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A federal grand jury gathered Wednesday afternoon to deliberate whether to indict John Bolton, who served as national security adviser, on charges stemming from the alleged mishandling and transmission of classified information through a private email account.

The move follows a pair of FBI raids conducted two months earlier at Bolton’s residence in Maryland and his Washington, DC office, as investigators sought evidence related to what officials described as the unauthorized possession of “highly sensitive national security” materials.

Justice Department insiders told The Post that prosecutors expect charges to be filed as soon as Wednesday or Thursday. One official described the case against the 76-year-old as “air tight.”

According to sources who spoke to The NY Post in August, Bolton is suspected of using a personal AOL email address to send classified messages and maintain diary-like records of his daily briefings and observations throughout his tenure in President Trump’s first administration.

Court filings reveal that this private email account was later compromised by an unknown foreign hacker, according to a probable cause warrant unsealed last month. Officials believe that some of the top-secret information could have been accessed by foreign governments or hostile entities.

Details about the intrusion, including how it occurred or who was responsible, were redacted in the unsealed documents.

During the FBI’s search, agents allegedly uncovered additional classified materials, including papers involving weapons of mass destruction, strategic U.S. communications, diplomatic efforts at the United Nations, and confidential travel plans.

Even if Bolton did not deliberately share the information, prosecutors argue he could still face criminal liability if he stored classified materials in unsecured locations — a rule that would extend to the use of his personal email.

Investigators were also ordered to determine whether any malicious software had infiltrated Bolton’s electronic devices and to assess whether he had installed cybersecurity protections capable of detecting potential malware.

Authorities have not disclosed whether any such programs were located on his systems.

When Bolton was dismissed by President Trump in September 2019 after serving 17 months as national security adviser, he reportedly told officials that he “did not have any notes or other records from his government service,” according to court filings.

Those assurances began to unravel months later when the National Security Council received a manuscript of Bolton’s 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which the Trump administration alleged contained classified information.

“As written, the manuscript is very detailed, suggesting that it was likely produced from notes written by your client during his service at the White House,” Ellen J. Knight, then the NSC’s senior director for records, access, and information, wrote in a letter to Bolton’s lawyers.

A separate probe into Bolton’s email use was also launched that same year, though investigators say the inquiry was abruptly “shelved” under the Biden administration — a decision one FBI insider suggested may have been politically influenced, given Bolton’s outspoken criticism of Trump.

{Matzav.com}

The following statement was released by Agudath Israel of America:

Agudath Israel of America mourns the shocking, tragic passing of Rabbi Moshe Hauer zt’l, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union.

With Rabbi Hauer’s petirah, Klal Yisroel has lost a leader who was universally respected as a talmid chochom of stature, a man of integrity, humility, vision, wisdom and depth. Rabbi Hauer created Kiddush Hashem in all of his encounters with the outside world, and he leaves behind an impressive list of significant accomplishments. The loss to our community is incalculible.

Rabbi Hauer always sought to promote achdus, unity, within the Jewish world. We at Agudath Israel enjoyed a close personal and professional relationship with Rabbi Hauer, and appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with him on issues of mutual concern. We are in shock over his tragic petirah.

May Hashem console the entire Hauer family and the multitudes of people whose lives he touched in so many ways.

