By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Boruch Hashem, in our Yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs there is certainly much learning going on. However, we should also be paying attention to the condition of the Seforim that we use. Kavod for Sefarim is an important issue that is found in our Torah psukim as well – lo saasun kain Lashem Elokecha. An interesting metaphor might be for us to look at ourselves, the beaarers of Seforim like a Royal Tailor in charge of the King’s or the Queen’s clothing. This idea is found in the writings of the Yaavetz. Royal tailors historically held prestigious positions within courts, with direct access to monarchs during fittings and maintaining strict confidentiality. They were often well-compensated and held titles like “The Master of the Robes” or “The Wardrobe Master.” Some royal tailors were even punished. For example, William Mainwaring, who was tailor to Henry VIII, was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1546. Louis XIV’s personal tailor Claude Bonnet was briefly imprisoned in the Bastille in 1665 for failing to complete the king’s coronation robes on time, though he was later restored to favor. Most royal tailors, however, enjoyed long, successful careers. Charles Frederick Worth became known as the “Father of Haute Couture” while working for Empress Eugénie of France, and Henry Poole was a favored tailor to Queen Victoria and other European royalty. If we view ourselves as Royal tailors we too should hopefully enjoy long relationships with our Seforim and learning Hashem’s Torah. The following five ideas are culled from the Yaavetz in his commentary on Pirkei Avos (chapter 4) writes as follows: 1. One must be careful to display (cover) Seforim and place them in the designated place in their home, covering them with a nice book cover. Just as we tie bundles and strings in the air to place food on them to protect them from mice and cats, so too should one do to protect the honor of Heaven. 2. When moving them, one should not carry them like other vessels, but rather with respect and modesty, like one carries royal garments before the king. 3. [One] should only touch them with clean hands. 4. [It is also seen in Sefer Hasidim siman 252 which states: One whose body is dirty and whose fingers are soiled should not touch a book until they clean their fingers] 5. These matters are given over to the heart, and one who fears God will fulfill them all. These are the words of the sage (Rabbi Ben Shushan), may his memory be blessed, along with what I was shown from Heaven.” The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com
A French military task force with a festive name — “Champagne” — is wrapping up a mission that’s no party: training a whole new brigade of several thousand Ukrainian troops who will be joining the fight against Russia’s invasion armed with France-supplied tanks, artillery canons and other heavy weaponry. The approaching return to Ukraine of the “Anne of Kyiv” brigade, after more than two months of intense military training in eastern and southern France, comes at another critical juncture in the almost three-year war. Russian forces are driving westward in an effort to capture all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. They’ve been bolstered by up to 12,000 North Korean troops that have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk border region to help beat back Ukrainian forces there, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence assessments. The reelection of Donald Trump is also keeping Ukraine and its allies guessing about the impact he’ll have as U.S. president on the war’s future trajectory, following his campaign pledges to swiftly end the fighting and suggestions that Kyiv should cede territory to Moscow in return for peace. When deployed, the French-trained and -equipped brigade named after a Kyiv princess who became a queen of France could prove to be a formidable force on the battlefields. It will eventually be made up of 4,500 troops, formed of infantry battalions, plus engineers, artillery teams and other specialists, French authorities have previously said. The more than 2,000 soldiers who have been training in France are being put through final paces before their return to Ukraine. The majority of them were recently mobilized and previously had just a few weeks of basic training before their arrival in France in September, the French military says. The Ukrainian military is also training other troops for the brigade back in Ukraine, according to French authorities. The French military dedicated around 1,500 of its own soldiers to the “Champagne” task force that has been teaching the Ukrainians how to fight effectively together and how to use and maintain their France-supplied weaponry. The French military says the brigade’s arsenal will include 18 AMX 10 light tanks, 18 truck-mounted Caesar artillery pieces, 128 armored troop carriers, anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems, plus other weaponry and equipment. With observation drones buzzing overhead and amid clouds of smoke and bursts of gunfire and explosions, the Ukrainian soldiers conducted exercises this week at a French military training camp, showing how they have learned to defend and storm a complex of trenches like those on the battlefronts in Ukraine. The French military wouldn’t allow visiting journalists to interview the Ukrainians. French officers involved in the training said the troops are now better prepared for combat that they’ll likely experience in months ahead. “They have improved a lot,” said Col. Paul. The French military withheld his last name, citing security reasons. “Now they are able to fight, they are able to maneuver,” he said. “They are able to use the different specialists and to use the different equipment they will have on the battlefield.” (AP)
Agudath Israel of America organized a solidarity event at Char Bar to show support for D.C.’s longtime kosher restaurant after it was vandalized on the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Community leaders who gathered in support of the restaurant were joined by Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who had publicly condemned the hateful act. Agudath Israel commended Torres for his prompt response and ongoing commitment to standing against antisemitism. “Since being elected in 2020, Congressman Torres has been one of the loudest voices in Washington D.C. speaking out against antisemitism,” said Rabbi Yossie Charner, director of congressional affairs at Agudath Israel of America. “We are grateful for his support here tonight and for his continued steadfast support of the Jewish community.” “The past week has certainly been very difficult for us at Char Bar,” said Michael Chelst, the owner of Char Bar. “We are very grateful to Rabbi Yossie Charner of Agudath Israel for organizing this event and to all of those who voiced their support and joined us here tonight.” Congressman Torres presented a congressional proclamation to the owners of Char Bar condemning the attack. In his remarks he spoke about why he fights against antisemitism saying “I reject the notion that one must be Jewish to combat antisemitism, I reject the notion that one must be black to combat anti-black racism…We are all in this together.”
