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MASS CHURCH SHOOTING IN MICHIGAN: Truck Rammed Church, Building Set On Fire [VIDEOS]

Yeshiva World News -

A gunman was “down” after shooting multiple people at a Michigan church that was also engulfed in flames on Sunday, authorities said. The active shooter situation unfolded just before 11 a.m. local time at a church in Grand Blanc Township, the Grand Blanc Township Police Department said in a post on social media. Police sources said that six to eight people were struck. Their conditions are currently unknown. Video from the scene showed smoke billowing as emergency vehicles lined the street. Sources said the suspected shooter may have started the church on fire. Grand Blanc confirmed that as of 11:35 a.m., the church was on fire, and people should avoid the area. Police said the shooter is down, and there is no threat to the public at this time. “The shooter is down, we do have multiple victims, the entire church is on fire,” Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said. United States Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that agents from the FBI and ATF are headed to the scene. “Such violence at a place of worship is heartbreaking and chilling. Please join me in praying for the victims of this terrible tragedy,” she wrote.

Chief Rabbi On Desecration of Rav Meir Mazuz’s Grave: “Only a Non-Jew Or a Madman Would Do Such a Thing”

Matzav -

Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Yosef condemned the desecration of the kever of Rav Meir Mazuz zt”l, calling the act outrageous and demanding that the cemetery be properly guarded.

Speaking on Motzoei Shabbos during the central Shabbos Shuva derasha at Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim—an annual event broadcast across Israel and abroad—Rav Yosef sharply criticized those responsible for the vandalism.

“On my way here, I was informed of the desecration of the tombstone and the sacred grave of Maran Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Meir Mazuz zt”l. This is a dreadful and shocking act, and we strongly condemn it. Woe to the one who committed this deed. I assume it was not Jews who did this, since it occurred on Shabbos. I call on the mayor, Rav Chanoch Zeibert, to station guards at the cemetery, where many of the great leaders of Israel are buried. It is essential to ensure ongoing protection at the site to prevent vandals from harming it again, chas v’shalom,” Rav Yosef declared.

He added: “Certainly, the honor of Maran Rosh HaYeshiva Rav Meir Mazuz has not diminished and never will. He was a giant among giants, whom no one can even approach. The love and admiration for Maran Rosh HaYeshiva will only continue to grow. We are all his students.”

Despite Rav Mazuz’s absence this year, the traditional gathering at Kisei Rachamim carried on, with Rav Yosef, Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, and Rav Tzion Mazuz delivering shiurim and leading selichos, broadcast on Kol Berama Radio and other media outlets.

As reported last night, talmidim visiting the kever discovered that vandals had defaced the matzeivah over Shabbos in a brazen act of desecration. Police have opened an investigation, and there is hope that those responsible will be identified and brought to justice.

{Matzav.com Israel}

WATCH: Netanyahu Confirms Israel Working with US on 21-Point Gaza Plan; Addresses Hamas, PA, and Abraham Accords

Yeshiva World News -

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed in an interview with Fox News that Israel is currently collaborating with the Trump administration to advance the American 21-point plan for ending the war in Gaza. Speaking from New York a day before his scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Netanyahu said, “We’re working on it. It’s not been finalized yet, but we’re working with President Trump’s team, actually, as we speak.” He emphasized the importance of the plan, stating, “I hope we can make it a go, because we want to free our hostages, we want to get rid of Hamas rule, and have them disarmed, Gaza demilitarized, and a new future set up for Gazans and Israelis alike, and for the whole region.” Addressing the terms related to Hamas, Netanyahu explained that Israel would allow Hamas members safe passage if they end the war and release all hostages. “Ahead of his planned meeting with US President Donald Trump tomorrow, Netanyahu stresses that ‘the details of this have to be worked out,’ while telling the network that ‘if Hamas leaders finish the war, release all the hostages, we let them out.’” He added, “That is something that I’ve said in the past, but it has to be worked out. All of that, I think, is part of the plan. I’m not going to preempt it, because we’re having these discussions exactly right now.” Regarding the Palestinian Authority’s role post-war, Netanyahu reaffirmed his long-standing opposition to PA governance in Gaza. “I haven’t changed my positions, and I think that the credibility or the likelihood of the things — a reformed Palestinian Authority that changes completely its stripes… Some people will believe it happens. I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said. The Prime Minister also addressed concerns about Israel’s recent military actions in Doha and Gaza, and their impact on the Abraham Accords. He stated, “I think there are many possibilities for peace, which I’m discussing with President Trump and his team, and we plan to seize them. I think you’ll see that not only are the Abraham Accords not endangered, they’ll be expanded to other countries.” Despite some Gulf leaders, including the UAE, expressing concern over Israel’s strike in Qatar, Netanyahu defended the action, saying, “I think that the United States and any self-respecting country doesn’t give a pass to terrorists. Of course, we weren’t attacking Qatar any more than [the US was] attacking Pakistan when [it] took out [former Al-Qaeda leader Osama] Bin Laden.” He also addressed a clause within the 21-point plan that would bar Israel from future strikes in Qatar. “These things, again, will be worked out because our goal was that. Our goal was Hamas, not anything beyond it. I think we can work out an understanding on this,” Netanyahu concluded.

