Federal prosecutors revealed this week that Ryan Routh—the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump in September 2024—had sought to acquire anti-aircraft weapons from Ukraine just weeks before his failed attack at Trump’s Florida golf course. Prosecutors allege that in August 2024, Routh tried to buy rocket launchers and stinger missiles via encrypted messaging, expressing interest in shooting down Trump’s plane. “Send me an RPG or stinger and I will see what we can do,” Routh allegedly told a contact he believed had access to Ukrainian military stockpiles. “Trump is not good for Ukraine.” The explosive revelation was included in a motion filed Monday, as the DOJ seeks to introduce the weapons discussions as direct evidence of Routh’s alleged assassination plot. The government argues the anti-aircraft weapons request is not merely circumstantial, but a “substantial step” in a months-long conspiracy to murder the man who was then a former president and is now Commander-in-Chief once again. Routh, who was indicted last fall on five felony counts—including the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate—was discovered in the bushes near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, armed with an SKS-style rifle. Secret Service agents opened fire on him before he could act. Court filings suggest Routh’s plans extended well beyond the rifle in the bushes. The DOJ says he spent months coordinating a potential escape route to Mexico with a contact named “Ramiro,” planning to flee the country in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s assassination. Federal agents uncovered WhatsApp messages showing Routh intended to be in Mexico City within days of the September 15 plot, using web searches to map out his travel. Routh also allegedly sought Ramiro’s help smuggling Afghan migrants across the southern border—a ruse prosecutors believe was intended to mask his movements and build trust with criminal networks. The government says Routh didn’t just ask about prices and shipping logistics for high-powered weapons—he also sent his contact a photo of Trump’s aircraft. “Trump’s plane,” Routh wrote, according to prosecutors. “He gets on and off daily.” “Attempting to purchase a destructive device to blow up President Trump’s airplane lies squarely within the realm of an attempt on his life,” the DOJ wrote. In 2002, Routh pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon of mass destruction—specifically, a binary explosive device with a detonation cord and blasting cap, essentially dynamite. Prosecutors say the conviction proves Routh’s “comfort” with weapons of extreme lethality and shows that his alleged actions in 2024 were not those of a novice but a man capable of “extraordinary violence.” In June 2023, Routh was flagged at the Honolulu airport after returning from Ukraine, where he had been recruiting foreign fighters—including from Afghanistan, Taiwan, and Moldova—to join Ukraine’s war against Russia. CBP officials documented his travels and the business card he handed over, identifying himself as director of an “International Volunteer Center” with contacts across Syria, Pakistan, and Israel. Yet despite multiple red flags—his recruiting activities, possession of a felon’s firearm, even a warning from a nurse who met him in Ukraine—the Department of Homeland Security declined to pursue the case. Routh’s intent, prosecutors say, was never in question. In a handwritten letter addressed “To the World” after his arrest, he declared his assassination attempt a failure—but not the end of the mission. “This was an assassination […]
Trump’s tariffs are tanking global markets. Trillions of dollars of national wealth have been lost since Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs. However, the stock market losses do not account for the very real pain that large frum families will begin to feel once the tariffs kick in on April 9th. It will take some time to feel the pinch, but it will come unless these tariffs are stopped. A frum supermarket in Miami told a local news station to expect price increases of twenty-five percent. All food imported from Israel will be taxed at an additional seventeen percent. The Yale Budget Lab projects increased costs of $3,800 for an average American family. Large frum families can expect to see increases of $10,000 annually. Tariffs hit middle-income families the hardest. Middle-income frum families spend most, if not all, of their earnings on consumption. Increased costs of food and clothing will hit our community hard. Unlike income taxes, tariff taxes do not have income brackets, credits, or deductions. Pro-Trump business leaders such as Bill Ackman and Jamie Dimon have warned of an “economic nuclear winter” if the tariffs stay in place. Elon Musk has blasted Trump economic advisor Peter Navarro over his support for tariffs. Conservatives like former Vice President Mike Pence and talk show host Ben Shapiro have warned about how damaging tariffs will be to the American economy. Trump’s tariffs are not based on reciprocity, but on faulty and crude calculations of trade deficits. That is why poor or small countries that are incapable of buying American goods on the scale of American consumers are being taxed so high. Trade deficits do not account for services or tourism, where America is a leader. Much of the world spends more tourism dollars in Florida than Americans spend in their countries. Furthermore, a trade deficit is not indicative of being ripped off. Most consumers have a trade deficit with Walmart, but it would be foolish to stop buying things at Walmart and insist on making them ourselves. North Korea would be a prime example of a self-sufficient economy with minimal imports, and it is by no means an example of economic prosperity. Trump argues that tariffs will bring back American manufacturing. However, this claim is dubious, as American companies will lose their preferred export status to other countries and will be taxed on any parts that they import. Stellantis has already laid off workers in Michigan. Furthermore, our frum economy will not benefit from assembly-line jobs in Michigan and Kentucky. Even if some jobs come back, the price of products produced in America without competition from other countries will cause prices to skyrocket. The situation is dire, but there is some small hope. