Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with the countries’ leaders this week, though it remains to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack. The tentative deal to partially rein in the grinding war came after Russian President Vladimir Putin rebuffed Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The difficulty in getting the combatants to agree not to target one another’s energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Trump will face in trying to fulfill his campaign pledge to quickly end to the war. After a roughly hourlong call with Trump on Wednesday that both leaders said went well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that “technical” talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend would seek to resolve what types of infrastructure would be protected under the agreement. But it was immediately clear that the three parties had different views about what the pact entailed, with the White House saying “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin saying the agreement referred more narrowly to “energy infrastructure,” and Zelenskyy saying he’d also like railways and ports to be protected. “One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on social media following his call with Trump, which came a day after the U.S. president held similar talks with Putin. “I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.” During their call, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy should consider giving the U.S. ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz. Trump told Zelenskyy that the U.S could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” the statement said. Trump suggested “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure,” according to White House officials. The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalize an agreement to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals as partial repayment for U.S. support for Ukraine during the war. Zelenskyy, though, said the conversation focused on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — which is the largest of its kind in Europe and has been under Russian control since early in the war. He said Trump posed the idea of “an understanding” in which “the United States can recover” the plant. The call, which Zelenskyy described as “fruitful,” came just weeks after a disastrous Oval Office meeting between the two leaders that led to Trump temporarily pausing intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine. During the call, Zelenskyy requested additional Patriot defense missile systems. Rubio and Waltz said Trump “agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.” On Tuesday, Putin told Trump that he would agree not to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump proposed. According to the Kremlin, Putin made clear to Trump that there must be a cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence sharing as part of any deal. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday underscored that U.S. “intelligence sharing in terms of defense for Ukraine” would continue. The Kremlin says Kyiv isn’t upholding its end of the bargain […]
Sirens sounded across central Israel and the Shefelah early Thursday afternoon after Hamas fired three rockets at Israel for the first time in months. The IDF spokesperson said that one rocket was intercepted and two rockets fell in open areas. A man in Givatayim was injured as he entered the bomb shelter and the door closed on his hand, severing his fingers. MDA paramedics treated him at the scene and rushed him to Sheba Hospital. Several large pieces of shrapnel were found in Rishon L’Tzion. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no injuries. Following the sirens, Hamas took responsibility for the rocket fire, saying that it launched M90 rockets at Israel. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Malaysia’s government has given final approval for a Texas-based marine robotics company to renew the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean more than a decade ago. Cabinet ministers agreed to terms and conditions for a “no-find, no-fee” contract with Texas-based Ocean Infinity to resume the seabed search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) site in the ocean, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a statement Wednesday. Ocean Infinity will be paid $70 million only if wreckage is discovered. The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on a flight from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing. Satellite data showed the plane turned from its flight path and headed south to the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed. An expensive multinational search failed to turn up any clues to its location, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing. The final approval for a new search came three months after Malaysia gave the nod in principle to plans for a fresh search. Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett earlier this year reportedly said the company had improved its technology since 2018. He has said the firm is working with many experts to analyze data and had narrowed the search area to the most likely site. Loke said his ministry will ink a contract with Ocean Infinity soon but didn’t provide details on the terms. The firm has reportedly sent a search vessel to the site and indicated that January-April is the best period for the search. “The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370,” he said in a statement. (AP)
“Telling your wife your needs and wants” is a complete waste of time for married men who want happiness and I’ll tell you why. So many marriage experts claim they have the secret to a happy marriage and that it all comes down to communication, boundaries and bringing in more money. They tell you to help out more at home, talk about the past, go together to a marriage professional but never stop to take inventory of whether ANY of these methods are actually WORKING in creating happiness and joy! I am not saying those strategies don’t work at all, but they are the long… slow… painful way of having a happy home. And for the few that make it with these strategies, they’ve done it while he doesn’t get what he needs, and she doesn’t get what she needs. Meanwhile, we’re helping our clients connect with their wives on the highest level, living lives full of happiness and excitement and it gets more and more joyful by the day where both husband and wife feel happiness and excitement… … all without needing their wife to meet them halfway! To check out how they do this, click below to watch my free presentation where I share all the details … you’re going to thank me for it! 3 Steps Married Men Use to Get Rid of Friction and Create Happiness and Excitement… Without Needing Their Wife to Meet Them Halfway!
