IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the Nevatim Airbase alongside Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, where he received a briefing on the IAF’s wartime operations and the insights gained from its investigations into the October 7 onslaught, according to the military.
The fate of a French impressionist painting once stolen by the Nazis from a Jewish woman is in question once again after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday revived a case that could decide its ownership. At issue is whether the painting, Camille Pissarro’s “Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain,” should remain in the hands of a prominent Spanish museum where it now hangs — or with the descendants of the woman. On Monday, the Supreme Court said the case should be reconsidered under a California law passed last year that aims to strengthen the claims of Holocaust survivors and their families seeking to recover stolen art. In doing so, the justices overturned previous lower court decisions that sided with the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid. The oil painting from 1897 depicts a rainswept Paris street and is estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars. Its owner was once Lilly Cassirer Neubauer, a German Jew who surrendered the painting to the Nazis in order to get visas for herself and her husband to leave Germany. The painting changed hands a number of times for years, traveling to the United States where it spent 25 years with different collectors before it was bought in 1976 by Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza of Lugano, Switzerland. He owned it until the 1990s, when he sold much of his art collection to Spain. On Monday, Neubauer’s great-grandson and California resident David Cassirer said in a statement that he was thankful to the U.S. high court “for insisting on applying principles of right and wrong.” He took over the family’s fight for the painting after his father Claude Cassirer — who had first discovered that the painting was not lost but on display in the Madrid art museum — died in 2010. A lawyer representing the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation said that the foundation would continue working toward confirming the painting’s ownership “as it has for the past 20 years.” Thaddeus Stauber also said the U.S. high court’s order provided a first opportunity to examine the new California law and what effect it could have on the museum’s “repeatedly affirmed rightful ownership.” (AP)
A 14-year-old Skver bochur, Naftali Ben Basya, remains in critical condition after suffering severe injuries in a horrific bus crash on the Garden State Parkway Monday night. However, in a positive development, doctors say he has shown signs of improvement and has been transferred from Valley Hospital to Hackensack University Medical Center for further treatment. The Woodcliff Lake Fire Department was the first to arrive at the chaotic scene, responding from another fire call. They immediately worked with additional responding emergency personnel, specifically the Montvale Volunteer Fire Department, and other units in lifting the overturned bus to free the trapped bochur, who was found in traumatic arrest with the bus pinning him down for a horrifying 20 minutes. Despite the severity of his injuries, first responders, including firefighters, local EMTs, and Rockland Hatzolah paramedics managed to regain his pulse and rush him to Valley Hospital, where doctors later observed brain activity and pupil dilation—a critical and hopeful sign in his condition. Additional fire and rescue personnel, including the Paramus Fire Department, dispatched a heavy-duty tow vehicle to provide further support at the scene. The Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps also responded, working alongside Rockland Hatzoloh and Bergen Hatzolah, which transported the 13 injured boys to local hospitals for medical care. Although the bochur remains in serious condition, the recent progress gives hope that he can have a refuah sheleima. All are urged to continue davening for Naftali Ben Basya as he continues to fight for his life. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A Lifesaving Initiative for the Jewish Communities of California. In the heart of California’s Central Valley, a monumental project is underway—one that will transform Jewish life across the region.Rabbi Mendy & Chaya Golomb of Chabad of Modesto have launched a campaign to build the first-ever mikvah in the greater Central Valley, providing an essential resource for Jewish families and strengthening the foundation of Taharas HaMishpacha (family purity) for countless individuals, communities and tourists. For many families and Shluchim in the region, the absence of a local mikvah has been a significant challenge. The closest mikvahs require extensive travel, often discouraging observance and making it difficult for families to uphold this vital mitzvah. By establishing a mikvah in Modesto, this project will bring unparalleled convenience, inspiration, and spiritual elevation to Jews across the greater Central Valley.How Can YOU Help? To make this dream a reality, Rabbi Golomb and his team have launched a fundraising campaign on Charidy.com. Community members and supporters worldwide have the unique opportunity to sponsor a square foot of the mikvah for $360. Every contribution will help bring this essential institution to life, ensuring that Jewish families in the greater Central Valley have access to a mikvah for generations to come. Join the Movement! Your support is critical in making this historic project happen. You can make a lasting impact by donating and sharing this campaign with friends, family, and your extended network. To donate and learn more, visit: https://www.charidy.com/modestomikvah/YWN or visit our website at www.jewishmodesto.com/mikvah Zelle: Mikvah@jewishmodesto.com Together, we can build the Central Valley’s first mikvah and ensure that Jewish life flourishes in this growing region. The Mikvah name, as well as other sponsorship opportunities, are available! For more information, please contact Rabbi Mendy Golomb at: Email: Mikvah@JewishModesto.com Or Call, Text, Whatsapp: 718-407-9762 EIN: 86-3547818