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) and Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) have cosponsored bi-partisan legislation to remove the power of unilateral tariffs from the executive branch and return it to Congress, where it belongs. This bill mirrors the bi-partisan bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Please call your representative and ask them to support this important legislation. Rep. Chris Smith can be reached at (202) 225-3765, Rep Mike Lawler can be reached at (202) 225-6506, and Nicole Malliotakis can be reached at (202) 225-3371. Signed, A Concerned Yid The views expressed in this letter are those […]
We never imagined our lives would come to this. We are 9 children, and our Abba—just 40 years old—is battling cancer. The disease has taken away his strength, his ability to work, and the stability we once knew. His life-saving treatments cost 27,800 shekels a month—an impossible amount for us. With no income, we are struggling to afford even the most basic necessities: food, rent, and milk for my little siblings. I see my mother fighting every day to keep us afloat. But we can’t do this alone. I’m begging—please help us. Every shekel gives us hope. With heartfelt gratitude,Chanie Weiss, 19 🙏 Donate now to save our Abba
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk unleashed a blistering tirade against former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Tuesday, calling him a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks” in response to Navarro’s dismissive remarks about Tesla’s manufacturing credibility. The tech mogul and Tesla CEO, 53, lit up social media after Navarro claimed on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that Musk was “not a car manufacturer” but merely “a car assembler,” accusing Tesla of relying too heavily on imported parts. “Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,” Musk fired back on X. “Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.” Musk cited a 2023 Cars.com study showing that Tesla produced four of the top five most American-made vehicles — though critics noted the study controversially includes Canada in its “U.S. content” calculations. Still, Musk was relentless. In a follow-up jab, he dubbed Navarro “Peter Retardo” and ridiculed the Harvard-educated economist’s credentials, suggesting his Ivy League degrees were “a bad thing, not a good thing.” The public brawl comes amid rising tensions within the pro-business wing of Trump’s inner orbit, ignited by a sweeping round of tariffs rolled out last week — the most aggressive protectionist push in nearly a century. Navarro, 75, was a key architect of the new measures, which impose a blanket 10% tariff on all imports, with even higher rates set to take effect this week. While Musk has avoided directly criticizing former President Trump, his discontent with the tariff barrage is palpable. Over the weekend, Musk reposted a classic video of economist Milton Friedman explaining the global complexity of making a pencil — a not-so-subtle warning against meddling with international supply chains. “Tariffs can’t change supply chains overnight,” Musk said in a recent conversation with Italy’s League Party leader Matteo Salvini. “I hope the U.S. and Europe can move toward a zero-tariff agreement.” Navarro, for his part, tried to downplay the verbal slugfest. “Elon, when he’s in his DOGE lane, is great,” Navarro told Fox News, alluding to Musk’s role in Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. “But we get it — he’s protecting his business.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed aside the spat with a smirk: “Boys will be boys,” she quipped, praising Trump’s “willingness to hear from all sides.” But beneath the jabs and memes lies a serious economic rift. As the stock market reels from tariff-induced volatility, Musk’s own fortune has cratered — shedding nearly $50 billion in just two weeks, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Trump administration said Tuesday that it’s not backing off its latest deadline for New York to end its $9 congestion toll on drivers entering the most traffic-snarled parts of Manhattan, despite a recent court filing that indicated the charge would remain at least through the summer. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who called the toll a “slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” originally told the state to end the tolling program by March 21. When state officials refused, federal authorities set a new deadline of April 20. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had said the state intended to ignore that deadline, too. The dispute headed to federal court in Manhattan, where the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — the regional transit agency — sued Duffy over his February decision to rescind the toll’s federal approval. Congestion pricing advocates say it’s meant to deter drivers and relieve traffic backups while providing billions of dollars for the city’s transit system. Lawyers for the two sides recently reached an agreement that appeared to slow things down. They proposed a briefing schedule that allows for court filings through the end of July and possibly into October, while government lawyers indicated they wouldn’t seek an injunction to stop the tolls while the lawsuit proceeds, according to a joint letter dated Friday and signed by an MTA lawyer to the judge in the case. But the U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday that it wasn’t backing off from its immediate demands to end the tolling. In a post on the social platform X, the agency said the April 20 deadline stands. “This is a complete lie by the elitist New York liberal media, whose rich buddies love the idea of pricing poor people out of the city,” the post said. “The truth is simple agreements on judicial timelines have no bearing on the underlying merits of our case or our position.” It added, “Make no mistake — the Trump Administration and USDOT will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal in response to non-compliance later this month.” Duffy previously suggested that federal funding for New York could be at risk if it didn’t end the toll. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which represents Duffy in the lawsuit, declined to comment. The MTA also declined to comment, saying Friday’s letter speaks for itself. The fee started Jan. 5 on most drivers entering Manhattan neighborhoods south of Central Park. It comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan. President Donald Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, vowed to kill the plan as soon as he took office. (AP)
China again vowed to “fight to the end” Wednesday in an escalating trade war with the U.S. as it announced it would raise tariffs on American goods to 84% from Thursday. Beijing also added an array of countermeasures after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the total tariff on imports from China to 104%. Beijing said it was launching an additional suit against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization and placed further restrictions on American companies’ trade with Chinese companies. “If the U.S. insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end,” the Ministry of Commerce wrote in a statement introducing its white paper on trade with the U.S. The government declined to say whether it would negotiate with the White House, as many other countries have started doing. On Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the U.S, export controls on rare earths minerals, and a slew of other measures in response to Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. Trump then added an additional 50% tariff on goods from China, saying negotiations with them were terminated. Wednesday’s newest measures include adding 11 American companies to a so-called “unreliable entities” list that would bar Chinese companies from selling them dual-use goods. Among the companies are American Photonics, and SYNEXXUS, both of whom work with the American military. So far, China has not appeared interested in bargaining. “If the U.S. truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should adopt an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit,” said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian Wednesday. The paper says that the U.S. has not honored the promises it made in the phase 1 trade deal concluded during Trump’s first term. As an example, it said that a U.S. law that would ban TikTok unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company violates a promise that neither would “pressure the other party to transfer technology to its own individuals.” Trump signed an order to keep TikTok running for another 75 days last week after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. ByteDance representatives called the White House to indicate that China would no longer approve the deal until there could be negotiations about trade and tariffs. The paper also argued that taking into account trade in services and U.S. companies’ domestic Chinese branches, economic exchange between the two countries is “roughly in balance.” It says that China had a trade in services deficit with the U.S. of $26.57 billion in 2023, which is composed of industries like insurance, banking and accounting. Trump’s tariffs were designed to close trade deficits with foreign countries, but those were calculated only based on trades in physical, tangible goods. “History and facts have proven that the United States’ increase in tariffs will not solve its own problems,” said the statement from the Chinese commerce ministry. “Instead, it will trigger sharp fluctuations in financial markets, push up U.S. inflation pressure, weaken the U.S. industrial base and increase the risk of a U.S. economic recession, which will ultimately only backfire on itself. (AP)
Undercover and special forces units operated in Shechem on Tuesday and arrested Mahmoud al-Bana, the commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, who has been wanted by Israel for many years. On Wednesday, Shechem residents published security camera footage of the dramatic arrest. In the footage, the Israeli forces are seen arriving in two vehicles and blocking the area. Al-Bana tried to flee and the Israeli forces opened fire on him, causing him to collapse near a wall. The forces then dragged him to one of the vehicles, ending the arrest operation in less than three minutes. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
