Salvagers successfully towed a Greek-flagged oil tanker ablaze for weeks after attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels to a safe area without any oil spill, a European Union naval mission said Monday. The Sounion reached waters away from Yemen as the Houthis meanwhile claimed that they shot down another American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone, with video circulating online showing what appeared to be a surface-to-air missile strike and flaming wreckage strewn across the ground. The two events show the challenges still looming for the world as it tries to mitigate a monthslong campaign by the rebels over the Israel-Hamas war raging in the Gaza Strip. While the rebels allowed the Sounion to be moved, they continue to threaten ships moving through the Red Sea, a waterway that once saw $1 trillion in goods move through it a year. The EU naval mission, known as Operation Aspides, issued a statement via the social platform X announcing the ship had been moved. The Sounion “has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill,” the EU mission said. “While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, Aspides will continue to monitor the situation.” The Houthis had no immediate comment and it wasn’t clear where the vessel was, though it likely was taken north away from Yemen. Salvagers still need to offload some 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard the Sounion, which officials feared could leak into the Red Sea, killing marine life and damaging corals in the waterway. Meanwhile, the U.S. military said it was aware of the Houthis’ claimed downing of a drone over the country’s southwestern Dhamar province, without elaborating. The Houthis have exaggerated claims in the past in their ongoing campaign targeting shipping in the Red Sea over the Israel-Hamas war. However, the online video bolstered the claim, particularly after two recent claims by the Houthis included no evidence. Other videos showed armed rebels gathered around the flaming wreckage, a propeller similar to those used by the armed drone visible in the flames. One attempted to pick up a piece of the metal before dropping it due to the heat. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesperson, identified the drone as an MQ-9, without elaborating on how he came to the determination. He said it was the third downed by the group in a week, though the other two claims did not include similar video or other evidence. The U.S. military similarly has not acknowledged losing any aircraft. Saree said the Houthis used a locally produced missile. However, Iran has armed the rebels with a surface-to-air missile known as the 358 for years. Iran denies arming the rebels, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in seaborne shipments heading to Yemen despite a United Nations arms embargo. Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the U.S. military and the CIA over Yemen for years. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones […]
Former President Donald Trump, who enjoys widespread support among Orthodox Jews and Chasidim, is scheduled to visit the Williamsburg neighborhood on Thursday, sources within the NYPD confirmed to YWN. The upcoming visit, which has already sparked significant attention, includes a planned stop at Gottlieb’s Restaurant, a well-known kosher eatery located at Roebling Street and Division Avenue. Secret Service agents were spotted conducting advance preparations at the restaurant, a common procedure ahead of a presidential or high-profile visit. This meticulous planning is key to ensuring the safety and security of the President during public appearances. When the President of the United States visits a location like a restaurant, the Secret Service undertakes an exhaustive process to secure the area and mitigate potential risks. The advance work, often conducted 2 to 7 days prior to the visit, involves an initial team of Secret Service agents who inspect the venue for any vulnerabilities. This includes reviewing floor plans, emergency exits, and thoroughly examining all areas of the restaurant, from the kitchen to dining spaces. As part of this process, restaurant staff undergo background checks, and sharp objects or other potential hazards are removed or secured. Temporary security measures, such as metal detectors and surveillance cameras, are installed, ensuring the location is well-monitored and secure. Local law enforcement and emergency services are also brought into the fold, coordinating communication protocols for the day of the visit. Beyond securing the physical space, the Secret Service engages in protective intelligence gathering, monitoring for any potential threats, protests, or demonstrations that could disrupt the visit. Local and national intelligence reports are reviewed to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground, and contingency plans are developed to prepare for any unforeseen events. Logistical preparations are equally critical. The Secret Service arranges secure transportation and parking for the President’s motorcade and ensures that emergency medical response teams are on standby. In some cases, a dry run is conducted to iron out any potential issues before the actual visit. On the day of the visit, Secret Service agents will secure the perimeter of Gottlieb’s Restaurant and surrounding areas. Patrons and staff will be screened before being allowed inside, and agents will escort the President in and out of the restaurant, ensuring a secure environment throughout the visit. The restaurant staff will be briefed on security protocols, working closely with Secret Service personnel to maintain a seamless experience during the President’s time in Williamsburg. The extensive advance preparations reflect the Secret Service’s commitment to providing top-tier protection, allowing the President to engage with the public while maintaining security at all times. