House Republicans are preparing a sweeping budget package that will allocate $68.8 billion toward border security efforts, including funding for new border and immigration agents as well as construction of the border wall.
The package details extensive spending initiatives aimed at strengthening the U.S. border — fulfilling one of President Trump’s major campaign promises — while also focusing on removing millions of illegal migrants who were permitted entry under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Security funding is particularly critical in advance of major international events that the U.S. will host in the coming years, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The plan calls for $1 billion in security spending for the Olympics and $625 million for the World Cup.
According to a report first published by Fox News Digital, the $68.8 billion in border-related spending will include:
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$46.5 billion for a comprehensive “border barrier system.”
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$5 billion to bolster facilities and staffing for Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
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$4.1 billion to strengthen frontline personnel, with $2 billion designated for retention and recruitment bonuses.
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$813 million toward upgrading CBP vehicles.
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$2.7 billion for advanced technology such as sensors, drones, radar, and remote surveillance systems.
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$673 million to expand biometric systems for tracking illegal migrants inside the U.S.
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Over $1 billion for enhanced air and maritime surveillance capabilities.
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$500 million to target and dismantle drug-smuggling operations by Mexican cartels.
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$1 million in support for American citizens victimized by crimes committed by illegal migrants.
The Trump team has touted its success in reducing illegal immigration without relying on large border security funding bills, noting that the biggest change needed was “just a new president.”
Nevertheless, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan warned that without new funding, the hard-earned progress could be jeopardized.
“Failure to pass the above spending will undo all the Trump administration’s massive successes,” the DHS stated in a memo circulated to House and Senate Republicans earlier this month.
Thanks to budget reconciliation rules in the Senate, Republicans — despite holding only a slim majority — can pass spending, tax, and debt-related legislation with just 51 votes.
The first major budget bill promised by President Trump will not only focus on border security, but will also aim to make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Originally set to expire during this term, the tax cuts are central to Trump’s economic agenda, along with new measures to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime wages, and Social Security benefits — key promises from his re-election campaign.
{Matzav.com}
Elon Musk spent years building cachet as a business titan and tech visionary, brushing aside critics and skeptics to become the richest person on the planet. But as Musk gained power in Washington in recent months, his popularity has waned, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 33% of U.S. adults have a favorable view of Musk, the chain-saw-wielding, late-night-posting, campaign-hat-wearing public face of President Donald Trump’s efforts to downsize and overhaul the federal government. That share is down from 41% in December. “It was a shame that he crashed and burned his reputation,” said Ernest Pereira, 27, a Democrat who works as a lab technician in North Carolina. “He bought into his own hype.” The poll found that about two-thirds of adults believe Musk has held too much influence over the federal government during the past few months — although that influence may be coming to an end. The billionaire entrepreneur is expected to leave his administration job in the coming weeks. Musk is noticeably less popular than the overall effort to pare back the government workforce, which Trump has described as bloated and corrupt. About half of U.S. adults believe the Republican president has gone too far on reducing the size of the federal workforce, while roughly 3 in 10 think he is on target and 14% want him to go even further. Retiree Susan Wolf, 75, of Pennsylvania, believes the federal government is too big but Musk has “made a mess of everything.” “I don’t trust him,” she said. “I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.” Wolf, who is not registered with a political party, said Musk’s private sector success does not translate to Washington. “He thinks you run a government like you run a business. And you don’t do that,” she said. “One is for the benefit of the people, and the other is for the benefit of the corporation.” Much of the downsizing has been done through so-called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which was Musk’s brainchild during last year’s campaign. Thousands of federal employees have been fired or pushed to quit, contracts have been canceled and entire agencies have been brought to a standstill. Musk has succeeded in providing a dose of shock therapy to the federal government, but he has fallen short of other goals. After talking about cutting spending by $1 trillion, he has set a much lower target of $150 billion. Even reaching that amount could prove challenging, and DOGE has regularly overstated its progress. He is expected to start dedicating more time to Tesla, his electric automaker that has suffered plummeting revenue while he was working for Trump. Musk told investors on a recent conference call that “now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” he expects to spend just “a day or two per week on government matters.” Musk, in his work for the administration, has continued a political evolution toward the right. Although the South African-born entrepreneur was never easy to categorize ideologically, he championed the fight against climate change and often supported Democratic candidates. Now he criticizes “the woke mind virus” and warns of the collapse of Western civilization from the threats of illegal migration and excess government spending. Musk’s increasingly […]
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court today in response to petitions surrounding the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet, claiming that Ronen Bar’s remarks about having issued a war warning were untrue. Netanyahu referred to the intelligence breakdown that preceded the October 7th massacre as “the greatest failure in the history of the State of Israel.”
