Yeshiva World News

Regional Siyumim on Eruvin Held Around the World

A photograph that set off a firestorm of outrage online Wednesday—purportedly showing a group of chareidi bochurim dancing on the graves of David Ben-Gurion and his wife, Paula—appears to be an AI-generated fake, according to police. The image, which was widely circulated, was initially described as having been taken at the gravesite in Sde Boker. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority, which manages the site, confirmed that security cameras at the gravesite have not been functioning in recent days. Patrol teams inspected the area in the hours following the online uproar and found no evidence that such an incident had taken place. Orly Gilad, director of the Negev Highlands district for the Authority, said she received messages from concerned residents after the photo surfaced, but said that nothing on the ground matched the scene depicted in the image. The Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute condemned the supposed incident, declaring that whether the photo is authentic or fabricated, it is “an attempt to demean the memory” of Israel’s first prime minister. The institute vowed to work with law enforcement to identify those behind it. Ramat Negev Regional Council head Eran Doron, a resident of Sde Boker, reiterated his earlier reaction: “If the picture is real, this is a most serious incident, and words cannot describe the depth of my shock. Beyond being a national park and the burial place of Israel’s first prime minister, Ben-Gurion’s grave receives more than half a million visitors each year who come to enjoy the breathtaking view of Nachal Zin.” The investigation is ongoing. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Doha, Qatar, for talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani this week, in a meeting Israeli officials say was unrelated to ongoing hostage negotiations. A senior security source said Thursday that Barnea made it clear during the meeting that the idea of a partial hostage deal — previously floated in back-channel discussions — had been dropped. The visit comes as diplomatic efforts in the region appear to be stirring. Hamas has indicated openness to resuming negotiations, with senior official Taher al-Nunu saying talks would center on “ways to stop the war in the Strip, allow the entry of aid, and end the suffering of the people in Gaza.” On Wednesday, a Hamas delegation led by senior figure Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials — their first such visit since Israel’s security cabinet approved a military operation to capture Gaza City last week. Despite the activity, an Israeli official said no new proposals from Hamas have been conveyed regarding a possible agreement. Israel has not ruled out sending a delegation for talks, but officials say that no decision has been made. Mediators Qatar and Egypt are continuing efforts to craft a comprehensive framework that would include the release of all hostages and an end to the war. While the option of a smaller, partial deal involving only 10 hostages has not been entirely ruled out by mediators, Israel’s position on the matter remains unchanged. According to Egyptian sources quoted by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, the latest proposal envisions a two-stage process: Hamas would commit to a long-term ceasefire, freeze the activities of its military wing during a transitional period, and halt weapons manufacturing and smuggling. The plan reportedly includes the “symbolic exile” of certain Hamas leaders from Gaza, the deployment of temporary international and Arab forces, and a gradual IDF withdrawal under Arab and American supervision. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Grok says it would “likely join Hamas” if it were a Palestinian. So much for Elon Musk ensuring his AI chatbot doesn’t spew insane radicalism and antisemitism…

Massive explosion on the outskirts of Idlib in northwest Syria; reports of blasts at ammunition depots.

CNN: Americans OVERWHELMINGLY prefer President Trump’s approach to crime over Biden’s.

LIBERAL MORNING JOE SCORCHES DEMOCRATS ON D.C. CRIME DENIAL: “91% of Washington residents say crime is a problem… with black residents and lower-income residents significantly more worried about crime than white residents and those with higher incomes.”

WH Press Sec on Making D.C. Safe Again: “Overnight, there were 45 criminal arrests made… In addition to that, there were 29 illegal aliens who were removed… If the Democrats had their way, there would be hundreds more criminals roaming free.”