{Matzav.com}

Avi Ohana, the father of released hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana, told Channel 12 about reuniting with his son and the secret details he kept hidden during his two years in captivity. “Now I can say that Yosef was a combat soldier and commander in the Givati Brigade,” the father began. “I didn’t say those words as long as he was in Hamas’ hands—today, I can finally say it.” “He explained to me that it was hard for him to completely hide it from his captors—in their eyes, everyone is a soldier. He said he managed to hide his actual position from them. He told them he wasn’t a combat soldier but had a low-level job, and that after some time he was thrown out of the army.” “My son is very brave, with tremendous inner strength. He talks to me as if he just came back from Thailand. He said, ‘Abba, enough, I’m back, it’s over. We’ll never be apart again; there’s no need to dwell on it too much.’ I tell him, ‘What do you mean? You went through hell there,’ and he replies that yes, it’s true—but it’s behind him, and little by little he’ll tell us about it. He leaves me speechless—that’s just who he is.” Ohana added, “As much as we knew here in Israel that they were suffering in captivity and how hard it was for them there, we don’t know even 5% of what they went through. There were moments of despair, especially recently, when no deal seemed to be working out. There were very dark moments when all we could see was darkness.” He described the moment he saw Yosef Chaim: “Sometimes it’s hard for me to put feelings into words. After two years of waiting, davening, and fighting in every possible way, suddenly everything narrowed down to that one moment we had longed for. I felt it was Geula. I look at him and can’t believe I’m seeing my son.” Watch the moving moments below: (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Klal Yisroel has been plunged into mourning with the shocking petirah of Rabbi Moshe Hauer zt”l, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union since 2020 and longtime mara d’asra of Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation in Baltimore. Rabbi Hauer was suddenly niftar at his Baltimore home, the victim of a heart attack. He was 60 years old.

The loss is reverberating throughout the Torah world, for Rabbi Hauer was more than a leader. He was a talmid chacham, a ba’al daas, and a man whose every word and action radiated yiras Shamayim, integrity, and love for Klal Yisroel.

OU President Mitchel Aeder and Executive Vice President and COO Rabbi Josh Joseph described him as “a true talmid chacham, a master teacher and communicator, the voice of Torah to the Orthodox community and the voice of Orthodoxy to the world.”

“He personified what it means to be a Torah Jew and took nothing more seriously than his role of sharing the joy of Jewish life with our community and beyond,” the OU stated.

“Rabbi Hauer’s leadership was marked by unwavering dedication, deep compassion, and a vision rooted in faith in Hashem, integrity and love for Klal Yisroel,” the statement continued. “Whether through his inspiring words, thoughtful counsel, powerful advocacy or quiet acts of kindness, Rabbi Hauer uplifted those around him and made an impact on every person he encountered.”

For twenty-six years, Rabbi Hauer guided the Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion kehillah in Baltimore with wisdom and warmth, serving as both rav and mentor. His ability to blend deep Torah insight with genuine understanding of people made him a beloved figure far beyond his community.

A musmach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Rabbi Hauer also earned a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. Beyond the bimah, he was deeply active in communal life, supporting education initiatives, mosdos for children at risk, and numerous chesed organizations. He was a founding editor of Klal Perspectives, an online journal dedicated to addressing the challenges of contemporary Orthodox life, and led leadership training programs for rabbonim and askanim across North America.

In his role at the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Hauer became a respected national voice for Torah Jewry, speaking often in Washington and serving as a trusted presence on Capitol Hill. His eloquence, balance, and moral clarity made him a bridge-builder between the Torah world and the broader Jewish community.

William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said he was “shattered” by the “sudden passing” of his “dear friend and partner.”

“We just spoke this past Friday and texted on Monday, when he was overflowing with joy at the miracle of the hostages’ freedom and the unmistakable hand of Hashem in it,” Daroff shared. “Rabbi Hauer was a trusted adviser, cherished colleague and wise counsellor to me, a bridge-builder whose faith, humility and moral clarity inspired all who knew him. His loss leaves a void for all who loved and learned from him.”

Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish, echoed the sentiments of many when he said he was “shocked” to hear of Rabbi Hauer’s passing. “He was a kind man and a great advocate for the Jewish people. May the Almighty comfort his family and the OU during this difficult period.”

Jonathan Weisman, a national editor at The New York Times, called the loss “tragic” and “sudden.” “I turned to Rabbi Hauer for almost any story I was writing on American Judaism, Israel and Zionism,” he said. “He was an exceptionally thoughtful conservative voice, respectful and searching. May his memory be a blessing. I’m shocked.”

Rabbi Micah Greenland, International Director of NCSY, described being “absolutely stunned and devastated.” “He was a humble giant of a person, a leader, a scholar and visionary,” he said.

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said she was “heartbroken” by the loss of “such an incredibly kind and thoughtful leader” whom she “was fortunate to know and learn from over the last few years.”

