper than mere diplomacy. The president of Argentina has said that he fully intends to convert to Judaism after his term ends. The only thing holding him back, he said, is the difficulty of Shabbat observance while serving as president.

If the Abraham Accords are anything to go by, then great benefits are in store for both signatories to the Isaac Accords.

LONDON (AP) — British counterterrorism police are investigating an attempted arson attack in London, one of a string of recent incidents targeting Jewish and Iranian premises in the city.

Police said Saturday that they aren’t currently linking the incident to recent attacks on Jewish charity ambulances and a Persian-language media organization.

The Metropolitan Police force said that detectives weren’t treating the incidents as acts of terror, but Counter Terrorism Policing London is leading the investigation “due to the similarities of each attack.”

Police said that on Friday night a man was spotted leaving a bag containing three bottles of fluid outside a building, which was previously used by the Jewish community. He attempted to light the contents, which failed to ignite fully, and then fled. No arrests have been made.

Friday’s incident in the Hendon area is close to Golders Green, where four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were torched on March 23. Four people have been charged over that attack.

Police are also investigating an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in northwest London on Wednesday. On the same day, what police called an “ignited container” was thrown into a Persian media organization’s premises in Wembley, another part of northwest London. Two men and a teenage boy have been charged with arson.

No one has been injured in any of the incidents.

One line of investigation is whether the incidents are linked to Iran. The U.K. has accused Iran of using criminal proxies to conduct attacks on European soil targeting opposition media outlets and the Jewish community. Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence service says that more than 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots were disrupted in the year to October.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was “not in my interest at all” to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace.

Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa.

He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trump’s critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isn’t directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace.

“There’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself,” he said.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”

Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticized Leo’s preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 and was followed by Iran’s retaliation, raged on. Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to Trump.

Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable.”

The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. The Russian Orthodox Church, for example, has justified Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as a “holy war.”

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Leo referred specifically to his remarks earlier this week to a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. The city is the epicenter of a separatist conflict that has been raging in the western, Anglophone region of the country for nearly a decade.

Leo said that his remarks, in which he blasted the “handful of tyrants” who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, were written two weeks ago, long before Trump’s criticisms began.

“And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all,” he said.

Looking ahead, however, he said that he would continue preaching the Gospel.

“I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa,” he said.

He drew attention to some upcoming liturgical readings about what it means to be Christian and to follow Christ, promote fraternity and brotherhood, “but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world,” he said.

Leo arrived later Saturday in Angola, the third stop on his four-nation tour. A message of peace would be especially relevant for the southern African country, which was ravaged by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but has left deep scars.

Leo will meet with Angolan President Joao Lourenco and deliver his first speech before government authorities, when he hopes to bring joy and encouragement to Angola’s long-suffering people.

On a recent morning in Borough Park, a man in his fifties walked into the Met Council’s Brooklyn hub – a 12,500-square-foot facility on 13th Avenue and 16th Street – and found David Greenfield, the organization’s CEO, on the floor. The man had come to thank him. He was nearing the end of a 16-week technology training course the organization offers free of charge, and for the first time in two years, he had started getting job interviews.

“He said, ‘I’m just finishing your 16-week course, and I haven’t gotten an interview in two years. I had a gap in my system that created a lot of issues, and this is the first time, because I took the tech course and I have the skills now, that I’m actually getting job interviews,’” Greenfield recounted, in an exclusive interview with Belaaz. “He hadn’t gotten a job yet. But he was getting job interviews. That, to me, is a great example of offering people skills and hope and how you turn people’s lives around.”

The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, known as Met Council, is a New York-based Jewish nonprofit that focuses on food, housing and helping people train for and find careers. It operates a large kosher food network, assisting more than 325,000 people last year. Under Greenfield, who became CEO in 2018, the organization has incorporated AI into its operations to expand capacity.

Greenfield says the organization has invested “well over a million dollars” in AI over the past year alone, structured across three distinct tracks: staff training, departmental AI budgets, and curated technology partnerships with outside companies.

A core component of this strategy focuses on employee training. Every week, the organization pays its staff for two hours of AI training on company time. By the end of this year, every Met Council employee will have accumulated 108 hours of training in tools including Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude.

“We’re committed to giving them this tool so they can be better at their work,” Greenfield said, “less time on paperwork and more time actually helping clients.”

The stated goal is to reduce the time caseworkers spend on administrative tasks like benefits enrollment, allowing them to focus on direct client interaction. Met Council employs social workers, Yiddish and Russian speakers, and local community members.

“We shouldn’t be run like a traditional tzedaka organization,” he said. “We should be running like a business, and we should make sure we have the best tools like any other business would. Any Fortune 500 company today is investing in AI, and we think we should be doing the same.”

The organization notes that this technology is not being used to reduce headcount. “We are not laying off any of our staff, and we’re committed to keeping our staff,” Greenfield said flatly. “If we keep our staff and give them AI tools, we think we have superstaff. That’s really what our focus is on.”

Regarding efficiency, Greenfield notes that while AI handles a significant portion of certain tasks, human oversight remains necessary. “It doesn’t take you to zero time,” he acknowledged. “But it gets you pretty close.”

The organization has also updated its food pantry distribution model. “For literally thousands of years, the system of food is: you get what you get,” Greenfield said. “We’ve revolutionized that system.”

Through an online platform called Market by Met Council, clients are assigned a point allotment based on household size and can select specific foods. The orders are then packed at a fulfillment hub and delivered, reducing wait times and unwanted food waste.

In late 2025, the organization opened a 22,000-square-foot warehouse in Brooklyn that utilizes AI for logistics.

“It’s so successful, Harvard Business School did a study that they published last year on Market Met Council,” Greenfield said. “They now teach it in their MBA classes -a class on how organizations can use technology and artificial intelligence to improve old-school processes.”

Software manages routing for the delivery of 20 million pounds of kosher food annually and monitors inventory across multiple pantry sites. “We can tell you which pantries need more food and less food, which have specific needs,” Greenfield said. “Different communities want different foods.”

A current pilot program incorporates dietary restrictions into the ordering system. “If you try to order something with high sodium and we know you’re on a low-sodium diet, we’ll flag it and say, ‘Hey, are you really sure you want this? Because last week you told us you wanted a low-sodium diet,’” Greenfield said.

A nurse reviews these nutritional flags to monitor for accuracy. “The best AI systems today are 95 percent accurate,” he said, “but you still need that five percent touch, which is human.” Met Council is also working with a Palo Alto-based company on a tool to streamline the benefits screening process.

“AI is very good at taking complicated data and distilling that information so that it could be readily usable,” Greenfield said. “That’s not a text tool. That’s really an AI usage.”

Met Council also partnered with DoorDash this Passover season to facilitate its Holocaust survivor food program, which serves over 2,000 individuals annually in the New York area. For homebound clients without internet access, staff place orders via iPad, and DoorDash drivers handle the deliveries.

“In the old days, or even what other organizations are doing, you probably drop off a box of food. What happened to the box? Nobody knows. In a multifamily house, did someone pick it up? Did the food get ruined?” Greenfield said. “This solves all of those questions. The entire experience is seamless, and it makes sure things are much more efficient.”

This partnership is part of a broader strategy of utilizing existing platforms, with each of Met Council’s ten service departments receiving a dedicated AI budget.

Greenfield projects the number of people served will increase from 325,000 last year to 400,000 this year.

“What we’re doing with the free time is we’re helping more people in more communities than ever before,” he said. “The AI has allowed us to have more reach and help more people, and to do it much faster than we ever were able to before.”

The organization has recently expanded services into Rockland County, Westchester, Long Island, and Albany, and reports reduced wait times for client service calls.

During Pesach, the Brooklyn hub used scanning technology for 1,700 families picking up food, lowering average wait times from an hour in previous years to under ten minutes. “It’s really all about treating people with dignity and respect,” Greenfield said. The organization also supplied food to twenty shuls in Borough Park for direct distribution.

The Brooklyn hub houses legal aid, free loans, and workforce training. Technology courses are offered to the community on kosher computers.

Greenfield shared an example of a 19-year-old bachur who took an advanced tech course at the hub and found employment shortly after. “He’s 19 years old, and now he’s doing something, and he’s productive,” Greenfield said.

Regarding the adoption of new technology in the frum Jewish community, Greenfield noted differing perspectives.

“In our community, a lot of times when new tech comes, people are scared of it,” he said. “I think there tend to be two views: one is, let’s avoid AI; the other is, let’s completely embrace it. Our view is somewhere in the middle.”

The organization aims to balance technological efficiency with direct human interaction.
“My goal is not to have an AI bot do all the work when you reach out to Met Council,” he said. “Most of our staff are trained social workers. They understand people who are going through a tough time. They understand what the challenges are like. They’re from the community. They’re appropriate. We have people who speak Yiddish, Russian. Different communities have different needs. We want to make sure we’re servicing everybody.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A gunman wielding an automatic weapon killed six people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

At least 14 people were wounded and taken to hospital.

The 58-year-old attacker was not named by police, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was born in Russia, as authorities worked to piece together a motive for the violence.

The mass shooting — unheard of in wartime Kyiv following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — took place in a busy central district of the city, outside an apartment block and a nearby shopping center, leaving bodies on a crowded street as bystanders fled for safety.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw victims’ bodies in the street covered with emergency blankets before they were taken away.

“The assailant has been neutralized. He had taken hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He also murdered four people on the street. Another woman died in the hospital due to severe injuries,” Zelenskyy said.

“It has been established that the attacker set fire to an apartment before taking to the streets with a weapon,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted online. “He had a prior criminal record, had lived in the Donetsk region (in eastern Ukraine) for a long period, and was born in Russia.”

Ukraine’s special tactical police units stormed the convenience store after attempts to contact the gunman with a negotiator failed, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The hostages were supermarket customers and staff.

“We tried to persuade him, knowing that there was likely a wounded person inside. We even offered to bring in tourniquets to stop the bleeding, but he did not respond,” Klymenko said. “Consequently, the order was given to neutralize him.”

The minister said the gunman had a valid weapon’s permit.

During the 40-minute standoff, a female negotiator wearing body armor and standing behind an armored vehicle used a loudspeaker to call out to the assailant, urging him: “The people are not to blame for this. Please let them go, and we will talk with you.”

Ukraine’s security service, or SBU, described the killings as an act of terrorism.

The shooting took place in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, where several residents said they recognized the gunman.

“I knew him by sight. He seemed like an educated, refined man. You’d never guess he was some kind of criminal,” said 75-year-old Hanna Kulyk, who lived in the same apartment block as the attacker.

“He didn’t socialize much with people — just a greeting and he’d be on his way,” she said. “He lived alone.”

(AP) – As the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, travelers have valid reasons to worry about the cost and availability of flights as they plan their late spring and summer trips.

The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that European countries could run low on jet fuel within weeks, forcing the continent’s airlines and carriers that fly to Europe to significantly reduce flights. Many airlines have already raised checked bag fees or added fuel surcharges as the global price of jet fuel increased from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 a barrel at the beginning of April.

In a sign of the conflict’s ongoing repercussions for travel, Air Canada said Friday it planned to suspend its service to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June 1 until Oct. 25 to lower its fuel costs. Other airlines, ranging from U.S. carriers like United and Delta to Air France-KLM, SAS, Philippine Airlines and and Cathay Pacific in Europe and Asia, have reduced routes and either increased ticket prices or said they would hike them if the war keeps oil from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“It’s very hard for the airlines to make predictions in this environment, so they’re going to be conservative, and that’s why it’s likely that their prices will remain elevated for some time until things really stabilize,” said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown University’s business school.

With airfares and fees on the rise, consumers still can make choices that determine how much of their travel budgets will get taken up by paying to get to and from their destinations.

Act quickly
While consumers may be tempted to see if the war ends before buying airline tickets, the “wait-and-see” approach to booking flights is riskier this year, travel experts say, especially the longer the war goes on and the closer to summer and other peak travel periods it gets.

“Presuming there is a lasting ceasefire — or better yet, peace agreement — it will take a few months for normal levels of jet fuel production and delivery to resume,” airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, said.

