Following fierce battles between Hezbollah-supported militias and HTS along the Lebanon-Syria border, both the Lebanese Army and HTS-aligned Syrian troops are strengthening their defenses.
Following the IDF’s withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza yesterday, they have once again issued warnings to Palestinians, advising them not to approach military personnel or enter restricted zones.
A major security breach occurred during the Super Bowl halftime show when a protester stormed the half-time performance stage carrying a flag combining Palestinian and Sudanese colors with the words “Gaza” and “Sudan” printed on it. The disruption happened during Kendrick Lamar’s performance, as the protester jumped onto a car used in the act and sprinted across the stadium, momentarily drawing attention away from the show. Security personnel quickly intervened, with three guards tackling the protester and dragging him off the field as he refused to stand. Video footage shows the individual being removed from the stadium on his knees. The NFL later confirmed that the individual was a member of the 400-person field cast for Lamar’s performance. “The individual hid the item on his person and unveiled it late in the show,” the league stated, adding that “no one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent.” Roc Nation, which produced the show, also emphasized that “the act was neither planned nor part of the production and was never in any rehearsal.” Authorities are now considering charges against the protester, according to the New Orleans Police Department. “Law enforcement is working to determine applicable charges in this incident,” officials said in a statement. The NFL has taken swift action, permanently barring the individual from all league stadiums and events. “The individual will (be) banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events,” said NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy. As investigations continue, the incident has sparked concerns over event security and the potential risks posed by unauthorized individuals breaching highly secured areas, particularly with high-profile attendees in the crowd. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Tens of thousands of Iranians marked the anniversary of the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the first such rally since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and restarted his “maximum pressure” campaign targeting Tehran. The annual commemoration of the end of the rule of the American-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the creation of Iran’s Shiite theocracy comes this year as deep uncertainty lingers across the country. Iran faces crushing sanctions wrecking its economy and the threat of more coming from Trump, even as the American president suggests he wants to reach a deal with Tehran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. Iran’s currency, the rial, fell to record low of 928,500 rials to $1 in aftermarket trading on Monday, a drop of more than 6% from Friday. Also on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had criticized proposed talks with the United States and described negotiations with America as “not intelligent, wise or honorable.” Khamenei also suggested that “there should be no negotiations with such a government,” though stopped short of issuing a direct order not to engage with Washington. Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who long has struck a conciliatory tone toward the West, similarly took a harder line in a speech at Azadi, or Freedom, Square in Tehran. He declared Iran to be in a “full-fledged economy war.” “Trump comes and announces let’s talk but at the same place he announces and signs all plots,” Pezeshkian said. “They spread propaganda that the country has been weak. We are strong.” “We never bow to the foreigners,” he added. Demonstrators mock US and Israel People carried flags, balloons and banners as they marched toward Azadi Square in the Iranian capital despite sub-zero temperatures. Alongside anti-American and anti-Israeli banners with slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” demonstrators also carried images of Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. A demonstrator held up a poster reading, “We are going to wipe out Israel.” Iran’s military displayed replicas of some of its missiles at the square. People also took selfie photographers in front of a pickup truck carrying men wearing masks of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu behind bars. “I know there are a lot of economic problems in the country, but I am here to say we will support our country regardless of threats by Trump and Israelis,” said Mohsen Amini, a 48-year-old teacher. Hamideh Zamani, a 31-year-old homemaker wearing a flowing black Islamic chador, attended the rally with her two children. “We will resist any threat by the West without any fear,” she said. “We learned this from our fathers to devote ourselves for the cause of the Islamic Republic.” Iranian state television aired commemorations at sites across the country, urging more people to turn out. The day, an official holiday, takes on a festival feel, with schools and government offices closed, and workers out in the streets. Shah’s abdication led to the 1979 revolution The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran over the rule of the shah who, terminally and secretly ill with cancer, fled Iran in January 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini then returned from exile and the government fell on Feb. 11, 1979, after days of mass demonstrations and confrontations between protesters and security forces. Later in April, Iranians voted to become an Islamic Republic, a Shiite theocracy with Khomeini as […]
