A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule from the Biden administration that would have expanded access to overtime pay to millions more salaried workers across the U.S. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan sided with the state of Texas and a group of business organizations that argued the Labor Department exceeded its authority when it finalized a rule earlier this year to significantly expand overtime pay for salaried workers — ruling that the department could not prioritize employee wages over job duties when determining eligibility. Under the federal law, nearly all hourly workers in the U.S. are entitled to overtime pay after 40 hours a week. But many salaried workers are exempt from that requirement — unless they earn below a certain level. The Labor Department’s now-scuttled rule would have marked the biggest increase to that cap in decades. Employers were required pay overtime to salaried workers who make less than $43,888 a year in certain executive, administrative and professional roles as of July 1 — and that was set to rise to $58,656 next year. The Labor Department estimated that an additional 4 million lower-paid salary workers would become eligible for overtime protections in the first year under the new rule. An additional 292,900 higher-compensated workers were also expected to get overtime entitlements through separate threshold increases. Now, the previous threshold of $35,568 — which was set in 2019 under the Trump administration — is poised to go back into effect. A spokesperson for the Labor Department did not immediately comment when reached by The Associated Press Friday. It was unclear if the department would attempt to appeal the decision from Jordan, who was nominated to his seat by Republican President-elect Donald Trump during his first term. At the time of the rule’s finalization in April, acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su stated that the administration was “following through on our promise to raise the bar” — noting that it was “unacceptable” for lower-paid salaried workers to do the same job as their hourly counterparts with no additional pay. Following the finalization of this year’s rule, legal challenges bubbled up. A handful of trade groups argued the move would harm businesses and lead to costs that would potentially result in employers’ needing to cut jobs or limit their workers’ hours. David French, executive vice president of government relations for the National Retail Federation — one of the groups that challenged the Labor Department’s rule — maintained in a statement Friday that the changes “would have curtailed retailers’ ability to offer the most flexible, generous and tailored benefits packages to lower-level exempt employees across the industry.” Friday’s ruling is a bit of déjà vu. In 2016, an Obama-era effort to similarly expand overtime pay eligibility was ultimately shot down in court after facing pushback from some business leaders and Republican politicians. The Trump adminstration later brought a smaller raise through, marking the first increase since 2004. Advocates pushing for higher overtime pay have stressed that it’s far from enough — arguing that too many salaried workers are still cheated out of their time — but potential changes under Trump’s upcoming second term are unlikely to meet the level of those demands. (AP)
Dozens of Charedi protesters from the kehilla of Rabbi Tzvi Friedman demonstrated Sunday evening on Jabotinsky Street in Bnei Brak against the enforcement of mandatory military service. The protest follows the distribution of thousands of draft orders to yeshiva students starting today. Protesters blocked the intersection and clashed with police. At one point, police declared the demonstration illegal before taking action to disperse the protest. Despite the warning, protesters escalated into violent behavior, shouting inflammatory remarks such as “Nazis” and other derogatory terms at police officers. Mounted police units were deployed to clear the roadway, and officers arrested one individual for disorderly conduct. The demonstration caused significant traffic disruptions in the area. Police urged drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes. The Israel Police issued a statement saying: “The police will not tolerate public disturbances, obstruction of freedom of movement, or any behavior that endangers public safety.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A group of mice is called a nest, but what do you call 1,000 of them in one animal shelter? “Crippling,” said Lisa Dennison, executive director of the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is scrambling to care for an overwhelming influx of rapidly reproducing rodents. It all started Monday when a man arrived saying he wanted to give up 150 mice. But then he clarified: 150 containers of mice, not individual critters. He had 73 mice with him that day, and by Friday morning, about 450 had been transferred to the shelter. Another 500 or so were on the way. Lined up nose to tail, they’d span more than a football field. There’s enough to give one mouse to every member of the U.S. Congress and the 424-member New Hampshire Legislature combined. And the total is growing thanks to some basic biology. Female mice are sexually mature at roughly six weeks old, gestation lasts about 20 days, and they can mate again 24 hours later. “Even in the short time that we’ve had them, many of these mice have given birth,” Dennison said. “It’s an exponential problem that keeps growing.” Part of the shelter’s cat pavilion has been turned into a mouse hospital and hotel, with dozens of containers lined up on