A majority of Americans approve of President-elect Donald Trump’s handling of the transition process following his election victory, according to a CBS News poll released Sunday. The poll, conducted from November 19-22, found that 59% of Americans support Trump’s transition efforts, while 41% disapprove. The poll period coincided with a key shakeup in Trump’s appointments. On November 21, former congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his candidacy for attorney general amid controversy. Hours later, Trump announced former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his new pick for the role. While the overall approval for Trump’s transition remains high, opinions on individual appointees vary. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, is viewed favorably by 47% of voters, while 34% consider him a “not good choice.” Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio garnered support from 44% of respondents, with 25% opposing his selection. Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary, remains relatively unknown, with 39% of voters saying they “haven’t heard enough about him” to form an opinion. The poll also revealed that 51% of Americans believe it is important for Trump’s appointees to be personally loyal to him, a view strongly shared by 81% of Republican voters. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A DHL cargo plane crashed on approach to an airport in Lithuania’s capital and skidded into a house Monday morning, killing a Spanish crew member but not harming anyone on the ground. The cause of the accident is under investigation. A surveillance video showed the plane descending normally as it approached the airport before sunrise, and then exploding into a huge ball of fire behind a building. The moment of impact could not be seen in the video. The crash occurred at a time that Western security officials suspect that Russian intelligence is carrying out sabotage against their nations in retaliation for their support for Ukraine — including arson attacks, disinformation and by putting incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes. In July one caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another ignited in a warehouse in England. Polish prosecutors said last month that parcels with camouflaged explosives were sent via cargo companies to EU countries and Britain to “test the transfer channel for such parcels” that were ultimately destined for the U.S. and Canada. Lithuanian officials acknowledged that one line of inquiry will be whether Russia played a role given its suspected involvement in other cases of sabotage — although they stressed that there is no evidence pointing to that yet. “Without a doubt, we cannot rule out the terrorism version,” said Darius Jauniškis, chief of Lithuanian intelligence. “We see Russia becoming more aggressive,” he said. “But for now, we really cannot make any attributions or point fingers at anyone, because there is no information about it.” The Lithuanian airport authority identified the aircraft as a DHL cargo plane arriving from Leipzig, Germany, a major freight hub, and one of the injured was a German citizen. The German transportation ministry said that experts from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation would be sent to Lithuania to help with the investigation. Officials there also cautioned against trying to draw conclusions before all the evidence has been examined. “No statements can yet be made about the cause of the accident. Whether it was an accident or whether another cause led to the crash of the cargo plane is the subject of the current investigation,” German Interior Ministry spokesperson Mehmet Atta said at a briefing in Berlin. The head of Lithuania’s firefighting service said that the plane skidded a few hundred meters (yards), and photos showed smoke rising from a damaged structure in an area of barren trees. “Thankfully, despite the crash occurring in a residential area, no lives have been lost among the local population,” Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said after meeting with rescue officials. Rescue workers sealed off the area, and fragments of the plane in DHL’s trademark yellow could be seen amid wreckage scattered across the crash site. The cargo aircraft was carrying four people when it crashed at 5:30 a.m. local time. One person, a Spanish citizen, was declared dead and the other three crew members — who were Spanish, German and Lithuanian citizens — were injured, said Ramūnas Matonis, the head of communications for Lithuanian police, in an email. The DHL aircraft was operated by Swiftair, a Madrid-based contractor. DHL said in an emailed comment that the plane “made a forced landing” about a kilometer (half a miles) from the Vilnius airport, adding: […]
Emirati Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba issued a statement on Sunday condemning the murder of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, adding that it was “a crime against the UAE.” “Today the UAE mourns for Rabbi Zvi Kogan,” he wrote. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and community over his senseless death.” “Zvi Kogan’s murder was more than a crime in the UAE – it was a crime against the UAE. It was an attack on our homeland, on our values and on our vision. In the UAE, we welcome everyone. We embrace peaceful coexistence. We reject extremism and fanaticism of every kind.We honor Zvi Kogan’s memory by recommitting ourselves to these values.” “Now, we are more determined than ever to protecting and sustaining the Emirates as a shining and enduring example of diversity, acceptance and peace.” The statement did not mention Rabbi Kogan’s Israeli origins. According to the UAE, Rabbi Kogan, z’l, who was a dual Moldovan-Israeli citizen, entered the country on his Moldovan passport. A statement issued by the UAE’s Interior Ministry on Monday identifying the suspects in the murder referred only to “Moldovan resident Zvi Kogan.” The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, issued a statement [in English] on Monday expressing condolences for Rabbi Kogan’s murder. In contrast to Otaiba’s statement, she also expressed her thoughts for the Jewish community. “We mourn the tragic loss of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a Moldovan-Israeli citizen killed in the UAE, and strongly condemn this hateful act,” she wrote. “Hate has no place in our world. Our thoughts are with his family, the Jewish community, and all who grieve. We are in contact with Israel and the UAE.