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday at the possibility of an escalation of the security situation in Yehudah and Shomron. Speaking on a visit to the Border Police undercover unit in Yehudah and Shomron, Netanyahu said: “I am here visiting the undercover unit. They are at the forefront. They infiltrate the terrorist enemy, taking them by surprise and dealing with them. They are simply doing avodas kodesh for the State of Israel.” “This is important at all times but it is especially important now. Because while we are waging an intense war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, we are aware of the possibility that a larger and more intense front could open up here in Yehudah and Shomron. Therefore, the work of the Border Police unit, Israel and IDF, in cooperation with our special units, produces results for your security, the citizens of Israel.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement. Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, finalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon “to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress. Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal. “This isn’t fixing education. It’s making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And we’re not about to let that happen without a fight,” the National Parents Union said in a statement. The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be “a better functioning Department of Education.” The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. Currently, much of the agency’s work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement. Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools. Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition. Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents’ groups demand more authority over their children’s schooling. In his platform, Trump promised to close the department “and send it back to the states, where it belongs.” Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of “radicals, zealots and Marxists” who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation. At the same time, Trump has leaned on the Education Department to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education funding to target schools and colleges that run […]
Israel has expanded its ground operations in Gaza in recent hours and IDF forces have raided additional areas in the northern Strip, Channel 12 reported on Thursday morning. The report comes after the IDF spokesperson announced on Wednesday that Israel has launched focused ground operations in central and southern Gaza in order to expand the security zone and create a partial buffer between the northern and southern Strip. As part of the operation, IDF forces are re-taking control of the Netzarim Corridor, an area they withdrew from last month as part of the ceasefire agreement. The Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the width of the Gaza Strip, is considered a key military zone as it allows IDF troops to control access between the northern and southern areas of Gaza Golani Brigade forces have also been deployed to the Southern Command, where they will be on standby to enter and operate in Gaza, the IDF spokesperson said. IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned Gazans on Thursday morning that IDF troops are deployed in the Netzarim Corridor area and they must strictly avoid approaching the area. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz sent Gazans a “final warning” in a video message, saying: “The first Sinwar [Yahya] destroyed Gaza and the second Sinwar [Mohammed] will completely destroy it. The airstrikes against Hamas terrorists were just the first stage. The evacuation of the population from combat zones will begin again soon.” “If all the hostages aren’t released and Hamas is not removed from Gaza, Israel will act with strength you haven’t yet seen. Take the US president’s advice – return the hostages, remove Hamas and other options will open for you – including moving to other places in the world for those interested.” “The alternative is absolute destruction,” Katz concluded. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, at the premier’s office in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening. Since the Oct. 7 massacre, Fetterman has emerged as one of the most vocal Democratic allies of Israel, maintaining his steadfast backing even as many in his party distance themselves from the Jewish state amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas and other regional threats. His visit and warm exchange with Netanyahu underscore his commitment to standing with Israel, despite political headwinds within his party. During the meeting, Netanyahu expressed deep appreciation for Fetterman’s outspoken support, particularly in defense of Israel’s right to self-defense and his willingness to back the country’s leadership—even as others in Washington criticize Netanyahu’s hardline policies. In a symbolic gesture, Netanyahu gifted Fetterman a silver pager, a nod to last year’s Israeli military operation that neutralized thousands of Hezbollah communication devices. A similar pager, though gold-plated, was previously presented to President Donald Trump during his White House visit last month. Fetterman, in turn, presented Netanyahu with an original 1986 news article documenting the prime minister’s visit to a memorial for his late brother, Yoni Netanyahu, who was killed leading the famed Entebbe rescue operation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
UPDATE: Following red alert sirens that sounded a moments ago in central Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.