Iran’s reversal on Saturday of its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s insistence on maintaining a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports illustrated the shakiness of prospects for oil flowing reliably again from the Persian Gulf and with it, an easing of the price pressure on airlines and their customers.

“My advice to travelers is this: If you find a flight whose schedule fits yours, with a fare you can afford, and on an airline you can at least tolerate, book it,” Harteveldt said. “But — and I cannot emphasize this enough —do not book a Basic Economy fare,” the cheapest but also the most restrictive airline ticket class.

Along with charging for checked bags and seat selection, most North American airlines do not give refunds or travel credits to passengers with Basic Economy tickets if they don’t cancel their trips within 24 hours of purchase. Policies may vary, but spending more for a Standard Economy ticket provides more flexibility, according to Harteveldt.

Paying more up-front for a refundable ticket also prove advantageous because “if the prices start to dramatically change, you can cancel and rebook for the better price,” Gilad said.

Travel experts say that for now, longstanding booking guidance offers a baseline for how early to reserve a flight to get the lowest airfare: international flights are typically the cheapest about two to five months in advance, and domestic trips about three to six weeks out.

Last-minute bookings and other situations that typically command higher prices are likely to keep climbing, Gilad said.

“Remember, especially if you’re traveling on the major airlines, they’re going to have more ability to adjust fares. If you book too close to your travel date, you’re going to pay more,” he said. “The farther out you can book, the better.”

Keep an open mind
Travelers who don’t want or need to reach a specific place at a specific time can find it easier to save on airfare. Shifting departure or return dates by a day or two — especially from peak weekends and holidays to midweek — often yields big price differences.

Choosing a different destination also may pay off. A flight from the U.S. may be significantly cheaper to one European city than another. Since budget airlines and trains connect much of Europe, and trains, an airport it cost less to get to can still provide easy access to a lot of other places.

Consumers not set on a certain arrival destination can try tools like Skyscanner’s “Explore Everywhere” feature to look for less-expensive options.

Looking beyond the closest airport for departures also can make a meaningful difference. Major hubs tend to offer more flights and lower fares than smaller regional airports.

In some cases, booking a separate short flight or train to a hub will unlock a cheaper long-haul airfare — think Milwaukee versus Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Travel light
Sticking to a carry-on bag, when possible, can help avoid the higher fees for checking luggage that many major U.S. airlines introduced recently, including Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue.

If packing light is not an option, plan ahead because airlines typically charge more to add bags closer to departure, especially within 24 hours of a flight.

Redeem your points
While fares are going up, the number of airline points needed for many flights has not increased at the same pace, said Adam Morvitz, CEO of points.me, a loyalty rewards redemption search platform.

Airlines still need to fill seats, Morvitz said, and offering more of them for fewer points is one way to do it.

Customers without enough frequent-flyer miles or credit card points for a round-trip ticket still can redeem their travel rewards for one leg of a journey and free up cash for other travel expenses.

Many travelers redeem points directly through their credit card’s booking portal, where they’re typically worth about 1 cent each, Morvitz said. Transferring points to airline loyalty programs often unlocks significantly better value because most major credit card issuers partner with a range of airlines.

Take American Express, whose points can be transferred to Air France’s Flying Blue program. Travelers who don’t want to book with Air France still can use those points with the airline’s partner carriers, such as Delta, Morvitz said.

“Points are a form of wealth, and consumers should recognize that those points increase spending power,” he said.

Explore travel credit cards
For those new to travel credit cards, sign-up bonuses may yield benefits that can be put to use as soon as this summer. Some bonuses are large enough to cover a flight after meeting a minimum spending requirement.

“Even if you were to travel the entire year, taking one trip per month, you would still earn more points simply by signing up for the card than actually sitting on a seat and flying,” Morvitz said.

Points and rewards can add up through everyday spending on groceries, dining and gas. Some cards include perks like free or discounted checked bags.

Mordechai Zelig ben Blima, the boy who was seriously injured in last week’s fatal accident, is B”H awake and talking.

Mordechai went through a surgery on Erev Shabbos, which was B”H successful.

However, he is still in great need of Yeshuos for a full recovery.

You can continue the online Tehillim chain here.

A senior Gulf official has revealed that behind-the-scenes contacts between Qatar and Iran in the final days of the war may have led to a sharp reduction in Iranian attacks on Doha, though Qatari authorities are firmly rejecting the claim.

According to the official, who spoke with a regional correspondent, recent reports of quiet understandings between the two countries followed an Iranian strike on a major gas facility in northern Qatar.

The source said that in exchange for scaling back attacks, Iran requested that Qatar’s Al Jazeera network adopt a less aggressive tone toward Tehran and provide greater exposure to Iranian voices. “This indeed happened,” the official said, emphasizing Iran’s view of the network as a key platform for messaging to the Arab world.

One of the figures highlighted as receiving airtime was Hassan Ahmadian of the University of Tehran, who appeared on both the English and Arabic broadcasts of Al Jazeera. These appearances, the source noted, came during a period when the network’s coverage of Iran shifted from sharp criticism of its actions in the Gulf to a more moderated tone.

Earlier in the conflict, Iran’s state broadcasting authority had threatened to target Al Jazeera’s offices in Doha, but later unexpectedly withdrew the warning and canceled evacuation alerts. Qatari officials at the time denied any link between that reversal and changes in the network’s editorial stance.

Qatar has categorically denied that any agreement was reached with Iran during the war. Officials in Doha stated clearly, “There was no deal,” rejecting claims that Qatar paid Iran to halt attacks or influenced Al Jazeera’s coverage in any way.

Qatar is widely considered one of the Gulf states maintaining relatively close ties with Iran, even during periods of regional tension. During the war, however, Doha expelled Iran’s military attaché after repeated strikes on its energy infrastructure.

Reports of possible coordination emerged after Iran targeted a major gas installation in northern Qatar during the conflict. President Donald Trump had also stated that Israel would refrain from striking the gas field again unless Iran launched further attacks on Qatar, warning that in such a scenario the United States would respond by destroying Iran’s South Pars gas field.

The revelation adds to the ongoing strain in the Persian Gulf, where Sunni Arab states are pressing the United States to take a firmer stance against Iran. While Trump has spoken of a “diplomatic window,” Gulf nations continue to call for the complete dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — A skydiver crashed into the Lane Stadium scoreboard before Virginia Tech’s spring football game Saturday.

Virginia Tech officials said on X that the skydiver “was safely secured and is currently stable” following rescue efforts. The incident caused a delay in the start of the spring game.

The name of the skydiver wasn’t released.

“Our primary focus remains on their well-being,” Virginia Tech officials said in a statement. “We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff, and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional response.”

Video footage showed the skydiver’s parachute landing between the “C” and the “H” on the Virginia Tech lettering on top of the scoreboard before first responders rescued him.

The Blacksburg Fire Department didn’t immediately respond to a voicemail seeking details on the incident.

A pedestrian crossing island installed without Township approval, was removed by the County over Shabbos.

On the first days of Pesach, the County installed the crossing as part of their Ridge Avenue project – which is installing sidewalks and curbs along a stretch of Ridge Avenue. The project was first announced on TLS here.

However, unbeknownst to the Township and any local residents, Township officials told TLS exclusively that the County only approved the engineering plans if a pedestrian crossing could be installed – apparently to help the residents on either side of Ridge cross over the road – connecting to their newly-installed sidewalks on the south side. But, the crossing island – which never received final approval by the Township – was placed on a curve of a fast-driven road, making it unsafe for pedestrians to attempt to cross the road at that spot.

Additionally, local residents explained to the Township, that if anything at all, the island should have been installed further west, where the road is straight and doesn’t pose a serious safety risk to the pedestrians from the vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed around the bend in the road. The speed limit on the road – which has multiple schools and many students walking the road daily – is 45 MPH.

On Chol Hamoed, after numerous residents reached out to TLS about it, TLS contacted Township officials inquiring about it. They knew nothing about it.

In response, the Township told TLS last week that the Township has requested its removal, and will be discussing other options to help make the road safer for the many Lakewood High School, Middle School students and Yeshiva Bachurim who walk the road daily, as well as for the children who get on and off buses at the intersection.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei released a series of defiant messages today during the fragile ceasefire with Israel, warning that Iran’s navy remains prepared for further confrontation even as U.S. officials say the country’s military has been severely weakened.

Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since taking power after being seriously wounded in the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli airstrike that killed his father, delivered the statements in connection with Iran’s Armed Forces Day.

Despite ongoing negotiations and a temporary truce with Israel, Khamenei used his official channels to project strength and readiness.

“Just as Iran’s drones strike like lightning against the US and Zionist criminals, Israel, the brave navy is also prepared to inflict new bitter defeat on enemies,” a post from Khamanei’s Telegram account read.

In additional messages, he sought to portray the military as closely tied to the Iranian people.

“The Army is like the nation’s child, which arises from within the heart of the people’s homes,” the shadowy cleric boasted in another post.

He continued by emphasizing the army’s role in defending the country.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army is now courageously defending the land, water, and flag that belong to it,” another post stated.

Khamenei also framed the conflict in ideological terms, referencing the United States and Israel.

“Iran’s Army is standing side by side with their comrades from other armed forces, battling the two leading armies of disbelief and Arrogance,” he wrote in another post referencing the US and Israel.

“And the Islamic Army has exposed those armies’ weakness and humiliation to the world,” Khamenei laughably claimed.

President Donald Trump, however, rejected those assertions, saying Iran’s military capabilities have been largely destroyed.

“Their military is destroyed, their whole navy is underwater. One hundred fifty ships are gone, their navy is gone,” Trump told reporters outside Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 13.

“I think Iran is in very bad shape. I think they’re pretty desperate … We had a meeting that lasted 21 hours. We understand the situation better than anybody, and Iran’s in very bad shape.”

Khamenei’s remarks come during a delicate 10-day ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which is scheduled to expire on April 22.

At the same time, Iran has maintained its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the key shipping route today after the United States signaled it would continue its blockade of vessels linked to Iran.

The renewed limits on the strait follow Trump’s announcement a day earlier that the U.S. blockade on Tehran “will remain in full force.”

Iranian authorities have yet to finalize a burial site for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with officials citing security concerns surrounding a potential mass funeral, while one analyst argues the delay reflects deeper weakness within the regime.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28 that triggered the current war with Iran. His body remains unburied, marking a significant departure from longstanding practices for leaders of his stature.

In contrast, the 1989 funeral of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, drew millions into the streets of Tehran. However, similar scenes of mass mourning have not been seen in the weeks following Khamenei’s death, even as the country endured sustained airstrikes that eliminated many senior figures in the regime.

According to Behnam Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Iran is currently unable to stage a large-scale state funeral amid the fragile ceasefire.

“Simply put, the regime is too afraid and too weak to roll the dice,” he said.

Taleblu pointed to multiple factors behind the delay, including fears of Israeli attacks, the possibility of anti-government demonstrations similar to earlier nationwide protests, and questions surrounding the absence of Mojtaba Khamenei—the slain leader’s son and newly appointed successor—who has not appeared publicly.

“It speaks volumes that the turnout for the funeral of the regime’s founding father in 1989 was such a massive affair, and yet one generation later his successor is still not able to have a funeral well over a month after his passing,” Taleblu continued.

“The Islamic Republic likes to talk a big game about owning the streets, but a 50-day internet blackout tells you all you need to know. The regime fears the consequences of the truth getting out.”

Iranian officials are now reportedly considering Mashhad, a city in the country’s northeast, as a possible burial location, according to state-affiliated outlets cited by The Australian.

Mashhad, located near the border with Turkmenistan and far from Israel, is Khamenei’s birthplace and carries both logistical and symbolic advantages.

With a population of around five million, the city is home to the shrine of Imam Reza, one of the most significant religious sites in Shi’ite Islam, which draws millions of pilgrims annually.

One proposal under consideration would place Khamenei’s grave near the shrine, an area already under heavy security that could offer protection for the burial site.

Initially, Iran had planned a three-day state funeral beginning March 4, but those arrangements were abandoned as the country came under extensive U.S. and Israeli bombardment, according to the state news agency IRNA.