Join Rebitzen Spetner’s thousands of students from around the world who have transformed themselves, their homes, and their relationships with their children. Course Schedule: Lakewood: Fundamental chinuch Course: Dates: Feb 22-March 1 (evening classes)Topics: Discipline, Filling children’s emotional needs, Sibling rivalry, Ruchnius Alumni classes: Anxiety – Feb. 19, 10 AM Bein Adam Lechavaro – Feb 25-26 10 AM Five Towns: Fundamental chinuch Course: Dates: Feb 17-Feb 23 (evening classes)Topics: Discipline, Filling children’s emotional needs, Sibling rivalry, Ruchnius Rebitzen Sima Spetner is a venerable parenting and chinuch specialist from Eretz Yisroel who has been teaching chinuch classes for decades. Her warm, engaging classes are filled with Torah hashkafah and practical ideas. Rebitzen Spetner was trained directly by Rav Shlomo Wolbe, and received haskamah from leading gedolim. Recordings of the classes will be given exclusively to course participants. To register: Fundamental Course: send an email to beginner@spetner.org – You will receive an email with online registration. For alumni: send an email to alumnireg@spetner.org – You will receive an email with online registration For general info (call/ text) Esti Hirshfeld – 718-578-2128Or email: seminar@spetner.org
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The Trump administration has demanded that the Palestinian Authority end its notorious “pay to slay” stipends, which incite terror by financially supporting terrorists in Israeli prisons and the families of terrorists who committed suicide or were killed in the act of carrying out terror attacks against Israelis, including the Nukhba terrorists who carried out the October 7 massacre. When ex-President Joe Biden entered office, he restored funding to the Palestinian Authority terror group, despite being well aware of its “pay to slay” payments, which includes terrorists who murdered US citizens. Biden took the step despite the fact that the funding violated US law, specifically the 2018 Taylor Force Act, which bans all US aid to the PA as long as it continues to fund terrorists. Channel 12 News reported on Monday that the terrorist in a suit, President Mahmoud Abbas, has “agreed” to Trump’s demand to end the payments. According to the Palestinian sources quoted in the report, Abbas wants Trump to revoke the Taylor Force Act in exchange for ending the payments. According to a recent report by Palestinian Media Watch, the 734 terrorists [including mass murderers) released or slated for release in the current hostage deal have received a total of half a billion shekels in “pay to slay” payments. “It’s a tremendous force driving terror,” Itamar Marcus, Palestinian Media Watch’s founder and director, told JNS. “Palestinian terrorists are the most honored people in Palestinian society,” he said. “When they’re introduced, and in interviews, even years after they were released from jail, they’re called Asra [“Prisoner”]. That’s their title. It’s like an ambassador. It’s actually similar to POW [prisoner of war]. They have a different word for criminal prisoners. For the P.A., they’re legitimate fighters, even if they killed women and children,” Marcus said. “In another society, if a criminal goes to jail for murdering someone, he’s ashamed about it. In the Palestinian Authority, they go around with a crown on their heads,” he said. Marcus added that Abbas is so determined to pay terrorists that at one point, they skipped paying their employees their salaries in order to ensure the terrorists in prison got their full payments. “What’s outrageous, of course, is a person who’s living at home, working, who’s got five or six kids and needs the money—his salary you’re cutting to 70%. But the prisoner who’s getting everything—all his food and everything taken care of by Israel—that’s the one who’s getting 100%. So it’s just a message of values,” Marcus said. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
China’s tit-for-tat duties on U.S. imports took effect Monday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he wants to slap new duties on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S. The rapid-fire shots of tariffs and import curbs hearken back to Trump’s first term in office, when the U.S. and China engaged in a trade war that spanned most of Trump’s first four years in office and was continued to a certain extent under his successor, Joe Biden. Less than a month after returning to the White House on Jan. 20, Trump slapped 10% duties on all Chinese imports, a move that’s expected to raise prices on goods including laptops, toys and fast fashion. China responded with 15% duties on coal and liquefied natural gas products, and a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S. Beijing also launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Google and added PVH, the owner of U.S. fashion brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, to its “unreliable entity” list. China also restricted the exports of five rare metals used as key components in the defense and clean energy industries among others. As the new frictions threaten to escalate into a trade war, here are some key moments