A disturbing terror plot targeting a Jewish community in Houston has been thwarted, after law enforcement arrested multiple suspects accused of planning a mass casualty attack at a synagogue.

One of the arrests is of 18 year old Angelina Han Hicks of North Carolina, who has been charged with felony conspiracy to commit murder and assault with a deadly weapon. According to court documents, the plan was to “kill as many Jews as possible” by driving a vehicle directly into a shul at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston.

Authorities say Hicks was not acting alone. Investigators revealed she was working with at least two other individuals, while a 16 year old suspect in Texas has already been arrested and charged in connection with the plot.

Congregation Beth Israel

The investigation began after a tip was received by law enforcement, triggering a multi-state response involving the FBI and local agencies. Officials moved quickly, and arrested Hicks in her house and uncovering what they described as a credible and dangerous plan in development. The threat was taken as immediate and serious, not something distant or theoretical.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 9: Art Pronin, center-right, sits with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, right, State Senator John Whitmire, center-left, and U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, left, during an event organized to support Israel in its fighting with Hamas on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, at Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

In response to the threat, the shul and associated Jewish school temporarily shut down out of an abundance of caution, as authorities worked to make sure there was no ongoing danger.

Hicks is currently being held on a $10 million bond, which shows the severity of the charges.

An unusual incident in Modi’in has triggered public backlash after a local resident was detained by police over a yarmulka he was wearing, which featured both Israeli and Palestinian flags.

According to a report by N12, Dr. Alex Sinclair, who regularly wears a yarmulka, found himself in a confrontation with police due to the design of the head covering, which displayed the two flags side by side.

Sinclair said the incident began while he was sitting at a café near his home, when another individual noticed the symbols on his yarmulka and objected, telling him he intended to call the police.

Police officers arrived shortly afterward, and according to Sinclair, one of them told him that wearing such a yarmulka could constitute a violation of the law and that he needed to accompany them to the station for questioning.

During the encounter at the police station, Sinclair said officers attempted to persuade him to surrender the yarmulka. He told N12 that he was informed he could be released if he agreed to leave the item with police as evidence or as a prohibited object. Sinclair refused, explaining that he had worn the yarmulka for years and that it held personal significance. He alleges that after he declined to hand it over voluntarily, an officer took the yarmulka and later returned it to him after cutting it, physically removing the Palestinian flag.

Sinclair described the experience as deeply unsettling, saying he initially thought it might be a misunderstanding or even a joke, as he was unaware of any law prohibiting such imagery on a religious or personal garment. He added that the incident undermined his sense of security in dealing with law enforcement authorities.

Israel Police responded that, contrary to some reports, the individual was neither arrested nor formally questioned. According to the police statement, officers from the Modi’in station responded on April 20, 2026, to a report about a man sitting in a business wearing a yarmulka bearing a Palestinian flag. He was brought to the station for clarification and was released afterward. Police added that since a complaint has been filed with the department responsible for investigating police conduct, they cannot provide further details at this time.

{Matzav.com}

A 22-year-old New York man has been charged in connection with a chaotic “street takeover” in Queens that authorities say endangered residents and motorists and drew widespread backlash over the weekend.

Videos from the scene show a large crowd—some individuals wearing keffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags—flooding an intersection Saturday night, where participants ignited a ring of fire in the roadway and whipped cars through the streets. The takeover unfolded near two gas stations, raising alarms about the risk of a catastrophic explosion.

The suspect, identified by police as Asil Assaidi, faces multiple charges including reckless endangerment, riot, and criminal mischief, according to the NYPD.

Police had previously released images of several suspects believed to be involved, many with their faces partially covered, and offered a $3,500 reward for information leading to arrests. It remains unclear whether additional suspects have been identified or if further charges are forthcoming.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

What began as a painful and public moment of bizayon quickly turned into an extraordinary display of achdus and chesed, as the broader tzibbur rallied in support of two bochurim who were mocked on camera while collecting for hachnosas kallah.

The widely circulated video, showing the two young bnei yeshiva being ridiculed by Inbar Twizer of Channel 12 News, sparked outrage—but also inspired one of the most remarkable grassroots fundraising efforts seen in recent memory, unfolding within less than a day.

Aryeh Ehrlich and media personality Yair Levy, who had been accompanying the bochurim—identified as A. and S.—since the story broke, visited them this evening. They brought fruit platters on behalf of Klal Yisroel, offering chizuk and solidarity in the wake of the incident.

In an emotional post, Ehrlich described the encounter and the mindset of the two young men who unexpectedly found themselves at the center of a national storm. “The conversation yesterday with the two righteous bochurim – A. and S. – who went out to help with hachnosas kallah and were forced to endure an ugly humiliation, quickly turned into a great beam of light of chesed and unity,” he wrote.

He noted that while the bochurim appeared somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden attention, their perspective remained one of emunah. “They believe that this is how Hashem arranged things from Heaven.”

The most striking revelation came when one of the bochurim shared what they had originally expected from their efforts: “We thought we would come back from the round with 200 shekels at most – in the end they told us it came out to more than 200,000 shekels.”

Ehrlich concluded by relaying their gratitude: “A. and S. thanked everyone for the support and love that was showered upon them from every direction.”

While criticism continues to mount in media circles over the conduct of the reporter, the tzibbur responded in a very different way—choosing generosity over anger. The remarkable sum raised will go entirely toward its intended purpose: the mitzvah of hachnosas kallah.

Owners of rent-stabilized apartment buildings across New York City are unloading properties at steep discounts – in some cases up to 90% – as rising costs and unpaid rent push them toward financial collapse, industry representatives warned Thursday.

The alarm was raised during a Rent Guidelines Board meeting, where officials are considering Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents for nearly one million regulated apartments citywide.

Landlord groups urged the board to approve rent increases instead, arguing that thousands of buildings are already on the brink.

“The analogy we use is 100 hard working firefighters trying to put out blazes in 5,000 buildings,” Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association told the New York Post.

“It’s not possible… a rent freeze now would not hold the line. It would deepen the problem immediately in the buildings that are already closest to the edge.”

The board is expected to hold a preliminary vote in May.

According to Burgos, the crisis is especially severe in The Bronx — particularly in neighborhoods like Tremont, Hunts Point, and Fordham — which account for more than a third of the city’s most distressed properties. He noted that it is the only borough where landlords are seeing negative income across the board.

The financial strain is hitting both small and large landlords. Major developer Related Companies recently sold off its Bronx portfolio of more than 2,000 units at a $64 million loss.

Similarly, the Pinnacle Group offloaded a portfolio of 5,200 apartments across The Bronx and Brooklyn for $451 million — well below its $564 million debt — after a failed attempt by Mamdani to acquire the properties.

While a Rent Guidelines Board report found landlord income rose 6.2% overall, Burgos dismissed the figure as misleading.

“If you take one millionaire and average it with minimum wage earners, you will not get a realistic average of wages, and you can’t do that with these buildings either,” he said.

Growing uncertainty is surrounding the condition—and even the possible survival—of Mojtaba Khamenei, as reports and speculation intensify regarding the state of Iran’s leadership at a sensitive moment for the regime.

According to emerging reports, there are increasing signs that Iranian authorities may be deliberately concealing the true extent of Khamenei’s condition, projecting an image of stability while serious developments may be unfolding behind the scenes.

Israeli analyst Amit Segal addressed the issue Thursday on Channel 12 News, noting that the available information is both limited and questionable, particularly since most of it originates from within Iran itself.

Segal said the reports suggest Khamenei may have suffered severe injuries, including the loss of a leg and the need for complex facial reconstruction, but is reportedly refusing treatment out of concern that his condition would be exposed. According to a report in The New York Times, Iran’s president—who has medical training—is personally overseeing his care, adding another layer of intrigue to the situation.

A central question now being raised is whether Khamenei is even alive, or whether the regime is maintaining an illusion of leadership to preserve internal stability. Segal said there are voices in Israel openly entertaining that possibility: “Assuming Iran’s president did not share the full information, it is worth considering another possibility — that he may no longer be with us. That is a possibility that some in Israel support. They have no proof of it, but they say: ‘Look, all the information about his existence relies on second-tier sources.'”

Further suspicion has been fueled by the conduct of Iran’s political leadership, which in some cases appears to be acting contrary to established directives attributed to the supreme leader. Segal pointed to the Iranian president’s recent visit to Pakistan, where he displayed what he described as “extreme and fundamentalist rigidity,” while at the same time deviating from Khamenei’s known position against engaging in certain negotiations.

“Do you allow yourself to act in contradiction to the leader’s position, or perhaps you believe there is a reasonable chance that the instruction never came from the leader at all — because he cannot deliver it, or because he simply does not exist?” Segal asked.

Until clear and verifiable proof of life emerges, the uncertainty is expected to persist. “It is worth keeping this possibility in mind until we see him holding today’s newspaper. And I think it will take time before that happens,” Segal concluded.

Observers note that authoritarian regimes have historically concealed the deaths of leaders for days or even weeks in order to manage succession struggles—raising the possibility that a similar scenario could now be unfolding in Tehran.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire after hosting a second round of talks at the White House.

Trump said he plans to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Washington “in the near future,” adding that the meeting went “very well.”

“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump wrote.

The meeting was attended by senior American, Israeli, and Lebanese officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh, all of whom took part in the discussions hosted by Trump at the White House.

Speaking to reporters, Trump stressed that any US deal with Iran must block Tehran from funding Hezbollah and clarified that Israel may still act in self-defense during the ceasefire.

“Israel is going to have to defend itself if they are shot at… but they’re going to do it carefully, and they’ll be surgical,” he said.

The extension follows a prior 10-day truce brokered by the US earlier this month, after Hezbollah began attacking Israel and drawing Lebanon into the wider conflict tied to the US-Iran war.

Washington has pushed for direct talks between Jerusalem and Beirut — a rare development — while trying to avoid giving Iran influence over Lebanon.

Despite optimism, Hezbollah continues to wield major power in Lebanon, raising doubts about whether any agreement will hold.

Israel is demanding the terror group’s disarmament, while Lebanon is focused on maintaining the ceasefire and ending the IDF’s buffer zone in the south.

Aoun has so far avoided direct engagement with Netanyahu amid significant internal pressure in Lebanon, including threats from Hezbollah, complicating prospects for a breakthrough.

During the meeting, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter urged negotiators to focus on Hezbollah rather than Israeli withdrawal.

“If we continue down that path, we are doomed to failure. And failure, friends, is not an option,” he said.

“I have no doubt that we will succeed in eliminating the Hezbollah menace and achieving peace between our two countries.”

Leiter emphasized Israel does not view Lebanon as the enemy.

“Israel wants peace with Lebanon and Israel wants security for its citizens,” he said. “We’re united with the Lebanese government in wanting to rid the country of this malign influence called Hezbollah.”

Hamadeh thanked Trump for “presiding over this historic moment,” but did not speak about peace with Israel.

“With your support, we can make Lebanon great again,” she added.

US officials said the extension creates space to pursue a “permanent peace.”

Trump also dismissed a Lebanese ban on contact with Israelis, saying, “I never heard of that, but… I’m pretty sure that’ll be ended very quickly.”

Asked if a deal could be reached this year, Trump said, “There’s a great chance.”

Iran’s already fragile diplomatic channel with the United States appeared to narrow further on Thursday, as reports emerged that a senior Iranian official had stepped back from a central role in the talks.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, has resigned from overseeing negotiations with Washington, according to an unsourced report by Israel’s Channel 12. The report said Mr. Ghalibaf cited mounting interference from senior figures within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as the reason for his decision.

The development, if confirmed, would underscore the deepening divisions within Iran’s leadership at a moment when diplomatic efforts to ease tensions remain uncertain. Ghalibaf had been involved not only in indirect contacts with the United States but also in mediation efforts led by Pakistan, which has sought to broker a path toward de-escalation.

According to the report, the dispute reached a breaking point over a proposal put forward by Qatar that aimed to reduce friction in the Strait of Hormuz. The plan would have allowed a limited number of Iranian vessels to pass through the waterway in exchange for reciprocal access for ships from Arab Gulf states.

The proposal was ultimately blocked by Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the report said.

Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed the resignation, and it remains unclear who, if anyone, will take over Ghalibaf’s role in the negotiations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

ATLANTA (AP) — Three professors at Atlanta’s Emory University filed a lawsuit Thursday over their arrests during a 2024 campus protest over the Israel-Hamas war, saying the university broke its own free speech policies when it called in police and state troopers to aggressively disband the protest, making 28 arrests.

“The judicial system would find that Emory failed to protect its students, to protect its staff, to protect the educational mission of the university,” said philosophy Professor Noelle McAfee, one of the plaintiffs. “So this isn’t just about people’s individual rights. It’s our educational mission to train people in free and critical inquiry, to be able to learn how to engage with others, to be fearless.”

Laura Diamond, a spokesperson for Emory, said the university believes “this lawsuit is without merit.”

“Emory acts appropriately and responsibly to keep our community safe from threats of harm,” Diamond said in a statement. “We regret this issue is being litigated but we have confidence in the legal process.”

The suit is just one example of how the nationwide wave of protests continues to reverberate on elite campuses. There are many examples of lawsuits against universities by students and faculty who say they were discriminated against because of the protests. But the Emory suit is unusual. McAfee, English and indigenous studies Professor Emilio Del Valle-Escalante and economics Professor Caroline Fohlin all remain tenured faculty members and none were convicted of any charges.

The civil lawsuit in DeKalb County State Court demands that the private university repay money the three spent defending themselves against misdemeanor charges that were later dismissed, along with punitive damages. McAfee said she’s suing her employer “to try to get them to be accountable and to change.”

All three say they were observers on April 25, 2024, when some students and others set up tents on the university’s main quad to protest the war. They say Emory broke its own policies by calling in Atlanta police and Georgia state troopers without seeking alternatives.

McAfee was charged with disorderly conduct after she said she yelled “Stop!” at an officer roughly arresting a protester. Del Valle-Escalante said he was trying to help an older woman when he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Fohlin said that when she protested against officers pinning a protester to the ground, she herself was thrown face-first to the ground and arrested, suffering a concussion and a spine injury. Fohlin was charged with misdemeanor battery of an officer.

Emory claimed that day that those arrested were outsiders who trespassed on school property. But 20 of the 28 people arrested were affiliated with the university. The professors said that after their arrests, they were targeted by threats and harassment, part of a pushback by conservatives who said universities were failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism and allowing lawlessness.

Nationwide, advocates say there is a “Palestine exception” in which universities are willing to curb pro-Palestinian speech and protest. Palestine Legal, a legal aid group supporting such speech, said Tuesday that it received 300% more legal requests in 2025 than its annual average before 2023, mostly from college students and faculty.

McAfee served as president of the Emory University Senate after her arrest. The body makes policy recommendations and had helped draft the university’s open expression policy. She said she asked then-President Gregory Fenves in fall 2024 why Emory police weren’t dropping the charges against her and others. McAfee said Fenves told her that he wanted “to see justice.” The open expression policy was revised after 2024 to clearly prohibit tents, camping, occupations of university buildings and demonstrations between midnight and 7 a.m.

Whatever the policy, McAfee said, students are afraid to protest at Emory, saying the university has turned its back on what Atlanta Civil Rights icon John Lewis called “good trouble.”

“Students know right now that any trouble is not going to be good trouble at Emory, that they could get arrested,” she said. ”So students are afraid.”

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Billionaire investor Ken Griffin is threatening to reconsider a major $6 billion New York City development after Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his penthouse as a backdrop in a tax-the-rich campaign video.

Happy Tax Day, New York. We’re taxing the rich. pic.twitter.com/Wky2LFXC9W

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) April 15, 2026

The clash escalated Thursday night, when The Wall Street Journal reported that a top Citadel executive warned internally the firm could rethink its level of investment in the city.

The dispute began after Mamdani filmed a viral video outside Griffin’s 24,000-square-foot residence at 220 Central Park South, promoting a proposed “pied-à-terre” tax on luxury second homes.

In a companywide email, Citadel Chief Operating Officer Gerald Beeson said the firm is preparing to redevelop 350 Park Avenue — a project expected to create about 6,000 construction jobs and more than 15,000 permanent positions — but cautioned: “The project — if we move forward — will entail more than $6 billion of spending.”

Griffin, who bought the penthouse for roughly $238 million in 2019 — the highest home sale in U.S. history — has long been critical of high-tax environments. His firm previously relocated its headquarters from Chicago to Miami.

Citadel also emphasized that its employees have paid billions in New York taxes in recent years, while Griffin has donated hundreds of millions to charitable causes.

The episode underscores growing friction between wealthy investors and progressive leaders, with concerns mounting that aggressive tax policies could push jobs, capital and major developments out of New York.

R’ Simcha Felder, an Orthodox Jewish member of the New York City Council, stormed out of the first meeting of the council’s newly formed Task Force to Combat Antisemitism after Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, said that City Hall’s policy is not to define hate, including Jew-hatred.

Eric Dinowitz, a council member and co-chair of the bipartisan task force, pressed Wisdom during the hearing on Wednesday about how her office defines antisemitism.

“The vast majority of the Jewish community values the IHRA definition,” he said, of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of Jew-hatred.

Among the contemporary examples that are part of the working definition is singling the Jewish state out for unique criticism and denying its right to exist. One of Zohran Mamdani’s first actions as mayor in January was to revoke his predecessor’s executive order using the IHRA definition as city policy.

“Where cities have laid out that anti-Zionism is a proxy for ‘Jew,’ they saw a decrease in incidents,” Dinowitz told Wisdom, who assumed her position in February.

“The policy of this administration,” Wisdom responded, “is that we will continue to not have a codified definition of any form of hate.”

Felder, who represents heavily Charedi neighborhoods in Brooklyn, including Borough Park and Flatbush, questioned whether Wisdom has ever experienced real Jew-hatred.

The Orthodox council member also pointed out that the state law mandating Holocaust education in public schools is widely ignored. “It would be very helpful if children at a young age got that education,” he said. “Schools throughout the state are in violation of state law.”

Felder also said that elected officials’ tendency to link Jew-hatred and Islamophobia in the same breath, even when data shows no equivalence in incidence, normalizes anti-Jewish sentiment.

After Wisdom said that city policy was not to define hate, Felder stormed out.

“The last straw was when they asked her about determining whether or not something is a hate crime, and she said that she and her assistant are going to decide case-by-case whether something is a hate crime or not,” he told JNS, of Wisdom. “That was outrageous. She is not competent to decide. I don’t think she should have been hired.”

“That was nuts, and that’s why I exploded,” he said.

“I can’t recall ever hearing something so absurd from someone in the administration,” added Felder, who has represented his area in the state Senate and in the New York City Council for a combined 21 years. “That’s unconscionable and unacceptable.”

Government of inaction’

During the newly formed task force’s inaugural hearing, which ran for five hours on Wednesday, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, senior New York City Police Department officials and representatives of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism testified, including about what city data confirms is a deepening crisis.

Jews, who make up about 10% of the city’s population, are targets of more than half of all hate crimes committed there. The hearing illuminated pointed disagreements about the problems of Jews being targeted by verbal attacks and slurs, which are considered protected free speech.