the floor, resting atop multiple tables and stacked on shelves. Just logging each mouse into the shelter’s database is a chore, never mind providing food, water and bedding. It’s a lot of work for a facility that at most once took in 125 animals in one day. “It does happen where you take a large number, but even when we took in 54 goats or we took in 39 cats, I mean, those are still large numbers, but much more manageable as you can imagine than hundreds and hundreds of mice,” Dennison said. Other shelters have agreed to take some of the mice, and some are being sent to foster homes as the shelter seeks donations of food supplies. About a dozen mice were ready for adoption Friday after being named by shelter staff and volunteers. Doug, Darrell, Dude and Deputy were waiting for homes in one tank. Others were given candy-inspired names — Butterfinger, Junior Mint and Milk Dud, to name a few. Elisha Murray heard about the shelter’s predicament from local news and decided to adopt four females named Kelly, Dee, Maxine and Eleven, despite having told her children last week, “No more rodents.” “We’ve always had small rodents as pets — rats, mice, hamsters, the whole nine — so I just figured I could help out,” she said. “We have the whole setup, everything I need at home already, so I figured, what the hell.” (AP)
Please read… I’m writing these words with tears in my eyes. My little son, Dudi, only two years old, is fighting a severe illness—leukemia. We are doing everything in our power to save him, but we need your help. There’s a series of surgeries that can save him, and the first surgery he needs is complex and very expensive. This is our chance to be a family… Otherwise, I can’t even bear to think about it. Of course, we believe and hope. Each day is filled with worry, but also with hope that good people will stand by our side. Your donation is our lifeline—you can’t imagine how much it means, and I wish that you’ll never be in this place. Please, help us save our child. Give Dudi a chance to live, to grow, and to experience the life every child deserves. Help us preserve our family. Donate now
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump and former senior White House adviser, is reportedly set to have a significant, albeit unofficial, role in shaping U.S. Middle East policy during Trump’s second term. Despite not holding a formal position within the administration, Kushner’s established relationships in the region could make him a central figure in diplomatic efforts, according to a CNN report on Friday. Kushner’s deep ties to Gulf leaders and Israeli officials, cultivated during Trump’s first term, have positioned him as a trusted intermediary. A Middle Eastern diplomat told CNN, “No one on the incoming team has what Jared has, and that is trust. Jared earned it, he didn’t have it at the beginning. He earned it. That takes time to build.” An Israeli source familiar with Kushner’s prior work echoed this sentiment, highlighting the value of his enduring relationships. “Friendships are forever in this region. My assumption is that his role is much more in his hands than anybody else’s,” the source said. After stepping away from politics following the 2020 election, Kushner founded an investment firm backed by Gulf sovereign wealth funds, including a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. These financial connections, coupled with his rapport with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, could enable Kushner to facilitate backchannel communications. Kushner is widely credited for his role in brokering the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. The second Trump administration is expected to prioritize expanding these agreements, with a potential landmark normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia at the forefront of its foreign policy agenda. Kushner’s involvement, even without an official title, could streamline U.S. efforts in the Middle East. His established trust with regional leaders may prove vital in advancing Trump’s diplomatic ambitions. As one diplomat noted, “Friendships and trust are the currency of diplomacy here.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Joe Biden has authorized the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike even deeper inside Russia, the latest easing of limitations meant to prevent the conflict from further spiraling, according to one U.S. official and three people familiar with the matter. The decision allowing Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs, for attacks farther into Russia comes as thousands of North Korean troops have been sent into a region along Ukraine’s northern border to help Russia retake ground and as President-elect Donald Trump has said he would bring about a swift end to the war, expressing skepticism over continued support by the United States. The weapons are likely to be used in response to the decision by North Korea to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to one of the people. The official and the people familiar with the matter were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and many of his Western supporters have been pressing Biden for months to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia with Western-supplied missiles, saying the U.S. ban had made it impossible for Ukraine to try to stop Russian attacks on its cities and electrical grids. Some supporters have argued that this and other U.S. constraints could cost Ukraine the war. The debate has become a source of disagreement among Ukraine’s NATO allies. Biden had remained opposed, determined to hold the line against any escalation that he felt could draw the