The United States Treasury sanctioned six people and seven companies Monday for alleged money laundering for factions of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, underscoring the group’s new designation as a foreign terrorist organization under the Trump administration. The designation aimed at “targeting the financial operations” of the cartel, which has raked in money by trafficking fentanyl to the United States, came as part of an investigation by U.S. and Mexican government agencies. The Treasury said those listed used a “network of front companies and shell corporations” to launder money, often using things like currency exchange businesses along the U.S.-Mexico border and larger bulk cash pickups. The move makes it illegal to carry out business transactions with those listed, and warns that in addition to civil and criminal penalties, anyone violating the sanctions may also be subject to sanctions themselves. “Laundered drug money is the lifeblood of the Sinaloa Cartel’s narco-terrorist enterprise, only made possible through trusted financial facilitators like those we have designated today,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. Bessent added that the government will use “all available tools to target anyone who assists the cartels in furthering their campaign of crime and violence.” It comes just weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel and seven other criminal groups across Latin America as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Analysts say the terrorism designation would not vastly expand the American government’s power to go after the criminal groups nor take military action in Mexico, an idea Trump has bounced on a number of occasions. But law enforcement officials and other experts say it will provide authorities with more tools to go after the cartels, which in recent years have expanded their enterprises from just drug-trafficking to everything from avocado production to migrant smuggling. (AP)
Hagaon HaRav Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, the Rosh Yeshiva of South Fallsburg, spent his day on Sunday in the Five Towns, to benefit many families who need assistance with the “Tzarchei HaChag”. The Rosh Yeshiva met with many local Rabbonim, as well as held an event at the home of Reb Dovid Bloom in Far Rockaway, where he delivered Divrei Bracha. VIDEO & PHOTOS FOR YWN BY HOLY SHOTS (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Donald Trump has unleashed a fiery response after activists defaced his cherished Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, calling the perpetrators “terrorists” and demanding they be “treated harshly” following the attack. The vandalism, which took place in the early hours of March 8, sent shockwaves through Trump’s inner circle. Activists from a pro-Palestinian group dug into the greens, sprayed “Gaza is not 4 sale” in massive letters, and doused the clubhouse in red paint in what they described as a direct response to Trump’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Late Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social, claiming victory in the search for the culprits. “I was just informed by Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom that they caught the terrorists who attacked the beautiful Turnberry, in Scotland,” Trump wrote. “They did serious damage, and will hopefully be treated harshly. The three people who did this are in prison. You cannot let things like this attack happen, and I greatly appreciate the work of Prime Minister Starmer, and UK Law Enforcement.” Despite Trump’s assertion that three individuals had been imprisoned, only one person—33-year-old Kieran Robson—has actually been charged, with two others released pending further inquiries. Robson appeared in court on Monday, facing charges of “malicious mischief,” and was released on bail. The UK Prime Minister’s office has not publicly commented on the case, casting doubt on Trump’s claim of direct involvement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The radical group Palestine Action, which took responsibility for the act, defended the vandalism, calling it a direct response to the U.S. administration’s alleged role in Israel’s actions in Gaza. They cited Trump’s February remarks, in which he suggested that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza and “clean out the whole thing” as justification for their protest. “We are not standing by while war criminals dictate the future of Palestine,” the group declared in a social media post, where they also shared images of the defaced golf course and clubhouse. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Hagaon HaRav Meilich Biederman delivering a Hesped at the heartbreaking Levaya on Monday night on Har Hamenuchos for Natasha (Sara) Saada A”H, and her precious daughters, Diana (7) A”H and Debra (5) A”H. Many Rabbonim are in attendance, including the Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Hagaon HaRav David Yosef.
WATCH: At another anti-government rally tonight in Israel, clashes began as protesters attempted to get closer to the Knesset while Israeli police held them off with barricades.
