Sunday marks the 40th yahrzeit of the Steipler, z”tl, the Ba’al Kehillos Yaakov, and the father of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl. A collection of stories about the Steipler that were heard over the years from HaRav Chaim, z’tl, were recorded by his grandson, HaRav Aryeh Kanievsky. One story involved an American Jew who wasn’t strictly Chareidi but was a leader of a Jewish kehilla. He once visited the Steipler, z’tl, and handed him a note with his name for a bracha. The Steipler looked at the note and said, “Boys and girls? Chas V’Shalom!” The Jew reeled from shock because at that time he was involved in the construction of a swimming pool for the local Jewish community center that was slated to hold mixed swimming hours. He left the Steipler’s home in a panic and searched for the nearest public telephone. He called home and firmly declared that there would never be a mixed swimming pool in his community. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back hard on Sunday against questions over whether President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is being pressured into concessions, calling the suggestion “a stupid media narrative” and insisting that U.S.-led negotiations with Russia remain focused on reaching peace through careful, private diplomacy. Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation, Rubio rejected host Margaret Brennan’s framing that European leaders were traveling to Washington to prevent Trump from “bullying” Zelensky into a bad deal. “No, it isn’t. That’s not why they’re coming … that’s not true,” Rubio said. “They’re not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelenskyy from being bullied … They’re coming here tomorrow because we’ve been working with the Europeans. We talked to them last week. There were meetings in the UK the previous weekend. We invited them to come. The President invited them to come.” Brennan referenced Trump’s contentious Oval Office meeting with Zelensky in February, where the Ukrainian president was publicly scolded. Rubio dismissed the idea that one episode defined the relationship. “Do you know how many meetings we’ve had since then? … We’ve had one meeting with Putin and like a dozen meetings with Zelensky,” he shot back. When Brennan argued that Trump had threatened to walk out of the Anchorage summit if Putin refused a ceasefire — but stayed for three hours without a deal — Rubio defended the decision. “Our goal here is not to stage some production for the world to say, oh how dramatic he walked out,” he said. “Our goal here is to have a peace agreement to end this war. And obviously we felt … that there was enough progress, not a lot of progress, but enough progress made in those talks to allow us to move to the next phase.” On ABC’s This Week, Rubio sparred with host Martha Raddatz over what, if anything, Moscow conceded during the summit. “Can you name any concessions that Vladimir Putin made during this meeting?” Raddatz asked. “I wouldn’t name them on your program,” Rubio responded. “Why would I do that?” Raddatz pressed again: “Where is the pressure?” “Because you can’t have a peace agreement unless both sides give and get,” Rubio said. “You can’t have a peace agreement unless both sides make concessions. That’s a fact. That’s true in virtually any negotiation. If not, it’s just called surrender. And neither side is going to surrender. So both sides are going to have to make concessions. So of course concessions were asked.” But, Rubio said, publicizing those details would undermine delicate talks. “What utility would there be of me going on a program and tell you we wagged our finger at Putin and told him you must do this and you must that? It’s only going to make it harder and less likely that they’re going to agree to these things. These discussions only work best when they are conducted privately in serious negotiations.” He added that even autocratic leaders must consider domestic constituencies: “People have to go back and defend these agreements that they make, and figure out a way to explain them to people. We need to create space for concessions to be made.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The IDF announced on Sunday the start of a sweeping campaign targeting more than 14,000 alleged “draft evaders,” many of them bnei yeshiva. The operation, titled “Starting Over,” is being billed by the army as a one-time opportunity to enlist without facing criminal charges or penalties. According to officials, men between the ages of 18 and 28 who have not reported for service will now be able to register by phone or through the army’s website. Those who sign up by the 21st of the month and report to training on schedule will see penalties suspended. The army says such recruits will avoid arrest warrants, travel bans, or criminal records, provided they serve without desertion or further violations. “This is a one-time chance that will not return,” a senior officer declared. “We are not granting amnesty, but we are giving evaders the ability to come forward and avoid punishment.” The campaign comes as pressure mounts to conscript yeshiva bochurim, despite the fact that the Knesset has failed to pass a new draft bill formalizing exemptions for lomdei Torah. Military leaders are warning that the number of those they consider draft evaders could rise by 5,000 in the coming months and reach tens of thousands within a year and a half. Officials have made clear that the initiative is directed primarily at the chareidi tzibbur, while claiming that recruits will receive “special accommodations” to preserve their religious lifestyle—though no details were offered as to how such promises would be kept. This latest move follows months of political turmoil in Yerushalayim, including the dismissal of a defense minister and the head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as coalition leaders attempt to push through legislation on the draft. Since October 7th, when Klal Yisroel was struck by tragedy and over 12,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, the army has escalated efforts to enforce what it calls “universal conscription.” The IDF said that even a small response to the campaign would bolster its ranks, noting that if only 500 young people comply, it would still mean 500 more soldiers. Officials emphasized the urgency by pointing to manpower shortages after mandatory service was reduced from 32 months to 30. “Do not bring us new requests for exemptions,” one officer warned. “Bring documentation to enlist.