U.S. and other NATO members into direct conflict with Russia. But North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to Russia to help Moscow try to claw back land in the Kursk border region that Ukraine seized this year. The introduction of North Korean troops to the conflict comes as Moscow has seen a favorable shift in momentum. Trump has signaled that he could push Ukraine to agree to give up some land seized by Russia to find an end to the conflict. As many as 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian assessments. U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials say North Korea also has provided Russia with significant amounts of munitions to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles. Trump, who takes office in January, spoke for months as a candidate about wanting Russia’s war in Ukraine to be over, but he mostly ducked questions about whether he wanted U.S. ally Ukraine to win. He also repeatedly slammed the Biden administration for giving Kyiv tens of billions of dollars in aid. His election victory has Ukraine’s international backers worrying that any rushed settlement would mostly benefit Putin. America is Ukraine’s most valuable ally in the war, providing more than $56.2 billion in security assistance since Russian forces invaded in February 2022. Worried about Russia’s response, however, the Biden administration repeatedly has delayed providing some specific advanced weapons sought by Ukraine, only agreeing under pressure from Ukraine and in consultation with allies, after long denying such a request. That includes initially refusing Zelenskyy’s pleas for advanced tanks, Patriot air defense systems, F-16 fighter jets, among other systems. The White House agreed in May to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS for limited strikes just across the […]
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Karoline Leavitt, his campaign press secretary, to serve as his White House press secretary. Leavitt, 27, currently a spokesperson for Trump’s transition, would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Previously that distinction went to Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the position in 1969 in Richard Nixon’s administration. “Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said in a statement. “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator. I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we Make America Great Again.” Leavitt replied in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored. Let’s MAGA,” the acronym for “Make America Great Again.” The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Trump disrupted those norms in his first term, preferring to serve as his own chief spokesperson. While he was president from 2017 to 2021, Trump had four press secretaries but frequently preferred to engage directly with the public, from his rallies, social media posts and his own briefings. At a news conference this past August, Trump was asked if he’d have regular press briefings in his new administration. He told reporters, “I will give you total access and you’ll have a lot of press briefings and you’ll have, uh, from me.” When it came to a press secretary, he said: “Probably they’ll do something. If it’s not daily, it’s going to be a lot. You’ll have more than you want.” Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, is seen as a staunch and camera-ready advocate for Trump who is quick on her feet and delivers aggressive defenses of the Republican in television interviews. She worked as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to incumbent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. During Trump’s first term in office, Leavitt worked in the White House press office. She then became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, whom Trump has tapped to serve as his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Trump’s first press secretaries, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, were known for quarreling with reporters. Another, Stephanie Grisham, never held a briefing. Her successor, Kayleigh McEnany, often lectured the news media during her appearances in the White House press briefing room. (AP)
The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Thursday ordered three suspects accused of firing flares near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence to remain in custody for five days. The suspects were arrested following an investigation by police and the Shin Bet security service, who had requested a 12-day detention. The court opted for a shorter duration, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. A gag order issued by the court prohibits the publication of the suspects’ identities or details about the investigation for the next 30 days. However, reports in Hebrew-language media indicate that the individuals are senior members of the anti-government protest movement. The alleged incident has drawn significant public attention, coming amid heightened tensions surrounding ongoing demonstrations against Netanyahu’s government. Neither the police nor the Shin Bet have released further details about the suspects or the exact circumstances of the case. Authorities are expected to continue their investigation while the suspects remain in custody. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
