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A senior official on Tuesday confirmed a report that Turkey wants to join the BRICS bloc of developing economies but stopped short of declaring that the NATO country had formally applied for membership. The Bloomberg news agency reported Monday that Turkey had officially applied to join BRICS several months ago. Asked about the report, Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party, said Erdogan has stated “several times” that Turkey aspires to become a member. “Our request on this issue is clear. This process is ongoing. But there is no concrete development regarding this,” Celik told reporters. “Our president has clearly stated that Turkey wants to take part in all important platforms, including BRICS.” The BRICS alliance was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010, but has recently undergone a major expansion, and now includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has said it’s considering joining and Azerbaijan has formally applied. BRICS has a stated aim to amplify the voice of the Global South. Its founding members have called for a fairer world order and the reform of international institutions like the United Nations, the IMF and the World Bank. Erdogan, who has been in power for more than two decades, has sought to carve a more independent foreign policy for Turkey and to enhance its global influence. The country is also frustrated by the lack of progress in its membership talks with the European Union. Last week, Erdogan said Turkey should “simultaneously” develop relations with both the East and the West. “We don’t have to choose between the European Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Erdogan said in reference to the regional cooperation organization established by China and Russia. “On the contrary we have to develop our relations with both these and other organizations on a win-win basis.” BRICS is expected to discuss taking in new members in a meeting in Russia next month. Turkey, which straddles Europe and Asia, joined the NATO military alliance in 1952. It began talks to join the European Union in 2005 but the negotiations have stalled due to concerns over democratic regression under Erdogan’s administration, and ongoing disputes with Cyprus, an EU member, among other challenges. Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey was “exploring new opportunities for cooperation with several partners in different platforms, such as BRICS.” On Monday, Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, also said Turkey has expressed its interest in joining BRICS. (AP)

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Unfortunately, everything changed when he suddenly collapsed at home in front of his daughters. After being rushed to the hospital and receiving the best care, Shimon remains disabled and will soon begin rehabilitation. 

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• Maran Posek Hador, the Gaon Harav Moshe Shternbuch, shlit”a, arrived at the siyum Hashas of the Shas Yiden kollel network. Without any advanced warning, he was asked if he would test the avreichim• The masterful questions and in-depth and comprehensive answers and sources amazed all who were present.• Maran’s excitement was palpable when he declared: In yesteryear, it was just a dream that Yiden would be knowledgeable of the entire Shas, and in detail. And here, today, we see so many avreichim being tested orally on the entire Shas. A once in a generation happening! Maran Hagaon Harav Shternbuch arrived to attend a siyum Hashas of Shas Yiden, under the leadership of its founder, the Pozna Rov, Hagaon, Harav Avrohom Eisen, shlit”a. After Maran delivered words of encouragement, the Pozna Rov turned to him with a special request: would he agree to test the Shas Yiden avreichim? Maran pondered for a few minutes and then responded in the affirmative. The comprehensive in-depth questions that Rav Shternbuch seemed to produce off-the-cuff, one after the other, were simply astounding. They came from sugyos throughout Shas, disputes between Rashi and Tosfos, implications of different peirushim in Tosfos, jumping and connecting Chulin, Kesubos, Zevochim and Kedushim – a veritable whirlwind of Torah coming together. So he would go from the beginning of the Talmud to the end, and then from the end to the middle.The sight was amazing.   And the sight was, literally, spellbinding. The Shas Yiden avreichim geonim were truly amazing in their comprehensive and detailed responses. Questions on the laws of Me’ilah,  definitions of ‘migo’, ‘shaliach lidvar aveirah’, ‘sfeik sfeika’ and other sugyos in Shas. Maran was clearly very excited from the detailed responses. After hour of give-and-take, he again took up the microphone and expressed his delight and appreciation of the avreichim geonim. However, he departed from his prepared remarks and declared:“In yesteryear, it was just a dream that Yiden would be knowledgeable of the entire Shas, and in detail. Here, today, we see so many avreichim being tested orally on the entire Shas.“You clearly are causing great satisfaction before Hakadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, Blessed Is He), and this is a great zechus for all of the Jewish people.” And then he added “It should be known that anyone who studies and knows Shas is covered by a certain aura – the light of the Shechina. Ashreichem v’ashrei chelkechem – Praised are you all and your portion – even the malochim (angels) on High envy you all.” To watch this dynamic farher with English subtitles, and previous farheren, or for more info on Shas Yiden, or to donate, click on www.shasyiden.com or call 718-702-1528 or Mail: 1274 49th Street #562, Brooklyn, NY 11219. London: UK Registered Charity # 1191225 – 2 Timberwharf Road, London N16 6DB, England or call 0208-066-1566

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu hit back at National Unity Party chair Benny Gantz on Tuesday night after the former War Cabinet member, who returned to the opposition in June, accused him of putting political interests above the lives of the hostages held by Hamas.