Rabbi Hauer has left this world, but his legacy — of Torah, leadership, empathy, and achdus — will continue to illuminate the path for Klal Yisroel. His voice, filled with conviction and compassion, guided a generation. His absence leaves a gaping void, but also a challenge: to carry forward his vision of a world rooted in emunah, ahavas Yisroel, and integrity.

Yehi zichro baruch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani once again revealed his deep hostility toward Israel on Wednesday, refusing multiple times to say that Hamas should lay down its weapons — even as he reaffirmed his vow to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York City. The far-left Democrat appeared on Fox News’ The Story with Martha MacCallum, where he was grilled about his radical positions on Israel, Hamas, and the ongoing war in Gaza. When repeatedly pressed on whether Hamas should surrender and give up control of Gaza — a central condition of the current ceasefire deal — Mamdani dodged the question and instead pivoted to domestic talking points about New York City housing. “I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety, and the fact that anything has to abide by international law,” he said. “That applies to Hamas, that applies to the Israeli military, applies to anyone you could ask me about.” Mamdani, a self-described socialist and outspoken critic of Israel, did however stand firm on his earlier declaration that as mayor, he would order the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu — despite the fact that the United States does not recognize the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction. “I believe that we should uphold arrests warrants by the International Criminal Court, and that we should do so only in abiding with all of the laws in front of us,” Mamdani said. “I can tell you that I’m going to exhaust every legal option in front me, not to make new laws to do so.” He also maintained that Hamas should “absolutely” return the bodies of murdered Israeli-American hostages Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, while still insisting his criticisms of both sides come “from a place of universal human rights.” When asked whether he would give President Trump credit for brokering the ceasefire and hostage release deal, Mamdani again hedged: “I think it’s too early to do so. But if it proves to be something that is lasting, something that is durable, I think that’s where you go.” During the interview, Mamdani dramatically turned to the camera to address Trump directly, responding to the former president’s repeated warnings that federal funding could be withheld from New York City if the socialist wins the election. “I will not be not be a mayor like Mayor Adams, who will call you to figure out how to stay out of jail,” Mamdani said. “I won’t be a disgraced governor like Andrew Cuomo, who will call you to ask how to win this election. I can do those things on my own. I will, however, be a mayor who is ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living. That’s the way that I’m going to lead this city.” Mamdani’s refusal to denounce Hamas — even after nearly two years of barbaric attacks, mass murder, and hostage-taking — drew sharp condemnation online, with critics blasting the mayoral hopeful as a “Jew-hater” and “Hamas apologist.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dozens of reporters turned in access badges and exited the Pentagon on Wednesday rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work, pushing journalists who cover the American military further from the seat of its power. The nation’s leadership called the new rules “common sense” to help regulate a “very disruptive” press. News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that would leave journalists vulnerable to expulsion if they sought to report on information — classified or otherwise — that had not been approved by Hegseth for release. Many of the reporters waited to leave together at a 4 p.m. deadline set by the Defense Department to get out of the building. As the hour approached, boxes of documents lined a Pentagon corridor and reporters carried chairs, a copying machine, books and old photos to the parking lot from suddenly abandoned workspaces. Shortly after 4, about 40 to 50 journalists left together after handing in badges. “It’s sad, but I’m also really proud of the press corps that we stuck together,” said Nancy Youssef, a reporter for The Atlantic who has had a desk at the Pentagon since 2007. She took a map of the Middle East out to her car. It is unclear what practical impact the new rules will have, though news organizations vowed they’d continue robust coverage of the military no matter the vantage point. Images of reporters effectively demonstrating against barriers to their work are unlikely to move supporters of President Donald Trump, many of whom resent journalists and cheer his efforts to make their jobs harder. Trump has been involved in court fights against The New York Times, CBS News, ABC News, the Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press in the past year. Trump supports the new rules Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump backed his defense secretary’s new rules. “I think he finds the press to be very disruptive in terms of world peace,” Trump said. “The press is very dishonest.” Even before issuing his new press policy, Hegseth, a former Fox News Channel host, has systematically choked off the flow of information. He’s held only two formal press briefings, banned reporters from accessing many parts of the sprawling Pentagon without an escort and launched investigations into leaks to the media. He has called his new rules “common sense” and said the requirement that journalists sign a document outlining the rules means they acknowledge the new rules, not necessarily agree to them. Journalists see that as a distinction without a difference. “What they’re really doing, they want to spoon-feed information to the journalist, and that would be their story. That’s not journalism,” said Jack Keane, a retired U.S. Army general and Fox News analyst, said on Hegseth’s former network. When he served, Keane said he required new brigadier generals to take a class on the role of the media in a democracy so they wouldn’t be intimidated and also see reporters as a conduit to the American public. “There were times when stories were done that made me flinch a little bit,” he said. “But that’s usually because we had done something that wasn’t as good as we should have done it.” Youssef said it made no sense to sign on to […]