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The United Arab Emirates on Monday released photos and the names of the three suspects in the murder of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd. The photos show the suspects bound and blindfolded and identified them as Makhmudjon Abdurahim, 28; Azizi Kamlovich, 33; and Olimpi Tohirovich, 28. The Emirati Interior Ministry said that all three suspects, who were arrested in the country on Sunday, are Uzbek nationals. Although initial Israeli reports estimated that an Iranian terror cell that commonly recruits Uzbek nationals to target Jews and Israelis was responsible for Rabbi Kogan’s murder, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday that security officials now estimate that Iran was not behind the murder. The Emirati statement added that the three suspects have already undergone initial interrogations but did not provide any details revealed in the probe. The statement [written in Arabic] did not mention Rabbi Kogan’s Jewish or Israeli identities, referring to him only as “the Moldovan resident Zvi Kogan.” [Rabbi Kogan, H’yd, held Israeli and Moldovan citizenship. The UAE said that he entered the country with his Moldovan passport.] In contrast, a statement issued by Emirati Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba said that the UAE mourns for “Rabbi Zvi Kogan,” and emphasized that the UAE “welcomes everyone” and “embraces peaceful coexistence and rejects extremism and fanaticism of every kind.” However, the statement also did not mention Rabbi Kogan’s Israeli roots. Maariv reported on Monday morning that the three suspects arrested by Emirati authorities on Sunday are members of the main cell that carried out the abduction and murder. The report quoted a security source as saying that the local police in the Emirates “acted with determination and commendable professionalism. Approximately 24 hours after the complaint was received, the investigators managed to trace the terrorists and successfully located the vehicle and then the body.” However, initial reports about the incident on Motzei Shabbos said that Israeli security officials were furious with their Emirati counterparts as they failed to act after the incident was reported to the police in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Thursday and only took action after the intervention of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Negotiators gathered in Busan, South Korea, on Monday in a final push to create a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution. It’s the fifth time the world’s nations convene to craft a legally binding plastic pollution accord. In addition to the national delegations, representatives from the plastics industry, scientists and environmentalists have come to shape how the world tackles the surging problem. “We must end plastic pollution before plastic pollution ends us,” Kim Wansup, South Korea’s minister of environment, said during the opening session. The planet is “ choking on plastic, ” according to the United Nations. It’s polluting lakes, rivers, oceans and people’s bodies. “Don’t kick the can, or the plastic bottle, down the road,” U.N. Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen said in a message to negotiators. This “is an issue about the intergenerational justice of those generations that will come after us and be living with all this garbage. We can solve this and we must get it done in Busan,” she said in an interview. The previous four global meetings have revealed sharp differences in goals and interests. This week’s talks go through Saturday. Led by Norway and Rwanda, 66 countries plus the European Union say they want to address the total amount of plastic on Earth by controlling design, production, consumption and where plastic ends up. The delegation from the hard-hit island nation of Micronesia helped lead an effort to call more attention to “unsustainable” plastic production, called the Bridge to Busan. Island nations are grappling with vast amounts of other countries’ plastic waste washing up on their shores. “We think it’s the heart of the treaty, to go upstream and to get to the problem at its source,” said Dennis Clare, legal advisor and plastics negotiator for Micronesia. “There’s a tagline, ‘You can’t recycle your way out of this problem.’” Some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, including Saudi Arabia, disagree. They vigorously oppose any limits on plastic manufacturing. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest exporter of primary polypropylene, a common type of plastic, accounting for an estimated 17% of exports last year, according to the Plastics Industry Association. China, the United States and Germany led the global plastics trade by exports and imports in 2023, the association said. The plastics industry has been advocating for a treaty focused on redesigning plastic products, recycling and reuse, sometimes referred to as “circularity.” Chris Jahn, International Council of Chemical Associations secretariat, said negotiators should focus on ending plastic waste in the environment, not plastic production, to get a deal. Many countries won’t join a treaty if it includes production caps, he said. To continue to progress and grow as a global economy, there are going to be more plastics, Jahn added. “So we should strive then to keep those plastics in the economy and out of the environment,” Jahn said. The United States delegation at first said countries should develop their own plans to act, a position viewed as favoring industry. It changed its position this summer, saying the U.S. is open to considering global targets for reductions in plastic production. Environmental groups accused the U.S. of backtracking as negotiations approached. Center for Coalfield Justice executive director Sarah Martik said the United States is standing on […]