Michael Gerber, NYPD deputy commissioner for legal matters, testified that Jews accounted for more than 50% of confirmed hate crime victims in New York City in both 2024 and 2025—a proportion that has held steady.

In 2025, there were 566 confirmed hate crimes in the city and 327, or 58%, were antisemitic. In the first quarter of 2026, 78 of 143 confirmed hate crimes, again more than half, targeted Jewish people, he said.

Brooklyn is home to what Gonzalez described as the largest Jewish population of any county in the United States and has borne a disproportionate share of Jew-hatred. In 2025, Brooklyn recorded 239 hate crime incidents, 62% of which targeted Jews. In the first quarter of 2026, the majority of Brooklyn hate crimes continued to target Jews.

Dinowitz, a former teacher and Democrat who co-chairs the task force with Inna Vernikov, a Republican, said that about a quarter of anti-Jewish hate incidents in the city have been directed at children or at places children frequent, including schools and playgrounds. (Dinowitz and Vernikov are Jewish.)

“Throughout our history as a people, we have seen inaction leading to the persecution and eviction of Jewish people from their homes,” Dinowitz said at the hearing. “Today we will not be a government of inaction that allows Jews to be persecuted because we are looking the other way.”

Hate crime data

One of the hearing’s most contentious issues concerned how the NYPD counts and reports hate crime data. JNS has reported that after the city recorded a 182% increase in Jew-hatred in the city in the first month of Mamdani’s mayoral administration, in January, that the city has twice changed the way it reports hate crime statistics.

Gerber said that in early March, the NYPD stopped using what he called “hodgepodge numbers,” which he described as figures that did not reflect confirmed hate crimes or the full universe of incidents flagged for investigation by the department’s Hate Crimes Task Force.

Although many have suspected that Mamdani ordered the change in data reporting, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has said that she made the decision on her own, and Gerber reiterated that at the hearing.

Tisch “ordered us to stop using” the earlier figures and “it was not at the directive or initiative of anyone at City Hall,” he said. “We should have done a better job explaining what we were doing, and on reflection should have made those changes in one step rather than two.”

In February, the city said it would only report “confirmed” hate crimes rather than including suspected hate crimes that are being investigated. In March, it said it would report both “confirmed” and “reported” hate crimes. JNS has reported that the city’s decisions make it difficult to compare 2026 statistics with those from prior years and that different city and police sites have varied counts of hate crimes, including anti-Jewish ones.

“The fact that a victim is a member of a protected class is not enough,” Gerber said, of what is classified as a hate crime. “The law requires more before we can bring that charge.”

The legal threshold, which requires prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a perpetrator was motivated at least in part by bias, was a recurring source of frustration for council members.

Several pressed Gerber and Gonzalez on where the legal lines fall.

Chanting in support of Hamas outside a synagogue is protected speech, as is screaming an antisemitic slur at someone on the street, according to Gerber. He said that something would rise to the level of “hate crime” only if there is a specific threat of violence or obstruction.

Blocking the entrance to a synagogue or school is a crime, and those who do so are subject to arrest, he said. But anti-Israel graffiti on a restaurant isn’t necessarily considered a hate crime, and the NYPD would have to prove the motivation was anti-Jewish rather than political, he said.

Dinowitz, the task force co-chair, said that police officers misread the use of “Zionist” and “Zio,” which perpetrators use as stand-ins for “Jew.”

“There are people using this as a proxy,” he said. “Kosher restaurants being graffitied with the word ‘Zionist,’ there should be no question that those are hate crimes,” he said. “What you’ve delivered is the ‘out.’ If you just use the word ‘Zionist’ instead of ‘Jew,’ you may be okay.”

Gerber told the council members on the task force that his hands are tied.

“We have to follow the law, which distinguishes between religion and political viewpoints,” he said. “It is not lost on me that this may well be an anti-Jewish hate crime, but we have to prove that.”

Vernikov, the Republican co-chair of the task force, cited a recent incident which upset Jewish parents in her South Brooklyn district.

Two nights earlier, protesters marched through the heavily Jewish area carrying Palestinian flags and some covered their faces with keffiyahs. They paused outside a synagogue, where a rabbi was helping a bar mitzvah boy prepare. Parents called her office, frightened.

Gerber said that based on the video he reviewed, the protestors did not stop or block entrances, which meant that their actions were not criminal. He acknowledged that the department did not have enough uniformed officers on site, because the anti-Israel group stood previously at a commercial site to protest without marching.

“They were on the sidewalk,” Gerber said. “We can’t say the sidewalk is open to the public except for them. That would be content-based speech regulation.”

“What can I tell my constituents, so they can feel that their children will be safe?” Vernikov said.

‘Openly, proudly and safely’

Vernikov noted that the task force invited all five district attorneys of New York City’s boroughs, but Gonzalez, of Brooklyn, was the only one to appear before the task force.

He established a Hate Crimes Bureau when he took office in 2017, and six prosecutors and four analysts and clerks staff the bureau, he said.

“Jewish life should be lived openly, proudly and safely,” Gonzalez testified. “No one should be afraid riding the subway, going to shul, visiting friends or opening a Jewish-owned business.”

While the Manhattan and Queens district attorneys offices each receive more than $1 million in dedicated hate crime funding from the city, his office, which handles the highest volume of antisemitic hate crimes, has received $50,000, he told the council.

“I asked for $1.1 million,” he said. “We received $50,000 to fight all hate crimes. The increase in incidents has not been matched by more funding.”

Gonzalez described a conviction rate of more than 90% on cases brought to trial but noted that juries sometimes convict on the underlying crime, like assault or vandalism, but acquit on the hate crime enhancement.

Juvenile offenders and people with serious mental illness are among the most significant perpetrators, he said, and argued for more investment in prevention and education.

“When I confront young people who have been arrested, they don’t understand the history or the meaning of a lot of these symbols,” he said. “Social media plays a role. The education piece, which is not happening, is critical.”

Gale Brewer, a council member who represents the Upper West Side, said that of a dozen middle schools in her district, only four have taken students on an educational trip to a Holocaust museum in the city.

“It is a free program. I will badger the others and they will go,” she said. “We’re not doing enough. We have to focus on prevention.”

Report to come

Wisdom, who runs the Mamdani administration’s office on hate crimes, which it says it won’t define, testified that her office added another staffer and is embarking on a listening tour of Jewish community leaders.

The office plans to release a report before the High Holy Days summarizing what it heard from the Jewish community and how that will shape policy over the remaining years of the mayor’s term, Wisdom told the task force.

The public portion of the hearing included vivid personal accounts and sharp criticism.

A Queens public school educator described a student doing a Hitler salute in his classroom, but the city’s Education Department and district superintendent didn’t follow up after the principal filed a report.

A subway rider, who wears a kippah, described his fear riding public transit after a masked group took over a subway car last year. “I am openly identifiably Jewish,” he said. “This is an unacceptable breach of public safety.”

Not all testimony supported the task force.

Leo Ferguson, who identified himself as scholar in residence at Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, called the committee “not serious” and accused Vernikov, who has faced criticism in the past for her comments about Muslims, of undermining its credibility.

He argued that Jewish community safety cannot be separated from the safety of other communities.

Dinowitz pressed officials to commit to specific next steps: more granular reporting on perpetrator demographics and enhanced training protocols for police, who too often dismiss reports of antisemitic attacks as political speech.

Gerber agreed to bring the request for disaggregated age data back to Tisch, the police commissioner.

“This work has to lead somewhere meaningful,” Dinowitz said, at the close of the hearing. “Anything that forces a Jewish person to hide their Star of David or remove their yarmulke is a problem we have to address. We have to do the work to get it done.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

NAHUNTA, Ga. (AP) — Some of the destructive wildfires tearing through Georgia this week are being fed by not only a persistent drought, but also by fallen trees and limbs scattered across the South by Hurricane Helene well over a year ago.

Blustery winds also are helping ignite and expand the fires in Georgia and Florida that have blanketed parts of several states in smoke, leading to air quality warnings Thursday in cities far from the blazes.

Shifting winds made for another high-risk day with more evacuations ordered near Georgia’s coast, where a wildfire has now destroyed close to 90 homes and threatened more.

Residents there were warned to leave as many as 200 homes. Farther to the west, Georgia’s biggest fire near the Florida state line doubled in size in less than a day and by Thursday had burned through a sparsely populated area twice the size of Manhattan.

Images from the devastated areas showed the shells of charred cars and trucks sitting next to the smoldering ruins of homes nestled among blackened trees.

Many who were forced to flee this week were distraught over the homes and animals they left behind.

“I don’t know if I have a house standing or not,” said Denise Stephens, who evacuated her home near Hortense because of the fast-moving Brantley County fire. “I know what it’s taken from other people, but I don’t know what I have left standing.”

Wood debris littering the state’s southern half since Hurricane Helene churned through in September 2024 has enabled some of the blazes to spread and intensify quickly, officials said.

“There’s a ton of old Hurricane Helene debris down in the woods,” said Seth Hawkins, a Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson. “It’s lying around, and it’s just a tinderbox out there.”

The forestry commission estimated that Helene swept across nearly 14,000 square miles (36,000 square kilometers) of forestland statewide, striking areas where trees are grown for paper and lumber.

In Helene’s wake, cleanup efforts were rolled out across southern Georgia. The state put up roughly $135 million to help private timberland owners remove fallen trees, and the Army Corps of Engineers hauled off millions of cubic yards of debris.

But they couldn’t get everything.

“The way Helene just threw everything down like matchsticks, there’s only so much you can do short of bulldozing everything,” Hawkins said. “There are big pockets of woods out there where people don’t walk around too much. So it just kind of gets left there.”

Brantley County, where most of the evacuations have been ordered, has less hurricane debris in its forests than some neighboring counties, County Manager Joey Cason said.

But as the wildfire continued to expand and remained unpredictable, some residents decided to stay put.

“I’ve been in the fire area today on both sides of it, and we have folks that are sitting in their front yards running sprinklers,” Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis said. “So some are leaving, and some are staying.”

It is not known yet how the wildfires started, but the bottom half of Georgia and northern Florida are both extremely dry.

In Florida, firefighters were battling more than 130 wildfires, mostly in the state’s northern half. Fire crews in Georgia responded to 34 new and relatively small blazes Wednesday, the forestry commission said.

Smoke drifted across a large area of the Southeast, making the air unhealthy Thursday for children and people with lung or heart problems in cities as far as Columbia, South Carolina. A haze hung over Atlanta’s skyline a day earlier, and there was a smoky smell across the metro area.

Officials are hoping for rain to help tame the fires, and there is a 30% to 40% chance of showers or thunderstorms in the area of both big Georgia fires this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. While showers could bring welcome relief, thunderstorms could also produce lightning capable of sparking more fires.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than $400,000 in an online betting market, federal officials announced Thursday.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used his access to classified information to make money on the prediction market site Polymarket, the federal prosecutor’s office in New York said.

He has been charged with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction. He could face years in prison.

Van Dyke, 38, was involved in the planning and execution of capturing Maduro for about a month beginning Dec. 8, 2025, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. He signed nondisclosure agreements promising to not divulge “any classified or sensitive information” related to the operations, the office said.

Officials allege that Van Dyke created a Polymarket account toward the end of December and made about 13 bets that took the “Yes” position on such wagers as U.S. Forces being in Venezuela and Maduro being out by Jan. 31, 2026.

“This involved a U.S. soldier who allegedly took advantage of his position to profit off of a righteous military operation,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post to social media.

Officials allege that shortly after the operation, Van Dyke put most of the funds he won in a foreign cryptocurrency vault and then into a new brokerage account. He also asked Polymarket to delete his account, saying he had lost access to his email associated with the account, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.

A telephone number listed for Van Dyke in public records was not in service. It is unclear if he has legal representation.

Polymarket said it had found someone trading on classified government information, alerted the U.S. Department of Justice and “cooperated with their investigation.”

“Insider trading has no place on Polymarket,” the company said in a statement on the social platform X.

Van Dyke joined the Army in 2008 and, in 2023, was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant, the second-highest enlisted rank in the Army, according to the indictment.

Federal prosecutors confirmed that he was a senior enlisted soldier who was part of the special forces community and stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina but their indictment offered little other details about his military service.

However, the document says that Van Dyke was photographed following the raid on the deck of a ship “wearing U.S. military fatigues, and carrying a rifle, standing alongside three other individuals wearing U.S. military fatigues.”

The Pentagon referred questions on the case to the Army and the Department of Justice.

Army officials declined to provide Van Dykes’ service record.

Typically, the military services are reticent to offer details about members of the special forces and take measures to keep their identities secret.

Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that a group of new accounts on Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers. On the same day the AP published the report, the White House warned staff against using private information to trade on prediction markets.

On Wednesday, another prediction market, Kalshi, fined and suspended three congressional candidates who the company said wagered on the outcome of their own elections.

Prediction markets let people wager on everything from sports to elections and have prompted bipartisan scrutiny from Congress and calls for stricter regulations.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not issued any public audio or video statements since taking power, reportedly due to severe injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike in late February, a development that comes as President Donald Trump points to unclear leadership in Tehran as a major obstacle in ongoing peace efforts.

According to a report citing four Iranian officials, Khamenei, 56, has avoided public appearances because he “does not want to appear vulnerable or sound weak.” The officials said he has undergone multiple medical procedures, including three surgeries on one leg and an operation on his hand, and is expected to require a prosthetic.

“His face and lips have been burned severely, making it difficult for him to speak [and] he will need plastic surgery,” the report stated.

The same report said top officials have largely stayed away from visiting him, fearing Israeli forces could track their movements. As a result, authority has shifted increasingly toward military leadership, particularly Iran’s generals, rather than civilian officials.

“Senior government officials do not visit him, fearing that Israel may trace them to him and kill him,” the report added.

Communication with Khamenei is said to be highly restricted, relying on handwritten messages delivered through a chain of couriers traveling by various routes to avoid detection.

“Messages to him are handwritten, sealed in envelopes and relayed via a human chain from one trusted courier to the next, who travel on highways and back roads, in cars and on motorcycles until they reach his hide-out. His guidance on issues snakes back the same way.”

Despite the difficulty in accessing him, the report noted that certain senior figures, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi, “have both been involved in his care.”

The situation has reinforced concerns within the Trump administration that fragmented leadership and slow internal communication are hindering diplomatic progress, particularly as questions remain about whether Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have the authority to negotiate on behalf of Iran.

Earlier this week, Trump extended a temporary ceasefire with Iran indefinitely while awaiting a response to a new U.S. proposal that calls for ending nuclear enrichment and surrendering roughly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium.

“There’s obviously a lot of internal division,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday.

“This is a battle between the pragmatists and the hardliners in Iran right now, and the president wants a unified response. And so, as we await that response, there’s a cease-fire.”

The report also indicated that Khamenei has transferred significant decision-making power to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the hardline military force.

“It was the Guards who came up with the strategy for Iran’s attacks on Israel and the Persian Gulf states, along with the closing of the strait to maritime traffic,” it said. “They were the ones who agreed to a temporary cease-fire with the United States and approved back-channel diplomacy and direct negotiations with the United States.

“They tapped Mr. Ghalibaf from among their own ranks to lead the talks with Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad.”

{Matzav.com}

A significant upgrade to cellular infrastructure in Yehuda and Shomron officially began Thursday with the inauguration of the first state-funded communications tower in Kedumim, marking the start of a broad initiative aimed at improving connectivity and strengthening personal security across the region.

The tower was dedicated in a ceremony held in the Mitzpe Yishai neighborhood, attended by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Finance Minister and Minister within the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich, and local council head Uziel Vatik.

The event, which took place just one day after Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations, also highlighted the launch of a major housing development project, with plans for 1,400 new residential units in the nearby Nachalat Esther neighborhood. The move is expected to further establish Kedumim as a central hub in the Shomron. This tower is the first to be activated under a broader government tender led by the Communications Authority in the Civil Administration.

The newly inaugurated site joins dozens of others constructed over the past three years, with many more planned throughout Yehuda and Shomron in the coming year.

In the first phase of the project, 22 towers are being built. The Kedumim tower is the first to become operational, while additional sites in Bruchin, Kedar, the Almog Junction area, and Mitzpe Yericho are awaiting connection to electricity. A second phase, expected to be announced soon, will include 27 additional towers, bringing the total to 49 in the initial rollout.

Communications Minister Karhi emphasized the broader significance of the project, stating: “From the heart of the Shomron in Kedumim, to all of Yehuda and Shomron. The tower we are inaugurating today as a cornerstone for Kedumim, the great city, is the opening shot for dozens of additional cellular sites that will be established here, G-d willing, over the coming year in an unprecedented national project, alongside dozens we have already built across Yehuda and Shomron. Three years ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu, at my request, declared communications infrastructure in Yehuda and Shomron a national project and a security necessity. Today we are bringing that vision into reality on the ground. Sovereignty — in practice.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into New York City Department of Education over allegations of antisemitic discrimination in the nation’s largest school system, federal officials said Thursday.

The probe will examine whether the district violated federal civil rights law by allowing or failing to address discrimination against Jewish students. The investigation centers on activities tied to a group known as NYC Educators for Palestine, which has organized seminars addressing “Palestine, Zionism and Resistance.”

According to the Office for Civil Rights, the seminars teach children as young as 5 about “Palestinian resistance,” says that “Zionists” are “genocidal white supremacists,” and urges children to support both Hamas and its “martyrs.”

“No child should be taught by his or her teachers to hate their peers,” said Kimberly Richey, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights. “Neither should Jewish children be taught that being Jewish somehow makes them inherently guilty or proponents of hate and violence.”

The investigation adds to growing federal scrutiny of how schools handle antisemitism and political expression in classrooms. It remains unclear how long the review will take or what actions federal officials may pursue if violations are found.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The home of Chabad shliach Rabbi Zelig Brez in Dnipro was damaged during a major Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city after a suicide drone struck an open area near the residential building. One of the rabbi’s children was lightly injured by glass shrapnel and was treated at the scene.

The blast, along with debris from air defense interceptions in the area, caused heavy damage to the apartment. Windows were blown out and fragments entered the rooms. Community members said it was a major miracle that the injuries were limited despite the force of the explosion.

Rabbi Brez is a leading figure in the Jewish community of Dnipro and works under Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky. He oversees the Menorah Center, one of the largest Jewish centers in the world.

Since the start of the war, Rabbi Brez has been involved in assisting thousands of Jewish refugees who arrived in Dnipro from battle zones in eastern Ukraine, helping lead a broad humanitarian relief network together with Chabad’s JRNU organization. Despite continued attacks on the city, Chabad shluchim remain in place, sustaining Jewish life and community institutions.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The White House on Thursday charged that China is systematically siphoning off intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs, warning the issue could complicate relations ahead of a planned meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders next month.

In a memo released publicly, Michael Kratsios, who leads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the administration has evidence pointing to organized efforts tied largely to China targeting advanced U.S. AI systems. “The US government has information indicating that foreign entities, principally based in China, are engaged in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to distil US frontier AI systems,” he wrote in the document, which was first reported by the Financial Times.