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Avishai David, the father of the hostage Evyatar David, who was featured in a psychological terrorism video Hamas published several weeks ago in an emaciated state, spoke with Army Radio on Sunday about his son’s difficult situation and the leftist protests throughout the country, which are ostensibly being held in demand for the release of the hostages. “It’s hard for us after we saw him in such a difficult condition,” he said. “It’s hard for us; it’s hard for him. His suffering makes it hard for us.” David slammed the behavior of the left-wing Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the protest: “This is not the behavior that some of the families want. The hidden goal is first of all to overthrow the government and its leader. There are wonderful people in the Forum, but what is behind it is—the government should go home.” “It is a politically motivated protest that has hitched a ride on the families of the hostages. I say this with sorrow; it’s very difficult for me. There are things that the Forum has done that are wonderful, but every so often the fire rises against the government and against Netanyahu. There is a negative force that does not let go, that will not miss an opportunity to attack the government and overthrow Netanyahu.” David is especially furious that photos of his son from the Hamas propaganda video were used to promote the strike. “We saw the picture on flyers to promote the strike—such an inappropriate strike that isn’t helping anyone. It horrified us that they used the picture of my son, in his condition, for political propaganda. It’s infuriating—the cynicism and hypocrisy are staggering.” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on Sunday about the protest and did not mince words about whom the protesters are helping. “Those who are calling today for an end to the war without defeating Hamas not only harden Hamas’s position and make the release of our hostages more difficult, but they also ensure that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves again and again and that our sons and daughters will have to fight again and again in an endless war,” he warned. “In order to advance the release of our hostages and ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel, we must complete the task and defeat Hamas. This is exactly the cabinet decision that was made last week. We are determined to implement it.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
For 681 days, Matan Zangauker has been held in captivity. On Sunday night, Israelis were confronted with a chilling reminder of that reality when the IDF released a newly obtained video showing the 22-year-old hostage speaking from inside Gaza. The clip, believed to have been filmed several months ago, was published with the consent of his mother, Einav. In the video, Matan addresses his sisters Natalie (“Tato”) and Shani, and his partner, Ilana Grichevsky. “Tato, Shani, Ilana, I miss you. G-d willing, we’ll see each other soon. To all my acquaintances, all my friends — go out, make noise like only you know how, and with G-d’s help we’ll see each other soon.” Matan’s eyes linger at the end of the recording, a silent plea that his mother said haunts her nights. Speaking at Hostages’ Square, Einav Zangauker’s voice cracked with anguish: “I am burning with longing. My whole heart is on fire, my Matan. Your quiet gaze at the end of the video stays with me as I toss and turn at night. It burns that I cannot hug you, hear you, or hold you.” Einav’s grief quickly turned to fury as she accused Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government of failing to prioritize the hostages. “The Israeli government has never made a genuine effort toward a comprehensive agreement or an end to the war,” she said. “They turned the most just war into a false one. If Netanyahu truly wants a comprehensive agreement, he should put a practical plan on the table—otherwise, he is simply lying.” Her words drew thunderous applause from the crowd gathered in Tel Aviv. “There may be no worthy government, but we have a people,” she declared. “We rose on October 7 to save the country, and we rise now to save the hostages and our soldiers. We demand what is rightfully ours—our children. And we will keep demanding it until we get it.” Earlier that day, Hostages’ Square witnessed a painful symbolic act. Ilana, Matan’s partner, stood beneath a chuppah and “married” him in absentia. Holding the poles were parents of other hostages — among them Jon Polin, father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered in captivity, and Michel Illouz, whose son Guy’s body remains in Gaza. Clad in a black veil, Einav stood by her side. Ilana’s voice broke as she addressed the man she has not seen in nearly two years: “If you hadn’t been kidnapped, we could already have been married. I can’t stop thinking about what was taken from us, about the innocence and love stolen from us in a single day. Our world was destroyed, and you’re not here with me to hug me, and I can’t be with you to strengthen you.” “Matan, my love, I love you. I am fighting for you until you return,” she continued. “Until you and all the hostages come back, we will bring you back alive, and together we will rebuild and, G-d willing, build our Jewish home here in Israel.” As Einav and Ilana concluded their remarks, the crowd roared back in unison: “You are not alone, we are with you.” “My Matan, my hero, I am so proud of you for holding on these 681 days,” Einav told her son from the stage. “We are fighting for you; an entire nation is fighting […]
