Yeshiva World News

ICE released footage of its raid on the Hyundai–LG battery plant construction site in Georgia, showing restrained workers being escorted out as 457 people were detained.

The Los Angeles Police Department ended its protection detail for former Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday, following internal criticism that officers were being pulled away from crime-fighting duties, according to sources cited by the LA Times.

Satellite imagery revealed the stunning eye of Hurricane Kiko, a powerful Category 4 storm churning across the Pacific as Hawaii watches its path closely.

The DOT wants to withdraw a rule proposed under the Biden administration that would require airlines to provide compensation, rebooking and transportation-related expenses for passengers facing significant delays or cancellations caused by airlines.

The US is not talking about regime change in Venezuela, President Trump said, as the US ordered an additional 10 stealth fighter jets to be deployed in the Caribbean.

ELIMINATED: The evil Gazan terrorist who boasted of murdering 10 Jews “with his own hands” during the October 7 massacre was eliminated in an IDF airstrike in Gaza on Thursday, Gazan media reported on Shabbos. According to the reports, Mahmoud Afana was killed in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah.

Students across New York returned to school Tuesday under the state’s new bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions, marking a major change in classroom and campus culture from kindergarten through 12th grade. The new policy requires students to stow their phones in lockers or, in some schools, secure them in locked pouches until the final bell rings. Reactions among students have been mixed. Teachers are also adjusting to the new rules, with some rethinking classroom practices that once relied on smartphones for quick photos or digital assignments. Parents have voiced mixed opinions. Some expressed concern about losing direct communication during the school day. The law provides exemptions for students requiring medical monitoring, as well as those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or other special learning needs. Parents are still able to reach their children through school offices, and students may use school phones to call home if necessary. The cellphone ban, passed earlier this year by state lawmakers and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, is part of a broader effort to limit distractions and improve in-person social interaction in schools. Officials say they will continue to monitor the rollout as districts adapt to the change. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shaare Zion, the largest Sephardi shul in Brooklyn, has announced that proof of voter registration will now be required for members and their spouses to reserve seats for Yomim Noraim — a groundbreaking policy believed to be the first of its kind in the frum community. The announcement comes two months before New York City voters head to the polls to elect a new mayor. In a letter to members, the shul’s executive committee expressed concern that the outcome of the election could have major implications for the safety and quality of life of Jewish communities across the city. “As a result, we have no choice but to require that all of our members and their spouses provide proof of voter registration prior to securing their High Holiday seats,” the letter states. The committee emphasized that while Yidden ultimately rely on Hashem for protection, hishtadlus is essential. The letter encouraged all eligible members to register to vote, providing a city registration link for convenience. “While we daven and rely on Hashem for the safety of our community, we believe we must put in our best effort to try to avoid a very serious danger that can affect all of us,” the committee wrote. The decision is being praised as a revolutionary step that could serve as a model for other kehillos, inspiring greater engagement and achrayus in elections that directly impact the future of Jewish life in the city. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Sniper Studios Presents: HaMayer Prepare to be swept away by the soul-stirring debut album of Mayer Engel, HaMayer, a musical journey that blends timeless emotion with a modern energy all its own. This album is a true collaboration of talent, featuring the remarkable child vocalist group E-Minor (Featuring Nesanel Tuvia Gottesman, Yisroel Kravitz, Yosef Rooz, and Yitzchok Zinger) whose voices elevate the music to new heights. The tracks were masterfully arranged by the gifted Shloimi Schinfeld and ZELIG, with the exceptional vocals recorded at Sniper Studios, ensuring every note hits with precision and heart. Mayer Engel himself shines as both a composer and performer, composing seven of the songs, including “Ir Al Tila,” “Torah,” and “HaMayer,” each one a testament to his deep connection to the music and his roots. Also featured are the contributions of Sam Glazer, Shimi Maryles, and ZELIG,  who composed songs for this album. As a special touch, Mayer’s son, Shimmy, makes a guest appearance, adding his unique voice to the album. And last but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to Nochi Krohn for allowing Mayer and E-Minor to cover and recreate his beautiful song V’nikeisi — a perfect way to honor the rich traditions of Jewish music. HaMayer is not just an album, but an experience—one that will leave you inspired, uplifted, and moved by the incredible talents of Mayer Engel and his collaborators. Project Manager – Nachum Dovid Stamm Media by – Little Brook Studios | Visit https://www.LittleBrookStudios.com Elephant Painting by: Shira Cenzer Connect with Mayer Engel: Email – mayerengelmusic@gmail.com WhatsApp – 917-830-4905 Visit – https://www.MayerEngel.com

