A shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis and struck children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter — armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol — approached the side of the church and shot dozens of rounds through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School just before 8:30 a.m. Police believe the shooter then killed himself. The children who died were 8 and 10, and 14 other kids were among the wounded, the chief said. Dozens of youngsters were inside. The police chief said the shooter was in his early 20s, did not have an extensive known criminal history and is believed to have acted alone, but did not release the name or information on possible connections to the school. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press authorities have identified the shooter as Robin Westman. That official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” the police chief said as church bells rang out. He noted that a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors, and that authorities found a smoke bomb but no explosives at the scene. The police chief said officers immediately responded to reports of the shooting, entered the church, rendered first aid and rescued some of the children hiding throughout the building as other emergency responders arrived. The school was evacuated, and students’ families later were directed to a “reunification zone” there. Outside, amid a heavy uniformed law enforcement presence, children in dark green uniforms trickled out of the school with adults, giving lingering hugs and wiping away tears. The shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, a biological male who identified as a female. In a YouTube video posted by Westman before the shooting, he expressed his desire to die, and showed off his guns – which had on them scrawled the names of previous mass shooters and one that said, “Kill Donald Trump.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A woman in Thailand sentenced to a prison term of more than four decades on a charge of royal defamation was released on Wednesday by a royal pardon after serving just under one-fifth of her term, said a human rights organization. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said 69-year-old Anchan Preelert was one of six political prisoners freed under a July 29 pardon on the occasion of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s birthday. Anchan, a former civil servant, was sentenced in January 2021 by the Bangkok Criminal Court on 29 counts of violating the country’s lese majeste law for posting audio clips to Facebook and YouTube with comments deemed critical of the monarchy. She was initially sentenced to 87 years, at that time the longest such sentence ever handed down, but her term was reduced by half to 43 years and six months because she pleaded guilty to the offenses. Violating Thailand’s law on royal defamation is punishable by three to 15 years’ imprisonment per count. The law is controversial not only because it has been used to punish things as simple as liking a post on Facebook, but also because anyone — not just royals or the authorities — can lodge a complaint. The main criticism is that it is used as a tool to quash political dissent. Anchan, wearing a white t-shirt and face mask, was embraced by friends and family and received bouquets of flowers from supporters when she walked out of Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institution, where she spent eight years and four months in total, including pretrial detention, after her arrest in 2015. “I feel immensely happy. I want to be free for a long time because I’m getting old and my time is running short now,” Anchan told reporters. “For over eight years, it felt like it was all my life, it was bitter because it was not my place to be. It was torturous, it doesn’t matter whether it’s comfortable or not, but it isn’t my home.” Thai Lawyers for Human Rights has said that more than 270 people have been charged with lese majeste since early 2020, when there was a flurry of protests for reforms to Thailand’s monarchy. In 2024, an appeals court handed political activist Mongkhon Thirakot in the northern province of Chiang Rai a record 50-year prison term after finding him guilty of violating the lese majeste law. Public criticism of the monarchy, a linchpin of Thai identity, used to be rare, but student-led pro-democracy protests began to challenge that taboo in 2020, openly criticizing the institution. That led to vigorous prosecutions under what once had been a little-used law. More than 50 people remain in prison as political prisoners and 32 of them are charged with insulting or defaming the monarchy, said Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Last week, Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was acquitted of a royal defamation charge after the Bangkok Criminal Court found the witnesses and evidence against him were too weak to support a conviction. He was originally charged in 2016 over remarks he made a year earlier to journalists in South Korea The same court Tuesday acquitted Piyarat Chongthep, a lawmaker from the opposition People’s Party, of royal defamation for posting messages criticizing how protests in 2020 were dispersed and referring to the alleged […]