He further described the methods allegedly used in these operations, including the deployment of large numbers of fake accounts and technical workarounds designed to bypass safeguards. “Leveraging tens of thousands of proxy accounts to evade detection and using jailbreaking techniques to expose proprietary information, these coordinated campaigns systematically extract capabilities from American AI models, exploiting American expertise and innovation,” he added.

Responding to the accusations, the Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the claims, calling them unfounded. It said it opposes “the baseless allegations,” and emphasized that Beijing “attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights.”

The timing of the memo is significant, coming just weeks before President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The allegations threaten to heighten friction in an already tense technological rivalry between the two countries, which had seen some easing after an agreement reached last October.

The developments also cast uncertainty over whether the U.S. will proceed with allowing advanced AI chips made by Nvidia to be exported to China. While the Trump administration approved such sales earlier this year under certain restrictions, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicated on Wednesday that shipments have yet to begin.

The memo also highlights the concept of “distillation,” a technique in which smaller AI systems are trained by drawing on the outputs of larger, more advanced models, often to reduce development costs.

Addressed to federal agencies, the document states that the administration intends to brief American AI firms about the alleged activities and consider further steps in response. It adds that officials will “explore a range of measures to hold foreign actors accountable” for the campaigns.

There are moments when the body reacts before the mind has any time to explain it. A person might be sitting somewhere ordinary when suddenly their heart races, breathing changes, and a wave of fear rises without an obvious reason. It can feel like something is seriously wrong.

Panic disorder is the pattern where these experiences repeat and begin to shape a person’s relationship with their own body. The fear is not only of the panic itself, but of when it might happen again, and what it might mean if it does.

A panic attack is intense and physical. It can include a racing heart, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, shaking, nausea, and a sense of unreality. People often think they are having a medical emergency or losing control.

What makes panic especially powerful is the meaning the mind quickly attaches to the sensations. The body activates a survival response, but there is no real danger present. That mismatch creates a loop where fear increases the symptoms, and the symptoms increase the fear.

Not everyone with panic disorder develops avoidance. Some people continue functioning in their daily lives despite repeated attacks. Others begin to avoid situations where they fear panic might happen, especially places where escape or help feels difficult. When that avoidance becomes more widespread, it can develop into agoraphobia, but this is not required for panic disorder.

Panic is driven by the body’s fight or flight system. In panic disorder, this system becomes overly sensitive and can activate without an external threat. The sensations themselves are not harmful, but they feel alarming enough to reinforce the idea that something is wrong.

Even when someone logically understands they are safe, the nervous system can still react as if they are not. This is why reassurance alone often does not immediately stop panic.

For example, a person might be grocery shopping when they suddenly notice their heart beating faster. Within seconds, they start to feel lightheaded and think they might faint in public. The thought increases their fear, their breathing becomes more shallow, and the sensations intensify. They may leave the store quickly, not because anything dangerous is happening, but because the alarm system in their body has fully activated. Later, they may start to avoid grocery stores altogether, not trusting that the experience won’t happen again.

Panic disorder is very treatable. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy help people change catastrophic interpretations of bodily sensations. Exposure based work helps the body learn that these sensations are not dangerous. Acceptance based approaches focus on allowing the experience to pass without fighting it, which reduces the escalation over time.

The key shift in recovery is not eliminating all anxiety, but changing the meaning of it. Instead of “this is dangerous,” the experience becomes “this is intense, but temporary and not harmful.”

Panic can feel overwhelming, but it always follows a natural rise and fall. The body cannot stay in that state indefinitely. Over time, as the fear of the sensations decreases, the nervous system stops sounding the alarm so easily. Life begins to expand again, not because panic is forced away, but because it is no longer interpreted as danger.

Chayi Hanfling is a licensed clinical social worker who is experienced and passionate in helping individuals, families, and couples. She specializes in couples counseling, EFT, women’s health, anxiety management, OCD, trauma, and other mental health challenges. She can be reached at https://chaicounseling.org or [email protected]

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Submitted by a reader: Hi, hope all is well. As we count down the days to Matan Torah, it’s important to be mindful of something concerning. There has been a recent increase in scammers taking advantage of our community’s pre-Chag calling patterns, particularly the Erev Yom Tov calls, when einiklach reach out to grandparents to wish them a gut Yom Tov.

These scammers record those calls and, using AI, can mimic the children’s voices and even spoof similar-looking phone numbers. It appears they are specifically targeting 732 numbers publicly listed (such as on Whitepages), especially those associated with older individuals in areas like Lakewood.

After Yom Tov, they contact grandparents posing as a grandchild in distress and ask for money to be wired to fraudulent accounts.

Please help spread awareness and encourage extra caution to prevent the most vulnerable members of our community from being scammed.

A.R.

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

(AP) – President Donald Trump’s “gold card” visa, where a foreigner can shell out at least $1 million to legally live and work in the U.S., has been approved for one person, said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Thursday — appearing to fall a bit short of an earlier claim.

After it launched in December, Lutnick said that the government had sold $1.3 billion “worth” in just several days, as Trump stood by holding up the gilded ticket and said, “essentially it’s the green card on steroids.”

Lutnick did not address the apparent discrepancy in an exchange with a congresswoman at Thursday’s committee hearing.

Trump pushed the idea last year, initially suggesting a cost of $5 million, and arguing that it would entice foreign talent to U.S. shores and fill out federal coffers. It’s meant to replace the EB-5 program, a decades-old program that offered U.S. visas to people who invested about $1 million in a company with at least 10 employees.

Though only one person has been approved, “there are hundreds in the queue that they are going through,” said Lutnick, appearing pleased with the program’s results, at a congressional committee hearing Thursday.

“They’ve just set it up, and they wanted to make sure they did it perfectly,” he said.

A year ago, Lutnick said at a cabinet meeting that the gold card would raise $1 trillion in revenue and help “balance the budget.” The publicly held debt is $31.3 trillion and outside projections by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget are that this fiscal year’s annual budget deficit will be roughly $2 trillion.

The commerce secretary noted that each applicant pays a $15,000 fee, on top of their million bucks, which allows for “rigorous vetting” of those applying to the program that eventually opens a path to U.S. citizenship. It also allows corporations to spend $2 million for a foreign-born employee, along with a 1% annual maintenance fee.

It boasts a glitzy government website with the phrase “Unlock life in America” above a depiction of a gold card: Trump’s stern visage, aside a bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and his squiggled signature. The website also touts the upcoming $5 million “Trump Platinum Card,” which offers up to 270 days in America without being taxed on non-U. S. income.

While Trump has created a presidential identity partially around deporting immigrants without legal status, he has repeatedly supported skilled immigration to the U.S., which the gold card program could facilitate.

When asked how the proceeds will be spent, Lutnick said: “That will be determined by the administration, and its terms are for the betterment of the United States of America.”

The idea is relatively common around the world, with dozens of countries offering versions of “golden visas” to wealthy individuals, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.

The Skverre Dayan of Lakewood, Rav Avrohom Spitzer, speaking in learning last night with Posek Hador Hagaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is not feeling pressure to quickly conclude the ongoing conflict with Iran, even as negotiations remain uncertain and fuel prices continue to stay high worldwide.

“For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am ‘anxious’ to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position,” he wrote on Truth Social Thursday. “I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking!”

His comments signal no defined timeline for ending the standoff, which is nearing the two-month mark. Although active fighting has largely subsided following a ceasefire Trump extended indefinitely earlier in the week, there is still no clear resolution in sight.

During congressional hearings on Wednesday, administration officials avoided offering estimates for when energy prices might ease. Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers have privately indicated that reaching 60 days of conflict could become a critical point in determining their continued backing.

A key factor shaping the situation is the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. As U.S. naval forces work to locate and remove mines from the waterway, Trump earlier Thursday instructed the Navy to “shoot and kill” Iranian boats still laying explosives in the strait.

Concerns have grown that clearing the mines could take an extended period. While Trump did not provide a timeline for reopening the shipping lane, he reiterated that any vessels continuing such activity should be confronted.

“There is to be no hesitation,” he wrote in an earlier social media post. “Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”

Earlier this week, Trump extended the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, while also maintaining a blockade on Iranian shipping in the strait.

Following a joint U.S.-Israel operation against Tehran in February, Iran significantly reduced traffic through the vital corridor, driving oil prices sharply higher.

The continued blockade has further strained relations, with Tehran suspending peace discussions until restrictions on its shipping are lifted.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump acknowledged that Americans may continue to face higher gas prices in the short term but suggested the broader objective justifies the cost.

“You know what they get for that? Iran without a nuclear weapon,” he said.

While no new negotiations have been scheduled, Trump indicated earlier in the week that it was “possible” talks could resume as soon as this weekend.

Analysts warn that any damage to vessels from remaining mines could further disrupt global trade through the strait.

The White House has sought to minimize concerns about Iran’s maritime capabilities, even after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two foreign vessels in the waterway on Wednesday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the incidents did not violate the ceasefire and pointed to them as evidence of the effectiveness of U.S. military operations.

“And for the American media who is sort of blowing this out of proportion to discredit the president’s facts — that he has completely obliterated Iran’s conventional Navy — these two ships were taken by speedy gunboats,” she said. “Iran has gone from having the most lethal Navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates.”

Trump has also emphasized in recent days the impact of U.S. strikes on Iran’s military strength.

“Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side!” he wrote on Thursday.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release from immigration custody of the family of a man charged in a fatal 2025 firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, against demonstrators supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio said Hayam El Gamal and her five children can be released from a family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, as long as El Gamal and her oldest child, who is 18, wear electronic monitoring. Biery denied the government’s request to stay his ruling so it could appeal.

El Gamal was born in Saudi Arabia and is an Egyptian national. She and her family have been in immigration detention since June after her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at people demonstrating for awareness of Israeli hostages in Gaza. An 82-year-old Holocaust survivor who was injured in the attack later died. El Gamal has claims she was shocked by the attack.

Soliman is an Egyptian national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally. He is being prosecuted in both state and federal court for the attack, which prosecutors say injured a total of 13 people. Investigators say he planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, including a murder charge, and federal hate crimes charges.

After the attack, the Trump administration claimed the family was being rushed out of the country. The White House said in social media posts that they “COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT” and that six one-way tickets had been purchased for them, with their “final boarding call coming soon.”

Biery decided to release the family even though an immigration appeals court had dismissed their case to stay and issued a deportation order for them. That came after a federal magistrate judge recommended on Monday that they should be released.

Lawyers for the family claim the deportation order was directed by the “political leadership” in Washington, which the government’s lawyer, Anne Marie Cordova, denied. People who have final deportation orders are normally subject to mandatory detention.

Biery had barred the family from being deported until he could hold Thursday’s hearing. One of the family’s lawyers, Chris Godshall-Bennett, told Biery they will also ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to stop the family from being deported while they seek asylum and permission to remain in the United States.

Another federal judge blocked their immediate removal after the attack. Since then, the family has tried several times to be released on bond and return to Colorado while their asylum application is considered.

The magistrate judge recommended this week that they be released after their attorneys argued they have not been treated fairly in immigration proceedings.

(AP)

In the aftermath of the Iran war, Israel’s Defense Ministry is moving to rebuild and strengthen its weapons reserves, signing a major procurement deal to enhance readiness for future conflicts and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

As part of a broader effort to prepare for immediate combat scenarios and a more intense security decade ahead, the ministry’s procurement directorate has issued multi-year orders for advanced aerial munitions from Elbit Systems totaling more than 600 million shekels. The deals are being managed by the unit responsible for air and naval acquisitions.

The munitions will be produced at Elbit facilities across Israel, employing thousands of workers and reinforcing the country’s domestic defense manufacturing capabilities.

The agreement includes Rampage missiles, a heavy, precision-guided ballistic weapon designed for use by fighter jets. Developed by Elbit, the missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 5 and is intended to strike enemy air defense systems, including those positioned deep underground.

Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said: “We are continuing to strengthen Israel’s independence in munitions. The IDF must have, at every moment, the tools to operate with power, speed, and without reliance on external factors. At a time when we are marking Israel’s 78th Independence Day, this carries special significance — true independence is also measured by the ability to produce and defend ourselves by our own means. We will continue to act with determination to ensure that the State of Israel relies on its own strength and is prepared for any challenge.”

Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram added: “This deal is another practical step in implementing the Defense Ministry’s strategy to expand Israel’s defense production base. In light of complex challenges and the lessons of the war, it is our duty to ensure Israel’s independence in munitions and to strengthen ‘blue-and-white’ production capabilities. We are not only equipping ourselves for the immediate term, but also laying the foundation that will allow the IDF to respond to any combat scenario while relying on independent production capabilities, advanced technology, and supply continuity.”

Elbit Systems President and CEO Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis said: “This series of contracts demonstrates Elbit Systems’ position as a technological leader in the field of aerial munitions. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Israel’s Defense Ministry and our ongoing commitment to developing and supplying precise and reliable solutions, which are among the factors enabling the Israeli Air Force’s aerial superiority.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials have stepped up efforts in recent weeks to advance the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a trade route linking India to Europe via the Gulf states, Jordan, and Israel—a route that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz, Ynet reported.

Such a corridor could significantly diminish Iran’s leverage over global trade. It could also help prevent scenarios in which international economic considerations restrict Israel or deter it from taking military action against Iran when necessary.

Israel’s role in the initiative—unveiled by the Biden administration just weeks before the October 7 attack—became more complicated once the war in Gaza began.

Israeli officials in the Foreign Ministry and the Finance Ministry view the current situation as a unique window of opportunity, and they are working to accelerate the project so as not to miss the historic opportunity created by ongoing regional discussions.

Sources familiar with the details told Ynet that one of the main challenges of the initiative is securing Saudi Arabia’s participation, as Riyadh is currently far less enthusiastic than other Gulf states.

While much of the public focus remains on the Hormuz dilemma, Israeli officials are intensifying contacts to establish an alternative corridor. Sources with ties in the Gulf confirmed that serious efforts are underway to find a workable solution and move the project forward in the wake of the war with Iran.

The IMEC is a multi-layered trade route that combines maritime shipping, rail transport, ports, and infrastructure into one connected system. In practical terms, it is designed to function as a coordinated logistics chain that moves goods between India and Europe more efficiently by linking together existing and newly built transport segments across several countries.

Goods would first leave India, for example, from ports such as Mumbai, and be transported by cargo ships to ports in the Gulf, such as in the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia. Instead of continuing by sea through the traditional route around the Arabian Peninsula and into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, the cargo would be unloaded at Gulf ports and transferred onto freight trains. These trains would then carry the goods overland across Saudi Arabia and Jordan, eventually reaching Israel. From there, the cargo would once again be loaded onto ships and transported across the Mediterranean to European ports such as Greece or Italy.

The most significant new component of this system is the creation of a continuous and efficient rail network across the Arabian Peninsula. While some rail infrastructure already exists in parts of the Gulf, it is currently fragmented and not fully connected across borders. The corridor would require the construction of new rail lines in key areas, particularly in Saudi Arabia and possibly Jordan, as well as the upgrading of existing lines to handle large-scale freight transport.

In addition to rail, several other elements would need to be developed or expanded. Ports in India, the Gulf, and Israel would require upgrades to increase their capacity and improve the speed at which cargo is loaded and unloaded. Logistics hubs would be established along the route to facilitate the transfer of goods between ships and trains, as well as to provide storage and customs processing. Digital infrastructure would also play an important role, allowing for real-time tracking of cargo and faster customs clearance across multiple countries. There are also plans tied to the corridor that go beyond traditional trade, including the potential development of energy connections such as electricity cables and hydrogen pipelines, as well as data infrastructure like fiber optic networks.

One of the main reasons countries are interested in this corridor is the potential for increased speed and efficiency. By combining sea and land transport in a coordinated way, it could reduce transit times compared to existing routes through the Suez Canal. It also offers a strategic advantage by providing an alternative to vulnerable maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions or conflict could disrupt global shipping. In broader geopolitical terms, the corridor is also seen as a way to counterbalance China’s Belt and Road Initiative by offering a different model of regional and intercontinental connectivity.

In essence, the corridor would operate through a combination of sea transport from India to the Gulf, rail transport across the Middle East into Israel, and then sea transport again from Israel to Europe. Rather than being a single piece of infrastructure, it is better understood as a network that connects different transport systems into one integrated route, with the goal of creating a faster, more resilient alternative for global trade.

At the same time, the project faces substantial obstacles. Saudi Arabia is an essential link in the corridor, and without its full cooperation, the route cannot function. For now, Riyadh’s enthusiasm is more restrained than that of several other Gulf states. Regional political dynamics add further complexity, especially given the sensitivities surrounding Israel’s ties with Arab countries and the influence of ongoing conflicts. The initiative also demands extensive intergovernmental coordination and major financial investment, making implementation both complicated and potentially slow.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

(AP) – If you’ve missed rooting around in a cereal box for a toy, you’re in luck.

WK Kellogg Co. said Thursday it’s including toys with some of its breakfast cereals for the first time in more than a decade.

Starting on Sunday, special edition boxes of Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, AppleJacks and Corn Pops will have plastic toys shaped like characters from Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5.” The movie is scheduled to hit theaters in June.

Plastic toys used to be a mainstay in breakfast cereal. On Ebay Thursday, collectors were selling a Batman coin bank from a 1989 box of Ralston cereal, a miniature stuffed bear from a 1980s box of Post Super Golden Crisp and even a tiny plastic “atomic submarine” from a 1950s box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.

But the toys gradually disappeared as manufacturers tried to cut costs and consumers worried about choking and other hazards. Kellogg was criticized in 2004 for including Spider-Man watches with mercury batteries in its cereal boxes, for example. And in 1988, the company recalled “cool flute” and “binoculars” toys after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission deemed them a choking hazard.

Toys do occasionally make a limited-time comeback. General Mills introduced a “Cereal Squad” set of toy figurines in 2020, for example.

Kellogg said it thought “Toy Story 5″ was a good fit for the reintroduction, since it explores the role of toys in a tech-driven world.

“Bringing toys back inside the box reintroduces that sense of discovery through a simple, screen-free moment of play that parents can now share with their own kids,” said Laura Newman, a vice president of brand marketing at Kellogg.

A Jewish resident said he was left fearing for his safety after being attacked and verbally abused in what he described as an antisemitic incident.

The man, who identified himself as Moshe, told BBC News that he was working at a property in Slough, England on Monday when another individual approached him and began shouting hostile remarks.

Footage recorded by Moshe shows a confrontational man threatening violence, including saying he would break his jaw, while also trying to knock the phone out of his hand.

The footage cannot be posted because of the repeated profanity it features.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that a 48-year-old man from Slough was taken into custody on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault, along with public order offenses.

Moshe explained that he had been wearing a black yarmulka, the traditional head covering worn by Jewish men, during the encounter on Elliman Avenue.

“I was thinking two things,” he said. “Number one was survival. Number two, I was just berating myself: ‘What were you thinking going out like this, in England, as a visible Jew?'”

The video also captures the suspect repeatedly using profanity, questioning Moshe’s presence by asking “what are you doing round here, bro?” and referring to him as a “dirty Jew.”

Following the attack, Moshe said he no longer feels secure in certain areas of the country.

Police reported that officers responded to the scene at 16:36 BST, where a man in his 20s had been threatened.