Later, officials suggested the postponement was due to expectations of an “unprecedented turnout,” as reported by Gulf News citing Iranian media, but the ceremony has yet to be rescheduled.

No date has been announced for the burial.

A temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran, reached on April 8, is set to expire on Wednesday.0

A woman in Wales says she finally received the correct diagnosis for her long-standing medical condition after consulting ChatGPT, following years of inconclusive and conflicting assessments from doctors.

Phoebe Tesoriere, a 23-year-old from Cardiff, had endured seizures, frequent falls, and ongoing balance issues for years. She said medical professionals had attributed her symptoms to anxiety, depression, and epilepsy, and warned that repeated visits to the emergency room could result in her being treated as a mental health patient, according to the BBC.

Her health struggles began early in life, with balance problems emerging during childhood.

“All my childhood I had a limp,” said Tesoriere. “I was born without a hip socket and had operations as a baby, so thought it was to do with that.”

At one stage, she was evaluated for dyspraxia, a condition that affects coordination, but testing did not support that diagnosis.

When she was 19, Tesoriere experienced a seizure that caused her to collapse. Doctors again linked the episode to anxiety, though she questioned that conclusion.

“I had no history of anxiety. I was a really happy, bubbly person,” she said.

In 2022, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and prescribed medication, but her condition continued to deteriorate, with increasing difficulty walking and more frequent seizures.

Doctors later suggested she was experiencing Todd’s paralysis, a condition sometimes associated with epilepsy.

In January 2025, she fell down a flight of stairs and spent three months in the hospital. Despite undergoing numerous tests, doctors were unable to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Several months later, she suffered another seizure that left her in a coma for three days.

Even then, she said, doctors continued to attribute her symptoms to anxiety.

Feeling desperate, isolated, and “lonely,” Tesoriere turned to ChatGPT, which suggested she might have hereditary spastic paraplegia, a genetic disorder marked by progressive stiffness and weakness in the legs.

She brought that suggestion to her medical team, who ordered genetic testing that ultimately confirmed the condition.

Now using a wheelchair, Tesoriere is managing her illness through physical therapy. She is no longer able to continue her work as a teacher, but is pursuing a master’s degree in psychology with the goal to “do something that helps people.”

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Cardiff and Vale Health Board said: “We are sorry to hear about Phoebe’s experience while in our care.”

As registration season for yeshivos ketanos approaches across Israel, a closer look at the Yerushalayim landscape reveals a changing system, with new institutions gaining ground and traditional enrollment patterns undergoing significant shifts.

A Bechadrei Chareidim investigation explored the world of yeshivos ketanos in Yerushalayim—the city with the largest and most diverse talmidim population—and examined how both long-established and newer yeshivos are navigating this year’s admissions cycle.

Veteran yeshivos in Yerushalayim continue to hold their position at the top, maintaining stability and demand year after year. Among them is Yeshivas Kol Torah, where observers are watching closely to see whether it will retain its character and strength following the passing of its longtime mashgiach, Rav Aviezer Shapiro. Admissions are currently overseen by Rav Meisels, a member of the yeshiva’s staff. Another prominent institution is Tiferes HaTalmud–Shenker, which has steadily strengthened its standing and moved beyond the Machal label that once defined it.

Among the older yeshivos experiencing renewed growth, Yeshivas Chevron L’tzeirim has seen a notable surge in demand and is now considered one of the most sought-after options. It has become a primary pathway for talmidim aiming to continue on to Yeshivas Chevron. Its anticipated move to a large new campus at the entrance to Ramat Shlomo has further fueled interest, particularly from nearby neighborhoods such as Ramot, Ramat Shlomo, and Neve Yaakov.

Also noteworthy is Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo–Sorotzkin, led by Rav A. Breslauer, which currently enrolls around 300 top-tier talmidim—a particularly high figure for a yeshiva ketanah in Yerushalayim or elsewhere in the country. Alongside it, Yeshivas Tiferes Yaakov continues to maintain its reputation as a more “frum” and guarded environment, with many alumni choosing to send their own sons specifically there.

At the same time, several newer yeshivos have quickly climbed into the upper tier. Leading that group is Yeshivas Imrei Moshe, headed by Rav Y. Mishkovsky and founded under the direction of Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, as well as Yeshivas Birchas Shmuel, led by Rav O. Leibovitz, which has established itself as a major presence in a relatively short time. With approximately 300 high-level talmidim, Birchas Shmuel stands out for its structure, dividing classes into three groups of no more than 30 talmidim each, combining strong academic standards with individualized attention. The yeshiva also has one of the largest spiritual staffs in Yerushalayim, with over 30 members. Recently, it opened a large new campus in the heart of Givat Shaul, built at a cost of millions. The yeshiva operates under the leadership of Rav D. Cohen, with roshei yeshiva Rav Tzvi Partzovitz and Rav Y. Weinberg.

According to findings by Bechadrei Chareidim, one of the most significant changes in recent years is how admissions are handled. In the past, enrollment was largely coordinated through the talmudei Torah and the melamdim. Today, however, yeshivos are increasingly reaching out directly to parents.

“This is no longer the system that existed in the past,” a senior cheder administrator in Yerushalayim told Bechadrei Chareidim. “Parents have become the central decision-makers, and to some extent, the cheders have lost control over the admissions process. Yeshivos are no longer relying solely on the melamdim but are building direct relationships with families.”

Another insider added, “Today, a yeshiva that doesn’t know how to work with parents simply loses out in admissions.” According to him, this shift has led more yeshivos to formally employ recruiters and even field representatives—a practice that was once uncommon in Yerushalayim.

The numbers help explain the intensity of the competition. Each year, roughly 1,500 talmidim in Yerushalayim move on to yeshivos ketanos, compared to about 700 in Bnei Brak and Modiin Illit. This creates a much more competitive environment, with around eight flagship yeshivos shaping the market and allowing the admissions landscape to shift rapidly from year to year.

Another major factor is the development of Neve Yaakov. Whereas the neighborhood was once part of the broader citywide admissions system, it is now emerging as an independent hub, driven by the opening of multiple new yeshivos alongside established ones such as Netivos Mordechai and Nachalas Shmuel.

Among the newer institutions is Yeshivas Mishnas Boruch, led by Rav Y. Eichenstein, who personally delivers a weekly shmuess and learns with the talmidim. Due to demand, the size of the class has already been increased from 20 to 30 talmidim—a step not even taken at Yad Aharon, which he also leads. Another new yeshiva has also opened under Rav Grunzweig.

This shift is having a direct impact on the broader Yerushalayim admissions map. As more talmidim from Neve Yaakov choose to remain within their neighborhood rather than attend yeshivos elsewhere, the balance of power is changing significantly, reducing the intake at many of the city’s older institutions.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Shmuel Bachrach zt”l, a well-known figure of chesed in Bnei Brak and among the earliest volunteers of ZAKA, passed away at the age of 68 after a period of difficult suffering. He died at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.

The levayah is scheduled to take place Sunday at 1:00 p.m., beginning at his home on 11 Rechov Chevron in Bnei Brak and proceeding to the cemetery in Elad, where he will be laid to rest.

Rabbi Bachrach was born to his father, Rabbi Avraham Bachrach, and his mother, Mrs. Chana, of Petach Tikva. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Aharon Goldman of Rechov Ben Zakai in Bnei Brak.

In Bnei Brak, Rabbi Shmuel was widely recognized as one of the city’s leading baalei chesed. More than thirty years ago, he was among the first volunteers to join ZAKA, dedicating himself faithfully to communal needs.

ZAKA Tel Aviv issued a statement mourning his petirah: “With great sorrow we announce the passing of one of the most special members of our group, a true doer of kindness with his body, who was devoted heart and soul to the mission of ‘true kindness,’ one of the first volunteers and a driving force within the organization, Rabbi Shmuel Bachrach, who was purified through suffering and passed away today, on Shabbos Kodesh, at the age of 68. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family. The leadership and volunteers of the organization embrace and accompany the family during this difficult time.”

He is survived by a large family—sons and daughters, sons-in-law, and many descendants who continue in his path.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea’s military said, the North’s latest weapons testing activity this year.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches happened on Sunday morning from the North’s eastern Sinpo area.

It said South Korea has bolstered its surveillance posture and is closely exchanging information with the U.S. and Japan.

Japan’s Defense Ministry also said North Korea has fired a suspected ballistic missile.

Last week, Pyongyang said leader Kim Jong Un supervised missile tests from the country’s destroyer. After the test, Kim said his government remained focused on the “limitless expansion” of its nuclear forces and issued unspecified new tasks to sharpen the country’s nuclear attack and rapid-response capabilities.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said last week that his agency has confirmed “a rapid increase” in activities at nuclear facilities in North Korea.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker said tonight that talks with the United States have advanced, even as major disagreements persist and tensions continue to rise over the ongoing conflict.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaking to the Tasnim news agency, said there has been “progress” in the discussions but cautioned that a “big distance” still separates the two sides on key terms needed to end the war. He added that “The American and Iranian negotiating teams now have a more realistic understanding of each other” despite the gaps.

His remarks followed comments by President Donald Trump, who told reporters that negotiations are “going actually along very well,” while emphasizing that Iran “can’t blackmail us.”

At the same time, Iran confirmed on Saturday that it has shut down the Strait of Hormuz and intends to maintain control over the strategic waterway until the war concludes.

A report by Fox News, citing a regional intelligence source, said the Strait is now fully controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has been closed to traffic.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday night, Trump raised the possibility that the current ceasefire may not be extended, while reaffirming that the U.S. blockade will remain in place. “Maybe I won’t extend” the ceasefire with Iran, “but the blockade is going to remain. But maybe I won’t extend it, so you’ll have a blockade and unfortunately we’ll have to start dropping bombs again.”

Earlier in the day, Trump told CBS News that Iran had accepted U.S. terms and would cooperate in removing its enriched uranium from the country.

He stressed that no American ground forces would be involved in the operation and said only that “our people” would handle retrieving the material.

“No. No troops,” he said. “We’ll go down and get it with them, and then we’ll take it. We’ll be getting it together because by that time, we’ll have an agreement and there’s no need for fighting when there’s an agreement. Nice right? That’s better. We would have done it the other way if we had to.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected Trump’s claims, insisting that its enriched uranium stockpile would not be transferred out of the country.

Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Iranian state media that “the transfer of uranium to the US has not been presented as an option.”

He underscored Iran’s position, stating, “Iran’s enriched uranium is as sacred to us as the soil of Iran and will under no circumstances be transferred anywhere.”

The Brick Township Police Department welcomed eight new full-time officers during a swearing-in ceremony.

The newly appointed officers are Katie Lapoint (Badge #363), Zachary Meany (#364), Riley LaFay (#365), Stephen Albanese (#366), Andrew Farnkopf (#367), Anthony Firneno (#368), Mark McDermitt (#369), and Justin Iannarone (#370).

The department extended its best wishes to the officers, noting it looks forward to the positive impact they will have as they take on their new responsibilities.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, delivered a sharp rebuke of France during a heated General Assembly session addressing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global shipping.

The emergency discussion came after a Bahrain-backed resolution failed to pass in the Security Council, prompting the issue to be brought before the wider General Assembly. Speaking at the session, Danon adopted a notably blunt tone, directing criticism at the French delegation.

Referring to international reports, he asserted that ships owned by French interests were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without obstruction, while vessels from other nations were stopped by Iran. Turning directly to France’s ambassador, Danon questioned whether any payments had been made in exchange for safe passage.

He warned that such concessions only embolden Iran, describing its conduct in the waterway as “economic terrorism” aimed at disrupting a vital route for global commerce. Danon argued that countries that comply with these demands are not preserving stability but instead encouraging further pressure tactics.

He cautioned that giving in to what he described as coercive behavior would lead to higher costs and increased risks over time, urging the international community to stand firm and reject what he characterized as a pattern of extortion rather than accommodate it.

{Matzav.com}

A newly erected “information center” in the Polish town of Jedwabne is drawing sharp criticism for disputing the widely accepted historical account that local residents were responsible for the murder of most of their Jewish neighbors during World War II, JTA reports.