A computer expert who stole bitcoin worth billions of dollars at current prices — and then spent years laundering some of the hacked cryptocurrency with help from his wife — was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison. Ilya Lichtenstein masterminded one of the largest-ever thefts from a virtual currency exchange before he and his wife, Heather Rhiannon Morgan, carried out an elaborate scheme to liquidate the stolen funds, according to federal prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly told Lichtenstein that his theft was “meticulously planned” and not an impulsive act. “It’s important to send a message that you can’t commit these crimes with impunity, that there are consequences to them,” she said. Lichtenstein, who gets credit for the two years and nine months that he has spent in jail since his February 2022 arrest, expressed remorse for “wasting my talents on crime instead of a positive contribution to society.” He said he hopes that he can apply his expertise to fight cybercrime when he gets out of prison. “I want to take full responsibility for my actions and make amends any way I can,” he said. The judge is scheduled to sentence Morgan on Monday. Lichtenstein pleaded with the judge to spare his wife from prison, blaming himself for her involvement. In August 2016, Lichtenstein hacked into a virtual currency exchange, Hong Kong-based Bitfinex, and stole approximately 120,000 bitcoin. It was worth approximately $71 million at the time of the hack and would be valued at more than $7.6 billion at current market prices, according to prosecutors. Several months later, Lichtenstein began moving the stolen bitcoin in a string of complex transactions designed to conceal its path across a series of accounts and platforms. He enlisted his wife’s help in cleaning the stolen funds. Lichtenstein, an entrepreneur and cryptocurrency investor, is a U.S. citizen who was born in Russia and grew up in a Chicago suburb. Morgan, a business owner and writer, adopted the alter ego “ Razzlekhan ” for performing rap songs and recording videos for her music. Lichtenstein and Morgan were living in New York City when they were arrested in February 2022. They had been living in San Francisco around the time of the hack. Prosecutors recommended a five-year prison sentence for Lichtenstein, who pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of money laundering conspiracy. They recommended an 18-month prison sentence for Morgan, who pleaded guilty to the same charge. “Neither the hack nor the laundering scheme was an impulsive decision. The defendant (Lichtenstein) spent months attempting to gain access to Bitfinex’s infrastructure and get the accesses and permissions he needed in order to orchestrate his hack,” prosecutors wrote. Lichtenstein told his wife about the hack over three years later, but he initially solicited her help in laundering the proceeds “without explaining exactly what he was doing,” according to prosecutors. Morgan “was certainly a willing participant and bears full responsibility for her actions, but she was a lower-level participant,” prosecutors wrote. During family trips to Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Lichtenstein met with couriers who delivered him money that he smuggled back into the U.S. “Over half a decade, the defendant engaged in what IRS agents described as the most complicated money laundering techniques they had seen to date,” prosecutors wrote. Bitcoin is the largest and […]
The Biden administration on Thursday released guidelines for using artificial intelligence in the power grid, water system, air travel network and other pieces of critical infrastructure. Private industry would have to adopt and implement the guidelines announced by the Homeland Security Department, which were developed in consultation with the department’s advisory Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters that “we intend the framework to be, frankly, a living document and to change as developments in the industry change as well.” The framework recommends that AI developers evaluate potentially dangerous capabilities in their products, ensure their products align with “human-centric values” and protect users’ privacy. The cloud-computing infrastructure would need to vet hardware and software suppliers and protect the physical security of data centers. Owners and operators of critical infrastcture are advised to have stronger cybersecurity protocols that consider AI-related risks and provide transparency about how AI is used. There are also guidelines for state and local governments. Asked if the framework could possibly change once President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office in January, Mayorkas stressed that he was implementing the policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. “The president-elect will determine what policies to promulgate and implement,” Mayorkas said. “And that is, of course, the president-elect’s prerogative.” (AP)
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would appoint Doug Collins to lead the Veterans Affairs Department in his new administration. Here are five things to know about the former Republican congressman from Georgia who would lead the agency tasked with providing health care to former members of the U.S. armed forces: Collins is a Baptist minister who has served in the Navy and Air Force Reserve Collins, 58, holds a master’s degree in divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and pastored a church for 11 years. He served as a U.S. Navy chaplain for two years in the late 1980s. After the Sept. 11 attacks, he joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a chaplain. Collins deployed to Balad Air Force Base in Iraq for five months in 2008. He remains a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. Collins became a lawyer well into adulthood. Collins’ political career was shaped representing one of Georgia’s most conservative regions Collins was elected to the Georgia state House in 2007 and served three two-year terms. He was a floor leader for Gov. Nathan Deal, a fellow northeast Georgian, for one of those terms, helping to broker a budget cut that kept Georgia’s lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program going at a time when leaders feared it would go bankrupt and not be able to pay promised college tuition for all beneficiaries. Collins won a seat in Congress in 2012 representing