President Herzog’s at Levaya of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin: “Beloved Hersh, with a torn and broken heart, I stand here today as the President of the State of Israel, bidding you farewell and asking for your forgiveness, from you, and from Carmel, from Eden, from Almog, from Alex, and Ori, and from all your loved ones. I apologize on behalf of the State of Israel, that we failed to protect you in the terrible disaster of October 7, that we failed to bring you home safely. I apologize that the country you immigrated to at the age of 7, wrapped in the Israeli flag, could not keep you safe.” Rachel, Jon, dear Libby, and Orly, grandparents, and the whole family – I ask for your forgiveness, forgiveness that we could not bring Hersh back home alive. Your special light, Hersh, captivated all of us from the first glance, even through the posters crying out for his return. Most of us did not have the privilege of knowing you in life, but you have been so alive in us for eleven months now; together with many other brothers and sisters, held captive by cursed, monstrous murderers – since Simchat Torah – which turned into the day of our disaster. Know this: We are witnesses, and we will never forget. There is no door in the world on which your beloved family did not knock for you, for your rescue and well-being. There is no stone they left unturned, no prayer or plea they did not cry out – from one end of the world to the other – in the ears of God and man. Michal and I met with your parents and family dozens of times in the past year, and we had the privilege of getting to know up close people of exceptional stature and to learn from them a lesson we will never forget – about a mother’s and father’s limitless love. Only recently, on the evening of Tisha B’Av, together with your parents, we prayed at the President’s Residence for your return, together with all the hostages. And now, our heart, already broken, is shattered into pieces. In one night, we were informed of the murder of six innocent and pure souls, each of them a whole world, with loved ones who have not slept a single full night, nor taken a full breath, for eleven months now. Now – the State of Israel has an urgent and immediate task. Decision-makers must do everything possible, with determination and courage, to save those who can still be saved, and to bring back all our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters. This is not a political goal, and it must not become a political dispute. It is a supreme moral, Jewish, and human duty of the State of Israel to its citizens. We did not fulfill this duty. And now – we have a sacred and shared obligation, to stand up and bring them all back to their homeland. For the spirit, resilience, and unity of Israel. Of course, we do not forget for a moment our obligation to hold accountable the despicable murderers who butchered you – Hersh – your friends, our sisters, and our brothers. Here too, the mission is clear and binding: To continue fighting […]
Thousands of people line the roads of Jerusalem to pay their last goodbye to Hersh Goldberg-Polin HY’D before he is laid to rest on Har Hamenuchos
‘The Big Weekend Show’ co-hosts react to the murder of six hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
WATCH:
In yet another act of sadistic cruelty, the Hamas terror group released a video on Telegram on Monday afternoon featuring the six hostages executed in cold blood last week. The video shows short clips of each of the hostages confirming their identities and then ends with the threat to release their final messages in the coming hours. The threat comes as the levayos of the victims are still taking place. The levaya of slain US-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin is taking place on Monday afternoon in Jerusalem. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
An imam from Utica, New York, called to “take out” a prominent pro-Israel professor at Columbia University, sparking widespread backlash. The imam, Tom Facchine, made the comment against Professor Shai Davidai during a webinar titled “Islamic Political Activism,” hosted by the Columbia University branch of Students for Justice in Palestine. “If you’re able to take out somebody like that and make an example, that might shut up a hundred more,” Facchine said during the online event. The video of his remarks was later removed from Instagram, which also permanently banned the video from its platform, according to a report by The College Fix, a publication that covers higher education and campus news. Davidai posted a segment of the video to his X account, drawing further attention to Facchine’s comments. “That Shai Davidai guy: How do we get him in trouble? How do we create a situation in which he’s in jeopardy,” Facchine was recorded as saying during the webinar. Facchine, 35, originally from New Jersey, has had a roller coaster religious and ideological journey. Educated at Vassar College, he left Christianity, became an atheist, and then a Marxist before converting to Islam in 2010. In response to the incident, Columbia University initiated an investigation into Facchine’s comments, enlisting outside security experts to assess the situation. According to Gerald Lewis, the university’s vice president of public safety, the investigation concluded that Facchine’s rhetoric “did not create conditions that require enhanced security measures.” “I will not be silenced—I know I’m speaking the truth. It feels like they put a target on my back with the explicit goal to take me down, to get me fired, to make up complaints about me,” Davidai said in response to the imam’s remarks. Davidai has been in the spotlight since October last year when he gained attention for a viral video in which he criticized Columbia University for failing to protect Jewish students from terrorism-supporting groups on campus. In the video, he vowed never to send his daughter to Columbia due to what he perceived as the university’s lack of action against pro-terrorism organizations. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
U.S. officials have signaled that President Joe Biden’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages have gained increased urgency following the discovery of six hostages’ bodies, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, The Washington Post reports.