Detective Inspector Terry Dixon said the incident is likely to “cause a great deal of concern” within Jewish communities.

He added: “Antisemitic incidents, or indeed any hate-related incident, will not be tolerated and we will do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice.”

Shomrim, a volunteer group that assists Jewish communities, condemned the episode, calling it an “abhorrent, vile and unprovoked antisemitic assault.”

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) – The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday it struck and killed three Hezbollah operatives who fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon earlier in the day. The attempt to shoot down the drone was unsuccessful.

In a separate incident, Hezbollah attacked IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon with an explosive-laden drone, lightly injuring one reservist soldier, the military said. The IDF responded by striking Hezbollah sites in the area.

Hezbollah also fired several rockets at troops in the Aynata area, adjacent to Bint Jbeil, the IDF reported. Some rockets landed near the troops, but no injuries were caused.

Additionally, the IDF said it struck and destroyed two primed Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.

The military described Hezbollah’s attacks as “blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings.”

The incidents come amid ongoing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border despite the ceasefire agreement aimed at halting hostilities that escalated following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last ruling monarch, was targeted in Berlin on Thursday when a protester threw red paint at him, according to footage and reports from the scene.

He was unharmed in the incident. Video showed Pahlavi quickly stepping away as security personnel subdued and detained the individual responsible. Shortly afterward, he acknowledged supporters with a wave before entering his vehicle.

The episode unfolded as Pahlavi was leaving a press briefing in which he voiced opposition to the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. The confrontation took place outside Germany’s federal press conference venue, The Washington Post reported.

WATCH:

The report noted that Pahlavi had not been scheduled to meet any German government officials during his trip. Speaking to reporters, he argued that the ceasefire rests on the assumption that Iran’s leadership will alter its conduct and act more pragmatically.

“I don’t see that happening,” he said. “I’m not saying that diplomacy should not be given a chance, but I think diplomacy has been given enough chance.”

He urged European nations to increase their efforts to “support the Iranian people fighting for democracy.” Pahlavi also stated that 19 political prisoners had been executed by the Iranian government in the past two weeks, with another 20 individuals reportedly facing death sentences.

“Will the free world do something, or watch the slaughter in silence?” he said.

Pahlavi, 65, is the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah who was deposed during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that led to the establishment of Iran’s current clerical leadership. His father faced widespread opposition from large segments of the population, culminating in mass protests that forced him from power.

Despite decades in exile, Pahlavi has continued to present himself as a potential figure in Iran’s future political landscape. However, the extent of his backing within the country remains uncertain. He has openly supported U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran and has been among those calling on President Donald Trump to act on commitments to assist demonstrators who were killed during protests in Iran earlier this year.

Rep. Tim Burchett is doubling down on his push for government transparency on unidentified aerial phenomena, saying he believes extraterrestrial life exists based on briefings he has received from federal officials.

In an interview Tuesday on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Burchett told Piers Morgan that he has been shown evidence — including images and videos — that convinced him the issue warrants greater public disclosure.

“Yes, sir. I do,” Burchett said when asked directly whether he believes aliens exist. “We’ve seen too much. I’ve seen too much. Not myself personally, but out when I’ve been briefed by government officials. Video, pictures.”

The Tennessee Republican pointed to accounts from military pilots as further support, saying “some of the best-trained pilots in the world have described having close collisions with some sort of aircraft or apparatus,” and argued that the government should be more forthcoming.

“I don’t know if it’s about little green men or flying saucers,” he said, “but I do think it’s about disclosure, it’s about transparency.”

Pressed on whether he had seen definitive proof of alien life, Burchett acknowledged the limitations of the evidence available to him. “Unless dozens of federal authorities are lying to me and pilots are lying to me, and the pictures and videos… are complete fabrications, then I guess I haven’t,” he said, adding that he has not personally witnessed any unidentified craft.

Still, Burchett described the briefings he has received as concerning, particularly given the potential risks to U.S. personnel. “We’ve had to scrub missions before because something’s out there and the Pentagon claims that they have no knowledge of it,” he said. “And it’s not going to be ours… because we wouldn’t risk those lives.”

The lawmaker has been one of the more vocal members of Congress calling for the release of government-held information on UFOs. He said he has personally urged President Donald Trump to declassify related files.

“I told President Trump — peel back the layers of that onion, let America decide if we can handle it,” Burchett said. “I think we can handle it.”

Burchett also suggested that some of what he has learned goes beyond conventional explanations, describing the information as “pretty wild,” though he declined to elaborate further.

At the same time, he acknowledged the personal risks that can come with speaking publicly on controversial topics. “I constantly have death threats on my life,” he said, adding that it is unclear whether those threats are tied to his comments on UFOs or his broader political profile.

Burchett has previously floated theories about extraterrestrial activity, including the possibility that unidentified objects could be operating underwater, though he downplayed any immediate threat. “With that capability, they would have barbecued us a long time ago,” he said.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The full closure of the separate beach in Kiryat Sanz in Netanya has led to growing tension between city officials and members of the chareidi community, following a cliff collapse that damaged the stairway leading down to the beach and the recent tragedy in which the Spiegel brothers z”l lost their lives. While the municipality presents the move as a necessary safety step, critics argue it does not truly address the ongoing danger.

According to senior chareidi sources, the closure is not being effectively enforced. “The beach may be closed officially, but in reality people are still going in,” one said. “On Fridays, hundreds come there, without a lifeguard, without supervision, and it’s a recipe for the next tragedy. They need to open access from another direction, from Blue Bay, and do it in a safe way.”

The criticism extends beyond enforcement to the slow pace of repairs. Community representatives say that despite the time that has passed since the collapse, meaningful rehabilitation work has yet to begin. “The clock is ticking. It’s unclear what they are waiting for,” they said. “If there is danger, it must be handled quickly. The current situation is the worst of all.”

City officials insist the beach was closed out of responsibility for public safety. However, no clear timetable has been released for when work will begin or when the beach may reopen, increasing frustration and uncertainty among regular visitors.

Netanya Mayor Avi Salama said in response: “The public that needs a separate beach must receive a solution already for the coming summer season. From my perspective, this is not just a matter of a promise but of responsibility. There are diverse communities in the city with different needs, and it is our obligation to allow everyone to enjoy the beach in a respectful, organized, and safe manner. I have instructed the professional teams to prepare accordingly so that the solution will be both quick and appropriate for the long term.”

He added: “At the same time, it is important to say honestly that there is a need and dependence here on approvals and budgets from the Interior Ministry. We are working in cooperation with the Director General of the Interior Ministry, Israel Uzan, and with the support of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, in order to advance the issue under the leadership of the Shas faction, Deputy Mayor Rabbi Oren Gabai and council member Rabbi Dov Shtamer. The more productive the cooperation, the faster we will bring a solution. This week we held a professional working meeting with all relevant parties, with the goal of advancing solutions already for the coming summer — both strengthening the cliff and arranging the stairs and access to the beach. During the meeting, several immediate solutions were raised that would allow a safe and convenient reopening of the beach to the public already this summer, alongside examining broader long-term plans that will ensure stability, safety, and proper development of the site for the coming years.

In addition, several creative and interesting proposals were raised during the meeting for activities and special additions to the beach ahead of the bein hazmanim period in the month of Av. We will continue to act, with Hashem’s help, with determination and responsibility, to bring real solutions for the benefit of the public. It should be remembered that the beach is currently closed and there is a danger of the cliff collapsing; we will update as soon as we have a solution.”

{Matzav.com}

Welcome to the most expensive street in Israel. A narrow, curving stretch of cliffside real estate in Herzliya Pituach where mansions change hands for sums that dwarf anything else in the country and where a single plot can represent the wealth of a small town.

Galei Tchelet has held this title since the early 2000s, when the luxury market in Herzliya Pituach began firing on all cylinders. The status has barely wobbled since. According to Tal Kopel, whose brokerage specializes in the ultra-high-end segment, recent deals on the street have closed in a range of 100 to 170 million shekels, with rentals running between 40,000 and 70,000 dollars a month. The priciest trade in Israeli residential history still belongs to this address, Sheldon Adelson’s purchase of the former U.S. ambassador’s residence at number 40 for roughly 230 million shekels, a 1,000-square-meter house on a 5,000-square-meter lot that had served American envoys since the 1960s. The compound now belongs to his widow, Miriam Adelson, the Republican mega-donor and publisher who took over after his passing.

Western, sea-facing homes routinely fetch double what eastern-side homes command, a function of sightlines, scarcity, and a strict coastal protection law that bars new residential construction within three hundred meters of the shoreline. The street sits inside that protected strip by grandfather clause, which is why the land value is essentially irreplaceable. Galei Tchelet combines several parameters that are nearly impossible to recreate togethe, direct proximity to the sea, exclusively private villas, a severe land shortage, and an international ultra-wealthy clientele. That mix is what drives deals in the tens and hundreds of millions.

The street runs in a half-loop, odd numbers on one side and evens on the other, from one through the mid-eighties, with a single public access path cutting through to the beach. On the corner lawn, foreign workers gather on Shabbat for cricket matches, a lingering inheritance of British colonial rule in the region. A stone bench facing the water doubles as a memorial to Staff Sergeant Omer Balva, a local son who fell in the Swords of Iron war. Adjacent to the old Nof Yam transit camp, the lower end of the street carries slightly less value, but prices climb steeply as you move up the ridge.

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) looks on as Miriam Adelson speaks during a Hanukkah Reception in the East Room of the White House on December 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump hosted attendees to celebrate the holiday and the lighting of the menorah on the third night of Hanukkah. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The residents’ list reads like a directory of Israeli and international wealth. The Indian ambassador. The ambassador of the United Arab Emirates. Businessman Teddy Sagi, who has assembled multiple properties here, including number 46 and number 56, stitching together one of the largest single-owner footprints on the street. Miriam Adelson in the old U.S. residence at number 40. Businesswoman Irit Strauss. French beauty entrepreneur Terry de Gunzburg and her husband Jean de Gunzburg, a scientist and former president of World ORT, whose private art collection reportedly spills into the garden. Shipping magnate and philanthropist Eyal Ofer. Real estate developer Doron Aviv of the Aviv Group. Capital markets prodigy Roi Hayon. The homes behind those gates were designed by architects including Orly Sheram, Ilan Pivko, and Tehila Shelef. The residents themselves tend to be discreet, quality, pleasant people.

Not everyone believes Galei Tchelet earns its crown on beauty alone. On its own merits, Galei Tchelet isn’t considered one of the most aesthetically beautiful streets. Streets like Ha’Eshel or HaMa’apilim nearby are prettier, and more affordable. What made Galei Tchelet was the fact that wealthy people bought here and created the demand. Nearby Kfar Shmaryahu offers a direct comparison, a home on a dunam and a half there can cost what a home on a single dunam on Galei Tchelet commands.

Penthouses on Tel Aviv’s HaYarkon Street are priced at 65 million shekels and a unit at the Kempinski tower asking 160 million, while prices on Galei Tchelet now run between 90,000 and 170,000 shekels per square meter, the same range as Rothschild Boulevard and Neve Tzedek. The premium the street commands isn’t a mystery so much as a formula, unimpeded sea views, maximum privacy, and 24/7 security.

At the northern end of the ridge, at the entrance to Herzliya’s Arches Beach, a new chapter is being poured in concrete. The site is the long-contested plot once known as “Pat Yam,” where developer Rami Shviro acquired the land from the Israel Land Development Corporation for 211.5 million shekels to build a luxury hotel. Residents fought the project for decades, petitioning to have the land rezoned as public open space. The courts disagreed. Excavation for the hotel’s parking is now underway, with completion expected in roughly four years.

The hotel, still awaiting the international operator that will lend its final name, is being designed by architect Rani Zis with Italian interior design by Luca Dini. Plans call for 14 floors, likely topped with four additional residential floors, and will include 144 rooms, conference and event halls, a spa, a rooftop infinity pool, luxury retail, open-to-public restaurants, and a beach club with sunbeds, music, and dining. The silhouette is meant to evoke a yacht. “The hotel aspires to become a local icon, with a look that resembles a yacht and innovative classical interior design, creating differentiation through luxury and the winning location on the most expensive street in the country,” said Ronit Shviro, owner and chief legal counsel of the Shviro Group, which is developing the project alongside her husband Rami. “Since it sits on a street of luxury villas, it’s only natural that the upper section will include residential floors, similar to most hotels in the area.”

Shviro framed the project as a partnership with the city. The developers committed to preserving the site’s natural character, protecting the green spaces and open views. The hotel will offer direct beach access, and the beach club is intended to serve the general public. Economically, she said, the project will generate jobs, draw tourism, lift local spending, and strengthen the municipality’s tax base, “bringing a contemporary international standard to Israel and creating a growth engine that will support many families and local businesses.” Room rates, she noted, will reflect the address, higher than anything else in the area.

Which circles back to the deeper truth about Galei Tchelet. The street is not the prettiest. It’s narrow, it’s one-way, and the parked cars are surprisingly ordinary. What it offers is non-reproducible, a specific strip of cliffside meters from the Mediterranean, insulated by coastal law, locked behind private gates, and inhabited by a community that has spent two decades turning its land into Israel’s ultimate status symbol. The sea view is the same whether you’re worth ten million or ten billion. The zip code is what costs extra.

Israel’s Price Committee has approved an automatic increase in regulated dairy prices, with costs set to rise by approximately 1.05 percent beginning May 1, 2026. As part of the update, a standard carton of milk will now cost 7.35 shekels, while egg prices will remain unchanged.

The joint committee, operating under the Agriculture and Finance Ministries, said the adjustment follows a built-in pricing formula established by law, which periodically updates prices based on production costs. As reported by N12, eggs were excluded from this round of increases.

According to the committee’s calculations, much of the change is due to a retroactive component of approximately 1.28 percent. The consumer price index rose by about 2 percent, while wage costs increased by roughly 0.9 percent. These upward pressures were partially offset by a decline of about 0.6 percent in the cost of raw milk, along with a decrease in the current component compared to the previous adjustment.

Prices for regulated dairy products are updated automatically based on economic indicators, without requiring political approval or ministerial sign-off. Each year on April 1, the need for adjustments is reviewed, and any new pricing takes effect the following month. The system is designed to balance consumer affordability with the production costs faced by dairies and manufacturers.

The updated consumer prices, effective May 1, are as follows:

Fresh milk, 3% fat (1-liter carton): 7.35 shekels
Fresh milk, 1% fat (1-liter carton): 6.92 shekels

White cheese, 5% fat (250g container): 5.87 shekels

Fresh milk, 3% fat (1-liter bag): 6.41 shekels

Sweet cream, 38% fat (250 ml): 7.64 shekels

Sour cream, 15% fat (200 ml): 2.84 shekels

Emek cheese, 28% fat (100g): 5.285 shekels

Eshel, 4.5% fat (200 ml): 1.99 shekels

Gil, 3% fat (200 ml): 1.78 shekels

An event hosted by Kevin Bethel of the Philadelphia Police Department recognized and honored the department’s Jewish chaplains in a dedicated ceremony held this week.

The original recognition event for more than 200 chaplains across the department had been scheduled for Purim. In response, Commissioner Bethel arranged a second, separate gathering specifically to accommodate the Jewish chaplains, ensuring they could be honored as well.

The commissioner attended the event alongside his entire executive team, including deputy commissioners and commanding officers from districts where Jewish chaplains serve.

A total of 12 Jewish chaplains were honored at the ceremony, 10 of whom are Frum. The event highlighted the department’s appreciation for the chaplains’ service and their role in supporting officers and the broader community.

For years, New York’s political class has treated the threat of a “Superstorm Sandy 2.0” as a looming hypothetical. On Wednesday, a massive new study backed by artificial intelligence effectively turned that hypothetical into a mathematical certainty, identifying New York City as the most vulnerable coastal population center in the United States.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, warns that a staggering 4.75 million New Yorkers—more than half the city’s population—live in areas classified as “high” or “very high” risk for flooding. Unlike previous models that focused strictly on storm surges, researchers at the University of Alabama utilized three distinct AI tools to analyze 16 variables, including sinking land, aging infrastructure, and the city’s vast swaths of impermeable pavement.

“Just look at the magnitude,” said study co-author Wanyun Shao, a climate scientist at the University of Alabama. “Those numbers are shocking, are alarming.”

While other cities like New Orleans face an existential threat by percentage—with 99 percent of its population at risk—New York stands alone in terms of sheer human exposure. The study estimates that more than 200,000 buildings across the five boroughs are likely to be damaged in future inundations.

“New York is known to be susceptible to floods and it has the largest population,” said Alex de Sherbinin, a geographer at Columbia University’s Center for Integrated Earth System Information, who was not part of the research. “But the fact that New York has nearly an order of magnitude more flood-exposed population than any other city is surprising.”

The data suggests that the city’s geography creates a “perfect storm” of vulnerability that outstrips other major hubs like Houston (600,000 at risk) and Jacksonville (679,000 at risk).

The report is landing with a thud in the halls of power from City Hall to Albany, specifically because it highlights a “social vulnerability” index. The researchers found that the elderly, the poor, and the undereducated are disproportionately positioned in the highest-risk zones.

“When the next big storm hits New York City… people will get hurt, especially those socially vulnerable populations,” Shao warned.

For local planners, the AI-driven data provides a grim roadmap of where flash floods are most likely to overwhelm current drainage systems. The study’s lead author, Hemal Dey, is urging a shift in policy away from traditional “gray infrastructure” like dams and levees toward “natural infrastructure” such as rain gardens and expanded wetlands.

The findings are expected to fuel ongoing debates over the “Big U” and other coastal resiliency projects that have faced delays and cost overruns since 2012. It also presents a thorny issue for the real estate lobby, a powerhouse in New York politics.

“The research is solid confirmation of what emergency managers have been saying for years. Realtors will hate it,” said former FEMA Director Craig Fugate. “The harder question is what we’re actually going to do about it.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Business owners in the Shikun Dalet neighborhood and the municipal market in Tiveriah are reporting a widespread fraud scheme after a recent surge of high-quality counterfeit 200-shekel bills circulated through the area. According to multiple accounts, groups of young individuals purchased large quantities of food, clothing, and footwear using fake cash that was convincing enough to pass even electronic verification machines. In many cases, unsuspecting merchants accepted the bills and even returned legitimate change, only to later discover the deception.

As reported by Mako, the scheme only came to light when store owners attempted to deposit their daily earnings at the bank. One local shopkeeper described the moment he realized what had happened: “At the end of the day, I went to deposit the money at the bank. The next day I got a message that at least 15 of the 200-shekel bills were fake. And the same thing happened to other shop owners and market vendors.”

Another merchant, who operates a clothing and footwear business, said he suffered significant losses after falling victim to the scam. “They looked like trustworthy young guys, not the type who come to rip you off or pull a scam,” he recalled. “They made purchases worth several thousand shekels and said a close friend of theirs was getting married. The next day I deposited the bills in an envelope at the bank and was told they were fake. That’s a loss of 5,000 shekels. After the war we took a serious economic hit, and probably our eagerness to sell merchandise we were stuck with — along with the damage we suffered from being closed during the war — caused us not to check the bills.”

