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BREAKING: According to Axios, Stephen Miller is now the top contender for President Trump’s new National Security Advisor.

CBS: “In April, Border Patrol made 8,400 migrant apprehensions… The last time the U.S. averaged fewer than 9,000 monthly apprehensions was in the late 1960s.”

President Donald Trump said Friday that he will revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status, the latest move in the escalating clash between the administration and the Ivy League school. “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. The president had previously suggested the university should lose its tax-exempt status. His latest statement came after Harvard sued the administration over its decision to freeze more than $2 billion in funding to the Ivy League school. The administration claimed the university was refusing to follow the administration’s demands that it take actions aimed at ending antisemitism on campus. “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump threatened in a Truth Social post last month. He added, “Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Responding to Trump’s announcement Friday, Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said that the government has “long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission” and that there was no legal basis to rescind its status. “The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing medical research, and technological advancements that drive economic growth,” he said. Newton added that revoking the university’s tax-exempt status “would endanger our ability to carry out our educational mission.” “It would result in diminished financial aid for students, abandonment of critical medical research programs, and lost opportunities for innovation,” he continued. “The unlawful use of this instrument more broadly would have grave consequences for the future of higher education in America.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a powerful letter, Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, rov of the Old City of Yerushalayim and noted posek, has issued a public call urging Torah Jews around the world to vote for the Eretz HaKodesh slate in the current WZO elections.

The rov describes Eretz HaKodesh as “a clear and strong voice from the bnei haYeshivos and the Torah-faithful communities who seek to increase holiness in the Land, to spread Torah and prayer, and to reinforce the voice of Torah that resonates throughout the batei midrash in Eretz Yisrael.”

He contrasts this effort with those who, in his words, “are attempting to import Diaspora-style Judaism via the Reform movements,” warning that such efforts are aimed at “combating those who work to preserve the values of Torah and the mesorah of Klal Yisrael.”

The letter ends with a resounding endorsement of participation and support: “Certainly, it is a great merit and obligation to join and vote for the Eretz HaKodesh movement, and to partner with its members and activists in strengthening their efforts.”

{Matzav.com}

A 70-year-old Jewish man was viciously assaulted on Wednesday night in the quiet French town of Anduze, near Alès. According to a report by Entrevue, the victim—wearing a kippah and tzitzis—was feeding stray cats in the street when a drunken man approached him and demanded money. When the elderly man refused, he attacked. Eyewitnesses say the attacker, a 45-year-old man known to local police for previous theft-related offenses, launched into a brutal assault—punching and kicking the defenseless victim while shouting antisemitic slurs, including “dirty Jew.” Local authorities arrested the suspect on Thursday morning. He was reportedly still intoxicated at the time of arrest and is currently in custody on charges of “violence and insults based on religious affiliation or non-affiliation.” The incident has once again raised worries over the safety of visibly Jewish individuals in public spaces in France, a country that has seen an alarming increase in antisemitic attacks in recent years. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The United States is pulling back from its role in brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to a statement Thursday from a senior State Department official.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters that the U.S. “will not be the mediators” going forward. Her comments reflect President Trump’s growing dissatisfaction with the stagnant negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian governments.

“We are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings,” Bruce said, emphasizing that while the U.S. still supports a peaceful resolution, it will no longer take the lead.

“It is now between the two parties, and now — now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end. It’s going to be up to them,” she stated.

Bruce noted that the Trump administration is increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has yet to follow through on his repeated claims of being prepared for peace.

“We are watching Putin’s actions, right, not his words. And in the process, he’s refined a very specific timeline. Weeks ago it was weeks; a few days ago it was days,” she said.

“This would be a pivotal week,” she added, hinting that a turning point may be approaching.

Her remarks came one day after the United States finalized a major mineral resource agreement with Ukraine, following two months of intense back-and-forth. The timing of the deal could further reduce Russia’s willingness to negotiate.

The agreement establishes a joint investment mechanism to which both Washington and Kyiv will contribute. Under the terms, the U.S. can count military supplies, technology, or training toward its share of the contributions.

Meanwhile, previously approved military aid packages from the Biden-era Congress are expected to be exhausted by next month. With Republicans controlling the House, it remains uncertain whether more assistance will be approved.