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Almost two months after Israel carried out a major attack on Yemen’s Hodeidah port in retaliation for the Houthis’ launch of a drone that struck Tel Aviv, it is still disabled, the Jerusalem Post reported on Monday, quoting expert Eran Efrat. The Houthis promised to retaliate for Israel’s attack of its port but b’chasdei Hashem, their attempt on Sunday left no injuries. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate again for the Houthis’ newest attempt to harm Israelis. Efrat is an entrepreneur who imports raw materials for the green energy industry and is familiar with shipping routes and cargo ships. He began monitoring the damage at the port out of his own curiosity and as his interest grew, he began publishing his conclusions for the public (in Hebrew). “Ship tracking tools are as accurate as aircraft tracking, and they are free to use as well, except for some premium features,” Efrat explained. “Every ship is registered, and its route is well documented, along with sailing times, documents, and any information that doesn’t qualify as a commercial secret.” “Already back then I claimed that following a bombardment of a fuel terminal, assuming that pipelines and fuel tanks were damaged as well, a long time would be needed to fix everything,” he said, explaining that establishing such infracture is a complex undertaking. “A month after the retaliatory attack I saw that there were no listed tankers transporting fuel or liquefied gas in Al-Hodeidah, which I concluded from the list of ships scheduled to moor in the port. Additionally, the port has issued an official notice to ships calling them not to arrive. For me, this was a main indicator that they were not able to receive oil and liquid gas, both of which were part of the infrastructure of Al-Hodeidah. We also saw that cranes were damaged, and therefore the unloading was carried out more slowly using either the ships’ cranes or mobile cranes, which are much smaller.” “The economic damage is immense,” Efrat continued. “I calculated according to the size of the tanks – they were able to store about 40-50 thousand tons. I found that they lose about 50 thousand tons of oil and liquid gas every 48 hours or so. This is based on how often the ships would dock and how large those containers were.” “I also checked tankers to check if there is an improvement in the unloading of containers according to ships that dock and leave. You can see the size of the ship and guess how long it takes to unload. If you leave after 24 hours or more, you know that the capacity is not high, especially when you compare it to a year ago, and you see that ships would enter and leave several times a day. “According to my calculation, this means that the port is running at 30% of its original capacity.” A month later, Efrat noticed that no new calls for tankers to dock at the port were issued, until at least until September 21. “This means two or three months that the port will be shut.” Efrat said that the Houthis are now using an alternative port, the primitive and formally closed Ras Isa port. “Take a look at the tanker Lady Amira 1,” he said. “This is […]
A family of three, including a 17-year-old girl, lost their lives in a tragic accident on the Garden State Parkway on Shabbos.
The Tesla Model S driven by the family veered off the northbound lanes of the Parkway in Woodbridge, near the Metropark exit, and collided with a road sign, guardrail, and a concrete bridge pillar, according to State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan.
David Dryerman, 54, who was behind the wheel, along with his wife Michelle Dryerman, also 54, and their daughter Brooke Dryerman, 17, were all pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Authorities are still working to determine the cause of the accident.
In response to the tragedy, Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo expressed his condolences and ordered all flags in the borough to be flown at half-staff in their honor.
A memorial service for the Dryerman family, identified as Michelle and Brooke by Valley Chabad Jewish Center in Woodcliff Lake, was held Sunday evening. Brooke was a senior at Pascack Hills High School, and the family’s son was away at college.
“We are all shocked and in such pain today,” Rabbi Yosef Orenstein said to those gathered at the service, as reported by the Pascack Press.
Rabbi Dov Drizin, the executive director of Valley Chabad, also attended the memorial.