Authorities and sources familiar with the issue say the operation appears to be part of a larger, organized counterfeit network. Criminal groups reportedly conducted preliminary “test” purchases to gauge whether merchants would detect the fake bills. Once they realized checks were minimal or ineffective, they escalated to purchases totaling tens of thousands of shekels.

Investigators estimate that around ten underground counterfeit printing operations are currently active in northern Eretz Yisroel and areas under Palestinian Authority control, many located in Arab-sector communities. Much of the counterfeit currency is distributed through Telegram channels, which also offer forged biometric IDs, driver’s licenses, and passports. Profits from these operations can reach as much as five million shekels in a strong month. Bills that are not sold directly are reportedly circulated by members of criminal organizations and their relatives, who use them to purchase everyday goods and produce in local markets.

A criminal figure from northern Eretz Yisroel described how easily the scam works, especially in busy marketplaces. “The easiest place to use fake bills is in markets. Most vendors don’t have special machines and they just take the bills and put them in their pocket without checking. It’s very easy to fool them. The bills then get passed on to suppliers, and if no one catches it, they go through many hands. Only at the bank is the forgery discovered, but by then it’s too late for the business owners.” In some cases where the counterfeit was identified immediately, the suspects simply switched to 100-shekel notes and claimed they were unaware the earlier bills were fake.

Two Israeli Air Force technicians have now been indicted in what is shaping up as one of the most serious internal espionage cases tied to Iran’s ongoing recruitment drive inside Israel. Military prosecutors accuse the two soldiers, who served as F-15 mechanics at Tel Nof Airbase, of maintaining contact with Iranian intelligence operatives for months, carrying out missions in exchange for money, and passing along military-related material while in uniform. One was charged with aiding an enemy in wartime, providing information to the enemy, and facilitating contact with a foreign agent; the second was charged with contact with a foreign agent and providing information to the enemy. Israeli authorities say the case was investigated jointly by the Shin Bet, Military Police, and Israel Police.

The indictment, together with Hebrew reporting, suggests this did not begin with high-level secrets. It allegedly started in February 2025, when an Iranian handler contacted one of the soldiers and offered $500 in exchange for proof of military service. That soldier allegedly photographed the front section of a restricted aircraft while at instruction in the base’s aircraft hangar area, including open cockpit doors, and sent the images over. When payment did not arrive immediately, he reportedly pressed the handler for more money. The exchange escalated from there. According to Ynet, the handler asked what monthly salary would satisfy him; the soldier allegedly answered $1,300. The handler then sent $47 to verify the account was active, after which the first soldier brought in the second, pitching the operation as “easy money.”

Photo taken in Bat Yam, Israel

From there, the contact reportedly moved into Telegram “secret chat” channels with disappearing messages and a growing list of assignments. The two soldiers, who had enlisted in July 2024 and were exposed in their roles to sensitive aircraft and radar-related information, were asked at one stage to film supermarket prices and even a palm for a small payment, before the tasks became more serious. Prosecutors say one of the soldiers later transferred training material related to fighter-aircraft systems, that included documentation connected to an engine diagram from an Israeli aircraft and images showing the face of an aviation instructor. One suspect independently pulled material from a technician training binder covering a two-seat IAF aircraft system classified at the “restricted” level, allegedly in an attempt to prove he could deliver more valuable material and secure payment.

The soldiers were first sent to photograph streets, an Ashdod beach, and later asked to film themselves burning an image of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and tossing away a paper reading “fuck bibi.” When the suspect pushed back on that as “too extreme,” the handlers allegedly pivoted again, requesting photographs of a specific weapon, then offering NIS 3,000 to burn a vehicle. The indictment also reportedly shows one soldier sending intelligence from inside the base itself, including videos and photos of facilities such as the dairy room, dining hall, auditorium, club area, and even fellow soldiers’ living quarters, exposing names and unit insignia. He also allegedly photographed a control tower near the technical wing in daylight, with remotely piloted aircraft visible in the background, and sent images of a fighter jet and runways to prove he was really serving at an airbase.

(L to R) Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Parliament (Knesset) Speaker Amir Ohana, and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attend the funeral of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, whose remains were finally brought back to Israel on January 26, in the southern town of Meitar on January 28, 2026. Hundreds of tearful mourners packed a stadium in southern Israel on January 28, 2026, for the funeral of Ran Gvili, the last Gaza hostage whose burial marks the end of a painful national saga triggered by Hamas’s 2023 attack. Israeli forces on January 26 brought home the remains of Gvili, who was killed in action and whose body Palestinian militants took into Gaza during their October 7 attack, which triggered a devastating two-year war. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

By that stage, the Iranian handlers were allegedly no longer fishing for random content. The two soldiers were asked to gather information on former IDF chief Herzi Halevi and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The requests expanded further to include intelligence tied to Prime Minister Netanyahu, former prime minister Naftali Bennett, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, senior pilots, the coordinates of Iron Dome batteries and other air-defense systems, and even the streets or residences linked to senior Israeli figures and pilots. One soldier searched openly available material online for some of those addresses, but the handler dismissed it as obvious and not useful enough.

Authorities said the two suspects told investigators that contact was severed only after they refused assignments involving weapons. But the joint statement says that even after the Iranian side cut contact, the suspects did not stop trying to renew it for financial gain. One soldier was allegedly asked to delay the launch of an aircraft assigned to operational activity in exchange for hundreds of dollars, to carry out a shooting attack, and at one point even to harm IAF chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar. The suspect replied that he would “check it and try,” while conditioning any action on advance payment. When one Iranian handler finally broke off contact, the soldier allegedly kept searching online for more Iranian agents under terms like “Iran spies” and tried to re-open the channel anyway.

Eight additional soldiers at Tel Nof are suspected of knowing about the affair and not reporting it. After the case surfaced, Tel Nof’s commander reportedly convened his troops for an information-security briefing and told them he had himself been summoned by the Shin Bet for clarification. This is also not an isolated incident. Israeli reporting has tied the case to the broader Iranian recruitment surge that has seen Israelis approached online with cash offers, small “test” tasks, and then progressively more dangerous missions. In that sense, the Tel Nof affair is not just a story about two mechanics. It is a warning that Iran’s intelligence apparatus kept probing until it found people inside one of the IAF’s most sensitive operational environments willing to play for money.

NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer for Spirit Airlines said Thursday that the budget carrier was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would help it emerge from bankruptcy protection instead of having to shut down.

Details of the potential deal have been shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York.

Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2005. Government financing would make the airline’s latest reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive, Huebner said.

With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit’s ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.

President Donald Trump stoked speculation of a lifeline on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the struggling airline and suggested the federal government could help keep Spirit afloat.

Asked about possible government relief, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters the same day that Trump had directed the Department of Transportation to review possible options.

The size and terms of the financial aid under discussion have not been shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg both reported anonymous sources saying the amount was $500 million and the government would reserve the option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.

The White House on Wednesday attbmpted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 million. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.

But some lawmakers and even Duffy have voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, the transportation secretary questioned whether a financing deal would set a broader precedent.

“Then who else comes to my door?” Duffy said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”

Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, have balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”

“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”

The union that represents the airline’s pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.

“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”

Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.

Iran executed a man on Wednesday convicted of ties to Israel’s intelligence services, the latest in a growing wave of high-profile executions that rights groups say reflects an intensifying crackdown amid the country’s ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

State media, including the judiciary-affiliated Mizan Online, said Mehdi Farid was hanged after being found guilty of “extensive cooperation” with Israel’s Mossad spy agency. Authorities said the case had been fully adjudicated and the sentence approved under the capital charge of “corruption on earth,” one of the most serious offenses under Iranian law.

The execution comes as Tehran ramps up the use of capital punishment in cases tied to national security and alleged espionage. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned there will be no leniency for individuals accused of collaborating with Israel, particularly since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28.

Exile-based human rights organizations offered additional details that diverge in part from the official account. The Norway-based group Iran Human Rights said Farid had worked for the country’s Atomic Energy Organization and was arrested in May 2023. According to the group, he was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison before receiving the death penalty following a retrial in 2025.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency added that Farid, 55, was employed in Iran’s nuclear sector and that prosecutors sought a harsher sentence on appeal.

Iranian authorities, however, presented a different version of his role, describing him as a manager in the Passive Defense Organization, a civil defense body. That agency later issued a statement denying Farid had ever held a position there.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New Jersey residents can now track how their tax dollars are spent through a new state-run website aimed at boosting transparency and accountability in government, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced today.

Speaking at the Statehouse in Trenton, Sherrill said the “New Jersey Report Card,” an interactive, public-facing online tool, fulfills a pledge she made on her first day in office to make state government more open and responsive.

The platform allows users to break down the state budget in ways that are intended to be practical for everyday taxpayers: showing how much money is allocated to major areas like schools, property tax relief, transportation and pensions, and offering a clearer sense of what services those dollars fund.

“For the average New Jerseyan, this means no longer having to sift through dense budget documents or technical reports,” Sherrill said in a statement. “Residents can now easily see how their tax dollars are spent and which programs they are funding.”

State officials say the tool is designed with accessibility in mind. Users can explore the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, compare spending trends over the past decade, and drill down into specific agencies and programs. For example, a resident can see how much funding is directed toward K-12 education in their community, or review investments in programs like child care assistance and efforts to reduce veterans’ homelessness.

Treasury officials say that level of detail could help taxpayers better understand the connection between what they pay and the services they receive.

The site also includes visual charts and graphs to illustrate where revenue comes from and how it is distributed, allowing users to track shifts in priorities over time. Officials say the goal is not only transparency, but also time savings for residents who want quick, clear answers about state spending.

Lawmakers and administration officials framed the initiative as part of a broader push to modernize state government and rebuild trust, while allowing taxpayers to see how their state government is spending their money and what outcomes those investments are intended to produce.

The website can be accessed here.

Israel’s Defense Ministry said it has delivered IAI’s Barak MX air-defense system to the Slovak Air Force under the 560 million euro agreement signed in December 2024, adding that the package was completed ahead of schedule and included training and operational-readiness work. The ministry said the transfer strengthens Slovakia’s ability to handle “the full spectrum” of modern aerial threats while reinforcing NATO’s broader security architecture.

Barak MX is built as a layered air-defense network with three interceptor classes covering roughly 35, 70, and 150 kilometers, and IAI says it is designed to engage drones, helicopters, fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles. The system also relies on multi-mission radars that can detect, classify, and track multiple threats at once, giving Slovakia a much more modern defensive umbrella than the aging systems it has relied on until now.

When the acquisition was approved Slovakia planned to buy six mobile air-defense systems from Israel as it worked to strengthen protection of its airspace on NATO’s eastern flank. That push came after Slovakia’s older 2K12 KUB system neared the end of its life cycle and after the country’s previous government donated its aging S-300 air-defense system to Ukraine, a move current officials said left Slovak air defenses thinner than they wanted.

The first Barak MX battery has already arrived in Slovakia, was placed near critical infrastructure, and all six batteries are expected by 2030. Slovakia is not just buying hardware, it is rebuilding a layered shield around key sites at a time when European militaries are treating missile and drone threats as a front-line problem rather than a distant one.

For Israel, the delivery is another marker of how central its air-defense industry has become in the export market. When the contract was signed, the deal was described as the largest defense-export agreement ever between Israel and Slovakia. Completing this stage ahead of schedule gives Israel and IAI a strong proof point in Europe, where governments are looking for systems that are battle-tested, fast to deploy, and built for the kind of mixed aerial threat environment now shaping defense planning across the continent.

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In the aftermath of joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that wiped out large portions of Iran’s senior leadership at the outset of the war, a single figure has quietly consolidated control behind the scenes, reshaping the country’s direction. The NY Post reports that according to analysts, Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has rallied a close group of allies to oversee both Tehran’s military operations and its negotiating efforts.

Soon after Vahidi, now 67, assumed de facto control alongside his inner circle, Iran adopted a more uncompromising posture. Officials declined to participate in peace discussions with the United States this week, while attacks intensified against vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

Vahidi, who has long been under heavy Western sanctions and has been tied to terror incidents in Argentina, is seen as representing the regime’s most hardline camp. That faction has effectively pushed aside more moderate figures in Tehran, including those formally tasked with negotiating with Washington.

Even if American officials were to reach an agreement with Iran’s representatives, questions remain about whether such a deal would carry any weight as long as Vahidi and his associates retain actual control.

Earlier in his career, Vahidi led Iran’s elite Quds Force during the 1990s, expanding Tehran’s regional reach before handing leadership to Qasem Soleimani.

Both Vahidi and Soleimani are widely credited with building the infrastructure that enabled Iran’s proxy network to flourish across the region, including the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Unlike his two immediate predecessors at the IRGC, Vahidi also built a career within Iran’s political establishment, serving in high-ranking posts such as defense minister and interior minister under separate governments.

The veteran commander was named deputy head of the IRGC last December by then–Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

After Khamenei and IRGC chief Mohammad Pakpour were killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, Vahidi moved into the top leadership position within the powerful paramilitary organization.

Following Khamenei’s death, Vahidi backed the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as successor, despite reports that the elder ayatollah had not intended for him to inherit the role.

With Mojtaba reportedly wounded in the same February strikes and absent from public view, analysts argue that the new supreme leader serves largely as a figurehead, according to Khosro Isfahani of the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran.

“If Mojtaba is alive, and that is a big if, he is just a sock puppet. He is the first AI-generated supreme leader in human history,” Isfahani told The Post, referencing the fake photos the regime had posted of Mojtaba following his appointment.

“He has zero political capital, zero public support, and zero sway over the decision-making. The regime has and will continue attributing statements to him,” Isfahani added.

Vahidi’s grip over Iran’s negotiating team became apparent when he brought in Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a longtime IRGC figure, to join the delegation earlier this month.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Zolghadr’s role was to ensure that negotiators adhered strictly to IRGC directives.

That influence was reportedly demonstrated when Zolghadr filed a complaint against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after the diplomat was said to have signaled a willingness to make concessions during early rounds of talks.

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

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

Iran’s negotiating team has not returned to Pakistan to resume discussions with the United States, a sign that Vahidi and Zolghadr’s influence remains dominant.

With talks still stalled, Isfahani described Iran’s approach as a calculated strategy in which different officials play contrasting roles, with Vahidi taking a hardline stance while others project moderation.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is said to be leading the delegation alongside Araghchi, may appear more pragmatic, but Isfahani argued that his background aligns closely with Vahidi’s.

“A comparative study of the two key players in the arena, Vahidi and Ghalibaf, shows that they grew through the ranks of the IRGC together and have historically advocated for identical policies and strategies,” he pointed out.

Vahidi has also been linked to major terror attacks abroad, including the 1994 bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people.

Interpol issued a red notice for Vahidi, calling on global law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest him, effectively labeling him a wanted international fugitive.

Argentine investigators have also connected him to the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires.

In addition to those allegations, Vahidi has faced U.S. sanctions over his involvement in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Further sanctions were imposed in 2022 in response to the regime’s violent crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

The European Union likewise sanctioned Vahidi that year over the use of live ammunition against demonstrators during the protests, which human rights groups say resulted in nearly 500 deaths.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (AP) — A firefighter whose truck collided with an Air Canada jet last month on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots, heard an air traffic controller warn “stop, stop, stop” but didn’t know who it was for, federal investigators said Thursday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on the March 22 collision that a crash prevention system for air traffic controllers didn’t generate an audio or visual alert, and lights on the runway that act as a stop light for crossing traffic were on until about three seconds before the collision.

After the air traffic controller’s initial stop warning, the fire truck’s turret operator heard the controller say, “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop,” and realized the warning was for the truck to halt, the report said. By that time, the truck was already on the runway as Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was landing and speeding toward it.

The turret operator, one of two crew members in the fire truck, recalled that as the vehicle turned left, he saw the airplane’s lights on the runway, the report said, summarizing an interview investigators conducted with the crew member.

Air Canada Express Flight 8646 slammed into a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing pilots Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther. An air traffic controller had cleared the truck to cross the runway just 12 seconds before the plane touched down, federal investigators said.

The flight, a CRJ900 regional jet from Montreal, had more than 70 people on board. About 40 people, including the two people in the fire truck, were taken to hospitals. A flight attendant still strapped in her seat survived after being thrown onto the tarmac.

The fire truck was leading a convoy of six vehicles, including four fire trucks, a stair truck, and a police vehicle, responding to an emergency involving a strong odor reported in the cabin of an outbound United Airlines jet.

The tower at LaGuardia was busier than usual the night of the crash because flight delays pushed the number of arrivals and departures after 10 p.m. to more than double what was scheduled, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Planes were landing every few minutes, with a dozen flights arriving between 11 p.m. and when the crash happened less than 40 minutes later. At the same time, the tower was coordinating the emergency response to the unusual odor that was making flight attendants feel ill.

LaGuardia is one of 35 major U.S. airports with an advanced surface surveillance system to help eliminate dangerous runway incursions and prevent crashes. Controllers in these airports have a display in the tower that’s supposed to show the location of every plane and vehicle.

The system, known as ASDE-X, didn’t work as intended at the time because the fire truck wasn’t outfitted with a transponder, investigators said. There were also emergency vehicles behind the truck, and the proximity of the vehicles merging kept the system from triggering an alarm, investigators said.

According to air traffic control transmissions, Flight 8646 was cleared to land on Runway 4 at 11:35 p.m.

About two minutes later — and 25 seconds before the crash — the fire crew asked to cross the same runway, which was between the airport’s fire station and where the United Airlines jet had parked.

Five seconds later, with Flight 8646 approaching the runway a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) above the ground, an air traffic controller cleared the fire truck to cross the runway.

Then, just nine seconds before the crash, the controller frantically told the fire crew: “Stop. Stop Stop. Stop. Truck 1. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.” A second later, the plane’s landing gear touched down.

It was the first deadly crash at LaGuardia in 34 years. ___

Senior officials in the Trump administration have reportedly outlined the next phase of policy toward Iran should diplomatic negotiations fail to restart.

The current ceasefire, which President Trump reportedly agreed to extend, is expected by regional reports to last only several more days. If no diplomatic breakthrough is reached, the next step would be a major military strike described as significantly more forceful than previous U.S. operations against Iran.

Such an operation would reportedly last several days, after which military actions against Iran would conclude.

The only scenario likely to prevent further escalation would be a substantial softening of Iranian positions regarding its nuclear program. At present, however, officials reportedly believe Iran’s leadership has shown no intention of making meaningful concessions.

Iranian state-affiliated media on Wednesday released videos mocking the way President Trump has handled contacts with Tehran. The videos reportedly claimed that Iran has never negotiated directly with President Trump.

In addition, despite President Trump’s reported willingness to send Vice President J.D. Vance for talks in Islamabad, Iranian representatives are said to have no intention of attending.

President Trump has thus far refrained from striking Iran’s energy infrastructure because of the expected impact such action could have on global oil prices.

However, officials in both Israel and the United States reportedly believe that, to complete military objectives, any future campaign would need to target the infrastructure that enables the Iranian regime to function.

As a result, absent an unexpected diplomatic shift, another joint U.S.-Israeli strike focused on strategic national infrastructure is being described as increasingly likely. President Trump has repeatedly warned that Iran would face severe consequences if it refused to meet his demands.