northeast Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, one of the most Republican districts in the country. The former incumbent, Tom Graves, was drawn into a new northwest Georgia district when the state added a 14th congressional seat because of population growth. Despite his right-wing positions, Collins faced serious primary challenges in 2016 from other Republicans who claimed he wasn’t conservative enough. While in Congress, Collins rose to vice chair of the House Republican Conference, the fifth-highest post in GOP leadership. Collins rose to national notice defending Trump in the Mueller probe Collins acquired a national reputation while defending Trump as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee during the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into whether Russia improperly influenced Trump’s 2016 election victory. Collins wrote a book about Trump’s first impeachment over allegations that he improperly withheld military aid from Ukraine in order to push Ukraine into announcing an investigation into Joe Biden, who went on to beat Trump in 2020. That book, “The Clock and the Calendar,” argued that Democrats were impeaching Trump to get revenge for him beating Hillary Clinton in 2016 and to prevent him from being reelected in 2020. “From the very moment that the majority party in this House won, the inevitability that we would be here today was only a matter of what date they would schedule it. Nothing else,” Collins said on the House floor in 2019 when representatives were debating before voting to impeach Trump. Trump wanted Collins appointed to the U.S. Senate Trump was displeased when Collins was not appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2019 when incumbent Republican Johnny Isakson stepped down because of health problems. Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp instead decided to appoint Kelly Loeffler, but not before a frantic last-minute push by anti-abortion groups and people close to Trump to undermine Loeffler’s appointment. Collins ran for Senate anyway, finishing third in an all-party special election in November 2020 in which he was […]
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. edged lower this week, ending a six-week climb. The rate slipped to 6.78% from 6.79% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.4%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also eased this week. The average rate slipped to 5.99% from 6% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.76%, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. Bond yields have been rising in recent weeks following encouraging reports on inflation and the economy. Last week, bond yields surged on expectations that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to lower tax rates, increase tariffs and reduce regulation could ultimately lead to higher U.S. government debt and inflation, along with faster economic growth. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 4.41% at midday Thursday. It was at 3.62% as recently as mid-September. Despite its recent upward move, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage is still down from 7.22% in May, its peak so far this year. In late September, the average rate got as low as 6.08% — its lowest level in two years. Economists predict that mortgage rates will remain volatile this year, but generally forecast them to hover around 6% in 2025. Elevated mortgage rates and high prices have helped keep the U.S. housing market in a sales slump going back to 2022. (AP)
The manager of a small hotel in northern Italy refused a reservation made by an Israeli couple, accusing Israeli people of being “responsible for genocide.” Jewish groups decried the incident as an example of antisemitism. The couple had booked two nights for the beginning of November at the Hotel Garni Ongaro in Selva di Cadore, a mountain village surrounded by the Dolomites, using the Booking.com online reservation platform. A day before their departure, they received a message from the hotel’s staff: “Good morning. We inform you that the Israeli people as those responsible for genocide are not welcome customers in our structure.” The hotel manager then invited the tourists to cancel their reservation, adding they “would be happy to grant free cancellation.” The manager has since closed his Facebook profile, and he wasn’t immediately available for comment. “I feel infinite sadness for the ignorance shown by certain people,” Dario Calimani, the president of the Jewish Community of Venice, said on Thursday. “When you don’t agree with what Israel does, you spread hatred against all Israelis.” The incident caught the attention of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which has confirmed they were investigating the matter. Booking.com said Friday that it had removed the hotel from its platform. “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind and in the rare event that we are alerted to discriminatory behavior from a property, we investigate immediately and will remove the listing from our platform, just as we have done in this instance,” the travel site said in an email sent to The Associated Press. The Veneto region governor, Luca Zaia, dubbed the incident as “extremely serious.” “I feel deeply disturbed and I’m shocked by what has happened,” he said. “Veneto must guarantee its doors are open to all.” Incidents of antisemitism have increased in Italy to about 80 or 90 a week in the last year, from about 30 a week before the war in Gaza started, the Antisemitism Observatory reported. Last month, a mural depicting a survivor of last year’s Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel, was vandalized in Milan. Word of the hotel incident came on the same day that former hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and their relatives met at the Vatican with Pope Francis. Sharone Lifshitz, whose father remains a hostage after her mother was freed last year, responded to a request for comment, saying it was wrong to consider all Israelis as agents of the Israeli government, just as it would be wrong to consider all Americans as agents of the U.S. government. The tendency to do that, she added, was a sign of antisemitism. “Not all people agree with the current government of Italy, and yet I don’t think the people of Italy traveling the world would be subjected personally as individuals to the actions of their government,” she said. “The government of Israel does many things that I personally and absolutely and categorically don’t agree with as an individual … and yet we are taken as agents of our government,” she said. “I think antisemitism and the inability of many people to separate individuals from the state seems to be very much connected to the people of Israel and to Jewish people.” (AP)