New details have emerged of Israel’s latest proposed hostage deal, which outlines a phased process that includes hostage releases, a temporary ceasefire, and further negotiations on subsequent stages. On the first day of the agreement, Israel would secure the release of 10 live hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, with the ratio and specific individuals to be determined through negotiations. Additionally, Idan Alexander, an Israeli hostage, is expected to be released separately as a symbolic gesture toward U.S. President Donald Trump. A 40-day cessation of hostilities would take effect as part of the agreement, providing a temporary pause in the ongoing conflict. On the fifth day of the ceasefire, Hamas would be required to provide comprehensive information regarding the condition of all remaining hostages, both those alive and those deceased. By the tenth day, Hamas would release the bodies of 16 hostages who have been confirmed dead. Throughout the ceasefire period, discussions would take place regarding the next stage of the deal, which could include additional hostage releases and potential de-escalation measures. The proposal, which has been characterized as a security-driven initiative, represents the latest attempt at brokering an agreement amid ongoing tensions. Previous ceasefire and hostage release negotiations have faced significant challenges, with both sides maintaining firm positions on the conditions of any potential deal. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
WH Press Secretary: The President “is not only trying to fix the mess created by the previous administration’s incompetence and reckless spending, he is trying to fix decades of unfair trade practices that have ripped our country off, that have sent jobs overseas.”
WH Press Secretary has a message for the White House Correspondent Association: “I would remind them that the briefing room is part of the People’s House — it belongs to the American people. It does not belong to elitist journalists here in Washington, D.C.”
Israeli security forces thwarted a major terror plot orchestrated and funded by Hamas’s headquarters in Turkey, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Monday. In a joint operation, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the Yehuda and Shomron District Police arrested seven Palestinian terrorists from Nablus who had planned to carry out attacks against Israeli security forces and other targets in the region. The arrests, which took place between January and February, prevented what officials described as a “serious and imminent threat.” During the operation, security forces seized an M16 rifle, tens of thousands of dollars in terror funds, and a bomb planted near the Jit Junction, located six miles west of Nablus. The explosive device was neutralized in a controlled detonation by bomb disposal experts. On January 29, Israeli forces arrested three suspects, confiscating both the assault rifle and approximately $40,000 in cash. Later that same day, an additional suspect was caught with another $20,000 in Hamas funding. The remaining members of the terror cell were arrested throughout February. According to the Shin Bet, the investigation uncovered evidence of direct coordination between the cell and Hamas operatives abroad, exposing the methods used to transfer funds for terror activities in Judea and Samaria. Last week, military prosecutors filed statements against the detained suspects and have requested that they remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings. The revelation of Hamas’s Turkey-based funding and coordination comes amid escalating anti-Israel rhetoric from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who on Sunday led Eid al-Fitr prayers at Istanbul’s Çamlıca Mosque, where he publicly called for Israel’s destruction. “May Allah, for the sake of his name ‘Al-Qahhar,’ destroy and devastate Zionist Israel,” Erdoğan said, as reported by Türkiye Today. He added that Muslims must remain “united, strong, and resilient as brothers” in their opposition to Israel. Erdoğan’s alliance with Hamas has deepened since the October 7, 2023, massacre. Turkey has long hosted Hamas officials, allowing them to operate freely on Turkish soil. In July, Erdoğan threatened military action against Israel, saying: “Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Scientists have developed a device that can translate thoughts about speech into spoken words in real time. Although it’s still experimental, they hope the brain-computer interface could someday help give voice to those unable to speak. A new study described testing the device on a 47-year-old woman with quadriplegia who couldn’t speak for 18 years after a stroke. Doctors implanted it in her brain during surgery as part of a clinical trial. It “converts her intent to speak into fluent sentences,” said Gopala Anumanchipalli, a co-author of the study published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Other brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, for speech typically have a slight delay between thoughts of sentences and computerized verbalization. Such delays can disrupt the natural flow of conversation, potentially leading to miscommunication and frustration, researchers said. This is “a pretty big advance in our field,” said Jonathan Brumberg of the Speech and Applied Neuroscience Lab at the University of Kansas, who was