{Matzav.com}
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed Monday that they shot down another American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone, with video circulating online showing what appeared to be a surface-to-air missile strike and flaming wreckage strewn across the ground. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Houthis’ claimed downing of a drone over the country’s southwestern Dhamar province. The Houthis have exaggerated claims in the past in their ongoing campaign targeting shipping in the Red Sea over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. However, the online video bolstered the claim, particularly after two recent claims by the Houthis included no evidence. Other videos showed armed rebels gathered around the flaming wreckage, a propeller similar to those used by the armed drone visible in the flames. One attempted to pick up a piece of the metal before dropping it due to the heat. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesperson, identified the drone as an MQ-9, without elaborating on how he came to the determination. He said it was the third downed by the group in a week, though the other two claims did not include similar video or other evidence. The U.S. military similarly has not acknowledged losing any aircraft. Saree said the Houthis used a locally produced missile. However, Iran has armed the rebels with a surface-to-air missile known as the 358 for years. Iran denies arming the rebels, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in seaborne shipments heading to Yemen despite a United Nations arms embargo. Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the U.S. military and the CIA over Yemen for years. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. Those attacks include a barrage that struck the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea. Salvagers have begun towing away the burning oil tanker, hoping to avoid a catastrophic leak of its 1 million barrels of oil on board. (AP)
A tragic accident late Saturday night claimed the lives of three members of a Jewish family from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. The crash occurred just before midnight on the northbound side of the Garden State Parkway in Woodbridge Township, resulting in the deaths of David Dryerman, 54, his wife, Michele Dryerman, 54, and their 17-year-old daughter. New Jersey State Police reported that David Dryerman was driving a Tesla when the vehicle veered off the road, hitting a sign, guardrail, and concrete bridge support. All three occupants of the car were pronounced dead at the scene. In the wake of the tragedy, Rabbi Dov Drizin, who leads Valley Chabad in Woodcliff Lake, worked closely with authorities to ensure proper kavod hameis. Approximately 150 members of the Pascack Hills High School and Valley Chabad communities came together on Sunday evening for a candle lighting ceremony to honor the memory of David, Michele, and Brooke. The gathering also served as a moment to extend love and support to their surviving son, Max. “We are all shocked and in such pain today,” Rabbi Yosef Orenstein said at the gathering. “A terrible accident took beloved parents, David and Michele, and their daughter Brooke, a dear friend to many of our teens. Baruch Dayan HaEmes. We gather to light a candle, pray, share memories, and do a mitzvah in memory of Brooke and her dear parents. Whether you knew the family or not, we are all hurting.” Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo expressed his condolences, saying in a statement on Facebook, “I just received word of this terrible tragedy. I have ordered that our flags be lowered. I am in shock. Please keep the family in your prayers.” The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and officials are working to determine what led to the tragic accident. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Dear Matzav Inbox,
As we make our way through the month of Elul and get ready for the Yomim Noraim, I have to ask, and forgive me please for doing so: Is it really the right way to spend our time during this holy season by going to a mixed seating concert in New York City? Is this what Elul is all about? Spending the night in MSG?
Elul is a time for serious introspection. It’s the time we should be focusing on our relationship with Hashem, reflecting on our deeds, and preparing ourselves for the yemei hakadosh. Instead, we see people choosing to spend their night at a mixed concert.
I am not a kanna’i. Really not. I’m a regular normal guy. But still, something doesn’t sit right with me: How does attending such an event align with the spirit of Elul? When we’re supposed to be deeply involved in improving ourselves and coming closer to Hashem, how can we justify participating in entertainment like this? Does it bother no one but me?
Let’s not fool ourselves. The way we spend our time during Elul affects our readiness for the Yomim Noraim. We need to be honest with ourselves and recognize that these choices matter. Instead of filling our time with who knows what, we should focus on what really matters, strengthening our kesher to Hashem and preparing ourselves for the Yomim Noraim.
At least that’s what I think.
We should use this precious time wisely and stay true to the spirit of Elul.
Wishing all your readers a kesivah v’chasimah tovah.
Sincerely,
P. M.
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The man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump camped outside a golf course with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent confronted him and opened fire, according to court documents filed Monday. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and Justice Department prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury. Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, where he answered perfunctory questions about his work status and income. Shackled and wearing a blue jumpsuit, he smiled as he spoke with a public defender and reviewed documents ahead of the initial appearance. The lawyer declined to comment after the hearing ended. Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. Prosecutors asked that he remain locked up as a flight risk. A federal magistrate set additional hearings for later this month. An FBI affidavit accompanying a criminal complaint shows how law enforcement officials, during their investigation, used his cellphone information to place him at the golf course from 1:59 a.m. Sunday until about 1:31 p.m. A digital camera, a loaded rifle with scope and a plastic bag containing food was recovered from the area where Routh had positioned himself, according to the affidavit. The authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh or allege a particular motive. But he left an online footprint that reveals shifting political views and intense outrage about world events. “You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal. Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.” He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv. Court records obtained by The Associated Press show Routh was convicted of multiple felony offenses, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina. Speaking in a soft voice in court, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings. Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports. Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away. An agent fired and Routh dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, an aiming scope and a GoPro camera, authorities said. Routh was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county. It was […]
Israeli Health Minister Uriel Busso, of the Charedi Shas party, said some Nukhba terrorists captured by Israel and treated in Israeli hospitals, entered the Gaza Strip with the IDF and aided the forces in locating and rescuing hostages.