by Rabbi Yair Hoffman Early Life and Family Legacy In the heart of Jerusalem, at 107 Rechov Uziel, lived a man whose very presence radiated the hadras panim (spiritual countenance) of a previous generation. Rav Moshe Shapira zt”l was a unique fusion of extraordinary breadth and depth in Torah knowledge, combined with an unwavering commitment to nurturing individual souls. His life exemplified how ancient wisdom could illuminate modern challenges while maintaining absolute clarity of vision despite the shifting winds of contemporary culture. Born in Tel Aviv in 1935 to Rav Meir Yitzchok Shapira, a great-nephew of the Alter of Kelm, young Moshe inherited a legacy of superhuman discipline and devotion to Torah. His father’s remarkable habit of rising precisely at 2 a.m. each day to learn – a practice that continued even during his final days in a coma – set the tone for Rav Moshe’s own lifelong dedication to maximizing every moment for Torah study. Early Torah Education By age eleven, he was already learning at the fledgling Ohr Yisrael Yeshiva in Petach Tikvah, studying under giants like Rav Yaakov Neiman and Rav Yosef Rozovsky. His journey through the great yeshivos – Ponevezh, Chevron, Beis Yehuda, Kamenitz, and the Mir – was marked by constant growth and reinvention. Even as a young man in Ponevezh, his peers, many years his senior, would seek his help in understanding complex sugyos. After the age of Bar Mitzvah, he stayed in Rav Dessler’s house. By the time he was 16, he had already learned Shaarei Kedusha with Rav Dessler. He was 18 years old when Rav Dessler was Niftar. Unique Breadth of Knowledge What set Rav Moshe apart was not just his mastery of Shas and poskim, but his extraordinary grasp of the deeper dimensions of Torah. As his future father-in-law discovered during his pre-marriage testing, Rav Moshe knew the works of the Maharal with the same depth and clarity as he knew Shas. This combination of revealed and hidden Torah would become his hallmark, allowing him to illuminate contemporary events through the lens of eternal wisdom. Teaching Legacy Throughout his forty years of teaching, Rav Moshe maintained a punishing schedule of 30-40 shiurim per week, yet never compromised on depth or preparation. He demanded excellence from his talmidim, expecting them to thoroughly prepare their questions and continuously push beyond their perceived limitations. His teaching method was not just about transmitting information, but about training minds to think deeply and independently. Reaching Every Soul Perhaps most remarkable was his ability to connect with souls across the spectrum of Jewish life. From the most accomplished scholars to Russian students who had never heard of Yetzias Mitzrayim, from linguistics professors at Hebrew University to special needs children, Rav Moshe found ways to illuminate Torah at every level. He turned down offers to head prestigious yeshivos, choosing instead to work with students who didn’t fit into the standard system. Impact on Russian Jewry His impact on Russian Jewry was particularly profound. In his later years, he chose to spend Pesach at Yeshiva Toras Chaim in Moscow, explaining that nowhere else could he find students who progressed from complete ignorance of Judaism to asking sophisticated questions from Rav Akiva Eiger within a single year. He saw in these students’ mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) a reflection of Judaism’s […]
A French court on Friday granted the conditional release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a Lebanese terrorist imprisoned since 1984 for his role in the murders of Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov and U.S. military attaché Col. Charles Ray in Paris. Abdallah, now 73, was convicted in 1987 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The decision to release him, set for December 6, is contingent upon his permanent departure from French territory. France’s antiterrorism prosecutor plans to appeal the ruling, a spokesperson confirmed to AFP. “In [a] decision dated today, the court granted Georges Ibrahim Abdallah conditional release from December 6, subject to the condition that he leaves French territory and not appear there again,” prosecutors said in a statement quoted by AFP. This is not the first time Abdallah’s release has been ordered. In 2013, a parole committee approved his release, but it was blocked when France’s then-interior minister declined to authorize his deportation. The latest ruling by the tribunal d’application des peines, which oversees prisoner sentences, bypasses the need for government approval, potentially removing the prior barrier to his release. Abdallah was linked to the Marxist-Leninist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine before founding the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF), a splinter group responsible for several terrorist attacks. In March 1982, an accomplice of Abdallah shot Barsimantov, the second secretary of Israel’s embassy in France, three times in the head in front of his wife and 8-year-old daughter. Although the shooter was never apprehended, the murder was traced back to Abdallah. Abdallah maintains that his actions were part of a political struggle for Palestinian rights, refusing to express remorse. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Chris Wright, a campaign donor and fossil fuel executive, to serve as energy secretary in his upcoming, second administration. CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking, a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change, and could give fossil fuels a boost, including quick action to end a year-long pause on natural gas export approvals by the Biden administration. Frequently criticizing what he calls a “top-down” approach to climate by liberal and left-wing groups, Wright has argued that the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” He has never served in government, but has written that more fossil fuel production is needed around the globe to lift people out of poverty. Consideration of Wright to head the administration’s energy department won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Hamm helped organize an event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in April where Trump reportedly asked industry leaders and lobbyists to donate $1 billion to Trump’s campaign, with the expectation that Trump would curtail environmental regulations if reelected. Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas industry’s top lobbying group, said Wright’s experience in the energy sector “gives him an important perspective that will inform his leadership” of the Energy Department. “We look forward to working with him once confirmed to bolster American geopolitical strength by lifting DOE’s pause on LNG export permits and ensuring the open access of American energy for our allies around the world,” Sommers said. Jackie Wong, senior vice president for climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, called Wright “a champion of dirty fossil fuels” and said his nomination to lead the Energy Department was “a disastrous mistake.” “The Energy Department should be doing all it can to develop and expand the energy sources of the 21st century, not trying to promote the dirty fuels of the last century,” Wong said. “Given the devastating impacts of climate-fueled disasters, DOE’s core mission of researching and promoting cleaner energy solutions is more important now than ever.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. The agency is in charge of maintaining the country’s nuclear weapons, oversees 17 national research laboratories and approves natural gas exports, as well as ensuring environmental cleanup of the nation’s nuclear weapons complex. It also promotes scientific and technological research. Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, who is expected to become chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Trump promised bold choices for his Cabinet, and Wright’s nomination delivers. “He’s s an energy innovator who laid the foundation for America’s fracking boom. After four years of America last energy policy, our country is desperate for a secretary who understands how important American energy is to our economy and our national security,″ Barrasso said. If confirmed, Wright will join North Dakota Gov. […]
A stabbing attack at a vocational school in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi on Saturday left eight people dead and 17 others injured, local police said. The attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing, a smaller city within Wuxi, at around 6:30 p.m. local time, the Yixing police said in a statement. The suspect, a 21-year old male student surnamed Xu, was detained on site. Police said Wu had failed his examinations and could not graduate, and that he was dissatisfied about his pay at an internship. He decided to vent his frustrations via the attack, the statement said. Videos circulating on Western social media platforms like X showed injured people lying on the street after the attack while others rushed to help. On Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, keyword searches of the attack turn up the police statement but no videos or images related to the attack. The Chinese government often censors internet content if it’s deemed overly sensitive or political. Most Western social media sites and search engines like Google are blocked behind what’s commonly known as the Great Firewall, which regulates what is accessible within China. This is the second deadly attack within a week after a man drove his car into people at a sports facility in the southern city of Zhuhai, leaving 35 people dead and injured 43 others. China has seen a number of attacks in which suspects appear to target members of the public at random. In October, a man was detained after he allegedly attacked children with a knife at a school in Beijing. Five people were wounded. In September, three people were killed in a knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket, and 15 others were injured. Police said at the time that the suspect had personal financial disputes and came to Shanghai to “vent his anger.” The same month, a Japanese schoolboy died after being stabbed on his way to school in the southern city of Shenzhen. (AP)
“Telling your wife your needs and wants” is a complete waste of time for married men who want happiness and I’ll tell you why. So many marriage experts claim they have the secret to a happy marriage and that it all comes down to communication, boundaries and bringing in more money. They tell you to help out more at home, talk about the past, go together to a marriage professional but never stop to take inventory of whether ANY of these methods are actually WORKING in creating happiness and joy! I am not saying those strategies don’t work at all, but they are the long… slow… painful way of having a happy home. And for the few that make it with these strategies, they’ve done it while he doesn’t get what he needs, and she doesn’t get what she needs. Meanwhile, we’re helping our clients connect with their wives on the highest level, living lives full of happiness and excitement and it gets more and more joyful by the day where both husband and wife feel happiness and excitement… … all without needing their wife to meet them halfway! To check out how they do this, click below to watch my free presentation where I share all the details … you’re going to thank me for it! 5 Steps Married Men Use to Get Rid of Friction and Create Happiness and Excitement… Without Needing Their Wife to Meet Them Halfway!
