A California man will plead guilty to trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home in a suburb of Washington, D.C, nearly three years ago, the defendant’s attorneys said in a court filing on Wednesday. Nicholas John Roske, of Simi Valley, California, was arrested near Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in June 2022. Roske was armed with a gun and a knife, was carrying zip ties and was dressed in black when he arrived in the neighborhood by taxi just after 1 a.m., federal authorities said. Roske, who was 26 when he was arrested, intends to plead guilty to attempting to murder a justice of the United States without reaching a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, according to his lawyers. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Roske’s attorneys asked a judge in Greenbelt, Maryland, to schedule a hearing next Monday or Tuesday for him to enter a guilty plea. They say prosecutors have consented to their request. After his arrest, Roske told a police detective that he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court intended to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit. Killing one jurist could change the decisions of the nine-member court “for decades to come,” authorities said that Roske wrote, adding, “I am shooting for three.” The leaked opinion draft led to protests, including at several of the justices’ homes. Roske’s arrest spurred the House to approve a bill expanding around-the-clock security protection to the justices’ families. Roske also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed that Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. Roske was apprehended after he called 911 and told a police dispatcher that he was near Kavanaugh’s home and wanted to take his own life. He was spotted by two U.S. marshals who were part of 24-hour security provided to the justices. A trial for Roske has been scheduled to start on June 9. During a hearing in October 2022, U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte said there was a “very high likelihood” that he would order a mental evaluation for Roske to determine if he was fit to assist his defense, enter a possible guilty plea or stand trial. One of Roske’s attorneys, Andrew Szekely, said during a hearing last August that the defense is not requesting a court-ordered mental evaluation of Roske. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman inherited Roske’s case after Messitte died in January following a brief illness. (AP)
Benny was born 18 months ago, bringing with him great joy to his parents. A healthy, thriving baby, he was their sunshine. But six weeks ago, he suddenly became sick. Very, very sick. The diagnosis was shattering: colon cancer, advanced. Benny declined quickly, turning from a happy toddler to a child unable to eat, crawl or even sit up. He had to be admitted to PICU, in total quarantine due to his fragile state, his parents can only see him in pictures taken by kind nurses. Desperate and broken hearted, they got a small ray of hope: there is a surgical protocol that might save his life. But it is an innovative procedure, and due to his young age, it will require a series of supportive tests and medical care. Estimated cost: $300,000 The parents do not have this sum. They have tried fervently to accumulate as much as they can, but they have no financial backing, and currently they are not even able work steadily, and need help with day-to-day expenses. But they have no choice but to do everything to save their child. So, reluctantly, they are turning to you to plead for help heal Benny. Who can imagine pain such as this? Enduring seeing their precious baby struggle for every breath, knowing they do not have the means to save him? Begging for pictures of him, and not even being able to hug and comfort him? Please, let’s give them the support they are so desperate for! Let them know they are not alone, that we all care, that we will give them their only wish: Give them the chance to save Benny. Click here to save little Benny
Syrian media report at least 11 Israeli airstrikes hit the Hama military airport. Simultaneous strikes were also reported on the Scientific Research Center in Damascus and the T4 airbase near Homs.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to begin carefully scrutinizing the social media histories of visa applicants, with a special focus on identifying anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment, according to The New York Times. The directive, issued last week, aligns with an earlier executive order from President Donald Trump, signed in January, which demands that all foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States be assessed for their commitment to core American principles. The order calls for ensuring that those entering the country “do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles,” and do not advocate for or support designated terrorist groups. Rubio described the effort as “long overdue” and critical to national security, noting that the digital footprints of applicants often reveal more than in-person interviews ever could. “If someone despises the United States, mocks our values, or spreads hateful lies about Israel—one of our most important allies—why should we hand them a visa?” Rubio asked reporters on Thursday. “This isn’t censorship. It’s common sense.” Rubio further revealed that since taking office in late January, the State Department has revoked at least 300 visas, a significant number of them student visas, due to concerning online behavior. The policy reflects a growing recognition that digital threats and ideological hostility don’t stop at a country’s borders. With many radical movements using social media to organize, recruit, and incite violence, U.S. officials say it’s only prudent to treat applicants’ online activity as a serious component of background checks. Supporters of the policy say it strengthens national sovereignty, prevents bad actors from slipping through the cracks, and sends a clear message that America’s welcome mat is not extended to those who wish to undermine it from within. “This isn’t about silencing dissent,” Rubio emphasized. “It’s about ensuring that those who come to this country do so with respect for our laws, our people, and our democratic allies.” The move has been welcomed by pro-Israel groups and national security advocates who argue that foreign nationals should be held to a high standard when it comes to views that contradict the values of the nation they seek to enter. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A vaccine to fight dementia? It turns out there may already be one – shots that prevent painful shingles also appear to protect aging brains. A new study found shingles vaccination cut older adults’ risk of developing dementia over the next seven years by 20%. The research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, is part of growing understanding about how many factors influence brain health as we age – and what we can do about it. “It’s a very robust finding,” said lead researcher Dr. Pascal Geldsetzer of Stanford University. And “women seem to benefit more,” important as they’re at higher risk of dementia. The study tracked people in Wales who were around 80 when receiving the world’s first-generation shingles vaccine over a decade ago. Now, Americans 50 and older are urged to get a newer vaccine that’s proven more effective against shingles than its predecessor. The new findings add another reason for people to consider rolling up their sleeves, said Dr. Maria Nagel of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, who studies viruses that infiltrate the nervous system. The virus “is a risk for dementia and now we have an intervention that can decrease the risk,” Nagel said. With Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia on the rise in an aging population, “the implications of the study are profound,” Dr. Anupam Jena, a Harvard physician and health economist, wrote in a Nature commentary. What is shingles? Anyone who’s had ever had chickenpox – nearly everybody born before 1980 – harbors that virus for the rest of their life. It hides in nerves and can break out when the immune system weakens from illness or age, causing painful, blister-like sores typically on one side of the body that last for weeks – what’s called shingles. About 1 in 3 Americans will get shingles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most recover, it sometimes causes severe complications. If it infects an eye it can cause vision loss. Up to 20% of shingles patients suffer excruciating nerve pain months or even years after the rash itself is gone. What’s the link between shingles and dementia? It’s not clear exactly how Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia form. But certain viruses that sneak inside the nervous system – especially members of the herpes family including the chickenpox virus — have long been suspected of adding to genetic and other factors that make people more vulnerable. Last summer, doctors at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital reported that an episode of shingles could raise someone’s risk of dementia by about 20%. Partly, it’s because that virus can cause inflammation, bad for organs including the brain. It also can directly infect blood vessels in the brain, causing clots and impeding blood flow, said Colorado’s Nagel, a risk both for strokes and for dementia. More intriguing, her lab also discovered shingles can spur formation of a sticky protein called amyloid that’s one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. Do shingles vaccines protect against dementia? Adults who get recommended vaccines tend to have other brain-healthy habits including exercising and a good diet, which made it hard to prove an extra benefit. Stanford’s Geldsetzer took advantage of “a natural experiment” in Wales, which opened shingles vaccinations with an age limit: anyone 80 or older on Sept. 1, 2013, was ineligible but those still 79 […]
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is traveling to Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day trip aimed at building trust and cooperation with Greenlandic officials at a time when the Trump administration is seeking control of the vast Arctic territory. Frederiksen announced plans for her visit after U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited a U.S. air base in Greenland last week and accused Denmark of underinvesting in the territory. Greenland is a mineral-rich, strategically critical island that is becoming more accessible because of climate change. Trump has said that the landmass is critical to U.S. security. It’s geographically part of North America, but is a semiautonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark. Frederiksen is due to meet the incoming Greenlandic leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, after an election last month that produced a new government. She is also to meet with the future Naalakkersuisut, the Cabinet, in a visit due to last through Friday. “It has my deepest respect how the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic politicians handle the great pressure that is on Greenland,” she said in government statement announcing the visit. On the agenda are talks with Nielsen about cooperation between Greenland and Denmark. Nielsen has said in recent days that he welcomes the visit, and that Greenland would resist any U.S. attempt to annex the territory. “We must listen when others talk about us. But we must not be shaken. President Trump says the United States is ‘getting Greenland.’ Let me make this clear: The U.S. is not getting that. We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future,” he wrote Sunday on Facebook. “We must not act out of fear. We must respond with peace, dignity and unity. And it is through these values that we must clearly, clearly and calmly show the American president that Greenland is ours.” For years, the people of Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, have been working toward eventual independence from Denmark. The Trump administration’s threats to take control of the island one way or the other, possibly even with military force, have angered many in Greenland and Denmark. The incoming government wants to take a slower approach on the question of eventual independence. The political group in Greenland most sympathetic to the U.S. president, the Naleraq party that advocates a swift path toward independence, was excluded from coalition talks to form the next government. Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Danish Defense Academy, said last week that the Trump administration’s aspirations for Greenland could backfire and push the more mild parties closer to Denmark. He said that “Trump has scared most Greenlanders away from this idea about a close relationship to the United States because they don’t trust him.” (AP)
A terribly car accident on Tuesday night claimed the life of Rabbi Shneur Zalman Oirechman z”l, a Chabad shliach and marbitz torah in northern Eretz Yisroel. He was just 33 years old. The niftar, a ben aliyah with a lev tov, was raised assisting his father, Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Oirechman yb”l, the Rosh HaShluchim of the Krayot area, Rav of Beis Knesses Shaarei Moshe in Kiryat Yam, and a prominent askan serving as chairman of the Vaad Kesivas Sefer Torah Kloli. From a young age, Shneur Zalman z”l was known for his Ahavas Yisroel, bringing chizzuk and simchas haTorah to countless Yidden. Whether through his efforts in the Sefer Torah Hakloli, his harbotzas haChassidus, or simply his warm smile that lit up any room, he was a true oved Hashem. The accident occurred on Kvish HaHof (Coastal Highway), a major thoroughfare linking Tel Aviv to Haifa, tragically cutting short the life of a Yid who lived for others. Rabbi Oirechman z”l leaves behind his almanah (née Lasker, of Kfar Chabad) and four young children. He is survived by his father, siblings, and extended family, including his namesake cousin, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Oirechman, the Chabad Shliach in Tallahassee, Florida. Boruch Dayan HaEmes. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