Amid the increased entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, there have been a number of cases in recent weeks in which aid truck drivers entering Israel or driving along the Gazan border were found to be terrorists or involved in terrorism in various ways, Army Radio reported. According to the report, some of these drivers were arrested and are now under Shin Bet investigation. Some of the drivers are even suspected of being involved in holding Israeli hostages.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich announced on Thursday morning that he is approving the construction of 3,515 housing units in the E1 neighborhood, which will connect Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem. The E1 plan has been frozen for over 20 years due to international pressure since it thwarts Arab territorial continuity between Beit Lechem and Ramallah, preventing the establishment of a “Palestinian state with its capital in east Jerusalem.” The plan outlines the addition of 3,515 housing units in the Tzipor Midbar neighborhood of Ma’ale Adumim, bringing the total number of new units to 6,916. The new units are expected to bring 35,000 new residents to the city, doubling the population. Speaking later on Thursday at a press briefing announcing the plan, Smotrich said, “Anyone in the world today who tries to recognize a Palestinian state will receive our answer on the ground—not with documents, decisions, or declarations, but with facts: homes, neighborhoods, roads, and Jewish families building their lives. They will speak of a Palestinian dream—and we will continue building a Jewish reality, a reality that buries the idea of a Palestinian state once and for all—because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize.” “I call to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: The time has come to apply Israeli sovereignty in Yehudah and Shomron—to forever remove from the agenda the idea of dividing the land and ensure that by September, the hypocritical leaders of Europe will not have anything to recognize.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, received more than one blow on a diplomatic trip this week, including a visit to Beirut on Wednesday. After completing a visit to Iraq, Larijani was forced to bypass Syria, which banned Iran from using its airspace, flying via Turkish airspace instead to reach Lebanon. Larijani then received a major blow when, after being greeted in Beirut, President Joseph Aoun made it clear to him that Lebanon rejects any interference in its internal affairs by any party whatsoever. “We want Lebanon to remain safe and stable for the benefit of all Lebanese without discrimination,” Aoun said. Lebanon, which does not interfere in any way in the affairs of any other country and respects its privacy, including Iran, does not accept anyone interfering in its internal affairs.” In addition, Aoun told Larijani in no uncertain terms that no group (Hezbollah) will be permitted to bear arms or be supported by foreign funds. Aoun emphasized that “the language that Lebanon has recently heard from some senior Iranian officials is not helpful. The friendship we seek to establish between the two countries – must not be with one faction or one Lebanese component, but with all Lebanese.” Aoun was referring to Tehran’s statement lambasting Lebanon’s announcement on August 7 that its cabinet has approved a US-backed proposal for disarming Hezbollah and other armed terror groups Larijani also met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who reiterated Aoun’s message, as well as Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salami, who told him that “the recent statements of some Iranian elements are unacceptable in their form and content. These positions, which included direct criticism of Lebanese decisions made by the constitutional authorities of the country, and especially those that carried explicit threats, constitute a blatant deviation from diplomatic norms and a violation of the principle of mutual respect.” Salami emphasized that “neither I nor any senior Lebanese official allow ourselves to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, whether by supporting one party over another or by opposing sovereign Iranian decisions. Therefore, Lebanon will not accept in any way interference in its internal affairs, and it expects a clear and explicit commitment from the Iranian side to these rules—the decisions of the Lebanese government are not subject to debate in any other country.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

First lady Melania Trump demanded that Hunter Biden retract comments linking her to Jeffrey Epstein and threatened to sue if he does not. Trump takes issue with two comments Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, made in an interview this month with British journalist Andrew Callaghan. He alleged that Epstein introduced the first lady to now-President Donald Trump. The statements are false, defamatory and “extremely salacious,” Melania Trump’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, wrote in a letter to Biden. Biden’s remarks were widely disseminated on social media and reported by media outlets around the world, causing the first lady “to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm,” he wrote. Biden made the Epstein comments during a sprawling interview in which he lashed out at “elites” and others in the Democratic Party he says undermined his father before he dropped out of last year’s presidential campaign. “Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are, like, so wide and deep,” Biden said in one of the comments Trump disputes. Biden attributed the claim to author Michael Wolff, whom Trump disparaged in June as a “Third Rate Reporter.” He has accused Wolff of making up stories to sell books. The first lady’s threats echo a favored strategy of her husband, who has aggressively used litigation to go after critics. Public figures like the Trumps face a high bar to succeed in a defamation lawsuit. The president and first lady have long said they were introduced by Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent, at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. The letter is dated Aug. 6 and was first reported Wednesday by Fox News Digital. Abbe Lowell, a lawyer who has represented Biden in his criminal cases and to whom Brito’s letter is addressed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Wednesday. (AP)