Faulty engineering led to the implosion of an experimental submersible that killed five people on the way to the wreck of the Titanic, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded in a report Wednesday. The NTSB made the statement in its final report on the hull failure and implosion of the Titan submersible in June 2023. Everyone on board the submersible died instantly in the North Atlantic when Titan suffered a catastrophic implosion as it descended to the wreck. The NTSB report states that the faulty engineering of the Titan “resulted in the construction of a carbon fiber composite pressure vessel that contained multiple anomalies and failed to meet necessary strength and durability requirements.” It also stated that OceanGate, the owner of the Titan, failed to adequately test the Titan and was unaware of its true durability. The report also said the wreckage of the Titan likely would have been found sooner had OceanGate followed standard guidance for emergency response, and that would have saved “time and resources even though a rescue was not possible in this case.” The NTSB report dovetails with a Coast Guard report released in August that described the Titan implosion as preventable. The Coast Guard determined that safety procedures at OceanGate, a private company based in Washington state, were “critically flawed” and found “glaring disparities” between safety protocols and actual practices. OceanGate suspended operations in July 2023 and wound down. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on Wednesday. In August, after the Coast Guard report was released, a company spokesperson offered condolences to the families of those who died. The Titan’s implosion killed OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and led to lawsuits and calls for tighter regulation of private deep sea expeditions. The implosion also killed French underwater explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, known as “Mr. Titanic”; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood. The NTSB report recommends the Coast Guard commission a panel of experts to study submersibles and other pressure vehicles for human occupancy. It also recommends that the Coast Guard implement regulations for the vehicles that are informed by that study. The report states that current regulations for small passenger vessels “enabled OceanGate’s operation of the Titan in an unsafe manner.” The report also called on the Coast Guard to “disseminate findings of the study to the industry,” which has grown in recent years as privately financed exploration has grown. The company was aware of the possibility of Coast Guard regulations prior to the implosion. In describing OceanGate’s corporate culture, the report quotes an operations technician who quit the company after expressing concern about calling paying passengers “mission specialists.” The company’s CEO responded that “if the Coast Guard became a problem … he would buy himself a congressman and make it go away,” the technician said, according to the report. The vessel had been making voyages to the Titanic site since 2021. Its final dive came on the morning of June 18, 2023. The submersible lost contact with its support vessel about two hours later and was reported overdue that afternoon. Ships, planes and equipment were rushed to the scene about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. A multiday search for survivors off Canada made international headlines. It soon […]

