The IDF and Shin Bet on Motzei Shabbos released a joint statement saying that forces in recent days “located findings belonging to the body of the hostage Manny Godard, H’yd, who was murdered and abducted by Islamic Jihad on October 7.” “Despite the findings that were returned, his body is still being held in the Gaza Strip,” the statement continued, adding that the findings were found at an Islamic Jihad post area in Rafah. Manny, H’yd, and his wife Ayelet, H’yd, residents of Kibbutz Bee’ri, were murdered during the October 7 assault, and Manny’s body was abducted to Gaza. Manny’s daughter, Bar Godard, spoke at a protest on Motzei Shabbos in Tel Aviv, saying: “I want to share with you that there was an attempt to extract my father’s body – but it failed. The officer who is accompanying us said that IDF forces managed to extract a refrigerator from an Islamic Jihad outpost containing findings of my father, but said that the operation [to extract his body] was unsuccessful.” She added that she and her family demand that the government should “not send any soldiers to risk their lives to return our father’s body. We will not agree to any other family joining the circle of bereavement in an attempt to bring him back.” She added: “We demand that he and all the other hostages be returned – in one deal. That’s what needs to happen, now.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)
Israel submitted a counterproposal to the new Egyptian proposal for a hostage release/ceasefire deal, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Motzei Shabbos. Hamas agreed to a new Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire/hostage release deal on Pesach and Eid al-Fitr, Al-Arabay Al-Jadeed reported on Shabbos. The report quoted Egyptian sources who said that Hamas agreed to release US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander along with four other hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations on a long-term ceasefire. However, there definitely won’t be a deal by Eid al-Fitr, which begins on Sunday. According to a Kan News report on Friday, Hamas’s willingness to accept a deal is not related to Eid al-Fitr but to the recent protests in Gaza against Hamas. The terror group is unable to put a brutal end to the protests due to IDF forces’ presence in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel is insisting that 10 live hostages be released in accordance with the previous proposal from US envoy Steve Witkoff. The Prime Minister’s Office stated on Motzei Shabbos: “Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a series of consultations yesterday following the proposal received from the mediators. In the last few hours, Israel has conveyed its counterproposal to the mediators in full coordination with the US.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)
The heinous Hamas terror organization published another video of hostage Elkana Bochbot on Shabbos afternoon. Last week, Hamas published a video of Bochbot and Yosef Chaim Ohana, a hostage from a Chareidi family from Kiryat Malachi. In the video published on Shabbos, Bochbot is seen bemoaning his separation from his wife and son and burying his head in his hands, with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appearing on a screen in the background—in Hamas’s usual attempt to sow division in Israeli society. But this time, Hamas increased its efforts to cause strife, with Bochbot addressing the Histadrut, saying he worked under the labor union for 15 years and it should take action to protect their workers – a reminder of the pre-October 7 leftist protest when leftists closed down the country after Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant from his position as defense minister. Millions of Israelis were outraged by the Histadrut using its power as a union to call a political strike and the move was deemed illegal by Israeli lawyers. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)
Another wipeout walloped Wall Street Friday. Worries are building about a potentially toxic mix of worsening inflation and a U.S. economy slowing because of households afraid to spend due to the global trade war. The S&P 500 dropped 2% for one of its worst days in the last two years. It thudded to its fifth losing week in the last six after wiping out what had been a big gain to start the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 715 points, or 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 2.7%. Lululemon Athletica led the market lower with a drop of 14.2%, even though the seller of athletic apparel reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It warned that its revenue growth may slow this upcoming year, in part because “consumers are spending less due to increased concerns about inflation and the economy,” said CEO Calvin McDonald. Oxford Industries, the company behind the Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer brands, likewise reported stronger results for the latest quarter than expected but still saw its stock fall 5.7%. CEO Tom Chubb said it saw a “deterioration in consumer sentiment that also weighed on demand” beginning in January, which accelerated into February. They’re discouraging data points when one of the main worries hitting Wall Street is that President Donald Trump’s escalating tariffs may cause U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending. Even if the tariffs end up being less painful than feared, all the uncertainty may filter into changed behaviors that hurt the economy. A report on Friday showed all types of U.S. consumers are getting more pessimistic about their future finances. Two out of three expect unemployment to worsen in the year ahead, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. That’s the highest reading since 2009, and it raises worries about a job