“Whoever does not contribute to the victory and the return of the hostages would do well not to interfere,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, responding to Gantz and party colleague Gadi Eizenkot.

“The reality speaks for itself,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Since Gantz quit the coalition, “Israel eliminated Hamas’s chief of staff and Hezbollah’s chief of staff, attacked the Houthis, captured the Philadelphi Corridor—Hamas’s weapons pipeline—and carried out a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah, which thwarted its malicious plan and destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at the Galilee,” the PMO said.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday night at an address broadcast from the Kfar Maccabiah Hotel in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Gantz and Eizenkot claimed that Netanyahu wasn’t telling the truth in public statements on Monday when he vowed to bring the remaining 101 hostages back alive.

“When we sat in the War Cabinet, Netanyahu continually delayed the ability to move forward with the hostage deals, including the first proposal,” charged Gantz. “It didn’t surprise me because Netanyahu is dealing with political survival and is harming strategic relations with the U.S. while Iran is advancing towards nuclear weapons.”

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz and party colleague Gadi Eizenkot hold a press conference in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Sept. 3, 2024. Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90.
Israelis believe Netanyahu is more capable of managing Jerusalem’s diplomatic relations with the United States than Gantz by a margin of 46% to 34%, according to a JNS/Direct Polls survey carried out on July 9.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed that Netanyahu accepted Biden’s May 31 ceasefire-for-hostages outline, as well as last month’s so-called “bridging proposal” presented by the United States.

“In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal, that he supports it,” the diplomat told reporters after meetings in Jerusalem on Aug. 19, adding that “it’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”

Hamas formally rejected the bridging proposal on Aug. 18, accusing the government in Jerusalem of “setting new conditions and demands with the aim of thwarting the mediators’ efforts and prolonging the war.”

Gantz announced in early June his party’s departure from the government set up in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre and the ensuing Gaza war. The National Unity Party leader and his No. 2 man, Eizenkot, had served as ministers without portfolio in the War Cabinet.

Before leaving the unity government, Gantz’s party submitted a bill to dissolve the Knesset in a move to topple Netanyahu’s government.

Gantz also declared that Israel should agree to withdraw from the Gaza Strip as part of a long-term truce deal with Hamas. “I want the hostages to return home,” he told Israel’s Channel 12 News. “If there is a change in the fighting and our hostages are returned, and we do what needs to be done in the Gaza Strip in a year, or in two years, that’s not an issue.” JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of Ukraine’s most recognizable faces on the international stage, submitted his resignation Wednesday ahead of an expected major government reshuffle. Russian strikes, meanwhile, killed seven people in a western Ukraine city, a day after one of the deadliest missile attacks since the war began. Kuleba, 43, didn’t give a reason for stepping down. His resignation will be discussed by lawmakers at their next session, parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said on his Facebook page. Four other Cabinet ministers tendered their resignations late Tuesday, making the Cabinet reshuffle likely the biggest since Russia’s February 2022 invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated last week that a reshuffle was imminent, with the war poised to enter a critical stage and as its 1,000-day mark looms in November. Zelensky needs to keep up Ukraine’s morale amid the grinding war of attrition with its bigger neighbor and steel the country’s resolve for what will be another hard winter. Russia has been smashing Ukraine’s power grid, knocking out some 70% of generation capacity and rupturing heat and water supplies. And Wednesday’s deadly attack on Lviv — a city near the border with NATO member Poland and far from the front lines — underscored how all of Ukraine is at the mercy of Moscow’s long-range capabilities. The Ukrainian army’s risky incursion almost a month ago into Russia’s Kursk border region raised Ukrainian sprits and countered months of grim news from the front line in eastern Ukraine. The incursion’s ultimate goals are unclear, though Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants to create a buffer zone there that would prevent cross-border Russian attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin remains bent on pushing his army deeper into eastern Ukraine, meanwhile. Russia’s onslaught in Donetsk, where Ukraine is short of troops and air defenses, and long-range missile strikes that repeatedly hit civilian areas of Ukraine signal that Putin will remain uncompromising and unrelenting in his efforts to crush Ukrainian resistance. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said late Tuesday that Putin believes Russia “can slowly and indefinitely subsume Ukraine through grinding advances and that Russia can achieve its goals through a war of attrition against Ukrainian forces and by outlasting Western support” for Kyiv. Zelensky is also keeping in mind the U.S. presidential election in November, which could bring a shift in key U.S. military support for his country. During the war Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in carrying Ukraine’s message and needs to an international audience, whether through social media posts or meetings with foreign dignitaries. In July, Kuleba became the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to visit China since Russia’s invasion. He has been foreign minister since March 2020. Kuleba’s successor is not yet known but is expected to be announced on Thursday. Several Ukrainian media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said Kuleba’s deputy, Andrii Sybiha, would become the country’s chief diplomat. The new foreign minister will likely accompany Zelenskyy to the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week, which is an opportunity to lobby global leaders for their support. More than half the current Cabinet will undergo changes, said Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelenskyy’s party in the Ukrainian parliament. Ministers will be resigning on Wednesday and new appointments will be made Thursday, he said. Zelenskyy’s five-year mandate expired in May. He […]