The comments came while pushing back against criticism of Israel treating the terrorists. At a press conference on Monday, Busso said that the health ministry set up a medical facility, together with the IDF, at the Sde Teiman prison, which is housing Nukhba terrorists, and that: “We must treat anyone who comes through its doors.”
Busso added: “A doctor who’s been in the health system for 30 years told me that terrorists, once stabilized, were brought in for interrogation and that’s how we saved lives. Some of these terrorists, who were treated by our health system, were taken into Gaza and down the tunnels and helped rescue hostages. This information is saving lives now. That’s why we treat them, to stabilize them.”
Additionally, Busso discussed how medical facilities are preparing for war in the North, saying: “We’ve been ready for several months with hospital fortifications and backup for whatever is needed.”
{Matzav.com}
A massive fire involving a liquified natural gas pipeline was shooting a towering pillar of flame for hours over suburban Houston on Monday as first-responders evacuated a surrounding neighborhood and tried to keep more nearby homes from catching fire. The blaze involving a 20-inch pipeline carrying liquified natural gas must burn itself out, according to its operator, Dallas-based Energy Transfer. The company said the gas flow was shut off but the fire will have to burn itself out. Firefighters were dispatched at 9:55 a.m. after an explosion that rattled adjacent homes and businesses in Deer Park and La Porte, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of downtown Houston, long the energy capital of the U.S. The plume of smoke could been seen from at least 10 miles away, and nearby there was a chemical smell in the air. Geselle Melina Guerra said she and her boyfriend heard an explosion at around 9:30 a.m. as they were having breakfast in their mobile home. “All of a sudden we hear this loud bang and then I see something bright, like orange, coming from our back door that’s outside,” said Guerra, 25, who lives within the evacuation area. Her boyfriend woke up his brother and they ran to their car. “I was just freaking out, pacing around the living room, not really knowing what to do or what was happening,” Guerrea said. “I thought maybe it was an airplane that had crashed down by our house.” There was no immediate word on whether anyone has been injured. La Porte city spokesperson Lee Woodward told KTRK-TV that people in nearby schools were told to shelter in place as law enforcement blocked off a wide area. At nearby San Jacinto College, which closed its campus after the explosion, people who gathered included Evan Wyman, who had gotten word after calling police that her dog Baxter had been rescued from her home, which is in the evacuated neighborhood. “I just know that my dog is rescued,” Wyman said. At least one gas transmission pipeline and one hazardous liquid pipeline run through the area on fire, according to U.S. Department of Transportation geographic data from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Another gas transmission pipeline cuts diagonally through a nearby residential neighborhood along Spencer Highway, which runs through the suburbs of Deer Park and La Porte. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Houston is the nation’s petrochemical heartland and is home to a cluster of refineries, plants and thousands of miles of pipelines. Explosions and fires are a familiar sight to residents in Texas’ largest city, including some that have been deadly. The blasts have raised recurring questions about the adequacy of the industry’s plans to protect the public and the impacts of environmental damage. Video images from KTRK showed a park near the fire had been damaged and firefighters pouring water on adjacent homes. By noon, at least a couple of homes appeared to have caught fire, with smoke pouring from their roofs. There are also several businesses nearby, including a Walmart. Sanchez said they’re used to evacuations because they live close to other plants near the highway. But in the 10 years Sanchez has lived there, he had not witnessed an explosion. “We just drove as far as we could because […]
American consumers and home buyers, business people and political leaders have been waiting for months for what the Federal Reserve is poised to announce this week: That it’s cutting its key interest rate from a two-decade peak. It’s likely to be just the first in a series of rate cuts that should make borrowing more affordable now that the Fed has deemed high inflation to be all but defeated. Consider Kelly Mardis, who owns Marcel Painting in Tempe, Arizona. About a quarter of Mardis’ business comes from real estate agents who are prepping homes for sale or from new home buyers. Customer queries, he recalls, quickly dropped almost as soon as the Fed started jacking up interest rates in March 2022 — and then kept raising rates through July 2023. As the housing market contracted, Mardis had to lay off about half his staff of 30. It was the worst dry spell he had experienced in 14 years. After the Fed begins cutting rates on Wednesday, Mardis envisions brighter times ahead. Typically, a succession of Fed rate cuts leads over time to lower borrowing costs for things like mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and business loans. “I’m 100% sure it would make a difference,” Mardis said. “I’m looking forward to it.” At the same time, plenty of uncertainty still surrounds this week’s Fed meeting. How much will the policymakers decide to reduce their benchmark rate, now at 5.3%? By a traditional quarter-point or by an unusually large half-point? Will they keep