The evil Gazan terrorist who boasted of murdering 10 Jews “with his own hands” during the October 7 massacre was eliminated in an IDF airstrike in Gaza on Thursday, Gazan media reported on Shabbos. According to the reports, Mahmoud Afana was killed in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah. Afana’s disturbing conversation in which he boasted about the murders was publicized two and a half weeks after the massacre by then-Foreign Minister Eli Cohen at a UN Security Council discussion. In a call he made from the phone of one of the victims, Afana was heard saying to his father, “I’m talking to you from a Jewish woman’s phone. I killed her and her husband, with my own hands. I killed 10.” Afana told his father he was speaking from Kibbutz Mefalsim. “Open my WhatsApp now and see all those killed. Look how many I killed with my own hands. Your son killed Jews! I’m calling you on WhatsApp; open the phone, go. Put Mother on.” Mother says, “Oh my son, G-d bless you!” “I swear, 10 with my own two hands, Mother. I killed ten with my own hands.” His mother said, “I wish I were with you.” Afana replied, “Mother, your son is a hero.” His brother then joined the conversation, asking, “You killed 10?” Afana confirmed, “Yes, I killed 10, I swear.” His brother urged him to return to Gaza, to which Afana replied, “Return? There’s no return. It’s either death or victory. How can I return? Open WhatsApp, and see how many are dead. How I killed them with my own hands.” During Cohen’s speech at the session, he said, “October 7 will be remembered in history as no less than a cruel massacre; it is a day when the whole world was awakened against extremism. More than 1,500 Hamas and Jihad terrorists infiltrated Israel with cruelty reminiscent of ISIS, murdering more than 1,400 children, babies, women and men, and wounding over 4,000.” Cohen added, “They went from house to house, massacred entire families. People in their beds, in the streets, on the way to the synagogue. Burned them alive. Danced and sang on bodies. You weren’t there; you didn’t see the horror. Think of the innocent people who just woke up on a Saturday morning; so many of them have not yet been brought to burial. This massacre will be remembered in history as a terrible act worse than ISIS; Hamas are the new Nazis.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams insisted again Friday that he won’t end his reelection campaign, stressing that he’ll remain in the race as reports swirl that he’s been approached about possibly taking a job in the Trump administration. In a hastily called news conference at the mayor’s official residence, Gracie Mansion, Adams declared “I am in this race. And I am the only one who can beat Mamdani,” referring to the Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani. “How many times have I been told throughout this journey to step aside, to surrender, to give up, to give in,” he said. “That’s the same thing we tell everyday New Yorkers. Everyday New Yorkers are not giving up, are not giving in, are not surrendering, so their mayor is not going to do that.” Adams has spent the week fending off news reports that intermediaries for President Donald Trump had contacted people in the mayor’s orbit to talk about whether he would consider abandoning his campaign to take a federal job. Earlier Friday, Adams, a Democrat, released a statement that said he “will always listen if called to serve our country” but that he had not yet received any “formal offers.” Trump has told reporters he would prefer not to have Mamdani, 33, as the next mayor of the largest U.S. city. He said he’d like to see two of the three other major candidates taking on Mamdani — the other two are former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who like Adams is running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa — leave the race to create a one-on-one contest. Moments after Adams’ announcement, President Donald Trump was asked about it by reporters at the White House. “He’s free to do what he wants,” Trump said of Adams. Trump continued: “Cuomo might have a chance of winning if it was one-on-one,” while adding “if you have more than one candidate running against (Mamdani), it can’t be won.” During a trip to Florida this week, Adams met with Steve Witkoff, a former real estate developer in New York who is now one of Trump’s main diplomatic envoys in Washington, according to a person briefed on the discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the talks. It was unclear what specifically was discussed. In an interview, former Democratic New York Gov. David Paterson said he spoke with the mayor on Wednesday morning. Adams told him he wanted to remain in the race but had received offers, according to Paterson. “He said, ‘Listen, they say I have some offers. I have a lot of offers.’ Then he started laughing. And he was saying that, you know, he really doesn’t want to leave and he’s trying to work that out so he doesn’t have to,” said Paterson, who has endorsed Adams for reelection. “He didn’t get specific about it, but I got that in his heart of hearts, he really wants to stay. But I also got that, even though he didn’t say it, that the odds can’t be very good,” he added. Mamdani won the Democratic nomination after soundly defeating Cuomo in the primary. Cuomo is running as an independent, as is Adams, who skipped the Democratic primary, saying he was sidelined from campaigning by his now-dismissed federal […]