More than $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell University and around $790 million for Northwestern University has been frozen while the government investigates alleged civil rights violations at the schools, the White House said. It’s part of a broader push to use government funding to get major academic institutions to comply with President Donald Trump’s political agenda. The White House confirmed the funding pauses late Tuesday night but offered no further details on what they entail or what grants to the schools are being affected. The moves come as Trump’s Republican administration has increasingly begun using governmental grant funding as a spigot to try to influence campus policy, previously cutting off money to schools including Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. That has left universities across the country struggling to navigate cuts to grants for research institutions. In a statement, Cornell said that it had received more than 75 stop work orders earlier Tuesday from the Defense Department related to research “profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health” but that it had not otherwise received any information confirming $1 billion in frozen grants. “We are actively seeking information from federal officials to learn more about the basis for these decisions,” said the statement from Michael I. Kotlikoff, the university president, and other top school officials. Northwestern spokesperson Jon Yates said Tuesday evening the school had not received any notice from the federal government. Yates said the school has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Education Department and Congress. “Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” Yates said. “This type of research is now at jeopardy.” Last month, the Education Department sent letters to more than 60 universities, including Cornell, based in Ithaca, New York, and Northwestern, based in Evanston, Illinois, warning of “potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations” under federal law to “protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities.” The Trump administration has threatened to cut off federal funding for universities allowing alleged antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza — accusations the universities have denied. The funding freezes have jeopardized science and research without advancing the goal of creating campuses free of antisemitism, said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. ”This was wrong last week, it is wrong this week, and it will be wrong next week,” he said. A spokesperson for the Education Department did not respond to a request for comment. Officials have already singled out Columbia University, making an example of it with threats to withhold $400 million in federal funds. The administration accused Columbia of failing to stop antisemitism during protests against Israel that began at the New York City university last spring and quickly spread to other campuses, a characterization disputed by those involved in the demonstrations. As a precondition for restoring that money — along with billions of dollars more in future grants — the Trump administration demanded unprecedented changes in university policy. Columbia’s decision to bow to those demands, in part to salvage ongoing research projects at its labs and medical […]
The condition of HaGaon HaRav Meir Mazuz, Rosh Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim, has deteriorated and the public is asked to daven for his refuah. The Rosh Yeshivah was hospitalized in recent days in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Amar and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Yosef issued a call to the public to daven for the Rosh Yeshivah’s refuah sheleimah. The Rosh Yeshivah’s name for tefilla is מאיר ניסים בן כמסאנה b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
For the first time in the IDF’s history, all soldiers will be allowed to grow beards without the need for special exemptions as the IDF prepares to approve several changes to its dress code for soldiers on Wednesday. The move was led by the Torat Lechima organization, Likud MK Keti Shitrit, and Gilad ‘Mezukan,” one of the prominent activists in the struggle for granting a blanket exemption for soldiers to grow beards. The new arrangement allows soldiers to grow a beard regardless of religious identity as long as it is neat and in accordance with proper military appearance [no stubble]. “The IDF is a Jewish army,” stated the Torat Lechima organization. “After many years of struggle, we succeeded, with Siyata Dishmaya, and under the leadership of our tireless colleague MK Keti Shitrit, in making a historic and significant correction that will put an end to the bizarre persecution of soldiers who grow beards. From now on, a beard is an integral part of the image of the Israeli soldier, and this is a historic and significant step, especially during this war of Am Yisrael against their enemies.” “The amendment was made at the request of Golani soldiers who approached us exactly a year ago with a request to amend the beard regulation in the IDF. We thank Minister of Defense Yisrael Katz and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin for their significant assistance and cooperation with us throughout the entire process; Minister Amichai Eliyahu who has fought with us to advance the issue for 10 years; and our friend, the social media personality Gilad ‘Hamezukan, for the excellent work.” Knesset Member Keti Shitrit welcomed the new arrangement. “We are privileged to bring about the correction of a historical injustice within the army, precisely during wartime. Following the bill I initiated, soldiers will be allowed to grow a beard regardless of identity. It is unacceptable that growing a beard as a basic Jewish symbol should have to go through an archaic bureaucratic process that is not relevant to the purpose of the mission of the IDF.