The installation consists of two large shipping containers placed prominently at the memorial site, rising above the surrounding area. One of the containers bears the Polish phrase “The earth doesn’t lie”—a slogan used by those advocating for exhumation of the site in an effort to clear the town’s Polish population of responsibility.

The structures were set up earlier this month and formally unveiled in a ceremony that was shared online by right-wing activist Wojciech Sumlinski. Sumlinski had previously taken responsibility for placing seven boulders near the official memorial last year, each marked with inscriptions denying Polish involvement and promoting claims of historical Jewish conspiracies against Poles.

“We call it a denial museum, because that’s what it is,” said Abraham Waserstein, whose grandfather, Szmul Wasersztein, survived the 1941 massacre. Speaking to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, he added, “Putting these containers in Jedwabne [is] further desecrating the only remnants of Jewish community left there, our family’s legacy there.”

Waserstein, currently a law student at Duke University, said his family has reached out to local advocates in an effort to have the installation removed. However, he acknowledged that the effort may face significant challenges, noting that the previously installed boulders remain in place and are visible in footage documenting the new additions.

Szmul Wasersztein was among a small group of Jews who escaped the events of July 10, 1941, when local residents rounded up and killed hundreds of their Jewish neighbors, most of whom were burned alive in a barn.

His testimony, recorded in 1945, played a central role in documenting the massacre and contributed to the conviction of 12 Polish residents in 1949. Decades later, his account became a key source for historian Jan Tomasz Gross in his book “Neighbors,” published in 2000, which ignited widespread debate within Poland. The revelations from Jedwabne challenged longstanding narratives that focused exclusively on Polish victimhood under Nazi occupation and instead highlighted instances of local collaboration in the Holocaust.

In 2001, then-President Aleksander Kwasniewski issued an official apology for the massacre. The following year, an investigation by Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance concluded that Polish townspeople had carried out the killings.

Despite these findings, Jedwabne has remained a deeply divisive subject in Polish political discourse. Some far-right figures continue to argue that German forces were responsible, while others portray research into Polish involvement as an attempt to defame the nation. This perspective has gained traction among certain political leaders, including President Karol Nawrocki, elected last year.

Sumlinski described the unveiling of the new installation as “the moment when groups friendly to Jewish circles, sowing the Jedwabne lie, ultimately lost the battle for Jedwabne.”

Calls from nationalist activists and politicians to exhume the mass grave have intensified, with the aim of proving that German forces carried out the killings. A limited exhumation conducted in 2001 supported the conclusion that Poles were responsible, but further work was halted due to Jewish religious prohibitions against disturbing the dead.

In addition to the display advocating for exhumation, another container installed at the site calls for “conditions for seeking and defending historical truth,” which it says are “in Poland’s national interest.”

In a video filmed at the site, Sumlinski also criticized Warsaw’s Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews, a major institution dedicated to Jewish history.

He described the new installation as “a place of resistance, perhaps one of our last lines of defense against what is being prepared for us, against the vision of Polin, against the strategy introduced by [Justice] Minister Żurek to support Jewish life and counter antisemitism.”

Commemorations marking the 1941 massacre are frequently disrupted in Jedwabne. Last July, Grzegorz Braun, a far-right member of the European Parliament, joined demonstrators who temporarily blocked Polish Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich and other attendees from leaving the memorial site.

Anna Bikont, a Polish Jewish journalist who examined the events in her 2004 book “The Crime and the Silence,” said that resistance to established historical accounts continues to influence local sentiment in the town of fewer than 2,000 residents.

“You can’t win the elections in Jedwabne without saying that it was a lie, what Gross said,” Bikont said.

During her research, Bikont interviewed two brothers, Zygmunt and Jerzy Laudański, who played key roles in the massacre. They were sentenced to prison terms of six and eight years, respectively, but were released early during a 1956 amnesty under leader Władysław Gomułka following the death of Joseph Stalin.

“They told me that they didn’t do it,” Bikont said. “But at the same time, they told me I had to tell Adam Michnik, my chief at Gazeta Wyborcza, that if we started to write about what the Poles did with Jews, the Poles would start to write about what Jews did with Poles. And it would not be a good story for Jews, so better not to do it. So it was menacing.”

According to Bikont, when the brothers returned home after their release, they were welcomed back in Jedwabne and even celebrated.

In response to the new installation, Waserstein and his relatives have expanded their efforts into advocacy work. Together with Jewish community leaders, they established a nonprofit organization called Shoah Truths, aimed at combating Holocaust denial through education, outreach, and legal support.

They are also preparing the first English translation of Wasersztein’s memoir, “La denuncia: 10 de julio de 1941,” which was published posthumously in 2001. After the war, Wasersztein lived primarily in Cuba and Costa Rica.

In addition, the family filed a criminal complaint in Poland last year regarding the placement of the boulders, arguing that they constitute desecration and incitement. Authorities have extended the investigation through July, which will mark the 85th anniversary of the massacre.

“Of course we want to get the boulders taken down, of course we want to get the [denial] museum banned,” Waserstein said. “But at the end of the day, just like my grandfather filed his complaint in 1945 to set the record straight and say, ‘Here’s the truth,’ that’s what we wanted to do.”

A non-Jewish hotel staff member captured the Kiddush of the Dushinsky Rebbe on Friday night at the Galei Tamar Hotel in Ashkelon.

The Rebbe was staying there together with a group of donors supporting the Dushinsky Mosdos.

Video Credit: Moshe Bergman / Weisberg

Iran is coming back. A New York Times assessment backed by U.S. intelligence finds that even after a brutal joint campaign by Israeli and American forces, the Islamic Republic still has roughly 40 percent of its prewar drone stockpile intact and more than 60 percent of its ballistic missile launchers operational. That is enough firepower, officials say, to threaten Gulf shipping for the foreseeable future and to keep every capital between Tel Aviv and Riyadh on edge.

SHADMOT MEHOLA, ISRAEL – APRIL 3: An Israeli woman with a child looks at the tail section of a ballistic missile launched from Iran, in the Jewish settlement of Shadmot Mehola in the northern Jordan Valley on April 03, 2026 in Shadmot Mehola, Israel. Iran has continued firing waves of drones and missiles at Israel after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran early on February 28th. (Photo by Erik Marmor/Getty Images)

During the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Iranian engineering teams moved fast. Commercial satellite imagery of the Khomein underground missile base in Markazi Province shows excavators, front-end loaders and dump trucks clearing debris from tunnel entrances that American and Israeli airstrikes had sealed but never penetrated. The strikes collapsed access points; they did not reach the mountainous, hardened facilities where the bulk of Iran’s missiles are stored. Given a pause, the regime used it to bring its “missile cities” back to life.

An Iran-made ballistic missile, Martyr Qassem, is displayed during a rally commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution’s victory in Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran, Iran, on February 11, 2026. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Washington, through the Pentagon and the White House, has claimed Iran’s arsenal was “dramatically curtailed” and its navy “wiped out.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke of a “decisive military victory.” Yet intelligence reporting, first in CNN, then the Wall Street Journal, tells a steadier story as there are still thousands of one-way attack drones still in Iranian warehouses, thousands of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles still in underground storage, coastal cruise missiles largely untouched, and an IRGC Navy that retains about half its small boats and unmanned surface vessels. Israeli assessments have been more sober throughout. Jerusalem counts buried launchers as lost assets, not operational ones, which is why its public figures have consistently run lower than America’s.

Iran is not hiding what it intends to do with all of this. IRGC gunboats reportedly opened fire on two Indian-flagged merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing them to turn back. Tehran reversed its decision to reopen the strait, then shut it again, vowing to strike any ship that dares transit. India summoned Iran’s ambassador in New Delhi. And U.S. intelligence is tracking the possibility, which the Trump administration publicly disputes, that China is preparing to ship new air-defense systems to Iran in the coming weeks, a lifeline that would harden the regime against any future strike.

The diplomatic track is not working. Vice President JD Vance led a U.S. delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials and came away without a permanent deal. Trump has threatened to “start dropping bombs again” if no agreement is reached. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is simultaneously telling Lebanese counterparts that Tehran is pursuing a “permanent ceasefire in all areas of conflict,” the same line the regime uses whenever it needs breathing room to regroup.

Buckley Carlson has left his post as Vice President JD Vance’s deputy press secretary, becoming the most tangible casualty yet of the escalating rupture between his father Tucker Carlson and President Donald Trump. He is now launching his own political consulting firm. A Vance aide confirmed to Politico that Buckley “first informed the VP’s office of his intention to depart in December,” but remained on through the transition. The clean, professional framing does little to obscure the turbulence behind it.

PLOVER, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 26: U.S. Vice President JD Vance waves after speaking at Pointe Precision on February 26, 2026 in Plover, Wisconsin. Following the State of the Union, Vance is visiting the Pointe Precision machining facility. (Photo by Matt Rourke-Pool/Getty Images)

Tucker Carlson has spent the past several weeks waging an increasingly vicious public campaign against Trump, centered on the joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran, Operation Epic Fury, that struck and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in late February. Carlson called the operation “absolutely disgusting and evil” in an interview days after it launched, and has since escalated dramatically, calling Trump a “slave to Israel” on Newsmax and suggesting in a BBC interview that while the president isn’t simply under Netanyahu’s control, “you wouldn’t be totally inaccurate” to say something close to that. The comments are not fringe: Carlson has one of the most-followed conservative media platforms in the country, and his attacks are being broadcast to an audience of millions who helped elect Trump in 2024.

🇺🇸 Tucker Carlson just called Trump the potential Antichrist on air.

"Here’s a leader who’s mocking the gods of his ancestors, mocking the God of gods, and exalting himself above them.

Could this be the Antichrist? Well, who knows?"pic.twitter.com/Dk5pECpNEz https://t.co/sBssQOQSMF

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 16, 2026

Trump has hit back hard. He called Carlson “low IQ,” lumped him with Megyn Kelly and others as “NUT JOBS,” and branded him a “LOSER” on Truth Social. The brawl has roots in a deeper ideological split. Carlson lobbied against the Iran campaign directly, meeting with Trump multiple times ahead of the strikes, outlining what he called the risks to US personnel, energy markets, and Arab allies, but was ultimately ignored. His resentment has since spilled out in ways that are now impossible to contain. In his newsletter, Carlson accused the White House of scripting Trump’s remarks to echo “Israeli talking points,” and described daily presidential briefings with Netanyahu as an employee reporting to a manager. It is antisemitic framing dressed as geopolitical critique, and the administration has made clear it views it that way.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 15: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Tucker Carlson on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party’s presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Carlson was instrumental in getting Vance onto the ticket in 2024. He commands an audience that overlaps significantly with the MAGA coalition, and the Iran war has created genuine fractures within that coalition. A CNN poll showed 28 percent of Trump’s own 2024 voters disapprove of how he handled Iran, with nearly half expressing frustration over rising gas prices tied to the conflict. Ben Shapiro, who has his own long-running conflict with Carlson, publicly warned that Vance must stop “honoring garbage” from Carlson before it costs Republicans in the 2026 midterms and beyond. Buckley’s quiet departure is, in that context, a signal: the Vance operation cannot afford the association, regardless of when the decision was made.

A serious and disturbing espionage affair involving a suspected network operating within the Israeli Air Force on behalf of Iranian intelligence was revealed on Motzei Shabbos by i24News.

According to the report, two active-duty Air Force soldiers have been detained for about a month on suspicion of maintaining contact with hostile elements and transferring sensitive security information to them during wartime.

Iranian handlers instructed the soldiers to gather and transfer detailed intelligence information on Air Force bases, operational capabilities, and classified weapons systems.

In addition, they were instructed to gather information on senior political and security figures. One of the primary targets was reportedly Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.

At the beginning of the affair, additional soldiers were detained, some of whom served in particularly sensitive units.

The two main suspects are being investigated by the Shin Bet and the police due to the severity of their actions, but the investigation into the other soldiers has been transferred to the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, which is examining the extent of their involvement and the scope of the information they transferred.