Israeli Police Seize Illegal Weapons, Arrest Man in I‘ilot

Yeshiva World News -

Since the start of the year, Israeli police have seized hundreds of illegal weapons in operations targeting violent crime, including shootings in Israeli-Arab communities. The latest haul, found in the northern town of I‘ilot, included four handguns, an M16 rifle, a grenade, M16 parts, magazines, and large amounts of ammunition, leading to the arrest of a local man in his 40s.

‘Hamas Has No Regrets Of Oct. 7,’ Terror Group Official Tells CNN After Surviving Doha Strike

Matzav -

A senior Hamas figure, Ghazi Hamad, made clear in an interview with CNN that the group has no remorse for the October 7 massacres in Israel, which left nearly 1,200 dead and over 250 taken hostage. The remarks were reported on Friday.

Hamad, who sits on Hamas’s political bureau, was recently targeted in an Israeli strike in Doha but survived the attempt.

The October 7 bloodshed in Israel, which saw thousands of terrorists storm the border, continues to reverberate globally. Despite the devastation it brought upon Gaza, Hamad insisted that Hamas does not regret its actions.

In the CNN exchange, Hamad wrongly claimed that Hamas struck only military positions, asserting that it “never intended to kidnap civilians.” He argued that the “Palestinian cause” had been strengthened by the assault, pointing to growing calls for recognition of Palestinian statehood and harsher criticism of Israel across the world.

“You know what the benefit of October 7 is now? If you look at the [United Nations] General Assembly yesterday, about 194 members opened their eyes to the atrocity and brutality of Israel, and they condemned Israel,” he told CNN. “We waited for this moment for 77 years.”

Osama Hamdan, another senior Hamas representative, echoed this message in a separate interview with Al Mayadeen, maintaining that countries moving toward recognition of a Palestinian state were influenced by Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

Pressed by CNN about the staggering number of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza, Hamad remained unapologetic. The outlet also reminded viewers that he had previously boasted that Palestinians “are proud to sacrifice martyrs.”

CNN showed him video clips of Gaza residents condemning Hamas’s conduct. According to the report, Hamad “refused to look at the footage for more than a few seconds, pushing the iPad away.”

The CNN team also questioned him about Israeli claims that hostages were being used as human shields inside Gaza City during the ongoing IDF ground push. Hamad rejected the allegations, insisting the captives were being treated “with Islamic principles.”

Hamad further commented on international mediation efforts, saying discussions with President Donald Trump on halting the war were “frozen.” This contradicted Trump’s statements that talks with regional leaders had been progressing.