President Donald Trump has sent a direct message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issuing a stark warning: Tehran has two months to reach a new nuclear agreement—or suffer the consequences. According to a bombshell report by Axios, the letter—delivered discreetly through an Emirati diplomat to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—offered Iran a final opportunity for renewed nuclear negotiations. However, it came with a menacing caveat: continued nuclear development would trigger severe repercussions. Sources familiar with the letter described it as “tough,” emphasizing that it did not leave room for endless negotiations. Instead, Trump imposed a firm deadline—giving Tehran a clear-cut choice: return to the negotiating table or risk direct confrontation. While the exact start of the two-month countdown remains unclear, the urgency of the demand has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles. Even before the letter was sent, the White House reportedly briefed key U.S. allies—including Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—on its contents, preparing them for a potential escalation. Trump himself confirmed the existence of the letter in an explosive interview with Fox Business News earlier this month. “I’ve written them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing,’” Trump revealed. “You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.” Rather than accepting Trump’s offer, Ayatollah Khamenei swiftly dismissed the proposal, calling it a “deception” aimed at making Iran appear uncooperative. He accused Washington of using negotiations as a tool to tighten the noose of sanctions and increase pressure on Tehran. “Negotiating with the Trump administration will only worsen the situation,” Khamenei declared, signaling that Tehran would not be easily coerced. Nevertheless, Iran has yet to issue a formal response, with a foreign ministry spokesperson telling Reuters that the government is still “scrutinizing the letter.” Trump’s hardline approach follows his historic 2018 decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reinstating crushing economic sanctions that have sent Iran’s economy into freefall. Now, as Iran continues to violate the deal’s nuclear limits, Trump is doubling down on his “maximum pressure” campaign, aiming to isolate Tehran economically and crush its oil exports to near zero. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Democrats have been sniping at each other in public since Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer helped pass a Republican spending bill that prevented a government shutdown. But the divisions in their party hardly began there. For months, Democrats have been struggling to coalesce behind a political strategy as they confront President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and the Senate. Behind closed doors at party retreats, think tank meetings and strategy sessions, Democrats have been having tense and searching conversations about ideology, policy and messaging as they urgently try to address what went wrong in last year’s election. “I think we’re in a place internally where we’re having these family discussions and figuring out what the path forward is,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat and, at age 28, the youngest member of Congress. Democrats grapple with the scale of their challenges The Democratic Party’s political woes were front and center last week as House Democrats gathered a short drive away from Washington for their annual political retreat. Frost said Democrats were alarmed by exit polls from November’s presidential election, which found Trump won voters without a college degree and those who made less than $100,000 in annual income. The same data showed Trump also made inroads with communities of color and young voters, traditionally areas of strength for Democrats. Recent polls underscore the challenge. Democrats are facing stark dissatisfaction among Americans, including among the party’s base. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, versus 54% who held an unfavorable view in a March CNN poll. And about 6 in 10 Democrats said they preferred to see the party work to stop the Republican agenda, compared with about 4 in 10 who preferred Democrats work with Republicans. That represents a stark shift from the outset of Trump’s first term in 2017, when about three-quarters of Democrats said they preferred working with Republicans over stopping the GOP agenda. “The Democratic brand absolutely needs to change,” said Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat. “We will not win with the status quo.” Moulton said that Democrats must “be very public about” their reckoning. “I think we need a high-level message from leadership that, ‘Hey, we got the message of the last election. We heard you voters. You voted us out across the board, and we’re going to change,’” Moulton said. Democrats agree on some points. They uniformly detest Trump, broadly believe that they have failed to connect with the working-class voters they aim to champion and generally agree on the direction that economic and social policies should trend. But party leaders are far from united about how to best confront Trump in his second term and about what policies should be emphasized to voters as they do it. The 2024 election offered little clarity in the progressive vs. moderate debate Part of the difficulty is that both the Democratic Party’s progressive and moderate wings feel as though the early days of the Trump administration have vindicated at times their differing approaches. “We are locked out of accessing the levers and buttons of power, of reaching government. Our next milestone, and it is a critical milestone to achieve, is winning the majority in 2026 that is of paramount importance,” said Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, chair of the New Democrat Coalition, […]
The IDF intercepted a missile fired by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen early Thursday morning, preventing it from entering Israeli airspace. Despite the successful interception, air raid sirens sounded across central Israel, including Tel Aviv and the Jerusalem area, sending millions of civilians scrambling to bomb shelters in the middle of the night. The Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical service reported treating multiple individuals who sustained injuries while rushing to seek shelter, as well as others suffering from acute anxiety due to the alarm. The attempted attack marks the latest escalation in the region as Iran-backed terrorist groups continue to target Israel. The IDF has not yet released further details on the interception, but initial reporting says that the Air Force downed the missile rather than it being intercepted by an interceptor rocket. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A massive crowd gathered Wednesday night in the BMG dining room to hear from Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Yisroel Neuman, and Rav Aharon Feldman of Ner Yisroel in an asifa against participation in the ongoing World Zionist Organization (WZO) elections. Read the full story on Lakewood Alerts.