in the countries’ yearslong trade spat: March 2017 Shortly after becoming U.S. president for the first time, Trump, determined to reduce trade deficits with other countries, signs an executive order calling for tighter tariff enforcement in anti-dumping cases. April 2017 During a visit to Beijing, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agree to a 100-day plan for trade talks meant to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China. The trade talks fail by July. August 2017 Trump launches an investigation into alleged Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property, which the U.S. estimated was costing it up to $600 billion a year. January 2018 The U.S. announces 30% tariffs on imported solar panels, which come mostly from China. April 2018 Beijing hits back with tariffs on U.S. imports worth about $3 billion, including 15% duties on products including fruits, nuts, wine and steel pipes, and a 25% tax on pork, recycled aluminum and six other types of goods. A day later, the U.S. ups the ante by slapping a 25% tax on Chinese goods from the aerospace, machinery and medical industries worth about $50 billion. China retaliates with 25% duties on aircraft, automobiles, soybeans and chemicals among other imports, worth about another $50 billion. June-August 2018 The two countries impose at least three more rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs affecting more than $250 billion worth of Chinese goods and more than $110 billion worth of U.S. imports to China. These include 10% tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods that take effect in September 2018 and are supposed to increase to 25% on Jan. 1, 2019. December 2018-May 2019 Washington and Beijing fail to iron out a trade deal after agreeing to halt new tariffs in December 2018. After the talks collapse, Trump goes ahead and raises tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. May 2019 Washington bans Chinese technology company Huawei from buying parts and components from U.S. companies. June 2019 Trump and Xi agree in a phone call to restart trade talks, but these hit numerous snags in the next five months. January 2020 The U.S. and China sign a Phase One […]
Elon Musk claimed early Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent $59 million last week to luxury hotels in New York City to house undocumented migrants, a move he says violates federal law and misuses emergency funds meant for American disaster relief. In a post on his social media platform, X, Musk asserted that the allocation was “just discovered” by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the agency he oversees to curb government overspending. “Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” Musk wrote. “That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high-end hotels for illegals.” He added that a “clawback demand” would be issued immediately to recover the funds. Musk’s claim comes amid growing scrutiny of FEMA under President Donald Trump, who last month signed an executive order establishing a council to review the agency’s operations. The order cited “serious concerns of political bias” in FEMA’s decision-making and directed the council to hold its first meeting within 90 days, with a full report due within 180 days. The president has been vocal in his criticism of FEMA, particularly following the response to Hurricane Helene, which left survivors struggling for aid four months after the storm. During a visit with displaced residents, Trump blasted the agency’s performance, declaring it “not on the ball… and we’re going to turn it all around.” Speaking at a roundtable with federal and local officials, Trump suggested that FEMA could be significantly restructured—or even dismantled entirely. “I will be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA—or maybe getting rid of FEMA,” Trump said. “I think, frankly, that FEMA’s not good.” The president has argued that disaster relief efforts would be more effective if federal funds were sent directly to states instead of being managed by FEMA, citing recent high-profile disasters where he believes the agency fell short. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Kanye West has deleted his X account following widespread condemnation of a series of antisemitic posts, marking the latest controversy in the mentally ill rapper’s troubled history with social media. West, who also goes by Ye, was criticized for making inflammatory statements about Jewish people, including declaring “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi” in posts shared on Friday. He also wrote, “I’m never apologizing for my Jewish comments.” In response, X added a “sensitive content warning” to his account, but by Monday, the 47-year-old appeared to have deleted his profile entirely. Before removing his account, West acknowledged his departure from the platform, writing: “I’m logging out of Twitter. I appreciate [X owner] Elon [Musk] for allowing me to vent.” “It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip.” “Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again [sic]. Good afternoon and goodnight.” His latest comments reignited calls for his removal from X, with advocacy groups and public figures urging Musk to take action. The Campaign Against Antisemitism accused West of using X as a platform for hate speech and demanded Musk take decisive action. “Once again, Ye has gone on an antisemitic rampage online. It couldn’t be any clearer that he is an unrepentant, proud antisemite,” a spokesperson for the group said. “At a time of unprecedented antisemitism, there can be no mistaking this incitement for exactly what it is. We call on Elon Musk to remove him from X.” West’s departure comes after a series of past suspensions from X due to antisemitic remarks. October 2022 – His account was restricted over antisemitic comments, but he returned the following month. December 2022 – His account was suspended again after posting an image appearing to show a swastika inside a Star of David and praising Hitler. Musk cited “incitement to violence” as the reason for the suspension. July 2023 – His account was reinstated. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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Or Levy and Ohad Ben Ami, who were released on Shabbos from Hamas captivity after 491 days, revealed severe and shocking testimonies about the numerous tortures they suffered at the hands of Hamas terrorists during their captivity in Gaza, reminiscent of the extermination camps in Europe and the torture facilities of the Spanish Inquisition. According to a Kan News report on Sunday evening, all three underwent horrific physical torture by the terrorists. They were taken separately for brutal interrogations during which the terrorists demanded information while subjecting them to severe physical abuse. According to a Channel 13 report, the hostages were interrogated about their service period in the IDF, and based on their answers, they were subjected to numerous beatings. The terrorists strangled them, tied them up, bound their mouths with cloth until they choked, hung them by their feet, and burned them with hot objects. Channel 12 reported that one of the returned hostages told his family that he was chained in a dark tunnel, without light and air, during his entire captivity. He could not walk or stand and was only unchained shortly before his release. Additionally, they reported that they were deliberately starved and for many long days they received no food at all. Every few days they received a rotten pita, which they had to share with the other hostages who were with them. They also suffered terrible thirst when they were deprived of water for days. At one point during captivity, one of the hostages collapsed due to his extreme hunger and thirst. The other hostages with him thought he was dead, and according to reports, they described that moment as particularly traumatic. According to a report on Channel 13, they ate about 300 calories a day from carbohydrates only for most of the captivity, and days before their release, they received slightly more food so they would be able to stand on their feet during their release. They said that their captors intentionally starved them and taunted them by deliberately eating in front of them. Sometimes they had to decide who among them would eat. The physical torture and starvation were not the only way the terrorists abused the hostages in the tunnels. According to testimonies, they were placed in a small room inside a tunnel where they could neither move nor stand and had difficulty breathing. They stated: “We couldn’t tell between day and night in the tunnel.” They were left alone for long days and were barefoot throughout the entire captivity, bathing only once every few months. One of the hostages said: “They treated us like animals.” They shared that what gave them chizzuk during captivity were tefillos, Kiddush on Friday nights, and supporting one another. According to a report on Channel 12, the heinous terrorists would psychologically torture them through “games” that simulated a release that ultimately did not happen. They also said that on the day of release, the heinous terrorists moved them from place to place, “presenting” them to crowds of cheering terrorists. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Yechiel Yehud, the father of Arbel Yehud, who was released from captivity about a week and a half ago along with Gadi Mozes and Agam Berger, read a message from his daughter in a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday. “I learned Arabic within a month and I heard my captors express joy over the friction among Israelis regarding the question of releasing the hostages,” Yehud stated. “I thought they were using psychological terror on me when they said the issue of the hostages had become a political debate. I didn’t believe it until I returned to the country and was exposed to this harsh reality.” “I was held for 482 days without seeing or hearing a single Israeli – from the time I was separated from my partner Ariel [Cunio] three hours after I was abducted – until I met Gadi [on the day of her release.] You can imagine some of the horrors I went through during my captivity, as you all saw on the day of my release.” “Despite this, I returned focused on the goal of saving Ariel, his brother David, and all the hostages along with the long rehabilitation process awaiting me. Already on the evening of my release at Sheba, I told my father: ‘Abba, don’t give up. I need Ariel back in order to recover.’ And my father answered me: ‘I didn’t think otherwise.'” “And I demand from you [Knesset members], like my father – don’t think otherwise. Bring everyone back in one go – the living and the dead, and don’t scare the people with the question of price. Sccare yourselves and maybe that will force you to better protect the country’s citizens in the future.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