Former President Donald Trump has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head the Interior Department. Some things to know about the two-term Republican governor of a sparsely populated state: Burgum’s background is in business Burgum, 67, grew up in tiny Arthur, North Dakota, population 328. He earned a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University and his master’s of business administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He went on to become a wealthy software executive. He led Great Plains Software, which Microsoft acquired for $1.1 billion in 2001. Burgum stayed on as a vice president until 2007. He’s also led other companies in real estate development and venture capital. He beat a longtime GOP officeholder to become governor In 2016, Burgum ran for governor, his first campaign for elected office. He touted a message of “reinventing” government as the state dealt with a massive revenue shortfall. In a major upset, Burgum defeated North Dakota’s longtime attorney general in the Republican gubernatorial primary. He handily won his first term in the strong Republican state, which has about 784,000 residents. He was easily reelected in 2020. Burgum took a CEO’s approach to leading Burgum has taken a business-oriented bent as governor of North Dakota, where agriculture and oil are the main industries. He’s pushed income tax cuts, reduced regulations, and changes to animal agriculture laws and higher education governance. Burgum also emphasized a “data-driven” approach to governing, advocated for a Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in the state and prioritized engagement with tribal nations. Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, have been public about her recovery from addiction, and as governor he has prioritized resources for addiction treatment. Burgum is known as a policy wonk who works long hours and is highly inquisitive. His own presidential bid was short-lived Burgum ran for president from June to December 2023. He campaigned on priorities of energy, economy and national security, but dropped out after his bid failed to resonate. He appeared in two Republican debates — including the first, which he attended after hurting his Achilles tendon playing basketball. He drew attention for his campaign offering $20 gift cards to people who would donate $1 to his campaign so he would have enough individual donors to make the debate stage. In January, before the Iowa caucuses, he endorsed Trump. The same month, he declined to seek a third term as governor. Burgum has navigated crises as governor When he entered office in December 2016, he dealt with the final months of the sometimes-chaotic protests of the Dakota Access oil pipeline. He’s led the state through terrible droughts and crippling storms. He was the face of North Dakota’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, holding dozens of press conferences, many of them daily in early 2020, including an emotional plea about face masks. He and his wife publicly received their COVID vaccinations in 2021. Last year, amid his presidential campaign, Burgum called a special session for the Legislature to deal with a budget mess weeks after the state Supreme Court voided a crucial bill, putting some state funding in jeopardy. (AP)
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group has released a fourth video of hostage Sasha Trufanov, marking another instance of what Israeli officials condemn as psychological warfare. The nearly two-minute clip, whose recording date remains unclear, features Trufanov appealing for his release, in a statement almost certainly scripted by his captors in Gaza. In the video, Trufanov says that he is 28 years old, though he recently turned 29, marking his second birthday in captivity. Addressing Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri, Trufanov urges him to persuade the Israeli government to negotiate for the release of hostages, invoking the Jewish obligation to free captives. Trufanov was abducted along with his grandmother, Irena Tati, his mother, Yelena Trufanova, and his girlfriend, Sapir Cohen, during the October 7 Hamas massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz. Tati and Trufanova were released on November 29 following intervention by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Cohen was freed a day later under the terms of a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israeli authorities and media outlets have largely refrained from broadcasting such hostage videos, describing them as exploitative tools designed to manipulate public sentiment. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
California has seen its share of bears breaking into cars. But bears caught on camera entering luxury cars tipped off insurers that something wasn’t quite right. In what’s dubbed “Operation Bear Claw,” the California Insurance Department said four Los Angeles residents were arrested Wednesday, accused of defrauding three insurance companies out of nearly $142,000 by claiming a bear had caused damage to their vehicles. “Clearly a human in a bear suit.” Officials say four California insurance scammers have been arrested after dressing in bear costumes to vandalize luxury cars.pic.twitter.com/lv4LDHmXY0 — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 14, 2024 The group is accused of providing video footage from the San Bernardino Mountains in January of a “bear” moving inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes to the insurance companies as part of their damage claims, the department said. Photos provided by the insurance department show what appeared to be scratches on the seats and doors. The company viewing video of the Rolls-Royce suspected that it was not a bear inside, but someone in a bear costume. Detectives found two additional claims and with two different insurance companies for the four with the same date of loss and at the same location. Similar video was provided of the “bear” inside the Mercedes vehicles. It was not immediately known if the four people arrested had attorneys. The department had a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife review the three videos, who concluded it was “clearly a human in a bear suit,” the insurance department said. After executing a search warrant, detectives found the bear costume in the suspects’ home, the department said. Bears breaking into homes or trash cans in search of food have become a problem in California — from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra down to the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where some have been known to raid refrigerators and take dips in backyard pools and hot tubs. (AP)