Iran was not directly involved in the abduction and murder of Chabad shaliach Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday. Although initial reports indicated that Iran was behind the heinous abduction and murder, Israeli security sources now estimate that the terror cell was directed by a different terror organization, possibly Hamas or Islamic Jihad. Israeli intelligence blog Intelli Times reported on Sunday that Tehran directs a terror affiliate [Unit 400] that is linked to its Quds Force that dispatches Uzbek nationals with Shiite-Iranian heritage on terror missions to kill Jews or Israelis. According to the report, Unit 400 was likely involved in Rabbi Kogan’s murder. The UAE confirmed on Monday that the murder suspects they arrested on Sunday are Uzbek nationals but apparently Iran’s Quds Force is not the only terror organization that recruits Uzbeks. Emirati Ambassador to the US Yousef Al-Otaiba issued a statement on Sunday condemning the murder and saying that Rabbi Kogan’s death was “a crime against the UAE.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine. The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to Russian state news agency Interfax, the new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to write off bad debts of up to 10 million rubles ($96,000). The law applies to debts for which a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings had commenced before Dec. 1, 2024. It also applies to the spouses of new recruits. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives, in some cases several times the average salary, to those willing to fight in Ukraine. The strategy has allowed the military to boost its ranks in the conflict zone while avoiding another mobilization order. A “partial mobilization” in September 2022 sparked an exodus of tens of thousands of Russian men, who fled the country to avoid enlistment. The intense and drawn-out war has strained Russian resources. Putin in September called for the military to increase its troops by 180,000. The U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have recently begun engaging in combat on the front lines, piling more pressure on Ukraine’s also weary and overstretched army. The AP sees wreckage of Russia’s new experimental missile The push for recruits coincides with the firing of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday. Putin said it was in response to Kyiv’s use of American and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia. Ukraine’s Security Service showed The Associated Press on Sunday wreckage of the new experimental ballistic missile, which struck a factory in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The fragments of the missile called Oreshnik -– Russian for hazel tree, and which the Pentagon said is based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile -– have not been analyzed yet, according to security officials on site in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. The AP and other media were able to see the fragments before they were taken by investigators. Charred, mangled wires and an ashy airframe the size of a large snow tire was all that remained of the weapon, which can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. “It should be noted that this is the first time that the remains of such a missile have been discovered on the territory of Ukraine,” said an expert with Ukraine’s Security Service, who identified himself only by his first name Oleh because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue with the media. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the missile was fired from the 4th Missile Test Range, Kapustin Yar, in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew for 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. The missile had six warheads, each carrying six submunitions. The peak speed was 11 Mach. The U.S. needs to “get ahead” of escalation, says incoming national security adviser In light of the missile strike, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said Sunday that the incoming administration wants “to get both sides to the table” […]
Japan held a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines, listed this summer as a UNESCO World Heritage site after the country moved past years of historical disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history. However, it has not offered an apology. At these mines, hundreds of Koreans were forced to labor under abusive and brutal conditions during World War II, historians say. Japanese officials at Sunday’s ceremony time paid tribute for the first to “all workers” including Korean laborers who died at the mines, without acknowledging they were forced laborers — part of what critics call a persistent policy of whitewashing Japan’s history of sexual and labor exploitation before and during the war. The ceremony, supposed to further mend wounds, renewed tensions between the two sides. South Korea boycotted Sunday’s memorial service citing unspecified disagreements with Tokyo over the event. “As a resident, I must say (their absence) is very disappointing after all the preparations we made,” said Sado Mayor Ryugo Watanabe. “I wish we could have held the memorial with South Korean attendees.” The Associated Press explains the Sado mines, their history and the controversy. What are the Sado gold mines? The 16th-century mines on the island of Sado, about the size of the Pacific island of Guam, off the western coast of Niigata prefecture, operated for nearly 400 years, beginning in 1601, and were once the world’s largest gold producer. They closed in 1989. During the Edo period, from 1603 to 1868, the mines supplied gold currency to the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, the site has been developed into a tourist facility and hiking site where visitors can learn about the changes in mining technology and production methods while looking at the remains of mine shafts and ore dressing facilities. Critics say the Japanese government only highlights the glory of the mines and covers up its use of