Despite the uncertainty over congressional funding, Ukraine has continued to purchase arms directly from American defense companies. On Tuesday, the State Department informed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that it had authorized a $50 million export license for weapons, technical data, and defense services to Kyiv.

Sources in Ukraine have told The NY Post that they’re hoping this minerals partnership may open the door to more direct weapons sales from the U.S.—a policy the American government has hesitated to embrace in the past.

Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he asked President Trump if the U.S. would sell up to 10 Patriot missile batteries—systems exclusively manufactured in America—for $15 billion. Trump declined the request.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both echoed the sentiment that any peace agreement will ultimately have to come from the warring sides themselves.

“It’s going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict,” Vance said in a Fox News appearance on “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

Vance went on to explain that the current military standoff shows little sign of changing. “It’s not going anywhere,” he said.

“It’s not going to end any time soon,” he added. “For the Ukrainians, yes, of course they are angry that they were invaded, but are we going to continue to lose thousands and thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory this or that way?”

Rubio, speaking in a separate interview on “Hannity,” remarked that unless substantial progress is made, President Trump “is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we’re going to dedicate to this.”

On Monday, the Kremlin announced a temporary 72-hour halt in combat operations to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. However, U.S. officials suspect the ceasefire is more about optics than genuine peacemaking.

The pause is scheduled to begin at midnight on May 8 and extend through May 10, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s 2026 budget plan would slash non-defense domestic spending by $163 billion while increasing expenditures on national security, according to White House statements Friday. The plan shows a desire to crack down on diversity programs and initiatives to address climate change. But it doesn’t include details about what Trump wants on income taxes, tariffs, entitlement programs or the budget deficit — a sign of the challenge confronting the president when he’s promising to cut taxes and repay the federal debt without doing major damage to economic growth. Budgets do not become law but serve as a touchstone for the upcoming fiscal year debates. Often considered a statement of values, this first budget since Trump’s return to the White House carries the added weight of defining the Republican president’s second-term pursuits, alongside his party in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the plan showed fiscal discipline given the problems of persistently high budget deficits. The budget released on Friday did not, in fact, include a forecast on government borrowing. “President Trump’s plan ensures every federal taxpayer dollar spent is used to serve the American people, not a bloated bureaucracy or partisan pet projects,” Johnson said. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the cuts could ultimately be more extreme than what the administration has proposed, noting that the budget doesn’t provide funding levels for programs such as Head Start. “President Trump has made his priorities clear as day: he wants to outright defund programs that help working Americans while he shovels massive tax breaks at billionaires like himself and raises taxes on middle-class Americans with his reckless tariffs,” Murray said. The budget seeks to cut discretionary spending by a total of 7.6% next year, but includes a 13% increase in national security spending. The State Department and international programs would lose 84% of their money and receive $9.6 billion, a cut that reflects the existing efforts by adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. The Housing and Urban Development Department would get a $33.6 billion cut, while the Health and Human Service Department would receive $33.3 trillion less and the Education Department’s spending would be reduced by $12 billion. The Defense Department would get an additional $113.3 billion and Homeland Security would receive $42.3 billion more. The IRS and FBI would lose money, while the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program would be ended. There would be $980 million less for college students in work-study programs, as well as similarly sized cuts for adult education and instruction for learning English. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would lose nearly $3.6 billion under the plan, while the National Institutes of Health would face a steep cut of almost $18 billion. The budget would eliminate more than $15 billion for infrastructure-related programs tied to climate change and $1.3 billion from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The White House budget plan arrives as Trump has unilaterally imposed what could hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases in the form of tariffs, setting off a trade war that has consumers, CEOs and foreign leaders worried about a possible economic downturn. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russell Vought, a chief architect of Project 2025, provided contours of a so-called skinny version of topline numbers only regarding discretionary […]

President Trump introduced his 2026 budget blueprint on Friday, laying out plans to slash $163 billion from a variety of government programs including education, foreign assistance, and environmental initiatives, while ramping up military spending past the $1 trillion threshold.

The proposed reductions to non-defense discretionary funding represent a 22.6% decrease compared to current appropriations, according to documents released by the White House.

At the same time, Trump is requesting a 13% increase in defense allocations, pushing the Department of Defense budget to $1.01 trillion. Additionally, the administration is asking for $175 billion to address border security, aiming to, as the budget puts it, “at long last, finally secure our border.”