In a dramatic escalation of tensions within Israel’s government, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir lambasted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire him, dismissing it as an “attempted coup” and calling for her immediate removal. The letter, sent by Baharav-Miara to Netanyahu, urges a reassessment of Ben Gvir’s suitability for office due to his alleged interference in police operations and attempts to exert political influence over police decisions. Ben Gvir vehemently defended his conduct, claiming Baharav-Miara’s move was a politically motivated attack. “The only ousting that needs to occur is the removal of the attorney general, who is attempting to undermine the government by forcing the recusal of the prime minister and firing a minister over his political positions,” Ben Gvir declared in a statement. Baharav-Miara’s letter to Netanyahu details what she describes as an alarming series of actions by Ben Gvir that reveal “contempt for the law, violation of the law, and harm to the foundational principles of governance.” Among the instances cited were Ben Gvir’s reported use of his position to shape police appointments according to political loyalties, public berating of senior police officials over their handling of anti-government protests, and directing police officers to defy cabinet orders on humanitarian aid protections. Critics argue that Ben Gvir’s actions represent an unprecedented politicization of the police, undermining its operational independence and eroding public trust in law enforcement. Baharav-Miara notes that her office has received multiple petitions to the High Court demanding Ben Gvir’s dismissal due to his alleged ongoing and illegal interference in police operations. She further highlighted that when the High Court initially approved Ben Gvir’s appointment, it did so with the understanding that he had moved away from his previous convictions—a claim now undermined by his actions, according to Baharav-Miara. One of the most contentious points outlined in Baharav-Miara’s letter is Ben Gvir’s alleged disregard for judicial oversight and rule of law. She asserts that his frequent interference with police duties and his insistence on directing police responses to protests are not only inappropriate but fundamentally damaging to the police force’s duty to serve the public, rather than the political elite. Adding fuel to the fire, rumors have circulated that Baharav-Miara could consider pressing for Netanyahu’s temporary recusal from office while he testifies in his upcoming corruption trial. Though these rumors remain unsubstantiated, Ben Gvir seized on the speculation to accuse Baharav-Miara of attempting to orchestrate a political coup under the guise of legal oversight. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Donald Trump met Thursday at his Mar-a-Lago club with Argentine President Javier Milei, the first foreign leader to meet with the president-elect since his victory in last week’s election. The meeting was confirmed by a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss an event that hadn’t yet been announced publicly. The person said the meeting went well and said Milei also met with investors. A short time later, Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist” and frequent recipient of Trump praise, addressed the America First Policy Institute gala at Mar-a-Lago. He spoke briefly in English, then gave a longer speech in Spanish, pausing to allow an interpreter to translate, in which he slammed left-wing ideologies and saluted Elon Musk, the owner of X, saying his social media site is helping to “save humanity.” Milei criticized a political ruling class that he said was responsible for a system that used unfair tax systems to force “the redistribution of wealth at gunpoint.” The president of Argentina also congratulated Trump on his “resounding victory” in the election, saying, “Today the winds of freedom are blowing much stronger” and calling the victory “proof positive that the forces of heaven are on our side.” Trump also spoke to the gala crowd, congratulating Milei “for the job you’ve done for Argentina” and saying it was an “honor” to have Argentina’s president at his club. “The job you’ve done is incredible. Make Argentina Great Again, you know, MAGA. He’s a MAGA person,” Trump said to applause. “And you know, he’s doing that.” Shortly after Milei’s election in November 2023, Trump posted on social media, “You will turn your country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again!” Milei first met Trump in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in the Washington area. He has openly declared his admiration for Trump and when he saw him, he rushed to him screaming “president!” and gave him a close hug before they posed for pictures. The Argentine president is known for his eccentric personality and first made a name for himself by shouting against Argentina’s “political caste” on television. The right-wing populist campaigned with a chainsaw as his prop to symbolize his plans to slash public spending and scrap government ministries. (AP)
