Feed aggregator

The United Nations is confronting a severe financial emergency that could push the organization toward what its top official described as an “imminent financial collapse,” according to a letter sent to member states late last month.

In the message dated Jan. 28, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the organization’s financial position is rapidly worsening due to a combination of unpaid membership dues and restrictive budget rules. “The crisis is deepening, threatening program delivery and risking financial collapse. And the situation will deteriorate further in the near future,” Guterres wrote.

At the heart of the problem are mounting arrears from member states, which have left the U.N. struggling to meet its core financial obligations. The shortfall has affected both the regular budget and peacekeeping operations, creating cash-flow pressures that have become increasingly difficult to manage.

Guterres also pointed to a long-standing budget regulation that requires the organization to return unspent funds to member states, even during periods of acute financial stress. He described this rule as a structural flaw that exacerbates instability and limits the U.N.’s ability to plan responsibly.

The financial strain has been compounded by reductions in voluntary contributions from some major donors and delays in mandatory payments, further tightening available resources. As a result, the organization has been forced to consider cost-cutting measures and internal adjustments to keep operations running.

In his letter, Guterres cautioned that without immediate action, the United Nations could face a liquidity crisis within months. He urged member states either to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time or to agree to a fundamental overhaul of the organization’s financial rules to prevent collapse.

The growing cash crunch has raised concerns about the U.N.’s capacity to carry out essential missions, including peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and development programs worldwide. Officials warn that continued delays in funding could lead to reductions in services and undermine the organization’s global role.

Despite ongoing efforts to streamline operations and rein in expenses, Guterres made clear that internal reforms alone will not be sufficient. Without decisive action from member states, he warned, the financial outlook for the United Nations will continue to deteriorate.

{Matzav.com}

Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal authorities on Friday, a development confirmed by Newsmax correspondent James Rosen and a Justice Department official with knowledge of the case.

According to Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, federal agents arrested the journalist in Los Angeles, where he had been reporting on the Grammy Awards.

Attorney General Pam Bondi later stated on X that the arrests of Lemon, along with Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, were carried out “at my direction.”

Lowell sharply criticized the action, calling it an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment.”

In a statement, Lowell said, “Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards.” He added, “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done.”

The arrest followed a decision last week in which a magistrate judge declined prosecutors’ initial attempt to bring charges against Lemon.

Authorities are now pursuing allegations that include conspiracy to deprive rights and interference with religious freedom inside a house of worship.

The case stems from a January 18 incident in which Lemon livestreamed a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies in the area.

Lemon has said that he attended the event in his capacity as a journalist, explaining that while he had advance notice of the demonstration, he was unaware that activists intended to interrupt a religious service.

Video from the scene shows Lemon engaged in a heated exchange with a parishioner over immigration enforcement. Officials in the Trump administration swiftly denounced the protest, accusing those involved of intimidating Christian worshippers.

Lemon was scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing later on Friday.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Jeffries: “Republicans do not want a free and fair election, because they know when that happens — and we’ll ensure that it happens — they’re gonna lose. They’re gonna lose the House. They’re gonna get crushed.”

The IDF says an airstrike in the southern Lebanese town of Seddiqine killed a Hezbollah terrorist today, citing his efforts to rebuild the group’s infrastructure as a violation of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.

Zohar on Chumash Bereishis in which the holy tzaddik and baal chesed Rabbi Yeshayale Kerestirer toiled and studied the hidden parts of the Torah.

Amid mounting tensions over the proposed draft law and the passage of the state budget, former minister and Knesset member Michoel Malchieli addressed the steps being taken by the chareidi parties, stressing that decisions are being made out of deep responsibility rather than narrow political calculation. According to Malchieli, the position of the Shas faction is grounded in clear rulings of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah of Shas, with constant evaluation of the implications for the Torah world and the chareidi public at large.

Malchieli noted that months ago a firm decision was reached to withdraw from the government and later from Knesset committees, but not to bring down the coalition. “There was a very clear decision to leave the government, and afterward to leave the committees, but not to leave the coalition. All no-confidence motions and efforts to topple the government — we opposed them,” he said, emphasizing that even when the draft law stalled, there was no intention to cause the government’s collapse.

Turning to the budget vote, Malchieli described the choice as an exceptionally difficult one. “If the budget hadn’t passed its first reading last week, the government would have fallen — and then there would have been no budget at all. The impact on the chareidi public would have been dramatic: all the funds are outside the base budget and would move to monthly allocations of one-twelfth. That means no funding for education networks, kollelim, and institutions. Four months of elections without knowing what kind of government would emerge … that’s an extremely hard question.”

He said that the decision was made only after renewed consultations with the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of both Degel HaTorah and Shas. “A clear decision was reached: to support the first reading, based on the impression that there is genuine progress on the draft law, that it has a majority in the Knesset, and that this is not a political event but a purely legal one. We are sitting with legal advisers and trying to craft language that will also pass the High Court.”

Malchieli rejected claims that this is simply another meaningless delay. “In the past, this was a political event. The ones who removed Gallant and Edelstein weren’t us. It was Netanyahu, who understood that games were being played within his own coalition. Today, it’s a completely different situation. There is a majority, and the dispute is legal. That doesn’t mean we’ll do everything at any price, but we will try.”

Addressing pressure campaigns within the chareidi public opposing the law, Malchieli said such efforts have no impact on Gedolei Yisroel themselves. “Inside those homes sit people in their nineties whose entire lives are Torah. The posters don’t interest them.” Still, he acknowledged that there is an effect at the broader public level. “There are good people and bnei Torah who get drawn into this. You can’t ignore that.”

Malchieli claimed that external forces are behind some of the campaigns. “Behind the massive campaign and the huge money being invested against Aryeh Deri and against rabbanim are activists with limitless resources. They’ve operated inside the chareidi public to divide us. A nation of the book needs to ask who is funding this and who is amplifying it.”

Responding sharply to accusations that the chareidi parties are “selling the Torah world for power,” Malchieli said: “Gedolei Yisroel are updated almost daily. They don’t ‘read’ the law. They learn it, like learning a difficult sugya about permitting an agunah. They are studying the draft law like a sugya in Yevamos. To say we’re power-hungry is the opposite of reality. The easiest thing for us would be to put down the keys and go to the opposition. That’s where you get applause. But who would run religious services? Who would protect the yeshivos? Who would manage the draft law?”

He concluded by drawing a firm red line. “If in the end there is no law that our rabbanim approve, there will be no draft law. Period. We won’t do anything without a clear ruling from Gedolei Yisroel. The instruction we received is to stay on the field and manage it, not to sit in the stands. That is how we will act.”

{Matzav.com}

NEC Director Kevin Hassett on Fed nominee Kevin Warsh: “The White House is highly, highly confident that Kevin Warsh is a great nominee… I’ve known Kevin for decades, Sec. Bessent has known him for decades. It will be a great working relationship.”

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill to Launch a Portal to Track & Report ICE Agents: “We are going to be standing up a portal so people can upload all their cell phone videos and alert people. If you see an ICE agent in the street, get your phone out.”

BREAKING: Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty in trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, judge rules.

All are asked to daven for the refuah sheleimah of Rav Elyakim Schlesinger, one of the ziknei roshei yeshivos, who is in need of great rachamei Shamayim.

Rav Schlesinger was born on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (November 23, 1921) in Vienna to Rav Dovid Schlesinger and his mother, Baila. In 1931, as a young child, he moved with his family to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in Tel Aviv. His formative Torah education began under the guidance of Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, and he later continued his learning at Yeshivas Kaminetz and at Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah.

Rav Schlesinger married his wife, Dina Yehudis, daughter of Rav Moshe Blau. Following the passing of his father-in-law, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim, a mosad established in Rav Blau’s memory. At the recommendation of the Brisker Rov, Rav Schlesinger later relocated to Europe. He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in the city of Kapellen, Belgium, for two years, before moving to London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama. The yeshiva was named in honor of the Chasam Sofer’s son, the Kesav Sofer, and later also in recognition of the Daas Sofer, who had been one of Rav Schlesinger’s rabbeim.

Over the decades, Rav Schlesinger – who is today 104 years old – became one of the central figures of the chareidi community in England, maintaining close relationships with many of the gedolei Yisroel of his generation, including the Brisker Rov and the Chazon Ish. His personal recollections and insights into those figures were later recorded in his sefer Hador Vehatekufah, which offers a rare first-hand window into the Torah leadership of the previous generation.

Beyond his role as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger has been deeply involved in communal matters. He has long been active in the protection of kevorim across Europe and serves as chairman of the committee dedicated to safeguarding Jewish cemeteries on the continent. His principled stance on a range of public issues, particularly matters affecting Torah education and religious autonomy, has made him a prominent voice of daas Torah and the preservation of authentic Yiddishkeit.

Rav Schlesinger is the author of numerous Torah works, including multiple volumes of Beis Av on Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, as well as a Haggadah shel Pesach and other seforim that reflect his breadth in both learning and hashkafah.

All are asked to daven for Rav Elyakim ben Baila.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened Canada with a 50% tariff on any aircraft sold in the U.S., the latest salvo in his trade war with America’s northern neighbor as his feud with Prime Minister Mark Carney expands. Trump’s threat posted on social media came after he threatened over the weekend to impose a 100% […]

[Video below.] Vice President J.D. Vance used a moment during a White House Cabinet meeting to make clear that he is not the unnamed “fat” friend President Donald Trump frequently refers to while recounting a story about a failed attempt with a weight-loss drug.