not part of the study. A team in California recorded the woman’s brain activity using electrodes while she spoke sentences silently in her brain. The scientists used a synthesizer they built using her voice before her injury to create a speech sound that she would have spoken. They trained an AI model that translates neural activity into units of sound. It works similar to existing systems used to transcribe meetings or phone calls in real time, said Anumanchipalli, of the University of California, Berkeley. The implant itself sits on the speech center of the brain so that it’s listening in, and those signals are translated to pieces of speech that make up sentences. It’s a “streaming approach,” Anumanchipalli said, with each 80-millisecond chunk of speech – about half a syllable – sent into a recorder. “It’s not waiting for a sentence to finish,” Anumanchipalli said. “It’s processing it on the fly.” Decoding speech that quickly has the potential to keep up with the fast pace of natural speech, said Brumberg. The use of voice samples, he added, “would be a significant advance in the naturalness of speech.” Though the work was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, Anumanchipalli said it wasn’t affected by recent NIH research cuts. More research is needed before the technology is ready for wide use, but with “sustained investments,” it could be available to patients within a decade, he said. (AP)
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) delivered a sharp rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s planned global tariffs, warning that the sweeping trade measures set to take effect Wednesday could cripple key industries and drive up consumer costs. In an interview with WABC Radio in New York on Sunday, Paul cited concerns from Kentucky’s auto manufacturers and bourbon producers—two industries he says will suffer under the tariffs. The senator did not mince words, calling the economic strategy a direct threat to American businesses and consumers alike. “I think tariffs are bad for any country, and I think they’d be bad for America,” Paul stated. “Economically, I think it’ll hurt us. The stock market… there’s millions of people voting every day with their pocketbook, and the stock market’s very skittish, afraid of tariffs.” The Kentucky Republican directly challenged the Trump administration’s justification that tariffs are necessary for national security, calling the claim baseless. “This is just something I disagree with President Trump on,” Paul said. “I’m not for the tariffs and will continue to speak out on it because really, international trade since World War II has made us phenomenally rich. President Trump thinks in another way—he says we’ve been taken advantage of. But I really, really strongly disagree. Trade has made us so rich and really has made the world a better place. The more we trade, I think the less we fight.” Paul’s warning comes amid mounting public dissatisfaction over economic policy. A CBS News poll released Sunday found that 64% of Americans believe the Trump administration is not prioritizing efforts to lower consumer prices. With inflationary pressures still lingering, Paul fears new tariffs will only make matters worse. “If he puts the tariffs on now, there’s some people estimating that a car can cost five to ten thousand dollars more because of tariffs,” Paul cautioned. “We still have some inflation left over from the Biden years. There are people who are struggling to get a car. There are some people struggling to buy a house because of interest rates. And I just don’t think it’s a good idea to put tariffs on now because I think it’ll add to the price of everything.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to appoint Eli Sharvit as the Shin Bet chief had been condemned by coalition members due to his participation in the pre-October 7 protests against the judicial reform. According to a Channel 12 report, government members are pressuring Netanyahu to revoke the appointment, and it is now believed that it will ultimately not materialize. On March 5, 2023, Sharvit participated in a protest on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv against the government. He also signed a letter the day after the new Netanyahu government was sworn in 2022, warning that “Israeli democracy was at risk.” More recently, three says after President Trump’s inauguration in January, Sharvit published an op-ed in Calcalist entitled: “Not just a political error: Trump is pushing the Earth into the abyss.” The article slammed Trump for choosing to “revert to polluting energy sources and retreat from green energy investments.” Ynet quoted a source familiar with the details as saying that Netanyahu was aware of the fact that Sharvit attended a judicial reform protest and decided to go ahead with the appointment anyway since he wasn’t a regular participant in the protests and did not go on stage or speak. However, the source added that “the article he wrote against Trump can’t be overlooked. It’s not an article from a few years ago but a recent one.” Netanyahu and his associates were not aware of the article, and according to them, it is the reason the appointment will likely be revoked. Following the announcement on Sharvit’s appointment on Monday morning, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu responded by saying that Sharvit will perpetuate the problem in the Shin Bet. “The main