Israel’s airstrikes inside Iran in late October dealt a significant blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions by targeting a covert research site within the Parchin military complex, officials revealed to Axios. The facility, known as Taleghan 2, located about 20 miles southeast of Tehran, had been central to Iran’s resumed nuclear weapons research, despite longstanding denials from Tehran. Taleghan 2 was previously associated with Iran’s Amad nuclear weapons program, which was officially halted in 2003. However, recent intelligence suggested the facility had been reactivated for advanced nuclear research. The destroyed site reportedly housed sophisticated equipment used to develop plastic explosives critical to detonating a nuclear device. Satellite imagery obtained after the strike confirmed the complete destruction of the facility. Iranian officials have repeatedly claimed that their nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, while the Iranian mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the incident. However, U.S. and Israeli intelligence indicated that the Parchin facility’s research extended beyond civilian purposes, involving activities such as computer modeling, metallurgy, and explosives testing with potential military applications. The destruction of the facility came after months of diplomatic and intelligence maneuvering. Earlier this year, U.S. officials privately warned Iran about its suspicious activities at Parchin, hoping to halt the research. Despite these warnings, the activity continued, prompting Israel to act. The targeted site, while not part of Iran’s declared nuclear program, represented a critical component of its covert nuclear research. The strike signals Israel’s deep knowledge of Iran’s secretive nuclear operations, which were reportedly known only to a small circle within the Iranian government. It also highlights Israel’s willingness to act unilaterally to neutralize perceived threats, even at the risk of heightened regional tensions. The timing of the strike coincides with increased scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency’s board of governors is set to meet next week to vote on a resolution censuring Iran for its lack of cooperation with UN inspectors. Iran has warned it may retaliate by further limiting its cooperation with the IAEA. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A Russian man went on trial Thursday on charges of high treason for a video he had allegedly sent to Ukraine’s security services, the latest in a growing series of espionage cases involving the conflict. The Volgograd District Court began hearing a new case against Nikita Zhuravel, who is currently serving a 3 1/2-year sentence for burning a Quran in front of a mosque. The new charges are based on allegations that Zhuravel filmed a trainload of military equipment and warplanes in 2023 and sent the video to a representative of Ukraine’s security agency. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Rights activists say Zhuravel is a political prisoner who was beaten while in custody. While in pretrial custody before his first sentence, Zhuravel was beaten by the 15-year-old son of Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-appointed strongman leader of the mostly Muslim region of Chechnya. The elder Kadyrov posted the video on social media and praised his son, causing public outrage. He later awarded his son with the medal of “Hero of the Republic of Chechnya.” Federal authorities have refrained from any criticism of the Chechen strongman. Separately, a military court on Thursday sentenced to 24 years in prison a man convicted of treason and terrorism for setting fire to a military recruitment office in Moscow. Prosecutors said Sergei Andreev committed the November 2023 attack on instructions from the Ukrainian special services that he received on a messaging app. Treason and espionage cases have skyrocketed after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The cases have targeted a wide range of suspects, from Kremlin critics and independent journalists to scientists, drawing attention from rights groups. The legal definition of treason has been expanded to include providing vaguely defined “assistance” to foreign countries or organizations, effectively exposing to prosecution anyone in contact with foreigners. (AP)
Elon Musk, a key adviser in President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, reportedly held a private meeting with Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani in New York this week, the New York Times reported, in what two Iranian officials described as a preliminary attempt to ease longstanding hostilities between Iran and the United States. The meeting, lasting more than an hour, was held at an undisclosed location and characterized by Iranian officials as “positive” and “good news” for U.S.-Iran relations. Neither Musk nor Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, would confirm the meeting. However, Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the Trump transition, pointedly noted, “The American people re-elected President Trump because they trust him to lead our country and restore peace through strength around the world. When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary action to do just that.” Musk, increasingly influential within Trump’s inner circle, has already played an unexpected diplomatic role in recent weeks. Known for his involvement in international tech and space endeavors, he also assisted Ukraine’s President Zelensky in securing communications during the ongoing conflict with Russia. The high-profile meeting with Iran’s UN ambassador could signal a surprising shift in tone toward Tehran under the upcoming Trump administration, despite a history of bitter tensions. One Iranian official confirmed it was Musk who sought the meeting, which was held outside typical diplomatic channels, and chosen by Iravani for discretion. Under Trump’s first term, the administration not only exited the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, imposing severe sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and banking systems but also targeted Iran militarily, including the 2020 assassination of General Qassim Suleimani. Iran responded with sharp reprisals and a public vow by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to avoid any direct negotiations with the Trump administration. However, Trump’s recent re-election has ignited debate within Iranian political circles. Some argue that Trump’s love for dealmaking could be advantageous, potentially leading to a negotiated easing of economic sanctions if handled strategically. This argument is reportedly gaining traction in President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, though any agreement would require Ayatollah Khamenei’s approval. The secretive nature of Musk’s meeting provided a workaround for both parties, circumventing direct talks with American officials while exploring new diplomatic pathways. Musk’s influence in the Trump team is expected to formalize soon as co-director of a new government efficiency agency, making his role in U.S.