Most polls in critical swing states show Vice President Kamala Harris leading in the areas that will be key to determining the election outcome. However, two polling organizations in southern states are challenging this trend, showing former President Donald Trump with a significant lead, the NY Post reports.

Polling conducted by InsiderAdvantage and Trafalgar across seven key states indicates that Trump could be on course to secure 296 electoral votes, implying that Harris may have lost the momentum she once had.

Matt Towery from InsiderAdvantage, based in Georgia, reported that Trump is leading in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina, and is trailing by just 0.4% in Georgia.

Towery highlighted that both he and Robert Cahaly of Trafalgar (who covered Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan) ranked among the top three pollsters in the 2016 and 2020 elections due to their methods, which allow them to capture some of the Trump support that other pollsters might miss.

It’s important to note that all of Trump’s leads are narrow and within the margin of error, meaning these states could still swing either way on Election Day.

Towery believes Harris’s campaign is losing steam now that the initial excitement has faded.

“The momentum that we were seeing after the Democratic National Convention has sort of come to an end,” Towery stated.

He also observed that the surge in Democratic enthusiasm following Harris’s replacement of Biden has slowed and is now nearly equal with Republican enthusiasm.

Towery thinks that the outcome of this “turnout election” will be significantly influenced by the upcoming “make or break” presidential debate.

If Trump can present himself in a “realistic” manner, “this could become a real turning point like the Carter-Reagan debate that basically sealed the deal” in 1980, Towery predicted.

Robert Cahaly from South Carolina also agreed on the debate’s significance.

He mentioned that Trump might say something that could “overshadow” the rest of the debate, but he added that Harris has “the most to lose” and is in a “no-win situation.”

Cahaly sees a trend of “conservative Democrats” switching to Trump in greater numbers than those crossing over to support Harris. He also pointed out that Harris’s reluctance to engage in interviews has left the media feeling “ignored” and “angry.”