difficulty with Ronen Bar’s conduct is not the persona, but the Kaplanist worldview, which sees democracy as a tool to be interpreted and defended by ‘gatekeepers’ who understand better than the people what is worthy and right for them. “Replacing a person with a Kaplanist worldview with another person with a similar worldview does not solve the problem, but only continues it in a different framework. If we want to strengthen the democratic system, we must ensure that those at the head of strategic organizations such as the Shin Bet are committed to a concept that respects the will of the people as expressed in democratic election processes.” Likud MK Taly Gotliv responded by stating: “Mr. Prime Minister, who is whispering in your ear?? What’s going on here? Are there no excellent, brave, and experienced right-wing people to head the Shin Bet? With all due respect. Eli Sharvit took part in the Kaplan demonstrations. The excuse ‘concern for the country’ does not impress me, but teaches me that Sharvit was dragged along. We have all had enough of people being dragged along who are unable to think differently and think outside the box. There is no doubt that Sharvit has many merits, but the head of the Shin Bet these days needs a different and very special DNA. You have no privilege to err here.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The Democratic base is angry. Not just at President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the “Make America Great Again” movement. Rank-and-file Democrats are mad at their own leaders and increasingly agitating to replace them. Arizona Democrats pushed out their party chair, and Georgia Democrats are on their way to doing the same. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York postponed a book tour in the face of protests amid calls from progressives that he face a primary challenge. The losing party after a presidential election often spends time in the wilderness, but the visceral anger among Democrats toward their party leaders is reaching a level reminiscent of the tea party movement that swept out Republican incumbents 15 years ago. “They should absolutely be worried about holding onto power, because there’s a real energy right now against them,” Paco Fabián, deputy director of Our Revolution, a grassroots group allied with independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, said of Democratic incumbents. “And as soon as somebody figures out how to harness it, they’re going to be in deep trouble.” A deeper hole than previous losses Elections on Tuesday could give national Democrats a boost. In Wisconsin, the officially nonpartisan race for a state Supreme Court seat has become a test of Musk’s influence as his political organization boosts conservative Brad Schimel and progressives back liberal Susan Crawford, who has made anti-Musk messaging a centerpiece of her campaign. And two U.S. House special elections in Florida feature Democrats who are outraising their Republican counterparts in sharply pro-Trump districts. But the current depth of frustration among Democrats is clear and shows no signs of going away. According to a February Quinnipiac poll, about half disapprove of how Democrats in Congress are handling their job, compared with about 4 in 10 who approve. That’s a stark contrast from the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency in 2021, when more than 8 in 10 Democrats approved of how their party was doing its job in Congress, and the start of Trump’s first term in 2017, when about 6 in 10 Democrats approved. In 2017, as they do now, Democrats lacked control of either congressional chamber. A February CNN/SSRS poll found about three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents thought Democrats in Congress weren’t doing enough to oppose Trump. Facing a coordinated and long-planned Republican effort to remake government and fire tens of thousands of federal workers, Democrats have struggled with a unified response. Frustration on the left with elected Democrats began early, when some Democratic senators backed Trump Cabinet nominees and supported legislation targeting illegal immigration. It escalated following Trump’s joint address to Congress, when Democratic lawmakers protested by wearing coordinated clothes and holding up signs expressing their discontent. A handful of Democrats then voted with Republicans to censure U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who interrupted Trump’s speech to Congress and was escorted out of the chamber. Schumer faced the most serious backlash after he refused to block a Republican-led government spending bill and shut down the government. Schumer said blocking the bill would have backfired and played into Trump’s hands, but many on the left saw it as capitulation. “I want the opposition to be a lot more animated,” said Stefan Therrien, a 22-year-old engineering student in Tempe, Arizona, who called Democratic leaders in Congress “very passive” in a misguided effort to appeal to centrists. “Democrats should attack harder.” Ken Human, a retired attorney who went to a town […]
A Hachnoses Sefer Torah and Chnukas Habayis took place at the newly established Viznitzer Yeshiva Ketana Building, located at 1143 60th Street. The New Building and the Sefer Torah were generously donated by Viznitzer philanthropist Reb Bentzy Lebowitz, a longtime Boro Park Hatzolah coordinator, and Central Hatzolah Board Member.