Demolition to build President Donald Trump’s new ballroom off the East Wing of the White House can begin without approval of the commission tasked with vetting construction of federal buildings, the Trump-appointed head of the panel said Thursday. Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary, said during a public meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission that the board does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property. “What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said. He called Trump’s promised ballroom “one of the most exciting construction projects in the modern history of” Washington. He made the comments during the only public meeting of the commission scheduled before crews are expected to break ground on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom likely to greatly alter the look and size of both the White House’s East and West Wings. The planning commission is responsible for approving construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area. But Scharf made a distinction between demolition work and rebuilding, saying the commission was only required to vet the latter. “I think any assertion that this commission should have been consulted earlier than it has been, or it will be, is simply false,” he said. Scharf said the White House hadn’t yet submitted building plans for the White House renovations but when that happens, “I’m excited for us to play a role in the ballroom project when the time is appropriate for us to do so.” Asked after the meeting if the eventual approval process might delay work on the ballroom, Scharf said, “Demolition and site preparation work can certainly occur, but if you’re talking about actually building anything, then, yeah, it should go through our approval process.” “Given the president’s history as a builder, and given the plans that we’ve seen publicly I think this will be a tremendous addition to the White House complex, a sorely needed addition,” Scharf said. L. Preston Bryant Jr., who was appointed to chair the National Capital Planning Commission in 2009 by President Barack Obama and served in that role for nine years, said proposed projects typically worked in four major stages of commission approval that began “with an early consultation, where a project is very much conceptual.” That hasn’t been the case with Trump’s promised ballroom. “The White House and its design team would be very, very wise to involve NCPC and its staff very much on the front end of the project – in the early design stages – as it’ll make for a better project and help ensure it meets all regulatory and legal compliances,” Bryant said. “I cannot stress enough the value to be had at the conceptual and early consultation stages.” Trump has been anxious to hustle toward work beginning on the ballroom, with an eye toward completing it prior to his leaving office in January 2029. A building mogul before he was a reality TV star and politician, has relished personally overseeing improvement projects at the White House and walked last month on the building’s roof with construction officials. The ballroom will be the latest change introduced to what’s known as “The People’s House” since Trump returned to office in January, and the first structural change to the Executive […]

Nearly 50 years ago, a U.S. government ship searching for minerals and hydrocarbons in the area drilled into the seafloor to see what it could find. It found, of all things, drops to drink under the briny deeps — fresh water. This summer, a first-of-its-kind global research expedition followed up on that surprise. Drilling for fresh water under the salt water off Cape Cod, Expedition 501 extracted thousands of samples from what is now thought to be a massive, hidden aquifer stretching from New Jersey as far north as Maine. It’s just one of many depositories of “secret fresh water” known to exist in shallow salt waters around the world that might some day be tapped to slake the planet’s intensifying thirst, said Brandon Dugan, the expedition’s co-chief scientist. “We need to look for every possibility we have to find more water for society,” Dugan, a geophysicist and hydrologist at the Colorado School of Mines, told Associated Press journalists who recently spent 12 hours on the drilling platform. The research teams looked in “one of the last places you would probably look for fresh water on Earth.” They found it, and will be analyzing nearly 50,000 liters (13,209 gallons) of it back in their labs around the world in the coming months. They’re out to solve the mystery of its origins — whether the water is from glaciers, connected groundwater systems on land or some combination. The potential is enormous. So are the hurdles of getting the water out and puzzling over who owns it, who uses it and how to extract it without undue harm to nature. It’s bound to take years to bring that water ashore for public use in a big way, if it’s even feasible. The Ancient Mariner told us so Why try? In just five years, the U.N. says, the global demand for fresh water will exceed supplies by 40%. Rising sea levels from the warming climate are souring coastal freshwater sources while data centers that power AI and cloud computing are consuming water at an insatiable rate. The fabled Ancient Mariner’s lament, “Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink,” looms as a warning to landlubbers as well as to sailors on salty seas. In Virginia alone, a quarter of all power produced in the state goes to data centers, a share expected to nearly double in five years. By some estimates, each midsize data center consumes as much water as 1,000 households. Each of the Great Lakes states has experienced groundwater shortages. Cape Town, South Africa, came perilously close to running out of fresh water for its nearly 5 million people in 2018 during an epic, three-year drought. South Africa is thought to have a coastal undersea freshwater bonanza, too, and there is at least anecdotal evidence that every continent may have the same. Canada’s Prince Edward Island, Hawaii and Jakarta, Indonesia, are among places where stressed freshwater supplies coexist with prospective aquifers under the ocean. Enter Expedition 501, a $25 million scientific collaboration of more than a dozen countries backed by the U.S. government’s National Science Foundation and the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (U.S. money for it was secured before budget cuts sought by the Trump administration). Scientists went into the project believing the undersea aquifer they were sampling might be sufficient to meet the needs […]