With Sukkos quickly approaching, PSI is once again stepping in to ease the burden on middle-income families in Rockland County (Monsey) by providing much-needed grocery assistance. Spearheaded by Philanthropist and Baal Tzedakah Reb Lazer (Louis) Scheiner, together with other local baalei battim, this initiative aims to alleviate financial strain and ensure that every family can celebrate Yom Tov with dignity. The program, which has already benefited thousands of families across Rockland and beyond, helps cover essential Yom Tov shopping expenses by distributing grocery cards to eligible households. This initiative is aimed specifically at families who often do not qualify for traditional assistance programs yet still struggle under the financial weight of preparing for Yom Tov. Important Dates: Signup Opens: Monday, August 25, 2025 Signup Closes: Friday, August 29, 2025 Cards Mailed Out: Thursday, September 11, 2025 (after Rosh Hashanah) Expiration Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 The PSI cards will be accepted at Bingo and All-Fresh, ensuring families can purchase their Yom Tov needs with dignity and flexibility. Program organizers emphasized that if a participant’s shul is enrolled, cards will be mailed directly following Rosh Hashanah. Those not receiving cards by mail will still be notified regarding their eligibility. Sources tell YWN that due to today’s difficult economy and the high demand for assistance, hundreds of Lakewood families have reached out to PSI requesting that the program expand to their community. Discussions are underway, and organizers are working on making it possible, hopefully in time for this Yom Tov, and if not, then for the next. “This program is about helping hardworking families who fall through the cracks,” said a PSI coordinator. “Sukkos should be a time of simcha, not financial stress, and we are grateful to provide support once again.” About the Pesach and Sukkos Initiative PSI provides significant grocery discounts to middle-class families facing high Yom Tov expenses. Funded by local balebatim, the program facilitates a 50% discount, helping families celebrate Yom Tov בדרך כבוד. SIGNUP HERE: https://psiyomtov.org/ (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Gas stations have run dry in some regions of Russia after Ukrainian drones struck refineries and other oil infrastructure in recent weeks, with motorists waiting in long lines and officials resorting to rationing or cutting off sales altogether. Wholesale prices on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange for A-95 gas — the highest octane — spiked to record highs last week, soaring to about 50% higher than in January, as demand soared from farmers seeking to bring in the harvest and Russians hitting the roads for their last big vacation of the summer. Russian media outlets reported fuel shortages are hitting consumers in several regions in the Far East and on the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Moscow in 2014. Media outlets in the Primorye region, which borders North Korea, reported long lines and prices of about 78 rubles per liter (approximately $3.58 per gallon) at gas stations in the area, where the average monthly wage is about $1,200. Journalists at local news outlet Primpress found other drivers trying to sell gas online for as much as 220 rubles per liter (about $10.12 per gallon). In the Kurilsky district of the Kuril Islands north of Japan, shortages of lower octane A-92 gas forced officials to halt public sales outright Monday. In Crimea, a popular resort area, some companies sold fuel only to holders of coupons or special cards. Normal price increases are aggravated this year Russia is no stranger to gasoline price increases at the end of summer. But this year’s shortages have been aggravated by Ukraine’s attacks on oil refineries in the 3 1/2-year-old war. Larger, more concentrated attacks are causing more damage and hampering production, all timed to coincide with peak demand. Ukraine has targeted energy infrastructure before, but the recent strikes have been more successful, with more drones targeting a more concentrated group of facilities. “The Ukrainians are attacking an arc of refineries, starting from Ryazan, which is south of Moscow, all the way to Volgograd. That region is where people are driving through on their way to (resorts on) the Black Sea. That’s the region where most of the harvest operations are going on. And that’s also a rather densely populated region,” Sergey Vakulenko, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told The Associated Press. Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 24, Ukraine attacked oil infrastructure at least 12 times, according to media reports. Of those attacks, at least 10 were targeting sites in the Ryazan-Volgograd arc in southwestern Russia. These attacks have damaged many oil refineries but have not destroyed them outright, Vakulenko said, adding that most of the facilities are extremely resilient against fires. But they can slow refinery activity, as shown by a fall in the intake of crude oil to be turned into diesel, gasoline or other products by roughly 200,000 to 250,000 barrels per day, said Gary Peach, oil markets analyst at Energy Intelligence. “That’s just enough to make their gasoline industry feel some pain, especially during the high consumption months in the summer,” he told AP. Gasoline production fell 8.6% in the first 19 days of August, compared with a year earlier, and diesel production was down 10.3%. Other war-related issues have caused even more consumer pain. Ukrainian drone strikes repeatedly have disrupted Russian transportation networks, particularly air traffic, causing […]
Kupat Ha’ir is sending a minyan of representatives to pray for you every day, for 40 days, at ten holy sites: The Kosel HaMa’aravi, Kever Dovid HaMelech, Rashb”i in Meron, Rabbi Yehuda bar Ila’i, Amuka, Beit Yosef, the Ar”i HaKadosh, the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, Rabbi Leib Ba’al HaYissurim, and the Rebbe HaKadosh m’Zhvill – places from where the Shechinah has never left. These talmidei chachamim, masters of tefillah, will mention daily the names of donors, their mothers, and their requests, arousing Heavenly mercy during the most critical days of judgment – to merit a year that is good, sweet, and filled with light. To donate >>>