loosening credit at their subsequent meetings in November and December and into 2025? Will lower borrowing costs take effect in time to bolster an economy that is still growing at a solid pace but is clearly showing cracks? Chair Jerome Powell emphasized in a speech last month in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that the Fed is prepared to cut rates to support the job market and achieve a notoriously difficult “soft landing.” That is when the central bank manages to curb inflation without tipping the economy into a steep recession and causing unemployment to surge. It’s not entirely clear that the Fed can pull it off. One hopeful sign is that as Powell and other Fed officials have signaled that rate cuts are coming, many interest rates have already fallen in anticipation. The average 30-year mortgage rate dropped to 6.2% last week — the lowest level in about 18 months and down from a peak of nearly 7.8%, according to the mortgage giant Freddie Mac. Other rates, like the yield on the five-year Treasury note, which influences auto loan rates, have also tumbled. “That really does help lower those borrowing costs across the board,” said Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide Financial. “That helps to give nice relief to consumers.” Businesses can now borrow at lower rates than they’ve been able to for the past year or so, potentially boosting their investment spending. “The question is if it’s helping quickly enough … to actually deliver the soft landing that everyone’s been hoping for,” said Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities. Many economists would like to see the Fed announce a half-point rate cut this week, in part because they think the officials should have begun cutting rates at their previous meeting in July. Wall Street traders […]
Ryan Wesley Routh, the man arrested on suspicion of possibly trying to assassinate former president Donald Trump, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Both are federal crimes.
Routh Routh appeared Monday in federal court in West Palm Beach, Fla.
The first charge carries a punishment of up to 15 years behind bars if he is found guilty.
(c) 2024, The Washington Post · Washington Post staff
What’s he doing here? That was my reaction when Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate, passed me at the Democratic National Convention, followed by a gaggle of reporters. I assume he didn’t agree with much of what he heard at this convention. Then I stopped to reflect on my own presence at the DNC. As a registered Republican (who occasionally votes for Democrats) representing the Torah values of Agudath Israel — did I belong here? The simple answer is that I work for Agudath Israel of America, which, as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, can’t endorse or oppose any candidate or party for office. But our gedolim have mandated that we be effective shtadlanim, or advocates, for the Orthodox Jewish community. That means showing up on Capitol Hill and in statehouses and city halls across the country. You can’t be effective if you aren’t at the table, engaging with elected officials and influential people in both parties. While the focus of these conventions is on the presidential candidates, there are tens of thousands of local, state, and federal officials and party activists in attendance. At an Agudah event on the sidelines of the convention more than 150 elected officials and party activists mingled with Jewish leaders from across the country. The event was not an endorsement of the Democratic Party or its platform, but rather an opportunity to help educate public officials and activists about our community and engage them in important conversations. Democratic officials stood in silence as the Neutra family spoke about their son Omer, who has been held hostage by Hamas since October 7. In addition, there were banners posted around the room highlighting the need to condemn anti-Semitism by name, and not simply lump it together with ritual denunciations of “all other forms of hate,” and pointing out that a majority of anti-Semitic assaults around the country involve those who are identifiably Jewish — the Orthodox community. The elected officials who spoke at this event condemned this abhorrent trend and explained how they plan to combat it with concrete action. At a time when both major parties are accused of harboring anti-Semites in their ranks, we can’t afford to ignore either of them. For now, I’m encouraged that both parties feel that being perceived as the stronger one on the issue of anti-Semitism will get them more votes. Voters will ultimately decide who they believe. The other goal of The Agudah’s DNC event was to highlight the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community and its increasing electoral strength. Most Orthodox Jews live in blue states. Our message, delivered by elected officials, was simple — ignore the Orthodox community at your peril. Vivek Ramaswamy was also at the DNC to engage people, and his verbal exchanges went viral. I doubt that Vivek recruited anyone at the DNC to the Republican cause, but he proved that when you engage honestly and directly with people who disagree with you, you may be surprised at how they respond. As I drove home from Chicago late Thursday night, I revisited my question from a few hours earlier: Did I belong at the DNC? Like Vivek, I was there to share our agenda and not to accept theirs. How could I not have attended? Below is a recent episode of “Inside the […]
The Israel Defense Forces’ 5th Infantry Brigade has been stationed in the Netzarim Corridor that splits the Gaza Strip between north and south, the army announced on Monday.
