Yeshiva World News

The US just suspended its financial contributions to the World Trade Organization.

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, a sign that the labor market remains healthy as companies continue to retain their employees. Jobless claim filings ticked down by 1,000 to 224,000 for the week ending March 22, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s mostly in line with the 225,000 new applications analysts forecast. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years. It remains unclear when job cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” will show up in the weekly layoffs report, though the Labor Department’s February jobs report showed that the federal government shed 10,000 jobs. That’s the most since June of 2022. Economists don’t expect the federal workforce layoffs to have much of an impact until the March jobs report, which comes out April 4. Those layoffs are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce through DOGE, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. Senior U.S. officials set the government downsizing in motion late last month via a memo dramatically expanding President Donald Trump’s efforts to scale back the workforce. Thousands of probationary employees have already been fired — though two federal judges last week issued orders requiring the rehiring of thousands of those workers. Despite showing some signs of weakening during the past year, the labor market remains healthy with plentiful jobs and relatively few layoffs. The Labor Department reported that U.S. employers added a solid 151,000 jobs in February, and while the unemployment rate ticked up to a 4.1%, it remains a historically healthy figure. Some high-profile companies have announced job cuts already this year, including Workday, Dow, CNN, Starbucks, Southwest Airlines and Facebook parent company Meta. The government’s weekly jobless claims report includes a four-week average of applications, meant to even out some of the week-to-week swings. That fell by 4,750 to 224,000. The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of March 15 declined by 25,000 to 1.86 million. (AP)

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled one of its underground “missile cities” to state media on Wednesday, further inflaming tensions with the West over its nuclear ambitions and expanding missile capabilities. The unveiling, broadcast across Iranian media, featured an unmistakable symbol of Tehran’s hostility toward Israel—an Israeli flag placed on the ground for officials and personnel to trample, a deliberate act of provocation against the Jewish state. Leading the grand display were Iran’s top military brass, including Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh. The footage showed them touring the undisclosed base in military vehicles, inspecting the vast arsenal of advanced weaponry, and addressing Iranian personnel with defiant rhetoric. During his speech, Bagheri declared that Iran’s military capabilities had surpassed those of its adversaries and would continue to grow at an unprecedented rate. “Iran’s iron fist is far stronger than before,” he proclaimed, adding that Tehran had now developed an arsenal capable of delivering a military response “ten times greater” than Operation True Promise II, the Iranian name for its missile attack on Israel last October. The footage showcased a range of domestically produced missiles, including the Emad, Sejil, Qadr H, Kheibar Shekan, and Haj Qassem, with ranges reaching up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), putting Israel, Gulf nations, and parts of Europe within striking distance. Iranian media reported that the base itself was newly constructed, though this claim remains unverified. The unveiling comes in the wake of Iran’s increasingly aggressive military actions. In April 2024, Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel, firing approximately 300 attack drones and missiles in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike near Tehran’s consulate in Damascus, which killed several IRGC members. Despite the scale of the assault, Israel’s air defenses—assisted by the United States and regional allies—successfully intercepted the majority of the incoming threats. Months later, in October, Iran escalated its aggression, launching 200 ballistic missiles at Israel after the targeted assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Again, Israel and its allies intercepted most of the attack, but the confrontation marked a dangerous new chapter in the conflict. In response, Israel twice bombed Iranian territory, targeting air defense installations and missile production facilities, delivering a severe blow to Tehran’s military infrastructure. As Iran flaunts its expanding missile program, international concerns continue to mount over its nuclear ambitions. Tehran has accelerated uranium enrichment to 60 percent purity, a level just short of weapons-grade material, making it the only non-nuclear weapons state in the world to do so. Meanwhile, it has systematically obstructed international inspectors, further deepening suspicions that it is covertly pursuing nuclear arms. Amid these rising tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump recently sent a letter to Tehran offering negotiations for a new nuclear agreement while simultaneously reinstating a sanctions campaign and issuing warnings of potential military action if diplomacy fails. The letter, delivered by UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash on March 12, was met with guarded skepticism in Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi responded Monday, saying that Tehran remains open to indirect negotiations but rejected direct talks with Washington unless the U.S. abandons its “maximum pressure” sanctions strategy. “We will not engage in direct talks so long as the other side continues its threats,” Aragchi declared, making […]