A historic meeting took place in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, as three leading Gedolim in America traveled to meet with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Yechiel Leiter. The discussion centered on the ongoing situation regarding yeshiva bochurim being drafted into the IDF, and the strong opposition voiced by the Chareidi community in both Eretz Yisroel and the United States. Traveling to the nation’s capital were HaGaon HaRav Aharon Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisroel; HaGaon HaRav Malkiel Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of BMG; and HaGaon HaRav Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn—all members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America. The meeting was arranged and attended by noted philanthropist Reb Shloime (Sol) Werdiger, Chairman of Agudath Israel. The Gedolim expressed that the Chareidi community in America stands fully united with the Chareidi community in Eretz Yisroel in their battle on behalf of Bnei Torah. Ambassador Leiter, a shomer Torah u’mitzvos, warmly welcomed the Gedolim at the Israeli Embassy, where the private meeting lasted for nearly an hour. In an interesting moment, the ambassador—who grew up in Scranton, PA—shared that his father was a talmid of HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Ruderman zt”l. It should be noted that the Gedolim undertook significant mesiras nefesh by leaving their yeshivos on only the second day of Elul zman to make the trip to Washington for this crucial meeting. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, further details of the discussion remain confidential. However, Ambassador Leiter thanked the Gedolim for their efforts and assured them that he would remain in close contact as the situation develops. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
House Republicans have escalated their investigation into alleged antisemitism at California’s top medical schools, demanding reams of internal records from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, sent letters to the two institutions on Monday, giving them two weeks to turn over “all documents and communications” dating back to September 1, 2021. The requests specifically target records relating to antisemitic incidents and how administrators, faculty, and staff responded. “The Committee has become aware that Jewish students, faculty, and patients have been experiencing hostility and fear at the university, and it has not been demonstrated that the university has meaningfully responded to address and mitigate this problem,” Walberg wrote. In his letter to UCSF, Walberg cited testimony from Jewish students who said they concealed their religious identity while attending the school. The letter also pointed to disturbing incidents, including a student allegedly telling a peer that “Jews control the banks,” and a lab technician reportedly telling a Jewish student that “Israel deserved what happened on October 7.” Walberg also sent a similar demand letter to the University of Illinois College of Medicine. The congressional probe comes as UCLA faces an even bigger battle with the federal government. The Trump administration has already suspended $584 million in federal grants to the university, citing violations of the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in its handling of antisemitism complaints. Earlier this month, the Justice Department proposed a sweeping $1 billion settlement that would allow UCLA to regain its federal funding. The agreement would also require UCLA to establish a $172 million compensation fund for alleged victims of discrimination. UC President James Milliken pushed back, warning the massive penalty would cripple the system’s public mission. “Demanding $1 billion from a publicly funded, leading research institution is a misuse of tax dollars that will hurt the University’s mission of serving students and the public,” Milliken said. “UCLA, and the larger UC system, has taken meaningful steps to make it clear that combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish students, faculty, and community members on campus is a top priority.” The university is already facing legal fallout. In July, UCLA agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Jewish students and faculty over the school’s handling of anti-Israel protests. That case accused administrators of tolerating demonstrations that effectively created a “Jew Exclusion Zone” on part of campus. The new House investigation adds further pressure to the UC system, demanding transparency into how top medical schools have confronted antisemitism allegations. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Taharas Hamishpacha is among the most sensitive and complex areas in Halacha, requiring deep clarity, careful application, and real shimush to properly understand and apply in real-life situations. While many bnei Torah have learned Yoreh Deah Chelek Beis in kollel, the opportunity to study Hilchos Niddah in an organized, structured, and practical way has remained out of reach for many—especially for those who didn’t learn the sugya in depth, or never had proper chazarah or guidance in applying the halacha. To address this need, Chavra Dehilchisa has launched a comprehensive program in Hilchos Taharah, covering the full breadth of the halachos—from classic sources to contemporary applications—with a strong emphasis on psak halacha and practical shimush. What the Course Includes: In-Depth Learning of the sugyos and primary poskim (Shulchan Aruch, Nosei Keilim, Acharonim). Practical Orientation for real-life questions that often aren’t addressed explicitly in the texts. Clear and Organized Curriculum with weekly shiurim and source materials Review Materials to ensure real retention and clarity. .The course is led by Rabbi Shmuel D. Bernath serves as a posek at the Bais Horoah of Lakewood, under the leadership of Rav Shlomo Miller Shlita with extensive experience in teaching Hilchos Taharah. This program is ideal for yungeleit who wish to gain serious mastery in Hilchos Niddah—whether for personal knowledge, future hora’ah, or simply to fulfill the mitzvah of learning these essential halachos al taharasan. If you’ve been seeking a way to truly understand Hilchos Taharah—this is the structured, serious, and practical framework you’ve been waiting for. The halachos of Taharas HaMishpacha demand absolute clarity. Some halachos can’t be left to “I think so.” Learn it. Master it. Live it. 👉 Sign up now at https://www.chavradehilchisa.com/product/hilchos-niddah 📞 347.459.7352