Despite the positive polling for Trump, Cahaly warned that the “Democratic machine” could potentially narrow the margin by “a point or 2.” Therefore, a small lead in September might not necessarily hold until the final vote.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to propose on Wednesday a tenfold increase in federal tax incentives for small business startup expenses, from $5,000 to $50,000, hoping to help spur a record 25 million new small business applications over her four-year term should she win the presidency in November. She’s set to unveil the plan during a campaign stop in the Portsmouth area of New Hampshire — marking a rare deviation from the Midwestern and Sunbelt battlegrounds the Democrat has focused on in her race against former Republican President Donald Trump. A Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a policy plan that hadn’t been released publicly, said Tuesday the change would cover the $40,000 it costs on average to start a business. The proposal would let new businesses wait to claim that deduction until they first turn a profit, to better maximize its impact lowering their taxes. Such changes would likely require congressional approval. But a series of tax cuts approved during the Trump administration are set to expire at the end of next year, setting up a scenario where lawmakers may be ready to consider new tax policies. The proposal can help Harris show her support for entrepreneurs even as she’s called for higher corporate tax rates. Since President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris in July, the vice president has focused on campaigning in the “ blue wall ” states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that have been the centerpiece of Democratic campaigns that have won the White House in recent decades. She’s also frequently visited Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, all of which Biden narrowly won in 2020, and North Carolina, which last voted Democratic in a presidential race in 2008 but which she’s still hoping to flip from Trump. Biden won New Hampshire by 7 percentage points in 2020, though Trump came far closer to winning it against Hillary Clinton in 2016. “The cost of living in New Hampshire is through the roof, their energy bills are some of highest in the country, and their housing market is the most unaffordable in history,” Trump posted last week on his social media platform. Harris’ team says securing 25 million new business applications in four years if she wins the White House would exceed the roughly 19 million such applications filed since Biden took office. And those were millions more than the previous four years under Trump. The vice president’s goal would be a record for new small business applications — but records only go back about 20 years. Applications to start a business don’t always translate to small businesses actually being formed. Still, Harris’ plan could keep new small businesses that do come to fruition from otherwise incurring more debt which, at a time of high interest rates, might help them better succeed. In the weeks since Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket, she has offered relatively few major policy proposals — attempting to strike a political balance between injecting new energy into the race and continuing to support many of the Biden administration proposals she helped champion as vice president. Harris’ small business plan follows her announcing last month proposed steps to fight inflation by working to lower grocery prices, and to use tax cuts and […]

Erez Calderon, a 12-year-old former Hamas hostage, made an emotional appeal on Monday for the release of his father, who remains in Hamas captivity. Erez, who was abducted with his father and sister during the October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, posted the video on Instagram, hoping his father, Ofer Calderon, might somehow see it. Speaking directly to the camera, Erez admitted that it was difficult to share his message but insisted, “If it reaches my father, it is worth it.” His plea comes just two months before his bar mitzvah, a milestone he finds impossible to celebrate while his father is still held captive. “I have a clear goal in life — that he return,” Erez said. Ofer Calderon was taken hostage alongside his children during the brutal Hamas attack on their kibbutz. Erez’s grandmother and cousin were also killed in the assault. Erez and his sister, Sahar, were released on November 27 as part of a temporary ceasefire brokered by Qatar and the United States, but their father remains in Gaza. In the video, Erez recalled the terrifying moments of his abduction, describing how the family initially sought shelter in their home’s bomb shelter before being captured while trying to escape. He vividly recounted the last time he saw his father, who was on his knees and bleeding as terrorists beat him. “Imagine how I felt when I was separated from my father when he was all covered in blood from the blows the terrorists gave him. It’s a moment that never leaves me,” Erez said. “Yesterday I heard that terrorists murdered six hostages. I can’t stop thinking I don’t want my dad to be next,” Erez says in the video. He shared that during his captivity, he could hear his mother’s voice on the radio as she pleaded for the release of hostages. He hopes that, just as he heard his mother, his father might see his video and find strength in knowing his son is safe. Ninety-seven of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, with at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In an operation over the past week, IDF Forces from the 162nd Division have eliminated more than 200 Hamas terrorists in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah. The 401st Brigade, known for its precision and intelligence-based tactics, carried out these missions, uncovering extensive weaponry hidden in civilian structures, revealing the brutal tactics of Hamas. During one particularly intense confrontation, Hamas terrorists attacked IDF troops from inside a civilian building. The IDF soldiers swiftly responded, conducting a targeted raid on the structure, neutralizing the attacker. Upon further investigation, the troops discovered a large stockpile of weapons in the building’s basement, exposing the terrorists’ use of civilian areas to launch their brutal attacks. The cache included ten long-range rocket launchers, ready to be used in future strikes against Israeli civilians. Hamas terrorists, embedded among civilians, continue to display their disregard for human life, using these locations to plan and execute violent assaults. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Video released by Hamas showing hostage Ori Danino calling on Israel to make a deal and free him and the other hostages (Hamas Telegram)

Hamas released a video on Tuesday night showing Ori Danino, one of six hostages whose remains were recovered from Gaza earlier this week.

Just the day before, another video was released by Hamas, this time featuring hostage Eden Yerushalmi, whose body was also recovered this week from Gaza.