market that’s been a linchpin keeping the U.S. economy solid. A separate report also raised concerns after it showed a widely followed, underlying measure of inflation was a touch worse last month than economists expected. It followed reports on other measures of inflation for February, but this is the one the Federal Reserve pays the most attention to as it decides what to do with interest rates. The report also showed that an underlying measure of how much income Americans are making, which excludes government social benefits and some other items, “has been treading water for the last three months,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “Households aren’t in a good place to absorb a little tariff pain,” he said. “The Fed isn’t likely to run to the rescue either as inflation moved up more than expected in February.” The Fed could return to cutting interest rates, like it was doing late last year, in order to give the economy and financial markets a boost. But such cuts would also push upward on inflation, which has been sticking above the Fed’s 2% target. The economy and job market have been holding up so far, but if they were to weaken while inflation stays high, it would produce a worst-case scenario called “stagflation.” Policy makers in Washington have few good tools to fix it. Some of Wall Street’s sharpest losses on Friday hit companies that need customers feeling confident enough to […]
As a member of the Modern Orthodox community (yes, many of us read YWN!), I was stunned by the divisiveness of a letter from Rabbi Moshe Hauer, EVP of the Orthodox Union, regarding Agudath Israel and the OU. Instead of celebrating the shared commitment to Torah and Klal Yisrael that both organizations embody, the letter subtly drives a wedge between them, taking unnecessary potshots at the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel. We are living in turbulent times, and now more than ever, unity should be our guiding principle. Differences in approach or emphasis between Torah leaders should be acknowledged with respect, not wielded as a means of drawing lines of separation. The Torah world is not strengthened by highlighting divisions—it is strengthened by recognizing the diverse voices that, despite differences, are all rooted in a profound dedication to Hashem, His Torah, and His people. I am attaching Rabbi Hauer’s letter below for all to read and reflect upon: Sacred and Profane Conflicts It has been a very noisy time for Klal Yisrael, as arguments between us proliferate. Some of these arguments may be considered sacred and pure while others are quite profane, either originating from or quickly descending into power politics, pursuit of self-interest, and ugly and derisive disagreement. In any case, the sheer prevalence of argument – sacred and profane – is frightening, painful, and confusing. That confusion grows significantly when the arguments are accompanied by rabbinic declarations, and we must seek to address that confusion from within the Torah itself. Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim. The Jewish calendar is the ultimate unifier of the Jewish people, an issue where there is to be no compromise on halachic uniformity. Even when there was compelling evidence that a mistake had been made in calculation of the new moon, we are to follow the ruling of the central authority; asher tikre’u atem – afilu shogegim, afilu mezidim, afilu muta’im (see Rosh Hashana 25a). Every Jew must live by the same calendar. This was why undermining the calendar was a principal goal of the Sadducees and other heretical sects whose goal was to challenge the unity of the mesorah of the Oral Torah and thereby divide Klal Yisrael into 31 flavors, and why it was critical that in anticipation of the dispersion created by churban and the breakdown of the central Sanhedrin, Hillel the Elder used the last moments of our national halachic unity to put in place the calendar that would keep us together forever. Yet there are two instances where even the calendar leaves us divided, Purim and Yom Tov Sheini. Purim is a nes she’b’chutz la’aretz, a miracle that occurred after we left Israel (see Megillah 14a), and was originally established to be observed on different dates in open and walled cities, and the observance of the second day of Yom Tov is observed by those who live outside of Eretz Yisrael. With the advent of galut, even our calendar became somewhat divided, indicating the need to carefully embrace the differences in halachic practice that emerge from the dispersed and varied communities of the truly faithful. As Maharal of Prague frequently noted, the scattering of Klal Yisrael is always reflected in the divisions within Torah (see for example Netzach Yisrael ch. 56) That is where we stand today. […]
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland’s security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump pushes to take over the Danish territory. The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich, strategically critical island alongside his wife and other senior U.S. officials for a trip that was ultimately scaled back after an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were not consulted about the original itinerary. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark. “I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they’d fare a lot better economically as well.” The reaction by members of Greenland’s parliament and residents has rendered that unlikely, with anger erupting over the Trump administration’s attempts to annex the vast Arctic island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pushed back on Vance’s claim that Denmark isn’t doing enough for defense in the Arctic, calling her country “a good and strong ally.” Soon after arriving, Vance briefly addressed U.S. troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with them, saying that the Trump administration is very interested in “Arctic security.” He and his entourage, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, later received briefings from military officials. It was minus-3 degrees F (minus-19 degrees C) when the delegation landed at the remote base 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. “It’s cold as s—- here. Nobody told me,” Vance said, prompting laughs. The revised trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country, a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member, have soured. Trump had repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the island. During his remarks at the end of the brief visit, Vance underscored that he did not think military force was ever going to be necessary as he pressed the idea of a dramatically enhanced American position on the island. “Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to have to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said while adding that the people of Greenland had the right to determine their own future. In Washington, Trump on Friday said the U.S. “needs Greenland for international security.” Trump, speaking to reporters soon after Vance’s arrival, alluded to the rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change. “Greenland’s very important for the peace of the world,” Trump said. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the […]
Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and national health organizations. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation late Thursday that bars cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their water systems. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Utah lawmakers who pushed for a ban said putting fluoride in water was too expensive. Cox, who grew up and raised his own children in a community without fluoridated water, compared it recently to being “medicated” by the government. The ban comes weeks after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed skepticism about water fluoridation, was sworn into office. More than 200 million people in the U.S., or almost two-thirds of the population, receive fluoridated water through community water. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. But some cities across the country have gotten rid of fluoride from their water, and other municipalities are considering doing the same. A few months ago, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. The president of the American Dental Association, Brett Kessler, has said the amounts of fluoride added to drinking water are below levels considered problematic. Opponents warn the ban will disproportionately affect low-income residents who may rely on public drinking water having fluoride as their only source of preventative dental care. Low-income families may not be able to afford regular dentist visits or the fluoride tablets some people buy as a supplement in cities without fluoridation. The sponsor of the Utah legislation, Republican Rep. Stephanie Gricius, acknowledged fluoride has benefits, but said it was an issue of “individual choice” to not have it in the water. (AP)
Americans are less likely to see Canada and the U.S. as close allies than they were two years ago, the latest indication that President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and talk of taking over a neighboring ally are souring a critical economic and military relationship. The U.S. shift in viewpoint comes primarily from Democrats, though Republicans are less likely to see Canada as America’s ally now too, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. While about 7 in 10 Democrats saw Canada and the U.S. as close allies before Trump returned to office, now that number is down to about half. For Republicans, the number dropped from 55% to 44%. Although most still see the countries’ relationship as at least “friendly,” just under half of U.S. adults now consider the U.S. to be “close allies” with its neighbor to the north. That’s down from about 6 in 10 in a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023. “He’s turning everybody against us,” bemoaned Lynn Huster, 73, a lifelong Democrat who lives in York, Pennsylvania. Huster says she has been dismayed by Trump’s actions and how they have affected relationships with other allies, including the United Kingdom. “Canada,” she said, had been “our friends, you know, they backed us. And some of the other countries, the U.K., they don’t want any part of us anymore. And it’s sad that our country’s going to stand alone if anything happens.” The poll comes as Trump has dramatically realigned U.S. foreign policy and America’s relations since his return to office. He has slapped sweeping tariffs on goods made in Canada, Mexico and China, and this week added a 25% tax on imported autos. Next week, he says he will put in place “reciprocal” taxes mirroring the tariffs charged by other nations — a move he is calling “Liberation Day.” Beyond the economic threats, Trump has repeatedly antagonized and belittled historic partners, notably the one with which the U.S. shares a 5,500-mile (8,900-kilometer) border. He has threatened Canada’s sovereignty, saying it should become the country’s 51st state, and repeatedly labeled its prime minister “governor.” His moves have sparked deep feelings of betrayal across Canada, where the U.S.-Canada relationship had long been seen akin to family. The U.S. national anthem has been booed at Canadian arenas and American liquor has been stripped from Canadian shelves. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose party’s fortunes have been revived by taking a hard line against Trump, said Thursday that the U.S. is “no longer a reliable partner” and that Canadians must now “look out for ourselves.” Shaya Scher, 35, a Republican who lives in New Jersey, argues that Trump’s rhetoric toward Canada is largely bluster. “I think he’s just doing it to make them freak out so they can get a deal,” Scher said. He believes a deal will eventually happen and tensions will ease. “I think at the end of the day, they’re still allies,” he said. “Under the hood we’re still allies, and if anything comes up, we’ll still be allies.” Others, however, were more despondent. “He’s sabotaging decades of goodwill by having tariffs on foreign steel and foreign cars and foreign flowers,” said Scott Cunningham, 69, a Democrat who lives in South Bend, Indiana. “Tariffs are really going to hurt […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed Friday to put Ukraine under external governance under the U.N. aegis as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement, a blustery statement that reflected the Kremlin leader’s determination to achieve his war goals. Speaking to the crew of a Russian nuclear submarine in televised remarks broadcast early Friday, Putin reaffirmed his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Under Ukraine’s constitution it is illegal for the country to hold national elections while it’s under martial law. Putin claimed that any agreement that is signed with the current Ukrainian government could be challenged by its successors and said new elections could be held under external governance. “Under the auspices of the United Nations, with the United States, even with European countries, and, of course, with our partners and friends, we could discuss the possibility of introduction of temporary governance in Ukraine,” Putin said, adding that it would allow the country to “hold democratic elections, to bring to power a viable government that enjoys the trust of the people, and then begin negotiations with them on a peace treaty.” He added that such external governance is just “one of the options,” without elaborating. ‘They’re playing for time’ Putin’s remarks came hours after the conclusion of a summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron that considered plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to cement an eventual peace deal. Macron said “several” other nations want to be part of the force alongside France and Britain. Russia has warned it wouldn’t accept any troops from NATO members as part of a prospective peacekeeping force. Macron and other participants of the Paris summit on Thursday accused Russia of only pretending to want a negotiated settlement. “They are playing games and they’re playing for time,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “We can’t let them drag this out while they continue prosecuting their illegal invasion.” Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a tentative U.S-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infrastructure, but quickly accused each other of violations, underscoring the challenges to negotiating a broader peace. Drone attacks continue Russia launched 163 strike and decoy drones at Ukraine late Thursday, according to the Ukrainian air force, which said that 89 of them were downed and 51 more jammed. The drones damaged multiple residential buildings and injured a 19-year-old in Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. In Poltava, drones damaged warehouses, administrative building, and a high-voltage transformer, according to regional head Volodymyr Kohut. Damage to buildings and infrastructure facilities was also reported by the authorities in the Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions. Ukraine’s state-run gas company, Naftogaz, said Friday that its facilities came under Russian fire without specifying its time and location. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian forces struck a gas metering station in Sudzha in the Kursk region with U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, completely destroying the facility. It said another Ukrainian strike on an energy facility in Russia’s Bryansk region led to a power cutoff, and added that air defenses downed 19 Ukrainian drones that attempted to strike an oil refinery in Saratov. The ministry said the continuing strikes show that Kyiv’s pledge of adherence to a U.S.-proposed halt on strikes on energy facilities was just “another ruse by Zelenskyy to […]
An inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve remained high last month even before the impact of most tariffs has been felt. Americans’ spending increased after a steep fall last month but remained weak, suggesting consumers have turned more cautious this year. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices increased 2.5% in February from a year earlier, matching January’s annual pace. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.8% compared with a year ago, higher than January’s figure of 2.7%. Economists watch core prices because they are typically a better guide of where inflation is headed. The core index has barely changed in the past year. Inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, making it difficult for the central bank to cut its key interest rate anytime soon. The report also showed that consumer spending rebounded last month after falling by the most in four years in January. Yet much of the additional spending reflected price increases, with inflation-adjusted spending barely rising. The weak figure suggests growth is rapidly slowing in the first three months of this year as consumers and businesses turn cautious amid sharp changes in government policies. Inflation remains a top economic concern for most Americans, even as it has fallen sharply from its 2022 peak. Donald Trump rode dissatisfaction with higher prices to the presidency and promised to quickly bring down inflation, but the yearly rate is higher now than