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Security officials confirmed in internal discussions that the IDF has destroyed only about a quarter of Hamas’s terror tunnels in the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 News reported on Wednesday morning. According to the report, defense officials also estimate that there is a significant number of smuggling tunnels that cross from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. The presence of these tunnels lies behind Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. About a month and a half ago, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said that Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor due to the threat of smuggling between Egypt and Gaza. “The Philadelphi Corridor will remain a buffer zone just like in Lebanon and Syria,” Katz emphasized. “I’ve seen several tunnels penetrating the Philadelphi with my own eyes, some of which were closed – and some open.” Last month, it was reported that the IDF’s engineering forces have uncovered about 90 tunnels of various types along the Philadelphi Corridor. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants communities to stop fluoridating water, and he is setting the gears of government in motion to help make that happen. Kennedy this week said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. And he said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems. Here’s a look at how reversing fluoride policy has become an action item under President Donald Trump’s administration. The benefits of fluoride Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the CDC. In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and in 1962 set guidelines for how much should be added to water. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main one for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. The American Dental Association credits it with reducing tooth decay by more than 25% in children and adults. About one-third of community water systems — 17,000 out of 51,000 across the U.S. — serving more than 60% of the population fluoridated their water, according to a 2022 CDC analysis. The potential problems of too much fluoride The CDC currently recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water. Over time, studies have documented potential problems when people get much more than that. Excess fluoride intake has been associated with streaking or spots on teeth. And studies also have traced a link between excess fluoride and brain development. A report last year by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program, which summarized studies conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico, concluded that drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter — more than twice the CDC’s recommended level — was associated with lower IQs in kids. Meanwhile, last year, a federal judge ordered the EPA to further regulate fluoride in drinking water. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain fluoride is causing lower IQ in kids, but he concluded that research pointed to an unreasonable risk that it could be. Kennedy has railed against fluoride Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin” and “an industrial waste” tied to a range of health dangers. He has said it’s been associated with arthritis, bone breaks, and thyroid disease. Some studies have suggested such links might exist, usually at higher-than-recommended fluoride levels, though some reviewers have questioned the quality of available evidence and said no definitive conclusions can be drawn. How fluoride recommendations can be changed The CDC’s recommendations are widely followed but not mandatory. State and local governments decide whether to add fluoride to water and, if so, how much — as long as it doesn’t exceed the EPA’s limit of 4 milligrams per liter. So Kennedy can’t order communities to stop fluoridation, but he […]
In response to the surge in antisemitic incidents on college campuses following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Congresswomen Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) have reintroduced the University Accountability Act. The legislation aims to impose strict penalties on higher education institutions that fail to protect the civil rights of their students in the face of antisemitic discrimination or violence. Under current federal law, colleges and universities found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin—typically face corrective actions designed to bring them back into compliance. However, the proposed University Accountability Act would go significantly further. Institutions that meet the penalty criteria would be required to pay a fine of either $100,000 or 5% of their aggregate administrative compensation, as reported on their IRS Form 990—whichever is greater. After three such violations, the IRS would be mandated to review the school’s tax-exempt status for potential revocation. “I will continue to lead efforts to rid our colleges and universities of antisemitism alongside President Trump, who is delivering on his promise to hold these failed institutions accountable for their neglect and abandonment of our Jewish students,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The University Accountability Act will impose penalties on universities that violate their students’ civil rights and put their undeserved tax-exempt status on the chopping block.” Congresswoman Malliotakis said: “Universities have a responsibility to protect their students from violence and discrimination but, instead, we’re seeing a disturbing increase in antisemitic attacks and rhetoric on college campuses. Our legislation seeks to hold these institutions accountable and encourage them to investigate and crack down on instances of antisemitism to help foster a safer academic environment for all students, regardless of their gender, race, or religion.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