For nearly a century, the halls of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim / RSA have echoed with voices of dedicated scholars immersed in Torah. From early morning to late at night, these dedicated avreichim delve into the depths of learning, refine their middos, and prepare to lead Klal Yisroel. Their dedication isn’t just personal—it extends far beyond the Beis Medrash. Wherever they go, they bring the power of Torah with them, strengthening the communities they join and shaping the spiritual foundation of Jewish life across America. Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim’s reach has transformed communities nationwide, and countless more are waiting to embrace a deeper connection to Torah. Let’s recognize the impact by supporting Chofetz Chaim today! The impact of the Kollel isn’t measured in days or even years—it is measured in generations. The talmidim who sit and learn today will teach, guide, and inspire for decades to come. The Torah they absorb will be passed down to their own children, their talmidim, and entire communities, ensuring that the strength of Torah continues to flourish wherever they go. For so many, the Chofetz Chaim Kollel is more than just a place of learning—it is a foundation, a lifeline, a home. It is where young men become talmidei chachomim, where the next generation of leaders emerge. It is where the mesorah of Torah is nurtured and safeguarded, ensuring its light shines brightly for the future. And that light does not remain within the walls of the Beis Medrash—it spreads to communities near and far, strengthening Torah and strengthening the Jewish world. Torah is for today. It is for tomorrow. It is forever. This is where you come in. Your partnership makes this all possible. The scholars who dedicate themselves to Torah learning are not alone in their mission—they are supported by those who understand that Torah is the foundation of our future. Together, we ensure that the next generation of leaders can continue to grow, lead, and teach, bringing the power of Torah wherever they go. This campaign aims to raise the Kollel’s annual budget, ensuring it’s continued operation, and to provide the dedicated yungerleit with a well-deserved pre-Pesach bonus, allowing them to celebrate the YomTov with joy and dignity. As Pesach approaches, we reflect on the journey of our people—on the sacrifices made, the foundations built, and the timeless mission of our nation. Just as our ancestors were redeemed for a purpose, we too are partners in ensuring that Torah continues to flourish for future generations. April 2&3 | Matched X2 | Raising $1.6 mil Please Donate Here
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee held another discussion on the draft conscription law on Wednesday. Lt. Col. Avigdor Dikstein, the head of the Chareidi sector in the Manpower Directorate of the IDF, presented updated data on the recruitment of Chareidim to the committee, saying that of 10,000 draft orders sent since July 2024, only 205 Chareidim enlisted. He added that a total of 1721 Chareidim are serving as soldiers since the beginning of last year’s recruitment cycle. There is approximately 66,000 bnei yeshivos who are currently eligible for IDF service but have not enlisted. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled for the Food and Drug Administration in its crackdown on sweet-flavored vaping products following a surge in teen electronic cigarette use. But the justices’ unanimous decision throwing out a federal appeals court ruling is not the final word in the case, and the FDA could change its approach now that President Donald Trump has promised to “save” vaping. The high court ruled that the FDA, during President Joe Biden’s administration, did not violate federal law when it denied an application from Dallas-based company Triton Distribution to sell e-juices like “Jimmy The Juice Man in Peachy Strawberry” and “Suicide Bunny Mother’s Milk and Cookies.” The products are heated by an e-cigarette to create an inhalable aerosol. The FDA has rejected applications for more than a million nicotine products formulated to taste like fruit, dessert or candy because their makers couldn’t show that flavored vapes had a net public benefit, as required by law. It has approved some tobacco-flavored vapes, and recently it allowed its first menthol-flavored e-cigarettes for adult smokers after the company provided data showing the product was more helpful in quitting. But the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Triton, agreeing that the FDA changed its standards with little warning in violation of federal law. While mainly ruling for the FDA on Wednesday, the Supreme Court noted that the agency had said the company’s marketing plan would be an important factor in evaluating its application. But it ultimately did not consider the marketing plan, Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the court. The appeals court was ordered to consider if the failure to do so is an important mistake that might still lead to a decision in Triton’s favor. (AP)
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is willing to drop all of Canada’s tariffs: “We’d be willing to take those off tomorrow… he knows… we’re going to take these tariffs off in the next minute if he said he’s taking their tariffs off”
NETANYAHU: “Last night in the Gaza Strip, we switched gears. The IDF is seizing territory, striking the terrorists and destroying the infrastructure. We are also doing something else: We are seizing the Morag Corridor. This will be the second Philadelphi, an additional Philadelphi Corridor. Because we are now dividing the Strip and increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages. And as long as they do not give them to us, the pressure will increase until they do. We are determined to achieve the objectives of the war, and we are acting relentlessly, and with a clear line and a clear mission. And with G-d’s help and that of our heroic soldiers, we will also achieve them.”
Rep. Mike Lawler addresses 200+ attendees at Agudath Israel’s Mission to Washington, focusing on a critical, nationwide school-choice bill that would greatly benefit frum private school students
