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Malkah, our two-year-old daughter, is our firstborn. Recently, we discovered she is battling childhood cancer, and we are fighting with all our might to save her life. The treatments she needs are incredibly expensive, and we cannot face this challenge alone.  Please, help us give her back her childhood. Every donation brings us closer to her recovery. Donate now    Thank you, Yitzchak Aizik and Leah Klein

Powell Says Fed ‘Well Positioned’ For The ‘Risks And Uncertainties’ That Lie Ahead

The Federal Reserve is prepared to keep its key interest rate unchanged for now as inflation remains elevated and the job market is solid, Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday on the first of a two-day appearance before Congress. After cutting its key rate a full percentage point in the final three months of last year, with “the economy remaining strong, we do not need to be in a hurry to adjust our policy stance,” Powell said in written remarks to the Senate Banking Committee. Powell’s appearance comes with inflation still above the Fed’s 2% target and the Trump administration is upending many long-time U.S. policies by imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum and seeking to cut government spending drastically. President Donald Trump has also frequently attacked the Fed in the past, raising concerns about the Fed’s historic independence from politics. Powell was quickly thrust into the partisan turmoil surrounding Trump’s flurry of executive orders and the efforts of billionaire Elon Musk, through the Department of Government Efficiency, to slash government programs. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, urged Powell to maintain the Fed’s support for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a consumer protection agency that was essentially shut down over the weekend when the Trump administration ordered officials at the bureau to stop work and closed the building for a week. The CFPB gets its funding from the Fed. “Do not make the Federal Reserve an accomplice to this illegal act, and forever sully the reputation of the Fed,” Warren said. Sen. Tim Scott, a GOP senator from South Carolina and chair of the committee, criticized banking regulators, including the Fed, for the alleged “debanking” of crypto firms and individuals in the industry. Debanking occurs when banks shut down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks. Scott charged that debanking has occurred for political reasons, echoing claims by venture capitalist Marc Andreesen and others. Powell said that it was “fair to take a fresh look at debanking.” Powell did not mention Trump’s tariffs and other policy changes in his statement, but said that the Fed’s interest rate is “well positioned to deal with the risks and uncertainties that we face.” The Fed Chair also said the central bank has launched a second review of its policy strategies and its communications tools. Powell reiterated that the review would not focus on whether to change its 2% inflation target, which some economists argue is too low. Powell has repeatedly said that the Fed shouldn’t change the target while it is still struggling to get inflation down to 2%. After the Fed’s last policy review in 2019, it said it would seek inflation that averaged 2% over time. Some economists have argued that the change led the Fed to react too slowly to the inflation spike in 2021 and 2022. The Fed didn’t begin raising its key interest rate until March 2022. Rate hikes are intended to slow borrowing and spending to cool inflation. Last week, comments by many Fed officials — as well as a decline in the unemployment rate — suggested the odds of a rate cut anytime soon have dwindled. While Fed officials penciled in two rate cuts this year at their December meeting, economists and Wall Street investors are increasingly […]

It’s Finally Here! ArtScroll’s Once-A-Year Talmud/Mishnah Sale

 30% OFF + FREE GIFT WITH THESE SETS + FREE SHIPPING! Are you missing volumes in your Mishnah or Talmud sets and want to fill them in? Ever dreamed about owning the full set of the Schottenstein Edition Talmud for your own learning or giving one to your children or parents? Have you ever considered donating a full set of Mishnah or Gemara to your shul in memory of a beloved family member? Well now you can save 30% on all ArtScroll Talmud & Mishnah Sets and Individual Volumes and receive FREE GIFTS valued up to $159 and FREE shipping when purchasing sets! Hurry! Sale ends February 26th. TALMUD Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli 73-volume Set in English or Hebrew:Save up to $900 and receive a FREE 52-volume paperback mid-sized Mikraos Gedolos set valued at $159! Schottenstein Edition Talmud Yerushalmi 51-volume Set in English or Hebrew:Save over $650 and receive a FREE 52-volume paperback mid-sized Mikraos Gedolos set valued at $159! Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov just completed 18-volume Set:Save over $200 and receive a FREE 10-volume pocket-sized Targum Onkelos set valued at $109. MISHNAH Hebrew Ryzman Mishnayos – full-size 27-volume set:Save over $200 and receive a FREE 52-volume paperback pocket-sized Mikraos Gedolos set valued at $134! Schottenstein Edition Mishnah Elucidated 23-volume set:Save over $195 and receive a FREE 10-volume pocket-sized Targum Onkelos set valued at $109! The NEW ARTSCROLL IPAD – A fully functional iPad preloaded with ArtScroll’s digital library, including a newly redesigned magnificent leather cover. (Does NOT require connection to the internet for daily use.) ·         iPad 10.9” now only $899! (List price: $1,500) ·         NEW iPad Air 13” now only $1599! (List price: $2,000) MORE CLASSIC SETS ON SALE: ArtScroll Edition of Tosafos Yad Avraham Mishnah Series Shimoff Edition Introduction to the Talmud in Hebrew or English Edmond J. Safra French Edition Talmud Bavli Sale applies in the USA and Canada. Free shipping in the USA. Click HERE to save. Don’t wait…sale ends February 26th!