The investigation is now in its final stages, and an indictment is expected to be filed in the coming week. If there is no change, it will include the charge of aiding the enemy during wartime.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

A French soldier serving with the UNIFIL force was killed on Shabbos in southern Lebanon, and three other soldiers were wounded, two of them seriously, after gunfire was directed at a unit operating near the village of Jandouriya.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the soldier killed was a staff sergeant from the Montauban area, adding that all indications point to Hezbollah’s responsibility for the attack. The UNIFIL force also blamed Hezbollah.

According to a UNIFIL statement, the unit had arrived in the area to clear unexploded ordnance and open an access route to isolated positions when it came under small-arms fire from “non-state actors.” The organization clarified that this was a deliberate attack on a force operating within its mandate, and stressed that harm to peacekeepers constitutes a violation of international law and of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and may even be considered a war crime.

Macron expressed condolences to the soldier’s family, condemned the “unacceptable attack,” and called on Lebanese authorities to act against those responsible.

“Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media. “France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL,”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the incident and ordered an investigation.

The incident occurred shortly after the start of the ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which went into effect at midnight Thursday.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

NEW YORK (AP) — A former New York City police sergeant can stay out of jail while he appeals his manslaughter conviction for tossing a picnic cooler at a fleeing suspect who then crashed his motorized scooter and died, a judge ruled Friday.

The decision by a state appellate court judge came a week after a lower-court judge sentenced Erik Duran to three to nine years in prison and sent him to jail immediately in the 2023 death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey.

Judge Saliann Scarpulla, of the mid-level Appellate Division, ordered Duran freed on $300,000 cash or bond and said he must surrender his passport to his lawyers, who will keep it until his appeal is over.

“This is a major win for Erik and his family and for law enforcement officers around the country,” said Vincent Vallelong, the president of Duran’s union, the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

A lawyer for Duprey’s family, Jon Roberts, said they were “deeply disappointed” by Scarpulla’s decision.

“While we respect the appellate process, this outcome reopens painful wounds for a family that has already endured an immense loss,” Roberts said. “Our focus remains on seeking accountability and ensuring that the seriousness of what occurred is never diminished.”

Duran, a 38-year-old married father of three, was the first former NYPD officer sentenced to prison for an on-duty death in at least two decades. At Duran’s sentencing, defense lawyer Andrew Quinn said he will forever be known as “the cooler cop.”

Duran lawyer Arthur Aidala asked the Appellate Division to intervene after the sentencing judge, Guy Mitchell, refused to grant the ex-sergeant bail. Duran spent the last week at the city’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex.

The ruling freeing Duran shows that the Appellate Division sees “legitimate appellate issues in Sgt Duran’s case,” and that is “he is not a flight risk nor a danger to the community,” Aidala said.

Duran was part of a narcotics policing unit that conducted a “buy-and-bust” operation in the Bronx on Aug. 23, 2023. Police said Duprey sold drugs to an undercover officer, then tried to flee on a scooter.

Testifying in his own defense at his trial in February, Duran said he was trying to protect other officers when he heaved the cooler full of ice and drinks at Duprey.

The container struck Duprey, who lost control of the scooter, slammed into a tree and crashed onto the pavement. Duprey was not wearing a helmet. He sustained fatal head injuries and died almost instantly, according to prosecutors.

Duprey’s death and Duran’s conviction have galvanized activists, some of whom have labeled him the “cooler killer,” and pro-police forces, who say locking him up sends the message that officers can lose their freedom for split-second decisions.

On Tuesday, the New York Islanders showed a message on the video board at their Long Island arena encouraging hockey fans to donate to Duran’s legal defense fund. The message included a QR code and a message from the Sergeants Benevolent Association, requesting fans join “the fight for justice.”

Vallelong said the fundraiser came together after someone at the New York Post informed him that the Islanders “wanted to do something” for Duran. The team also said it would direct 25% of proceeds from a 50/50 raffle to support Duran, the union said.

Roberts, the lawyer for Duprey’s family, said they were “deeply troubled” by the Islanders’ decision to “align themselves, even symbolically, with efforts that appear to support Sgt. Duran’s legal defense.”

“This was not a neutral act,” Roberts said. “It sends a message — intended or not — that risks undermining public confidence in a fair legal process and deepens the pain of a family still grieving.”

NEW YORK (AP) — After U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz was fully open to commercial vessels after almost seven weeks of war, oil prices plunged 10% and the stock market rallied Friday.

Motorists, hoping for relief at the pump, wondered how quickly gasoline prices might fall once oil tankers stuck in the Persian Gulf were moving again. A gallon of regular gasoline cost $4.08 on average in the U.S. Friday, which was 37% more than before U.S. and Israel attacked Iran but down a few cents from a week ago.

But when gas prices spike, they don’t typically drop as quickly as the cost of crude. Even if Iran keeps the waterway open in the face of a U.S. blockade of its vessels, it still could take months for fuel prices to return to levels resembling those enjoyed before the war began Feb. 28, energy experts said.

The slow speed at which oil tankers travel from ports to refineries, lingering security concerns, traffic in the strait and damage to energy infrastructure in the Middle East are all playing a role in the elevated price of gasoline.

“The historical observation is that gasoline prices rise quickly but fall slowly, regardless of the particular causes of the increase,” said Mark Barteau, a professor in the department of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University.

“In this case, one has to take into account the time it takes for the steps that have to happen once tankers sail through the straits – for example, sailing time to refineries on other continents, time to ramp up refinery operations, and time to transport some refined products by tanker to the continent where they will be used,” Barteau said. “There is also tendency to hedge bets because of doubts about whether and how quickly that restoration might occur, and whether further disruptions are possible along the way.”

Nevertheless, some energy analysts were optimistic that gas prices would gradually decline.

Hope for lower gasoline prices
Gasoline prices were already falling slightly after last week’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, according to motor club federation AAA.

Following the Strait of Hormuz announcement, oil prices fell by $10 to $12 per barrel, which generally translates into a decrease of 25 or 30 cents per gallon of gas, said Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, a non-partisan research institution focused on energy and economics.

“That doesn’t happen overnight, but within a week or two, we could be down 50 cents a gallon easily, if this holds,” Lynch said. “And part of it is, there’s a lot of tankers ready to go. And if they all come out, then that balances the market very quickly.”

In the wake of Friday’s news, “every state will start seeing gas price decreases accelerate at a pace of probably 1 to 3 cents a gallon for every day or two,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a webcast. “And that could continue for at least a couple of weeks.”

DeHaan estimated that the national average for a gallon of regular gas could reach $3.45 to $3.65 by Memorial Day. But he acknowledged that returning to lower prices could take a while.

“It might take until later this year or early next year to really fully normalize and for some of these surcharges and impacts to reverse and disappear,” De Haan said.

Traffic and trepidation
If an agreement to end the war is reached, it could take at least four months for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to go back to normal, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University.

“Right now, you still have potential mines that have to be removed or detonated, you have over 150 tankers that have been anchored in and around the strait, which is causing a traffic jam, and we still have shipping rates that are still high because of lack of shipping capacity and war rate insurance,” he said.

The leaders of France and the U.K. welcomed word of the strait’s reopening but said they would keep pushing for a way to permanently restore freedom of navigation for vessels that rely on the narrow passage off Iran’s coast, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil typically travels.

Ship owners would have to be convinced to trust the Americans and Iranians, “and that seems like it’s a hard hill to climb,” Lynch, of the Energy Policy Research Foundation, said. “I certainly wouldn’t want to do it. I wouldn’t wanna be the first ship through or even the first five ships through, but somebody will do it. There’s a lot of money on the table and somebody’s going to grab it.”

If the Iranians are cooperating, the mines should not be a problem, because Iran has a sense of where the mines are, Lynch said.

“Now, that raises the issue, are the Iranians going to cooperate, or what do they want to cooperate?” he asked. “Are they going to demand a couple-million dollars a ship, as is talked about? Or is Trump going to say ‘that’s not acceptable,’ and then what’s the next step after that?”

If the strait remains open, and ships loaded with oil leave the Persian Gulf, it could take weeks for those heavy, slow-moving ships to reach their destinations.

“People think that once the strait opens, it’s fine. We’re done. It’ll be better really fast,” said Richard Joswick, global head of near-term oil analysis at S&P Global Energy. “If you open the strait today to get a ship and bring it around and take it to Europe and run a refinery, turn it into products, you’re talking 10 weeks of a lag time here. It will be two to three months before things can start to get back to normal after the straight re-opens.”

Damage to energy infrastructure in the Middle East
Many oil production facilities were damaged in the Middle East, including refineries in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and oil tanker terminals in the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Some repairs has been made, but damage remains.

In addition, some countries slowed down or halted production during the war, because without the ability to ship crude through the Strait of Hormuz, their ships and storage tanks filled up with stranded oil.

“It’s not a light switch. Everyone’s impatient and saying, ‘Go, go go,’” De Haan said. “But it will take time to get these flows of oil through the Middle East fired back up again.”

Once an oil well is turned off, the pressure within the well could change, and it can take time to restart the flow. But that might not be a problem in some Middle East oil fields, where production can be resumed quickly, Lynch said.

“The Saudis have done that a bunch of times. They ramp up by 2 or 3 million barrels a day, almost overnight, and there’s no problem with the wells that have been shut in for months and sometimes years,” Lynch said.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Sky-high ticket prices won’t be the only thing emptying the wallets of soccer fans attending World Cup matches at some U.S. venues this spring.

Fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City can expect to shell out $150 for a round-trip train fare for each match, transportation officials confirmed Friday.

That’s nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare for the roughly 15-minute, 9-mile (14-kilometer) ride from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. On-site parking won’t be available for most fans, so New Jersey officials anticipate that around 40,000 fans will use mass transit for each match.

The home stadium for both the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets is set to host eight World Cup matches, including the tournament final on July 19. Group stage matches for soccer powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany and England, along with other nations, begin June 13.

New Jersey officials said the upcharge was necessary to cover the cost of hosting the World Cup on its return to the U.S. for the first time since 1994.

NJ Transit officials said they planned to spend $62 million transporting fans to and from the stadium over the duration of the tournament. Outside grants had defrayed only $14 million of those anticipated expenses. A fare increase was needed to cover the rest, according to NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri.

“This isn’t price gouging,” he told reporters Friday. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, called on FIFA, international soccer’s governing body, to cover the transportation costs.

“If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day,” she said in a statement.

But FIFA has bristled at the suggestion that it should shoulder New Jersey’s transit costs. On Friday, it pointed to other U.S. host cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston, that are keeping their transit rates unchanged.

Transit prices in Boston also will be high
One notable exception is Boston, where express buses from various locations to Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, will cost $95, officials announced this week.

Thousands of fans have also already snapped up $80 round-trip train tickets from the Massachusetts capital to the commuter rail station near the stadium, which is located in Foxborough, a town some 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Boston. That’s four times the $20 riders are normally charged for a round-trip ticket during game days and other special events at Gillette.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, one-way fares will remain $1.75; in Atlanta, they’re locked at $2.50; in Houston, a single ride will still cost $1.25 and in Philadelphia the base fare for the subway will remain $2.90. Kansas City is running shuttles from locations around the city to Arrowhead Stadium that cost just $15 roundtrip.

Some of those cities have noted that the U.S. government has provided some $100 million in transit grants to provide enhanced bus and rail service during the games.

FIFA says fare hike ‘unprecedented’
The soccer federation on Friday warned that New Jersey’s transit pricing could have a “chilling effect.”

It argued that no other global event has been asked to absorb the costs of “arbitrarily set” transit prices and noted that the agreements signed with World Cup host cities back in 2018 called for free transportation for fans to all matches.

“Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options,” FIFA said in a statement. “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.”

The huge fare increase has also drawn protest from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me,” the Democrat posted on X earlier this week. The surge pricing was first reported by sports outlet The Athletic.

Few other options
Alternatives to taking the train to MetLife Stadium will also be pricey.

Shuttle buses with a capacity for about 10,000 riders will set off from the midtown Manhattan bus terminal and other locations for $80 roundtrip.