Korean victims of forced labor and their ordeals. The mines were registered as a cultural heritage site in July after Japan agreed to include an exhibit on the conditions of Korean forced laborers and to hold a memorial service annually after repeated protests from the South Korean government. A few signs have since been erected, indicating former sites of South Korean laborers’ dormitories. A city-operated museum in the area also added a section about Korean laborers, but a private museum attached to the main UNESCO site doesn’t mention them at all. What’s the controversy? At the UNESCO World Heritage Committee July meeting, the Japanese delegate said Tokyo had installed new exhibition material to explain the “severe conditions of (the Korean laborers’) work and to remember their hardship.” Japan also acknowledged that Koreans were made to do more dangerous tasks in the mine shaft, which caused some to die. Those who survived also developed lung diseases and other health problems. Many of them were given meager food rations and nearly no days off and were caught by police if they escaped, historians say. But the Japanese government has refused to admit they were “forced labor.” South Korea had earlier opposed the listing of the site for UNESCO World Heritage on the grounds that the Korean forced laborers used at the mines were missing from the exhibition. South Korea eventually supported the listing after consultations […]
A piece of conceptual art consisting of a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall, sold for $6.2 million at an auction in New York on Wednesday, with the winning bid coming from a prominent cryptocurrency entrepreneur. “Comedian,” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was a phenomenon when it debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, as festivalgoers tried to make out whether the single yellow piece of fruit affixed to a white wall with silver duct tape was a joke or cheeky commentary on questionable standards among art collectors. At one point, another artist took the banana off the wall and ate it. The piece attracted so much attention that it had to be withdrawn from view. But three editions sold for between $120,000 and $150,000, according to the gallery handling sales at the time. Five years later, Justin Sun, founder of cryptocurrency platform TRON, has now paid more than 40 times that higher price point at the Sotheby’s auction. Or, more accurately, Sun purchased a certificate of authenticity that gives him the authority to duct-tape a banana to a wall and call it “Comedian.” The piece attracted heavy attention at the busy auction at Sotheby’s, with attendees in the crowded room holding up phones to take photos as two handlers wearing white gloves stood at both sides of the banana. Bidding started at $800,000 and within minutes shot up to $2 million, then $3 million, then $4 million, and higher, as the auctioneer, Oliver Barker, joked “Don’t let it slip away.” “Don’t miss this opportunity,” Barker said. “These are words I’ve never thought I’d say: Five million dollars for a banana.” The final hammer price announced in the room was $5.2 million, which didn’t include the about $1 million in auction house fees, paid by the buyer. In a statement, Sun said the piece “represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.” But he said the latest version of “Comedian” won’t last long. “Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture,” Sun said. Sotheby’s calls Cattelan “among Contemporary Art’s most brilliant provocateurs.” “He has persistently disrupted the art world’s status quo in meaningful, irreverent, and often controversial ways,” the auction house said in a description of “Comedian.” The sale came a day after a painting by the Belgian surrealist René Magritte sold for $121.2 million, a record for the artist, at a separate auction. “The Empire of Light,” an eerie nighttime streetscape below a pale blue daytime sky, sold Tuesday as part of Christie’s sale of the collection of interior designer Mica Ertegun, who died last year at age 97. The sale lifts Magritte into the ranks of artists whose works have gone for more than $100 million at auction. Magritte is the 16th member of the club, which also includes Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, according to the market analyst firm Artprice. “The Empire of Light,” executed in 1954, was one of 17 versions of the same scene that Magritte painted in oil. Marc Porter, chairman of Christie’s Americas, called the sale “a historic moment in our saleroom.” The $121.2 million price included the auction house’s fees. The […]
As technological and medical advances are made every day, medical shailos are becoming more and more complex and require more and more practical knowledge to answer. In addition to a vast halachic knowledge, one needs to be an expert in modern medicine and modern technology in order to answer many questions that come up. Even world-class talmidei chochomim often do not have this practical knowledge available to them to answer the most intricate of medical shailos. So where do these questions get sent? Where do Rabbanim go to acquaint themselves with the modern medical field? Where can residents call when such shailos arise? Enter the Refuah B’Halacha Center, which was recently created by Rav Avrohom Yaged shlita, who has studied this area of halacha for many years under leading Poskim and has authored a comprehensive sefer on this topic, to provide the needed guidance both to the general public and to young and aspiring Rabbanim. Assisting Rav Yaged in this endeavor and providing lay leadership are Reb Yaakov Domb, and Reb Yaakov Cohen, who have received valuable help from numerous prominent askanim including R’ Itche Rosenbaum, Rav Nosson Nussbaum of Tomchei Tzedakah, R’ B. Moskowitz, and R’ Yaakov Wenger. Wellpoint NJ Community Health Care has also recognized the importance of the medical guidance provided by the Center and stepped up to become a sponsor. The Center is under direct leadership and guidance of two of Klal Yisroel most respected Poskim, Rav Yaakov Forchheimer shlita and Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, and