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AUSTRALIA: Antisemitic Firebombing Targets Chanukah-Decorated Vehicle in Melbourne, Just Days After Chanukah Massacre

Yeshiva World News -

A car prominently displaying Chanukah decorations, including a menorah mounted on its roof, was deliberately firebombed early Thursday morning in Melbourne’s St Kilda East neighborhood. According to a statement from Community Security Group (CSG) Victoria, the incident occurred just after 3:00 a.m. Police were called to the scene after the vehicle—clearly identifiable as Jewish due […]

MORAL PERVERSION: Police Complaint Filed After Artwork In Germany Depicts Anne Frank In A Keffiyeh Artwork

Yeshiva World News -

Artwork depicting Anne Frank wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh has ignited a fierce backlash in Germany, with Israeli officials and Jewish organizations accusing the artist and museum of desecrating Holocaust memory and drawing a moral equivalence between Israel and Nazi Germany. The painting, by Italian artist Constantino Ciervo, is on display at the Fluxus+ Museum in […]

Judge Blocks Trump Order Revoking Security Clearance of Attorney Mark Zaid

Yeshiva World News -

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a March presidential memorandum to revoke the security clearance of prominent Washington attorney Mark Zaid, ruling that the order — which also targeted 14 other individuals — could not be applied to him. The decision marked the administration’s second legal setback on Tuesday, after the […]

Netanyahu: Israel to Spend $110 Billion to Develop Independent Arms Industry in Next Decade

Matzav -

At a ceremony marking the induction of new pilots, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu outlined a far-reaching plan to bolster Israel’s domestic defense production, saying the country intends to sharply cut its reliance on foreign suppliers.

Netanyahu said the government plans to allocate 350 billion shekels, about $110 billion, toward developing an independent arms capability, stressing that Israel will still procure certain necessities abroad even as it expands local manufacturing. “We will continue to acquire essential supplies while independently arming ourselves,” he said at the event.

Acknowledging the limits of full self-sufficiency, Netanyahu said Israel would nevertheless aim to maximize homegrown production. “I don’t know if a ⁠country can be completely independent but we will strive … to ensure our ⁠arms are produced ⁠as much as possible in Israel,” he said. “Our goal is to build an independent arms industry for the State of ⁠Israel and reduce the dependency on any party, including allies.”

{Matzav.com}

Levin Gives Up; High Court Wins: No One Will Head Ex-Military Advocate Affair

Yeshiva World News -

Justice Minister Yariv Levin has given up on appointing an official to head the investigation into the ex-Military Advocate General affair, Israeli media outlets reported on Wednesday. The decision comes after the High Court once again disqualified Levin’s appointment of Judge Asher Kula to oversee the case. Kan News reported on Wednesday that in addition […]

Pennsylvania Principal Faces Firing After Leaving Antisemitic Voicemail for Jewish Parent

Yeshiva World News -

A Pennsylvania elementary school principal is facing termination after allegedly leaving a voicemail laced with antisemitic slurs for a Jewish parent. Philip Leddy, principal of Lower Gwynedd Elementary School in Montgomery County, confirmed to the Wissahickon School District that he made the comments Friday morning, according to an email sent to parents by Superintendent Mwenyewe […]

Powerball Prize Soars to $1.7 Billion for Tonight’s Drawing

Matzav -

The Powerball jackpot has surged to an eye-popping $1.7 billion, placing one of the largest lottery prizes ever offered in the United States within reach of players nationwide.

The surge came after Monday night’s drawing failed to produce a jackpot winner, clearing the way for the prize to roll over once again and climb sharply.

The drawing is tonight at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Despite the excitement, the odds remain daunting, with a one-in-292.2-million chance of hitting the jackpot.

According to the game’s website, the eventual winner will have a choice between receiving the full $1.7 billion through annual payments spread over 29 years or opting for a one-time cash payout estimated at about $781.3 million before taxes.

The current prize ranks as the fourth-largest jackpot in Powerball history and among the biggest ever offered by any U.S. lottery, heightening anticipation as ticket sales continue to climb.

Monday’s drawing did not produce a grand-prize winner, but it did yield nine secondary prizes worth $1 million each across the country.

The biggest Powerball jackpot on record reached $2.04 billion, claimed by a ticket sold in California in 2022, which also stands as the largest U.S. lottery prize ever won.

{Matzav.com}

Average US Long-Term Mortgage Rate Ticks Down To 6.18% This Week

Yeshiva World News -

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage ticked down modestly this week, remaining in the same narrow range of the past two months. The average long-term mortgage rate fell to 6.18% from 6.21% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.85%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, […]

White House Orders Forces to ‘Quarantine’ Venezuelan Oil for 2 Months

Matzav -

For the next several weeks, U.S. military activity will be centered almost entirely on blocking Venezuelan oil exports, following a directive from the White House, a U.S. official said Wednesday.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the instruction orders American forces to concentrate nearly all their efforts “on the quarantine of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months.”