The Post reveals that a high-ranking administration source disclosed the U.S. has been collaborating with Egypt and Qatar to finalize a decisive “take it or leave it” proposal.
This offer is anticipated to be delivered to the involved parties soon, with the caveat that failure to accept it could lead to the end of American-led discussions. It remains unclear whether the revelation of the six hostages’ deaths will impact the likelihood of a resolution between Israel and Hamas in the near future.
“You can’t keep negotiating this. This process has to be called at some point,” the senior official remarked to The Washington Post, noting that the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar had been working on the final offer before the hostages were discovered dead in a tunnel under Rafah. “Does it derail the deal? No. If anything, it should add additional urgency in this closing phase, which we were already in.”
In response to the IDF’s finding that the six hostages were killed by their captors “shortly before” their bodies were discovered, the senior administration source affirmed that the U.S. agrees with this assessment.
The official expressed concern that Hamas’ choice to execute the hostages during negotiations “calls into question” the group’s commitment to the talks. Despite Israeli officials making concessions, Hamas has been rigid at times, according to the official.
“US officials are going to be burning up the phones over the next 48 hours to see if a deal can still be reached,” a second senior U.S. official told The Washington Post.
Biden has been advocating for a ceasefire and hostage release framework that he initially proposed in May. On Saturday evening, he updated reporters on the progress, stating, “It’s time this war ended…I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement.”
He maintained a “still optimistic” outlook on the agreement prospects and noted that “people are continuing to meet.”
“We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles,” Biden declared.
The previous Sunday, two Egyptian security officials informed Reuters that negotiations for a potential ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release deal ended without a resolution in Cairo.
Subsequently, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned that the United States is still working “feverishly” in Cairo to secure an agreement on both a ceasefire and hostage release. These remarks followed Hamas’ rejection of another proposed deal for the hostages.
{Matzav.com}
Decades after they were killed, Poland held a state burial on Monday of the remains of more than 700 victims of Nazi Germany’s World War II mass executions that were recently uncovered in the so-called Valley of Death in the country’s north. The observances in the town of Chojnice began with a funeral Mass at the basilica, leading to an interment with military honors at a local cemetery of the victims of the Nazi crimes. The remains, contained in 188 small wooden coffins with ribbons in national white and red colors across them. Relatives of the victims, an aide to President Andrzej Duda, local authorities and top officials of the state National Remembrance Institute, which carried out and documented the exhumations, took part in the events. “We want to give back memory, we want to give back dignity to the victims of the crimes in Chojnice,” presiding Bishop Ryszard Kasyna said. Duda sent a message saying that the deaths weren’t in vain and will always be held in the national memory, because the only reason they were killed by the Nazis was the fact that they were Polish. The remains of Polish civilians, including 218 asylum patients, were exhumed in 2021-2024 from a number of separate mass graves on the outskirts of Chojnice. Personal belongings and documents helped identify around 120 of the victims of an execution in early 1945. Among them were teachers, priests, police officers, forestry and postal workers, and landowners. Historians have established that the Nazis, shortly after invading Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, executed some of the civilians, in a drive to subdue the nation. The remains of another 500 victims are from the January 1945 execution, when the Germans were fleeing the area. Bullets and shells from handguns used by German forces were found in the graves. Experts will continue to comb the area for more mass graves of the so-called Pomerania Crime. Poland lost 6 million citizens, or a sixth of its population, of which 3 million were Jewish, in the war. The country also suffered huge losses to its infrastructure, industry and agriculture. (AP)
The general strike initiated by Histadrut labor union leader Arnon Bar-David kicked off on Monday morning. Bar-David cited “the delay in a deal to return the hostages for political considerations” as the reason for the strike.