YWN regrets to inform you of the sudden and tragic Petira of Rabbi Moshe Hauer zt”l, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union (OU), who suffered a massive heart attack on Shmini Atzeres at his home in Baltimore. Rabbi Hauer joined the OU as its Executive Vice President in 2020. He served as the organization’s rabbinic leader, heading its communal-oriented efforts and serving as its professional religious/policy leader and primary spokesman. Prior to joining the OU, Rabbi Hauer served as the senior Rabbi of the Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation in Baltimore, MD for 26 years, where he was active in local communal leadership in many areas. Rabbi Hauer received Semicha from Yeshiva Ner Yisroel. He received his master’s of science from John Hopkins University. The levaya will be held this morning, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at 8:45 am at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion 6602 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215. Livestream will be available beginning at approximately 8:30 am at https://www.ou.org/rabbi-hauer-levaya/ Please note: The parking lot will be closed to vehicles except for family and rabbanim. Kohanim: Loudspeakers will be set up in the back parking lot. Kevurah will take place in Eretz Yisrael. THE ROV OF HIS SHUL, RABBI DANIEL ROSE SENT OUT THE FOLLOWING EMAIL TO THE SHUL TONIGHT Moreinu V’rabeinu, our teacher, our light and leader, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, has passed away. Rabbi Hauer זצוק”ל passed away suddenly on Shemini Atzeres night. It was the family’s wish not to share this news on yom tov so that all the relatives could be properly informed. Instead of mourning on yom tov, we did together what made Rabbi Hauer happiest of all: we danced together, we sang together, we experienced yom tov as the kehillah hakedoshah that he so lovingly and painstakingly fashioned. I can only imagine what nachas he had from watching us be the shul that he wanted us to be. And now, we will mourn. The levaya and funeral details are still being arranged, and we will share them when they are available. Please respect the privacy of Rebbetzin Hauer and their family and do not call or text at this time. This is a personal loss for each and every one of us, and I wish I could have informed you each personally. When the situation is calmer, I will be available to all of you to cry, to mourn and to process this terrible news. As a shul, we will experience this together, and grow together, in the way that would make Rabbi Hauer proud. בלע המות לנצח Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday he will travel to the United States this week for talks on the potential U.S. provision of long-range weapons, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russia he may send Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles A meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump could take place as early as Friday, the Ukrainian president said, adding that he also would meet with defense and energy companies and members of Congress. “The main topics will be air defense and our long-range capabilities, to maintain pressure on Russia,” Zelenskyy said. He spoke at a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. He said he also would seek further U.S. assistance to protect Ukraine’s electricity and gas networks, which have faced relentless Russian bombardment. The U.S. visit follows what Zelenskyy described as a “very productive” phone call with Trump on Sunday. Trump later warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesn’t settle its war there soon. The missiles would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory. Moscow has expressed “extreme concern” over the U.S. potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin himself has previously suggested that the U.S. supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington. Zelenskyy will join a Ukrainian delegation already in the U.S. for preliminary talks, led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Russia has stepped up attacks in recent weeks targeting electricity and gas infrastructure ahead of winter, in an effort to cripple Ukraine’s power grid ahead of freezing temperatures to erode public morale. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the worst attacks early Monday using drones and missiles occurred around the Black Sea port of Odesa and in the northern Chernihiv region, where one person was killed. Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, pledged continued pressure on Moscow. She also expressed confidence that objections led by Hungary to a new Russia sanctions package would be overcome, even if the process drags on past a meeting of EU leaders next week. “On funding, the needs are enormous. We must help Ukraine defend itself so we don’t later spend even more repairing destroyed infrastructure,” Kallas said. “We are 27 member states, and 27 democracies, so debates take time … I’m positive that, as before, we’ll achieve a decision.” (AP)

A person living in New York has tested positive for the chikungunya virus in what state health officials say is the first reported transmission of the mosquito-borne illness within the United States in six years The state Department of Health said Tuesday that the virus, which has been spreading in China and elsewhere, was identified in a person living in Nassau County on Long Island. The county’s health department, in a separate statement, said the person began experiencing symptoms in August after having traveled outside of the region, but not out of the country. It’s not clear how exactly the person, whom authorities have not named, contracted the virus. Health officials say the person was likely bit by an infected mosquito, but they also say the virus has not been detected in local mosquito pools and there is no evidence of ongoing transmission. The type of mosquito known to carry chikungunya is present in parts of the New York City metropolitan area, including suburban Long Island. The disease cannot be spread directly from one person to another. Since mosquitoes are less active during the fall’s cooler temperatures, the current risk of transmission is “very low,” said state Health Commissioner James McDonald. Chikungunya is found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions, according to the state health department. Its symptoms include fever and joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rashes. The illness is rarely fatal and most patients recover within a week, though newborns, older adults and people with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes are at higher risk, the agency said. The U.S. and its territories have not seen a locally acquired case of the virus since 2019. New York state has had three other cases of the virus this year, though all were linked to international travel to regions where the virus is prevalent, state health officials said. Local mosquitoes can transmit other dangerous viruses, such as West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses. (AP)

President Trump lashed out at Time magazine early Tuesday morning, fuming over what he called an unflattering photo used for the publication’s latest cover story highlighting “his triumph” in negotiating the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas.