According to Netanyahu, during a security assessment conducted by Ronen Bar at 5:15 AM on October 7 — roughly an hour and a quarter before Hamas launched its brutal attack — there was no indication of an imminent war. “Bar bears direct and immense responsibility for the failure to prevent the massacre. He did not awaken other security forces, but rather deluded them,” Netanyahu stated in his affidavit.
The affidavit continues, alleging that “Bar’s insecurity in maintaining calm in Gaza at all costs led him to hold on to his misconceptions out of fear that Hamas would interpret these actions as intentions of war on the part of Israel and thus go to war against us. While Ronen Bar talked about ‘miscalculation,’ Hamas had already attacked.”
Netanyahu further asserted that if Bar had ordered the IDF to a state of “high readiness” rather than keeping them at a “medium and secret” alert level, and had instructed immediate broad military action, the tragedy could have been averted. “If Bar had called the IDF to prepare in ‘high readiness’ and not ‘medium and secret,’ and instructed the IDF to initiate broad action immediately, the massacre would have been avoided,” the affidavit stated.
Addressing Bar’s version of events, Netanyahu rejected the claim that Bar successfully activated the security apparatus during the night of the massacre. Netanyahu wrote, “He did not awaken the Minister of Defense. He did not awaken the Prime Minister. He did not awaken the head of the National Security Council and IDF forces. He did not awaken the civilian emergency squads in the Gaza region communities. He did not warn those partying at the Supernova festival. He did not fulfill his main role that night.”
The affidavit also disputes the assertion that Ronen Bar had issued serious warnings about Gaza. Netanyahu argued that throughout 2023, Bar actually advocated for policies that would bolster Gaza’s economy and opposed targeted killings, all to preserve a sense of quiet. “Ronen Bar said that Sinwar is a reasonable leader,” the affidavit notes, adding that Bar also said in cabinet discussions before October 7 that “the Gaza Strip is deterred.”
In connection with the effort to postpone his trial, Netanyahu addressed accusations against him, insisting that “contrary to Bar’s false statement, the Prime Minister never requested to delay his trial or cancel it, but on the contrary. The Prime Minister asked not to postpone the trial even for a day.”
Netanyahu’s affidavit also levels accusations of political bias against Bar, claiming that he engaged in improper political conduct. Netanyahu stated that “while operating agents at right-wing demonstrations, Bar fabricated lies about a demand to activate the ISA at left-wing demonstrations.”
Along with the public affidavit, the court also received classified annexes containing sensitive information.