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday dismissed South Korean claims the North is removing some of its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, mocking the government in Seoul for clinging to hopes of renewed diplomacy between the war-divided rivals. South Korea’s military said over the weekend that it had detected the North removing some of its loudspeakers, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North propaganda broadcasts in a bid to ease tensions. Kim Yo Jong reiterated previous North Korean statements that it has no immediate interest in reviving long-stalled negotiations with Washington and Seoul, citing an upcoming joint military exercise between the allies as proof of their continued hostility toward Pyongyang. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not disclose where it spotted the North removing some of its speakers. The North Korean speakers that have been visible from civilian-accessible border areas in the South were still seen by AP photojournalists after the military’s announcement. During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, South Korea’s new liberal President Lee Jae Myung described the North’s alleged steps as a “reciprocal measure” and expressed hope the Koreas could “gradually reopen dialogue and communication.” Kim accused Lee’s government of misleading the public, saying that North Koreans “have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them.” When asked about Kim’s comments, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Col. Lee Sung Joon, maintained that the South’s military had confirmed the removal of some North Korean speakers and cautioned against “being easily swayed” by North Korean statements with political intent. “It has always been the case that North Korea often makes claims that aren’t true,” he said. No interest in talks with the US She also dismissed South Korean media speculation that the North may use this week’s planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to convey a message to Washington via Moscow. “Why should we send a message to the U.S. side,” she said, adding that the North has no interest in talks with the Americans. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has made Russia the priority of its foreign policy and has sent thousands of troops and large supplies of military equipment, including artillery and missiles, to help fuel Russia’s war. North Korean and Russian state media said Wednesday that Kim Jong Un and Putin held a phone call to discuss their deepening ties and war efforts against Ukraine. Russia’s TASS news agency said Putin also shared with Kim information about his upcoming talks with Trump in Alaska on Friday, but the North Korean reports did not mention the Trump meeting. Kim Yo Jong had also released statements in July dismissing Washington and Seoul’s stated desires to restart diplomacy aimed at defusing the North’s nuclear program, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with Trump during his first term. In recent months, South Korean border residents have complained that North Korean speakers blasted irritating sounds, including howling animals and pounding gongs, in a tit-for-tat response to South Korean propaganda broadcasts. The South Korean military said the North stopped its broadcasts in June, after Lee ordered to halt South’s broadcasts in his government’s first concrete step toward easing tensions between the war-divided rivals. The South’s military began removing its speakers from border areas last week […]

A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there’s no reason to be spooked — the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus. The cottontails recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which causes wart-like growths that protrude from their faces like metastasizing horns. Viral photos have inspired a fluffle of unflattering nicknames, including “Frankenstein bunnies,” “demon rabbits” and “zombie rabbits.” But their affliction is nothing new, with the virus inspiring ancient folklore and fueling scientific research nearly 100 years ago. The virus likely influenced the centuries-old jackalope myth in North America, which told of a rabbit with antlers or horns, among other animal variations. The disease in rabbits also contributed to scientists’ knowledge about the connection between viruses and cancer, such as the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer. The virus in rabbits was named after Dr. Richard E Shope, a professor at The Rockefeller University who discovered the disease in cottontails in the 1930s. News about the rabbit sightings in Fort Collins, 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Denver, started getting attention after residents started spotting them around town and posting pictures. Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the agency has been getting calls about the rabbits seen in Fort Collins. But she said that it’s not uncommon to see infected rabbits, especially in the summer, when the fleas and ticks that spread the virus are most active. The virus can spread from rabbit to rabbit but not to other species, including humans and pets, she said. The growths resemble warts but can look like horns if they grow longer, Van Hoose said. The growths don’t harm rabbits unless they grow on their eyes or mouths and interfere with eating. Rabbits’ immune systems are able to fight the virus and, once they do, the growths will disappear, she said. (AP)