Some 5,000 parking spots at the nearby American Dream Mall are also being sold in advance, currently priced at $225.

MetLife Stadium has a huge parking lot, but for World Cup matches much of that space is being used for a fan village, shuttle buses, a staging area and FIFA staff, officials said.

When the stadium hosted the NFL’s Super Bowl under similar conditions in 2014, New Jersey Transit struggled to accommodate an estimated 33,000 passengers leaving the game. Platforms at a train transfer station became jammed with passengers unable to get space on trains. Some waited for hours to get on board.

The Tennessee General Assembly has approved legislation mandating that all official state documents use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” advancing the measure under the leadership of State Senator Mark Pody and State Representative Chris Todd.

The initiative followed an organized push by Jewish and Christian leaders, including Evangelical figure Laurie Cardoza-Moore, who serves on the Tennessee Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission.

Those leaders jointly urged lawmakers to adopt legislation that would reflect what they described as historically accurate terminology for geographic regions in the Middle East.

Cardoza-Moore appeared before legislators to advocate for the proposal, which has now cleared the General Assembly and is awaiting Governor Bill Lee’s signature to become law.

Cardoza-Moore, whose Focus on Israel television program reaches a global audience, said, “Judea and Samaria are not just names or political terms – they are a connection to truth, to history, and to our shared Judeo-Christian heritage.”

She further criticized the use of the term West Bank, calling it inconsistent with American values: “When we use the Biblical names, we stand against modern revisionism which seeks to erase that heritage – not only in that Land, but even here in our own Republic.”

Expanding on her argument, she stated, “Judea and Samaria are the Biblical, geographical, historical, and legal terms used for thousands of years to describe the mountains overlooking Israel’s coast. This is the cradle of our Faith. From towns like Shiloh and Bethel, from the plains of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee, this is not just Jewish history – it is our history.”

She also pointed to legal precedent, saying, “Even international law and early United Nations documents recognized these names – Judea and Samaria – long before the term ‘West Bank’ was introduced after Jordan’s occupation. The name matters. Because history matters.”

In closing remarks, she tied the timing of the legislation to current geopolitical developments, noting cooperation between Israeli and American forces in Iran.

“As the United States and Israel stand together – shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart – in the cause of freedom and liberty, now is the time for us to honor that shared legacy. Let us speak the truth. Let us use the names our faith, our history, and our forefathers recognized – Judea and Samaria,” concluded Cardoza-Moore.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon U.S. has restarted direct deliveries to Israel and reinstated free shipping on orders above $49, following a pause in service during the war. As before the conflict, not all products are eligible for free delivery. Shipping times, however, have lengthened significantly, with orders now expected to arrive in about a month rather than the usual two weeks.

The halt in shipments was largely the result of a sharp decline in flights to Israel during the fighting with Iran. Despite this disruption, many international retailers continued delivering to Israel throughout the war period.

Companies adapted in various ways to maintain service. iHerb continued shipments using a DHL-backed route through Cyprus. Next also kept deliveries going, though with delays, along with other British retailers such as ASOS, Cult Beauty, and Olive Young, a South Korean brand. Some Chinese platforms, including AliExpress, scaled back promotions in an effort to limit demand from Israeli customers. Temu and Shein generally continued shipping as well, though delivery times were slower. In addition, eCargo established an alternative logistics route by flying packages to Dubai and transporting them overland into Israel, creating a temporary air corridor that received approval from the Tax Authority.

At the same time, congestion has developed at Israel’s entry points in recent days. As flight activity picked up, hundreds of thousands of previously ordered packages arrived within a short period. Following the ceasefire, Israeli consumers resumed ordering at an accelerated pace, further increasing the volume of incoming parcels. The surge has led to a backlog in warehouses and placed additional pressure on local delivery networks.

{Matzav.com}

A fast housing solution has been arranged for dozens of Gerer families in Arad whose homes were completely destroyed, with an entire residential building purchased to provide immediate shelter. A kvias mezuzah ceremony was held Friday morning, attended by the community’s rov and organized by askanim of the chassidus together with developers who stepped in to assist.

Following what many described as a clear miracle, in which dozens of families from the Gerer community were saved physically but left without homes in the city of Arad, a practical housing plan was finalized. This morning, a mezuzah-setting ceremony took place in a suitable residential building that will accommodate the families who lost both their homes and all their possessions during the war. The arrangement is intended to provide stability and prevent upheaval until their homes are rebuilt.

As previously reported, members of the local community in Arad have expressed deep gratitude for the miracle that spared many families from direct harm. At the same time, despite the relief over lives saved, dozens of families were left unable to return to their completely destroyed homes. The situation raised fears of prolonged displacement, with families potentially facing years of moving between rental apartments and dealing with exhausting bureaucratic processes.

The idea began to take shape when brokers connected to the chassidus entered negotiations with the building’s owners to purchase several apartments, particularly those equipped with protected rooms. After the war ended, the concept expanded into acquiring the entire building, allowing for immediate relocation of the displaced families until their permanent homes are rebuilt.

It has been learned that the effort was spearheaded by developers Yisrael Mordechai Bornstein and Avraham Gottesman, owners of Capital Gold. In close coordination with Bank Hapoalim, the company provided the necessary guarantees to complete the purchase of the entire residential structure in the city. The building will offer immediate housing for a large portion of the displaced families, sparing them years of uncertainty, rental searches, and instability while waiting for their destroyed homes to be rebuilt.

The mezuzah-setting ceremony, held today with the participation of the Gerer rov in the city, Rav Mordechai Yehuda Volkovitz, marked the beginning of the families’ rebuilding process, under the resonant theme drawn from the prophecy: “Homes will once again be purchased in this land.”

From the moment the missile struck, individuals within the chassidus—including Moti Babchik, Yonasan Bornstein, and Avraham Mordechai Berger—mobilized and dedicated themselves to assisting the displaced families. They have worked tirelessly from the time of the strike until now, addressing every need along the way.

It should be noted that additional families also lost their homes. Some have managed to secure rental apartments, while others require only partial renovations and expect to return sooner. Still, there remain families currently staying with relatives. The community hopes that this initiative will serve as a model, generating momentum for the purchase or rental of additional housing so that every displaced family will ultimately have a place to live.

{Matzav.com}

Two suspects, including a juvenile, were arrested early this morning following a series of vehicle burglaries that led to the recovery of an illegal handgun equipped with a high-capacity drum magazine, police said.

At approximately 3:00 a.m., officers on the midnight shift responded to the area of Lorelei Drive and Virginia Drive following a report of an individual actively burglarizing a vehicle. Patrolman Dan Davison was the first to arrive and encountered the suspect, who immediately fled on foot.

Davison pursued the suspect through backyards and over multiple fences, with Patrolman Ryan Goodspeed joining the chase. The two officers were able to apprehend and secure the suspect shortly thereafter.

Additional officers, along with a supervisor, responded and established a perimeter to secure the area and identify potential victims. Authorities determined that multiple vehicles in the neighborhood had been burglarized. Surveillance footage reviewed at the scene indicated that a second individual was also involved.

As officers continued their investigation, a police K-9 unit was deployed to assist in the search for the second suspect.

During the investigation, officers located a vehicle believed to be connected to the detained suspect parked near the burglary locations. The vehicle’s windows were down, and a handgun was observed on the floorboard. Officers secured the weapon, which was identified as a “ghost gun” outfitted with a 50-round drum magazine. The vehicle was impounded pending a search warrant as authorities seek potential stolen property linked to the burglaries.

A second suspect matching the description from surveillance footage was later located within the secured perimeter. Officers confirmed his involvement through video evidence and took him into custody.

Antonio C. Thompson II, 22, of Trenton, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of burglary, weapons offenses, obstruction, and resisting arrest. He was lodged in the Monmouth County Jail.

The second suspect, a 15-year-old male from Trenton, was charged with multiple counts of burglary and weapons offenses and was transported to the Middlesex County Youth Detention Facility.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities remind the public that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Amid ongoing High Court deliberations and a shocking remark by an attorney who said, “we will dismantle the Olam HaTorah,” Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman delivered a sharp and forceful response from his home.

Speaking to a group of yeshiva bochurim who came to visit him, the Rosh Yeshiva addressed the controversy surrounding the recent discussions at the Supreme Court of Israel regarding the issue of drafting chareidim.

His remarks follow reports that during a break in one of the hearings, an attorney representing petitioners was inadvertently caught on an open microphone declaring: “we will dismantle the Torah world.”

Responding to the outrage, the Rosh Yeshiva issued strong words of chizuk and defiance.

“There is a group sitting in Jerusalem in the court, where they are saying ‘they will destroy the Torah world’—this is their exact language.

So they should know, and everyone should know, that nothing will help them. ‘No weapon formed against you shall succeed.’ The Torah world will continue on and on, and nothing will help them.

We will stand strong and not be afraid of them. And you should strengthen yourselves in Torah and yiras Shamayim, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will save us from them and from anyone who seeks to destroy the Torah world.”

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

British police have launched an investigation into an unusual security incident near the Israeli embassy in London after several suspicious items were discovered in the area. According to Reuters, a video circulated online showing a group claiming it had directed drones carrying hazardous materials toward the embassy, though authorities emphasized that the embassy itself was not attacked.

British law enforcement is examining the incident, which prompted an increased police presence after multiple items were reportedly thrown in the vicinity. The investigation is being handled by London’s counterterrorism unit, which is also reviewing a video released overnight in which a group calling itself “Ashab al-Yamin” claimed responsibility for an attempted strike on the embassy using drones.

According to reports, the group alleged that it had sent two drones carrying “dangerous and carcinogenic radioactive material” toward the Israeli embassy. However, British authorities and the Foreign Office clarified that there is currently no indication that the embassy itself was struck. The Foreign Office stated that “a suspected security incident in the park adjacent to the Israeli embassy in London is being examined,” adding that all embassy staff are safe and the compound was not harmed.

The incident led to the closure of sections of Kensington Gardens near the embassy. Police vehicles, a white tent, and officers wearing white protective suits were seen at the scene as teams examined several suspicious items found on the ground. The Metropolitan Police said the heightened presence was a precaution and urged the public to avoid the area until inspections are complete.

In a statement, police said that “officers are examining a number of items that were thrown,” noting that some personnel are wearing protective equipment as part of the response. At the same time, officials stressed that there is currently no indication of an increased risk to the general public.

Reuters reported that investigators are now working to determine whether there is any connection between the items found at the scene and the video circulated online. The inquiry remains ongoing, but British authorities are signaling that despite the unusual nature of the incident and the claims involving hazardous materials, there is no evidence at this stage of a successful attack on the embassy.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Friday sharply criticized Tucker Carlson, calling him a “low IQ person” while amplifying a report suggesting the commentator’s popularity among Republicans has dropped significantly.

In a Truth Social post, Trump ridiculed Carlson and other media figures who have recently taken issue with his policies—particularly regarding Iran—writing: “It’s easy! Tucker is a Low IQ person — Always easy to beat, and highly overrated!!!”

The president also singled out Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones, contrasting their criticism with what he described as “VERY GOOD” voices that support the MAGA movement.

The comments come as tensions continue to grow between Trump and the former Fox News host, with disagreements centering largely on foreign policy.

Carlson has openly questioned Trump’s handling of Iran, while the president and his allies have maintained that their approach is necessary to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In a separate Truth Social post dated April 9, Trump escalated the criticism, accusing Carlson and others of effectively aligning with Iran by opposing U.S. strategy.

He argued that their positions are disconnected from the MAGA base and dismissed them as “losers” trying to gain attention through podcast platforms.

“They think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote, adding that their positions run counter to the agenda that propelled him to a decisive election victory.

At the same time, new polling data cited by CNN’s Harry Enten indicates Carlson’s support among Republicans has fallen sharply.

A survey from UMass Lowell shows Carlson’s net favorability among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents dropping steeply—from +54 earlier in 2024 to just +7 as of Friday.

Trump, by contrast, continues to hold a commanding position within the party, with a net favorability rating of +61 in the same poll, giving him a 54-point lead over Carlson.