New York’s $9 congestion toll on drivers entering the most traffic-snarled parts of Manhattan appears likely to remain through the summer and possibly into the fall as a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s authority to end the program moves forward. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who called the toll a “slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” had originally set a deadline of March 21 for the state to turn off the tolling program. When state officials refused, federal authorities set a new deadline of April 20. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had said the state intended to ignore that deadline, too. Now, though, the two sides in the legal fight have decided to slow things down. State and federal officials agreed to a briefing schedule for the lawsuit that allows for court filings through the end of July, and possibly into October, according to a letter Friday to the federal judge overseeing the lawsuit. Federal officials also said they have no plans to seek an injunction that would stop the tolls while the lawsuit proceeds. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the regional transit agency, filed the lawsuit challenging Duffy’s decision to rescind the toll’s federal approval in February. Congestion pricing advocates say it’s meant to deter drivers and relieve traffic backups while providing billions of dollars in new revenue to the city’s transit system. The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which represents Duffy in the lawsuit, declined to comment. The MTA also declined to comment, saying Friday’s letter speaks for itself. The fee started Jan. 5 on most drivers entering Manhattan neighborhoods south of Central Park. It comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan. President Donald Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, vowed to kill the plan as soon as he took office. (AP)
This Pesach, You Can Be the Reason a Family Feels Joy Again https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFsIn the quiet corners of the Beis Yisroel neighborhood in yerushleim Behind the closed doors of worn-down apartments… There are families — ehrliche Yidden — who simply don’t have what they need for Yom Tov. No matzos. No food. No joy. Just worry, silence, and the pain of parents who can’t provide for their children the basic yom tov needs https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFs But you can change that. The Beis Yisroel Charity Fund is not just another tzedakah. It’s led by true תלמידי חכמים who live and breathe Torah. Every request is treated like a sugya in Shas — with care, depth, and halachic clarity. They know the people. They see the tears. They feel the pain. And they act — every single day. Thousands rely on this fund: • Families who can’t put together a basic Pesach table • Bochurim in Mir and other Yeshivos who have no one else to help them • People struggling with food, health, mental challenges — in silence This is the reality. And as Pesach nears, the need becomes desperate. For $90, you can sponsor a box of matzos — the heart of Yom Tov — for a family who otherwise won’t have any. And your name will be mentioned for bracha by Gedolei Yisroel, including Harav Binyomin Finkel and Harav Yehoshua Dovid Turtsin shlit”a — at the tefillos of Shvii Shel Pesach. Let them sit at the seder with dignity. Let them taste simcha. Let them know someone cares. You can be that someone. Donate now. Bring simchas Yom Tov to their table — and zechus to yours.https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFs
President Donald Trump on Tuesday helped shovel dirt onto the replacement for a historic White House tree that had to be removed because of safety concerns around its deteriorating condition. “We have a beautiful tree now at the White House,” Trump said. The White House did not allow news media coverage of the tree planting, but afterward shared a brief video clip on social media. Dale Haney, the longtime grounds superintendent, also participated. “Dale’s been here 53 years. He’s fantastic,” Trump said. The Republican president had announced March 30 on his social media platform that the nearly 200-year-old tree, known as the Jackson Magnolia, was in “terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed.” The southern magnolia had stood for decades near the west side of the South Portico of the White House. It’s where presidents and prime ministers often are welcomed on their visits, as well as where the president himself exits to board the Marine One helicopter or returns after a trip. According to the National Park Service website, “folklore tells us” that President Andrew Jackson brought the tree’s seeds from his home near Nashville, Tennessee. The seeds apparently were planted in honor of his wife Rachel, who died shortly before he took office in 1829. A 12-year-old sapling that is a direct descendant of the Jackson Magnolia was planted in its place on Tuesday, the White House said. The National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, said the sapling was grown at its offsite greenhouse specifically to replace the Jackson Magnolia. The decision to remove the tree followed an assessment by Peter Hart, a registered consulting arborist and member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists, which concluded that the tree had “surpassed the time of serving as an aesthetic and historic landmark due to the potential harm it may cause because of the risk of structural failure,” the White House said. Hart’s report also recommended that the tree be removed as soon as possible “to eliminate the risk of personal injury and/or property damage,” according to the White House. The park service is keeping a sample of the downed tree for historical and archival purposes and transferring any remaining wood to the Executive Residence. Trump had said the wood “may be used for other high and noble purposes!!!!” The tree was significantly pruned in 2017 during Trump’s first term. It also had suffered damage in 1994 when a small Cessna plane crashed onto the South Lawn and skidded into the White House. (AP)