in September, when it briefly touched 2.1%. “Inflation too hot and spending too cold,” said Stephen Brown, an economist at Capital Economics, in an email. “The Fed is unlikely to cut interest rates this year.” Consumer spending rose 0.4% in February, though the gain was just 0.1% after adjusting for prices. The mild increase follows a sharp 0.6% drop in January. The spending increase was driven by greater purchases of long-lasting goods, such as cars and appliances, which could reflect an effort by shoppers to buy things before tariffs are imposed. Spending on services, including discretionary spending such as restaurants and hotels, fell. “The fact that consumers chose to increase outlays on goods that are about to see price increases at the expense of the far more economically important service sector provides insight into the mindset of the consumer,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at tax and advisory firm RSM. Trump has slapped 20% tariffs on all Chinese imports, 25% import taxes on steel and aluminum, and on Wednesday said he would hit imported cars with another 25% duty. Most economists, and the Federal Reserve, now expect inflation to tick higher this year as a result of the tariffs. Fed Chair Jerome Powell last week said elevated inflation from the tariffs could be temporary. But he also added the outlook was unusually uncertain given the swift changes in policy from the White House. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3% in February from the previous month, the same as in January, while core prices increased 0.4%, the largest increase in more than a year. One bright spot in the report was a big jump in incomes for the second straight month — they rose 0.8% in February from January. Higher income with weaker spending pushed up the savings rate, which can fuel future spending. But it also could […]
President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on autos not made in the U.S. and certain auto parts are sending more tremors through an industry already being pummeled by steel and aluminum import duties and on-again, off-again 25% levies on Canada and Mexico. The new tariffs, announced Wednesday, are likely to jack up new vehicle prices and will also impact the used car market. Trump has been itching to tax foreign autos for years. In his first term, he declared auto imports a threat to national security giving him the authority to impose tariffs on them. It’s the latest in a number of auto industry maneuvers by Trump during his first weeks back in the White House. Auto companies are also navigating the reversal of fuel economy standards, dialed down greenhouse gas emission standards and a host of electric vehicle policy rollbacks. Here’s what to know. What makes tariffs so difficult for the auto industry to grapple with? As automakers expanded globally, so too did their production, manufacturing and supply chains. Responding to the rapidly shifting U.S. trade policy has become complex and confusing. It would be impossible for auto manufacturers to reroute the sourcing overnight of thousands of parts that are imported to the U.S., and uprooting their assembly operations would take years. The network of auto manufacturing and supply are planned and developed over a span of years, and the industry may suffer collateral damage in Trump’s escalating trade wars. “It adds to the uncertainty facing all automakers as the industry’s supply chain is inherently global and has optimized around moving components across national borders where free trade agreements have existed in the past,” said John Paul MacDuffie, professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania. That means auto companies are likely to feel pain from the tariffs at different levels, said Sam Fiorani, analyst at AutoForecast Solutions, which studies the industry. “While European manufacturers chiefly deal in luxury vehicles and their buyers can afford some price adjustments, it’s the companies like Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru who import large percentages of their fleets that will take a beating,” Fiorani said. “Throwing tariffs on the parts of vehicles built in Mexico and Canada that aren’t sourced from the United States will hurt the profits of General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford over the next few quarters, costing them billions,” he added. What does this mean for car buyers and new car prices? New vehicles were selling for over $47,000 last month on average, according to auto-buying resource Edmunds. Tariffs could drive new car prices up by several thousand dollars, industry analysts say, though it is difficult to know by exactly how much given the scattershot nature of Trump’s proposed trade policies during his short time in office. Those buying cars in the U.S. looking for deals should should research which brands have more supply on dealership lots, the result of less popular models or brands stacking up. Last month, top-selling auto companies in the U.S. averaged 58 days’ supply of inventory, Edmunds says. Ford, Stellantis and Hyundai had some of the most inventory available, while Toyota, Honda and Nissan had some of the least. Automakers and their suppliers are only now recovering from years of instability brought on by pandemic-forced production halts, a sweeping semiconductor shortage and low inventory on dealership lots. That meant prices were sky-high, incentives were low and few deals were to be had. During […]
Heavy damage at Naypyidaw International Airport near Myanmar’s capital. The air traffic control tower collapsed, killing at least 5, and damaging the entire runway.
WATCH: A powerful 7.7 earthquake rocks Myanmar and Thailand, causing a high rise building under construction to crumble. At least 43 construction workers are missing and feared dead beneath the rubble.