-Iran relations even more significant. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a hopeful note on Thursday, stating on social media, “Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue,” following a meeting in Tehran with U.N. nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi. Analysts suggest that while Trump’s hawkish reputation has strained relations, the administration’s engagement with Musk may allow for flexible diplomacy moving forward. “Everything is possible with Trump,” commented Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group, adding that the administration might weigh various strategies, from negotiation to heightened pressure. For now, the Musk-Iravani meeting has opened a channel for potential dialogue, leaving room for further speculation about Musk’s unconventional role as a bridge between the two nations amid a charged geopolitical climate. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Senator John Fetterman sharply criticized former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her role in pressuring President Joe Biden to abandon his re-election bid, calling her actions “hypocritical” and suggesting it’s time for her to step aside. In an interview with Politico released Thursday, Fetterman didn’t hold back, slamming Pelosi for orchestrating Biden’s withdrawal and then blaming him for the election outcome. After acknowledging Biden’s struggles during the debate against Donald Trump, Fetterman turned his criticism to Pelosi. “People like [Nancy] Pelosi, she really tried to — what’s the word I’m looking for? — she embraced this ‘she’s the godmother, she’s the enforcer’ persona. And now she’s blaming Biden,” he said bluntly. “Well, you can’t have it both ways. You got what you wanted, and now you’re still blaming Biden.” Fetterman further condemned Pelosi’s “double-dealing” approach, questioning why, at 84, she continues to cling to her power while blocking opportunities for younger leadership. “I think it’s really ironic that you have a woman at age 84 and she is still hanging on,” he said. “Why not give a younger generation an opportunity to occupy that seat?” Pelosi, who played perhaps the most significant role behind the scenes to push a reluctant Biden out of the 2024 race, is now openly criticizing him for failing to step down sooner. After Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris—Biden’s replacement on the ticket—Pelosi complained to The New York Times that an earlier exit by Biden could have allowed stronger candidates to emerge. “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race. The anticipation was that if the president were to step aside, there would be an open primary,” Pelosi said, adding that Harris “may have…done well in that and been stronger going forward.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
North Korea tested exploding drones designed to crash into targets and leader Kim Jong Un called for accelerating mass production of the weapons, state media said Friday. The country’s latest military demonstration came as the United States, South Korea and Japan engaged in combined military exercises involving advanced fighter jets and a U.S. aircraft carrier in nearby international waters, in a display of their defense posture against North Korea. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency published photos of Kim talking with officials near at least two different types of unmanned aerial vehicles. They included those with X-shaped tails and wings that look similar to the ones the country disclosed in August, when Kim inspected another demonstration of drones that explode on impact. The drones flew various routes and accurately struck targets, KCNA said. Its images showed what appeared to be a BMW sedan being destroyed and old models of tanks being blown up. Kim expressed satisfaction with the weapons’ development process and stressed the need to “build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production,” noting how drones are becoming crucial in modern warfare. KCNA paraphrased Kim as saying drones were easy to make at low cost for a range of military activities. The report didn’t say if Kim spoke directly about rival South Korea, which the North Korean drones are apparently designed to target. North Korea last month accused South Korea of sending its own drones to drop anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets over the North’s capital of Pyongyang, and threatened to respond with force if such flights occur again. South Korea’s military has refused to confirm whether or not the North’s claims were true. Tensions in the region have escalated as Kim flaunts his advancing nuclear and missile program, which includes various nuclear-capable weapons targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland. Kim is also allegedly sending military equipment and troops to Russia to support President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, which raised concerns in Seoul that he would get Russian technology in return to further develop his arsenal. In addition to his intensifying nuclear threats, Kim has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying thousands of balloons to drop trash in the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the South’s biggest airport. South Korean officials say North Korea will be a key topic in a trilateral summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba this week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Peru. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on the margins of the APEC on Thursday and discussed “strong concerns” over deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, particularly the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine, the U.S. State Department said. (AP)