Although the strike saw support from leaders of the business sector, many local authorities and companies across the country announced their decision not to participate in halting Israel’s economic activities.
Banks, certain government offices, hi-tech firms, and companies within Israel’s top 200 business forum confirmed their involvement in the strike. Major shopping centers such as Azrieli, Sarona, and Melisron requested that store owners shut down their shops starting at noon.
Israel Railways continues to operate as usual, while bus services are running on a reduced schedule with no definitive statement yet released concerning the strike. In Jerusalem, the light rail will not operate before 12:00, and the light rail in Gush Dan is functioning on a limited basis.
On the other hand, numerous local authorities declined to join the strike, including those in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Ashdod, Netanya, Ramla, Lod, Kiryat Shmona, Ashkelon, Dimona, Nahariyah, Sderot, Cholon, Petach Tikva, Tzfas, Ariel, all jurisdictions in Judea and Samaria, Qatzrin, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Gat, Beit Shemesh, Mitzpeh Ramon, Arad, Maaleh Adumim, among others.
In areas where the strike is observed, preschools and elementary schools will run on a partial schedule until 11:45 a.m. Daycare centers will maintain their regular hours, while special education preschools and elementary schools will function as usual.
Even though the Histadrut stated that there would be no departures from Ben Gurion Airport after 8:00 a.m., the Airports Authority clarified that the airport would stay open. If there is any disruption, it will be limited to departures and will not exceed two hours.
Central Israeli hospitals will operate on a weekend schedule, handling only urgent and oncological surgeries. Other pre-scheduled surgeries will be postponed. Outpatient clinics will also be closed. The strike excludes community health services, hospitals in the northern and southern regions, which opted out of the strike, and essential services such as emergency medicine, emergency rooms, oncology and dialysis centers, labor wards, and neonatal intensive care units.
{Matzav.com Israel}
A senior Hamas official, Khalil al-Hayya, who holds the position of deputy to the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, stated to Al Jazeera on Sunday that any agreement involving the release of hostages and a ceasefire would be contingent upon the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors.
Regarding the recent efforts to negotiate a deal, al-Hayya noted that “several technical committees continued the discussions, but [Hamas] did not take part in them and they did not reach any results.”
The Biden administration has been advocating for a framework to establish a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages, a plan that President Joe Biden first proposed in May. However, Hamas has consistently rejected all offers presented.
Two Egyptian security officials informed Reuters last Sunday that negotiations in Cairo aimed at reaching a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement concluded without any consensus.
Last Thursday, the security cabinet made the decision to maintain the presence of IDF troops along the Philadelphi Corridor, which is part of a potential agreement for the release of hostages.
The decision was supported by eight cabinet members, while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant opposed it, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir chose to abstain from voting.
On Sunday, following the recovery of the bodies of six hostages who had been recently killed by Hamas, Gallant urged Israel to reconsider its stance on holding the Philadelphi corridor.
“The cabinet must gather immediately and reverse the decision made on Thursday. It is too late for the hostages who were murdered in cold blood. We must bring back the hostages that are still being held by Hamas. The State of Israel will pursue all Hamas leaders and murderers,” Gallant declared.