It is the second time the reserve soldiers have operated in the coastal enclave since IDF troops entered the territory on Oct. 27, as part of the war the Hamas terrorist group started when it led a bloody assault on the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7.
The brigade’s first tour of duty entailed protecting the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip in the first days of the war and ridding them of terrorists, before months of combat in the areas of Beit Hanun and Kherbat Ahzaa and the central corridor.
The infantry brigade falls under the command of the 252nd Division, which in recent months has been operating against Hamas and working to expand the axis dividing the northern and southern Strip.
“In the last few days, the brigade’s fighters completed a series of training and exercises at the Ground Forces Training Center (GTC). The forces carried out training and exercises in warfare in open and built-up areas and raised their operational competence in preparation for their mission in the center of the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said.
“In addition, the forces completed logistical preparation and held mobility, supplies and immediate medical response training in preparation for the fighting.”
(JNS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million, as Moscow’s military action in Ukraine drags on for more than 2 ½ years. Putin’s decree, published on the official government website, will take effect Dec. 1. It sets the overall number of Russian military personnel at nearly 2.4 million, including 1.5 million troops, and orders the government to provide the necessary funding. The previous increase in Russian troop numbers came last December, when a decree by Putin set the total number of Russian military personnel at about 2.2 million, including 1.32 million troops. The most capable Russian troops have been pressing an offensive in eastern Ukraine, where they have made incremental but steady gains in the past few months. In June, Putin put the number of troops involved in what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine at nearly 700,000. After calling up 300,000 reservists in the face of Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the fall of 2022, Russian authorities have switched to filling the ranks of troops fighting in Ukraine with volunteer soldiers, who have been attracted by relatively high wages. Many commentators have noted that the Kremlin has been reluctant to call more reservists, fearing domestic destabilization like what happened in 2022 when hundreds of thousands fled Russia to avoid being sent to combat. The shortage of military personnel has been widely cited as a key reason behind the success of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region launched Aug. 6. The Kremlin has sought to avoid the redeployment of troops from eastern Ukraine and relied on reinforcements from other areas to stem the Ukrainian incursion. The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday reported reclaiming control of two more villages in the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces. (AP)
“Telling your wife your needs and wants” is a complete waste of time for married men who want happiness and I’ll tell you why. So many marriage experts claim they have the secret to a happy marriage and that it all comes down to communication, boundaries and bringing in more money. They tell you to help out more at home, talk about the past, go together to a marriage professional but never stop to take inventory of whether ANY of these methods are actually WORKING in creating happiness and joy! I am not saying those strategies don’t work at all, but they are the long… slow… painful way of having a happy home. And for the few that make it with these strategies, they’ve done it while he doesn’t get what he needs, and she doesn’t get what she needs. Meanwhile, we’re helping our clients connect with their wives on the highest level, living lives full of happiness and excitement and it gets more and more joyful by the day where both husband and wife feel happiness and excitement… … all without needing their wife to meet them halfway! To check out how they do this, click below to watch my free presentation where I share all the details … you’re going to thank me for it! 5 Steps Married Men Use to Get Rid of Friction and Create Happiness and Excitement… Without Needing Their Wife to Meet Them Halfway!
A Jewish Israeli man sustained facial injuries on Monday in an assault near the town of Mevo’ot Yericho in the southern Jordan Valley.