A European space telescope launched to explore the dark universe has released a trove of new data on distant galaxies. The images and other information released Wednesday by the European Space Agency’s Euclid observatory includes a preview of three cosmic areas that the mission will spy in finer detail, mapping the shapes and locations of galaxies billions of light years away. A light year is nearly 6 trillion miles (it is not a length of time). The observatory, which blasted off in 2023 from Florida, is creating a cosmic atlas to gain clues about how our ever-expanding universe works and how mysterious forces called dark energy and dark matter may play a role. The elusive duo make up most of our universe, but researchers don’t know exactly what they are. Over six years of observing, the mission hopes to capture glamour shots of over 1.5 billion galaxies. (AP)
President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued his most forceful warning yet to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, vowing their complete destruction as the U.S. military intensifies its relentless campaign against the terrorist group. “Tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians, and watch how it will get progressively worse — It’s not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated!” Trump declared on his Truth Social platform Wednesday. Trump’s statement was not just a message to the Houthis—it was a direct warning to their powerful backer, Iran. “Iran must stop the sending of these supplies IMMEDIATELY. Let the Houthis fight it out themselves. Either way they lose, but this way they lose quickly,” he wrote, responding to reports that Tehran has slightly scaled back military aid to the Houthis but continues to provide large quantities of weapons and logistical support. His warning came as U.S. forces launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and other strategic locations. According to eyewitnesses, American warplanes struck targets near Sanaa’s airport, as well as the northern town of Saada and the southeastern district of Al-Sawadiya. The latest strikes are part of an ongoing U.S. offensive against the Houthis, who have repeatedly attacked commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, disrupting global trade. On Saturday, the U.S. unleashed a series of devastating airstrikes that, according to Houthi-controlled media, killed 53 people and wounded nearly 100 others. The Pentagon has confirmed that several senior Houthi military officials were among the dead. Washington has vowed to continue these operations until the Houthis cease their attacks on international shipping lanes. As the U.S. ramped up its military campaign, the Houthis responded by launching a missile at Israel on Tuesday—the first direct attack from Yemen since a ceasefire was brokered in January. The missile, intercepted by Israeli air defenses, was allegedly aimed at an airbase. The Houthis, part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance” against the United States and Israel, have declared their attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes to be in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their war cry—”Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews!”—has become a rallying call for Iran-backed terror factions across the region. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed Wednesday to a limited ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, as U.S. President Donald Trump suggested during a call with the embattled country’s leader that he consider American ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their long-term security. Trump told Zelenskyy that the U.S could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz that described the call as “fantastic.” “One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on social media following the roughly hourlong call, which came a day after Trump held similar talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.” Trump suggested “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure,” according to White House officials. The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalize an agreement to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals as partial repayment for U.S. support for Ukraine during the war. White House officials did not reveal any further details about Trump’s thinking on potential American involvement with Ukrainian power plant. Weeks after a disastrous Oval Office meeting between the two leaders that led to Trump temporarily pausing intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, Trump and Zelenskyy had “a very good conversation” in which they joked around, according to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to comment publicly. There was an emphasis during the call on how any ceasefire process would need to be monitored and how the various negotiating teams would still need to resolve technical issues, the official said. During the call, Zelenskyy requested additional Patriot defense missile systems. Rubio and Waltz said Trump “agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.” Trump has made clear that quickly ending the war is a top priority for his new administration. He has repeatedly complained about the cost — the U.S. has sent Ukraine more than $180 billion in military and economic aid since the start of the war. On Tuesday, Putin told Trump that he would agree not to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump proposed. Zelenskyy signed off on the limited ceasefire deal to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, according to the White House. According to the Kremlin, Putin made clear to Trump that there must be a cessation of foreign military aide and intelligence sharing as part of any deal. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday underscored that U.S. “intelligence sharing in terms of defense for Ukraine” would continue. The Kremlin says Kyiv isn’t upholding its end of the bargain Prior to his call with Trump, Zelenskyy said Putin’s limited ceasefire pledge was “very much at odds with reality” after Russia launched an overnight barrage of drone strikes across Ukraine, including some that struck Ukrainian energy facilities. Russia responded by saying it had halted its targeting of Ukraine’s energy facilities and accused Kyiv of attacking Russian equipment near one of its pipelines. “Unfortunately, we see that for now there is no reciprocity on the part of the Kyiv […]
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BREAKING: President Trump is expected to sign an executive order returning education power back to states. This comes after his administration cut nearly half the Department of Education’s staff.