On Monday, Ori’s mother, Einav Danino, gave an interview to Reshet Bet radio, where she spoke about her son’s exceptional qualities and how she is coping with the loss. “Ori served in a crucial role in the army, details of which we couldn’t disclose,” she explained. “After three months of his captivity, we began receiving sporadic signs of life, almost monthly. We knew our army was doing everything possible for him. He was an extraordinary person, and we truly believed his story would have a different ending. He was a real fighter.”

With emotion evident in her voice, Einav urged the public to be mindful of their actions online. “Despite the unbearable rumors circulating on Telegram and Instagram, even before we had official confirmation, I ask people to think before they share information or send messages. There are families out there who may not be fully informed and could encounter distressing news through social media. It’s a heartbreaking and unimaginable situation that needs to end.”

Reflecting on the moment they received the devastating news, she recounted, “We were informed early in the morning, around 4 a.m. We couldn’t fathom that this was real. Ori served in a highly important military role and was deeply passionate about the army. We were vigilant in keeping hope alive, and the signs of life we received gave us great optimism that he would come back to us.”

Einav also spoke about Ori’s actions on October 7. “That night, Ori crossed paths with Maya and Itay Regev at the party. Realizing they were in danger, he turned back to rescue them, despite a friend’s plea not to go. Ori didn’t hesitate; he acted with incredible bravery. Tragically, terrorists shot at his car, leading to his capture. Throughout this ordeal, we clung to hope that we would see him again, but sadly, it was not to be.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a press briefing in English tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Jerusalem, targeting international media. A source from his office indicates that he will discuss ongoing hostage negotiations and outline his rationale for maintaining an Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor.

Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris — and the first Jewish person married to a nationally elected U.S. leader — said he is “gutted” after the killing of American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. Speaking Tuesday at a vigil for the hostages at his synagogue in Washington, Emhoff said, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Hersh and his parents, or about the five others and their families.” He added: “This is hard. I feel raw. I’m gutted.” Emhoff, who stands to become the nation’s “first gentleman” if Harris is elected president in November, has emerged as a prominent administration liaison to the Jewish community and a voice in countering antisemitism, particularly in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. About 1,200 people, including at least 40 Americans, were killed in the assault, and about 250 more were taken hostage. “How you feel right now is how I feel,” Emhoff said at the event at the Adas Israel Congregation organized by local and national Jewish groups. “And how we all feel is something Kamala hears directly from me.” He added: “Hersh’s loss feels personal to the two of us. We’re both grieving.” Emhoff recounted his and Harris’ conversation with Goldberg-Polin’s parents on Sunday, a day after Israeli forces discovered their bodies in a tunnel under Gaza. He said that even while mourning the loss of their son, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jonathan Polin were pressing Harris about the latest on the negotiations to reach a cease-fire deal that would free other hostages. “Part of Rachel and Jon’s world had just ended, and they somehow are still looking forward and looking out for others,” Emhoff said. He continued: “Jon and Rachel’s hearts have room to hold everyone. They are not giving up, and neither can we. Not on this 333rd day. Not ever. Not until every hostage is reunited with their family.” Emhoff added that Harris and President Joe Biden are working “around the clock to get a hostage and cease-fire deal done.” He said, “The time to bring them home is now.” Goldberg-Polin and Polin spoke at last month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago as part of their family’s global tour to raise awareness about the hostages and their plight. Emhoff said they understood “that unless we tell the story again and again, we have no hope of ‘never again,'” and said the Jewish community must continue to tell the stories of the hostages. (AP)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on Wednesday is making his first official visit to Turkey since assuming power, after the two regional powers ended years of tensions. El-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to discuss bilateral relations, the conflict in Gaza and escalating tensions in the Middle East, among other topics. They are also expected to oversee the signing of more than a dozen cooperation agreements to strengthen the relationship between their nations, including in energy, defense and tourism. In February, Erdogan made his first visit to Egypt in more than a decade after the two countries agreed to mend ties and reappointed ambassadors. Erdogan declared that the two countries wanted to boost bilateral trade to $15 billion from the current $10 billion. Relations between Egypt and Turkey, a long-time backer of the Muslim Brotherhood group, soured after the Egyptian military ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi amid mass protests against his divisive one year of rule. Morsi was from the Muslim Brotherhood group, which has been outlawed as a terrorist organization in Egypt. In recent years, Ankara has stopped its criticism of el-Sissi’s government, aiming to repair strained relations with Egypt and other Arab nations while seeking investments during an economic downturn. In November 2022, Erdogan and el-Sissi were photographed shaking hands at the World Cup in Qatar. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry then traveled to Turkey in 2023 to show solidarity with the country after a deadly earthquake struck parts of southern Turkey and Syria. It is el-Sissi’s first visit to Turkey since he was elected president in 2014, a year after he led the military’s overthrow of Morsi. El-Sissi will be accompanied by a large delegation of officials and businessmen, Egyptian media reported. Egypt, together with Qatar and the United States, a key Israel ally, has been working for months to try and broker a cease-fire and the return of the remaining 100 hostages held by Hamas. The negotiations have been dragged out since Israel introduced new demands, including lasting Israeli control over the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt and a second corridor running across the Palestinian enclave. Egypt has accused the Israeli prime minister of obstructing the negotiations. It is opposed to any Israeli presence along the Gaza side of its border and says it would threaten the decades-old peace treaty between the two countries, a cornerstone of regional stability. Hamas has tried unsuccessfully to have Turkey added as a guarantor in the cease-fire talks. (AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has reportedly ordered the execution of up to 30 officials, following accusations that they failed to prevent severe flooding and landslides over the summer, which led to the deaths of approximately 4,000 people. This information comes from South Korean media sources.