Multiple men assaulted the man, a shepherd, in the Mu’arrajat area about 15 miles northeast of Yerushalayim, lightly wounding him.
Israeli troops arrested at least two men in Mu’arrajat in connection with the incident, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said. Jewish men showed the troops where the assailants hid, leading to a search of the premises.
Palestinians resisted the search, leading to an altercation with the troops in which several Palestinians were wounded and some arrested, the IDF said. The report did not say whether those apprehended were the attackers who had assaulted the shepherd.
Elisha Yered, an activist promoting Jewish presence in Yehuda and Shomron, wrote on X that the shepherd’s attackers were Arabs. Several of them assaulted the shepherd and another man in the early morning hours on Monday, Yered wrote. A photo of the victim that Yered posted on X shows blood streaming from a young man’s right ear.
The IDF said the victim sustained a head injury.
The JDN news site reported that the assailants stole the shepherd’s phone and beat him with blunt objects. He used a distress buzzer that he was carrying to alert the owner of a nearby farm, who arrived at the scene with security personnel. Several suspects fled as they saw the security forces approach, the report said.
A Magen David Adom ambulance took the victim to Hadassah Medical Center in Yerushalayim’s Ein Kerem. His injuries were defined as minor.
Mevo’ot Yericho was established in 1999, north of Yericho, which is controlled by the PA.
(JNS)
Exceptionally heavy rainfall pounding Central Europe has prompted deadly flooding in the region, with four new deaths reported Monday in Poland, three in Czech Republic and one in Romania. The flooding has swamped parts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania as a low-pressure system crossing the region has unleashed record-high rains for days, and it was expected to affect Slovakia and Hungary later in the week. So far 16 people have been reported killed — seven people in Romania, five in Poland, three in the Czech Republic and one in Austria. In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk held an emergency meeting and later declared a disaster in flooded areas, a government measure to facilitate evacuation and rescues. He also said the government would provide 1 billion zlotys ($258,000) in immediate payouts to victims. The flooding in Poland has burst dams and embankments, while receding waters have left streets covered in piles of debris and mud. It prompted a hospital in the southwestern Polish city of Nysa to evacuate about 40 patients. Schools and offices in the affected areas were closed Monday and drinking water and food were being delivered by trucks. Many Polish cities, including Warsaw, have called for food donations for flood survivors. Experts warned of flood threats due to cresting Oder River in Opole, a city of some 130,000 residents, and Wroclaw, home to about 640,000 residents and where disastrous flooding happened in 1997. Firefighters in southwestern Poland said flood victims included a surgeon whose body was found Monday morning in Nysa after he was returning from hospital duty. The bodies of two women and two other men have been found in other communities in the region. Police in the Czech Republic said that a woman and two men drowned in the northeast, which has been pounded by record rainfall since Thursday. The men were found dead at different locations after water receded in the town of Krnov that was almost completely submerged on Sunday Romanian authorities said Monday that another person died in the eastern county of Galati, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to seven. One death previously was reported in Austria. Authorities in the Czech Republic declared an emergency in two northeastern regions, including in the Jeseniky mountains near the Polish border. A number of towns and cities had been submerged in the northeast, with thousands evacuated. Military helicopters joined rescuers on boats in efforts to transport people to safety. Waters were receding from the mountainous areas on Monday, leaving behind destroyed houses and bridges and damaged roads. In most parts of the country, conditions were expected to improve later Monday. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala visited the town of Jesenik, one of the hardest hit places. “The worst is behind us and now, we have to deal with all the damage,” Fiala said following the visit. In Hungary, the mayor of Budapest warned residents that the largest floods in a decade were expected to hit the capital later in the week, with the waters of the Danube River set to breach the city’s lower quays by Tuesday morning. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán canceled his planned foreign engagements, including an address to a plenary session of the European Parliament on Wednesday where heated debates were expected over his conduct since […]
On Monday, a source inside the Prime Minister’s office told KAN News that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu plans on firing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the immediate future.
Bibi also reportedly plans on bringing Gideon Saar, and his New Hope party into the coalition, adding four seats to his majority.
Stocks in Israel fell and gas prices spiked as the news broke that the Prime Minister plans on firing the Defense Minister in the middle of a war. The move also raises concerns among hostage families, as Saar opposed a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Bibi and Gallant have been at odds for months over agreeing to a ceasefire deal, with Gallant, Intelligence Services, and the IDF believing Israel must prioritize returning the hostages, and then can handle the security risks associated with a deal. Reportedly, Bibi and Gallant have not met for a long time, despite the mutli-front war Israel is facing.