A Ukrainian sniper has reportedly shattered the world record for the longest confirmed kill, striking down two Russian soldiers with a single bullet from nearly two and a half miles away. The extraordinary shot—measured at 4,374 yards (13,122 feet)—was fired on Thursday near Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to Ukraine’s Defense Express. The gunman belonged to Ukraine’s elite “Pryvyd,” or “Ghost,” sniper unit and was operating with the aid of drones and artificial intelligence. Footage released by Ukrainian military channels shows the round fired from a Ukrainian-designed 14.5mm “Alligator” sniper rifle before piercing a window where Russian troops had taken cover. “The bullet went through the window behind which the occupiers were standing,” wrote Ukrainian military analyst Yuri Butusov, who shared the video online. The achievement appears to eclipse not only the standing global record but also Ukraine’s own previous milestone. In November 2023, a 58-year-old veteran of the country’s Security Service (SBU) hit a Russian target from 4,156 yards (2.36 miles) with a “Lord of the Horizon” rifle. Before Ukraine’s record-breaking shots, the benchmark belonged to a Canadian Special Forces sniper who killed an ISIS fighter at 2.20 miles in Iraq in 2017. The Alligator rifle used in Thursday’s strike was originally marketed not as a weapon for infantry combat but as a tool for destroying equipment. Manufactured by Kharkiv-based XADO-Holding, the semi-automatic rifle fires 14.5mm rounds at speeds exceeding 3,200 feet per second. Its stated effective range was just 1.2 miles—barely half the distance of the latest kill. The claim adds to Ukraine’s growing reputation for redefining long-range precision warfare, blending cutting-edge optics, AI-assisted targeting, and drone surveillance into its frontline tactics. If verified by independent sources, the shot would not only mark a new world record but also underscore how Ukraine is leveraging domestic engineering to challenge Russia with technology once thought impossible in the chaos of war. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Donald Trump is enjoying a significant advantage over his predecessor on one of the most politically charged issues in America: crime. According to CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten, polling shows Trump’s standing on the issue has not only improved since his first term but is now dramatically stronger than President Joe Biden’s at the close of his presidency. Speaking Thursday, Enten pointed to new numbers revealing that Trump’s net approval on crime — which sat at -13 points during his first term — has risen to +1 in his second term, a 14-point swing. “Americans view Trump far more favorably now on crime than they did a year ago,” Enten said, noting that the polling factors in events from across the country, including Los Angeles and other cities, even if it doesn’t yet reflect Trump’s latest moves in Washington, D.C. The analysis comes just days after Enten highlighted a separate poll showing a majority of D.C. residents were frustrated with Trump’s direct involvement in local issues. That survey was conducted before Trump’s recent decision to federalize the D.C. police force and deploy the National Guard in an aggressive push to combat crime in the nation’s capital. When stacking the data against Biden’s record, Enten said the difference was “like Air Jordan towering over the competition.” At the end of Biden’s term, his net approval on crime was a dismal -26, making it one of his weakest issues. The 27-point gap between Biden’s low and Trump’s current rating underscores a political reality Enten says Democrats often underestimate: “Americans are far more hawkish on crime than a lot of Democrats want to admit.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
How tomorrow’s White House meetings are expected to be broken up: Tomorrow’s major gathering of European leaders at the White House will be broken into parts, according to people familiar with the planning. United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to meet individually with their delegations first. Then, they are expected to join a larger group session and potentially a lunch with the other European leaders coming to Washington, DC. The topics expected to be discussed are Russia’s demands on land concessions and the contours of security guarantees for Ukraine — including how the US will be involved.
Trump administration halts visas for people from Gaza after Laura Loomer questions arrivals A day after conservative activist Laura Loomer posted videos on social media of children from Gaza arriving in the U.S. for medical treatment and questioning how they got visas, the State Department said it was halting all visitor visas for people from Gaza pending a review. The State Department said Saturday the visas would be stopped while it looks into how “a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas” were issued in recent days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday told “Face the Nation” on CBS that the action came after ”outreach from multiple congressional offices asking questions about it.” Rubio said there were “just a small number” of the visas issued to children in need of medical aid but that they were accompanied by adults.