Democrats were plunged into political crisis, especially splintered on immigration and border security, after their thorough defeat last year in an election in which President Donald Trump made hard-line immigration action a centerpiece of his campaign. That may be changing. From New York to California, Democratic lawmakers are talking more about their immigration plans, showing up at detention centers to conduct oversight on the conditions and at times getting into confrontations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. It’s putting a spotlight on Trump’s agenda to deport millions of people, suggesting Democratic lawmakers are feeling emboldened to push back. Still, they have a ways to go before advancing a unified agenda of their own. Yet their actions show how the ground is shifting in the American immigration debate — away from border policies to questions about the future for millions of people who are already in the country without permanent legal status. “Is there an opening for Democrats? Yeah,” Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat who has pushed his party for years to emphasize border security, told The Associated Press. “Say strong on border security, focus on criminals and all that, but do not deport the folks with good records.” Democrats are ramping up visits to detention centers Across the country, Democrats have shown up — sometimes unannounced — at immigration detention centers to check on reports of unsanitary and unsafe conditions and draw attention to the Trump administration’s actions. Congressional Democrats have sued the Department of Homeland Security for blocking them from making unannounced site visits, saying they have a right to do so under federal law. “Transparency matters. Oversight matters. Accountability matters,” said Rep. Joe Neguse earlier this month after he and other Colorado Democrats visited a detention center in Aurora, near Denver. “You certainly can expect to see the Democratic members of Colorado’s House delegation continue to lean in on all fronts.” It’s a change of focus for some within the Democratic Party even from the beginning of the year, when many lawmakers were arguing that the party needed a new approach on immigration that emphasized stronger enforcement. Some Democrats even helped advance several Republican bills aimed at migrants who are accused of crimes. Yet as the Republican president’s deportation efforts ramped up this year and ensnared people without criminal backgrounds who were caught up in the fervor to remove noncitizens, Democrats began to mobilize. “Hardworking, middle-class individuals — all us just looking to earn the American dream,” said Rep. Lou Correa, a California Democrat, referring to Alejandro Barranco, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran whose father was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern California, where he lived for decades. Barranco was at the Capitol for a July event organized by Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee where they decried Trump’s administration as “unaccountable, unlawful and unconstitutional.” Republicans hold firm even as public opinion shifts Still, Republicans believe they continue to have the upper hand in the immigration debate. They are already pointing to Trump’s success in deterring migrants from coming to the U.S. border with Mexico. “We’ve never seen such — first of all — a horrible situation with the border as we saw under President Biden and the Democrats, only to see all that reversed after the election. Now it’s one of the most secure southern borders we’ve had in years,” said Sen. Steve Daines, a Montana Republican. Daines […]
by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.” It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them. Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year! Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)! YES! YOU CAN MAKE your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE Shas, Rashi & Tosfos IN JUST ONE YEAR! The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly: It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned. Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. Official Shtar from Shas Yiden Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim. All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: […]
Thousands of people from around the world seeking a uniquely messy thrill spent one wild hour flinging bushels of overripe tomatoes at each other during Spain’s “Tomatina” celebration Wednesday. The mother of all food fights painted a packed central street in the eastern town of Buñol deep red as revelers squished, smashed and hurled 120 tons of the overripe fruit. Tarps covered the building fronts as an estimated 20,000 people showed no quarter amid screams and laughter. Every article of clothing and pretty much every inch of bare skin and hair ended up covered in a pulpy mush, with many wearing white shirts that quickly were stained pink. Thumping music gave the event the vibe of a rave. Organizers wearing green shirts slowly opened a path for trucks loaded with the tomatoes to bring in the ammunition. Buñol, with a population of around 10,000, was one of the towns affected by devastating floods in eastern Spain beginning Oct. 29, 2024. That is why this year’s slogan is “Tomaterapia,” or “Tomato Therapy” in English. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the tomato tossing that party lore says began in 1945 for local children. Since then “Tomatina” has grown to an eye-catching event that now draws a significant international crowd and only has been skipped twice due to the pandemic. A left-wing political party backed an initiative by local residents to fly Palestinian flags and a banner against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza during this year’s “Tomatina.” The only guideline during the free-for-all is to squash each tomato before throwing to reduce its impact. Even so, some participants opt to wear protective goggles and earplugs. For those worried about the waste, organizers say the tomatoes are grown specifically for “Tomatina” and not edible anyway. This year’s supply hails from a town over five hours away. A cannon shot tells participants the battle is over. As the adrenaline drains, partiers use communal showers to clean up while workers hose the crimson slurry off the streets. (AP)
Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), addressed a press conference on Tuesday after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that Iran was behind at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia: the arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue and the burning of a kosher café in Sydney. A Sky News Australia reporter asked Burgess whether Israel’s Mossad had a hand in exposing Iran’s involvement in the attacks. “We work with foreign partners,” Burgess responded and refused to elaborate. Sky News anchors later speculated, “Well, who else would it be? Certainly Israel, maybe the U.S. There aren’t many others. No doubt they tipped off our intelligence service.” Mossad has previously provided intelligence to numerous countries, particularly in Europe, about Iran’s role in antisemitic attacks on their soil. In the wake of the findings, Australia expelled Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi—its first expulsion of a foreign ambassador since World War II—and closed its embassy in Iran. Following the decision, the government urged Australians in Iran to leave immediately. “Foreigners in Iran, including Australians and dual Australian-Iranian nationals, are at a high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest,” the warning stated. The government also issued its highest-level travel advisory for Iran: “Do not travel.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Over 50 consultants at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) have called on Ireland to stop using medicines manufactured by Israel if “viable alternatives” exist due to Israel’s alleged “genocide,” The Irish Times reported over the weekend. According to the report, Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals, which is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of generic and specialist drugs, is one of the largest suppliers of generic medications to the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland’s publicly funded healthcare system. Rep. Randy Fine (R.-FL) responded to the report by stating, “If Ireland wants to start treating their people with Palestinian medicines, that’s their right.” “Oh, wait…” Last week, a furor arose in Italy after a doctor and nurse, employees of a public hospital, filmed themselves throwing Teva drugs in the garbage. The video, published on social media, drew outrage from Italians. Ynet quoted the comments of several Italian social media users, with one calling the video “a national disgrace,” writing: “This is not free expression—it’s fanaticism. Anyone who throws away life-saving drugs should not wear a medical uniform.” Another added, “I hope you never need one of Israel’s life-saving medical inventions.” A third wrote, “We pay taxes for these drugs, and they treat them like garbage for social media likes.” In the wake of the public ire, the Southeast Tuscany Health Authority said that it opened an internal inquiry and “reserves the right to take all necessary steps to protect its reputation and the professionalism of its staff.” It stressed that the filming of the video was carried out in the public hospital without approval. The doctor and nurse later published a second video apologizing for their actions and claiming that they didn’t actually throw out any medications but had placed free samples, including supplements and wipes, in the garbage can and then immediately removed them. “It was a symbolic gesture for peace,” they said. “We never intended to hurt anyone or involve our employer. We are truly sorry.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Steep U.S. tariffs on a range of Indian products took effect Wednesday, threatening a serious blow to India’s overseas trade in its largest export market. President Donald Trump had initially announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods. But earlier this month he signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff due to India’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariffs imposed by the U.S. on its ally to 50%. The Indian government estimates the tariffs will impact $48.2 billion worth of exports. Officials have warned the new duties could make shipments to the U.S. commercially unviable, triggering job losses and slower economic growth. India–U.S. trade relations have expanded in recent years but remain vulnerable to disputes over market access and domestic political pressures. India is one of the fastest-growing major global economies and it may face a slowdown as a result. Sectors to be impacted by US tariffs Estimates by New Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative suggest labor-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewelry, leather goods, food and automobiles will be hit hardest. “The new tariff regime is a strategic shock that threatens to wipe out India’s long-established presence in the U.S., causing unemployment in export-driven hubs and weakening its role in the industrial value chain,” said Ajay Srivastava, the think tank’s founder and a former Indian trade official. The U.S. has for now exempted some sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronic goods from additional tariffs, bringing some relief for India as its exposure in these sectors is significant. Exporters fear losses Puran Dawar, a leather footwear exporter in northern India’s Agra city, says the industry would take a substantial hit in the near term unless domestic demand strengthens and other overseas markets buy more Indian goods. “This is an absolute shock,” said Dawar, whose business with the U.S. has grown in recent years. Dawar’s clients include the major fashion retailer Zara. Dawar, who is also the regional chairman of the Council for Leather Exports — an export promotion body — said the U.S. should understand that the steep tariffs will hurt its own consumers. Groups representing exporters warn that new import tariffs could hurt India’s small and medium enterprises that are heavily reliant on the American market. “It’s a tricky situation. Some product lines will simply become unviable overnight,” said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations. Modi vows not to yield to US pressure The tariffs come as the U.S. administration continues to push for greater access to India’s agriculture and dairy sectors. India and the U.S. have held five rounds of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, but have yet to reach a deal. That’s largely because New Delhi has resisted opening these sectors to cheaper American imports, citing concerns that doing so would endanger the jobs of millions of Indians. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed not to yield to the pressure. “For me, the interests of farmers, small businesses and dairy are topmost. My government will ensure they aren’t impacted,” Modi said at a rally this week in his home state of Gujarat. Modi said the world was witnessing a “politics of economic selfishness.” A U.S. delegation canceled plans to visit New Delhi this week for a sixth round of trade talks. India plans local reforms to cushion the blow from […]
Immigration advocates gather like clockwork outside Seattle’s King County International Airport to witness deportation flights and spread word of where they are going and how many people are aboard. Until recently, they could keep track of the flights using publicly accessible websites. But the monitors and others say airlines are now using dummy call signs for deportation flights and are blocking the planes’ tail numbers from tracking websites, even as the number of deportation flights hits record highs under President Donald Trump. The changes forced them to find other ways to follow the flights, including by sharing information with other groups and using data from an open-source exchange that tracks aircraft transmissions. Their work helps people locate loved ones who are deported in the absence of information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which rarely discloses flights. News organizations have used such flight tracking in reporting. Tom Cartwright, a retired J.P. Morgan financial officer turned immigration advocate, tracked 1,214 deportation-related flights in July — the highest level since he started watching in January 2020. About 80% are operated by three airlines: GlobalX, Eastern Air Express and Avelo Airlines. They carry immigrants to other airports to be transferred to overseas flights or take them across the border, mostly to Central American countries and Mexico. Cartwright tracked 5,962 flights from the start of Trump’s second term through July, a 41% increase from 1,721 over the same period in 2024. Those figures including information from major deportation airports but not smaller ones like King County International Airport, also known as Boeing Field. Cartwright’s figures include 68 military deportation flights since January — 18 in July alone. Most have gone to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The work became so demanding that Cartwright, 71, and his group, Witness at the Border, turned over the job this month to Human Rights First, which dubbed its project “ICE Flight Monitor.” “His work brings essential transparency to U.S. government actions impacting thousands of lives and stands as a powerful example of citizen-driven accountability in defense of human rights and democracy,” Uzrz Zeya, Human Rights First’s chief executive officer, said. The airlines did not respond to multiple email requests for comment. ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, which would not confirm any security measures it has taken. La Resistencia, a Seattle-area nonprofit immigration rights group, has monitored 59 flights at Boeing Field and five at the Yakima airport in 2025, surpassing its 2024 total of 42. Not all are deportation flights. Many are headed to or from immigration detention centers or to airports near the border. La Resistencia counted 1,023 immigrants brought in to go to the ICE detention center in Tacoma, Washington, and 2,279 flown out, often to states on the U.S.-Mexico border. “ICE is doing everything in its power to make it as hard as possible to differentiate their contractors’ government activities from other commercial endeavors,” organizer Guadalupe Gonzalez told The Associated Press. Airlines can legally block data The Federal Aviation Administration allows carriers to block data like tail numbers from public flight tracking websites under the Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed program, or LADD, said Ian Petchenik, a spokesman for FlightRadar24. “Tail numbers are like VIN numbers on cars,” Gonzalez said. Planes with blocked tail numbers no longer appear on websites like FlightRadar24 or FlightAware. The tracker page identifies these them as “N/A – […]
SpaceX launched the latest test of its mega rocket Starship on Tuesday night and completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean. Starship blasted off from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site in south Texas, just after 6:30 p.m. It was the 10th test for the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket, which SpaceX and NASA hope to use to get astronauts back on the moon. NASA has ordered two Starships to land astronauts on the moon later this decade, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ultimate goal is Mars. No crew members were aboard the demo launch. The test also included the successful return of the craft’s Super Heavy Booster, which splashed down in the Atlantic after testing a landing-burn engine sequence. The Starship itself continued to orbit the Earth — passing from daylight in Texas through night and back into daytime again — ahead of the planned splashdown. Before the craft hit the waves, its engines fired, flipping its position so it entered the water upright with the nose cone pointed upward. The successful demo came after a year of mishaps. Back-to-back tests in January and March ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. The most recent test in May — the ninth try — ended when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart. SpaceX later redesigned the Super Heavy booster with larger and stronger fins for greater stability, according to a company post on the social platform X this month. The first Starship exploded minutes into its inaugural test flight in 2023. SpaceX’s first batch of Starlink satellites were launched in 2019 from a Falcon rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral. (AP)