A source within Kim’s regime revealed that these officials, ranging from 20 to 30 individuals, were accused of corruption and neglecting their responsibilities. According to TV Chosun, they were sentenced to death by the state.

“It has been determined that 20 to 30 cadres in the flood-stricken area were executed at the same time late last month,” the official shared with the media outlet.

Independent sources have yet to confirm the reports of these executions.

Earlier, the North Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim had directed authorities to “strictly punish” the officials in question after devastating floods hit the Chagang Province in July, resulting in around 4,000 deaths and the displacement of over 15,000 residents.

While the identities of the executed officials remain undisclosed, the report highlighted that Kang Bong-hoon, the Chagang Province Provincial Party Committee Secretary since 2019, was among those removed from their positions by Kim during an emergency meeting held amidst the disaster.

In the wake of this meeting, former North Korean diplomat Lee Il-gyu remarked to TV Chosun that provincial officials were “so anxious that they don’t know when their necks will fall off.”

Kim was also observed last month inspecting the flood-affected areas and interacting with the displaced residents, estimating that recovery and rebuilding efforts would take several months.

The North Korean leader also dismissed reports from South Korea concerning the death toll, challenging claims that thousands had perished.

This is not the first instance of Kim ordering executions in response to perceived failures. In 2019, Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea’s nuclear envoy to the United States, was reportedly executed for his inability to secure a successful summit between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump.

However, CNN later disclosed that Chol was actually in state custody, not executed.

According to the Korea Times, public executions are relatively common in North Korea, with an average of 10 occurring each year before the COVID-19 pandemic. The outlet suggests that this number has increased, with at least 100 executions reported last year.

{Matzav.com}

A former Maryland resident was sentenced on Tuesday to more than one year behind bars for making thousands of threatening and harassing telephone calls to dozens of congressional offices across the country, court records show. Ade Salim Lilly’s telephone harassment campaign included approximately 12,000 telephone calls over the span of 19 months to more than 50 offices for members of Congress, according to prosecutors. They said Lilly threatened to kill a congressional staff member during one of the calls. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced Lilly to 13 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release, according to online court records. Prosecutors recommended sentencing Lilly to 18 months of incarceration, arguing for a need to deter others from engaging in similarly threatening behavior. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger testified last year that threats against members of Congress had increased by approximately 400% over the previous six years. “This is an election year, and more and more often, criticism of a political position or viewpoint crosses the First Amendment line and leads to true threats of violence,” prosecutors wrote. “The pervasive rise in threats against elected officials creates a real risk that expressions of violence will become normalized.” Lilly pleaded guilty in May to two charges: one count of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure and one count of making repeated telephone calls. Lilly moved from Maryland to Puerto Rico during his harassment campaign, which lasted from roughly February 2022 until November 2023. He called one lawmaker’s Washington office more than 500 times over a two-day period in February 2023, prosecutors said. (AP)

A Queens man was sentenced Tuesday to 13 months in prison for making more than 12,000 harassing phone calls to members of Congress over an 18-month period and threatening to kill a congressional aide.