Despite the administration’s proposal, Congress retains the responsibility of crafting its own version of the federal budget—a process that could take several months of negotiations.

The White House is making a concerted effort to see the budget passed quickly, with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles telling The Post that enacting Trump’s legislative priorities is the central focus for the coming half-year.

“We ought to have a budget by then which would contain virtually all of the president’s priorities,” Wiles said Tuesday, “which are the things that he campaigned on, and renewal of the Trump tax cuts.”

“And if, if that is all we do, which it won’t be. That is an enormous accomplishment, because it’s the framework for everything else we will work to do.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announced Friday that Harvard University will be losing its tax-exempt designation.

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” he posted on Truth Social.

This development follows the Trump administration’s recent decision to suspend $2.2 billion in federal grant money that had been allocated over several years. The suspension was in response to Harvard’s alleged failure to adequately address antisemitism and hate-related activity on its campus.

Earlier, Trump had suggested that Harvard’s continued promotion of “political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” could place its tax-exempt status in jeopardy.

“Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” he warned.

Being tax-exempt allows universities like Harvard to attract substantial donations from wealthy benefactors looking for tax deductions, and ensures that the institution doesn’t pay income tax on its net earnings.

However, current federal law bars the president and other top government officials from ordering or halting any IRS audits or investigations.

The administration has yet to explain the legal justification it plans to use in order to revoke Harvard’s tax exemption.

Harvard has long benefited from its tax-exempt designation, helping it accumulate the country’s largest university endowment, now estimated at $53 billion. In the 2024 fiscal year alone, the school reportedly generated $2.4 billion in earnings from that endowment.

That endowment is crucial to the school’s financial operations, reportedly covering nearly 38% of its $6.4 billion annual budget. Additionally, $686 million in yearly federal funds comprise about 16% of its total budget.

Should Harvard’s tax-exempt status be revoked and its endowment earnings be taxed at the corporate rate of 21% instead of the current 1.4%, the school could face a $525 million annual loss in available funds.

{Matzav.com}

For Ethel Caterham, the trick to a long life — and in her case, it really has been — is not to argue. Caterham, who is 115, became the world’s oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group, after Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun and teacher, died on Wednesday at the tender age of 116. “Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like,” she said from her nursing home in Surrey, southwest of London, on the secret to her longevity. She was born on Aug. 21, 1909, in the village of Shipton Bellinger in the south of England, five years before the outbreak of World War I. She was the second youngest of eight siblings. Travel has been in her blood, it’s clear. In 1927, at the age of 18, Caterham embarked on a journey to India, working as a nanny for a British family, where she stayed for three years before returning to England, according to the GRG. She met her husband Norman, who was a major in the British army, at a dinner party in 1931, and they were stationed in Hong Kong and Gibraltar, the GRG said. They had two daughters whom they raised in the U.K. Norman died in 1976. Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Camberley, where Caterham is a resident, posted pictures of her cutting a cake and wearing a “115” tiara in a Facebook post on Thursday. “Huge congratulations to Lakeview resident, Ethel on becoming the oldest person in the world! What an incredible milestone and a true testament to a life well-lived,” it said in an accompanying statement. “Your strength, spirit, and wisdom are an inspiration to us all. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable journey!” The title of the oldest person ever is held by French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years 164 days, according to Guinness World Records. (AP)

Jerusalem Hills wildfires update: Firefighters, supported by two Croatian firefighting aircraft, are in the final stage of extinguishing the blaze in Operation “Wall of Fire.”

President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that he plans to rebrand Veterans Day, calling it “Victory Day for World War I” as a tribute to what he described as America’s decisive military triumphs.

In a message posted late at night on Truth Social, Trump said the renaming effort is intended to spotlight America’s unmatched contributions in both global conflicts. He also proposed replacing the name “Victory in Europe Day,” observed on May 8, with “Victory in World War II Day,” asserting, “we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II.”

“We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything,” Trump wrote. “That’s because we don’t have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!”