is staffed by distinguished Rabbanim who have spent years studying halacha as it relates to modern medicine. These esteemed Rabbanim who are experts in the specialized field of medical halacha are making themselves available to the community and to Klal Yisroel at large to answer their shailos, both big and small, on this complex topic. With much caring and sensitivity, they will guide residents every step of the way as they navigate whatever medical issue they are going through, and provide them with the chizuk and peace of mind of knowing that their ruchnius needs are being cared for. In an exciting development, the Center has launched a hotline where residents can call with their medical shailos at any time and receive clear guidance. The Center’s Rabbanim are already answering the phone of the new hotline at most hours of the day, with more hours being added as the Center grows to meet the needs of the community. The shailohs that come in run the gamut of medical halacha, ranging from life-and-death situations to “simple” questions, such as when it is permitted to take Aspirin on Shabbos or what a woman who had a baby should do about Shabbos candles if she is being in a hospital over Shabbos or yomtov. Each shailoh is treated with utmost seriousness, with the caller being given clear guidance from the Rov. A key aspect of the Refuah B’Halacha Center is that it acts as a bridge between patients, Rabbanim and doctors, ensuring that communication is open between these three groups and that everyone is on the same page in regards to the halachic issues at hand. Problems often arise when there is a gap or lack of communication between doctors and Rabbanim, or between patients and doctors, and this issue is being […]
Donald Trump has big plans for the economy — and a big debt problem that will be a hurdle to delivering on them. Trump has bold ideas on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs, but high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. Not only is the federal debt at roughly $36 trillion, but the spike in inflation after the coronavirus pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. The higher cost of servicing the debt gives Trump less room to maneuver with the federal budget as he seeks income tax cuts. It’s also a political challenge because higher interest rates have made it costlier for many Americans to buy a home or new automobile. And the issue of high costs helped Trump reclaim the presidency in November’s election. “It’s clear the current amount of debt is putting upward pressure on interest rates, including mortgage rates for instance,” said Shai Akabas, executive director of the economic policy program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. “The cost of housing and groceries is going to be increasingly felt by households in a way that are going to adversely affect our economic prospects in the future.” Akabas stressed that the debt service is already starting to crowd out government spending on basic needs such as infrastructure and education. About 1 in 5 dollars spent by the government are now repaying investors for borrowed money, instead of enabling investments in future economic growth. It’s an issue on Trump’s radar. In his statement on choosing billionaire investor Scott Bessent to be his treasury secretary, the Republican president-elect said Bessent would “help curb the unsustainable path of Federal Debt.” The debt service costs along with the higher total debt complicate Trump’s efforts to renew his 2017 tax cuts, much of which are set to expire after next year. The higher debt from those tax cuts could push interest rates higher, making debt service even costlier and minimizing any benefits the tax cuts could produce for growth. “Clearly, it’s irresponsible to run back the same tax cuts after the deficit has tripled,” said Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a former Republican congressional aide. “Even congressional Republicans behind the scenes are looking for ways to scale down the president’s ambitions.” Democrats and many economists say Trump’s income tax cuts disproportionately benefit the wealthy, which deprives the government of revenues needed for programs for the middle class and poor. “The president-elect’s tax policy ideas will increase the deficit because they will decrease taxes for those with the highest ability to pay, such as the corporations whose tax rate he’s proposed reducing even further to 15%,” said Jessica Fulton, vice president of policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank that deals with issues facing communities of color. Trump’s team insists he can make the math work. “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, including lowering prices. He will deliver,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump transition spokeswoman. When Trump was last in the White House in 2020, the […]
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin referred the “active threat” against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to an elite presidential guards force “for immediate proper action.” It was not immediately clear what actions would be taken against the vice president. The Presidential Security Command boosted Marcos’ security and said it considered the vice president’s threat, which was “made so brazenly in public,” a national security issue. The presidential security force said it was “coordinating with law enforcement agencies to detect, deter, and defend against any and all threats to the president and the first family.” Duterte, a lawyer, later tried to walk back her remarks and said they were not an actual threat but only an expression of concern over an unspecified threat to her own life. “If I expressed the concern, they will say that’s a threat to the life of the president?” she said. “Why would I kill him if not for revenge from the grave? There is no reason for me to kill him. What’s the benefit for me?” Duterte told journalists. Under the Philippine penal code, such public remarks may constitute a crime of threatening to inflict a wrong on a person or his family and is punishable by a jail term and fine. The Philippine