The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy annual 2.4% pace the last three months of 2024, supported by a year-end surge in consumer spending, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its previous estimate of fourth-quarter growth. But it’s unclear whether the United States can sustain solid growth as President Donald Trump wages trade wars, purges the federal workforce and promises mass deportations of immigrants working in the country illegally. The Commerce Department said that growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — decelerated from a 3.1% pace in July-September 2024. For all of 2024, the economy — the world’s biggest — grew 2.8%, down a tick from 2.9% in 2023. Consumer spending rose at a 4% pace, up from 3.7% in third-quarter 2023. But business investment fell, led by an 8.7% drop in investment in equipment. A drop in business inventories shaved 0.84 percentage points off fourth-quarter GDP growth. A category within the GDP data that measures the economy’s underlying strength rose at a healthy 2.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter, slipping from the government’s previous estimate of 3.2% and from 3.4% in the third quarter. This category includes consumer spending and private investment but excludes volatile items like exports, inventories and government spending. Wednesday’s report showed continued inflationary pressure at the end of 2024. The Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge – the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index – rose at an annual rate of 2.4%, up from 1.5% in the third quarter and above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core PC inflation registered 2.6%, compared to 2.2% in the third quarter. Thursday’s report was the government’s third and final look at fourth-quarter GDP. The outlook is cloudier. Trump’s decision to slap taxes on a range of imports — including a 25% tax on foreign autos announced Wednesday — could push up inflation and disrupt investment, hurting growth. (AP)

A federal judge has ruled that The New York Times and other newspapers can proceed with a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft seeking to end the practice of using their stories to train artificial intelligence chatbots. U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein of New York on Wednesday dismissed some of the claims made by media organizations but allowed the bulk of the case to continue, possibly to a jury trial. “We appreciate Judge Stein’s careful consideration of these issues,” New York Times attorney Ian Crosby said in a statement. “As the order indicates, all of our copyright claims will continue against Microsoft and Open AI for their widespread theft of millions of The Times’s works, and we look forward to continuing to pursue them.” The judge’s ruling also pleased Frank Pine, executive editor of MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, owners of some of the newspapers that are part of a consolidated lawsuit in a Manhattan court. “The claims the court has dismissed do not undermine the main thrust of our case, which is that these companies have stolen our work and violated our copyright in a way that fundamentally damages our business,” Pine said a statement. Stein didn’t explain the reasons for his ruling, saying that would come “expeditiously.” OpenAI said in a statement it welcomed “the court’s dismissal of many of these claims and look forward to making it clear that we build our AI models using publicly available data, in a manner grounded in fair use, and supportive of innovation.” Microsoft declined to comment. The Times has said OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft have threatened its livelihood by effectively stealing billions of dollars worth of work by its journalists, in some cases spitting out Times’ material verbatim to people who seek answers from generative artificial intelligence like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. (AP)

Aliza Silverberg’s dream is to open up her own pediatric dental practice and provide children with a positive, relaxing experience at the dentist. Aliza chose Touro to help make her dream a reality. “I chose to attend Touro’s Lander College for Women (LCW) for my undergraduate schooling because it was an exciting opportunity to live in New York City and it allowed me to meet some incredible people, both socially and among the faculty. Additionally, I was confident Touro would offer me the academic opportunities to excel in my coursework and continue on to dental school,” Aliza said. Indeed, LCW was instrumental in ensuring Aliza was ready for the next step. “One way in which Touro helped prepare me for professional school is with their one-week pre-dental experience program. I attended during the summer that I was scheduled to take the dental admission test (DAT) and apply to dental school. We spent one week living as TCDM students. We sat in on lectures about all the various specialties that dentistry has to offer. We even got to work in the simulation lab and get a hands-on feel for what the career entails. This program invigorated my desire to pursue a career in dentistry,” she said. Aliza also credits her biology advisor at Lander College for Women, Dr. John Loike, for helping her every step of the way. “All throughout my undergraduate schooling, he pushed me to reach my academic potential and always gave me good insight and advice on how to best prepare myself as a respectable applicant for dental schools. He set up mock interviews and was constantly checking in on me. I am extremely grateful for the advice and assistance he gave me and would not be here today otherwise,” Aliza explained. With its stellar reputation, Aliza knew she wanted to stay within Touro and attend Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM). “The number one thing I was told by current students about Touro Dental is that there is an inviting atmosphere from the staff and camaraderie amongst fellow students. Every member of the community truly wants what is best for each student,” she said. She was especially impressed with the brand-new state-of-the-art facilities and the beautiful campus. Now a TCDM student herself, Aliza has found the community to be as warm and welcoming as she had heard. “Friendships and connections are made every single day, and the faculty are always greeting students with warm smiles. Entering the student lounge on the fourth floor, you see people studying together and preparing for the day ahead. Working in the simulation lab is a vibrant experience, as we are learning and seeking advice and constructive criticism from faculty. I look forward to going to school because there is nothing as rewarding as seeing real progress in my skills as a budding dentist,” she said. Aliza can’t wait to start her career and open her own practice one day. “I chose dentistry because it is an exciting and constantly-evolving career that enables me to be creative while also pursuing my medical interests. I want to interact with my future patients and connect with them while they spend time in my chair.” Learn more at touro.edu/poweryourpath