According to Hamad, no negotiations with Washington have taken place since the strike in Qatar. He accused Trump of granting Israel “the green light” to try to kill him, alleging this has caused U.S. mediators engaged in ceasefire efforts to “lose their credibility.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Sara Jane Moore, Who Tried To Assassinate President Gerald Ford In 1975, Dies At 95

Yeshiva World News -

Sara Jane Moore, who was imprisoned for more than 30 years after she made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975, has died. She was 95. Moore died Wednesday at a nursing home in Franklin, Tennessee, according to Demetria Kalodimos, a longtime acquaintance who said she was informed by the executor of Moore’s estate. Kalodimos is an executive producer at the Nashville Banner newspaper, which was first to report the death. Moore seemed an unlikely candidate to gain national notoriety as a violent political radical who nearly killed a president. When she shot at Ford in San Francisco, she was a middle-aged woman who had begun dabbling in leftist groups and sometimes served as an FBI informant. Sentenced to life, Moore was serving her time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, when she was unexpectedly paroled Dec. 31, 2007. Federal officials gave no details on why she was set free. She lived largely anonymously in an undisclosed location after that, but in broadcast interviews she expressed regret for what she had done. She said she had been caught up in the radical political movements that were common in California in the mid-1970s. “I had put blinders on, I really had, and I was listening to only … what I thought I believed,”” she told San Francisco television station KGO in April 2009. “We thought that doing that would actually trigger a new revolution.” Two would-be assassins Moore was often confused with Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a disciple of cult murderer Charles Manson who aimed a semiautomatic pistol at Ford in Sacramento, California, on Sept. 5, 1975. A Secret Service agent grabbed the gun before any shots could be fired, and the president was unharmed. Just 17 days later, on Sept. 22, Moore shot at Ford as he waved to a crowd outside the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square. Oliver Sipple, a 33-year-old former Marine, knocked the .38-caliber pistol out of her hand as she fired, causing the shot to go astray and hit a building. “I’m sorry I missed,” Moore said during an interview with the San Jose Mercury News seven years later. “Yes, I’m sorry I missed. I don’t like to be a failure.” But in later interviews, before and after her release, she repeatedly said that she regretted her actions, saying she was convinced that the government had declared war on the left. Asked by KGO in 2009 what she would say to Ford if that had been possible, she replied that she would tell him, “I’m very sorry that it happened. … I’m very happy that I did not succeed.” Ford died in 2006, about a year before her release. Her family did not publicly comment on her death. Geri Spieler, who wrote a biography of Moore titled “Housewife Assassin,” said she had abandoned her children and was estranged from all her living relatives. Multiples marriages, name changes, unclear motives Moore was born Sara Jane Kahn on Feb. 15, 1930, in Charleston, West Virginia. Her confusing background, which included multiple failed marriages, name changes and involvement with both leftist political groups and the FBI, baffled the public and even her own defense attorney during her trial. “I never got a satisfactory answer from her as to why she did it,” retired […]

Bill Maher Says Slaughter of Christians In Nigeria Being Ignored Because ‘The Jews Aren’t Involved’

Matzav -

On Friday night’s broadcast of Real Time, host Bill Maher argued that mass killings of Christians in Nigeria by Islamist groups are largely being overlooked by the public and the press. He claimed the reason is simple: “the Jews aren’t involved.”

During the panel discussion, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said she was grateful Maher had raised the subject, pointing out that American media has largely failed to cover the crisis in Nigeria.

“Well, because the Jews aren’t involved. That’s why,” Maher shot back. “It’s the Christians and the Muslims — who cares?”

Maher then described Boko Haram, the radical Islamist organization responsible for widespread violence in Nigeria, as being “literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.” He asked, “Where are the kids protesting this?”

“They are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009. They’ve burned 18,000 churches. This is so much more. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram. This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza,” he continued.

He went on to say that the slaughter has not received the attention it demands, blasting the lack of awareness. “If you don’t know what’s going on in Nigeria, your media sources suck,” Maher said. “You are in a bubble.”

The U.K. branch of Open Doors, a Christian advocacy group that supports persecuted believers, told Fox News Digital, “The crisis facing large areas of sub-Saharan Africa is hard to overstate. It is potentially existential for the future peace and stability of several nations in the region, not least Nigeria. Around 150,000 people have been killed in Jihadist violence over the last 10 years. Over 16 million Christians have been driven from their homes and their land across the region.”

Nigeria has consistently ranked as one of the deadliest places on earth for Christians. Research by Open Doors indicates that more believers are murdered there for their faith each year than in the rest of the world combined.

The White House has said it is working with the State Department to explore steps to stop the bloodshed and foster stability in the region.