As armed National Guard troops patrol the nation’s capital as part of an unprecedented federal takeover of Washington’s police department, handling crime is now a relative strength for President Donald Trump, according to the latest AP-NORC poll. Americans are generally not happy about the Republican president’s handling of issues like immigration and the economy but are more positive about his tough-on-crime approach, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Indeed, the vast majority of Americans, 81%, see crime as a “major problem” in large cities — a concern Trump has seized on as he has deployed the National Guard to the District of Columbia and threatened to expand that model to cities across the country. And his overall approval rating has increased slightly, from 40% in July to 45% now. But the poll shows there is less public support for federal takeovers of local police departments, suggesting opinions could shift over the coming weeks or months, depending on how aggressively Trump pursues his threats. For now, many Republicans in particular feel extreme action needs to be taken, even as statistics show violent crime is down in Washington and across the nation following a coronavirus pandemic-era spike. “About damn time that somebody did something,” said Charles Arnold, 87, a lifelong Republican who lives in San Diego. Arnold, a retired electronics technician and veteran who served in the Navy, said that it had been jarring to see the National Guard being used for domestic law enforcement on U.S. soil but that the action seemed to be necessary. “That’s not what the armed forces are for. They shouldn’t be there. They shouldn’t have to be there. The police should be allowed to police,” he said. “I detest the thought that it needs to be done.” Handling crime is a strength for Trump About half of U.S. adults, 53%, say they approve of Trump’s handling of crime, the poll finds. That’s higher than his approval rating on the economy, immigration and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine — which are in line with his overall approval rating. Trump’s approach on crime is similarly popular among white and Hispanic adults, with roughly half in each group saying they approve of the way he’s handling the issue. Black adults, however, are substantially less likely to say they’re on board with Trump’s approach to crime, with just 27% in favor. Trump also garners much stronger support from independents on crime than on other issues. Roughly half of independents approve of his handling of crime, compared with about 3 in 10 who approve of his handling of the economy, immigration and the Russia-Ukraine war. Most think crime is a ‘major problem’ for large cities There’s broad agreement among Americans that crime is a significant issue in large cities, even with incident numbers in decline. That belief is especially pronounced among Republicans, nearly all of whom see crime as a significant problem in large cities. Roughly 7 in 10 independents and Democrats agree. Americans who live in urban areas are also more likely to say crime is a “major problem” in their own communities. They include Tiana Parker, 30, a liberal Democrat who lives in the suburbs of Seattle. Parker is dismayed by what Trump is doing in Washington, D.C. — and his presidency overall — but nonetheless calls crime “a major problem.” “I […]
Denmark’s foreign minister had the top U.S. diplomat in the country summoned for talks after the main national broadcaster reported Wednesday that at least three people with connections to President Donald Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland. Trump has repeatedly said he seeks U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, a vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. He has not ruled out military force to take control of the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island. Denmark, a NATO ally of the U.S., and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the U.S. gathering intelligence there. Danish public broadcaster DR reported Wednesday that government and security sources which it didn’t name, as well as unidentified sources in Greenland and the U.S., believe that at least three Americans with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in the territory. One of those people allegedly compiled a list of U.S.-friendly Greenlanders, collected names of people opposed to Trump and got locals to point out cases that could be used to cast Denmark in a bad light in American media. Two others have tried to nurture contacts with politicians, businesspeople and locals, according to the report. An influence operation is an organized effort to shape how people in a society think in order to achieve certain political, military or other objectives. DR said its story was based on information from a total of eight sources, who believe the goal is to weaken relations with Denmark from within Greenlandic society. DR said it had been unable to clarify whether the Americans were working at their own initiative or on orders from someone else. It said it knows their names but chose not to publish them in order to protect its sources. The Associated Press could not independently confirm the report. “We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a statement emailed by his ministry. “It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead.” “Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable,” Løkke Rasmussen said. “In that light, I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires for a meeting at the Ministry.” Cooperation between the governments of Denmark and Greenland “is close and based on mutual trust,” he added. The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Danish Security and Intelligence Service responded to a request for comment by saying it believes that “particularly in the current situation, Greenland is a target for influence campaigns of various kinds” that could aim to create divisions in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland. It said it “assesses that this could be done by exploiting existing or fabricated disagreements, for example in connection with well-known individual cases, or by promoting or amplifying certain viewpoints in Greenland regarding the Kingdom, the United States, or other countries with a particular interest in Greenland.” The service, known by its Danish acronym PET, said that in recent years it has “continuously strengthened” its efforts and presence in Greenland in cooperation with […]