Amid the increased entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, there have been a number of cases in recent weeks in which aid truck drivers entering Israel or driving along the Gazan border were found to be terrorists or involved in terrorism in various ways, Army Radio reported. According to the report, some of these drivers were arrested and are now under Shin Bet investigation. Some of the drivers are even suspected of being involved in holding Israeli hostages. One aid truck driver, who was arrested by IDF forces near Kerem Shalom at a location he was not authorized to be at, claimed that he had “gotten lost.” He was arrested for questioning, and an investigation revealed that he was a terrorist, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and had been released in one of the hostage deals during the war. A second aid truck driver was found to be a Hamas terrorist, and a third driver was arrested after it was discovered that his son is a terrorist who abducted Israelis on October 7. A source familiar with the details told Army Radio that there are additional drivers suspected of being terrorists affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad, but not all have been arrested or investigated. The defense establishment claims that all drivers of humanitarian aid trucks are vetted and their entry into the country is approved by the Shin Bet. However, in light of the report, there is concern that aid truck drivers could exploit their entry into Israel or proximity to IDF soldiers to carry out terror attacks, chalilah. The Shin Bet refused to comment on the report. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Military police carried out an arrest operation in the north overnight Wednesday and attempted to arrest bnei yeshivos in the city of Kiryat Ata. One yeshivah bochur was arrested at home at 1:45 a.m. and transferred to military prison. The police also attempted to arrest another yeshivah bochur at his home at 3:43 a.m., but he managed to escape under the cover of dozens of protesters from Peleg Yerushalmi who were called to the scene. Additionally, military police attempted to arrest a ben yeshivah at his parents’ home in Be’er Sheva but left the scene when they discovered he wasn’t at home. Kan Moreshet reported that the IDF also arrested five non-Chareidi deserters, which seems to prove reports that the IDF is carrying out general arrest operations but is not specifically targeting Chareidi deserters or entering Chareidi cities. Nevertheless, it is the first time in Israeli history that lomdei Torah are being defined as “criminals” and are being arrested at their homes in the dead of the night and imprisoned. At the instruction of Gedolei Yisrael, a tefillah rally with the participation of hundreds of Roshei Yeshivos is scheduled to take place on Thursday outside the military prison where the detained yeshivah bochurim are being held. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Sen. Lindsey Graham delivered an impassioned speech in support of Israel at a recent major fundraising gala for the South Carolina Republican Party, slamming the world’s portrayal of Israel as the “bad guy” and warning that America will face Divine judgment if it stops supporting Israel. “Tonight Israel is in a fight for their lives,” Graham said. “Our friends in Israel are surrounded by people who would kill them all if they could.” “I am tired of the word ‘genocide.’ Let me tell you about genocide. If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they could. They have the capability to do that. They choose not to. Hamas would commit genocide in 30 seconds. They just can’t. And that’s the big difference, folks.” “To people in my party: I’m tired of this crap. Israel is our friend, the most reliable friend we have in the Mideast. They’re a democracy surrounded by people who would cut their throats if they could. This is not a hard choice if you’re an American. It’s not a hard choice if you’re a Christian. A word of warning—if America pulls the plug on Israel, G-d will pull the plug on us. So we’re not going to let that happen.” “So I just want to end with this though, that President Trump has stood with Israel at the most difficult time since its founding. October 7 was an effort to destroy the State of Israel, the largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. And here we are, almost two years later, and Israel’s the ‘bad guy.’ That’s ridiculous! Israel is not the ‘bad guy.’ Israel is the good guy. The bad guys are the radical Islamists who would kill everybody in this room if they could.” “So I haven’t lost my vision of right and wrong. When it comes to foreign policy, President Trump has stood up for all the right things, and he has stood up against the wrong things.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A pickup truck went through a stop sign in rural Michigan and crashed into a van carrying members of an Amish community, killing at least six people, authorities said. The crash occurred Tuesday afternoon in Tuscola County’s Gilford Township, 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Detroit. Thirteen people were in the two vehicles, including 10 in the van, the sheriff’s office said. “Multiple passengers were ejected from the van and the pickup,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “At this time there are 6 confirmed fatalities and the condition of the additional patients is unknown.” Members of a local Amish community were in the van, Undersheriff Robert Baxter said Wednesday. “They had a paid driver in the van,” he told The Associated Press. “I’m not sure where they were headed or where they were coming from. They’re county residents.” Baxter said seven people were taken to a hospital. He had no update on their conditions. The Amish generally follow basic Christian beliefs while maintaining a degree of separation from common society. They typically rely on horse-drawn buggies for transportation and do not operate their own cars or trucks but will ride in vehicles driven by people who are not Amish. In a separate tragedy Tuesday in western Michigan, a 4-month-old girl died after a crash involving a pickup truck and an Amish buggy, state police said. There were four other children and two adults in the buggy. A 2-year-old boy was in critical condition, police said. “This tragic crash is a sobering reminder to drive with patience and caution in areas where horse-and-buggy travel is a way of life,” police said. About 61% of North America’s Amish population lives in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana, according to Elizabethtown College, though Michigan also has a relatively large share. (AP)