Constitution says that if a president dies, sustains a permanent disability, is removed from office or resigns, the vice president takes over and serves the rest of the term. Marcos ran with Duterte as his vice-presidential running mate in the May 2022 elections and both won with landslide victories on a campaign call of national unity. The two leaders and their camps, however, rapidly had a bitter falling-out over key differences, including in their approaches to China’s aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea. Duterte resigned from the Marcos Cabinet in June as education secretary and head of an anti-insurgency body. Like her equally outspoken father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, the vice president became a vocal critic of Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s ally and cousin, accusing them of corruption, incompetence and politically persecuting the Duterte family and its close supporters. Her latest tirade was set off by the decision by House members allied with Romualdez and Marcos to detain her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, who was accused of hampering a congressional inquiry into the possible misuse of her budget as vice president and education secretary. Lopez was later transferred to a hospital after falling ill and wept when she heard of a plan to temporarily lock her up in a women’s prison. In a pre-dawn online news conference, an angry Sara Duterte accused Marcos of incompetence as a president and of being a liar, along with his wife and the House speaker in expletives-laden remarks. When asked about concerns over her security, the 46-year-old suggested there was an unspecified plot to kill her. “Don’t worry about my security because I’ve talked with somebody. I said ‘if I’m killed, you’ll kill BBM, Liza Araneta and Martin Romualdez. No joke, no joke,’” the vice […]
Federal authorities have released an update on the investigation into fires at the BioLab chemical plant near Atlanta that produced a toxic chemical cloud and forced nearby residents to shelter in place. The fires broke out Sept. 29 at the BioLab plant in Conyers, sending a huge plume of orange and black smoke into the sky. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board on Friday released an investigation update. BioLab makes chemicals that kill algae and bacteria in water, primarily for swimming pools and hot tubs, the report says. The company is a subsidiary of Lawrenceville, Georgia-based KIK Consumer Products. A BioLab employee on fire watch at the Plant 12 storage warehouse reported hearing a “popping sound” as they left a breakroom to do a 5 a.m. check and immediately saw that a product reactive to water was wet, the report says. The employee called the only other BioLab employee on site. Though no flames were initially observed, the employee on fire watch tried unsuccessfully to isolate the product and called 911 at about 5:10 a.m. as “large toxic vapor plumes” formed inside the building. By 6:30 a.m., flames could be seen through the roof of the area where employees first noticed the chemical reaction. An initial shelter-in-place order was issued around 7:40 a.m., and the fire was put out by Rockdale County firefighters about 30 minutes later. A second fire broke out around noon, producing “thick black smoke, followed by multicolor plumes,” the report says. Evacuations of the surrounding area began around 12:30 p.m., and the county fire chief said the fire was extinguished by 4 p.m. Parts of the building where the initial reaction happened collapsed during the fire, and the building was completely destroyed. The Plant 12 building covered an area larger than five football fields and remained an “active emergency response scene” for nearly four weeks, the report says. The Plant 12 warehouse was a bulk storage area separated from the main warehouse by a firewall and fire shutters, the report says. BioLab told federal investigators that they had established a permanent fire watch two or three months before the event “after detecting strong odors from oxidizers in two storage buildings,” including Plant 12. Interstate 20, which runs parallel to the facility, was shut down shortly after the building collapsed just before 1 p.m. and was closed until about 7 a.m. the next day. Smaller roads near the facility remained closed and the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency issued shelter-in-place warnings within a two-mile radius that lasted for several weeks. The final order expired Oct. 17. Smoke drifted toward Atlanta, causing a smog or haze that smelled of chlorine in parts of the city and surrounding area. More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed in connection with the fire. (AP)
Israel has reportedly agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to the Kan public broadcaster. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now focused on framing the agreement as advantageous to Israel, rather than as a compromise, should the Iran-backed terror group approve the deal. The proposed truce includes provisions allowing Israel to maintain its right to conduct military operations along the Lebanon-Syria border, Kan reported. This is seen as a critical element for Israel to continue countering arms smuggling and other threats in the region. Last week, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem confirmed that the group had reviewed the ceasefire proposal and submitted its response, leaving the next steps in Israel’s hands. If approved, the ceasefire would mark a significant de-escalation in hostilities, which have seen rising tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. Both sides are expected to make announcements once the agreement is finalized. Israel has not yet officially commented on the specifics of the reported agreement, and it remains unclear how Hezbollah will respond to the finalized terms. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Iranian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates has strongly denied allegations that Iran was involved in the murder of Chabad shliach in Abu Dhabi, Rabbi Zvi Kogan. In a statement to Reuters, Tehran’s embassy categorically rejected claims linking the Iranian regime to the killing, calling them “unfounded and politically motivated.” Rabbi Kogan’s body was discovered early Sunday morning in Al Ain, a city near the Oman border, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Abu Dhabi. The shocking discovery has sent shockwaves through the Jewish community in the UAE and across the world. Hebrew media reports indicate that Israeli authorities suspect the involvement of a group of Uzbek nationals, allegedly recruited by Iran to carry out the attack. These individuals are believed to have fled to Turkey after the incident. Israel has not publicly confirmed these allegations, but senior officials have described the murder as “an act of antisemitic terrorism” targeting Jewish presence in the Gulf region. New information emerged Sunday evening about the murder, suggesting potential involvement by an Iranian-backed terror network. According to Intelli Times, a prominent intelligence blog, Iran has established a terrorist affiliate in recent years that relies on Uzbek activists of Shiite-Iranian origin, which may have orchestrated the killing, as reported by Kan 11 News on Sunday. The terror affiliate, reportedly led by Muhammad Ali Burhanov, a Tajikistani operative linked to Iran’s Quds Force, has been identified as Unit 400. This network allegedly operates in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with the goal of targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals. Similar attempts have been documented in recent months, underscoring the network’s reach and intent. Burhanov is said to have studied at an institution in Tehran known for recruiting operatives for Iranian intelligence. The network he directed included members of the Hezbollah Brigades, a key Iranian-supported militia in Iraq, according to the report. The UAE’s Ministry of Interior on Sunday announced the arrest of three individuals connected to the case. While their identities have not been disclosed, the Ministry emphasized that all legal measures will be pursued to address any actions that threaten the country’s security and stability. The White House issued a statement a “horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the killing, calling it an “abominable act of terrorism.” Netanyahu also vowed to coordinate with international allies to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. “This murder is not just an attack on an individual; it is an assault on the values of coexistence and tolerance,” he said. The murder has further heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, with Tehran dismissing the accusations as a deliberate attempt to tarnish its reputation amid ongoing regional rivalries. Iranian officials suggested that the timing of the allegations coincides with diplomatic efforts by Israel to strengthen its ties in the Gulf, including with the UAE. Rabbi Kogan had been instrumental in fostering Jewish life in Abu Dhabi, serving as a Chabad shliach since the UAE began normalizing relations with Israel in 2020. His efforts were a key part of the burgeoning Jewish community in the Gulf, which has seen increased visibility in recent years due to the Abraham Accords. The murder has sparked concerns about the safety of Jewish leaders and institutions in the region. Security experts have warned that this […]
The team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans’ health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. In line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services secretary is environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump’s choices don’t have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump’s other Cabinet nominees: Dave Weldon, the pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state’s Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat’s brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here’s a look at the nominees’ potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 trillion budget, employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials, and effect Americans’ daily lives: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is “no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC’s guidelines about if and when kids should get vaccinated. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years, and that 100 million of them were infants. Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon, 71, who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon’s congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, […]
It’s beyond Nishmas at the Kosel at chatzos or vasikin at Kever Rochel. It’s above birkas kohanim on chol hamoed or simchas beis hashoeva in Meah Shearim. It’s certainly not your favorite falafel joint or the delicious shawarma laffa no one in your hometown can get exactly right. It’s a feeling of coming home. A certainty of walking the streets of Yerushalayim and always feeling at home. Bound to our city by heart and soul, our essence longs to make it our home. With something exciting happening in the center of Yerushalayim, now is the time to take your place in Yerushalayim. The established neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo recently expanded with hundreds of new homes, becoming a vibrant hub for families from all walks of life. Communities that include young families and growing ones, chassidim alongside American yeshiva leit, are finding their place here. They want to raise their families in a peaceful environment surrounded by the glorious view of Yerushalayim’s mountains. They chose to build their future in a neighborhood that’s full of potential. In the past year, new shuls and shtieblach and even English-speaking preschools have opened their doors. Planning for new schools and institutions is already in the works, reflecting the growing interest in this thriving neighborhood. Those who know the area well say that dozens of families have already moved in, drawn by its central location and family-friendly atmosphere. Many more are making their way, confident they’ve found a place where they can grow and thrive. “There’s a home here for everyone,” say