Trump Steps Up His 2018 Tariffs On Steel And Aluminum, Risking Inflation On Promise Of More Jobs

President Donald Trump on Monday removed the exceptions and exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel, meaning that all steel imports will be taxed at a minimum of 25%. Trump also hiked his 2018 aluminum tariffs to 25% from 10%. “We were being pummeled by both friend and foe alike,” Trump said as he signed two proclamations changing his orders during his first term that go into effect on March 12. “It’s time for our great industries to come back to America.” The moves are part of an aggressive push by the president to reset global trade, with Trump saying that tax hikes on the people and companies buying foreign-made products will ultimately strengthen domestic manufacturing. But the tariffs would hit allies as the four biggest sources of steel imports are Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Trump also intends this week to reset U.S. taxes on all imports to match the same levels charged by other countries. All of that comes on top of the 10% tariffs he already put on China, China’s retaliatory tariffs that started Monday and the U.S. tariffs planned for Canada and Mexico that have been suspended until March 1. Monday’s tariffs almost immediately drew criticism from Canada, the largest source of steel imports. Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said that Trump was a destabilizing force in the global economy. “Today’s news makes it clear that perpetual uncertainty is here to stay,” said Laing. The tariffs carry inflation risks at a moment when voters are already weary of high prices and fearful that price increases will eclipse any income gains. Trump maintains that the tariffs will level the playing field in international trade and make U.S. factories more competitive, such that any pain felt by consumers and businesses would eventually be worthwhile. “’Fairness’ is in the eye of the beholder, but the more fundamental question is whether the U.S. actually benefits from such new tariffs,” Benn Steil, director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based nonpartisan think tank, said in an email. “The costs to the U.S. will include higher prices to U.S. consumers, retaliatory tariffs abroad, and the loss of U.S. jobs and competitiveness in firms hit by higher input costs.” Steil noted that other countries are already adopting Trump’s approach from his first term as the president imposes tariffs on the premise that the imports create national security risks. That’s because national security-related tariffs are legally unchallengeable at the World Trade Organization, meaning that so far Trump’s approach has encouraged other countries to increase trade barriers. “Not surprisingly, everything from ‘door frames’ to ‘alcoholic beverages’ have of late been subject to new import barriers in the developing world on the grounds of national security,” Steil said. Of the roughly 29 million net tons of steel imported into the United States last year, a little under 2% came from China. But the White House maintains that exemptions to the tariffs provided over the previous four years by the Biden administration enabled steel and aluminum from China and Russia to go through other nations to reach the United States. While the tariffs could help the finances of steel mills and aluminum smelters, they could also increase […]

Attorney-General: Daycare Subsidies For Avreichim To Be Halted At End Of Month

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Tuesday sent a letter to the Labor Ministry stating that daycare subsidies for avreichim up to the age of 27 who are eligible for IDF recruitment will be halted at the end of the month. The halt of daycare subsidies for the families of avreichim is a huge blow, potentially leading to a loss of thousands of shekels each month. Last year, Baharav-Miara decided that funding daycare for the babies and toddlers of Chareidi families whose fathers are eligible for the draft is “illegal” despite the fact that Arab-Israeli mothers whose husbands are criminals in prison receive daycare subsidies due to a law requiring that only the woman’s income be calculated without regard to her husband’s income. In November 2024, UTJ MK Yisrael Eichler tried to advance the “daycare law,” a bill which bases daycare subsidies solely on the employment status of the mother. However, the bill was removed from the agenda when it became clear that it lacked a majority to pass in the Knesset due to opposition from members of the Likud, Religious Zionism, and New Hope. Meanwhile, the IDF is slated to issue another 1,212 arrest warrants to bnei yeshivos who failed to respond to their draft orders after previously issuing 1,242. It is also slated to send another 14,000 draft orders to bnei yeshivos in the coming weeks. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