(YWN World headquarters – NYC)

Former Israeli chief rabbi Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar issued a sharp warning regarding the growing phenomenon of individuals presenting themselves as mekubalim and tzaddikim, gaining influence among unsuspecting members of the public despite lacking authenticity.

“We often refrain from condemnation, because today there is no truth – if I speak about someone, he presents himself as a persecuted saint. But when it reaches a situation in which G-d’s Name is desecrated, we respond forcefully,” Rav Amar explained.

Rav Amar cautioned that many are easily misled by external appearances and superficial impressions, stressing that not everything presented to the public reflects genuine greatness. “We must be careful, because people are not careful. There are all kinds of appearances – one comes across as knowledgeable, another as humble and lowly, one who hasn’t read two lines of Gemara. And even if he has read and remembers, is that what makes a great man? People are mistaken and mislead others, and they do not want to learn the truth.”

He concluded with a strong directive, urging complete distance from such figures and comparing their influence to something spiritually dangerous. “One is called ‘holy’ and another ‘kabbalist’; we must distance ourselves from all of them, not look at them and not come within four cubits, like idolatry – the further away you move, the better,” he concluded.

U.S. health officials stopped the publication of a study on whether the COVID-19 vaccine was keeping adults from becoming sick enough to have to go to the hospital.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman on Wednesday confirmed the decision to halt publication, citing a dispute about the study’s methodology.

The research paper was to appear in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s flagship publication.

One way scientists have studied COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness is by focusing on sick people who were admitted to hospitals or visited emergency rooms. The researchers check whether patients were vaccinated and then calculate the odds of a positive COVID-19 test among vaccinated patients vs. those who were unvaccinated.

Papers using that methodology have been published — after review by experts in the field — in a number of esteemed journals, including Pediatrics and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Following the same approach, the new study concluded that the vaccine cut ER visits and hospitalizations among otherwise healthy adults by about half this past winter, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the cancellation.

HHS officials did not say exactly why that methodology was a problem in this instance but argued that prior infection, behavior and differences in who seeks care can affect results.

The wider scientific community does not have those concerns and many researchers have used the approach, said Dr. Fiona Havers, an Atlanta-based doctor who previously worked at CDC. The methodology is built to address differences related to who seeks care, and prior infection shouldn’t be much of an issue because so many Americans have been infected by the coronavirus, she added.

No study design is perfect, but HHS officials haven’t proposed an alternative “that’s realistic and ethical for getting real-time estimates of how well vaccines are working each year,” said Havers, who once led a CDC hospital network surveillance team that focused on COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.

During President Donald Trump’s first administration, public health advocates worried that political appointees were trying to control what was being published in the MMWR.

Those concerns returned last year, when Trump returned to office and publication of the MMWR was temporarily suspended. It returned, but has remained a thinner version of its former self.

“Health care professionals rely on the MMWR for timely, objective and fact-based information about the nation’s public health,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who voiced concern when CDC communications were halted last year.

“Muzzling scientists and doctors on how to prevent Americans from being hospitalized can have deadly consequences. The CDC must abandon plans to place a political gag order on this critical research,” Durbin said in a statement Wednesday.

(AP)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — At least 10 people were injured Thursday as two groups of people opened fire at each other inside the food court at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, police said.

Some of those responsible fled the scene as a huge police response arrived.

“To the thugs that did this, we’re going to catch you.” Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards said.

“Two groups of people got into an argument inside the food court and started shooting at each other,” Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse told reporters. “Unfortunately there were some innocent people in the area who might have also caught some rounds.”

Ten people were at local hospitals with various injuries, Morse said, and at least two needed surgery.

The chief appealed to witnesses to provide any video of the shooting.

“Right now there is no known threat to the public,” he said. “Right here is the safest place in Baton Rouge.”

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he was aware of the shooting and advised the public to avoid the area.

WBRZ-TV said one of its employees was among mall patrons who were taken to a safe holding area. Police outside were escorting people to cars.

It’s the second instance of gun violence in Louisiana this week. A father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family Sunday morning that stretched across two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood, police said. Two women, including the gunman’s wife who was the mother of their children, were critically wounded.

I am aware of the active shooter scene at the Mall of Louisiana. I am in coordination with law enforcement and we will update as we know more. Please avoid the area.

Sharon and I are praying for those affected and are grateful for a quick response by our law enforcement…

— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) April 23, 2026

Authorities are investigating after antisemitic writings were found at a park in Jackson.

“I spotted this written on the playground amongst many other offensive pictures and wording,” a resident told TLS. “I called Jackson police and they came down, took pictures, and promised to have it removed by today. They also said the incident would be reported to the attorney general as it is a bias incident.”

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s treasurer refused Thursday to approve payments for more than $1 million in security systems and other upgrades to the private home of Gov. Josh Shapiro, changes that were made after an intruder set fire to the state-owned governor’s residence last year in an attempt to kill the Democrat.

The treasurer, Republican Stacy Garrity, said there is no legal authorization to use taxpayer dollars to reimburse contractors for the security upgrades on private property, even the private home of a governor.

The Pennsylvania State Police submitted the reimbursement requests to the Treasury Department, but “appear to have simply ignored the statutory limits and restrictions on spending and procurement,” Garrity said in a news conference in her offices.

The state police have other options to get taxpayer dollars to underwrite the work, which has already been done and included building a security fence. That includes asking lawmakers to explicitly authorize the payments or entering the state’s settlement process for disputes between contractors and state agencies, Garrity said.

Shapiro, who is considered a potential top tier contender for the White House in the 2028 presidential election, is running for re-election this year for a second term as governor. Following last year’s attack, he emerged as a prominent voice in condemning political violence.

Garrity is expected to be Shapiro’s main opponent in the fall election. She is both endorsed by the state GOP and uncontested for the GOP nomination in Pennsylvania’s May 19 primary election.

The treasurer said the decision wasn’t political and that “I don’t play these kind of political games.” The state police had no immediate response Thursday to questions about Garrity’s decision.

The security upgrades at the governor’s residence were something of a secret until the state police informed lawmakers about it in a letter last fall. In it, the Cabinet official in charge of state property told lawmakers that “the threat to a high-profile elected official like Governor Shapiro does not end when he leaves the Governor’s Residence.”

State officials haven’t detailed those upgrades, citing safety reasons. Shapiro, his wife and two of his four children still live in the private residence, in Abington, in suburban Philadelphia.

However, the upgrades spawned dueling lawsuits between the Shapiros and a neighbor over who rightfully owns a parcel of land between the two properties.

Last year, lawmakers approved more than $22 million for renovations and security improvements to the governor’s state-owned residence, where the Shapiros often stay. Those renovations included an “anti-climb” iron fence that is much higher than the one scaled by the intruder, Cody Balmer.

Balmer last year pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Shapiro. Under a plea deal, Balmer was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison, far less than he could have faced if the case had gone to trial.

He climbed over an 7-foot (2=meter) iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded two state troopers stationed at the residence and used beer bottles filled with gasoline to set fire to the residence, just hours after Shapiro had hosted a Passover seder to celebrate the first night of the Jewish holiday.

The fire forced Shapiro, his wife, children and members of his extended family to flee, as firefighters battled the blaze. The residence, built in the 1960s along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, was badly damaged, but has since been renovated.

Israel’s defense leadership convened Thursday evening for a high-level security review at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, as Defense Minister Yisroel Katz met with top military and intelligence officials to assess the situation regarding Iran.

Among those participating in the meeting were IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram, Military Intelligence chief Shlomi Binder, Operations Directorate head Itzik Cohen, Planning Directorate head Hedi Zilberman, Home Front Command chief Shai Klepper, and several other senior officers and defense figures.

Following the assessment, Katz delivered a stark message about Israel’s readiness. “Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran. The IDF is ready in both defense and offense, and the targets have been marked.”

“We are waiting for a green light from the United States – first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty – the architect of the extermination plan against Israel – and the successors of the successors of the Iranian terror regime’s leadership, and in addition to return Iran to the Dark Ages by blowing up its central energy and electricity facilities and crushing its national economic infrastructure,” Katz said. “The terror regime in Iran specializes primarily in the internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, and in energy blackmail through threats to raise global oil prices.”

“It is lying on the ropes, its leaders are hiding in tunnels and struggling to communicate and make decisions, its skies are completely exposed, and all of its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are vulnerable to attack – yet it declares that it is winning,” he stated. “Because, just like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, it does not care about the heavy price paid by the population – only about personal survival, which itself is not guaranteed.”

“This time the attack will be different and deadly, and will add devastating blows in the most painful places – on top of the enormous blows the Iranian terror regime has already suffered – blows that will shake and collapse its foundations,” the Defense Minister concluded.

A string of property owners across a county in the United Kingdom are openly refusing to rent spare rooms to Zionists.

The Telegraph broke the story about the advertisements, many of which also advertised spaces for “Muslims only.” Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman slammed the ads, calling them “blatantly racist” and “the ugly face of the liberal left.”

“These blatantly racist adverts expose the sinister hypocrisy among the so-called ‘tolerant’ Left,” she said. “While claiming to champion inclusion and equality, they openly endorse discrimination based on gender, sexuality, political beliefs and religion.”

Some of the ads posted the following requirements:

• “We can get on with most people, except transphobes or Zionists.”
• “TERFs [trans-exclusionary radical feminists] … [and] Zionists need not apply.”
• “No Zionists.”
• Only looking for “2 Muslim boys or 2 Muslim girls.”

A spokesperson for a popular rental site explained that while landlords do not have the right to exclude anyone, others are allowed to express preferences for roommates. However, they can’t say whom they want to exclude. For example, a woman can say that she’s seeking a female apartment mate, but she may not post “No men allowed.”

“But we ask flatmates to write their ads clearly and respectfully, and we ask everyone to avoid using exclusionary wording,” he said.

Many Jews today see the word “Zionist” used as a slur to mean “Jew,” and to them this harks back to the days when signs of “No Jews allowed” were not only common but also acceptable.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators wants government food assistance programs to foot the bill for rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

The senators this week introduced what they’re calling the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would make the supermarket staple an eligible purchase under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who joined Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia and others in sponsoring the bill. “It’s one of my family’s favorites, and I’m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”

The SNAP program provides a monthly stipend for low-income families to buy groceries, but it doesn’t pay for hot prepared foods. The exclusion, which dates back decades, was meant to promote home cooking. But critics say it’s outdated and penalizes families that are already struggling to make ends meet, excluding convenient and nutritious options.

Lawmakers at the state and federal level have long debated which foods should be eligible for SNAP benefits. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pressed states to exclude junk food such as soda and candy. Twenty-two states, mostly led by Republicans, have requested or been granted permission to ban certain foods.

SNAP is a major piece of the U.S. social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8, Americans to help buy groceries. On average, the monthly benefit per household is about $350, and the average benefit per person is about $190.

Besides Fetterman and Justice, the senators introducing the bill are Republican Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Democrat Michael Bennet of Colorado. Republican Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas has pushed for similar legislation in the House.

“We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook,” Justice said in a statement.

A virtual appearance by a convicted terrorist at the University of California, Berkeley this week is drawing national attention after video circulated online showing a classroom of students applauding her remarks.

The speaker, Israa Jaabis, addressed students via video call Monday during a campus event marking Palestinian Prisoners Day. The event was organized by student groups affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine and held inside a law school classroom, according to social media posts.

Jaabis was convicted over a 2015 incident in which an explosion occurred in her vehicle near Maaleh Adumim, injuring both her and an Israeli police officer who had stopped the car. Israeli authorities said she attempted to detonate flammable materials inside the vehicle and cited evidence, including statements and writings, indicating support for terrorist activity.

She was released in November 2023 as part of a hostage exchange.

Video shared by a campus group shows a packed classroom during the event, with students clapping following Jaabis’s remarks.

The university has not publicly clarified whether it had advance knowledge of the speaker’s participation or whether any institutional policies were implicated by the event.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Trump administration on Thursday announced that it was loosening restrictions on marijuana to boost medical research, days after President Donald Trump appeared to express frustration with the pace of easing federal restrictions on illegal drugs.

The Justice Department said that it was immediately reclassifying marijuana products that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as lower-risk drugs and establishing a new registration process for state medical marijuana licenses. Acting attorney general Todd Blanche also said that the administration would hold a new hearing to “fully” reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.

“These actions will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana’s safety and efficacy, expanding patients’ access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions,” Blanche wrote on social media.

Marijuana has long had the same Schedule I classification as heroin, but administration officials have sought to reclassify the drug as Schedule III, similar to some common prescription painkillers. Medical marijuana is now reclassified as Schedule III under the Justice Department’s order, which does not decriminalize marijuana for recreational use.

Some health care advocates have spent years pressing for more access to marijuana as a potential treatment, warning that restrictions on the drug made it too hard to conduct research. The administration’s moves also bring national policy closer to legitimizing state laws that have authorized medical marijuana businesses, after years of stalemates over whether states should be in compliance with federal law.

“It’s a long-overdue correction that finally treats cannabis as medicine,” Howard Kessler, a longtime Trump supporter and founder of the Commonwealth Project, a pro-medical-cannabis group, said in a statement. “It’s a clear win for patients and responsible healthcare innovation.”

Other groups panned the administration’s announcement, with some citing last weekend’s move by Trump to ease access to psychedelics, too.

“With this move, we are now confronted with the most pro-drug administration in our history,” Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which opposes legalization, said in a statement. “Policy is now being dictated by marijuana CEOs, psychedelics investors, and podcasters in active addiction – it is a travesty and injustice to the American people of unprecedented proportions.”

Trump administration officials had deliberated on the best path to loosen restrictions on the drug. White House officials said Wednesday that the administration was working to “expeditiously” implement Trump’s December executive order to increase medical marijuana research.

Trump in December ordered federal agencies to quickly ease restrictions on marijuana and make CBD more available, framing the moves as efforts to improve medical research. He also stressed that he was not decriminalizing marijuana on a federal level, as many states have for recreational or medical use.

“Unless a drug is recommended by a doctor for medical reasons, just don’t do it,” the president said last year. “At the same time, the facts compel the federal government to recognize that marijuana can be legitimate in terms of medical applications when carefully administered.”

But until Thursday, there had been little public action to reschedule the drug since Trump’s order, frustrating advocates who have spent years urging the federal government to relax restrictions.

Trump over the weekend expressed his own frustrations as he prepared to sign an order loosening federal restrictions on psychedelics.

“Will you get the rescheduling done, please?” Trump said this past weekend in the Oval Office, appearing to direct his comments toward White House policy officials. “Joe, they’re slow-walking me on rescheduling,” the president added, addressing podcaster Joe Rogan, a proponent of rescheduling marijuana and psychedelics. It was not clear which drug the president was referring to.

President Joe Biden’s Justice Department in 2024 formally recommended that marijuana be reclassified as Schedule III, but the move stalled amid legal disputes and a pending Drug Enforcement Administration hearing.

Drug policy experts said that federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services were required to undertake reviews related to public health and safety, even if the pace of that work agitated Trump.

“His frustration with government processes, particularly those that protect public health, is evident,” said Regina LaBelle, director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the Georgetown University Law Center and a former drug policy official in the Obama and Biden White Houses. “The executive order doesn’t negate the need for the analysis that HHS and DEA are obligated to follow.”

Most Americans support relaxing restriction on marijuana. An Economist/YouGov poll conducted this month found that 53 percent of adults supported legalizing the drug, including 35 percent of Republicans.

Some critics of the Trump administration’s plans noted that support for legalization has softened as the drug has become more available, with much of the shift coming from Republicans. An April 2022 YouGov poll found that 60 percent of adults supported legalizing marijuana, including 46 percent of Republicans.

“I think that people are seeing the effects of marijuana in their community as it’s become more ubiquitous,” Sabet said. He cited data on the effects of the drug, including studies that have linked youth use of marijuana and later schizophrenia, as well as quality-of-life concerns, such as the smell of the drug that has become familiar in major cities.

Advocates for legalization of marijuana have argued that federal restrictions are outdated and unnecessary.

“I feel like it should be like alcohol,” Rogan said on his podcast in December. “I think you should be of a certain age to be able to use it.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Dan Diamond

Air defense systems were activated over Tehran in recent hours, with state-linked outlets describing engagement against unspecified “targets.” Footage circulating online suggests the response relied largely on ground-based anti-aircraft fire, with no clear evidence of aerial interceptions.

At the same time, Israel’s Channel 13 News reports that a military source denies any Israeli operations in Iranian airspace, raising questions about what triggered the response.

The activity comes as pro-regime rallies continue across parts of the capital, leading some observers to suggest the display may be intended as a show of force rather than a response to a confirmed threat.

Separately, residents reported a power outage in the Azadi district of Tehran, though it remains unclear whether the incident is connected to the air defense activity.

More details are expected as the situation develops.

Rubbing salt in the wound, a high school removed a student from an academic program for reporting antisemitic harassment.

Now the student is fighting back.

Eden Horwitz, a senior at San Leandro High School in the San Francisco Bay Area, alleged that she faced harassment while enrolled in the school’s social justice academic program. Fighting on her behalf are The Deborah Project and the law firm Ropes & Gray.

Elana Stern, an associate at the law firm, explained the lawsuit to JNS. She said that the program, which began in the 10th grade, had “promised intersectional education, solidarity, inclusion, and it really proved to be the opposite of that for Eden.” The high school senior was called “Zionist” as a slur by her classmates, who also accused her of genocide. The program also taught that support for Israel or Zionism is by its nature immoral, Stern alleged.

Elana Stern, an associate at the law firm representing the Horwitzes. (From her LinkedIn profile)

The lawyer also said that the program did not include Holocaust education and that Eden had stopped wearing her Star of David out of fear. At events, students chanted “from the river to the sea,” and when Eden’s mother, Montana Horwitz, explained to the school that the chant is antisemitic because it calls for the destruction of Israel, the school dismissed her complaints.

The school “permitted these activities without offering countervailing perspectives or taking any measures to protect the security and well-being of Jewish students,” Stern said. Worse yet, the high school senior was “chastised for refusing to participate in such chants and such school-sanctioned activities,”

Worst of all, according to the complaint, Erica Viray Santos, the academy’s lead teacher, asked Eden a very snide question: Do the students dislike you because you’re “Jewish, or just unlikable?”

The program also stripped her of special accommodations due to her disability, removed her from the program before her time to comply had expired, and humiliated her by publicly announcing her removal to her schoolmates.

So add discrimination on the basis of disability to the list of violations.

The mother and daughter suffered emotional distress, which might be easy to prove in court: “Severe anxiety and depression” caused Eden’s grades to plunge, and her mother suffered a “cardiac episode” from the stress, according to Stern.

Stern said she hopes the lawsuit will help effect real and lasting change in the school system.

“No student and no family should have to experience what Eden and Montana Horwitz have had to experience over the last several years,” she declared.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Potentially millions of Americans suddenly have a much easier path to Canadian citizenship, prompting a rush of people to explore their ancestry and file paperwork seeking dual citizenship.

For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minnesota, it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian.

“My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship pushed Canada way up on our list,” he said.