*BREAKING:* One of the top members of MS-13 was just arrested in Virginia..

*WATCH:* This video was taken by a non-Jew in Lezensk at the Kever this past Shabbos morning. At the beginning you can see the Rachmastrivka Rebbe walking to Shul.

Israel will move its clocks forward by one hour overnight Thursday, marking the start of daylight saving time (DST). The switch will take place at 2 a.m., with the time jumping to 3 a.m. The six-hour time difference between Israel and the US for the past several weeks will now revert to a seven-hour time difference.

*ELIMINATED:* The IDF on Thursday morning confirmed the overnight airstrike in southern Lebanon that killed a senior Radwan Force commander. The elimination was carried out by a drone that targeted the commander’s vehicle as he was driving.

In a rare occurrence for Jerusalem, sirens blared in the city and throughout central Israel in the middle of the day on Thursday, at about 1:10 p.m. The IDF confirmed the launch of two ballistic missiles from Yemen and said that they were intercepted before entering Israel. According to reports, the missiles were intercepted by the Arrow 3 system in the system’s first-ever simultaneous interception of two missiles.

At Wednesday night’s Town of Ramapo Board Meeting, officials unanimously voted in favor of a proposal to establish a formal partnership with Chaverim of Rockland Emergency Services. The resolution, passed unanimously, officially recognizes Chaverim as a key partner in the Town’s Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) efforts and emergency response operations. Chaverim of Rockland has long been a pillar of support for residents, earning its reputation as the backbone of the Monsey area. With a dedicated team of 200 volunteers, the organization operates 24/7, responding to emergencies and providing vital assistance at all hours. Their efforts are seamlessly coordinated by a group of 30 skilled dispatchers who ensure help is always just a phone call away, maintaining round-the-clock coverage. For over 25 years, Chaverim has provided critical services such as roadside assistance, search and rescue operations, and general aid during emergencies—all at no cost to the public. With a longstanding commitment to community welfare, Chaverim’s inclusion in the town’s emergency framework marks a significant step forward in strengthening local response capabilities. According to the resolution, the Town will support the partnership by: Providing essential emergency equipment for joint use, including communication tools, traffic control devices, and safety gear. Assisting with basic operational expenses, such as fuel for emergency response vehicles used during town-supported events. Formally incorporating Chaverim into the town’s emergency response structure, allowing for coordinated training and integration into municipal emergency plans. Chaverim emphasized that while they are not requesting financial compensation for their services, these areas of support will help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their volunteer operations. “We are proud to formalize this partnership with Chaverim, whose tireless work has already made a tremendous impact in our community,” Town Supervisor Michael Specht told YWN. “This agreement will ensure that we are even better prepared to handle emergencies and protect our residents.” Chaverim President Shaya Erps also told YWN, “Our mission has always been to assist those in need, and by working more closely with the Town of Ramapo, we can take our services to the next level. This partnership not only strengthens emergency preparedness but also reinforces the power of volunteerism in public safety. We’re grateful to the Town Board for recognizing that and giving us the opportunity to serve in an even greater capacity.” THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE MONSEY SCOOP CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE MONSEY SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF MONSEY NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Help a Young Couple of Converts Start Their New Life Le Roch Yéchivat ‘Hévron, Rav David Cohen chlita, calls for support for a couple of converts preparing for marriage but lacking financial means. This is a rare opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of “Vous aimerez le converti”—loving the convert—along with assisting a needy bride and supporting a Torah student. The groom, an immigrant from Russia, has a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. He converted according to Jewish law and has been studying in a yeshiva for years. The bride, born to non-Jewish parents, embraced the Torah path passionately after her conversion. Neither has family or financial support. Moved by their situation, Rav David Cohen chlita urges: “This is a truly exceptional case. They have nothing and need full support. This is a special mitzvah—helping a b and fulfillingen Torah the commandment to love the convert. Those who assist will surely be blessed by the Source of all blessings.” Your donation will provide this couple with the essentials to build a Torah home. Let’s show them the warmth and love of the Jewish people. Donate now and receive the blessing of the Roch Yéchiva! to donate click here >>>