In response, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich countered Gallant’s statement, saying, “The Cabinet will not allow a deal of surrender that would harm Israel’s security. Intelligence and national responsibility must prevail and guide our decision-making.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Senior adviser to the Trump campaign, Jason Miller, claimed in an interview with Fox News that Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is searching for an “escape hatch” ahead of next Tuesday’s ABC News presidential debate. The allegations come amid a dispute over debate rules, particularly regarding microphone controls during the event. Miller accused Harris’s team of attempting to backtrack on previously agreed-upon rules, which included muting the microphones of the opposing candidate during speaking time. “They’re afraid,” Miller told “Sunday Morning Futures” guest host Sean Duffy. “They don’t want to put Kamala Harris out there… because she’s going to have to answer for every bit of this last three and a half years.” Miller argued that Harris would be held accountable for issues like the economy, border control, and international relations during the debate. “You can’t talk about turning the page when you’re the one who broke the economy, broke the border, broke the world,” he said. The Harris campaign has yet to finalize their agreement on the debate rules, which were initially expected to follow the guidelines set for the CNN debate between former President Trump and President Biden in June. Harris’s spokesperson, Brian Fallon, took to X to explain the campaign’s position, saying, “The memo sent by ABC is a draft set of rules that both campaigns need to sign off on and indicate agreement. We have not done so because we think both candidates have expressed a clear desire to have hot mics.” Fallon also criticized the Trump team’s stance, suggesting that the Trump campaign is overriding their candidate’s preferences. “We have been asked to accede to Trump’s handlers’ wishes on this point for the sake of preserving the debate. We find the Trump team’s stance to be weak, and remain in discussions with ABC on the final rules,” Fallon wrote. Miller dismissed the Harris campaign’s objections, claiming they stem from concerns raised during Harris’s debate preparations. “The Harris campaign is looking for an escape hatch, looking for a way to get out of this debate,” Miller stated. He contended that the Democrats had initially written the debate rules and that the Harris team is now realizing the challenge they face. “They realize that they’re in real trouble with Kamala Harris,” he said, adding, “They also know that President Trump is the greatest debater in modern political history, so I think they’re nervous and want a way out.” In response to the ongoing dispute, Miller also mentioned that the Harris campaign had requested changes to the debate format, including a seated debate with notes and opening statements—requests the Trump campaign rejected. “If Kamala Harris isn’t smart enough to repeat the messaging points her handlers want her to memorize, that’s their problem,” Miller said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Russia launched an overnight barrage of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles at Kyiv, officials said Monday, as children prepared to return to school across Ukraine. Some pupils found classes canceled because of damage from the attack. Several series of explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital in the early hours. Debris from intercepted missiles and drones fell in every district of Kyiv, wounding three people and damaging two kindergartens, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said. City authorities reported multiple fires. After more than 900 days of the war, Russia and Ukraine show no sign of letting up in the fight or moving closer to the negotiating table. Both sides are pursuing ambitious ground offensives, with the Ukrainians driving into Russia’s Kursk region and the Russian army pushing deeper into the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine that is part of the industrial Donbas region. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Ukraine’s Kursk assault won’t prevent Russian forces from advancing in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces haven’t achieved their goal of diverting Russian troops from the fighting there, he said. “The main task that the enemy set for themselves — to stop our offensive in Donbas — they haven’t achieved it,” Putin told school students during a trip to southern Siberia. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last month that the aim of the Kursk incursion is to create a buffer zone that might prevent further attacks by Moscow across the border. Putin predicted that Ukraine’s Kursk offensive, which began Aug. 6, will fail and that subsequently Kyiv officials will want “to move to peace talks.” Russia launched 35 missiles of various types and 26 Shahed drones at Ukraine overnight from Sunday to Monday, the Ukrainian air force said. Nine ballistic missiles, 13 cruise missiles and 20 drones were downed, it said. Residents of the capital hurried into the city’s bomb shelters. Oksana Argunova, an 18-year-old student at a Kyiv high school, said that she was still shaking after the nighttime scare. “I woke up, my neighbor was shouting: ‘Let’s go down (to the shelter), there are big explosions.’ We all ran,” Argunova told The Associated Press. Monday was the first day back at school after the summer vacation. In Ukraine, the day involves ceremonies and rituals. Students of all ages and often teachers or parents wear traditional costumes. Celebrations include concerts and dances. Small groups of children and parents gathered outside a damaged Kyiv school as firefighters put out flames and removed rubble. One 39-year-old mother turned up at the school with her 7-year-old daughter, Sophia, unaware it had been hit. It was Sophia’s first day at what for her was a new school, her mother said, after a frightening night. “Of course, the child was scared. We hid in the bathroom, where it was relatively safe,” said the mother, who provided only her first name, Olena. “Today is one of the most important days of the year for millions of our Ukrainian children, families and teachers,” Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel. “Ukraine is doing everything to give children as many opportunities as possible. And all our schools, all higher education institutions that are working today are proof of the resilience of our people and the strength of Ukraine,” he said. Both sides are battering each other with regular long-range drone and missile […]
With sadness, Matzav.com reports the passing of Chazzan Naftali Herstik z”l at the age of 77.
Born in Salgótarján, Hungary, Chazzan Herstik emigrated with his family to Israel at the age of three. He hailed from a distinguished lineage of chazzanim and displayed his remarkable talent from a young age as a boy chorister and cantorial soloist.