Since the new law took effect Dec. 15, immigration lawyers in the United States and Canada say they have been overwhelmed by clients seeking help submitting proof of citizenship applications. Driven by politics, family heritage, job opportunities and other factors, thousands of Americans are exploring whether the easier process makes now the right time to gain dual citizenship.

Nicholas Berning, an immigration attorney at Boundary Bay Law in Bellingham, Washington, said his practice is “pretty much flooded with this.”

“We’ve kind of shifted a lot of other work away in order to push these cases through,” he said.

And immigration attorney Amandeep Hayer said his Vancouver, British Columbia, area practice went from about 200 citizenship cases a year to more than 20 consults per day.

How the new law works
Canada has been changing its citizenship laws for decades, whether to update historic interpretations of law or to address discrimination issues.

Previously, Canadian citizenship by descent could only be passed down to one generation, from a parent to a child. That changed when Canadian bill C-3 took effect Dec. 15, and opened up citizenship to anyone born before that date who could prove they have a direct Canadian ancestor — a grandparent, great-grandparent or even more distant ancestor.

Those born on or after Dec. 15 need to show their parent met a residency requirement of 1,095 days.

Under the new law, descendants of Canadians already are considered citizens, but they must provide proof to obtain a certificate of citizenship. Hayer estimated that there are millions of Americans who are Canadian descendants.

“You are Canadian, and you’re considered to be one your whole life,” said Hayer, who advocated for the new law in the Parliament of Canada. “That’s really what you’re applying for, the recognition of a right you already have vested.”

“The best way I can put it is like, if a baby’s born tomorrow in Canada, the baby’s Canadian even though they don’t have the birth certificate,” he said.

Americans interested in dual citizenship
American applicants have different motivations, but many say President Donald Trump’s efforts on immigration and other topics have led them to seek dual citizenship.

Michelle Cunha, of Bedford, Massachusetts, said she decided to move to Canada after reflecting on decades of political activism and deciding she had “nothing left to give.”

“I put in my best effort for 30 years. I have done everything that I possibly can to make the United States what it promises the world to be, a place of freedom, a place of equality,” Cunha said. “But clearly we’re not there and we’re not going to get there anytime soon.”

Troy Hicks, who had a great-grandfather born in Canada, said he was spurred by an international trip.

“I recently went to Australia and you know, first words out of the first person I talked to in Australia was basically an expletive about Trump and the U.S.,” said Hicks, of Pahrump, Nevada. “It was just like, whoa, I walked off a 20-hour flight and literally the first words of somebody’s mouth to me were that. … So the idea of doing that with a Canadian passport just seemed easier, better, more palatable.”

Maureen Sullivan, of Naples, Florida, said she was motivated by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which hit home when her teenage nephew encountered federal officers near his high school in St. Paul. Sullivan, whose grandmother was Canadian, said she sees citizenship in Canada as an option in case things in the U.S. “really go south.”

“When I first heard about the bill, I couldn’t believe it. It was like this little gift that fell in my lap,” Sullivan said. “There was kind of this collective excitement amongst the (family) who just felt like, we wanted to feel like we were doing something to take care of our security in the future if needed.”

How much will Canadian citizenship cost?
For those with documentation ready at hand, the proof of citizenship application fee is a relatively inexpensive 75 Canadian dollars ($55).

But costs will climb for those seeking help from an attorney or genealogist.

Cunha said she used an attorney and estimates the cost will be about $6,500.

However, Mary Mangan, of Somerville, Massachusetts, filed her application in January using advice from online forums.

“There are some situations where a lawyer might be the right thing, but for many people, I would guess 90% of people can probably do this on their own,” Mangan said.

The website for the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office, which processes applications, says processing times for a certificate is around 10 months, with more 56,000 people awaiting a decision.

The agency said that from Dec. 15 to Jan. 31, it confirmed citizenship by descent for 1,480 people, though not all were Americans. Last year, 24,500 Americans gained dual US-Canada citizenship.

What do Canadians think?
Fen Hampson, professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, said Canadians are generally a “welcoming people.”

“I think where people start looking askance is someone who’s never been to Canada, who has very thin ties. They can get a passport, becoming Canadians of convenience. People don’t like that,” he said.

Hampson said some also worry a surge of interest from Americans could delay efforts by refugees and asylum-seekers fleeing vulnerable situations.

“Canadians don’t like queue jumpers,” Hampson said.

Widespread anger and alarm gripped Jewish communities after disturbing footage surfaced in recent days from Osh, where a hotel displayed a blatantly antisemitic message at its entrance. Management at Hotel Villa had posted a sign declaring that “Jews and animals” were not permitted inside.

The notice, presented in Kyrgyz, Russian, and English, featured images of a Star of David and a dog each struck through with a red line. The imagery echoed the degrading symbols used during the Holocaust, recalling the systematic dehumanization carried out by Nazi Germany.

Yoav Bistritsky, Israel’s ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, moved quickly in response, coordinating with local authorities to have the sign taken down and to initiate proceedings against those responsible.

“I welcome the swift action by the authorities to remove the antisemitic sign and launch a criminal investigation against those responsible,” the ambassador said, emphasizing that hatred of this kind has no place in modern society.

Amid mounting public outrage and diplomatic pressure, the offensive sign was taken down within a day of its discovery.

{Matzav.com}

A hate graffiti investigation at a Long Island high school has turned into a major criminal case after authorities say they uncovered homemade explosive materials inside a student’s home.

According to the Nassau County Police Department, officers were initially called to Syosset High School after a swastika and racial graffiti were discovered inside the building. The investigation led police to the home of a 15-year-old student, where authorities say they found “several chemicals” that had been combined to create explosive materials.

The teen and his father, identified by police as Francisco Sanles, 48, were taken into custody. Authorities allege the father “on multiple occasions paid for the purchase of the various chemicals” used in the materials.

Bomb squad officials determined the substances were too dangerous to transport and instead detonated them at the scene, with neighbors reporting a loud blast that shook nearby homes.

The elder Sanles faces multiple charges, including criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment, while his son has been charged with weapons possession, aggravated harassment and making graffiti.

The FBI assisted in the investigation, which remains ongoing. School officials said the student will also face disciplinary action, adding, “Antisemitism and hate speech have no place in our communities or in our schools.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

MASSACHUSETTS (JNS) – Williams College, a nearly 235-year-old private liberal arts school in Williamstown, Mass., is denying an Orthodox Jewish student proper religious accommodations, according to a complaint that the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday.
The complaint, which was shared with JNS, alleges that the college denied requests from the student, whose name is redacted, to receive a physical key to his dormitory to use on Shabbat, when his faith prohibits using an electronic key card.

The school rejected his request, citing vague “security” concerns, per the complaint, which means he has to wait outside his dorm building until another student arrives and lets him in. (JNS sought comment from the college.)

Williams College suggested that during Shabbat, the student could knock on the door of a campus office and ask for an escort to his building. The complaint described that recommendation as “equally, if not more, uncertain, inconvenient and lengthy than the untenable process he was already enduring.”

In February, the student met with Maud Mandel, the president of the college and a Judaic studies scholar, about the issue. She denied his request and said that using a physical key would “trigger an alarm,” per the complaint.

“He’s locked out of his dorm in the freezing cold on a regular basis, sometimes over an hour, and made repeated requests to the college to figure out a way to rectify this,” Rachel Balaban, senior litigation counsel at the Brandeis Center, told JNS.

“Nothing was done about it, so we felt we needed to pursue this on behalf of the student and other students in his position at Williams,” Balaban said. “This student’s ability to exercise, freely, his religion should not be incompatible with his equally important right to fully participate in residential life at Williams.”

The complaint also alleges that the school denied the student’s request for proper kosher meals and gave him vegan dinners instead that “were nutritionally inadequate and often so unappealing that he found them inedible.”

Those meals were also “noticeably different” from vegan options given to non-kosher-keeping students, according to the complaint.

Pre-packaged kosher meals at the college’s Jewish Religious Center, which does not follow Orthodox standards in its kitchen, have made the student “violently ill on several occasions,” the complaint alleges.

The student has to find kosher meals that are consistent with his faith at off-campus restaurants and at a local Chabad center on Friday evenings, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, the student told the college about his need for kosher food before he accepted its admission offer. He was told that if the school’s available options didn’t meet his needs that he shouldn’t attend Williams, according to the complaint.

The college violated Title VIII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, known as the Fair Housing Act, when it comes to the student’s unmet needs for a working key and kosher food, according to the complaint.

“Being provided these services in connection with housing that are unequal and inferior to those provided to other students because of his religion is a violation of the Fair Housing Act, and is a serious concern for the Brandeis Center and the student,” Balaban told JNS.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Authorities say a former North Carolina law enforcement officer planned to kill Black people in a mass shooting at a major New Orleans festival but was arrested at a Florida hotel with a handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Authorities in several states did not name the event, but the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, commonly known as Jazz Fest, runs from Thursday through May 3. The gathering attracted about 460,000 people last year, organizers said.

Christopher Gillum of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was wanted for “terroristic threats,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in Florida posted online Thursday. Federal authorities told the sheriffs office that Gillum was in the Florida Panhandle “heading to do a mass shooting at a large festival in Louisiana.” The sheriffs office did not name the federal agency, and the FBI office in New Orleans did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Okaloosa sheriff’s office said Gillum was arrested without incident Wednesday night at a hotel in Destin, and posted a photo of him being led away in handcuffs. Deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammunition from the hotel room, the statement said.

Gillum was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges there, the sheriff’s office said. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. The Associated Press left a message at phone numbers listed for him.

Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday and he had a history of self-harm, according to Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Gillum’s family told law enforcement he had a gun and “expressed recent threats to harm ‘Black people,’” according to a bulletin from police in Burlington, North Carolina.

Lyons said Gillum crossed state lines before his agency could prepare the paperwork to involuntarily commit him to psychiatric treatment. Lyons said that there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about Black people “because there was no victim.”

“But we felt that there was definitely something there that needed to be shared, so that’s what we did,” Lyons said.

Gillum was located and stopped by law enforcement in Oklaloosa County on Wednesday, according to Lyons and the Burlington police bulletin.

However, Gillum “did not present any grounds for involuntary commitment or criminal charges” and was allowed to continue on his way, the bulletin stated. Gillum told officers that he was “enroute to New Orleans,” the report added.

Okaloosa deputies were initially asked to make a “welfare check” on Gillum Wednesday morning and were “not aware” of any threats he had made, sheriff spokesperson Michele Nicholson said. Later that day, after the sheriff’s office learned Gillum was being investigated, deputies surveilled him until a signed warrant arrived from Louisiana, she added.

Gillum had been hired as a detention officer by the sheriff’s office in Orange County, North Carolina, in October 2023 but he left in July 2024, department spokesperson Alicia L. Stemper said.

“We hired him again as a deputy on Jan. 13, 2025,” she said in an email. “He resigned his position on Sept. 21, 2025, and we terminated him accordingly.”

Gillum also served as a sworn police officer for Chapel Hill from 2004 until his resignation in 2019, town communications manager Alex Carrasquillo said.

“He returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 before leaving for another job by the end of that year,” Carrasquillo said in an email.

Louisiana State Police spokesperson Trooper Danny Berrincha said the agency is still investigating the episode with the FBI.

“At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana,” he added.

In a statement, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival said it works closely with law enforcement and applauded their efforts, saying ”we look forward to another safe and joyful Jazz Fest.”

The widely circulated video showing two yeshiva bochurim being mocked has now led to actual legal action, with a formal warning letter sent to a Channel 12 journalist demanding an apology and threatening a lawsuit if the matter is not addressed.

The Emes L’Yaakov Yisroel organization, through attorney Natan Rosenblatt, sent a sharply worded letter to Channel 12 reporter Inbar Tuizer following the publication of footage in which two young yeshiva bochurim appear at her door and are subjected to ridicule and invasive questioning.

The incident, which drew strong public criticism, began when the bochurim arrived to request charity assistance for a hachnasas kallah. According to the organization, what began as a routine act of tzedakah turned into a humiliating episode filmed and shared publicly. The group is now demanding a public apology and warning of legal consequences over what it describes as harm to the minors.

The letter claims Tuizer used her media platform to turn a charitable act into a subject of mockery and harassment. The attorneys strongly object to what they say was an attempt to portray the bochurim as draft dodgers, arguing that while Tuizer benefits from public resources funded by taxpayers, the chareidi community fills societal gaps through systems of mutual aid and chesed.

Rosenblatt also included personal criticism of Tuizer’s military service, writing: “Before you dare to use terms such as ‘sharing the burden,’ it would be appropriate for you to engage in some personal reflection. Your military service, like that of your political patron Yair Lapid, consisted of writing for a military publication for 32 months. This amounts to paid draft evasion in every sense.”

The letter contrasts Tuizer’s behavior with what it describes as the inclusive approach of chareidi charitable organizations, emphasizing that such groups assist anyone in need regardless of religious background. “See the profound difference: can you imagine two secular individuals coming to a charitable organization (most of which are chareidi) asking for help, and being turned away because they do not observe Shabbos? Never! Chareidi charitable organizations – Yad Sarah, Ezra L’Marpeh, hospital meal services – assist every Jew regardless of sector or level of observance. They would never do what you and your colleagues are doing: persecuting and rejecting those who think differently from you. While the students acted out of love for a fellow Jew, you acted out of baseless hatred,” the letter states.

The attorneys further argue that the incident constitutes public humiliation—halbanas panim—of two minors in pursuit of online attention. The letter accuses Tuizer of targeting a law-abiding chareidi public while remaining silent in the face of more aggressive groups. It adds, “History has shown that cultures of lost identity such as the one you represent are ‘a passing cloud destined to disappear,’ in contrast to Torah scholars who have endured for 3,000 years.”

The letter concludes with a firm demand that Tuizer issue a public apology and correct what the organization calls a serious injustice, including the publication of the minors’ images without blurring. It calls on her to retract her use of the term “draft evasion” in reference to Torah students and to immediately stop any actions that infringe on their privacy. The warning ends with a clear threat: “If you do not act immediately to correct the injustice, we will take all legal measures available, including claims for damages and legal proceedings, without any further warning.”

{Matzav.com}

In a deeply moving and momentous ceremony, the historic residences of the great leaders of previous generations — the holy Sfas Emes, zt”l, and the Imrei Emes_, zt”l_ — were inaugurated this week in the town of Góra Kalwaria, Poland. This long-awaited redemption comes after fifteen years of complex, global bureaucratic efforts, made possible through the generous support of the distinguished Werdiger and Fishoff families.

A Moment of Elevation: Tears of History

It was nearly impossible to find a dry eye this week in Góra Kalwaria, as the historic apartments — once the very heartbeat of pre-war Polish Jewry — were revealed once more. In a unique and intimate gathering, attended by Harav Hatzaddik Nechemia Alter, shlita, son of the Gerrer Rebbe, shlita, alongside members of the donor families, the crown was restored to its former glory.

The event was conducted under the devoted leadership of Rabbi Yonasan Bornstein, CEO of Ichud Mosdos Gur, whose tireless dedication over many years brought this vision to fruition.

This remarkable structure is one of a kind in the world. It housed generations of Gerrer Rebbes and served as the formative center of the Gerrer Chassidus in Poland, and by extension the entire world. Within its walls, tens of thousands of Chassidim once came to seek counsel and brachos, Torah and Chassidus, many traveling with the famed kolejka from Warsaw.

The Struggle for Redemption: Fifteen Years of Effort

Reclaiming the building from foreign ownership was no simple task. Since the war years, local residents had occupied the premises, and a web of legal and bureaucratic challenges stood in the way of its return.

Working quietly yet resolutely behind the scenes, Rabbi Yonasan Bornstein led the effort for over fifteen years — navigating setbacks, complexities and moments of both despair and renewed hope.

When a breakthrough was finally achieved, the acquisition required an immense sum; millions of dollars. At that pivotal moment, the generous benefactors stepped forward: the esteemed philanthropist Reb Shlomo Werdiger and his family, renowned supporters of Torah in general and of Gerrer causes and institutions in particular, together with the distinguished Fishoff family, known for their far-reaching contributions to Torah and chessed, and their deep connection to the Gerrer dynasty.

For both families, this was a deeply personal and historic closing of a circle. Their forefathers — Reb Nechemia Werdiger, z”l, and Reb Bentzion Fischoff, z”l — had traveled to, and davened in, this very building before the Churban, carrying with them vivid memories of what once was.

The Chanukas Habayis and Affixing of Mezuzos

This Monday, 3 Iyar, history was made. Such emotion had not been witnessed in Góra Kalwaria since its destruction.

Rabbi Yonasan Bornstein opened the ceremony, his voice choked with emotion, as he recounted fifteen years of worldwide efforts — years marked by struggle and perseverance, despair and faith, bolstered by the brachos of tzaddikim and unwavering emunah, all culminating in this extraordinary moment: the reopening of this sacred and historic site.

He then invited the donor families to unveil the impressive commemorative plaques placed at the front of the beautifully restored building. Reb Shlomo Werdiger, together with his sons and sons-in-law, stepped forward to reveal one plaque, as the moving melody of “Yizkor Ahavasam” filled the air. Moments later, members of the Fishoff family unveiled the parallel plaque.

The renowned chazzan, R’ Yisrael Adler, led a heartfelt rendition of Keil Malei Rachamim, in memory of the multitudes who once filled the beis medrash — among them Reb Nechemia Werdiger, z”l, and Reb Yechiel Bentzion Fischoff, z”l.

One of the most stirring moments came as the participants entered the building itself. Harav Nechemia Alter affixed a mezuzah at the entrance — symbolizing the building’s return to authentic Jewish ownership, in the hands of those who carry forward the legacy of the Gerrer dynasty. Representatives of the families were then honored with affixing the mezuzos inside.

A profoundly moving tour followed, guided by Harav Hagaon Moshe Chaim Denderovitch, shlita, culminating in the signing of a beautifully prepared founding scroll reserved for those who restored the beis medrash building.

In a powerful and unexpected revelation, at the very spot where the Sfas Emes, zy”a, authored his renowned sefarim, a wall was uncovered bearing the words: “Sfas Emes Tikon L’ad” — “The language of truth shall stand forever.” Nearby stood a sefer Torah prepared by the Ichud Mosdos Ger, and the distinguished participants were invited to complete the final letters in the sefer Torah, which was then dedicated to the beis medrash for generations to come.

As the choir lifted their voices in the moving hymns “Torah HaKedoshah Hischaneni B’vakashah” and “Yizkerem Elokeinu L’Tovah,” an emotional procession made its way toward the restored beis medrash — one of the very few structures of batei medrash in Poland to have retained its original form after the Churban.

Seudas Mitzvah

During the seudas mitzvah that followed, participants were deeply moved as a historic speech by Reb Bentzion Fishoff, z”l — delivered within the very walls of the beis medrash some fifteen years ago — was played. In that address, he had turned to his dear friend, Reb Shlomo Werdiger, who was present at the time with his sons. Now, years later, those words carried a powerful and almost awe-inspiring resonance, as the two families together merited to initiate and bring to completion the redemption of this sacred site in such a magnificent manner.