A man who posed for years as a Chareidi Rav in Israel, officiating at chasunos and conversions and selling mezuzos, was exposed as a Christian missionary by the Yad L’Achim organization on Tuesday. The organization issued a statement that a man calling himself Ariel Katzenberg has been serving as a Rav for years while simultaneously performing Christian baptism ceremonies and converting Jews to Christianity. Katzenberg, who also delivered Torah shiurim, regularly marketed himself to newcomers to Israel, offering to produce documents proving their Judaism or “conversion” to Judaism for tens of thousands of shekels. He managed to produce documents with forged seals of well-known Batei Din, some claiming that the newcomers had undergone giyur in Israel approved by the Rabbanut. According to Yad L’Achim, Katzenberg first began posing as a Rav in Bnei Brak but was exposed as a fraud and fled to northern Israel, to Migdal HaEmek, Harish, and Tiveria. Yad L’Achim finally exposed Katzenberg by obtaining video footage showing him performing baptisms and presenting it to the police along with the forged documents he presented to Batei Din and demanding an investigation. “We demonstrated to the courts that the documents had been forged, and they were shocked,” says Rabbi Shimon Abergel, field coordinator for the organization’s counter-missionary department. Yad Achim did not provide details of Katzenberg’s background, but from past reports, it appears that his original name is Gonzalo Cabral and he grew up in Argentina. He moved to Israel as a young man and formed a relationship with an elderly Jewish woman, telling her (falsely) that his parents cut him off and he’s all alone in the world. The woman took him into her house and treated him like a son. Cabral took advantage of his relationship with the woman to portray himself as a Jew, using her distinctly Jewish name. He later changed his name again to Ariel Katzenberg. His background of infiltrating the Chareidi community many years ago explains how he was capable of posing as a Rav and delivering shiurim. Yad L’Achim did not explain why it took so long to expose Katzenberg, but it is possible that he underwent giyur in Israel, and until now, they lacked evidence that he was acting as a Christian missionary on the side. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Russia’s invading forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said Wednesday, seeking to capture more ground in their three-year war of attrition as U.S.-led peace efforts struggle to gain traction. Some Russian troops have entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a major Ukrainian industrial center next to the Donetsk region where fierce fighting has been taking place, Victor Trehubov, spokesman for local ground forces, told The Associated Press by phone. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed earlier this month that its forces had taken the two villages. But the Russians have not entrenched or built fortifications there, and fighting is continuing in the villages, Trehubov said. Ukrainian troops are under severe strain as they try to hold back Russia’s bigger army. Military analysts say there is no sign of a looming collapse of Ukrainian defenses and note that Russian forces have been unable to take major towns and cities, but their slow slog through rural areas keeps Ukraine under pressure. The front line, where tens of thousands of troops on both sides have been killed, snakes along roughly 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of eastern and southeastern Ukraine, which borders Russia. Russian forces are already in the Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. Russia illegally seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014, and now occupies about a fifth of Ukraine. Western leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian troops move deeper into Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump bristled Tuesday at Putin’s stalling on an American proposal for direct peace talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump said Friday he expects to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks aren’t scheduled. Ukraine has accepted U.S. proposals for a summit with Putin and a ceasefire. Russia has also balked at U.S. and Western plans to establish postwar security guarantees for Ukraine, which fears another Russian invasion in the future even if a peace deal is clinched now. The possible security guarantees being worked out by Western officials could include the deployment of European troops in Ukraine. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Wednesday that soldiers from NATO member countries would be unacceptable for Moscow. Ukraine is trying to disrupt Russia’s war effort by striking infrastructure behind the front line with ling-range drones. Gas stations have run dry in some regions of Russia after they struck refineries and other oil infrastructure in recent weeks. Russia, meanwhile, is continuing its campaign to cripple Ukraine’s energy supply ahead of the bitter winter by wrecking the power grid with repeated attacks. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said Wednesday that Russia struck energy and gas infrastructure in six regions of the country. (AP)