JD Vance is stepping onto the world stage for the first time as U.S. vice president this week, using a high-profile artificial intelligence summit in France and a gathering of national security leaders in Germany to showcase Donald Trump’s more assertive approach to diplomacy. The 40-year-old vice president, who was just 18 months into his tenure as a senator before joining Trump’s ticket, is expected, while in Paris, to push back on European efforts to tighten AI oversight while advocating for a more open, innovation-driven approach. The AI summit has drawn world leaders, top tech executives, and policymakers to discuss artificial intelligence’s impact on global security, economics, and governance. High-profile attendees also include Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, signaling Beijing’s deep interest in shaping global AI standards. The event highlights efforts by France and the European Union to position themselves as leading forces in the AI race, emphasizing innovation and investment while seeking to ensure the technology’s safe development. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has prioritized business-friendly policies and technological dominance. Vance’s trip extends beyond Paris. Later this week, he will travel to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, where he has said he plans to push European allies to step up their commitments to NATO and Ukraine. Vance’s debut abroad The summit will give some European leaders an introduction to Vance, who is making his first major overseas trip since taking office. He has signaled he will use the summit as a venue for candid discussions on AI policy and broader geopolitical issues. “At the AI Summit, the main reason I’m going is actually to have some private conversations with the world leaders who are also going to be there,” Vance told Breitbart News. “I think there’s a lot that some of the leaders who are present at the AI summit could do to, frankly — bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to a close, help us diplomatically there — and so we’re going to be focused on those meetings in France.” Vance is expected to meet separately on Tuesday on the sidelines of the summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, according to a person familiar with planning who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet to be formally announced bilateral meetings. Vance was joined by his wife Usha and their three children — Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel — for the trip to Europe. They were greeted in France on Monday morning by Manuel Valls, the minister for Overseas France, and the U.S. Embassy’s charge d’affaires, David McCawley. On Tuesday, Vance will have a working lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron, with discussions on Ukraine and the Middle East on the agenda. Vance, like the U.S. president, has questioned U.S. spending on Ukraine and the broader approach to isolating Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump promised to end the fighting within six months of taking office. Vance also addressed what he views as a concerning trend in Europe regarding free speech, a topic he raised last year at the Munich Security Conference. “Unfortunately, you’ve seen in Europe a really significant, and I think, frankly, an evil trend towards censorship,” he said. “And you hear a lot about America’s moral leadership. One of the things that America’s moral leadership is going to be about during President Trump’s term […]
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday following mounting pressure from populist opposition groups, two months after a top court annulled a presidential election in the European Union country. “To spare Romania from this crisis, I am resigning as president of Romania,” he said in an emotional address, adding that he will leave office on Feb. 12. Iohannis, 65, held the presidential role since 2014 and served the maximum of two five-year terms. But his presidency was extended in December after the Constitutional Court canceled the presidential race two days before a Dec. 8 runoff. That came after the far-right populist Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round, after which allegations emerged of Russian interference and electoral violations. Several opposition parties, including the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), the nationalist S.O.S party and the Party of Young People — but also some members of the reformist Save Romania Union party (USR) — sought Iohannis’ ouster through a motion filed to Parliament. Some lawmakers from the governing coalition were also expected to vote in favor. “This is a useless endeavor because, in any case, I will leave office in a few months after the election of the new president,” Iohannis said. “It is an unfounded move because I have never — I repeat, never — violated the constitution. And it is a harmful endeavor because … everyone loses, and no one gains.” He added that the consequences of his ouster would be “long-lasting and highly negative” for Romania, an EU member since 2007, and a NATO member since 2004. “None of our partners will understand why Romania is dismissing its president when the process for electing a new president has already begun,” he said. After his resignation announcement, clashes broke out between Georgescu supporters and police in front of the government building in the capital, Bucharest, and tear gas was used to