According to a senior member of Neyanyahu’s cabinet, bringing in Saar would enable Bibi to pass a Charedi draft bill, something Gallant opposes. The Charedi parties have threatened to not vote for the upcoming budget, essentially torpedoing the coalition, if the draft bill is not passed. Some wondered if Bibi would call their bluff, as current poling indicates Charedi parties would be unlikely to sit in the coalition if new elections were held.
The draft bill in question would exempt the vast majority of Charedi men from serving in the IDF. Currently, the Charedi population is vulnerable to penalties if they do not enlist, as the Supreme Court has ruled the legal basis for the Charedi draft exemption has expired.
According to sources familiar with the communication between Bibi and Saar, the two have agreed in principle to the wording of a draft bill that would have the approval of the Charedi parties, and the coalition. However, Saar has denied negotiation a draft bill, with his allies saying any bill he agrees to would be based on the needs of the IDF.
Gallant has refused to back such a draft bill unless it received wide support, including from the opposition. Such a draft bill would be very controversial in Israel, with some reservists threatening to refuse to serve if the laws pass and ‘Israel steps away from being a democracy.’
US officials are concerned regarding the move to fire Gallant, with the US reportedly believing he is the ‘only adult in the room’ in Bibi’s coalition.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu put out a statement denying that Saar was going to replace Gallant, but he did not deny his intention to fire Gallant.
{Matzav.com}
It’s noisy, smelly, shy — and New Zealand’s bird of the year. The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, won the country’s fiercely fought avian election on Monday, offering hope to supporters of the endangered bird that recognition from its victory might prompt a revival of the species. It followed a campaign for the annual Bird of the Year vote that was without the foreign interference scandals and cheating controversies of past polls. Instead, campaigners in the long-running contest sought votes in the usual ways — launching meme wars, seeking celebrity endorsements and even getting tattoos to prove their loyalty. More than 50,000 people voted in the poll, 300,000 fewer than last year, when British late night host John Oliver drove a humorous campaign for the pūteketeke — a “deeply weird bird” which eats and vomits its own feathers – securing a landslide win. This year, the number of votes cast represented 1% of the population of New Zealand — a country where nature is never far away and where a love of native birds is instilled in citizens from childhood. “Birds are our heart and soul,” said Emma Rawson, who campaigned for the fourth-placed ruru, a small brown owl with a melancholic call. New Zealand’s only native mammals are bats and marine species, putting the spotlight on its birds, which are beloved — and often rare. This year’s victor, the hoiho — its name means “noise shouter” in the Māori language — is a shy bird thought to be the world’s rarest penguin. Only found on New Zealand’s South and Chatham islands — and on subantarctic islands south of the country — numbers have dropped perilously by 78% in the past 15 years. “This spotlight couldn’t have come at a better time. This iconic penguin is disappearing from mainland Aotearoa before our eyes,” Nicola Toki, chief executive of Forest & Bird — the organization that runs the poll — said in a press release, using the Māori name for New Zealand. Despite intensive conservation efforts on land, she said, the birds drown in nets and sea and can’t find enough food. “The campaign has raised awareness, but what we really hope is that it brings tangible support,” said Charlie Buchan, campaign manager for the hoiho. But while the bird is struggling, it attracted a star billing in the poll: celebrity endorsements flew in from English zoologist Jane Goodall, host of the Amazing Race Phil Keoghan, and two former New Zealand prime ministers. Aspiring bird campaign managers — this year ranging from power companies to high school students — submit applications to Forest & Bird for the posts. The hoiho bid was run by a collective of wildlife groups, a museum, a brewery and a rugby team in the city of Dunedin, where the bird is found on mainland New Zealand, making it the highest-powered campaign of the 2024 vote. “I do feel like we were the scrappy underdog,” said Emily Bull, a spokesperson for the runner-up campaign, for the karure — a small, “goth” black robin only found on New Zealand’s Chatham Island. The karure’s bid was directed by the students’ association at Victoria University of Wellington, prompting a fierce skirmish on the college campus when the student magazine staged an opposing campaign for the kororā, or little blue penguin. The […]
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