{Matzav.com}

Katz: Gaza Will Be Destroyed, Hamas Eliminated If Terror Group Does Not Disarm, Return All Hostages

Matzav -

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz issued a stern message to Hamas late last night, warning through a post on X/Twitter that the terror group would face devastating consequences if the conflict persisted.

“If Hamas does not release all the hostages and disarm, Gaza will be destroyed and Hamas will be eliminated,” he wrote.

He continued with a pledge of determination: “We will not stop until all the war’s objectives are achieved,” he added.

Katz explained that his statement came as the Israel Defense Forces pressed forward with intensified assaults in Gaza City, where more than 750,000 residents have already fled southward.

As part of those operations, the IDF targeted and destroyed significant terror infrastructure, including what Katz labeled “terror towers.” These high-rise buildings, tied by the military to Hamas activities, were brought down early in the campaign in order to seize control of the group’s final urban stronghold.

By Saturday, assessments from the IDF’s Southern Command indicated that Israeli forces had secured control over more than half of Gaza City.

Command sources told Walla that the territorial advances were made possible by carefully orchestrated maneuvers at several fronts, with multiple divisions working together under the framework of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Some People Tape Their Mouths Shut At Night. Doctors Wish They Wouldn’t

Yeshiva World News -

Having your mouth taped shut is the stuff of nightmares — but some people are doing just that to themselves. And in an attempt to sleep better, no less. Doctors say don’t do it. Some on social media say it’s a hack for getting more and better sleep and to reduce snoring. The claims — which are not backed by science — are taking off on places like TikTok, sometimes pushed by people working for companies selling related products. “The studies behind mouth tape are small, the benefits are modest and the potential risks are there,” said Dr. Kimberly Hutchison, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at Oregon Health & Science University. Some of those risks include making sleep disorders like sleep apnea worse, or even causing suffocation. It is better to breathe through your nose most of the time Mouth breathing in adults is not a major health problem, but it is better to breath through your nose, experts say. Your nose is a natural filtering system, trapping dust and other allergens before they can get to your lungs. If you’re breathing with your mouth open at night, you could wake up with a dry mouth and irritated throat, which can contribute to bad breath and oral health problems. Mouth breathing is also associated with more snoring. Don’t rush to use mouth tape But even though breathing through your nose is better than breathing through your mouth, taping your mouth shut isn’t the best way to fix the issue. There’s no strong evidence it helps improve sleep. A few studies have been conducted, most of which showed little or no impact, but they were so small experts say conclusions should not be drawn from them. And meanwhile, there are the potential dangers to be avoided. Dr. David Schulman, a sleep doctor at Emory University, said there are other things to try, like prescription mouth pieces that can open up your airway, or a CPAP machine. If you’re a smoker or are overweight, for example, quitting smoking and losing weight can help. Mouth breathing could be a sign of something serious — so find out The safest approach is to figure out why exactly you are breathing with your mouth, because there could be something else going on. You may be breathing through your mouth because you have obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because of a blocked airway. The disorder is linked to both open mouth breathing and snoring, and is typically treated with a CPAP machine. “The reason sleep apnea can be bad is that any decrease in the quality of sleep can affect you day to day or over the course of your life,” said Dr. Brian Chen, a sleep doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. “Depending on how bad the sleep is, you may just feel sleep deprived or require more sleep.” The best thing to do, Emory’s Shulman says, is get a sleep test, some of which can be done at home. “It’s always better to know than not know,” he said. “And if you know that something’s going on and you choose not to pursue therapy, at least you know you’re making an educated decision.” (AP)

Mass Atzeres Tefillah Planned For Monday In Lakewood Against IDF Drafting Yeshiva Bochurim

Yeshiva World News -

A large atzeres tefillah is set to take place tomorrow, Monday, in the heart of Lakewood, as Gedolei Yisroel call for a united outcry of tefillah against the draft of chareidim into the IDF. The event will be held on Lexington Avenue between 9th Street and 10th Street, beginning with Mincha at 5:45 p.m. followed by Tehillim at 6:00 p.m. Read the full story on Lakewood Alerts. 