The suggestion to change the name of Veterans Day comes as a surprise, considering the holiday’s origins. It was first introduced as Armistice Day after the end of World War I to honor the American soldiers who had served in that devastating war. During the 1950s, its scope was expanded to include all U.S. military veterans, encompassing those who had fought in World War II and the Korean War. It became an official federal holiday in 1968, and over time has come to commemorate veterans of numerous other conflicts, including those in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

May 8 is recognized as the date when Nazi Germany surrendered, marking the end of fighting in Europe. However, the war against Japan continued for several more months, concluding in September 1945 after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Unlike Veterans Day, Victory in Europe Day is not an official federal holiday in the United States.

Trump’s assertion that the United States played the most significant role in winning World War II is likely to provoke pushback, particularly from Russia, which highlights its immense wartime losses during what it calls the “Great Patriotic War.” Approximately 9 million Soviet soldiers and 19 million civilians were killed in battles against the Nazi regime on the Eastern Front. Britain also endured severe destruction during Germany’s prolonged bombing campaigns.

{Matzav.com}

VP Vance on Elon: “He’s not really exiting the stage. He’s not going to disappear, he’s still going to play a regular role. He’s just not going to be in Washington every single day. One of the biggest improvements in govt. efficiency, we’ve seen in the history”

Wild video shows a malfunction during a drone show causing hundreds of drones to come crashing to the ground.

Secretary LCD on the jobs report: “[President Trump] mentioned to the American people over and over again that the Golden Age was coming. I will tell you the Golden Age is here… This is another great jobs report… Better than expected.”

Canadian Prime Minister Carney is scheduled to hold talks with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Tsunami warnings ringing in southern Chile after 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Coastal areas are being evacuated.

Cybersecurity professionals are urgently advising Apple users to update their devices without delay following the discovery of a major security loophole in the company’s AirPlay technology, according to the New York Post. Researchers say the flaw could open the door for hackers to steal sensitive information, install malicious software, and even listen in on private conversations.

The vulnerability, dubbed “AirBorne,” exposes millions of Apple devices to potential threats. Experts explain that the issue allows cyber attackers to penetrate devices sharing the same Wi-Fi network — making places like coffee shops, office spaces, and airports particularly vulnerable.

AirPlay, which allows wireless media sharing across Apple products, relies on a software development kit (SDK) used in a wide array of electronics. Analysts warn that this exploit could provide intruders with access to various devices, such as iPhones, smart TVs, and infotainment systems in vehicles.

“Because AirPlay is supported in such a wide variety of devices, there are a lot that will take years to patch — or they will never be patched,” said Gal Elbaz, chief technology officer and co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity company Oligo, during an interview with Wired. “And it’s all because of vulnerabilities in one piece of software that affects everything.”

Security investigators identified 23 distinct flaws within the AirPlay system. Worryingly, the affected hardware could include older or idle devices that are still connected to a network — such as obsolete streaming boxes or Bluetooth speakers — which could serve as entry points for attackers.

“If a hacker can get on the same network as one of these devices, they can gain control and use it as a stepping stone to reach everything else,” Elbaz warned.

In response to the findings, Apple has released software updates to patch the vulnerabilities, and users are strongly urged to download the latest versions. However, products made by outside companies that rely on AirPlay integration have yet to be uniformly updated — a gap in protection that cybersecurity experts say could put users at continued risk.

“When third-party manufacturers integrate Apple technologies like AirPlay via an SDK, obviously Apple no longer has direct control over the hardware or the patching process,” said Patrick Wardle, CEO of Apple-centric security company DoubleYou. “If third-party vendors drag their feet — or skip updates entirely — it could leave users exposed and might chip away at consumer trust in the entire ‘Apple ecosystem.'”

To mitigate potential breaches, security specialists recommend Apple users update their iPhones and other Apple hardware as soon as possible and turn off AirPlay if it is not currently needed. Doing so could block a major vector for cyberattacks.