“Time Magazine wrote a relatively good story about me, but the picture may be the Worst of All Time,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They ‘disappeared’ my hair, and then had something floating on top of my head that looked like a floating crown, but an extremely small one. Really weird!”

The magazine’s cover — titled “His Triumph” — features a low-angle portrait of the 47th president taken from beneath and to his right, capturing a close-up of his cheek, ear, and eye, along with part of his nostril.

“I never liked taking pictures from underneath angles, but this is a super bad picture, and deserves to be called out,” Trump added in his post. “What are they doing, and why?”

The issue was released just one day after the dramatic return of 20 living hostages to Israel — marking the first stage of the deal struck under Trump’s Middle East plan, nearly two years after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

In exchange, Israeli officials confirmed that roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were freed, along with the bodies of about 360 Palestinians returned to Gaza.

“The living Israeli hostages held in Gaza have been freed under the first phase of Donald Trump’s peace plan, alongside a Palestinian prisoner release,” Time reported. “The deal may become a signature achievement of Trump’s second term, and it could mark a strategic turning point for the Middle East.”

Trump had announced his sweeping 20-point proposal on Sept. 29, which laid the groundwork for a ceasefire that officially took effect last Friday.

The following Monday, Trump was met with roaring applause during his speech to the Israeli Knesset, before heading to Cairo for a peace summit joined by leaders from more than twenty nations, focused on sustaining the fragile truce.

“We’ve achieved what everybody said was impossible — at long last, we have peace in the Middle East,” Trump declared during his address. “Nobody thought we could ever get there, and now we’re there.”

For years, Trump has taken great pride in symbols of recognition and status, particularly Time magazine’s Person of the Year honor — an accolade he’s received twice, in 2016 and again in 2024.

He has occasionally granted interviews to the magazine, including a memorable 2015 photo shoot where he posed with a bald eagle that unexpectedly tried to attack him mid-session.

Trump has never hesitated to criticize media outlets for depictions he finds unflattering or undermining, particularly when they clash with the commanding image he seeks to project.

Just last month, he blasted the United Nations and called for an inquiry after his teleprompter malfunctioned and the escalator he was riding on suddenly stopped while he was delivering his address to the UN General Assembly.

{Matzav.com}

Yaron Or, the father of released hostage Avinatan, told Kan Bet that his son attempted to escape the tunnel he was being held in following a bombing over a year ago. His captors grabbed him by his legs after his head was already outside the tunnel. He was beaten and put in a cell the width of a mattress and shorter than his height so that he couldn’t straighten his body, neither standing nor lying down. He was handcuffed to the bars of the cage 24/7. Yaron added that in the period before that, Avinatan – who is almost 6.5 feet tall – was held in a slightly larger space, also behind bars. “They didn’t starve him, but the food was meager,” he said. “He was very thin. Around him were all sorts of guards whose relatives were killed in IDF bombings, and I think it’s simply a neis that they didn’t hurt him except for once when he tried to escape.” Yaron emphasized that throughout his captivity, his son was held alone in the tunnels, without other hostages and “without books and without anything. At some point, he received a Rubik’s Cube. Apart from that, he had nothing. I don’t know how he came out of it sane. It’s a miracle.” “Avinatan wasn’t aware of the extent of the October 7 massacre, only that they crossed into Israel. He told the prime minister that he thought he would remain in captivity for years, that they wouldn’t release him until the war was over, and that’s what should be done. He is a very special guy.” “Physically, he needs to recover, but mentally, baruch Hashem, it’s the same Avinatan, the same sense of humor, the same strength. At least for now, it seems that in this regard he has not only not changed but has even become stronger.” Avinatan’s mother, Ditza, talked to Yisrael Hayom about reuniting with Avinatan: “There are no words; it’s crazy. It’s much, much beyond what you can imagine. It’s imagining the most—and then multiplying it by thousands. It’s explosions of so many layers of depth.” “He’s amazing. Physically, he’s really weak; he’s very thin. The food he received messed him up. There is a long protocol of medical tests that he needs to undergo. He is surrounded by family and friends, and he sleeps very little. However, he is handsome and gentle, with deep, beautiful, and warm eyes. He tries so hard to express his love and gratitude.” “He hasn’t heard a word in Hebrew for two years. He already thinks in Arabic and then translates to Hebrew. He constantly blurts out words in Arabic. It’s amazing because there was an instruction that he was not allowed to be spoken to in any language, so only the very low ranks slipped him a few words on rare occasions.” When was his escape attempt, and what happened? “It was a year and a few months ago, when there was fighting in the area. There was a bombing—parts of the tunnel started to collapse, and there was chaos. So he took advantage of the fact that people were crammed together and started running and tried to escape. He was already halfway out; his head was already out of the tunnel, and then they grabbed his legs. The […]