disperse the protesters. New dates have been set to rerun the presidential vote with the first round scheduled for May 4. If no candidate obtains more than 50% of the ballot, a runoff would be held two weeks later, on May 18. It is not yet clear whether Georgescu will be able to participate in the new election. Georgescu called Ioahnnis’ resignation a “victory for the people of Romania” and urged a resumption of the presidential election from the second round. While an interim president has not yet been named, the president of the Senate is supposed to fill the role of acting president, which comes with limited powers. If they are not able to, the next in line is the president of the Chamber of Deputies, according to the constitution. Elena Lasconi of the USR, who was due to face Georgescu in the runoff, said in a statement that Iohannis’ resignation came “far too late to be considered honorable.” “I’m glad that the pressure USR applied in Parliament woke Iohannis from his slumber, and we won’t stop here,” she said. “We need to realign the state institutions so that they work for the citizens, not for temporary figures perched in power.” She added, “We need truth, justice, and an authentic leader who can keep us firmly oriented toward the West!” George Simion, the leader of the AUR party, wrote in a post on […]
A third federal judge on Monday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante in New Hampshire comes after two similar rulings by judges in Seattle and Maryland last week. Laplante, who was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush, said he wasn’t persuaded by the Trump administration’s defense of the executive order. He said he would issue a longer preliminary injunction later explaining his reasoning. A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union contends that Trump’s order violates the Constitution and “attempts to upend one of the most fundamental American constitutional values.” It was brought on behalf of immigrant rights groups with members who are pregnant and whose children could be affected by the order. Trump’s Republican administration asserts that children of noncitizens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore are not entitled to citizenship. The administration is appealing the Seattle-based judge’s block on Trump’s executive order. At least nine lawsuits have been filed to challenge the birthright citizenship order. In the case filed by four states in Seattle, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said last week Trump administration was attempting to ignore the Constitution. “The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or something ignored, whether that be for political or personal gain,” said Coughenour, who was appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan. “In this courtroom and under my watch the rule of law is a bright beacon, which I intend to follow.” A federal judge in Maryland also blocked Trump’s order in another case brought by immigrants’ rights groups and pregnant women whose soon-to-be-born children could be affected. The Trump administration has not yet filed an appeal of the preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden. A federal judge in Boston also heard arguments last week in a suit filed by a group of 18 states. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, did not immediately rule. Laplante, the judge in New Hampshire, praised both sides for the way they made their cases. “I’m not persuaded by the defendants’ arguments on this motion,” he said. “I have to say: I’m not offended by them, either, as a lawyer or a jurist. I think the rule of law is best served, best maintained and preserved when excellent practitioners present their arguments to the court with all the experience, expertise and knowledge they can muster.” At the heart of the lawsuits in the three cases is the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War and the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, which held that Scott, an enslaved man, wasn’t a citizen despite having lived in a state where slavery was outlawed. In 1898, in a case known as United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the U.S. Supreme Court found the only children who did not automatically receive U.S. citizenship upon being born on U.S. soil were children of diplomats, who have allegiance to another government; enemies present in the U.S. during hostile occupation; those born on foreign ships; and those born to members of sovereign Native […]
Michael and Tal Levy, the brothers of Or Levy who was released from Hamas captivity on Shabbos, described the inhumane conditions and starvation their brother endured in Hamas captivity for 491 days. Michael spoke to the press at Sheba Hospital: “Yesterday, after a year and 4 months, I saw my brother again. I hugged him but it wasn’t the same Or that left home on October 7 2023. Or returned in a deteriorated physical condition. For 16 months, he was barefoot, hungry, and in a constant state of fear that every day could be his last.” “His greatest fear was confirmed when he was freed; for 491 days he waited to reunite with Einav [his wife]. He found out she was murdered only yesterday. Finally, yesterday, he met Almog [his three-year-old son], and Almog asked, ‘Why did it take you so long to come back?'” “The Or I saw would not have survived another month in captivity.” Earlier on Sunday, Or’s brother Tal spoke to Channel 12: “Or is slowly recovering. Yesterday