Over a recent two-year period, the Pentagon funded hundreds of projects done in collaboration with universities in China and institutes linked to that nation’s defense industry, including many blacklisted by the U.S. government for working with the Chinese military, a congressional investigation has found. The report, released Friday by House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, argues the projects have allowed China to exploit U.S. research partnerships for military gains while the two countries are locked in a tech and arms rivalry. “American taxpayer dollars should be used to defend the nation — not strengthen its foremost strategic competitor,” Republicans wrote in the report. “Failing to safeguard American research from hostile foreign exploitation will continue to erode U.S. technological dominance and place our national defense capabilities at risk,” it said. The Pentagon and didn’t immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment. The congressional report said some officials at the Defense Department argued research should remain open as long as it is “neither controlled nor classified.” The report makes several recommendations to scale back U.S. research collaboration with China. It also backs new legislation proposed by the committee’s chairman, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan. The bill would prohibit any Defense Department funding from going to projects done in collaboration with researchers affiliated with Chinese entities that the U.S. government identifies as safety risks. Beijing has in the past said science and technological cooperation between the two countries is mutually beneficial and helps them cope with global challenges. The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Republicans say the joint research could have military applications The 80-page report builds on the committee’s findings last year that partnerships between U.S. and Chinese universities over the past decade allowed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to help Beijing develop critical technology. Amid pressure from Republicans, several U.S. universities have ended their joint programs with Chinese schools in recent years. The new report focuses more narrowly on the Defense Department and its billions of dollars in annual research funding. The committee’s investigation identified 1,400 research papers published between June 2023 and June 2025 that acknowledged support from the Pentagon and were done in collaboration with Chinese partners. The publications were funded by some 700 defense grants worth more than $2.5 billion. Of the 1,400 publications, more than half involved organizations affiliated with China’s defense research and industrial base. Dozens of those organizations were flagged for potential security concerns on U.S. government lists, though federal law does not prohibit research collaborations with them. The Defense Department money supported research in fields including hypersonic technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials and next-generation propulsion. Many of the projects have clear military applications, according to the report. In one case, a nuclear scientist at Carnegie Science, a research institution in Washington, worked extensively on Pentagon-backed research while holding appointments at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences. The scientist, who has done research on high-energy materials, nitrogen and high-pressure physics — all of which are relevant to nuclear weapons development — has been honored in China for his work to advance the country’s national development goals, the report said. It called the case “a deeply troubling example” of how Beijing can leverage U.S. taxpayer-funded research to further its weapons development. In another Pentagon-backed project, […]

A New York Supreme Court granted a decisive victory today to schools that had been deemed “nonequivalent.” This development in the decade-long substantial equivalency saga — predicated on legislation advocated for by Agudath Israel and others — allows parents in these schools to exhale once more, and can have broader positive implications for yeshivas long-term. In May 2025, all parents of six schools received a foreboding letter from New York City stating that their child’s school: “shall no longer be deemed a school which provides compulsory education… effective June 30th, 2025, all services at the school for your child will be discontinued, including special education and related services. Given that your child will no longer be able to attend this school, a decision must be made about what school your child will attend for the 2025-2026 school year and you must notify the New York City Department of Education of where your child will be enrolled by July 1st 2025.” [emphasis added] The letter continues by describing how parents will proceed if their child attends public school in 2025-2026. This legislative session, new language, fundamentally redefining how nonpublic schools can satisfy “substantial equivalency,” became law. SED had argued that all schools can opt in to the new legislation, except for schools that had already been deemed nonequivalent prior to the legislation’s enactment. The court refuted SED’s claim, calling it “arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.” The court further rejected SED’s argument that the schools cannot avail themselves of the new legislation because, by being non-equivalent, they are “non-schools,” and thus are ineligible to make a selection. This case may have long-term implications if, in the future, any school is declared non-equivalent. Based on this ruling, a school can still choose to avail itself of a pathway. The “non-school” argument was soundly defeated. The Agudah congratulated Steven Barshov, Esq., of Barshov Law PLLC, who represented the yeshivas and parents in this case.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed grief over Israeli hostages in four different languages following reports that PM Bibi Netanyahu blocked his visit to Israel.

Former President Joe Biden, 82, was spotted in Delaware with bandages on his forehead following recent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions, a procedure he also had on his chest last year.

HASSETT: All of the job creation in the U.S. has come from native-born workers, whereas in the Biden admin, half was foreign-born… if the supply of new illegal immigrants goes to zero, as it has, then there won’t be non native-born workers taking jobs from native-born workers.

70 wanted individuals were detained and several assault weapons seized in the last week during counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria.