UPDATE: Boruch Hashem the condition of Hagaon HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky continues to be stable, and all indicators show improvement. The doctors are very satisfied with his progress. Please continue to be be מתפלל for שמואל בן איטא עטיל.
An IDF reservist officer was seriously wounded by sniper fire in the northern Gaza Strip earlier today, the military announces. The reservist, who served as a technology and maintenance officer in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 924th Battalion, was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) accuses the United Nations of failing to fulfill its role and collect humanitarian aid from the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
An off-duty NYPD officer was stomped in the face and had his gun stolen during a robbery in the Bronx this past weekend. One of the suspects was arrested in Virginia this morning while the other one remains at large.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts. In a 58-second video posted on the social media site X, Kennedy said he removed COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for those groups. No one from the CDC was in the video, and CDC officials referred questions about the announcement to Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No other details were released, and HHS officials did not immediately respond to questions about how the decision was made. Some doctors and public health leaders called the move concerning and confusing. “There’s no new data or information, just them flying by the seat of their pants,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. U.S. health officials, following recommendations by infectious disease experts, have been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. The idea of changing the recommendations is not completely out of the blue. As the COVID-19 pandemic has waned, experts have increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older — who are among those most as risk for death and hospitalization. A CDC advisory panel is set to meet in June to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among its options are suggesting shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated. But Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine advocate before becoming health secretary, decided not to wait for the scientific panel’s review. He said that annual COVID-19 booster shots have been recommended for kids “despite the lack of any clinical data” to support that decision. Some physicians and public health leaders expressed concern that HHS officials disregarded a scientific review process that has been in place for decades, in which experts — in public meetings — review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes. “It’s a dangerous precedent. If you can start doing that with this vaccine, you can start doing that with any vaccine you want — including mumps-measles-rubella,” said Osterholm, referring to another vaccine that Kennedy has voiced doubts about. He and others said the announcement raises an array of questions, including whether health insurance companies will keep covering COVID-19 vaccinations and how hard it will be now for people who want the shots to get them. “The reason we give vaccines to healthy people is to keep them safe,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. More than 1.2 million people have died in the U.S. from COVID-19, most of them elderly. But children haven’t been spared: The coronavirus has been the underlying cause in more than 1,300 childhood deaths since the pandemic began, according to CDC data. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, head of the National Institutes of Health, appeared in the video with Kennedy. Earlier this year, during the nomination process, Kennedy gave assurances to wavering Republicans that he would not alter the federal vaccine schedule. But since then, Kennedy and other Trump administration appointees have made big changes to the system […]
In response to the tragic helicopter crash on April 10 that claimed the lives of a Spanish family of five and their pilot, U.S. Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) have introduced the bipartisan “Improving Helicopter Safety Act.” The proposed legislation aims to prohibit all non-essential helicopter flights—including those for tourism, recreation, and luxury commuting—within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty. Essential flights, such as those for emergency services, law enforcement, news coverage, and research, would still be permitted. If enacted, the bill would take effect 60 days after being signed into law. The fatal incident involved a New York Helicopter Tours chopper on its eighth flight of the day, which broke apart mid-air and crashed into the Hudson River. The company ceased operations shortly after, following a directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Critics of tourist helicopter flights have long cited concerns over public safety, regulatory oversight, and environmental noise. The grassroots campaign Stop The Chop and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have expressed support for the proposed ban. The New York City Council also recently passed legislation to limit non-essential flights from city-owned heliports by 2029. The bill has garnered support from various advocacy groups and lawmakers who argue that the risks posed by non-essential helicopter flights outweigh their benefits. Since 1977, there have been 38 helicopter-related fatalities in New York City. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A quiet but concerning development has surfaced that may significantly impact one of the most recognizable elements of traditional Orthodox Jewish attire: the black felt hat. For over 40 years, a Spanish company—Fernandez y Roche, based in Seville, Spain—has supplied tens of thousands of black hats annually to yeshiva bochurim, avreichim, and balabatim in communities across America. These hats, worn daily by bnei Torah from the age of bar mitzvah and onward, are not merely a garment, but a statement of identity and dignity. But that longstanding partnership is now at risk. Due to newly imposed trade tariffs by the U.S. government on European goods, including imported felt hats, Fernandez y Roche has been hit with a 10% import fee, with a looming possibility of an additional 50% tariff. Abraham Mazuecos, Managing Director of the 140-year-old hatmaker, expressed deep concern. “Our margins are very tight,” he said, “and we expect demand to decline as a result.” The company currently supplies approximately 30,000 hats annually to the Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey—making up around half of its exports in this sector. The other half goes to kehillos in Eretz Yisroel. For many, this isn’t just a business disruption—it could soon become a practical challenge. The typical black felt hat, often replaced every few years due to wear or changing styles, can cost up to $380. And while hat manufacturers exist in the United States, Mazuecos pointed out that many are geared toward producing cowboy hats and similar styles, not the refined, traditional designs worn by bnei Torah. “There simply isn’t a local replacement that fits the expectations of our clientele,” he explained. What’s more, the impact may be felt not only on an individual level, but within the infrastructure of the frum clothing market as a whole. Many local retailers, especially those who serve yeshiva communities and rely on steady imports of these hats, are watching the situation closely. If tariffs continue to rise and supply is interrupted, it could force stores to seek inferior alternatives—or raise prices significantly. With a July 9 deadline looming for trade negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union, there is still some hope that a resolution will be reached. But should talks fail, this cherished accessory—so central to the levush of a ben Torah—may become harder to access and more costly to replace. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A previously unknown Russian hacker group with suspected ties to the Kremlin was responsible for a cyberattack last year on the Dutch police and has also targeted other Western nations that deliver military support to Ukraine, intelligence agencies announced Tuesday. The agencies said in a report that the group, which they called Laundry Bear, is actively trying to steal sensitive data from European Union and NATO countries and is “extremely likely Russian state supported.” “Laundry Bear is after information about the purchase and production of military equipment by Western governments and Western deliveries of weapons to Ukraine,” Vice Adm. Peter Reesink, director of the military intelligence agency MIVD, said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the report. The Netherlands has been a strong supporter of Ukraine’s war effort since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and has given military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv. The Russian hackers broke into a police account and accessed work-related contact details of all Dutch police officers in September last year, in a cyberattack that sent shockwaves through the force. The Dutch intelligence agencies published a detailed analysis of methods used by the hacker group to break into computer networks and cloud services. Erik Akerboom, chief of the domestic intelligence agency AIVD, said that outlining the group’s work means that “not only governments, but also manufacturers, suppliers and other targets can arm themselves against this form of espionage. This limits Laundry Bear’s chances of success and digital networks can be better protected.” The attack discovered in the Netherlands is one of a growing number around the world. Last week, the U.S. National Security Agency said that hackers working for Russian military intelligence targeted Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine. And last month, the French government accused a hacking group linked to Russian military intelligence of cyberattacks over three years, targeting the Paris Olympics, French government agencies and companies. (AP)
National Public Radio and three local stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. argues that Trump’s executive order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Amendment. Trump issued the executive order earlier this month that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. Trump issued the order after alleging there is “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting. “The Order’s objectives could not be clearer: the Order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and individual public radio stations across the country,” the lawsuit alleges. “The Order is textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, and it interferes with NPR’s and the Local Member Stations’ freedom of expressive association and editorial discretion,” it said. (AP)
Walmart fined for shipping realistic toy guns to New York, violating state law Walmart agreed to pay a small fine and promised to ensure its third-party resellers are unable to sell imitation toy guns to buyers in New York. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the retail giant’s online store shipped at least nine such toys to the state. State law bans retailers from selling or shipping toy guns of certain colors — black, dark blue, silver, or aluminum — that look like real weapons.
A man accused of brutally assaulting an off-duty NYPD officer in a shocking weekend attack has been captured hundreds of miles away. Taveon Hargrove, 23, was taken into custody Tuesday morning by members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force in North Chesterfield, Virginia, bringing a dramatic end to a multi-day manhunt. He now awaits extradition to New York City, where charges are pending. The arrest comes just days after the violent incident rocked the Bronx. Early Saturday morning, near St. Peters Avenue in the Parkchester section, Hargrove and another still-unidentified suspect allegedly ambushed a 27-year-old off-duty officer, knocking him to the ground before punching, kicking, and robbing him at knifepoint. The officer suffered multiple facial fractures and remains hospitalized in stable condition. Authorities also arrested Hargrove’s father, who is accused of using the officer’s stolen credit card at several Bronx bodegas in the hours following the assault. Surveillance footage released Monday helped lead to Hargrove’s arrest, though the second attacker remains at large. The Police Benevolent Association issued a statement following the capture: “Thank you to our NYPD detectives and U.S. Marshals for ending this vicious cop-basher’s run. But the job is far from over. Even when his criminal partner is caught, we must still stand together to make sure the justice system does its job: protect the cops who protect NYC.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A bizarre metallic sphere, spotted soaring through the skies before crash-landing in the small town of Buga, Colombia, on March 2, has sparked a firestorm of speculation about its origins, with some researchers claiming it could be evidence of extraterrestrial technology. The discovery has drawn global attention, dividing scientists and fueling debates about whether the object is alien, an elaborate hoax, or something else entirely. The sphere, described as a seamless, silver orb roughly the size of a bowling ball, was recovered shortly after its dramatic descent. Witnesses reported seeing it zigzag through the sky in a manner that defied the movement of conventional aircraft, before it landed in a rural area near Buga. Local authorities quickly cordoned off the site to prevent tampering, and a team of researchers, led by radiologist Dr. Jose Luis Velazquez, began examining the object. Velazquez, who conducted initial X-ray scans, described the sphere as a “very rare piece” with no visible welds or joints—features typically associated with human manufacturing. “Its internal structure is composed of three dense layers of metal-like material, with 18 microspheres surrounding a central nucleus that appears to be a chip,” he told reporters. The absence of seams, combined with the object’s unusual composition, has led Velazquez to assert that the sphere could be of extraterrestrial origin. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he added, noting that the materials appear to be high-density and unlike anything known in human technology. Adding to the mystery, the sphere’s surface is reportedly etched with symbols resembling ancient writing systems, including runes, Ogham, and Mesopotamian scripts. The object, weighing approximately 4.5 pounds and cold to the touch, also reportedly emitted smoke and vaporized water when doused, according to David Velez el Potro, who claimed to have recovered it. Velez el Potro, speaking to Maussan Television, said the finder became ill for days after touching the sphere. However, not all experts are convinced of the sphere’s otherworldly origins. Dr. Julia Mossbridge, a physicist at the University of San Diego, has urged caution, suggesting the object may be a “really cool art project.” Speaking to Fox News Digital, Mossbridge emphasized the need for rigorous scientific analysis before jumping to conclusions. “It looks so human-made to me,” she said, warning that premature claims of alien technology could discredit legitimate investigations into unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs). She recommended that the sphere be studied by nonpartisan groups like the Galileo Project, which could determine if its materials are “clearly non-human-made.” The discovery has reignited global interest in UAPs, coming at a time when governments and scientists are increasingly open about investigating unexplained phenomena. Mossbridge noted that the U.S. government, through the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has acknowledged hundreds of UAP cases, though no evidence of extraterrestrial origins has been confirmed. “We’ve been looking at UAPs for decades,” she said, advocating for international cooperation to study objects like the Buga sphere. “The era of hiding things that are not hideable is over.” The Buga sphere is not the first of its kind to puzzle researchers. In 1974, a similar object, dubbed the “Betz Sphere,” was found in Florida and studied by the U.S. Navy, though its origins remained unresolved. Other comparable cases have been reported in Australia, Russia, and Japan, often attributed to experimental technology or natural phenomena like […]
WATCH: CCTV cameras capture the massive explosion at Shandong Youdao Chemical’s plant in China’s Shandong province, the world’s largest chlorpyrifos producer, sending thick gray and orange smoke plumes hundreds of meters high. Casualties are unknown, with rescue operations ongoing.
Less than 2% of Gazans trust Hamas to manage and deliver humanitarian aid, as opposed to 5% who trust Israel & the U.S., according to a poll by The Arab World for Research and Development.
Alex Thompson on Fox News: “If you believe…that Donald Trump was and is an existential threat to democracy, you can rationalize anything, including sometimes doing undemocratic things.”
More footage shows the chaos at the aid distribution site in Rafah. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says that its American security sub-contractors fell back in order to allow “a small number” of people to take food, and that operations have since returned to normal.
An Orthodox Jewish man was violently attacked on Motzei Shabbos behind a condominium complex in North Baltimore, in what officials are investigating as an attempted carjacking. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Park Towers West. According to Baltimore City Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, two masked individuals ambushed the 62-year-old victim as he walked through the lot. “They just came up and punched him in the face,” said Schleifer, who was notified shortly after the attack and helped coordinate a police response. The assailants reportedly knocked the Jewish man to the ground and began striking him repeatedly. The victim ultimately drew a legally registered firearm, at which point the suspects fled. Schleifer said they initially ran off but circled back as the victim approached his car, continuing their aggression. “One of the suspects attempted to start the victim’s vehicle but was unsuccessful. As the suspects tried to assault him again, the victim drew his firearm and pointed it at them. The suspects then fled the scene on foot,” said a spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department. Authorities believe the attackers may be juveniles. Emergency responders treated the Jewish man on scene for minor injuries. The incident is being investigated as an attempted carjacking. Councilman Schleifer noted a concerning uptick in vehicle-related crimes in the area. Just two months ago, several car break-ins were reported in the same lot, and police radio transmissions described suspects seen breaking into vehicles while wearing hoodies, masks, and light-colored jeans. On Sunday night, just miles from the scene of the previous night’s attack, another vehicle theft attempt occurred. “Someone attempted to steal his vehicle and damaged the driver’s side lock,” a dispatcher reported. The area has seen several similar incidents in recent months. In November, FOX45 reported a string of carjackings in the neighborhood targeting elderly residents, including a brutal attack that left one woman bloodied and unconscious in a parking lot. “What we’re seeing is that carjackings are up over 20% this month compared to this time last year,” said Schleifer. “It’s very troubling to see the numbers skyrocketing.” In addition to the rise in violent crime, Schleifer expressed concern over a national increase in antisemitic incidents. While the motive in this specific attack remains unclear, he said the Jewish community is feeling increasingly uneasy. “What we see is that people feel emboldened to be committing these kinds of violent acts and attacks against Jewish people, and that needs to stop,” he said. Schleifer criticized city leadership for failing to strongly condemn antisemitism, referencing a resolution in support of Israel that failed to pass last year. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) reported today that the 800th aircraft in a massive military airlift operation touched down in Israel on Tuesday morning, delivering critical equipment and weapons to support the nation’s ongoing war efforts. The operation, launched immediately after the war’s outbreak, is a coordinated effort led by the IMOD’s Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) through its International Defense Transportation Unit. It involves collaboration with the IMOD’s Mission to the U.S., the IDF Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force (IAF). According to the IMOD, the operation has transported over 90,000 tons of military supplies to Israel through 800 flights and approximately 140 maritime shipments. The equipment includes munitions, armored vehicles, individual protective gear, and medical supplies, all vital for sustaining Israel’s defense capabilities. The airlift and maritime efforts are part of a broader IMOD strategy to strengthen Israel’s domestic defense production while ensuring operational continuity. “This air and maritime transport operation constitutes a critical element in maintaining operational continuity, fulfilling comprehensive IDF requirements for achieving wartime objectives, and enhancing force readiness,” the IMOD stated. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