Ade Salim Lilly, 35, pleaded guilty in May to one count each of making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, and making repeated telephone calls in 2022 and 2023. In court, he said he was “apologetic and remorseful,” though he claimed to be motivated by a desire to help the country.

“My intention was solely to better the future of the descendants of the founders of the United States, and serving our young people and families and future generations,” he said. “I will find alternative methods to address issues I believe need to be addressed.”

U.S. prosecutors sought an 18-month sentence, saying a stiff punishment is crucial to deter rising threats against elected officials. U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger told lawmakers in March 2023 that threats against members of Congress increased fivefold over the previous six years.

Assistant federal defender Kathryn Guevara asked for a sentence of 10 months, which represents the time that Lilly has already served waiting for his case to be resolved.

“The pervasive rise in threats against elected officials creates a real risk that expressions of violence will become normalized,” Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander R. Schneider wrote in sentencing papers. In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Nielsen said that threats to public servants performing their sworn duties must be “met with swift justice, and with harsh justice,” citing the July assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and the October 2022 attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly acknowledged the danger and the need for deterrence. “Our public officials and their staffs must be able to do their jobs without threats, harassment and without being subjected to violence. These are just basic rules of the road we need to have as a country, and we’ve got a real problem in this regard right now,” Kelly said.

Still, Kelly noted that Lilly had no prior criminal convictions. Addressing the defense’s argument that Lilly was motivated by childhood tragedy and a zealous belief that lawmakers must do more for the nation’s young people, Kelly added, “it is easy to see” how his offense might be the result of “good intentions gone wrong.”

According to court documents, beginning in February 2022 and continuing until his arrest in Puerto Rico in November 2023, Lilly made thousands of telephone calls to about 54 congressional offices across the country, with about half of the calls placed to offices in D.C.

Lilly placed the calls while he was in Maryland or Puerto Rico, and most were answered by congressional staff members or interns, prosecutors said. Lilly became angry and used vulgar and harassing language in the calls, and in at least one call, he threatened to kill or injure the person with whom he was speaking, according to court papers.

Staffers and Capitol Police repeatedly asked him to stop calling and warned that his unwanted calls were harassing and barred by law, but Lilly kept doing so and masked his phone number, prosecutors said.

“I will kill you, I am going to run you over, I will kill you with a bomb or grenade,” prosecutors said Lilly told an aide in a call to an office in D.C. on Oct. 21, 2022.

According to plea papers, Lilly called one congressional office 500 times and another office 200 times over different two-day spans in February 2023. Prosecutors noted that Lilly was arrested in Howard County for telephone misuse and had arrest warrants issued on Feb. 3, 2023, in Prince George’s County and May 31, 2023, in Anne Arundel County for misdemeanor threats of mass violence and telephone misuse, respectively.

“Despite being arrested for his conduct by Maryland authorities on Feb. 3, 2023, the Defendant’s harassment and threatening phone calls continued for months,” Schneider said.

Prosecutors said there was no evidence that Lilly actually planned to carry out the threats, which caused minimal disruption. Still, Schneider and Nielsen argued that Lilly’s listener took his statements as a serious expression of an intent to inflict harm.

Kelly approved a government request that Lilly be barred from contacting certain lawmakers and government offices without prior approval from his probation officer while on three years of supervised release following incarceration.

(c) 2024, The Washington Post · Spencer S. Hsu 

A Venezuelan judge has ordered the arrest of presidential candidate Edmundo González, who the United States and other governments say clearly beat the country’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, in its July 28 election.

Maduro’s attorney general filed a warrant for the arrest of the 75-year-old former diplomat as part of what he said was an investigation into the opposition’s publication of voting machine receipts showing their candidate won more than twice as many votes as the authoritarian socialist.

Venezuela’s electoral council, which is controlled by Maduro, declared him the winner of the election. Several independent reviews of the receipts from 23,000 voting machines, including by The Washington Post, suggest González won the election in a landslide.

The electoral council has not released precinct-level results from the election. Instead, Maduro’s government has cracked down on the opposition, arresting more than 1,600 people and forcing many opposition leaders into hiding.

“Maduro has lost all touch with reality,” opposition leader María Corina Machado posted on X on Monday evening. The former National Assembly member, who is Venezuela’s most popular politician, backed González after she was banned from running against Maduro herself.

“The arrest warrant issued by the regime to threaten President-Elect Edmundo González crosses a new line that only strengthens the resolve of our movement,” Machado said. “Venezuelans and democracies around the world are more united than ever in our quest for freedom.”