France has long sought to play a central role in global diplomacy, presenting itself as a voice of reason and balance. However, its policies in the Middle East under President Emmanuel Macron paint a more complicated picture. From its alignment with Iran and Hezbollah to its disproportionate criticism of Israel, France’s actions raise serious concerns, particularly within the Jewish world, about the potential consequences for regional stability and Israel’s security. Recent reports suggest that financial influence from Qatar and Iran may be shaping some of France’s policies. Both nations have invested heavily in soft power campaigns across Europe, with France among their targets. This financial clout has coincided with Macron’s increasingly critical stance toward Israel, particularly over its actions in Gaza and the West Bank. While criticism of Israel is not uncommon, the extent and tone of France’s opposition raise questions. Is this merely a reflection of France’s long-standing position on international law, or is it being subtly influenced by external financial pressures? Regardless of the answer, the optics are troubling, casting doubt on the neutrality of France’s policy-making in a region as volatile as the Middle East. France has also committed over €1 billion in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, a nation with which it shares deep historical ties. While this aid is crucial for addressing Lebanon’s economic and political crises, its implementation is fraught with risks. A significant portion of the aid risks ending up in the hands of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group that wields substantial power in Lebanon. Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by the US and other nations, has long been a threat to Israel, using its resources to build a military arsenal and launch attacks across the border. France’s aid, while well-intentioned, could inadvertently strengthen Hezbollah, deepening regional instability and directly endangering Israel. France’s foreign policy also highlights a troubling double standard. Macron recently called for an arms embargo on Israel, citing concerns about its military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Yet, France remains one of the world’s largest arms exporters, supplying weapons to Middle Eastern regimes with far worse human rights records. This inconsistency undermines France’s moral standing. While Israel is frequently condemned for defending itself against terrorism, other nations’ violations are often ignored. This disproportionate focus on Israel reinforces anti-Israel narratives and emboldens those who seek to delegitimize the Jewish state. France’s alignment with Iran, whether direct or indirect, is particularly troubling. Iran, a regime that openly calls for Israel’s destruction, has found a strange partner in France on several key issues. Lebanon is one such arena, where Iran’s proxy Hezbollah maintains control and benefits from French aid. Another point of convergence is Armenia, which is being groomed and armed both by France and Iran. These two countries oppose the growing influence of Azerbaijan, Israel’s closest regional ally, albeit for different reasons. While Iran seeks to counter Turkic dominance in the region and fears the example, set by the secular Azerbaijan, France is motivated by its own strategic interests, based on outdated neocolonialistic strife to control important geopolitical junctions. These alignments, while seemingly coincidental, bring France closer to a regime that actively undermines Israel and destabilizes the region. For the Jewish community, France’s policies raise serious alarms. Macron’s criticism of Israel, financial ties with Iran, and indirect support for Hezbollah […]
Those ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: New rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications’ risks and side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration spent more than 15 years crafting the guidelines, which are designed to do away with industry practices that downplay or distract viewers from risk information. Many companies have already adopted the rules, which become binding Nov. 20. But while regulators were drafting them, a new trend emerged: thousands of pharma influencers pushing drugs online with little oversight. A new bill in Congress would compel the FDA to more aggressively police such promotions on social media platforms. “Some people become very attached to social media influencers and ascribe to them credibility that, in some cases, they don’t deserve,” said Tony Cox, professor emeritus of marketing at Indiana University. Still, TV remains the industry’s primary advertising format, with over $4 billion spent in the past year, led by blockbuster drugs like weight-loss treatment Wegovy, according to ispot.tv, which tracks ads. Simpler language and no distractions The new rules, which cover both TV and radio, instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical jargon, distracting visuals or audio effects. A 2007 law directed the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears “in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.” FDA has always required that ads give a balanced picture of both benefits and risks, a requirement that gave rise to those long, rapid-fire lists of side effects parodied on shows like “ Saturday Night Live.” But in the early 2000s, researchers began showing how companies could manipulate images and audio to de-emphasize safety information. In one example, a Duke University professor found that ads for the allergy drug Nasonex, which featured a buzzing bee voiced by Antonio Banderas, distracted viewers from listening to side effect information, making it harder to remember. Such overt tactics have largely disappeared from drug ads. “In general, I would say the ads have gotten more complete and transparent,” says Ruth Day, director of the medical cognition lab at Duke University and author of the Nasonex study. The new rules are “significant steps forward,” Day said, but certain requirements could also open the door to new ways of downplaying risks. Information overload? One requirement instructs companies to show on-screen text about side effects while the audio information plays. A 2011 FDA study found that combining text with audio increased recall and understanding. But the agency leaves it to companies to decide whether to display a few keywords or a full transcript. “You often cannot put all that on the screen and expect people to read and understand it,” Day said. “If you wanted to hide or decrease the likelihood of people remembering risk information, that could be the way to do it.” Viewers tend to tune out long lists of warnings and other information. But experts who work with drug companies don’t expect those lists to disappear. While the guidelines describe how the information should be presented, companies still decide the content. “If you’re a company and you’re worried about possible FDA enforcement or product liability and other litigation, all your incentives are to say more, not less,” […]