FBI’s Patel Clarifies Role of Hundreds of Agents On Jan 6, Says Wray Lied to Congress

Matzav -

The FBI issued a response following a report that 274 plainclothes bureau personnel were present during the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Fox News reports. Officials explained their presence while criticism continued to mount against former Director Christopher Wray.

According to what officials told Fox News Digital, those agents were dispatched only after the riot was already underway in an effort to help control the crowds. Kash Patel argued that such assignments are outside the FBI’s responsibilities and faulted Wray for repeatedly withholding that information when testifying on Capitol Hill.

“Agents were sent into a crowd control mission after the riot was declared by Metro Police – something that goes against FBI standards,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “This was the failure of a corrupt leadership that lied to Congress and to the American people about what really happened.”

He added, “Thanks to agents coming forward, we are now uncovering the truth. We are fully committed to transparency, and justice and accountability continues with this FBI.”

An FBI representative also told Fox News Digital there is no evidence that any bureau agents were linked to President Trump’s speech earlier that morning at the Ellipse. However, the official acknowledged Wray should have disclosed to lawmakers that FBI personnel were at the scene.

President Donald Trump weighed in after The Blaze reported on the number of agents present, criticizing Wray for not being candid.

“It was just revealed that the FBI had secretly placed, against all Rules, Regulations, Protocols, and Standards, 274 FBI Agents into the Crowd just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday.

Trump added, “This is different from what Director Christopher Wray stated, over and over again! That’s right, as it now turns out, FBI Agents were at, and in, the January 6th Protest, probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists, but certainly not as ‘Law Enforcement Officials.’”

He demanded details on who the officers were and why they were there at the Capitol.

“Many Great American Patriots were made to pay a very big price only for the love of their Country,” Trump said, referring to his supporters who were prosecuted for their actions that day.

Earlier this year, Trump granted pardons or commutations to all individuals charged in connection with January 6 after he took office.

He concluded, “I owe this investigation of ‘Dirty Cops and Crooked Politicians’ to them! Christopher Wray, the then Director of the FBI, has some major explaining to do. That’s two in a row, Comey and Wray, who got caught LYING, with our Great Country at stake. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN TO AMERICA AGAIN!”

The Blaze, citing a senior congressional aide, said the number of agents should not be viewed as shocking, since the FBI often stations countersurveillance staff at large-scale events.

In testimony before a House committee on Nov. 15, 2023, Wray said, “If you are asking if the violence at the Capitol was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources or agents, the answer is no,” though he declined to confirm whether agents or informants had been embedded in the crowd.

Politico later reported that the 274 figure also included agents tasked with responding to pipe bombs found outside the headquarters of both national political parties the night before the riot.

Wray had been chosen to lead the bureau by Trump in 2017 after he dismissed James Comey, who was indicted just this week for allegedly lying to Congress.

The Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, released a report in December stating: “We found no evidence in the materials we reviewed or the testimony we received showing or suggesting that the FBI had undercover employees in the various protest crowds, or at the Capitol, on January 6,” though he confirmed there were 26 paid informants present, three of them assigned by the FBI.

That review also explained that FBI staff were deployed at the request of Capitol Police, who were overwhelmed, specifically to aid in crowd management. Horowitz made clear that none of the informants were allowed to provoke unrest, commit crimes, or enter the Capitol itself.

The Blaze suggested that confusion between the terms “plainclothes” and “undercover” may explain why both the inspector general’s findings and the FBI’s statements can technically be correct.

One official told Fox News Digital that many agents resented being asked to perform crowd control since they had no advance preparation and are not trained for such roles. The decision ran contrary to the bureau’s original intent to keep away from direct involvement.

The first FBI personnel began arriving at the Capitol around 2:30 p.m., after a riot was declared, and additional agents followed, the official said.

Patel later criticized Wray for the way he handled questions in Congress before the inspector general’s report came out.

“Why it took a ton of time and questioning in Congress for the director to get that point is what I’m trying to eliminate from the FBI,” Patel said. “If Congress asks you a question under oath, whether or not there were sources in [or] around Jan. 6th at the Capitol, you as the director of the FBI need to know that and not deflect and give a D.C. answer. You have to be prepared for that.”

{Matzav.com}

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