LISTEN: Marco Rubio: “Monstrous, Savage Hamas Is Pure Evil, Must Be Eradicated”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Hamas “monstrous, savage and pure evil” in an interview on Monday while discussing the conditions of the three hostages released on Shabbos, Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy and Eli Sharabi. Speaking with conservative talk radio channel SiriusXM Patriot, Rabio said: “I don’t think there’s any coincidence in the schedule in which the hostages are being released, where they obviously released the ones they thought were in the best condition first, then over time you’re starting to see the impact of this,” Rubio said. “But I also think it’s very revealing of who Hamas is and what Hamas is. You look at these images of what they – first of all, the humiliation that they have to go through. Just put aside for a moment the horrifying conditions they were held in and the horrifying things that happened to some of those hostages, on top of the fact that these were innocent civilians. I mean, none of these were soldiers. These are not combatants. These are just people who were abducted for purposes to be used as leverage. And they’re getting, what, 200 certified killers in exchange for one innocent hostage.” Rubio also pointed out how well-fed the Hamas terrorists looked. “Do any of those Hamas terrorists look like they’ve been skipping meals? Do any of those Hamas terrorists look like they’ve been suffering over the last year and a half? Clearly, these people are – the ones suffering are the people from Gaza, but not them. “This is an evil organization. Hamas is evil, it’s pure evil. These are monsters. These are savages. That’s a group that needs to be eradicated.” “And let me tell you – they still are the dominant power in Gaza when all this is done, there is not going to be peace in the Middle East.” Rubio questioned why any nation would accept a neighboring state ruled by terrorists. “And right now, the only one who’s stood up and said I’m willing to help do it is Donald Trump. All these other leaders, they’re going to have to step up,” he said. “If they’ve got a better idea, then now is the time.  Now is the time for the other governments and other powers in the region, some of these very rich countries, to basically say, okay, we’ll do it. We’re going to pay for this; we’re going to step forward; we’re going to be the ones that take charge,” he added. “None of them is offering to do it.  And I think that you can’t go around claiming that you’re a fighter for, an advocate for the Palestinian people, but you’re not willing to do anything to help rebuild Gaza,” he continued. “They’ll all tell you what they’re not for. But we’re still waiting for more countries to step forward and say here’s what we’re willing to do. And right now, they’ve not been willing to do anything … or at least anything concrete.” Rubio added that world leaders feel “challenged” by Trump’s Gaza plan. “It’s outside the box, but that’s what he always is,” said Rubio. “I mean, he’s going to state the obvious. It’s the one thing about Donald Trump—he doesn’t hide behind silly, traditional lies and things of that nature. He’s going to put […]

IDF Raises Alert In The South, Halts Leave For Soldiers: “Preparing For Various Scenarios”

The IDF announced on Monday evening that a decision was made to raise the alert level in the Southern Command following a siutational assessment in the area. Leave for combat soldiers and operational units in the south has been postponed and a significant number of additional forces were deployed to the area. “This step is intended to strengthen operational readiness and ensure appropriate preparation for a variety of possible scenarios in the sector,” the IDF spokesperson stated. The precautionary steps came in the wake of Hamas’s announcement earlier Monday that it is freezing the hostage release deal “until further notice” due to “Israeli violations of the deal.” US President Donald Trump responded by threatening Hamas that if it doesn’t release all the hostages by noon on Shabbos, the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal should be scrapped. Political sources familiar with the details estimate that Hamas’ move is intended to exert pressure on Israel in order to achieve an expansion of the scope of the release of terrorists and an increase in “humanitarian” aid to the Gaza Strip. Earlier on Monday evening, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said that following Hamas’s “violation of the ceasefire/hostage release deal,” he instructed the IDF to prepare “at the highest level of alert” for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the border communities. “We will not return to the reality of October 7,” Katz asserted. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