The administration views this approach as the preferred method of applying pressure on Caracas, prioritizing sanctions enforcement over immediate military action. “While military options ⁠still exist the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking,” the official said.

The emphasis on economic measures could cool expectations of near-term U.S. ground operations against Venezuela, something President Donald Trump has said remains possible.

U.S. officials believe the oil restrictions are already taking a heavy toll. “The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro and the belief is that by late ⁠January Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.,” the official said.

{Matzav.com}

הוֹדוּ לַה׳ כִּי טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּו: Girl Struck by Boro Park School Bus Released from Hospital, Recovering After Surgeries

Yeshiva World News -

הוֹדוּ לַה׳ כִּי טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: Boro Park Scoop is pleased to report that the 4-year-old girl who was critically injured after being struck by a school bus on East 2nd Street between Avenues I and J on September 29 has been released from the hospital. Following multiple surgeries, she is now recovering. Please […]

הוֹדוּ לַה׳ כִּי טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּו: Girl Struck by Boro Park School Bus Released from Hospital, Recovering After Surgeries

Yeshiva World News -

הוֹדוּ לַה׳ כִּי טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: Boro Park Scoop is pleased to report that the 4-year-old girl who was critically injured after being struck by a school bus on East 2nd Street between Avenues I and J on September 29 has been released from the hospital. Following multiple surgeries, she is now recovering. Please […]

Israel Exposes UN System Spending $100 Million a Year Targeting the Jewish State

Matzav -

Israel’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations says it has uncovered a vast, structured system inside the UN that channels enormous resources toward activities focused almost entirely on Israel. According to figures released by the mission, roughly $100 million a year is devoted to reports, debates, special mechanisms, and communications efforts that consistently single out the Jewish state, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said the findings demonstrate that the effort is neither incidental nor marginal. “Today we actually showed that these are orchestrated campaigns, well-funded and well-established within the UN budget,” he said. “These $100 million, which will be approved in the coming days in the new UN budget, are spent on activities against the government of Israel and against the IDF.”

Danon noted that while some of the initiatives are openly labeled as addressing Palestinian issues, others are presented under broader or less transparent frameworks. “Sometimes they do it directly, such as through committees that address Palestinian issues. Many times it is disguised under different names and organizations, but the actual activities are pure propaganda against the State of Israel,” he said.

The assessment, prepared by Israel’s Permanent Mission to the UN and International Organizations, points to specific UN entities whose stated mission centers on advancing the Palestinian narrative, including the Division for Palestinian Rights and several General Assembly committees dedicated exclusively to that cause.

According to the analysis, the UN produces dozens of debates and at least 100 reports every year dealing with Israel and the Palestinians. Many of these documents are described as repetitive, politically slanted, and lacking balance. Each report can cost tens of thousands of dollars to prepare and translate, while debates add thousands more in expenses. When travel and staffing costs are included, the total climbs into the millions annually.

Israeli officials say a central pillar of this structure is UNRWA, whose annual budget request stands at approximately $86 million. Of that sum, about $80 million is drawn from the UN’s regular budget, with roughly 60 percent earmarked for international staff salaries.

While other UN bodies have been subjected to budget cuts and reform efforts, UNRWA has largely avoided such measures. This continues despite repeated disclosures of Hamas infiltration into the agency and longstanding questions about its neutrality.

Asked whether Israel is attempting to bring greater scrutiny to the UN bodies receiving this funding, Danon acknowledged the challenge. “We are always trying,” he said in response to a question from The Jerusalem Post. “But unfortunately, most countries tend to ignore it. And even though we exposed this, the UN will continue to fund these activities.”

Beyond the General Assembly framework, Israel has also highlighted the role of the Human Rights Council in Geneva and its commission of inquiry on Israel, established in 2021 with an open-ended mandate. That mechanism alone is estimated to cost about $4 million per year and, according to Israeli officials, has increasingly adopted language associated with delegitimization, accusations of genocide, and economic pressure campaigns.

The commission has compiled a so-called blacklist of companies operating in Israeli-controlled areas and works alongside special rapporteurs who receive UN support while advancing explicitly political agendas. Israeli officials argue that these activities feed international legal actions against Israel and bolster global BDS efforts.

Israel’s mission stressed that exposing these funding patterns is not an attempt to undermine humanitarian assistance or silence legitimate criticism. Rather, officials say, the goal is to dismantle a system that has institutionalized discrimination, rewarded bias, and consumed vast sums of public money.

“We are sharing the information, and we are grateful to the US mission, which is taking a moral stand against the funding of these bodies,” Danon said. “Despite the huge amount of money directed against Israel, we will continue to stand strong and proud against the bias of UN organizations.”

{Matzav.com}

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