Hamas political leaders have left Qatar and have moved to Turkey, Kan News reported on Sunday night, following reports earlier this month that Qatar has ordered Hamas leaders to leave the country. The report quoted an Israeli official who said that Hamas officials flew to Turkey “in recent days.” According to the report, the move is expected to affect negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who viciously turned against the Jewish state following October 7, told the media last week that Turkey has cut all ties with Israel. Prior to October 7, Erdogan had launched efforts to repair ties with Israel and under pressure from Jerusalem, took steps to expel members of Hamas’s military wing from the country. Last week, Kan reported that the US, who pressured Qatar to expel Hamas leaders, conveyed a message to Turkey not to accept the Hamas leaders. A US official told Kan that Hamas leaders are not welcome in any country that is a partner of the US. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic sold at auction for nearly $2 million, setting a record for memorabilia from the ship wreck. The 18-carat Tiffany & Co. watch was given by three women survivors to Capt. Arthur Rostron for diverting his passenger ship, the RMS Carpathia, to save them and others after the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the north Atlantic on its maiden voyage in 1912. Auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son, who sold the watch to a private collector in the United States on Saturday for 1.56 million British pounds, said it’s the most paid for a piece of Titanic memorabilia. The price includes taxes and fees paid by the buyer. The watch was given to Rostron by the widow of John Jacob Astor, the richest man to die in the disaster, and the widows of two other wealthy businessmen who went down with the ship. Astor’s pocket watch, which was on his body when it was recovered seven days after the ship sank, had previously set the record for the highest price paid for a Titanic keepsake, fetching nearly $1.5 million (1.17 million pounds) from the same auction house in April. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the fact that Titanic memorabilia has set two records this year demonstrates the enduring fascination with the story and the value of the dwindling supply and high demand for ship artifacts. “Every man, woman and child had a story to tell, and those stories are told over a century later through the memorabilia,” he said. Rostron was hailed a hero for his actions the night the Titanic sank and his crew was recognized for their bravery. The Carpathia was sailing from New York to the Mediterranean Sea when a radio operator heard a distress call from the Titanic in the early hours of April 15, 1912 and woke Rostron in his cabin. He turned his boat around and headed at full steam toward the doomed vessel, navigating through ice bergs to get there. By the time the Carpathia arrived, the Titanic had sunk and 1,500 people perished. But the crew located 20 lifeboats and rescued more than 700 passengers and took them back to New York. Rostron was awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal by President William Howard Taft and was later knighted by King George V. Madeleine Astor, who had been helped into a lifeboat by her husband, presented the watch to Rostron at a luncheon at her mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York. The inscription says it was given “with the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of three survivors.” It lists Mrs. John B. Thayer and Mrs. George D. Widener alongside Astor’s married name. “It was presented principally in gratitude for Rostron’s bravery in saving those lives,” Aldridge said. “Without Mr. Rostron, those 700 people wouldn’t have made it.” (AP)
Walk into any supermarket and you can generally buy a banana for less than $1. But a banana duct-taped to a wall? That might sell for more than $1 million at an upcoming auction at Sotheby’s in New York. The yellow banana fixed to the white wall with silver duct tape is a work entitled “Comedian,” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It first debuted in 2019 as an edition of three fruits at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair, where it became a much-discussed sensation. Was it a prank? A commentary on the state of the art world? Another artist took the banana off the wall and ate it. A backup banana was brought in. Selfie-seeking crowds became so thick, “Comedian” was withdrawn from view, but three editions of it sold for between $120,000 and $150,000, according to Perrotin gallery. Now, the conceptual artwork has an estimated value of between $1 million and $1.5 million at Sotheby’s auction on Nov. 20. Sotheby’s head of contemporary art, David Galperin, calls it profound and provocative. “What Cattelan is really doing is turning a mirror to the contemporary art world and asking questions, provoking thought about how we ascribe value to artworks, what we define as an artwork,” Galperin said. Bidders won’t be buying the same fruit that was on display in Miami. Those bananas are long gone. Sotheby’s says the fruit always was meant to be replaced regularly, along with the tape. “What you buy when you buy Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’ is not the banana itself, but a certificate of authenticity that grants the owner the permission and authority to reproduce this banana and duct tape on their wall as an original artwork by Maurizio Cattelan,” Galperin said. The very title of the piece suggests Cattelan himself likely didn’t intend for it to be taken seriously. But Chloé Cooper Jones, an assistant professor at the Columbia University School of the Arts, said it is worth thinking about the