Chazzan Herstik received his earliest cantorial education from his father, Moshe Menachem Herstik, who instilled in him the fundamentals of chazzanus. His talents were further honed under the guidance of Chazzanim Leib Glantz, Shlomo Ravitz, and Moshe Koussevitzky. He later pursued advanced studies at the Royal College of Music in London, where he also served as the chazzan of the Finchley Synagogue for several years.
In 1981, Chazzan Herstik was appointed Chief Cantor of the Great Synagogue of Yerushalayim, a position he held with distinction until December 31, 2008. Throughout his illustrious career, he graced stages worldwide, performing with the London Festival Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, and numerous choirs, including the renowned choir of the YerushalayimGreat Synagogue.
Chazzan Herstik was particularly celebrated for his masterful interpretations of the works of Chazzan Yossele Rosenblatt, preserving and elevating the tradition of chazzanus.
In 1984, recognizing the need to safeguard and perpetuate the cantorial tradition, Chazzan Herstik, together with Cantor Moshe Stern, Elli Jaffe, and Dr. Tzvi Talmon, co-founded a school dedicated to the art of chazzanus. Initially housed in Heichal Shlomo, the school later moved to Tel Aviv in 1987. By 1991, it came under the auspices of the municipality of Tel Aviv, with Cantor Herstik serving as its Artistic Director and later as the General Director. The Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute (TACI) became a beacon of cantorial education, training many of today’s leading chazzanim, including Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Moshe Haschel, Azi Schwartz, and Gideon Zelermyer.
Chazzan Herstik leaves behind a rich legacy in the world of Jewish liturgical music, and his contributions will continue to resonate.
{Matzav.com Israel}
There was great anger among numerous Israelis on Sunday following the Histadrut’s announcement calling a general strike on Monday to “protest” against the government rather than against Hamas for the heinous executions of six hostages. Fortunately, unlike the last time the Histadrut abused its power and shut down the country in a politically motivated strike, almost all cities and companies refused to join the strike, and several legal appeals were filed against it, forcing Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David to capitulate and tell the Labor Court in Bat Yam that he will end the strike on Monday at 6 p.m. rather than Tuesday morning. However, the Court ruled early Monday afternoon that the strike must end by 2:30 p.m. at the latest, saying its ruling that the strike is politically motivated. Even before the ruling, the strike was unsuccessful at “shutting down the country,” and instead was met with an overwhelming refusal from dozens of municipalities and companies, with only the cities of Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba, and Givatayim joining in the strike. Flights at Ben-Gurion took off as usual on Monday after only slight delays and most flights are expected to take off on time the rest of the day. Some malls, banks, and several high-tech companies joined the strike but the overwhelming majority did not. Many Israelis, especially bereaved relatives of fallen soldiers and those whose loved ones fought or are fighting in Gaza, expressed fury at Bar-David, slamming him for behaving like a bully by calling an irresponsible strike that only aids Hamas in its relentless mission to divide Israeli society. The Tikva Forum, which represents the family members of some hostages, stated on Sunday: “The announcement by Arnon Bar-David and his friends of a general strike in the economy is a death sentence for the surviving hostages and a reward for Sinwar for the murder of six hostages. We call on the citizens of Israel to ignore the Histadrut’s irresponsible and dangerous strike and prove to the whole world that ‘Am Yisrael Chai.’ We won’t break despite the overwhelming pain and we’ll continue to fight the murderers until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.” Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich filed an injunction request to Israel’s Labor Court on Sunday to declare the protest illegal. Additionally, a number of relatives of fallen soldiers filed an appeal to the Labor Court as well as the Supreme Court against the strike. Smotrich also announced that any workers who participate in the strike will not receive their salaries. In a statement to the press, Smotrich slammed Bar-David as “fulfilling Sinwar’s dream and representing the interests of Hamas rather than those of Israeli workers.” Bereaved parents were especially furious about the strike. Bereaved father Itzik Bontzal, the father of fallen soldier, First Sgt. Amit Bonzel, H’yd, who fell in battle in Gaza in December, spoke to reporters outside the Labor Court, excoriating Bar-David for his cooperation with Hamas. “Hisdatrus chairman, you’re a savage animal (פרא אדם) and we’re going to stop you,” he said. Bereaved father Chagay Lober, father of fallen soldier Elisha Yonatan Lober, H”yd, also slammed Bar-David for his tyrannical actions; “My son was not killed on your mission and didn’t go to battle on your order. What right do you have to interfere in war decisions that […]
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a strong rebuke following the brutal killing of six Israeli hostages by Hamas in Gaza.