the locals. “Whether Chassidic, American, or from another part of the world, you’ll feel at home. With new shopping centers, parks for the kids, shuls, and a soon-to-be community center, everything you need is right here, just steps away from your front door.” Modern Living, Timeless City Bayit Yerushalmi recently launched JUrban, an exciting new project offering 162 beautiful, apartments— with options for garden homes, penthouses, and mini-penthouses—all designed with today’s families in mind. Nestled between Chazon Ish Street and Toledano Street, this complex boasts a stunning view of Yerushalayim’s rolling hills. It’s the perfect blend of the old and the new, a place where modern urban life meets the rich history of our city. The complex doesn’t just offer a place to live; it creates a community. At the heart of Jerusalem Urban is an elegant shopping center of over 48,000 sqft., with a relaxed, local feel, along with daycares, shuls, and a community cultural center. It’s a neighborhood built for families, with everything you need to live comfortably and joyfully. A Community for Every Family Ramat Shlomo is becoming a neighborhood where all kinds of people come together. From yeshiva graduates to kollel families, from chassidic communities to Anglo families, everyone is finding their place here. What makes this neighborhood special is that it’s becoming the new center of Yerushalayim. With easy access to parks, schools, shopping centers, and a future road that connects JUrban to northern Yerushalayim’s main neighborhoods, you’ll be just a short walk from everything you need. The Future Starts Here According to Yisrael Streicher, Marketing Director of Bayit Yerushalmi: “This trend is only going to grow. More and more families are seeing their future here in Ramat Shlomo. JUrban offers a fantastic alternative to Romema and Ramat Eshkol, where prices have skyrocketed. Here, in the heart of […]
Former President Donald Trump announced Saturday that his cabinet is now “officially complete” following the nomination of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture. Rollins, a former White House aide and key figure in Trump’s first administration, will replace outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Rollins, the founder and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, was instrumental in advancing Trump’s domestic agenda during his first term. She now joins a robust lineup of high-profile appointees ready to advance the former president’s America First vision as he prepares for his second term. Trump’s finalized cabinet includes a mix of former administration officials, political allies, and new faces. Here is the complete list of appointments and nominations: White House Chief of Staff: Susie Wiles Secretary of State: Marco Rubio Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth Homeland Security Secretary: Kristi Noem CIA Director: John Ratcliffe Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard National Security Adviser: Michael Waltz Attorney General: Pam Bondi HHS Secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator: Dr. Mehmet Oz Surgeon General: Dr. Janette Nesheiwat OMB Director: Russ Vought U.N. Ambassador: Elise Stefanik “Border Czar”: Tom Homan VA Secretary: Doug Collins Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy White House Press Secretary: Karoline Leavitt Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright Secretary of Labor: Lori Chavez-DeRemer Secretary of Agriculture: Brooke Rollins Notably, Trump’s list includes several controversial figures, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of vaccine mandates, and Pete Hegseth, who has faced allegations of misconduct. The nominations are expected to spark heated confirmation battles in Congress. Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is notably absent from the finalized list, having withdrawn his name from consideration for Attorney General after facing significant opposition. Trump’s team also faced pushback over the selection of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Secretary of Labor, with some conservative business groups expressing concerns about her labor-friendly stance. In contrast, far-left progressive commentator Cenk Uygur praised the choice, calling it a move that “stole the Democrats’ thunder by being pro-labor.” As Trump’s health nominees prepare for confirmation, some former Trump health officials have raised concerns about vaccine policy. Nominees such as RFK Jr., a leading vaccine skeptic, and Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a vocal advocate for vaccination, present potential policy tensions within the administration. Observers are closely watching how these dynamics will unfold under the new administration. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The IDF announced that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted targeted strikes on 12 Hezbollah command centers in Beirut’s Dahieh district, a key stronghold of the terrorist group, after hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel on Sunday. The strikes targeted units responsible for Hezbollah’s military operations, including weapons smuggling and missile attacks. Among the targets were command centers linked to Hezbollah’s Intelligence Unit, its coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400, which facilitates weapons smuggling from Iran through Syria into Lebanon. The IDF accused Hezbollah of embedding its infrastructure within civilian areas, using residents as human shields. To minimize civilian harm, the IDF said it employed extensive precautions, including prior intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance, and advance warnings to the civilian population in the area. “These command centers were used to plan, command, and execute terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and to monitor terrorist activity targeting IDF troops in southern Lebanon,” the IDF said. The IDF reported that as of 11:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, approximately 250 projectiles had been fired into Israel from Lebanon. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