In preparation for the occasion, a mikveh was also inaugurated on the premises, and the residences were readied to host Chassidim who wish to visit and spend time within these holy walls — walls still imbued with the atmosphere of bygone Poland, where the fiery ruach of Ger once radiated outward, illuminating Jewish life across Europe and Eretz Yisrael.

A particularly moving and unexpected moment came during the address of Harav Nechemia Alter, shlita. In a gesture of rare distinction, he presented two bottles of fine wine sent personally by the Gerrer Rebbe, shlita, as a token of appreciation to the two distinguished donor families. Such a tribute is reserved in Ger for only the most exceptional occasions.

Heartfelt words were then shared by Reb Shlomo Werdiger, who recounted aspects of the earlier stages of redeeming the beis medrash many years ago, and concluded with the hope that the Rebbe himself will soon come to visit the restored makom kadosh. He was followed by Reb Dov Fishoff, who spoke movingly on behalf of his family.

A Vision for the Future

Beyond the redemption of the historic residences, the site has now been fully prepared to receive Chassidim from around the world who seek to reconnect with their roots, to walk once more through the pathways of the town, and to dwell in the shadow of these sacred walls.

A mikveh has been established, and the ancient beis medrash has been carefully restored, preserving its original form as much as possible.

Special appreciation was extended to Reb Yossi Chishinsky of Ashdod, who personally oversaw the restoration of the beis medrash and the residences, devoting himself to the project with exceptional care and dedication.

The exciting news of the reopening has spread rapidly among thousands of Gerrer Chassidim across the world, stirring a deep yearning to return, to once again experience the unique atmosphere absorbed within those walls, and to cleave to the glorious heritage that has now, at long last, been restored to its rightful owners.

[Press Release]

During operations targeting terrorist infrastructure in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Khiyam, IDF forces uncovered a tunnel roughly 25 meters deep located within a civilian clothing store.

According to the military, the underground passage served as a command center for the Hezbollah terrorist organization, containing weapons and designated rooms used by operatives to coordinate terror activities.

“Hezbollah embeds its terror infrastructure within civilian areas, thereby endangering the residents of Lebanon,” the IDF stated.

“The construction of underground infrastructure within civilian areas in Lebanon constitutes a deliberate and cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians in order to advance Hezbollah’s terrorist objectives,” the military stressed.

New York City experienced a large net population loss last year, with more residents leaving than arriving, according to a study released this week by the Citizens’ Budget Commission.

The report found that the city’s total population declined in 2025.

The study attributed the decrease in part to a sharp shift in migration patterns, noting a 70% drop in people relocating into the city alongside changes in international migration.

According to the study, “Across all income levels, more people moved out of New York City than moved in last year.”

In total, the city lost 114,000 more residents to other parts of the United States than it gained over the course of the year.

While that figure marks an increase compared to 2024, it still falls short of the mass departures seen during the pandemic.

The analysis also showed that in 2024, losses were heavier among low- and middle-income residents than among higher earners.

More specifically, individuals in the bottom 40% income bracket made up a larger share of those leaving between 2023 and 2024.

New York City has long faced criticism over its high cost of living. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has vowed to address affordability, but angered New Yorkers with proposed property tax rate increases and increases in the cost of electricity.

The population decline follows concerns raised by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul about the departure of wealthy taxpayers to states like Florida and Texas, which offer lower tax rates.

San Francisco has seen a similar trend, with its population failing to rebound to pre-pandemic levels.

“San Francisco metro area’s population failed to grow again in 2025, despite a swelling boom in AI,” The San Francisco Chronicle reported in March.

“Unlike in almost every other major metro in the country, that’s left the region’s total population well below its 2020 level, according to newly released US census estimates.”

For several years, New York City has struggled with rising living costs, contributing to ongoing concerns about affordability.

In San Francisco, those concerns played a role in the 2024 election of Daniel Lurie, who defeated incumbent London Breed amid criticism of policies related to crime, drugs, and homelessness.

PrintFast Marketing Solutions, based in Middlesex, has been acquired by BP Print Group of Lakewood, TLS has learned, marking a continued trend of consolidation and expansion within the commercial printing and marketing services industry.

This acquisition follows BP Print Group’s recent acquisition of A+ Letter Service, which focuses on direct mail solutions. Together, these moves expand BP’s reach and strengthen its goal of providing customers with a full-service offering, from marketing and mail to print.

Founded more than 35 years ago, PrintFast Marketing Solutions provides commercial printing alongside data-driven direct marketing programs, including digital services such as search engine optimization and social media engagement. The company serves a national client base, with a strong concentration in the home services sector, including HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and home automation.

BP Print Group, led by owner Ben Heinemann, said the acquisition strengthens its ability to meet evolving customer needs while continuing to grow its footprint in integrated communications.

“The industry continues to change, and we must continue to adapt and grow,” Heinemann said. “PrintFast brings a loyal customer base and a service offering that aligns well with our vision of building a future-focused communications company with print at its core. The process led by Mitch and the Graphic Arts Advisors team was professional, transparent, and thorough.”

Bill McGowan, a third-generation owner, emphasized the strategic fit between the two companies.

“Mitch understood our business and knows the printing industry, which made Graphic Arts Advisors the right partner for us,” McGowan said. “Their team identified the right strategic buyers and supported us through every stage of the process, from initial outreach through due diligence and closing. BP Print Group shares our commitment to customer service, and I am confident the company is well-positioned for the future.”

The deal reflects a broader industry shift, as companies like BP Print Group continue to expand beyond traditional printing into integrated marketing and customer acquisition services, particularly in high-demand sectors such as home services.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will begin a yearlong test of cargo drone flights across the East River next week, part of a broader effort to explore faster delivery options in one of the nation’s most congested urban corridors.

The bi-state agency said today that it is partnering with U.K.-based Skyports Drone Services to operate small, uncrewed aircraft carrying light cargo between lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

Flights are scheduled to begin Monday and will run on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. along a fixed route over water, away from residential areas. Each flight will be monitored by a certified drone pilot and conducted with approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officials said the pilot program is designed to evaluate whether drone deliveries could reduce truck traffic, cut emissions and improve the speed of so-called “middle-mile” logistics, the movement of goods between distribution hubs.

The trial follows a two-week proof-of-concept test in January conducted with the New York City Economic Development Corporation. During that test, drones completed 135 flights, traveled 151 miles and transported 252 pounds of simulated cargo. Each one-way trip averaged about four minutes, compared with up to 20 minutes by vehicle, according to officials.

The Port Authority said the earlier test suggested the flights could eliminate hundreds of miles of truck travel and reduce fuel consumption, even with weather-related disruptions.

Across the country, drones are rapidly emerging as a viable shipping option, particularly for short-distance and time-sensitive deliveries. Major retailers including Walmart have expanded drone delivery networks, allowing some customers to receive orders in as little as 10 minutes. 

During the new trial, drones will carry nonhazardous items such as light pharmaceutical supplies for a New York nonprofit health system.

The flights will operate in a tightly regulated environment that includes some of the country’s busiest waterways and airspace. In addition to federal oversight, the program will coordinate with local agencies including the police and fire departments and the U.S. Coast Guard.

At the end of the 12-month test period, officials will evaluate whether the program should be expanded to additional routes across the region.

According to a new report from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 742 Jews from the United Kingdom made aliyah in 2025, the highest annual total since the mid-1980s.

Over the past two decades, aliyah from the UK has remained stable, typically ranging between 400 and 740 people per year, with a long-term average of about 566 annually. In practical terms, that means roughly 2 out of every 1,000 British Jews make aliyah each year, higher than other countries like Canada, but still far below places like France, where migration levels are significantly higher. So this is not, at least yet, a mass exodus.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 5: People wave the Israeli and Union Jack flag as the Jewish community gather to mark the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel in Trafalgar Square on October 5, 2025 in London, England. On October 7, 2023 Hamas conducted a series of attacks on Israelis killing some 1200 people and taking 251 hostage. After two years of war between Palestine and Israel, 48 hostages still in captivity in Gaza but it is though 25 are dead. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)

But something is changing. Firstly, this marks two consecutive years of growth, rising from 561 olim in 2024 to 742 in 2025. Secondly, since October 7, studies show British Jews are more likely than before to consider aliyah, even if many have not yet acted on it. That change is especially pronounced among younger Jews, Orthodox communities, and those who have personally experienced antisemitism. Many British Jews find that there are many factors to consider regarding aliyah. Economic opportunities, family, and connection to Israel all play a role.

Antisemitism in the UK has surged in recent years, which reshapes how many Jews view their place in British society. As reported on JBN, attacks in London have been nonstop for the last few weeks.

There is also a practical explanation for the 2025 spike. Some of the increase may be due to delayed aliyah plans from previous years, particularly during periods when travel and relocation were disrupted, whether it was due to COVID or war.

President Donald Trump has privately told associates that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing for a position in his administration, including the possibility of serving as attorney general, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations, Axios reports.

Sources said DeSantis has also shown interest in other high-level roles, including secretary of defense and even a future nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, based on discussions relayed by several individuals briefed on the matter.

With his second term as governor set to end in January, DeSantis has been exploring his next move, one source said, noting that Trump appears open to assisting the former rival who has since rebuilt ties with him.

The topic of DeSantis’ future reportedly came up during a recent lunch between the two at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.

“Ron was begging me to be AG,” Trump told one confidant, who relayed the remark to Axios.

Another source described the exchange more cautiously, saying, “There was a conversation at that lunch. I don’t think AG is real. But he’s gonna be looking for work and Trump likes him.”

Talks between Trump and DeSantis have intensified in recent weeks following changes within the administration, including the removal of Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary and Pam Bondi as attorney general.

In the interim, Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney and held the No. 2 position at the Justice Department under Bondi, has taken over as acting attorney general.

One adviser said Trump is looking for Blanche to pursue charges against several political opponents as part of a case referred to as the “Grand Conspiracy,” which is being handled by the Justice Department’s Southern District of Florida.

“Todd has about 90 days to show what he can do,” that adviser said.

The White House declined to comment on the reports. A spokesperson for DeSantis, Alex Lanfranconi, responded by emphasizing the governor’s relationship with Trump, saying he “enjoys a great relationship with President Trump.”

“Some in the media prefer to focus on fake rumors rather than the many accomplishments of Florida’s partnership with the Trump administration,” he added.

“The governor looks forward to continuing to work with President Trump on enforcing immigration laws, restoring the Everglades, and helping to reform college athletics.”

According to sources, DeSantis first raised the idea of a future appointment with Trump last year after the election.

At that time, Trump was considering naming DeSantis as defense secretary but ultimately selected Pete Hegseth, who had been a commentator on Fox News.

Even so, sources indicated that DeSantis could still be a strong candidate for the role if it becomes vacant, though Hegseth currently remains in good standing with the president.

“DeSantis is 100% not interested in the AG job, but he would be interested in two things: War secretary or Supreme Court, which would be his dream job,” said another source familiar with the discussions.

That same source added that DeSantis has a close relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, saying the two “almost have a father-son relationship and would be a hell of a legacy for Trump.”

DeSantis previously ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary, in a contest that was marked by sharp exchanges, even as many figures in Trump’s orbit remain skeptical of the Florida governor.

“Bygones are bygones,” said one Trump adviser. “But that doesn’t mean people forget.”

Another adviser was more blunt, saying, “There’s a big reason the president wouldn’t pick Ron to be his attorney general: There’s a way-too-high chance he would try to f*ck the president over.”

“Trump needs someone at Justice he absolutely trusts. But the Defense Department or Supreme Court or something else? Sure.”

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that California cannot enforce a law requiring federal immigration agents to reveal their identities while on duty, preventing the measure from taking effect.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a key provision of California’s No Vigilantes Act—mandating visible identification for federal officers, including those with Immigration and Customs Enforcement—conflicts with the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. The legislation had cleared both houses of the state legislature and was signed into law by Gavin Newsom in September 2025.

In its opinion, the court stated, “We conclude that § 10 of the No Vigilantes Act attempts to directly regulate the United States in its performance of governmental functions,” The court’s opinion, authored by Trump-appointed Judge Mark Bennett, read in part. “The Supremacy Clause forbids the State from enforcing such legislation.”

The disputed section of the law required officers to display identification indicating their agency affiliation along with either their name or badge number. It excluded undercover personnel and those operating under specific conditions, and classified noncompliance as a misdemeanor.

Expanding on its reasoning, the court added, “Section 10 of the No Vigilantes Act attempts to directly regulate the federal government in its performance of law enforcement operations. It expressly applies to federal officers,” the ruling continued. “It seeks to control their conduct in performing law enforcement operations.”

Reacting to the decision, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli praised the outcome, writing on X, “Huge legal victory this morning in the Ninth Circuit, where the court permanently enjoined California’s unconstitutional mask law targeting federal agents.”

California has been a focal point of efforts to restrict ICE enforcement activity, as well as large-scale protests, including demonstrations that swept Los Angeles last summer. In October 2025, the Department of Justice announced the arrest of ten individuals accused of assaulting law enforcement during a chaotic anti-ICE protest at a marijuana farm in the state.

At the federal level, Democratic lawmakers have also sought broader reforms. In July 2025, legislation was introduced to require federal agents nationwide to operate without masks, led by Sens. Cory Booker and Alex Padilla. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down amid ongoing disputes in the Senate over proposed changes to ICE operations, including mandates for body cameras and restrictions on face coverings.

French authorities opened an investigation this week after suspicious temperature spikes at a weather station near Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris were allegedly used to manipulate betting markets on Polymarket, a prediction platform where users wager on real-world events. French media reports said the unusual readings helped traders make more than $35,000 in profits.

According to reports, the suspicious incidents occurred on April 6 and April 15, when temperatures recorded at the airport station suddenly jumped by several degrees within minutes despite surrounding weather conditions remaining stable. The abrupt spikes reportedly caused long-shot temperature bets on Polymarket to suddenly become winning positions worth thousands of dollars.

Investigators suspect the readings may have been artificially altered using a portable heat source, possibly a hair dryer, although authorities have not officially confirmed the exact method used. France’s national weather agency, Météo-France, said it detected both unusual sensor data and “physical observations” on one of its instruments before filing a criminal complaint.

The agency said the case involves possible interference with an automated data-processing system. No arrests or suspects have been announced. Meteorologist Ruben Hallali, who said he first flagged the anomalies, stated that the readings appeared inconsistent with nearby stations and broader weather conditions in Paris.

Following the incident, reports said Polymarket changed the weather station used for its Paris temperature markets. The case has drawn wider attention inside both financial and crypto circles over the vulnerability of prediction markets that rely on physical real-world data sources to settle bets.

NEW YORK (AP) — Will President Donald Trump send troops into Iran? Will he rename the Strait of Hormuz after himself? Will he post again praising Allah?

No one knows the answers, but online betting companies that allow people to wager on Trump policies and statements are profiting — including some backed by his oldest son.

Prediction markets love the president’s unpredictability, his need to keep people guessing about his next move or social media post, leading to more wagers in these betting venues and more fees for them. That includes Polymarket, a company Donald Trump Jr. has a stake in, and Kalshi, a company he advises.

These sites have to come up with new betting lines on current events everyday, and Trump Jr.’s famously fickle father has proven to be a rich source of will-he-or-won’t-he questions.

When a wagering event on Polymarket asked whether Trump was likely to send troops into Iran, nearly 100,000 bets were placed on April 8, leading to the biggest trading day of the year up to then.

And Trump’s policies and social media comments generate bets beyond the war-related ones: Who will Trump back to run Venezuela? Will his insults of Pope Leo XIV continue? Will he seize Greenland?

“Trump is the guy. He makes the market possible,” said Kwok Ping Tsang, a Virginia Tech economist who has studied Polymarket. “He’s so unpredictable.”

Sports wagers make up the largest portion of the volume on prediction markets, but politics runs a close second, according to crypto analysis firm Dune.

People are also betting “Yes” or “No” on all kinds of other things — the price of gold, the winner of “Survivor,” even the weather. The cost of the wager, in cents per dollar, reflects the number of people making the same bet, with a price of 49 cents for “Yes,” for instance, reflecting 49% odds.

The betting has drawn bipartisan criticism for inviting insider trading but the president seems to be a big fan, applying a light regulatory touch and helping the industry expand. His family company, the Trump Organization, is even working on opening its own prediction market, called Truth Predict.

One of the biggest fee generators lately has been Trump’s approach to the Iran war, notably his Truth Social post on April 5 demanding the country “Open the F—- Strait.”

Trading on Polymarket soared with “Yes” or “No” wagers on whether an invasion was imminent, according to Dune, only to be surpassed on April 7 by betting on another question — Will there be a ceasefire? — when Trump posted ominously that a “whole civilization will die tonight.”

In total, 413 million bets on the Iran war were made risking more than $100 million from Sunday, April 5, through Wednesday, April 8, the day after Trump announced a ceasefire, according to Dune.

In a report after the surge, Dune called Trump an “unpredictability machine” and marveled at how his “governing-by-tweet” style sends trading volumes soaring.

Asked whether the president’s son should be profiting from a business benefitting from his father’s actions, a Trump Jr. spokesman called the question “fact-free Democratic propaganda.”

“Don does not interface with the federal government as part of his role with any company that he invests in or advises and has no influence or involvement with administration policies relating to prediction markets,” said the spokesman, Andrew Surabian.

Polymarket didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The betting venues have jumped in popularity since Trump was reelected in November 2024 in part because they correctly predicted, unlike many pundits, that he would win decisively.

Since then the Trump administration has sued states trying to ban prediction markets under no-gambling laws. The head of the industry’s chief regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has even promoted the business publicly, calling the online bets in a Wall Street Journal op-ed “exciting products.”

Benefiting particularly has been Polymarket, which was banned from operating anywhere in the U.S. in 2022 after the Biden administration fined it for running an unregistered exchange. It recently got permission to return, and its value has soared.

The company is now worth $9.6 billion, according to research firm PitchBook, a nearly tenfold increase in eight months since a venture capital fund in which Trump Jr. is a partner last invested.

Just how much Trump Jr. is benefiting from the increase in value is unclear because Polymarket is private and doesn’t release ownership stakes. Kalshi, which took on Trump Jr. as an adviser last year, is also private.

As for profiting off turmoil and war, Trump Jr. has other possible ways besides the prediction markets.

Through his venture capital fund he also owns pieces of aerospace, defense and technology companies seeking Pentagon contracts and other federal agency dollars. Separately, he and his brother, Eric, just struck a deal giving them stakes in a military drone maker not just selling to the U.S. forces but also pitching to Gulf countries under Iranian attack and beholden to their father for U.S. military protection in a war he started.

Asked last month about the drone company potentially profiting off his father’s position as president, Eric Trump sent The Associated Press a statement saying, “I am incredibly proud to invest in companies I believe in.”

Critics in Congress, virtually all Democrats, have decried what they believe is blatant profiting off the presidency, and are waiting for the midterms to do something about it, possibly voting for impeachment.

But whether that happens is anyone’s guess — or to be more specific, tens of thousands of guesses.

In Polymarket trading, those betting that Trump would get impeached by the end of his term were putting the chances at 13% at the start of the year. But that has changed dramatically after his “civilization wipe out” threat and calls from Democrats to oust him from office.

By Tuesday, the odds had jumped to 66%.