Click here to read the full affidavit.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused the Netanyahu-led government of intentionally stalling the enlistment of bnei hayeshivos, claiming that this policy is directly responsible for the stalemate in Gaza. “The paralysis in Gaza stems from a conscious decision to deprive the IDF of its most vital resource: soldiers ready to fight,” Bennett wrote in a lengthy post on X. The former prime minister, who is rumored to be positioning himself for a political comeback, asserted that the IDF’s shortage of manpower is preventing a victory against Hamas. According to official figures, there are approximately 70,000 yeshivaleit between the ages of 18 and 24 who are legally eligible for military service but are currently not enlisted. Although the IDF sent out 18,915 initial draft notices to Charedim since July 2024 — in response to a High Court ruling mandating enforcement — only 232 have enlisted, with just 57 joining combat units. Meanwhile, Bennett noted, reservists across Israel — including businessmen, talmidim, engineers, and other professionals — have been pulled from their homes and workplaces, serving extended tours of duty. Even soldiers drafted since the war began are already on the frontlines, facing mortal danger in Gaza. Bennett pointed to the death of Police Officer Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane Hy”d, who fell in battle this past Friday in Gaza. “Hundreds of thousands of families live in dread, terrified for their sons’ safety,” Bennett wrote, “while an entire sector of the population rests comfortably.” He decried ministers who, despite having little or no combat experience themselves, issue proclamations demanding a full takeover of Gaza — even as they fail to provide the manpower needed to achieve such goals. Since the attacks of October 7th, the IDF has been stretched dangerously thin, with soldiers deployed not only in Gaza but also across Yehudah and Shomron in massive counterterrorism operations, as well as facing threats on the Lebanese and Syrian borders. “Never have we needed soldiers more than we do now,” Bennett said, claiming that the army currently lacks approximately 20,000 troops, including 7,000 combat soldiers. Emergency mobilizations of reservists — many serving hundreds of consecutive days — cannot be a long-term solution, Bennett argued. Instead, he proposed drafting even a modest proportion — one-fifth — of eligible Charedi men, which would allow reservists to return home and rebuild their strength for future large-scale conflicts. Nevertheless, Bennett charged, the government has failed to take meaningful action. He described the recent draft notices sent to Charedim as “a bluff,” accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of putting “political survival” ahead of national security. The stability of the coalition — which heavily relies on the support of Shas and UTJ, the two Charedi parties, who together hold 18 seats — has caused major obstacles to implementing such change. Despite the High Court’s ruling last year that long-standing draft exemptions are unlawful, the government is currently advancing a bill that would formally enshrine broad exemptions for bnei hayeshivos, which critics like Bennett have labeled the “evasion law.” IDF officials themselves admit the gap remains. Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein, head of the IDF’s Charedi recruitment office, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this week that the army had hoped to recruit 4,800 Charedim during this draft cycle, but so far, only 1,721 have enlisted. […]
Why not tax the millionaires? As Congress begins drafting a massive package for President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” with trillions of dollars in tax breaks and federal program cuts, it’s a question that won’t seem to go away. Trump himself has mused he’d “love” to tax wealthier Americans a little bit more, but the Republican president has also repeatedly walked it back. This week, the president dismissed a tax hike as “disruptive” when asked about it at the White House. But still it swirls. And it’s setting up a potential showdown between the old guard of the Republican Party, which sees almost any tax hike as contrary to the GOP goal of slashing government, and its rising populist-nationalists, who view a millionaire’s tax as championing working-class voters who helped deliver the White House. “Bring it, baby,” said former Trump strategist Stephen Bannon on his podcast. Think of it as Bannon on the one side, versus Newt Gingrich, anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist and others on the other — a debate that once seemed unfathomable for Republicans who have spent generations working to lower taxes and reduce the scope of the federal government. “I don’t think we’re raising taxes on anybody,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said this week on Fox News Channel. Johnson said there have been lots of ideas thrown out but the Republicans are working against the idea of a tax on millionaires. “I’m not in favor of raising the tax rates because our party is the group that stands against