The Biden administration is “considering a range of options to demonstrate to Mr. Maduro and his representatives that their actions in Venezuela will have consequences,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.

In the warrant, a prosecutor accuses González of crimes including usurpation, forgery of a public document, instigation and sabotage. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab called on González for a third time last week to appear before prosecutors as part of the investigation. He has declined.

The warrant was approved by a judge in an anti-terrorism court. Maduro, who has ruled the South American country for more than a decade, has repeatedly used its judiciary to affirm his authority. Venezuela’s high court last month ratified Maduro’s election victory, a seal of institutional approval for another six-year term.

Maduro accused González of endorsing violence, and connected him to a nationwide power outage last week.

“This cowardly man … has the nerve to say he doesn’t recognize anything,” Maduro said in televised remarks Monday. “That is why the majority of the people who live in Venezuela agree that laws should work, that there must be order, the constitution should be respected and public government institutions should do their work.”

González has been in hiding in recent weeks as authorities have rounded up and arrested opposition leaders, sometimes on the street and in the middle of the day. González was last seen in public more than a month ago.

His lawyer, José Vicente Haro, told reporters Tuesday that he was staying at González’s residence with González’s wife to cooperate with authorities in case they arrive there. González is staying elsewhere, the lawyer said, and has not requested asylum in any foreign embassy.

The Biden administration, which has called on Maduro to respect the election results and stop repressing the opposition, condemned the warrant.

“Rather than recognizing his election loss and preparing for a peaceful transition in Venezuela, Maduro has now ordered the arrest of the democratic leader who defeated him overwhelmingly at the polls,” Brian Nichols, assistant U.S. secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, said in a post on X. “Edmundo González has promoted national reconciliation, and we join the growing list of international partners condemning this unjustified arrest warrant.”

Administration officials have been backing an effort by the leftist leaders of Colombia, Brazil and Mexico to negotiate a way forward. But with Maduro showing no interest in talks that might lead to his exit, they’ve indicated a willingness to take further action.

Earlier Monday, the United States seized a luxury aircraft that officials said was illegally purchased and “smuggled” out of the country for Maduro to use. Later, Bloomberg News reported that the Treasury Department was close to announcing 15 individual sanctions on Maduro-affiliated officials.

Top officials from the European Union, the Organization of American States and several Latin American countries also condemned the arrest warrant.

“People are being detained for expressing their right to political participation,” Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters Tuesday. “It is a climate of fear in the country at the moment. We are urging the government to ensure that all steps are taken in line with international human rights law.”

(c) 2024, The Washington Post · Samantha Schmidt 

Hezbollah fired a heavy rocket barrage at the Galil close to noon on Wednesday, triggering red alert sirens in a number of yishuvim. Several rockets scored direct hits in Kiryat Shmona and Dishon, kindling fires and damaging property. Some rockets fell in open areas, sparking fires, and others were intercepted by the Iron Dome. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish fires in several areas in Galil.  (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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An initial IDF investigation into Hamas’s murder of the six hostages in Rafah last week revealed that Hamas lookouts standing outside the tunnel saw IDF forces approaching the area,  prompting the terrorists to murder the hostages and flee the area, Kan News reported on Tuesday evening. According to the report, after the hostages’ bodies were located, the IDF discovered indications at the scene that Hamas lookouts were watching the IDF soldiers in real time. IDF forces operating in Rafah have been careful not to approach areas where live hostages may be held, according to intelligence information transmitted to the forces in real-time. However, in this case, there was no intelligence that hostages were being held in the area. On Monday, the Hamas terror group engaged in its usual inhumane cruelty and lies. After previously claiming that the six hostages were not murdered but were killed in an IDF airstrike, Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida, in a post on Telegram, admitted to killing “the prisoners” but placed the blame on Israel, saying that “Netanyahu and the occupation army alone bear full responsibility for the deaths of the ‘prisoners’ after deliberately blocking any ‘prisoner exchange’ out of their own narrow interests.” Abu Obaida then hinted that Hamas will murder all the hostages rather than allow them to be rescued by the IDF, stating that following the rescue of the four hostages in the “Nuseirat incident” [Operation Arnon] in June, Hamas guards were issued new instructions about “how to treat the ‘prisoners’ if the occupation army approaches the area where they’re being held.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)