American robotics companies are pushing for a national robotics strategy, including establishing a federal office focused on promoting the industry at a time when China is making intelligent robots a national priority. Representatives of companies — including Tesla, Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics — on Wednesday met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to show off products and push for the United States to adopt policies that would boost American companies in a global race to develop the next generation of robots. Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of humanoid startup Apptronik, of Austin, Texas, pointed out to lawmakers that it was American carmaker General Motors that deployed the first industrial robot at a New Jersey assembly plant in 1961. But the U.S. then ceded its early lead to Japan, which remains a powerhouse of industrial robotics, along with Europe. The next robotics race will be powered by artificial intelligence and will be “anybody’s to win,” Cardenas said in an interview after the closed-door meeting. “I think the U.S. has a great chance of winning. We’re leading in AI, and I think we’re building some of the best robots in the world. But we need a national strategy if we’re going to continue to build and stay ahead.” The Association for Advanced Automation said a national strategy would help U.S. companies scale production and drive the adoption of robots as the “physical manifestation” of AI. The group made it clear that China and several other countries already have a plan in place. Without that leadership, “the U.S. will not only lose the robotics race but also the AI race,” the association said in a statement. The group also suggested tax incentives to help drive adoption, along with federally-funded training programs and funding for both academic research and commercial innovation. A new federal robotics office, the association argued, is necessary partly because of “the increasing global competition in the space” as well as the “growing sophistication” of the technology. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, said he believes the U.S. is ahead in the game but that the Chinese companies are “very good” and that China is “devoting a lot of resources very quickly.” “So we need to maintain our innovation and maintain our culture of entrepreneurship,” Krishnamoorthi said. Jonathan Chen, manager of carmaker Tesla’s Optimus Engineering, which is developing a humanoid robot that CEO Elon Musk hopes to one day send to Mars, said manufacturing capabilities will be key to national competition. “You create the robots, the question is who’s going to scale them?” Chen said. China is the world’s largest market for robots that work in factories and other industrial environments, with about 1.8 million robots operating in 2023, according to the Germany-based International Federation of Robotics. Robotics manufacturers in Japan and Europe still dominate the global market for hulking factory robots, though the share of Chinese manufacturers in its domestic market has grown to roughly half, according to IFR. It can be harder to track the progress of emerging robot technologies, such as humanoids or animal-like legged robots, because they are not yet heavily commercialized. Massachusetts-based robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics, now owned by South Korean carmaker Hyundai, relied on U.S. military research grants for its first few decades of work on agile robots that can crawl and walk. China now […]

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that a proposed European armed force for possible deployment in Ukraine in tandem with an eventual peace deal could “respond” to a Russian attack if Moscow launched one. Macron spoke after talks with Ukraine’s president and ahead of a summit in Paris of some 30 nations on Thursday that will discuss the proposed force for Ukraine that Macron suggested could be deployed in “important towns” and elsewhere. “If there was again a generalized aggression against Ukrainian soil, these armies would, in fact, be under attack and then it’s our usual framework of engagement,” Macron said. “Our soldiers, when they are engaged and deployed, are there to react and respond to the decisions of the commander in chief and, if they are in a conflict situation, to respond to it.” Macron, together with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been driving an effort to build a coalition of nations willing in one way or another to support the deployment of an armed force in Ukraine, with the aim of securing a lasting peace by dissuading Russia from attacking the country again. Macron didn’t specify what sort of response he envisaged in the eventuality of a Russian attack. He said the proposed European forces wouldn’t be stationed on the frontlines in Ukraine, “nor be engaged on the first day opposite Russian forces.” They would “be forces that dissuade the Russians from attacking again. And by holding important towns, strategic bases, mark the clear support from several European governments and allies,” he said. “So we are not on the frontlines, we don’t go to fight, but we are there to guarantee a lasting peace. It’s a pacifist approach,” he said. “The only ones who would, at that moment, trigger a conflict, a bellicose situation, would be the Russians if they decided again to launch an aggression.” Macron is expecting 31 delegations around the table Thursday morning at the presidential Elysee Palace. That’s more than the French leader gathered for a first meeting in Paris in February — evidence that the coalition to help Ukraine, possibly with boots on the ground, is gathering steam, according to the presidential office. Trump administration isn’t keen The big elephant in the room will be the country that’s missing: the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has shown no public enthusiasm for the coalition’s discussions about potentially sending troops into Ukraine after an eventual ceasefire to help make peace stick. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has dismissed the idea of a European deployment or even the need for it. “It’s a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic,” he said in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. That’s not the view in Europe. The shared premise upon which the coalition is being built is that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine — starting with the illegal seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and culminating in the 2022 full-scale invasion that unleashed all-out war — shows that he cannot be trusted and that a European force could help dissuade another attack. Ukraine’s leader envisages multi-missioned force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron both suggest that a foreign contingent in Ukraine could also provide military training, something allies already have been doing outside Ukraine, preparing more than 75,000 Ukrainian troops for battle […]