Air Canada flight attendants said they will remain on strike and spurn a return-to-work government order, calling it unconstitutional that would send them back to their duties
White House envoy claims Russia agreed to ‘Article 5-like’ security guarantees for Ukraine • Special envoy Steve Witkoff on Sunday said Russia offered some encouraging signs in President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. • Putin gave a “concession” that “the United States could offer Article Five-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” Witkoff said. • Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced caution, however, noting, “we’re still a long ways off” from a peace agreement. • Their remarks come just before Trump is set to meet in Washington with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
After 681 days in Hamas captivity, the family of hostage Matan Zangauker released a new video of him, recently obtained by the IDF and filmed months ago. The release of the video coincided with a deeply emotional protest — Matan’s partner, Ilana, stood beneath a chuppah alongside his mother in a symbolic wedding ceremony. “I’m fighting for you until you return,” Ilana declared, as the act served both as a haunting expression of love and a powerful cry for his release.
A letter signed by the Rashash alongside other Rabbis of Jerusalem (see below), appealing for help due to the particular dire situation prevailing in Jerusalem. Signatures of the Rashash on letters of emissaries are exceedingly rare, but due to the tremendous importance of this mission, which constituted pikuach nefesh and the last lifeline for the community standing on the brink of collapse, he added his signature.
Montreal police have arrested a 28-year-old man who was filmed hurling violent, antisemitic threats at Jews in the city’s Saint-Laurent borough on Friday afternoon. The incident unfolded around 4:40 p.m. near Fraser and Saint-Louis streets, when multiple 911 calls reported a man shouting abuse and issuing death threats. Video clips later posted online show the suspect, dressed in a long white robe, keffiyeh-style headscarf, and sunglasses, unleashing a torrent of threats. In one recording, he can be heard yelling at a man wearing a kippah: “We will kill you, you [expletive] pig.” Another clip ends with him declaring: “I’m just waiting for the order of the king … There is one king — Allah.” Police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils confirmed officers “quickly located the suspect” and arrested him for “making threats and hateful remarks toward the group of citizens.” The case has been referred to Montreal’s hate crimes and incidents unit, with formal charges to be determined by Quebec’s prosecution service. Alan DeSousa, mayor of Saint-Laurent, condemned the threats as intolerable and pledged heightened patrols. “Such behavior will not be tolerated,” he said, praising the swift response from police and borough security teams. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and Federation CJA released a joint statement crediting close coordination between community security volunteers and police for the rapid arrest. “Those who seek to threaten members of our community must be held accountable,” the organizations said, adding that the suspect had been spotted earlier in the week and identified through photos provided by residents. Friday’s threats mark the latest in a troubling string of antisemitic incidents in Montreal. Just last week, a 23-year-old man was charged with assaulting a Jewish father in front of his children in Parc-Extension. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Reports by the Associated Press, BBC, the Guardian, and Italian media that a 20-year-old Gazan woman died on Friday after being flown from the Strip to an Italian hospital due to “severe malnourishment” omitted the fact that she was critically ill with leukemia. Following the reports, COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities) published a copy of a document from a Gazan hospital showing that the woman was diagnosed with cancer. Israel had approved the woman’s evacuation from Gaza due to her illness. In fact, Israel had approved earlier dates for the woman’s evacuation, and perhaps her life could have been saved if Hamas ended its policy of exploiting Gazan civilians for its propaganda campaigns. COGAT stated, “The facts, which the report did not mention: 20-year-old Marah Zohry suffered from leukemia.” “Italian authorities contacted Israel requesting Marah’s evacuation due to her illness and Israel approved it. Her evacuation could have taken place earlier, as Israel had proposed several possible dates for the transfer.” “Israel facilitates the medical transfer of patients, with a focus on children, and encourages countries around the world to make such requests, while Hamas keeps cynically exploiting them for its twisted agenda.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Overnight, the IDF carried out a drone strike outside Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, targeting a Hamas cell that the military says was storing weapons, arming themselves, and using the hospital compound as shelter.
RUBIO: “We never said there was going to be a deal coming out of the meeting because the Ukrainians are not there. This is a war between two countries; it’s not America… We made progress in narrowing down the issue set.”