First Sign Of Life Received From Twin Hostages Gali And Ziv Berman

Macabit Meyer, the aunt of Gali and Ziv Berman, 27-year-old twin brothers abducted by Hamas on October 7 from Kfar Azza, announced on Tuesday morning that the family has received a sign of life from the twins. “We can breathe a little easier but on the other hand, we know whose hands they are in and the grievous danger to their lives,” she said in a statement to the kibbutz. “They’re alive and we have to save them. We know what they’re going through.” Meyer told Kan News that the Gali and Ziv are not being held together in captivity. “We received signs of life from hostages who returned in the recent phase at the start of the deal,” she said. “When they were abducted, their condition was reasonable. For now, this is the information I can share.” When the October 7 assault began, Gali insisted on going to the home of Emily Damari, who was alone, to protect her. They were abducted together but were later separated. Damari was released from captivity last month together with Doron Steinbrecher, who was also abducted from Kfar Azza, and Romi Gonen, who was abducted from the music festival at Re’im. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

MURDERED IN CAPTIVITY: Shlomo Mansour, Survivor Of Iraqi Pogrom, Killed By Hamas

Kibbutz Kissufim on Tuesday announced that Shlomo Mansour, H’yd, 86, was murdered in Hamas captivity. Mansour, z’l, the oldest hostage in Gaza, was a survivor of the 1941 Farhud pogrom in Iraq and immigrated to Israel in 1951. On October 7, he was abducted from his home on Kibbutz Kissufim by Hamas terrorists who beat him, bound him, and dragged him to Gaza. The terrorists tried to abduct his wife Mazal as well but she managed to flee to a neighbor’s home and was rescued many hours later by IDF forces. According to a Kan News report,  IDF representatives informed his family on Tuesday that Hamas murdered him on October 7, 2023, and his body is being held in the Gaza Strip. The decision to determine his death was based on intelligence gathered over the past months and was approved by a committee of experts from the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Israel Police. Following the announcement, Shlomo’s daughter-in-law, Chana, told Kan News: “A black cloud has been hovering over us since the abduction. We didn’t receive any information about him during the past year and four months. We hoped he would be released at some point, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. He was loved in the family; everyone loved him.” The kibbutz said in a statement: “With a heavy heart, we, the members of the kibbutz, received the announcement this morning about the murder in Hamas captivity of our dear friend, Shlomo Mansour, 86, who was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim in the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2024.” “This is one of the most difficult days in the history of our kibbutz. Shlomo was much more than a community man for us – he was a father, grandfather, true friend, and the beating heart of Kissufim. His smile, modesty, and warmth were an inspiration to us all. Our hearts are broken that we couldn’t bring him back to us alive. The entire community mourns his loss and is united in grief and pain. We ask the media to respect the privacy of the family and the community during this difficult time.” “We send our sincere and deepest condolences to his wife, Mazal, and to the entire Mansour family, who bore the pain of Shlomo’s absence every day and every night. This loss is a wound that will not heal, but our community will support and embrace the family. In addition, we call on the Israeli government and world leaders to continue to act decisively to return all the hostages, living and dead, and not to allow painful stories like Shlomo’s to repeat themselves.” The IDF stated, “We are operating throughout the war in a wide range of methods in order to gather information about the hostages in the Gaza Strip. The IDF and other security agencies will continue to support the families of the hostages as needed.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN: Shomrim Helps Nab Package Thief Driving Stolen Van Loaded with Stolen Goods and Drugs

A package thief has been arrested thanks to the swift response of Flatbush Shomrim. As Flatbush Scoop reported, a homeowner in the vicinity of Avenue S and East 8th Street witnessed his package being stolen in real-time via his Ring camera and immediately alerted Shomrim. Shomrim volunteers quickly mobilized and tracked down the suspect, who was driving a van loaded with stolen packages. The NYPD later discovered that the thief had been tailing Amazon and UPS trucks, snatching deliveries moments after they were dropped off. Upon apprehension at Ocean Avenue and Avenue T, police also found a significant quantity of Fentanyl and crack cocaine in his possession. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle itself had been stolen, and the license plates had been taken from another car. The suspect is now in police custody, facing multiple charges related to theft, drug possession, and vehicle-related offenses. Flatbush Shomrim urges residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to prevent such crimes from occurring in the community. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE FLATBUSH SCOOP STATUS CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE FLATBUSH SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF FLATBUSH NEWS IN LIVE TIME   (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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