that, traditionally,” he said. This spring and summer, the Republican-led Congress is determined to make progress on the package, which is central to the party’s domestic policy agenda. It revolves around extending many of the GOP tax cuts that Congress approved in 2017, during Trump’s first term, but are expiring later this year. As it stands, the top individual tax rate is now 37%, on annual incomes above $611,000 for single filers and $767,000 for married couples. If Congress fails to act, that rate is set to revert to what it was before the 2017 tax law, 39.6%, on top filers. It seems impossible that Republicans in Congress will purposefully wade into the debate. They are striving to keep all the existing tax brackets in place, while adding new tax breaks the president campaigned on during the 2024 election — including no taxes on tips, Social Security income, overtime pay and others. It’s a potentially $5 trillion-plus package. But the Bannon wing is working to force the issue, saying it’s time to raise that top rate on the wealthier households, at least $1 million and above. Sounding at times more like progressive Democrats, Bannon’s flank sees a tax hike as a way not only to ensure wealthy Americans pay their fair share but to generate federal revenue. With federal debt at $36 trillion, they say it can help counter annual deficits that cannot be offset by budget cuts alone. “The current system we have is not sustainable,” Bannon said at Semafor’s World Economy Summit on Wednesday in Washington. “You have to go to an alternative. I think the alternative is budget cuts. And … it has to be tax increases on the wealthy.” That’s drawing fierce blowback from the traditional tax-cutters, who have gone into overdrive, warning […]
Fire Chief Eyal Caspi ordered the establishment of a special investigative team to examine the circumstances of last week’s fire in the Beit Shemesh area that reached the outskirts of Jerusalem. The special investigative team was established at the beginning of the fire, and one of the main conclusions was that the fire was the result of arson. “Evidence was found at the scene, supported by testimonies, which reinforce the suspicions that the fire was started by a person who was at the scene at the beginning of the fire,” the Fire and Rescue Authority spokesperson stated. The fire’s epicenter was located at the entrance to Moshav Tarom, near the access road to the chicken coops. The fire spread rapidly due to the harsh weather conditions. At the end of the investigation, the findings will be transferred to Capsi and the commander of the Jerusalem District, Fire Officer Shmulik Friedman, and from there for further handling by the Israel Police. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
As previously reported by Chaim V’Chessed, a significant travel update took effect at the start of 2025: all travelers to Israel are now required to complete an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before departure. Without an approved ETA, airlines will not permit passengers to board flights to Israel—with the exception of Israeli passport holders. Even Israeli citizens need an ETA – if traveling on a foreign passport.
With the conclusion of the busy Pesach travel season, many are now returning to Israel after the holiday, while others are arriving for the first time. Whether you’re a seasoned visitor or a newcomer, it is absolutely vital to confirm that you have a valid ETA in hand before traveling.
Do Student Visa Holders Need an ETA?
Technically, holders of valid student visas are exempt from the ETA requirement. However, Chaim V’Chessed strongly recommends that even student visa holders apply for an ETA to avoid any confusion or mishap at the airport. Additionally, if your student visa has expired, you must obtain an ETA.
Don’t Overlook Children or Expiring Passports
Parents, please take note: children of all ages—including infants—must have their own ETA to board a flight to Israel. This detail has caught many families off guard. Another important point to be aware of is the fact that ETAs are only issued to passports which have at least 3 months of remaining validity.
Avoid Boarding Denials
In recent days, Chaim V’Chessed has been inundated with reports from individuals who were denied boarding due to not having an ETA. These unfortunate situations often stem from misunderstanding the rules or assuming exemptions that do not apply.
If you do not have a valid visa, you must apply for an ETA. If you are unsure about your status, the best course of action is to apply for an ETA just in case. It’s a simple step that can prevent significant frustration and delays. In some instances, the travelers boarded flights from the USA without a valid ETA, yet were stopped at a connecting airport, and stranded there, due to their lack of an ETA.
Beware of Fraudulent ETA Websites
Travelers should be aware that there are several unsavory websites mimicking the official ETA site, often charging exorbitant fees for a service that is inexpensive on the official site. These third-party services may appear legitimate but should be avoided. An ETA on the authentic site costs just 25 NIS, and is valid for two years.