U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, a Jewish woman, has been dismissed from her post as the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, three sources told Reuters on Monday. The Pentagon has not yet confirmed the firing publicly, but multiple sources indicated that NATO allies have already been informed of Chatfield’s abrupt removal. Her ousting appears to be part of a broader shake-up within the national security establishment under the Trump administration, which has now purged several high-ranking officials in just a matter of days. Chatfield, one of the Navy’s few female three-star officers, had been a trailblazer throughout her career. She was the first woman to lead the prestigious Naval War College, a position she held until 2023, and is a highly respected helicopter pilot who once commanded an expeditionary MH-60S Sea Hawk squadron. Her dismissal follows the equally abrupt firing of General Timothy Haugh, head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, last Thursday. Just days before that, Admiral Lisa Franchetti — the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations — was also removed. Together, the moves signal what many now see as a sweeping internal purge of military leadership, with a particular focus on figures who have championed diversity or maintained strong ties to U.S. alliances abroad. While no official reason has been given for Chatfield’s removal, one source told Reuters that it may be connected to the administration’s quiet campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the Pentagon. Chatfield’s firing is likely to unsettle NATO allies already wary of shifting American priorities. As the U.S. military’s top liaison to the NATO Military Committee, she played a central role in strategic coordination and alliance readiness. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday evening issued an interim order freezing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s dismissal after 11 hours of deliberations over an issue it has no authority over. Israeli law clearly authorizes the government to dismiss the Shin Bet chief. Meanwhile, the court granted the government an extension until April 20 for the government and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to reach an “acceptable and creative solution” – and if one is not found, the Supreme Court will issue a ruling. The court also ordered the government not to announce a replacement for Bar or interview candidates for the position until a compromise is reached or a ruling is issued. The Prime Minister’s Office responded to the ruling by stating: “The panel of judges repeatedly stated in the hearing that there is no dispute over the government’s authority to remove the head of the Shin Bet from his position. Therefore, the Supreme Court’s decision to postpone the end date of the Shin Bet head’s term by ten days is puzzling.” “The Attorney General’s goal is to prevent Ronen Bar’s dismissal in any way possible for a long time, under the pretext that there is an active investigation [Qatargate]. It is inconceivable that the government of Israel would be prevented from removing a failing Shin Bet head from his position simply because of the opening of an investigation that is not related to any of the government ministers. On the contrary – such a result would allow any failing Shin Bet head who wants to remain in office to open an investigation against anyone connected to the office of any of the ministers, thereby preventing his dismissal.” The office noted: “The Prime Minister will continue to interview candidates for the position of head of the Shin Bet.” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi responded to the ruling by stating: “No! The government must obey the law! Duty of allegiance to the State of Israel and its laws (!) not to an unconstitutional and unauthorized order.” “The ‘creative solution’ is very simple: Ronen Bar will end his term on April 10.” “This is our duty: to protect democracy and the security of the state. These are the checks and balances sometimes required to balance the judicial authority. If not in such a case of harming the security of the state, where is the red line? Right of return for Palestinians? Abolishing the Jewish state and turning it into a state of all its citizens? What is democratic about the absolute rule of Yitzhak Amit???” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded by calling on the government to boycott Bar. “The Supreme Court allows itself to harm the security of the state, and we have the responsibility to prevent this. I call on the Prime Minister not to summon Bar to discussions and not to work with him, not to enter into any negotiations with the Attorney General to find an ‘acceptable compromise.’ “We have a responsibility for the continued functioning of Israel’s security, and the arrogance of the judges must not tie our hands in a time of war.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has uncovered a dramatic surge in online rhetoric glorifying political violence — and, in particular, the outright normalization of assassination talk directed at public figures like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Once relegated to the darkest corners of the internet, calls for political murder are now spilling into mainstream discourse — often masked by meme culture and couched in the language of social justice. And according to NCRI, the trend is being driven most aggressively by voices on the left. “What was formerly taboo culturally has become acceptable,” said Joel Finkelstein, lead author of the study. “We are witnessing a metastasizing shift — glorification, attempts, and changing social norms — all merging into what we now call ‘assassination culture.’” The report traces the origins of this disturbing shift to December 2024, when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated, allegedly