In a rare occurrence for Jerusalem, sirens blared in the city and throughout central Israel in the middle of the day on Thursday, at about 1:10 p.m. Jerusalem residents reported hearing the sounds of explosions. The IDF confirmed the launch of two ballistic missiles from Yemen and said that they were intercepted before entering Israel. According to reports, the missiles were intercepted by the Arrow 3 system in the system’s first-ever simultaneous interception of two missiles. The MDA spokesperson stated: “As of now, no calls have been received about injuries except for cases of shock and people who were injured on the way to a protected space.” In the wake of the sirens, departures and landings at Ben Gurion Airport were halted and incoming flights were forced to circle over the sea before receiving clearance to land. The scene at the Kosel after the siren: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed tests of newly developed reconnaissance and attack drones this week and called for their increased production, state media said Thursday. Kim has been emphasizing the development of drones, and the tests were the latest display of his country’s growing military capabilities. Photos released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency showed Kim observing what appeared to be a large reconnaissance drone roughly resembling Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail airborne warning and control aircraft. Other images showed exploding drones crashing into military vehicles used as targets. The agency said the test demonstrated the reconnaissance drone’s ability to track multiple targets and monitor troop movements on land and at sea, potentially enhancing North Korea’s intelligence-gathering operations and ability to neutralize enemy threats. The report said the new exploding drones are designed for various attack missions and feature unspecified artificial intelligence capabilities. Kim expressed satisfaction with the drones’ performance and approved plans to expand production, emphasizing that drones and AI should be “top” priorities in efforts to advance his armed forces and adapt them to modern warfare, KCNA said. The agency said the tests took place as Kim visited a drone technology complex and an electronic warfare research group on Tuesday and Wednesday. South Korea’s Defense Ministry didn’t immediately comment on the North Korean report. Kim previously inspected other demonstrations of drones that explode on impact in November and August last year. North Korea also last year 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 refused to confirm whether or not the North’s claims were true. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated recently as Kim continues to expand his military capabilities, which now includes various nuclear-capable weapons targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles potentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Kim is also aligning with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, sending troops and military equipment to support Russia’s efforts. This has raised concerns that he may receive Russian technology transfers in return, further strengthening the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a report Thursday that it believes North Korea sent around 3,000 additional troops to Russia in January and February and has continued supplying ammunition, short-range missiles, self-propelled howitzers, and multiple rocket launchers. The Joint Chiefs assessed that, of the approximately 11,000 North Korean troops sent to fight in the war against Ukraine, around 4,000 have been killed or injured. (AP)