The former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, HaRav Shlomo Amar, visited the Lev America Torah Center in Flatbush. Photos via Avraham Elbaz-AEGedolimphotos.com
Republicans will face a critical test of their unity when a spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September comes up for a vote. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote as soon as Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers fail to act. Republicans will need overwhelming support from their members in both chambers — and some help from Senate Democrats — to get the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk. It’s one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president’s second term. “The CR will pass,” Johnson told reporters Monday, using Washington shorthand to describe the continuing resolution. “No one wants to shut the government down. We are governing, doing the responsible thing as Republicans. It’s going to be up to Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats to do the right thing.” The strategy has the backing of Trump, who is calling on Republicans to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.” House Republicans said the bill would trim $13 billion in non-defense spending from the levels in the 2024 budget year and increase defense spending by $6 billion, which are rather flat changes for both categories when compared with an overall topline of nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending. The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs is on auto pilot and not regularly reviewed by Congress. Democrats are mostly worried about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. They are already alarmed by the administration’s efforts to make major cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, run by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. And they say the spending bill would fuel the effort. “This is not a clean CR. This bill is a blank check,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s a blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump.” Spending bills typically come with specific funding directives for key programs, but hundreds of those directives fall away under the legislation, according to a memo released by Senate Democrats. So the administration will have more leeway to reshape priorities. “President Trump has endorsed this full-year CR because he understands what is in it for him: more power over federal spending to pick winners and losers and devastate Democratic states and priorities,” the memo warned. For example, the Democratic memo said the bill would allow the administration to steer money away from combating fentanyl and instead use it on mass deportation initiatives. Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own. This time, Republican leaders are pushing for a vote despite Democratic opposition. Trump is showing an ability this term to hold Republicans in line. He met with several of the House chamber’s most conservative members last week. Now, House Republicans who routinely vote […]
A New York federal judge on Monday temporarily halted the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Hamas Columbia graduate who was instrumental in organizing violent pro-Hamas riots at Columbia and other locations. Khalil, a 30-year-old of Palestinian descent who grew up in Syria, was arrested on Sunday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the Department of State revoked his student visa for directing “activities aligned with Hamas.” Rashida Tlaib, a Hamas supporter who serves in US Congress and has ignored the plight of US-Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas, jumped to Khalil’s defense, claiming he was “abducted” by the “lawless administration.” Tlaib wrote on X. “We all have to fight back against fascism. This is a test case and it couldn’t be more important we stop this and bring him home.” “Mahmoud’s rights are our rights. If they can illegally abduct him and shred his legal rights, they will never stop. Anyone this lawless administration disagrees with can be targeted.” See some apt Jewish responses to Tlaib below: The video below shows Khalil, dressed as Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida, inciting against Jews, calling on protesters to destroy and explode the heads of Zionists: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
In Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, armed militants seized control of a passenger train, taking more than 450 Pakistani civilians hostage. The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the assault, which involved militants allegedly detonating explosives on the railway track prior to boarding the train.
BREAKING: The Israeli air force struck terrorists in central Gaza Tuesday after the IDF encountered them engaging in activity the military deemed as suspicious.