by 28-year-old Luigi Mangione. The act triggered a tidal wave of viral content lionizing Mangione as a modern-day revolutionary — a movement that has only grown more intense and more dangerous since. From TikToks to Reddit threads, Mangione’s face has become an icon. Billboard trucks with his image have circled courthouses. Memes portray him as a working-class martyr. And perhaps most worryingly, these tributes have inspired copycats — emboldening threats not just against billionaires, but against democracy itself. “It’s not just Luigi anymore,” Finkelstein warned. “We’re seeing Trump, Musk, and others openly discussed as legitimate targets, often in gamified formats that obscure the real-world stakes.” In a nationally representative NCRI survey of U.S. adults, 38% of respondents said it would be at least “somewhat justified” to kill Trump. Among self-identified left-leaning respondents, that number surged to 55%. Nearly half said the same about Musk. Even more shockingly, nearly 40% of respondents expressed some level of support for the destruction of Tesla dealerships — a violent outgrowth of what the NCRI says is an emerging belief system that blurs the line between protest and political terrorism. “These aren’t isolated outliers,” Finkelstein said. “They cluster together — support for violence against people, against property, all tied into a shared, radical ideology.” The epicenter of this movement, according to the report, is BlueSky — the progressive-leaning social media platform that was once touted as a safe alternative to Twitter. Instead, NCRI now classifies BlueSky as a breeding ground for extremism, likening its function today to what 4chan and Gab once were for the far right. Posts referencing Mangione, Trump, and Musk have topped 2 million engagements in recent months, with memes and videos turning political rage into entertainment. On Reddit, entire communities dedicated to Mangione’s “legacy” have ballooned into the tens of thousands. California has even seen this digital venom leap into legislation. A real-world ballot initiative — dubbed the Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act — has made headlines for its name alone, signaling how far this glorification has permeated public life. “We’re at the point where murder is not just accepted by some — it’s marketed,” Finkelstein said. “And once violence becomes a performance, it spreads.” The NCRI warns that this culture is not simply reactive, but predictive. People with high levels of “external locus of control” — the belief that their lives are manipulated by outside forces — are the […]
The Trump administration canceled $188 million in federal grants meant to reimburse New York City for sheltering migrants, saying the money was being spent to support illegal immigration and leading the city’s mayor to vow to fight the clawback. In a letter sent April 1 and shared with The Associated Press on Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency informed city officials that it was canceling the grants, which included roughly $80 million that the agency withdrew from city’s bank account in February. The latest move would require the city to return an additional $106 million that officials said was used to house and care for migrants. Mayor Eric Adams, whose administration has sued for the return of the initial $80 million, said his office would also fight the wider grant cancellations. “Like their previous actions clawing back appropriated funds, these steps are unlawful, and the New York City Law Department is currently determining the best legal recourse to take to ensure that this money remains in New York City, where it was allocated and belongs,” he said in a statement. The grants are part of a program approved by Congress and administered by FEMA that is intended to help local governments and nongovernmental organizations provide shelter and other social services for migrants. In his letter to city officials, FEMA’s acting director, Cameron Hamilton, wrote that the grant program is inconsistent with Trump administration priorities and that “individuals receiving these services often have no legal status and are in the United States unlawfully.” New York City, as it at one point absorbed thousands of migrants each week, leased hotels and other vacant buildings and used them as emergency shelters. The city, under a unique legal agreement, is required to provide shelter to anyone who asks for it, though officials worked to impose limits on the requirement as the city struggled to handle the influx. Among the facilities leased by the city was the midtown Manhattan building that once housed the historic Roosevelt Hotel, which was converted to a shelter and an arrival center for migrants to sign up for social services. The city’s use of the Roosevelt drew heavy criticism from Republicans and federal officials, who said the building had become a hotbed of gang activity and used that claim to justify the clawing back of the $80 million FEMA grant. The city, in its lawsuit over the funding, said the claim was unsubstantiated. The mayor has said that the city will cease operations at the Roosevelt and more than 50 other migrant shelters by June because arrivals have plummeted and migrants have been moved to other housing and communities. Adams has been under intense pressure to prove his political independence from the Trump administration after the Department of Justice pushed to toss his federal corruption case so he could help with the Republican president’s immigration crackdown. A federal judge dismissed the charges last week. At a news conference Tuesday, Adams, a Democrat who is running for reelection as an independent, praised some of the Trump administration’s immigration policies but added that “we’re going to fight for every penny” related to migrant costs. (AP)