context. Cattelan premiered the work at an art fair, visited by well-off art collectors, where “Comedian” was sure to get a lot of attention on social media. That might mean the art constituted a dare, of sorts, to the collectors to invest in something absurd, she said. If “Comedian” is just a tool for understanding the insular, capitalist, art-collecting world, Cooper Jones said, “it’s not that interesting of an idea.” But she thinks it might go beyond poking fun at rich people. Cattelan is often thought of a “trickster artist,” she said. “But his work is often at the intersection of the sort of humor and the deeply macabre. He’s quite often looking at ways of provoking us, not just for the sake of provocation, but to ask us to look into some of the sort of darkest parts of history and of ourselves.” And there is a dark side to the banana, a fruit with a history entangled with imperialism, labor exploitation and corporate power. “It would be hard to come up with a better, simple symbol of global trade and all of its exploitations than the banana,” Cooper Jones said. If “Comedian” is about making people think about their moral complicity in the production of objects they take for granted, then it’s “at least a more useful tool or it’s at least an […]
The Pentagon failed its seventh consecutive audit on Friday, unable to fully account for its $824 billion budget. Despite the outcome, officials expressed optimism, asserting that the Department of Defense (DoD) is making strides in understanding and addressing its financial management challenges. The latest audit, conducted by independent public accountants and the DoD Office of Inspector General, resulted in a “disclaimer of opinion,” meaning auditors lacked sufficient information to form a definitive assessment of the agency’s accounts. Of the DoD’s 28 reporting entities subjected to standalone audits, nine received unmodified opinions, indicating full compliance; one received a qualified opinion, indicating minor discrepancies; 15 received disclaimers; and three opinions are still pending, according to a Pentagon statement. Michael McCord, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer, acknowledged the challenges but remained optimistic, noting that the department “has turned a corner” in its financial reform efforts. “Momentum is on our side, and throughout the Department there is strong commitment—and belief in our ability—to achieve an unmodified audit opinion,” McCord said. The goal of achieving a clean audit by 2028 is mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act. McCord insisted that the audit result wasn’t a failure, noting that nearly half of the Pentagon’s reporting entities received positive opinions. “If someone had a report card that is half good and half not good, I don’t know that you call the student or the report card a failure,” he stunningly told reporters at a briefing. “Significant work remains and challenges lie ahead, but our annual audit continues to be a catalyst for Department-wide financial management reform, resulting in greater financial integrity, transparency, and better-supported warfighters,” he added. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The U.S. antitrust watchdogs that pounced on Big Tech and deterred corporate deal making throughout President Joe Biden’s administration may be kept on a shorter leash by Donald Trump after he returns to the White House next year. Although regulators began cracking down on tech powerhouses such as Google and Facebook during Trump’s first term as president, most experts expect his second administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to mergers and deal-making after years of hypervigilance under Biden’s watch. One of the biggest reasons underlying the anticipated pivot stems from the widespread belief that the chief architects of the Biden administration’s get-tougher stance — Lina Khan of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s Jonathan Kanter — won’t be part of the Trump regime. Both the Justice Department and FTC didn’t respond to request for comment. Trump’s announcement of billionaire Elon Musk, who once anointed himself as “Technoking,” to oversee an advisory effort focused on slashing government spending could end up reducing the staffs and regulators trying to rein in deep-pocketed companies. And Trump’s nomination of combative supporter Matt Gaetz to be U.S. Attorney General has thrown even more uncertainty into the game. Gaetz has previously lashed out at social media platforms’ policies he claims suppress conservative views, and has, at times, joined in on calls to break up Big Tech. He also has a track record of supporting causes trumpeted by Trump. “There are going to be some profound changes” in antitrust policies, predicts John Kwoka, an economics professor at Northeastern University that has periodically worked on antitrust issues with the FTC and Justice Department. “Elon Musk could end up having a larger-than-life influence on policy, and that isn’t something we have seen before, where a single person whispers in the ear of the President.” Other experts interviewed by The Associated Press mostly agree with Kwoka’s sentiments. But they also believe it’s highly unlikely the anticipated shift will result in regulators abandoning existing antitrust cases against Big Tech firms, partly because those legal showdowns coalesce with populist worries about the industry’s increasing power and influence on people’s lives. “We are in uncharted territory, but the idea of going up against Big Tech still has legs to it,” said Rebecca Allensworth, a Vanderbilt University law professor who tracks antitrust issues. But the changing of the guard may open a door for Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook to avert prolonged court battles and negotiate settlements under a president that relishes in deal making. “Maybe Big Tech should buy a copy of ‘The Art of The Deal’ to figure out how to best negotiate with this administration,” suggested Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “I won’t be surprised if they find ways to reach some accommodations and we end up seeing more negotiated resolutions and consent decrees.” While the fate of existing antitrust cases remains in a realm of pure speculation, almost everyone is betting the Trump administration will be more receptive to mergers that typically come with a promise of lower costs and other benefits for consumers. The stage is set for “a golden era for deal flow among public and private tech players over the next 12 to 18 months,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote in […]
As reported by YWN earlier this week, a disturbing video surfaced showing two individuals on a motorcycle swiping a yarmulke off the head of a Jewish man crossing a Staten Island street. The footage, initially shared by Staten Island Shomrim, captured the brazen act, with the riders speeding away after their offensive behavior. The Shomrim group posted the video on X (formerly Twitter), calling on the public to assist in identifying the suspects. “Help us apprehend these individuals. Wanted for a despicable act of pushing a Kippah off a Jewish man’s head,” their statement read. They urged anyone with information to contact the NYPD’s 121st Precinct Detective Squad or the Shomrim hotline. On Friday, November 15, at approximately 1:15 PM, Staten Island Shomrim received a critical tip from a concerned mother. Her son, who was on the boardwalk along Capodanno Boulevard, recognized two individuals matching the description of the suspects highlighted in Shomrim’s earlier alerts. The NYPD’s 122nd Precinct was immediately notified, and officers swiftly responded to the scene alongside other units. NYPD’s Staten Island Warrant Squad also joined the effort after hearing the call on police radio. The Warrant Squad spotted the suspects on the boardwalk and coordinated a large-scale response to block all escape routes. Within minutes, at approximately 1:30 PM, the two individuals were taken into custody. Further investigation revealed that the suspects were wanted for multiple other crimes, including a stabbing , in addition to the hate crime targeting the Jewish man in the Willowbrook area. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the U.S. intelligence services, in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s main justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. Moscow claimed Ukraine was using the labs to create deadly bioweapons similar to COVID-19 that could be used against Russia, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin had no choice but to invade neighboring Ukraine to protect his country. In fact, the labs are public and part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons. Gabbard, a military veteran and a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, later said she wasn’t accusing the United States or Ukraine of anything nefarious and was just voicing concerns about protecting the labs. But to critics in the U.S., including lawmakers in both parties, the comments showed a disturbing willingness to parrot Russian propaganda — a tendency that has earned Gabbard praise on Russian state TV. Gabbard’s past comments supportive of Russia — as well as secret meetings with Syria’s president, a close ally of Russia and Iran — are attracting fresh scrutiny from Democrats and national security analysts who fear that as Trump’s director of national intelligence she could give Russia a major win, undercut Ukraine, weaken U.S. national security and endanger intelligence ties with allies. “Gabbard, like Gaetz, is like a hand grenade ready to explode,” former Trump national security adviser John Bolton said, speaking of Matt Gaetz, the former Florida congressman who is Trump’s pick for attorney general. “Republicans who throw themselves on those grenades for Donald Trump are risking their own personal reputations and places in history.” Gabbard says American assistance for Ukraine jeopardizes global security by antagonizing Russia. She has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as corrupt and has expressed sympathy for Russia’s position, given Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, the Western military alliance. “This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns,” she posted on Twitter at the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022. Democrats say Gabbard’s comments signify a pro-Russian bent that poses a problem for U.S. national security if she is confirmed by the Senate. “Do you really want her to have all of the secrets of the United States and our defense intelligence agencies when she has so clearly been in Putin’s pocket?” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said on MSNBC. “That just has to be a hard no.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. Gabbard and the Trump transition team did not respond to questions seeking comment. She has in the past defended her actions and said her military service — she has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades and deployed to Iraq and Kuwait — has made her skeptical about military interventions. Gabbard also has defended Trump’s relationship with autocrats such as Putin, saying it shows Trump has “the courage to meet with adversaries, dictators, allies and partners alike in the pursuit of peace, seeing war as a last resort.” Gabbard’s own meetings with Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017 angered many of her then-fellow Democrats. They […]