After one of the worst single day sell-offs in Tesla’s history, President Donald Trump threw his support behind his advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, vowing to buy one of his cars on Tuesday. Tesla has been pummeled this year under competition from rival electric vehicles, particularly out of China, as well as his close association with Trump and with far right causes globally. Shares have plummeted 45% in 2025 and on Monday tumbled more than 15% to $222.15, the lowest since late October, reflecting newfound pessimism as sales crater around the globe. In an overnight post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Musk is “putting it on the line” to help the country. Trump claimed in the post that “Radical Left Lunatics” were attempting to “illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby.” The stock climbed more than 3% before the market open on Tuesday. Numerous auto industry analysts have attributed Tesla’s recent sagging stock — and auto sales — to Musk’s support of Trump and other far right candidates around the world. In recent days, Tesla showrooms in the U.S. have been besieged by protesters, its vehicles vandalized on the street. Tesla owners, perhaps in a bid to avoid being targeted, have placed bumper stickers on their cars with messages like, “I bought it before Elon went nuts.” Federal prosecutors charged a woman in connection with a string of vandalism against a Colorado Tesla dealership, which included Molotov cocktails being thrown at vehicles and the words “Nazi cars” spray painted on the building. Musk pumped $270 million into Trump’s campaign heading into the 2024 election, appeared on stage with him and cheered Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in November. Tesla stock soared to $479 per share by mid-December, but have since lost 45% of their value. Musk has become the face of the Trump administration’s slash-and-burn government downsizing efforts, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The department has promised massive federal worker layoffs and aims to drastically reduce government spending. Analysts have said Musk’s shift to right-wing politics doesn’t appear to sit well with potential Tesla buyers, generally perceived to be wealthy and progressive consumers. Tesla sales are falling precipitously in California, the company’s biggest U.S. market, and the company recorded its first annual global sales decline last year. Similarly, Tesla sales plunged 45% in Europe in January, according to research firm Jato Dynamics, even as overall electric vehicle sales rose. The sales numbers were particularly bad in Germany and France. The latest auto sales figure from China show that Tesla sales there have been nearly halved from February a year ago, although the decline is largely due increased competition from domestic EV companies. But sales in the U.S. have fallen due to competition, and a country sharply divided about Trump. U.S. Analysts at UBS Global Research expect deliveries to fall 5% in the first quarter and full year compared to the same periods for 2024. “Our UBS Evidence Lab data shows low delivery times for the Model 3 and Model Y (generally within two weeks) in key markets which we believe is indicative of softer demand,” they wrote. In addition to backing Trump, Musk has also shown support for the far-right, pro-Russian, anti-Muslim party in German y, […]
This year, more than ever before, with the current difficult matzav for acheinu b’nei yisroel in general and B’nei Torah in particular, there is just so much negativity worldwide. We now have a unique opportunity to portray a beautiful and positive message about our simchas Purim. The zechus of the special simcha emanating from torah learning on the Yom tov of Simcha should encapsulate your life with all the brochos of Simcha! Fifteen years ago on Purim night a mini-revolution happened that addresses this issue. A group of very special Baalei Battim sponsored 23 bochurim from Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn, NY to sit and learn for two hours on Purim night. Each bochur received a $250 credit to a tzedokah of his choice. The bais hamedrash boomed with kol torah and this certainly was the ultimate in Kimu V’kiblu of the simchas hatorah. For Habochur Hanechmod Yeshayahu Dov Eckstein A”H it would be his last Purim. That year he came home with such simcha – he had learned with such ‘geshmak’ on Purim night, and through this unique learning program his group collected over $3,500. Every year, l’ilui nishmoso the family continues this beautiful program. It has been an amazing success. Last year there were over 250 bochurim and yungerleit who were committed to learn TWO hours on Purim by night in the bais hamedrash. Success breeds success, and many Roshei Yeshivos have called to emulate this program in their own yeshivas across the country and around the world. Each year we are B”H adding more bochurim and yungerlite. Many more Bochurim and Kollel Yungerlite have been calling again to continue this program this year. We must not say ‘No’… We need your assistance to continue… This year we have been presented with many new opportunities in both Eretz Yisroel and Lakewood. PLEASE help to support this beautiful program and sponsor a bochur learning Purim night, by clicking on the following link: https://www.rayze.it/purimlearning/ With your kind donation, you will be creating DOUBLE zechus. 1) The money will go to bona fide Tzedokah 2) A bochur will learn in your zechus TWO hours on Purim by night.
An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon on Monday afternoon, according to reports from the country. The strike occurred between Deir al-Zahrani and Roumine, with local reports indicating that one person was killed. Lebanese reports stated that the man was a senior operative in Hezbollah’s aerial defense unit.