New York’s attorney general on Wednesday sued the parent company of the Zelle payment platform, months after the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau abandoned a similar case as the Trump administration was gutting the agency. Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, sued Early Warning Services in New York state court, alleging that the company, which is owned by a group of U.S. banks, had failed to protect users from fraud by not including critical safety features in Zelle’s design. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau earlier this year dropped a similar case after President Donald Trump fired the agency’s leader and his administration halted nearly all the bureau’s work, closed its headquarters and moved to fire many of its workers. In a statement, James’ office noted that its suit was filed after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau abandoned its lawsuit following a “change in the federal administration.” “No one should be left to fend for themselves after falling victim to a scam,” James said in a statement. “I look forward to getting justice for the New Yorkers who suffered because of Zelle’s security failures.” James has been a leading antagonist of Trump, a Republican, and has sued him dozens of times. Last week, The Associated Press and other news outlets reported that the Justice Department has subpoenaed James as part of an investigation into whether she violated Trump’s civil rights, according to people familiar with the matter. James’ case against Early Warning Services alleged that Zelle, which allows users to send and receive near-instant money transfers, failed to include adequate verification processes. Her office said scammers were able to access peoples’ accounts or trick users into sending money to bogus accounts that posed as official businesses. In one instance cited by the attorney general’s office, a Zelle user got a call from someone posing as an employee of the utility company Con Edison who told the user that his electricity was going to be shut off unless he sent them money through Zelle. The user then transferred about $1,500 to a Zelle account named “Coned Billing” and then realized he had been scammed but was told by his bank that he could not get his money back, James’ office said. In a statement issued through a spokesperson, Zelle called James’ lawsuit “a political stunt to generate press, not progress.” “The Attorney General should focus on the hard facts, stopping criminal activity and adherence to the law, not overreach and meritless claims,” the statement said. (AP)

Russian hackers are likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam in Norway in April that affected water flows, police officials told Norwegian media on Wednesday. The director of the Norwegian Police Security Service, Beate Gangås, said cyberattacks are increasingly being carried out against Western nations to stoke fear and unrest. The Associated Press has plotted more than 70 incidents on a map tracking a campaign of disruption across Europe blamed on Russia, which Western officials have described as “reckless.” Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents, ranging from vandalism to arson and attempted assassination. Intelligence officials told the AP that the campaign is becoming more violent. During the April incident, hackers gained access to a digital system which remotely controls one of the dam’s valves and opened it to increase the water flow, NRK said. The valve was open for around four hours but did not pose a danger to the surrounding area, NRK reported. A three-minute long video showing the dam’s control panel and a mark identifying a pro-Russian cybercriminal group was published on Telegram in April, police attorney Terje Nedrebø Michelsen told NRK. Similar videos have previously circulated on social media, but the announcement by Norwegian police marked the first time since 2022 that officials have publicly suggested pro-Russian hackers may have successfully targeted critical water infrastructure in Europe. Gangås told NRK that state actors typically use other groups to hack into facilities to show “look what we can do if we want to,” before bragging about it afterwards. She spoke Wednesday alongside the head of Norway’s intelligence agency at a briefing titled: “Hybrid attacks against Norway: are we at war?” NRK said Gangås warned such activity is only likely to increase in Norway and other European countries. (AP)