was a little more difficult and confusing for him but he didn’t sleep very much at night. He sat with my mother and my brother and shared experiences from captivity; he only fell asleep at 7 in the morning. Yesterday was a confusing day, but he has been going through a process and today is a better day; he is starting to regroup.” “The stories he tells are very, very difficult stories, very difficult experiences. I can’t describe it. If I could share everything he told us, and if the public at home knew what they are going through there and what their chances of survival are under such conditions… the Or I saw yesterday would not have survived another two or three weeks or a month in captivity.” Tal spoke about the intentional starvation policy by Yahya Sinwar. “There was deliberate starvation, as part of Yahya Sinwar’s policy,” he said. “This is not the first time we’re hearing this. Today I heard briefings from the Prime Minister or yesterday there were already briefings that they did not know about intentional starvation, so I can say unequivocally that they did hear about intentional starvation. The Prime Minister did know because a few months ago, officials from the Ministry of Defense and the army, as well as from the Prime Minister’s Office, came to us. They told us about a top-down policy – from Yahya Sinwar – who gave an order to starve the male hostages. So it can’t be that the families and we were exposed to this and the Prime Minister was not.” Tal confirmed that Or requested not to be released yesterday, suggesting to his captor that another hostage be released instead of him. “He felt very, very bad about being released while others remained in captivity. We told him he was a humanitarian case due, among other things, to Almog, because Almog lost his mother and the only chance for the family is Or, and then he mentioned Elkana Bochbot and said that he has a 4-year-old daughter, and ‘Why was he not released?'” Tal said that the person who told Or – at his request – that his wife Einav, H’yd, was murdered, was the psychologist. “He guessed she was dead because he was […]
The hostages released on Shabbos revealed disturbing details about their captivity, including the conditions of male hostages still being held in Gazan tunnels in inhumane conditions. As YWN reported on Sunday, the family of hostage Alon Ohel received a first sign of life from the released hostages. The family of hostage Eliya Cohen, 27, who is due to be released in the current hostage, said that they also received a first sign of life from Cohen. Like Alon, Eliya has been held in chains his entire captivity in a dark tunnel, enduring intentional starvation, brutal abuse, and a total lack of basic human needs. And like Ohel, who was injured on October 7 and didn’t receive medical treatment, Eliya’s mother said that he was shot in the leg on October 7 but never received medical treatment. Sigi Cohen, Eliya’s mother, told Israeli media outlets that released hostages Or Levy and Eli Sharabi reported that her son was held with them in tunnels, adding that she was extremely distressed by the details she was told and the released hostage’s appearances, which show they “went through a Holocaust.” “Eliya has been chained for a year and four months and his captors stand over him with drawn weapons,” Sigi cried. “I hoped he would return safely but after Motzei Shabbos when I saw the horrors they went through there, I can’t sleep at night. My stomach is in knots, I am utterly devastated.” “How can we talk about returning to war? Bring them home already. They are not okay, they are in hell, they’re in a genocide. Has someone in the government caught on that my son is chained? Where have we ever heard such a thing?” “They’re abusing them now as well. They said they were abused recently,” Sigi added, lamenting that there are 22 young men in captivity who aren’t slated for release in the current phase “and who aren’t being talked about.” She called for the release of all the hostages, “no matter the price.” “If we thought we knew something it turned out we understood nothing,” she said. “The punch to the gut we received on Motzei Shabbos with all the joy of the sign of life we got – I never imagined how bad their situation really is.” Eliya was abducted from what became known as the “bunker of death” at the Nova music festival together with Hersh Goldberg-Polin, H’yd, Or Levy, and Alon Ohel. In addition to the four who were abducted, 16 Israelis crowded in the small bunker were murdered, including Or Levy’s wife Einav, H’yd. Seven survived and were rescued from the shelter. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump announced plans to put a stop to producing pennies, which cost more than their value to make. “For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.” He added, “Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.” This is the president’s latest move to reduce spending in the U.S. after taking office on Jan. 20. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by billionaire Elon Musk, posted on X last month that producing the penny is costing American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, suggesting that it may be one of the items it may consider eliminating. According to the U.S. Mint, each penny costs 3.69 cents to produce in fiscal year 2024, costing taxpayers $119 million. This marked the 19th consecutive year in which production exceeded its face value. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)