Senior officials from Ukraine and the United States opened talks Tuesday on how to end Moscow’s three-year war against Kyiv, hours after Russian air defenses shot down 343 Ukrainian drones in the biggest such attack since the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Three people were killed and 18 were injured, including three children, in the massive drone attack that spanned 10 Russian regions, officials said. Russia, meanwhile, launched 126 Shahed and other drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine on Tuesday, the Ukrainian air force said, as part of Moscow’s relentless pounding of civilian areas during the war. In the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, journalists briefly entered a room where a senior Ukrainian delegation met with America’s top diplomat for talks on ending Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiled for the cameras and when asked what his expectations for the meeting were, he gave a thumbs up and replied, “Good.” Across the table, Ukrainian officials, including the country’s top diplomat and defense chief, sat without any facial expressions as the meeting got underway at a luxury hotel. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian or U.S. officials on the drone attack. However, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak, who was also taking part in the talks, told reporters that the most important thing was “how to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” He said security guarantees were important to prevent Russia from invading again in the future. In 2014, Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and threw its weight behind pro-Kremlin militias in eastern Ukraine. They seized large swaths of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and fought against Kyiv’s forces for the following eight years. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister was also on hand as American, Saudi and Ukrainian flags stood in the background. Officials did not answer any of the shouted questions. The delegations met for about three hours in the morning before taking a break, and officials said the talks would continue in the afternoon. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the United States will inform Russia about the results of the Jeddah talks, which he described as “normal practice.” Talks bring a chance to mend US-Ukraine relations The meeting in Jeddah offered an opportunity for Kyiv officials to repair Ukraine’s relationship with the Trump administration after an unprecedented argument erupted during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Feb. 28 visit to the White House. Critically, Ukraine needs to persuade Washington to end the U.S. suspension of military aid and some intelligence sharing after the Oval Office blowout. U.S. officials have said that positive talks in Jeddah could mean it may be only a short suspension. Ukrainian officials told The Associated Press on Monday that they will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea, which would bring safer shipping, as well as long-range missile strikes that have hit civilians in Ukraine, and the release of prisoners. The two senior officials said Kyiv is also ready to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals — a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure. While traveling to Jeddah, Rubio said the U.S. delegation would not be proposing any specific measures to secure an end to the conflict but rather wanted to hear from Ukraine about what they would be willing to […]
Philippine ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who left a savage legacy from his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, was arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for the thousands killed in a war he waged against drugs in a political career spanning decades. His detention capped an international investigation into the killings, which unfolded for more than a dozen years. Duterte again came under the spotlight during a weekend trip to Hong Kong when the trip sparked speculation that he may have gone into exile to evade arrest. He had appeared as the main speaker on Sunday at a gathering of thousands of cheering and flag-waving Filipino expatriates, who jammed Southorn Stadium in downtown Wan Chai district. Now 79 and in poor health, Duterte campaigned for his political party’s senatorial candidates ahead of the May 12 mid-term elections in the Philippines. He said he was aware the International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest. He again tried to justify the brutal crackdown as the crowd cheered him on. Police arrested him as he got off the plane at Manila International Airport based on an ICC warrant. Here’s more about Duterte, his ICC case and what lies ahead for one of Asia’s most unorthodox leaders in his time: Why was Duterte popular at home but condemned internationally? Duterte, a former prosecutor, congressman and longtime mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao, built a political name with his expletive-laced outbursts against the elites, the dominant Roman Catholic church and the West. He was also seen as pro-poor and a populist, but he is perhaps best remembered for his brutal approach to criminality, particularly illegal drugs. Under his police-enforced crackdown in Davao at the start of the millennium, an estimated 1,000 mostly poor suspects were gunned down extrajudicially. One police officer involved in the Davao killings who later distanced himself from Duterte told The Associated Press that up to 10,000 suspects were killed by his and other police and civilian hit squads. The death toll in the crackdown was alarmingly high for years, gaining Duterte nicknames like “the Punisher” and “Duterte Harry,” after the Western movie police character with little regard for the law. Human rights activists said people were afraid to testify against Duterte in court. In 2016, Duterte won the presidency on an audacious but failed promise to eradicate illegal drugs and corruption within three to six months, in a country long weary of crime and corruption scandals. “All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you,” Duterte told a huge crowd in a 2016 campaign stop in Manila. “I have no patience, I have no middle ground. Either you kill me or I will kill you idiots.” The United States, the European Union and other Western governments raised the alarm over the anti-drugs campaign, prompting Duterte in 2016 to tell then-President Barack Obama “you can go to hell” as he threatened to “break up with America.” What case does Duterte face before the ICC? The ICC launched an investigation into drug killings under Duterte from Nov. 1, 2011, when he was still mayor of Davao, to March 16, 2019, as possible crimes against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, in a move human rights activists […]