The clarification came as Trump, 79, was once again telling officials about an overweight businessman who tried a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic and did not see results. Trump detailed the man’s experience while speaking in the Cabinet Room.

“I told him it wasn’t working. For him, it didn’t work,” Trump said. “He knows I’m talkin’ about him. It drives him crazy. He begs me not to mention it.”

Vance, 41, cut in at that point to distance himself from the anecdote and remove any doubt about who Trump was referring to.

“He’s not talking about me,” he said, drawing laughter from others in the room.

Trump has repeated versions of the same story many times, including in conversations with journalists and at public appearances. In his telling, the friend complains that Ozempic is significantly cheaper overseas than in New York, but still did not help him lose weight, leading Trump to joke that the drug “didn’t work” because the man is now “fatter than ever.”

The repeated anecdote has fueled speculation among critics about the identity of the person Trump is describing, with some pointing to high-profile figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk or White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, both of whom have publicly discussed weight-loss efforts.

Others have jokingly suggested that Trump could be referring to himself, particularly after he told The New York Times that he “probably” should be taking Ozempic but is not.

Vance, who lost roughly 30 pounds between 2022 and 2024, has generally not been included in those guesses.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the exchange.

Throughout Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Vance mostly limited his participation to brief, lighthearted remarks, while other officials used their time to praise Trump’s leadership.

When Trump invited him to speak again near the end of the meeting, Vance kept it short and quipped, “I’m just here for the free coffee.”

Earlier in the session, Trump also pushed back on media reports suggesting he appeared to fall asleep during a prior Cabinet meeting, citing the length of that earlier gathering and attempting to dismiss the criticism.

The Thursday meeting was significantly shorter than the lengthy session held in December, with many Cabinet members voicing support for the president, though several officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, did not speak.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] Large snow-melting tubs have been put back into service across New York City for the first time in nearly five years as crews work to clear lingering snow left behind by Sunday’s deadly winter storm, the NY Post reports.

City sanitation officials said Wednesday that eight of the specialized machines, known as snow melters, were deployed early Tuesday to remove snow from streets, sidewalks, and bus stops that would otherwise remain for weeks because temperatures have stayed below freezing.

“The snow is just not melting at all, [and] we want to make sure we have enough real estate for businesses and pedestrians to get around freely,” Acting Department of Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan told The NY Post.

“In the next couple of days, they’ll notice the difference,” he said.

Each of the snow melters is capable of liquefying between 60 and 120 tons of snow per hour. The machines have been placed at locations such as Broad and Water streets in lower Manhattan, where massive piles of snow—some spanning the size of a football field—are fed into the tubs, which operate at about 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the snow is melted, the resulting water is discharged directly into the sewer system with approval from the Department of Environmental Protection. Lojan said the placement of the melters depends on which sites receive the necessary environmental clearances.

The city last carried out a full-scale deployment of the snow-melting tubs in February 2021, after a powerful nor’easter blanketed New York with repeated rounds of heavy snow.

Sanitation officials also noted that the equipment was used on a more limited basis in February 2022.

Winter Storm Fern dumped close to 15 inches of snow in some neighborhoods, including 11.4 inches in Central Park and 14.9 inches in Washington Heights in upper Manhattan.

It marked the first time since 2021 that a single storm brought more than a foot of snow to the city.

The eight snow melters currently in use are part of a fleet of 27 owned by the Department of Sanitation and are positioned in Inwood and lower Manhattan, Orchard Beach in the Bronx, East New York and Red Hook in Brooklyn, Maspeth and Queensboro Hill in Queens, and South Beach in Staten Island.

Lojan said residents should expect to see the machines operating in neighborhoods for the next “several weeks.”

He added that another potential snowstorm forecast for the upcoming weekend could extend how long the melters remain in use.

“It depends on this weekend’s storm how much progress we make in the next few days,” the commissioner said.

“Obviously, we’re a little far out.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is suing the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion, as he accuses the federal agencies of a failure to prevent a leak of the president’s tax information to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. The suit, filed in a Florida federal court Thursday, includes the president’s sons Eric Trump and, Donald […]

Tens of thousands of people entered their sixth day with no electricity Friday as the Carolinas and Virginia prepare for a significant winter storm that could bring more snowfall than some parts of North Carolina have seen in years. The National Weather Service said arctic air moving into the Southeast will cause already frigid temperatures […]

Anti-Trump “Journalist” Don Lemon has been arrested after he entered a Minnesota church and recorded anti-immigration enforcement protesters who disrupted a service in an incident that increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday. Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, where had been covering the Grammy […]

Sec. Burgum: “Right now, with President Trump and his plan on controlling the sales… that’s what allows the collaboration with the current government in Venezuela, and it’s what’s going to help put this country on a track to rebuilding its industry.”

BREAKING: Don Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, confirms Lemon was taken into federal custody in Los Angeles on Thursday night.