Just over a day after blasting off, a SpaceX crew capsule arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday, delivering the replacements for NASA’s two stuck astronauts. The four newcomers — representing the U.S., Japan and Russia — will spend the next few days learning the station’s ins and outs from Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Then the two will strap into their own SpaceX capsule later this week, one that has been up there since last year, to close out an unexpected extended mission that began last June. Wilmore and Williams expected to be gone just a week when they launched on Boeing’s first astronaut flight. They hit the nine-month mark earlier this month. The Boeing Starliner capsule encountered so many problems that NASA insisted it come back empty, leaving its test pilots behind to wait for a SpaceX lift. Wilmore swung open the space station’s hatch and then rang the ship’s bell as the new arrivals floated in one by one and were greeted with hugs and handshakes. “It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,” Williams told Mission Control. Wilmore’s and Williams’ ride arrived back in late September with a downsized crew of two and two empty seats reserved for the leg back. But more delays resulted when their replacements’ brand new capsule needed extensive battery repairs. An older capsule took its place, pushing up their return by a couple weeks to mid-March. Weather permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams and two other astronauts will undock from the space station no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Florida’s coast. Until then, there will be 11 aboard the orbiting lab, representing the U.S., Russia and Japan. (AP)
In a dramatic move, Prime Minister Netanyahu called Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to an emergency meeting in his office, notifying him that the cabinet will hold a vote this week to remove him from his position, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. Hebrew media outlets report that the vote is slated to occur during a special cabinet session on Wednesday. Netanyahu has been maneuvering for months to push Bar out, allegedly aiming to pin the blame for the October 7 security lapses entirely on the intelligence and security leadership, while deflecting responsibility from the political echelon. STATEMENT FROM PM NETANYAHU: “Citizens of Israel, We are in the midst of a war for our very survival – a war on seven fronts. At any time, but especially during such an existential war, the Prime Minister must have complete confidence in the Director of the ISA. Unfortunately, however, the situation is the opposite: I do not have that confidence. I have a continuing lack of confidence in the Director of the ISA. Distrust that only grew with time. Due to this continuing lack of confidence, I have decided to submit a draft decision to the Government this week on concluding the service of the Director of the ISA. I wish to clarify: I have nothing but appreciation for the men and women of the ISA. They are doing important and dedicated work for the security of us all. As Prime Minister, who is responsible for the ISA, I am convinced that this step is crucial in order to restore the organization, to achieve all of our war objectives, and to prevent the next tragedy.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, Rosh Yeshiva of Gateshead, has thrown his full weight behind the Eretz HaKodesh movement, urging Shomrei Torah u’Mitzvos to sign up and take an active role in the World Zionist Organization (WZO) – countering baseless rumors that he is not supporting voting. One of the Ziknei Roshei Yeshiva of our generation, HaRav Gurwicz spent time learning by and being Meshamesh the Brisker Rav zt’l. The Rosh Yeshivas masterful Sefarim on the most complex Sugyas in Shas are considered staples amongst the Bnei Hayeshivos worldwide. This latest endorsement comes after Gedolei Yisroel—HaGaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and HaGaon R. Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita—paskened that Torah’dige Yidden can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while decisions affecting Yidden in Eretz Yisroel are being made by others. Rabbi Gurwicz had originally issued this call in 5782, but in his latest letter, dated Parshas Ki Sisa 5785, he’s making it clear that he holds voting in the WZO election is a chiyuv. Rabbi Gurwicz writes that just like Yidden need a say in the Israeli government, they also need a shtikl koach in the WZO, which plays a major role in determining policies affecting Torah, chinuch, and funding for mosdos ha’Torah. “It is necessary that the Government of the State of Israel should hear the opinion and the will of the Shomrei Torah u’Mitzvos public, and the same applies to the leaders of the World Zionist Organization,” the letter states. Simply put: if we’re not in the room, they’ll make decisions without us—l’raah. Of course, not everyone is on board. The idea of participanting in a Zionist organization—has been a matter of great debate. Some hold that any connection to the WZO is off-limits, no matter what. Others, though, say that if frum Yidden don’t step up, the anti-Torah crowd will have full control. The Eretz HaKodesh movement, which was created to bring a Torah’dige voice into the WZO, has already been making waves. Many rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and dayanim are behind it, saying it’s necessary hishtadlus. But there are those who hold that it’s a chillul Hashem to even give the WZO a second glance. “As something almost superfluous, I join my view to theirs, and I issue a public request to the Tzibbur of Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos that they should make every effort to register as members of the Eretz HaKodesh movement,” Rav Gurwicz writes. [Disclaimer: YWN does not take a position on this matter but is presenting the discussion for informational purposes.] (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Ordnance from Syria’s 13-year conflict exploded in the coastal city of Latakia, collapsing a building and killing more than a dozen people, the Syrian Civil Defense said Sunday. The paramedic group, known as the White Helmets, said it worked overnight, searching through debris and recovered 16 bodies, including five women and five children, and that 18 others were injured. The group and residents said the explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage space on the ground floor of the four-story building. The United Nations said in February that about a hundred have been killed from exploding ordnance during the last 13 years, adding that since the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices across Syria have been safely disposed of and 138 minefields and contaminated areas identified in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Lattakia. Latakia, a key port city, and Syria’s coastal province recently witnessed a surge in violence, after gunmen loyal to Assad ambushed a security patrol. While the government’s counter-offensive, alongside allied factions, crushed the insurgency, it led to widespread destruction and numerous cases of retaliatory attacks against members of the Alawite community, which the Assad family is part of. The clashes and revenge killings led to the deaths of more than 1,000 people. (AP)