“When you go up against Donald Trump and you want to appeal to the Republican base, to quote the movie ‘Good Burger,’ you go in the grinder,” Enten said, describing Carlson’s sharp decline, Mediaite reported.

The figures underscore a broader point raised by many conservatives: Trump’s influence within the Republican base remains firmly intact, even as prominent media voices attempt to challenge him.

The dispute also highlights deeper divisions within conservative media, particularly over questions of foreign policy and the United States’ role on the global stage.

While some commentators have called for a more restrained approach, Trump and his supporters have stressed the need for strength and deterrence, especially in dealing with adversaries such as Iran.

For Trump, the line appears clearly drawn—commitment to the MAGA agenda and backing his leadership continue to define standing within the Republican Party.

{Matzav.com}

One of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted women has been arrested, the agency said. Missourian KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, of Kansas City, was arrested in High Springs, Florida, on Wednesday by the High Springs Police Department. She was wanted for her alleged involvement in a shooting on Aug. 23, 2020, in Kansas City, where she is accused of firing at a car with two women in it, one of whom was killed.

She was charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon in Jackson County, Missouri in 2020 and a federal warrant for her arrest was put out the following year after a further charge of unlawful flight. She was added to the 10 Most Wanted list on Tuesday, with a $1 million reward for anyone with information.

“The High Springs Police Department commends the strong collaboration between local and federal law enforcement partners in this case,” said High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard. “This outcome reflects the importance of coordinated efforts, shared intelligence, and mutual trust in protecting our communities. We are especially proud of the professionalism and vigilance demonstrated by our HSPD officers during a routine traffic stop.” Read more at the FBI.

British authorities have charged a fourth suspect in the firebombing of four Hatzolah ambulances in north-west London.

Prosecutors on Friday said Judex Atshatshi, an 18-year-old from Dagenham in east London, faces one count of arson with intent to damage property and recklessness as to whether life would be endangered. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.

The charges stem from a March 23 blaze in the Golders Green neighborhood that destroyed four Hatzolah ambulances. The early-morning attack triggered explosions from gas canisters stored inside the vehicles and caused an estimated £1 million in damage, according to court proceedings.

Atshatshi was arrested on April 16 after officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command executed warrants at two addresses in east London. A second 18-year-old detained the same day on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life has since been released on bail pending further inquiries, with a court date set for July.

Three other suspects — Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both from Leyton, along with a 17-year-old boy from Walthamstow who holds dual British-Pakistani nationality — were charged earlier this month with arson offenses and remain in custody.

The involvement of counterterrorism detectives underscores the sensitivity of the case, though authorities have not publicly detailed a motive. The attack has drawn scrutiny from community leaders and lawmakers amid broader concerns about security for Jewish institutions in the U.K.

Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter terrorism division, said prosecutors had worked closely with police throughout the investigation.

“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial,” Ferguson said in a statement. “It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ford has recalled more than one million trucks from its flagship pick-up range. Some 1,392,935 F-150s are thought to have been affected by a transmission issue that can cause them to leap back down to second gear.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a notice Tuesday saying that the “Affected vehicles are equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and were built between March 12, 2014, and Aug. 18, 2017.” The NHTSA said the Goliath car manufacturer is aware of two incidents that have led to injury and one accident “potentially related to this concern.”

The agency added in its note that the “signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear.” It added that “faults can result in a maximum unintended downshift from 6th gear to 2nd gear.” Affected motorists can visit any dealership of the Dearborn, Michigan, manufacturer or Lincoln to have repairs carried out or replacement parts fitted, CBS reports. Read more at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Submitted PSA: I bought these lollies for my kids and they’re all coming off. If you’re giving them to your children, be sure to supervise them, as it can potentially be a choking hazard.

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In response to concerns about antisemitism, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is advancing a plan to add protections and budgets for religious communities in New York State. The proposal includes an increase in funding for security measures, as well as new laws to create buffer zones around houses of worship, to prevent harassment and intimidation.

This idea comes alongside recently released statewide data showing 696 hate crimes between January and November 2025, of which 418 targeted Jews, roughly 51% of all incidents. That translates to an average of 1.26 antisemitic incidents per day, the numbers show a persistent threat facing the Jewish community.

Belgian military personnel armed with FN SCAR assault rifles stand guard outside a synagogue in central Antwerp as part of Belgium’s reinforced security measures established at Jewish schools and synagogues, on March 23, 2026. A car was set on fire on March 23 in Antwerp’s Jewish quarter, in Belgium, and two minors who were quickly arrested are suspected of participating in the activities of a terrorist group, the port city’s public prosecutor said.
On March 9, 2026, an explosion shook a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liege before dawn, causing some damage but no injuries. The series of attacks on synagogues comes after the launch of the US-Israeli war on Iran, a conflict that has since broadened across the Middle East. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP via Getty Images)

Hochul’s plan includes an additional $35 million in funding for nonprofits and communities that face hate crimes, doubling the current allocation of $35 million already in place. This funding is intended to help institutions strengthen both physical and digital security.

Eligible organizations would be able to apply for grants of up to $250,000, which can be used for a wide range of protective measures, including locks, alarms, panic buttons, fencing, cybersecurity upgrades, and shatter resistant glass. According to the governor’s office, applications for the grants are due by July 8, with awards expected to be announced in the fall.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 9: A security guard stands watch in front of a synagogue on October 9, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Security is being increased at synagogues after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a massive surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

In addition to financial measures, Hochul is adding legislation to start a 25-foot buffer zone around houses of worship, to prevent protests or disturbances from taking place directly outside synagogues and other religious sites. Many Jewish leaders and Rabbonim have welcomed the increased protections, while civil liberties groups are upset about the impacts on free speech.

Today in France, you can poison Jewish children, make antisemitic comments and not get charged with a hate crime. That’s the outcome of the case against an Algerian woman identified only as Leila Y., who worked for a Jewish family in Nanterre, France.

The dead giveaway for the family was the strong chemical smell emanating from the children’s juice bottles. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the family pressed charges.

The 42-year-old nanny confessed to pouring toilet cleaner into the children’s juice bottles and even the parents’ bottles of wine in a police interview. She also told investigators, unprompted, that “because they have money and power, I should never have worked for a Jewish woman, she only brought me problems.” Later, she claimed that she confessed under duress.

A baby drinking a bottle, for illustrative purposes only. (Photo by Anke Thomass/Ullstein bild via Getty Images)

Leila Y. didn’t get away with attempted murder completely. She was convicted of attempted poisoning and lightly sentenced to just two and half years in prison. But antisemitism was dismissed as an aggravating circumstance — because she made the statement without a lawyer present, despite the court’s acknowledgement that the statement was indeed antisemitic.

The family appealed to a higher court, but things only got worse from there. Not only did the Versailles Court of Appeals uphold the lower court’s ruling, but it also said that the nanny’s antisemitic statement wasn’t even antisemitic.

The family’s lawyers, Patrick Klugman and Sacha Ghozlan, explained why the ruling was so nefarious:

“This decision makes the judicial repression of antisemitism impossible and turns the text of laws, which are supposed to be protective, into mere meaningless scraps of paper,” the lawyers said. “Faced with such a decision, litigants risk losing all forms of trust and protection from the judicial system.”

Indeed, the Versailles Court of Appeals has just made it harder to fight antisemitism in France, having robbed the word of all its meaning.

Leaders in France and the United Kingdom on Friday responded positively to the announcement by Iran and the United States that the Strait of Hormuz has reopened, while stressing that safe and unrestricted passage through the vital oil corridor must be secured on a permanent basis following disruptions caused by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they will continue preparing a multinational effort aimed at restoring maritime stability. Starmer indicated the initiative would be launched “as soon as conditions allow,” adding that military officials are scheduled to convene in London next week to advance planning.

After hosting a meeting involving roughly 50 nations and international bodies, Macron declared that “we all demand the full, immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by all parties.”

While those discussions were taking place, President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister separately confirmed that the waterway had been reopened to commercial traffic. Markets reacted quickly, with oil prices dropping after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that shipping lanes would remain “completely open” during a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

At the same time, Trump emphasized that U.S. military pressure would not be lifted immediately, stating in a social media post that the naval blockade of Iranian vessels and ports would continue “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”

Starmer welcomed the development with caution, saying the arrangement must evolve into “both lasting and a workable proposal.”

The Paris gathering reflects broader efforts by countries not directly involved in the conflict to reduce its economic fallout. The war, which began on Feb. 28 when Iran effectively closed the narrow strait through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows, triggered a sharp spike in energy prices and widespread economic strain.

The United States is not participating in the proposed operation, known as the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative. Macron described it as “a neutral mission, entirely separate from the belligerents to escort and secure the merchant ships transiting the Gulf.”

Starmer, dealing with domestic political pressures, arrived at the Elysee Palace for the meeting, where he was welcomed by Macron. Among those attending in person were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Other world leaders—including those from Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Ukraine—as well as officials from China and India, joined virtually.

Starmer said that, similar to previous multinational security arrangements, Britain and France would spearhead a coalition to safeguard maritime movement once conditions permit.

“This will be strictly peaceful and defensive, as a mission to reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance,” he said.

He added that more than a dozen nations have committed resources so far, though participation remains smaller than earlier coalition efforts in the region.

The U.K. has explored deploying mine-detection drones launched from the support ship RFA Lyme Bay as part of the effort.

The conflict has underscored the reduced capabilities of the Royal Navy, which has sent only one major vessel—the destroyer HMS Dragon—to the eastern Mediterranean. France, by contrast, has dispatched its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier along with additional naval assets, including a helicopter carrier and several frigates.

Meloni said Italy is prepared to assist, stating she had offered her country’s “willingness to make its naval units available,” while Merz said Germany could contribute to mine-clearing and maritime intelligence, provided it receives parliamentary approval and a ″secure legal basis″ such as a U.N. Security Council resolution.

He added that Germany, ″if possible, would also like to see the United States of America participate; we believe this would be desirable.″

That stance differs from Macron’s position that the mission should consist of countries not directly involved in the conflict.

According to Macron’s office, coalition members could take on roles including “intelligence, mine-clearing capabilities, military escorts (and) communication procedures with coastal states.”

Sidharth Kaushal, a sea power specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, said the coalition is more likely to focus on clearing mines and establishing maritime warning systems than on escorting oil tankers through the strait.

“You need huge numbers of vessels for that sort of thing, which nobody has,” he said.

Ellie Geranmayeh, an Iran expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said European nations may be better positioned to handle mine-clearing operations than the United States.

“They would be a better party to do this than the United States, because once you have U.S. military doing this and lingering on Iranian shores, it creates a potential arena for Iran and the U.S. to have miscalculations and get back into a sort of military tension,” she said.

The initiative also reflects a response to criticism from Trump, who has sharply rebuked allies for not taking part in the conflict, calling them “cowards,” saying NATO “wasn’t there when we needed them” and telling Britain: “You don’t even have a navy.”

Kaushal said European governments are likely seeking “to demonstrate the ability to provide security in a way that’s distinct from, if not completely separate from, the U.S. and which also demonstrates a capacity for independent action.”

“How many states actually have spare capacity to offer to this is a pretty open question.”

Trump signaled skepticism toward European involvement, referencing NATO rather than the proposed coalition.

“Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL,” he posted on social media.

“They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger!”

{Matzav.com}

The Lakewood Fire Department (LFD) and Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office (OCFM) are advising the public about the application permit process and safety regulations for Lag BaOmer bonfires on May 4 and 5, 2026.

• No bonfire may be held without a proper permit and compliance with safety regulations.
• Permit applications can be obtained from OCFM, by downloading it from their website or by calling 732-370-7360.
• Application forms must be filled out in full, with typed wording. No handwritten or other application form will be accepted.
• Application forms, along with a $54 permit fee payment can be submitted to OCFM in person; by mail; or email no later than 10 business days before the bonfire is scheduled to be held.
• Alternatively, application forms can be obtained and submitted in person at LFD headquarters, located at 733 Cedar Bridge Avenue, Monday-Friday, April 27 through May 1  from 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Onsite staff and computers will assist applicants with filling out their applications in the proper manner.
• No permit application can be considered if submitted past the above time period.
• Please view this file for more details regarding the permit application process and onsite safety regulations.