“The murder of six Israeli hostages by Hamas terrorists in Gaza is devastating and enraging,” Trudeau posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Canada stands with the victims’ families in your grief.”
He further stated, “Hamas must release all hostages, lay down its arms, and have no future in the governance of Gaza. Leaders must reach a deal to bring the rest of the hostages home and end the violence.”
Canada’s opposition leader, MP Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative party, commented, “Another 6 beautiful souls taken hostage on October 7th by the Hamas genocidal death cult were murdered while in captivity in Gaza.”
“May their memories be a blessing,” he said.
Poilievre also remarked, “These same evil terrorists killed 7 Canadians and continue to be supported by the tyrants in Tehran.”
He concluded, “Hamas must surrender and release all of the remaining hostages.”
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Matzav.com}
Suspected attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted two ships in the Red Sea on Monday, authorities said, near where crews hope to salvage a tanker loaded with oil and still ablaze after another assault by the group. The attacks are believed to be the latest in the Iranian-backed rebels’ campaign that has disrupted the $1 trillion in goods that pass through the Red Sea each year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip as well as halted some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen. Meanwhile, the efforts to salvage the still-burning Sounion seek to head off the potential ecological disaster posed by its cargo of 1 million barrels of crude oil. In Monday’s first assault, two projectiles hit the vessel, and a third explosion occurred near the ship, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. “Damage control is underway,” the UKMTO said. “There are no casualties onboard and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.” The timing of the attack and coordinates offered by the UKMTO corresponded to the reported path of the Panama-flagged oil tanker Blue Lagoon I, now traveling south through the Red Sea to an unlisted destination. The Blue Lagoon I was coming from Russia’s port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea and had been broadcasting that it had Russian-origin cargo on board. In recent months, the Blue Lagoon I traveled to India, which gets more than 40% of its oil imports from Russia despite Moscow’s ongoing war on Ukraine and the international sanctions it faces over it. The Greek-based firm operating the ship could not be immediately reached. Later Monday morning, the UKMTO reported a second attack off the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeida. The private security firm Ambrey said an aerial drone hit a merchant ship, though no damage or injuries were reported. The attack happened only a few kilometers (miles) from where the Blue Lagoon I attack occurred, Ambrey said. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attacks. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a United States-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. Meanwhile Monday, a salvage effort appeared to be underway to tow away the Sounion oil tanker, which was earlier hit by the Houthis and abandoned by its crew. Jamel Amer, an official with the Houthis, wrote online Saturday that tug boats assigned to pull the Sounion away should arrive Sunday. However, NASA fire satellites showed a blaze at the site of where the Sounion had been abandoned on Monday morning. The Sounion was carrying some 1 million barrels of oil when the Houthis initially attacked it on Aug. 21 with small arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A […]
A far-right party won a state election for the first time in post-World War II Germany in the country’s east on Sunday, and was set to finish at least a very close second to mainstream conservatives in a second vote. A new party founded by a prominent leftist also made an immediate impact, while the parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular national government obtained extremely weak results. Projections for ARD and ZDF public television based on exit polls and partial counting showed the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, winning 32-33% of the vote in Thuringia — well ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, the main national opposition party, with about 24%. In neighboring Saxony, projections put support for the CDU, which has led the state since German reunification in 1990, at 31.5-31.8% and AfD on 30.8-31.4%. “An openly right-wing extremist party has become the strongest force in a state parliament for the first time since 1949, and that causes many people very deep concern and fear,” said Omid Nouripour, a leader of the Greens, one of the national governing parties. Other parties say they won’t put AfD in power by joining it in a coalition. Even so, its strength is likely to make it extremely difficult to form new state governments, forcing other parties into exotic new coalitions. The new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, or BSW, took up to 16% of the vote in Thuringia and 12% in Saxony, adding another level of complication. “This is a historic success for us,” Alice Weidel, a national co-leader of AfD, told ARD. She described the result as a “requiem” for