While Apple has worked swiftly to correct these issues within its own devices, analysts stress that the wider concern is the sheer number of non-Apple products that depend on AirPlay and may remain unprotected.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly four months after wildfires reduced thousands of Los Angeles-area homes to rubble and ash, some residents are starting to rebuild. In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, construction workers recently began placing wooden beams to frame a house on a lot where only a charred fireplace remains standing. In the seaside city of Malibu and foothills neighborhood of Altadena, many land parcels where homes once stood are being cleared of debris. Hundreds of homeowners have sought city or county approval for new home designs and other permits to eventually rebuild or repair damaged homes, though few have gotten the green light to break ground. Some 17,000 homes, businesses and other structures burned to the ground in the Jan. 7 fires. It’s uncertain how much will be rebuilt. Many homeowners will not be able to afford it, even those with insurance. Some are still trying to figure out whether it’s safe to return to their properties, given limited data on the degree to which toxins from the fires, including lead and asbestos, may have permeated their land. Roughly 400 land parcels are already for sale in the fire-ravaged areas. Facing overwhelming loss and the chaos that comes with sudden displacement, those looking to rebuild must navigate an often confusing and time-consuming process. In most cases, it will take years for them to rebuild. LA issued its first building permit nearly two months after the fires started. It took more than seven months before the first building permit was issued following the Woolsey Fire in 2018. “Putting this in context of other disasters, the speed is actually probably faster than expected,” said Sara McTarnaghan, a researcher at the Urban Institute who studied the aftermath of urban wildfires in recent years in Colorado, Hawaii and California. Resolving to rebuild in Altadena Kathryn Frazier, a music publicist and life coach, had lived in her four-bedroom, three-bath house in Altadena for 10 years and raised her two children there. After her home burned to the ground, she was in shock and questioned whether it made sense to come back. But after conversations with neighbors, she became determined to rebuild. “I’m not leaving,” Frazier said. “That’s what kept coming up for everybody, and the more we all talked to each other the more we were all like ‘hell yes.’” She is making progress. Frazier hired a crew to clear the property of debris and she is nearly through the first phase of permitting, which involves getting county review and approval for her new home’s design. The next phase before receiving approval to begin construction includes reviews of electrical, plumbing and other aspects of the design. Frazier, 55, is rebuilding her home without major changes to its size or location in order to qualify for an expedited building permit approval process. “We are hoping to be building by June or July, latest,” she said. “I’ve been told that maybe by February or March of 2026 we could be back in our home.” For now, Frazier is getting quotes on windows, skylights and other home fixtures in hopes of locking in prices before they go up as more construction projects ramp up, or in response to the Trump administration’s ongoing trade war. “I’m doing things like scouring Home Depot, finding slate tiles that look modern and beautiful, but they’re actually really cheap,” she said. Recreating […]

The White House has rolled out a new online hub highlighting a surge of announced investments pouring into the U.S. economy since President Donald Trump began his second term in office.

The website showcases 49 significant investment commitments from a broad spectrum of industries—ranging from technology and pharmaceuticals to energy and real estate.

In the tech world, Apple and Nvidia each unveiled plans to pour $500 billion into U.S. operations. A separate $500 billion commitment is being made through Stargate, a collaborative initiative between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. Meanwhile, IBM has pledged a $150 billion investment of its own.

The pharmaceutical industry also figures prominently in the list, with several major players committing tens of billions of dollars in investment. Among them:

• Johnson & Johnson: $55 billion
• Genentech (Roche): $50 billion
• Eli Lilly & Company: $27 billion
• Novartis: $23 billion
• AbbVie: $10 billion
• Merck: $9 billion

Major investments from other sectors include $21 billion from automotive powerhouse Hyundai, $20 billion from DAMAC Properties in real estate, and $25 billion jointly announced by ADQ and Energy Capital Partners.

While addressing a gathering of business leaders on Wednesday, Trump said he expects total investments during his second term to cross the $8 trillion mark within a matter of weeks.
“We have a total of close to $8 trillion all told,” he continued. “And there’s never been anything like that in this country; we’ve never had anything close. I would say, if you looked at the last administration, probably for four years, they did maybe less than $1 [trillion], and we’ve done almost $8 [trillion].”

Trump’s signature economic policies—tariff enforcement, sweeping deregulation, and major tax cuts—are widely seen as key drivers behind the tidal wave of new capital since January.

During remarks at the White House on Wednesday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang directly credited Trump’s role in bringing advanced manufacturing back to U.S. soil, as the company prepares to roll out a next-generation 70-pound processor.

“We’re going to build NVIDIA’s technology, the next generation of that, all here in the United States,” he said.

“Without the president’s leadership, his policies, his support, and, very importantly, his strong encouragement… frankly, manufacturing in the United States wouldn’t have accelerated to this pace,” Jensen added.

{Matzav.com}