Cook County’s top judge signed an order barring ICE from arresting people at court. Cook County includes Chicago, which has seen a federal immigration crackdown in recent months. Detaining residents outside courthouses has been a common tactic for federal agents, who have been stationed outside county courthouses for weeks, making arrests and drawing crowds of protesters. The order, which was signed Tuesday night and took effect Wednesday, bars the civil arrest of any “party, witness, or potential witness” while going to court proceedings. It includes arrests inside courthouses and in parking lots, surrounding sidewalks and entryways. “The fair administration of justice requires that courts remain open and accessible, and that litigants and witnesses may appear without fear of civil arrest,” the order states. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended the practice of making arrests at courthouses, calling it “common sense.” “We aren’t some medieval kingdom; there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law,” DHS said in a Wednesday statement. “Nothing in the constitution prohibits arresting a lawbreaker where you find them.” Immigration advocates decry immigration enforcement outside courthouses Local immigration and legal advocates, including the county’s public defender’s office, have called for an order like this, saying clients were avoiding court out of fear of being detained. The office has confirmed at least a dozen immigration arrests at or near county courthouses since the end of July, when representatives said they’ve seen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence outside courthouses increase. “I have had numerous conversations with clients who are presented with a difficult decision of either missing court and receiving an arrest warrant or coming to court and risk being arrested by ICE,” Cruz Rodriguez, an assistant public defender with the office’s immigration division, said at a news conference earlier this month. Domestic violence advocacy organizations also signed on to a petition earlier this month calling for Cook County Circuit Chief Judge Timothy Evans to issue the order. This comes after advocates said a woman was was arrested by ICE last month while entering the domestic violence courthouse. Alexa Van Brunt, director of MacArthur Justice Center’s Illinois office, which filed the petition, said she was “gratified” by Evans’ order. “This is a necessary and overdue action to ensure that the people of Cook County can access the courts without fear,” she said in a Wednesday statement to The Associated Press. Evans said justice “depends on every individual’s ability to appear in court without fear or obstruction.” “Our courthouses remain places where all people — regardless of their background or circumstance — should be able to safely and confidently participate in the judicial process,” Evans said in a statement. ICE tactics outside courthouses seen across country The tactic of detaining people at courthouses in the Chicago area is part of a larger jump in courthouse immigration arrests across the country. The flurry of immigration enforcement operations at courthouses has been condemned by judicial officials and legal organizations, and has drawn lawsuits from some states and the adoption of bills seeking to block the practice. In June, President Donald Trump’s administration sued the state of New York over a 2020 law barring federal immigration agents from making arrests at state, city and other municipal courthouses. Statehouse Democrats vow to adopt resolutions […]

President Trump thanks members of the media for being “very respectful” over the last week covering the historic Gaza peace deal.

Two years after the massacre, Hakafos Sheniyos place at the site of the Nova music festival, with ZAKA volunteers who returned — this time to celebrate with the Sifrei Torah.

Zohran Mamdani responded directly to President Trump’s warning that federal funds could be withheld if the self-described communist wins the NYC mayoral race, saying he won’t lead like past officials seeking political advantage but will focus on reducing the cost of living and building partnerships with Washington and across the country.