Scholz’s coalition. The CDU’s national general secretary, Carsten Linnemann, said that “voters in both states knew that we wouldn’t form a coalition with AfD, and it will stay that way — we are very, very clear on this.” Weidel denounced that as “pure ignorance” and said that “voters want AfD to participate in a government.” Deep discontent with a national government notorious for infighting, anti-immigration sentiment and skepticism toward German military aid for Ukraine are among the factors that have contributed to support for populist parties in the region, which is less prosperous than western Germany. AfD is at its strongest in the formerly communist east, and the domestic intelligence agency has the party’s branches in both Saxony and Thuringia under official surveillance as “proven right-wing extremist” groups. Its leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has been convicted of knowingly using a Nazi slogan at political events, but is appealing. Höcke bristled when an ARD interviewer mentioned the intelligence agency’s assessment, responding: “Please stop stigmatizing me. We are the No. 1 party in Thuringia. You don’t want to classify one-third of the voters in Thuringia as right-wing extremist.” He said he felt “a great, great deal of pride” in Sunday’s result for his 11-year-old party and “the old parties should show humility.” Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats were at least set to remain in the two state legislatures with single-digit support, but the environmentalist Greens were set to lose their seats in Thuringia. The two parties were the junior coalition partners in both outgoing state governments. The third party in the national government, the pro-business Free Democrats, also lost its seats in Thuringia. It had no representation in Saxony. A third state election […]
With up to 17 rooms to clean each shift, Fatima Amahmoud’s job at the Moxy hotel in downtown Boston sometimes feels impossible. There was the time she found three days worth of blond dog fur clinging to the curtains, the bedspread and the carpet. She knew she wouldn’t finish in the 30 minutes she is supposed to spend on each room. The dog owner had declined daily room cleaning, an option that many hotels have encouraged as environmentally friendly but is a way for them to cut labor costs and cope with worker shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic. Unionized housekeepers, however, have waged a fierce fight to restore automatic daily room cleaning at major hotel chains, saying they have been saddled with unmanageable workloads, or in many cases, fewer hours and a decline in income. The dispute has become emblematic of the frustration over working conditions among hotel workers, who were put out of their jobs for months during pandemic shutdowns and returned to an industry grappling with chronic staffing shortages and evolving travel trends. Some 10,000 hotel workers represented by the UNITE HERE union walked off the job Sunday at 24 hotels in eight cities, including Honolulu, Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego and Seattle. Hotel workers in other cities could strike in the coming days, as contract talks stall over demands for higher wages and a reversal of service and staffing cuts. At total of 15,000 workers have voted to authorize strikes. “We said many times to the manager that it is too much for us,” said Amahmoud, whose hotel was among those where workers have authorized a strike but have not yet walked out. Michael D’Angelo, Hyatt’s head of labor relations for the Americas, said the company’s hotels have contingency plans to minimize the impact of the strikes. “We are disappointed that UNITE HERE has chosen to strike while Hyatt remains willing to negotiate,” he said. In a statement before the strikes began, Hilton said it was “committed to negotiating in good faith to reach fair and reasonable agreements.” Marriott and Omni did not return requests for comments. The labor unrest serves as a reminder of the pandemic’s lingering toll on low-wage women, especially Black and Hispanic women who are overrepresented in front-facing service jobs. Although women have largely returned to the workforce since bearing the brunt of pandemic-era furloughs — or dropping out to take on caregiving responsibilities — that recovery has masked a gap in employment rates between women with college degrees and those without. The U.S. hotel industry employs about 1.9 million people, some 196,000 fewer workers than in February 2019, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly 90% of building housekeepers are women, according to federal statistics. It’s a workforce that relies overwhelmingly on women of color, many of them immigrants, and which skews older, according to UNITE HERE. Union President Gwen Mills characterizes the contract negotiations as part of long-standing battle to secure family-sustaining compensation for service workers on par with more traditionally male-dominated industries. “Hospitality work overall is undervalued, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s disproportionately women and people of color doing the work,” Mills said. The union hopes to build on its recent success in southern California, where after repeated strikes it won significant wage hikes, increased employer […]
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