Lakewood Township Committeeman and Emergency Services Liaison Meir Lichtenstein, said, “Once again, thanks to the Lakewood Fire Department, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s office, and other public safety officials and organizations for working together so diligently over the past months. These efforts, along with

the public’s cooperation, will help ensure that the celebrations will be both safe and enjoyable for all.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Israeli troops carried out a last-minute special operation in southern Lebanon, seizing control of a strategic ridge just before a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The Israeli Air Force’s elite Shaldag unit landed on the so-called Cristofani Ridge, located several kilometers north of Mount Hermon, and established control of the area, according to the military.

Special forces landed minutes before the ceasefire went into effect, the IDF said. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who approved the raid, observed the operation from the Israel Air Force’s command center alongside IAF chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar.

The military described the ridge as a key position, though it provided no further details on its strategic importance or the full scope of the operation.

The ceasefire aims to halt more than a year of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that began after the Iran-backed group launched attacks in support of Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel.

No immediate comment was available from Hezbollah or Lebanese officials.

The Sanzer Rebbe delivered an impassioned address at a tish marking the yahrtzeit of the founder of the dynasty, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, focusing on the extraordinary miracles witnessed during the recent war with Iran and the obligation to recognize and thank Hashem for them.

“We must reflect—we are going through a turbulent time. Everyone sees that these are not normal days. We always thought things weren’t normal, but a situation like what we are experiencing now has never happened. This is a clear reality,” the Rebbe began.

“According to the natural order, there is no explanation for what has taken place. One can only thank the Creator of the world for the tremendous signs and wonders when one reflects on them. There are no words sufficient to describe the miracles. We must give thanks day and night and rejoice in the Creator of the world for the Heavenly protection and defense,” the Rebbe continued.

“Nothing here follows the natural order. There is no natural explanation. When a person reflects even a little, every soul is an entire world, and we see the forces of evil that prepared their weapons and tools of destruction—there is no way to be saved from this through nature, only through the kindness of Hashem, Who poured out His wrath on wood and stones. There is no logical explanation for what is happening. One can clearly see the Divine providence present every single day.”

At this point, the Rebbe addressed what he described as a spiritual failing in how events are being interpreted. “But there is something else. Instead of all Jews going out into the streets and crying out, ‘Hashem is G-d, there is none besides Him,’ people say: there was a good interception, the ‘Arrow’ system intercepted. Trump is helping us. This too is part of the concealment of Hashem’s presence—to find explanations that shift our focus away from where the true supervision comes from.”

“Indeed, the time has not yet come when it will be seen openly, ‘Hashem will fight for you and you will remain silent.’ Therefore, there is still a dividing curtain that conceals, so that it should not be seen. And there are many who err and do not believe. But we—believers, the children of believers—are upright Jews who know that there is nothing besides the Holy One, blessed be He, Who does everything in the world. Everything is from Him—the great things and the small.”

The Rebbe concluded with a call for strengthening emunah and preparedness for the Geulah. “Therefore, we must thank Hashem. We are seeing revelations the likes of which we have never seen. One can tangibly perceive that the Creator protects His people, watches over His children. This is the time to strengthen ourselves more in faith and trust. We need siyata d’Shmaya, so that we will not be ashamed when Moshiach arrives—he can come at any moment.”

“Our holy sages said that when one sees injustice and evil in the world, each person must try to strengthen himself in Torah and Yiddishkeit, to reinforce the boundaries of holiness. We see that this is a war for Hashem against Amalek, from generation to generation. This is what stands against Israel. And this is the greatest war—to delay the Geulah, the attempt to harm the sanctity of Israel.”

“Therefore, each person should declare: I am preparing myself, I am correcting myself, I am establishing a fixed time for Torah study, I am accepting upon myself safeguards and boundaries. I want more holiness, I want righteous children, sons and daughters who are modest in holiness and purity. I want to prepare myself so that when Moshiach comes, I will be able to show my share in bringing the redemption—that this merit should protect us,” the Rebbe concluded.

Governor Mikie Sherrill today announced new funding in her proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget aimed at expanding New Jersey’s universal newborn home nurse visitation program, with plans to make the service available statewide by January 2027.

The funding would support the growth of Family Connects NJ, a program that offers free in-home visits from specially trained registered nurses to families with newborns. During visits, nurses conduct health screenings, provide guidance, connect families with community resources, and help ensure a safe and healthy transition home.

Since launching, the program has served more than 10,000 families across participating counties. It is currently available throughout South Jersey and in most parts of Central and North Jersey, including counties such as Monmouth and Ocean.

Under the proposed budget, nearly $49 million would be allocated to expand the program into the remaining counties—Union, Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren—completing a statewide rollout. If implemented, New Jersey would become the first state in the nation to offer universal, free nurse home visits to all families with newborns.

The announcement was made during a visit to CAMcare Health, where the governor also recognized Black Maternal Health Week and highlighted ongoing disparities in maternal health outcomes.

According to state data, pregnancy-related mortality rates remain significantly higher for Black and Hispanic women compared to white women. Officials say programs like Family Connects NJ are designed to help close these gaps by providing early intervention and support.

“For too long, Black women have disproportionately struggled to access critical maternal health care, resulting in dangerous disparities within our State’s public health ecosystem and contributing to shocking maternal mortality rates. This is unacceptable and New Jersey mothers deserve better – but thankfully, New Jersey is on the right path forward,” said Governor Sherrill. “My budget invests in New Jersey families, providing them with the tools and resources they need to thrive. By expanding our free nurse home visitation program – Family Connects NJ – and continuing investments to support our work to combat maternal mortality, we are building a better future for our residents.”

State officials say early results from the program show measurable impact. In about 18 percent of visits, nurses identified serious postpartum health concerns requiring immediate attention, helping connect families to care sooner.

In addition to expanding home visitation services, the proposed FY27 budget includes continued funding for maternal and infant health initiatives, including extended postpartum Medicaid coverage for up to 365 days, workforce development, and data-driven health programs.

If approved, the expansion would mark a significant milestone in New Jersey’s efforts to improve maternal and infant health outcomes statewide

Rep. John Rose, a Republican from Tennessee, sharply criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders’ stance on the Iran conflict, saying the Vermont senator’s rhetoric “border on being antisemitic” during a Friday appearance on Newsmax.

Speaking on “Wake Up America Early” with host Alex Kraemer, Rose took issue with Sanders’ opposition to U.S. backing of Israel and military steps related to Iran, arguing that Sanders is presenting a misleading picture of the situation.

“As I listen to Sen. Sanders’ comments, I think they border on being antisemitic,” Rose said. “This is not about Israel, and Israel is not somehow driving the ship.
“The president has taken us down this road of action toward Iran to stop them from getting nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them to our country.”

Earlier in the week, Sanders contended that Americans “do not want us to continue spending billions” in support of what he described as the “illegal, horrific, and expansionist war policies” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rose rejected that framing, insisting the issue at hand is centered on defending the United States and its allies rather than aligning with any particular foreign government.

“This is about protecting America … and protecting the rest of the world,” Rose said, adding that previous administrations had failed to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

He went on to praise President Donald Trump for what he described as decisive leadership in confronting Tehran, contrasting it with what he called years of ineffective policy under both parties.

According to Rose, Trump made multiple efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Iran before resorting to more forceful measures.

“He tried desperately to negotiate … but they refused to negotiate in good faith,” Rose said.

The exchange comes as lawmakers in Washington remain split over the extent of U.S. involvement in the growing confrontation with Iran.

Earlier this week, the House narrowly defeated a war powers resolution that sought to curb the president’s authority, falling short by a single vote and highlighting divisions within Congress.

Rose also weighed in on broader disputes in Washington, including the ongoing government shutdown and disagreements over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

He accused Senate Democrats of blocking funding initiatives and advancing policies that, in his view, endanger the public.

“Democrats in the Senate, led by, you know, Leader [Chuck] Schumer, are determined to defund the police,” Rose said, arguing they are placing “the safety and security of Americans behind protecting criminal illegal aliens.”

The Tennessee congressman additionally pointed to what he described as a wider lack of accountability on Capitol Hill, referencing former California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell amid reports of alleged misconduct.

“It’s good to see him being held accountable,” Rose said, suggesting Democrats had previously shielded Swalwell for political reasons.

As tensions over Iran continue to rise alongside deepening domestic political divisions, Rose’s comments reflect the increasingly sharp partisan disagreements shaping both U.S. foreign policy and internal debates in Washington.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Speaking to WABC-TV, a Westchester County pizzeria owner said he was targeted and harassed outside his shop because of his faith, prompting an outpouring of local support.

Isaac Garson, who owns a pizza shop in Hastings-on-Hudson, said a group gathered outside his store holding signs and chanting political slogans. He said they pressured him to repeat their message, which he instead saying he supports peace.

Garson said the encounter escalated, leaving him shaken, especially after members of the group expressed support for the Oct. 7, 2023 attack — the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

“It hurt,” Garson said, adding that he never expected such hostility in a small, close-knit community.

In response, residents rallied around him, with a steady stream of customers visiting the shop in a show of solidarity. One community member said the owner has long supported local families and that the town would not tolerate harassment.

Mayor Thomas Drake said authorities are investigating the incident. He described it as part of a broader pattern of testing the limits of free speech, adding that such actions can cause real harm within a community.

The confrontation was recorded and shared online.

A dramatic development has emerged in Yerushalayim after authorities revealed that a woman who had been missing since 2008 has been found dead. Following a court order lifting a publication ban, the victim was identified as Ruth Abramov, 74, whose body was discovered last week in a storage facility near Gan Sacher in a central area of the city.

Abramov had been missing for many years, and despite extensive efforts by Israeli police to locate her since her disappearance, she remained unaccounted for until now. The circumstances surrounding her death have not yet been determined.

As part of the investigation, a man in his 70s was taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the case. However, after several days of questioning, he was released. His attorney, Gabi Tronishvili of the Public Defender’s Office, stated that his client cooperated fully with investigators and denied any connection to the death.

According to his lawyer: “Today, after eight days in custody, an elderly and innocent man who maintained his version throughout was released. From the very first moment, he made it clear that he was the one who called emergency services immediately upon finding the deceased, and that he did not cause her death.”

Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident in an effort to solve the long-standing mystery.

tive or medical equipment, such as sunglasses and similar items.

The proposal builds on a series of actions Hochul has pursued to reduce cooperation between New York officials and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as tensions continue to rise over federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Earlier this year, in January, Hochul put forward legislation designed to block local police departments and correctional facilities from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement, arguing that such involvement pulls resources away from addressing local crime and damages public trust.

That earlier push came amid heightened national attention on immigration enforcement practices, including a widely reported incident in Minneapolis in which federal agents killed two U.S. citizens, fueling further debate over deportation policies and law enforcement conduct.

Hochul’s latest move comes as she works with New York’s Democratic-controlled Legislature on a broader package of immigration-related proposals, where lawmakers remain divided over the extent to which the state should limit cooperation with federal authorities.

The governor, who is running for reelection in November 2026, has increasingly promoted policies aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants, who number in the hundreds of thousands across New York.

Her broader agenda includes expanding the list of so-called sensitive locations where civil immigration enforcement cannot take place without a judicial warrant, as well as establishing new legal avenues for residents to bring lawsuits against federal officials over alleged constitutional violations.

The effort reflects a wider pattern among Democratic governors seeking to counter stricter federal immigration enforcement policies, which were a central component of Trump’s 2024 campaign.

At the same time, Hochul’s approach has sparked debate within her own party, particularly over whether local law enforcement should ever share information with federal immigration authorities.

“There’s no public safety justification for local and state law enforcement sharing immigration information with ICE,” said Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar.

Hochul defended the proposal, saying it would create a baseline level of protection while still allowing municipalities to adopt more aggressive measures if they choose.

“Any municipality can go as far as they want in terms of protecting New York residents from ICE,” she said. “We’re establishing basically a floor.”