In yet another politically tainted move, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Isman on Wednesday approved a police probe into three right-wing government members, Likud MK Nissim Vaturi, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit), and Otzma Yehudit MK Tzvi Sukkot, regarding their break-in into the Sde Teiman base eight months ago. On July 29, 2024, masked military police raided the Sdei Teiman base and arrested nine reservists for the alleged abuse of a Nukhba terrorist. The main charge of sodomy was later proven to be completely unfounded but not before the public arrest caused untold damage to Israel. In the wake of the arrest, a crowd of protesters gathered at the Sde Teiman and Beit Lid bases to protest, some of whom breached the gates of the bases, including the three government members. MK Vaturi responded, stating: “You will not silence me. I will not submit to a political interrogation orchestrated by the Deep State attorney and the Attorney-General of the Kaplan cult. They will have to drag me out of the Knesset in handcuffs.” Vaturi then referred to the fact that Gali-Baharav has yet to summon leftist leaders who openly called for civil rebellion, including Ehud Barak, who called for Jewish bodies to float in the Yarkon. “Before you come after me, interrogate Yair Golan, Naama Lazimi, Ehud Barak, Dan Halutz, and Bogi Ya’alon,” adding, “Or is their immunity guaranteed as part of the coup plot you are leading?” “This is yet another idiotic attempt by the duo Gali and Amit to take revenge on right-wing Knesset members,” Vaturi continued. “The fact that they informed their ‘prosecution spokesperson’—Channel 12’s reporter—beforehand proves this to be an act of retaliation, lacking both factual and legal basis.” Sukkot stated: “This is a political probe. The probe into the leak of the Sdei Teman video was buried with the approval of the Supreme Court; the burning of bonfires on the road by Lazimi – was buried by the Attorney General despite the police request; the leaking of the protocol from the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee by Gilad Kariv – there is no investigation despite the request of the Knesset Officer. Only we are summoned for an investigation. The Deep State wants us in prison. Period.” Eliyahu referred to his immunity as a Knesset member, saying:  “I will not appear for a political investigation. In a law-abiding state, a Knesset member has a duty to act when there is suspicion of a crime. This is the very essence of the immunity law—not as protection for the Knesset member but as protection for the public’s representatives and the public itself against the abuse of governmental power.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded to the announcement by stating: “While the Attorney General and the State Attorney are quick to approve investigations against elected officials from the right, they wink at far more serious offenses committed by MK Gilad Kariv, who was caught leaking secret protocols from the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee; by Yair Golan who calls for rebellion and refusal to serve in the IDF; by MK Naama Lazimi who starts fires; and the unequivocal incitement calls of Ehud Olmert, who declared in 2023: ‘It is time to move to the war stage – not in speeches but in face-to-face combat.'” […]

Democrat James Andrew Malone narrowly won a special election for a Pennsylvania state Senate seat in Republican-leaning suburbs and farming communities, scoring an upset for a party roiled by infighting since President Donald Trump’s victory. Malone’s victory over Republican Josh Parsons in Tuesday night’s election might provide a light in the darkness for Democrats who are at each others’ throats publicly and struggling to unify around a strategy to counter Trump. Malone’s victory came in a county that Democrats say they haven’t represented in the chamber in over a century. Malone said in an interview Wednesday that he was helped by Trump’s embrace of chaos and rejection of a methodical, cohesive and by-the-book strategy of accomplishing his agenda in his first two months. “He’s chosen to do it the way he does everything, right? Throw a brick in the basket and see what comes out,” said Malone, a computer application designer and mayor of tiny East Petersburg, population 4,500. Several voters backed that up, saying they hoped to send a message about Trump and Republican policies and politics. Michelle McCall, a registered independent who said she has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, cast her ballot for Malone as more of a moderate than Parsons. She also described the Republican Party as becoming less centrist than she would like and exhibiting “a general attitude in the party that ‘I’m going to do whatever I want and to heck with lawfulness or the Constitution.’” Patty Mazzei, a loyal Democratic voter working at a clothing boutique in touristy downtown Lititz, said she is “tired of the bullyism” under Trump and wanted to “stick it” to Republicans. The Associated Press called the race Wednesday after receiving information from county officials that there were fewer ballots left to be counted than the margin in the race. Parsons conceded Wednesday. A Malone victory narrows GOP control of the state Senate to a 27-23 seat advantage. One of the top Democrats in the state Senate said Malone’s victory shows the national party the value of talking about protecting Social Security and health care access, amid what he sees as the chaos and pain that Trump’s administration is sowing. “As much anger that people have, they have anxiety too,” Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia said. “And last night’s election sends a message that people are going to respond.” Pennsylvania’s Republican Party chairman, Greg Rothman, said he didn’t think Trump’s performance in office hurt Parsons. The prices of gas and eggs are dropping and the federal government hasn’t cut Social Security or Medicare, he said. Rather, Democrats did a better job at getting their supporters to vote early by mail, he said, while the more traditional Republican campaign apparently didn’t work. Republicans need to treat the loss as a “wake-up call” and more vigorously embrace early voting, Rothman said. Malone, 51, said he also was helped by Republican voters being turned off by what he described as Parsons’ confrontational and secretive style. Parsons is a Lancaster County commissioner who has talked about having visited the White House four times and working with Trump staff on policy issues. Malone’s victory could be short-lived. The term only runs through 2026 and Rothman said recapturing the seat will be the GOP’s biggest target among state Senate races next […]