The only correct way to apply is through the official link. Click here to apply for an ETA.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Donald Trump might as well be on the ballot when Canadians vote for a new government. The U.S. president’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in nationalism that has helped the Liberal Party flip the narrative heading into Monday’s parliamentary election, at least in opinion polls. “Trump is the campaign,” former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. “The ballot question is who is the person we are going to choose to face Trump. Everything has changed.” Foreign policy hasn’t affected a Canadian election this much since 1988, when, ironically, free trade with the United States dominated the political discourse. Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Liberal leader who was sworn in on March 14 following Justin Trudeau’s resignation, led in the polls heading into Monday, marking a dramatic turnaround for a party that seemed destined for a crushing defeat until Trump started launching broadsides at Canada’s economy and sovereignty. “We are in a crisis. President Trump is threatening Canada, he’s threatening our companies, he’s threatening our workers, he’s threatening the savings of our retirees,” Carney said Tuesday. “This threat is not only an economic threat, it is an existential threat.” Until a few months ago, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was seen as a shoo-in to become the next prime minister by shepherding his opposition faction back into power for the first time in a decade. Trump’s tough talk could hurt his ideological allies abroad Charest, a moderate who led Canada’s French-speaking province from 2003-2012, said if Trump wants to help his ideological allies abroad, he needs to tone down the bluster. “At what point are the Trump folks going to think this thing through and measure what are the consequences?” Charest said. “In the White House, they should sit down and think about the effect Trump has in the world,” he added. Carney has accused Trump of severing the close relationship that Canada and the U.S. long enjoyed. Poilievre, meanwhile, would be “very much in sync” with the “new direction in America,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a Conservative ally. As such, Poilievre has offered a more muted response to Trump’s rhetoric and economic maneuvering, imploring Canadians to deny the Liberals a fourth-straight term after what he described as “a lost Liberal decade.” What will the result of Canada’s election mean for the US? Trump has threatened to slap steep tariffs on Canadian goods, and both Carney and Poilievre said that, if elected, they would accelerate renegotiations of the countries’ free trade deal in an effort to end the uncertainty hurting both of their economies. Carney plans to diversify Canada’s exports and is reviewing the remaining purchase order of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to see if there are other options “given the changing environment.” Carney visited Paris and London, not Washington, for his first trips as prime minister. But almost 80% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. “Let’s be honest, if Canada does a remarkable job — a remarkable job — of diversifying trade, what is that going to look like?” said former Foreign Minister John Baird, noting that even shifting 3% – 5% over five years would be quite an achievement. “Let’s keep our eye on the main ball. They are 78% of our customers so we need to tackle that challenge,” said Baird, a Conservative who works as […]
Lali’s last chance – Esther & Sruli were ecstatic at the birth of their only child, born after five years of yearning. Their joy was cruelly crushed when their Lali (Leah) was diagnosed with rapidly spreading cancer when she was only three years old. Lali is four now, a brave, charming little girl. She is fighting with all her might, her parents frantically trying to both be at her side and pay for new treatments that may cure her. Her condition is worsening, the cancer is aggressive, but she has a chance if we manage to raise the money needed for advanced treatment her parents cannot afford. Sruli and Esther are desperate to save their lovely little girl, and they ask for a chance. A chance to save their young daughter. They have to stay strong for her, despite the fear and pain and worry. We can help them! You can help them! Your donation will not only save a child’s life. It will support her parents and give them the strength to continue their battle for Lali. Support Lali and her parents
According to a new NYT report, new details show the female pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport ignored her co-pilot’s warning and made multiple critical errors.
Preparations for the upcoming Lag BaOmer celebration in Meron have reached a new milestone, as the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition has completed the paving of “Derech Hillel,” a new exit path behind the Tziyon of Rav Shimon bar Yochai.
The new route, which includes stairways and safety railings, is designed to ease crowd flow and reduce congestion at the sacred site.
The project, initiated by Minister of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush, Hilula project coordinator Yossi Deutsch, and professional staff at the ministry under Director-General Shimon Album and Deputy Director-General Chaim Rosenshtein, is part of a broader effort to implement lessons learned from previous tragedies and to ensure safer conditions, especially given that this year’s Lag BaOmer falls on a Friday, just as it did during the year of the disaster.
As part of the upgrades, new and expanded access routes have been built, staircases have been divided into sections, and safety railings have been installed.
The goal is to eliminate the bottlenecks around the Tziyon, enhance the safety of pedestrian movement, and allow a larger number of visitors to pass through in an organized, steady, and secure flow—similar to a “conveyor belt” system.
Minister of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush stated: “We are investing tremendous efforts to upgrade the safety of the pathways and passages on Mount Meron, but the ultimate success depends on the mutual responsibility and careful adherence to guidelines by each and every visitor ascending to Meron.”
Hilula project coordinator Yossi Deutsch added: “This year, Lag BaOmer falls on a Friday, just like during the year of the tragedy, which obligates all of us to exercise extra caution, show consideration for others, and fully comply with all instructions—so that we can merit to celebrate with Rav Shimon bar Yochai in joy and safety.”
Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition and Head of the Meron Department Chaim Rosenshtein emphasized: “Over the past several months, we have worked tirelessly to open critical bottlenecks around the Tziyon, with the goal of improving crowd flow and enabling tens of thousands of visitors to daven safely and respectfully in Meron.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
President Donald Trump can’t stop contradicting himself on his own tariff plans. He says he’s on a path to cut several new trade deals in a few weeks — but has also suggested it’s “physically impossible” to hold all the needed meetings. Trump has said he will simply set new tariff rates negotiated internally within the U.S. government over the next few weeks — although he already did that on his April 2 “Liberation Day,” which caused the world economy to shudder. The Republican president says he’s actively negotiating with the Chinese government on tariffs — while the Chinese and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have said talks have yet to start. What should one believe? The sure bet is that uncertainty will persist in ways that employers and consumers alike expect to damage the economy and that leave foreign leaders scratching their heads in bewilderment. And the consequences of all this tariffs turmoil are enormous. Trump placed tariffs totaling 145% on China, leading China to retaliate with tariffs of 125% on the U.S. — essentially triggering a trade war between the world’s two largest economies with the potential to bring on a recession. Trump’s negotiating trade deals with himself The president told Time magazine in an interview released Friday that 20%, 30% or 50% tariffs a year from now would be a “total victory,” even though a financial market panic led him to temporarily reduce his baseline import taxes to 10% for 90 days while talks take place. “The deal is a deal that I choose,” Trump said in the interview. “What I’m doing is I will, at a certain point in the not too distant future, I will set a fair price of tariffs for different countries.” If that is confusing for the nation’s trading partners, it’s also sowing anxiety at home. The Federal Reserve’s beige book, a compilation of anecdotes from U.S. businesses prepared eight times a year, on Wednesday reported a huge spike in uncertainty among American companies that has caused them to pull back on hiring and investment in new projects. The word “uncertainty” cropped up 80 times, compared with 45 in early March and just 14 in January. Beyond the idea that Trump plans to keep some level of tariffs in place, the world finance ministers and corporate executives who gathered this past week in Washington for the International Monetary Fund conference said in private discussions that the Trump administration was providing no real clarity on its goals for substantive talks. “There’s not a coherent strategy at the moment on what the tariffs are supposed to achieve,” said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the GeoEconomics Center at The Atlantic Council. “My conversations with the ministers and governors this week at the IMF meetings have been they don’t understand completely what the White House wants, nor who they should be negotiating with.” Other countries trying to get talks going Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, in an interview with broadcaster SRF released Friday, said after a meeting with Bessent that Switzerland would be one of 15 countries with which the United States plans to conduct “privileged” negotiations. But she said a memorandum of understanding would have to be reached for talks to formally begin. She was happy to at least know whom to talk to, saying that “we have also been assigned a specific contact person. This is not easy in […]
Border Czar Tom Homan on the completely locked down border President Trump secured in just seven weeks: “We got the most secure border in the history of this nation, and President Trump was able to accomplish that in seven weeks.”
Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, who was hospitalized on Thursday, was released this morning from Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center and has returned to his residence on the Slabodka Yeshiva campus in Bnei Brak.
The Rosh Yeshiva had been admitted on Thursday morning and underwent surgery to repair a fractured hip.
He then remained at the hospital for Shabbos.
According to those close to him, Rav Landau continues to gain strength and is steadily recovering. He has resumed his daily learning schedule, and, with Hashem’s help, is expected to begin receiving visitors again in the coming days.
All are asked to daven for Rav Efraim Dov ben Devorah.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Russia launched a sweeping drone assault and airstrikes across Ukraine overnight into Sunday, killing at least four people, officials said, after U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war. Three people died and four were wounded Sunday morning in airstrikes on Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, the regional prosecutor’s office said. Another person died and a 14-year-old girl was wounded in a drone attack on the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which was hit for the third consecutive night, local Gov. Serhii Lysak said. The attacks came hours after Russia claimed to have regained control over the remaining parts of the Kursk region, which Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise incursion last August. Ukrainian officials said the fighting in Kursk was still ongoing. Trump said Saturday that he doubts Putin wants to end the more than three-year war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon. Only a day earlier, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were “ very close to a deal.” “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” Trump wrote in a social media post as he flew back to the United States after attending Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican, where he met briefly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also hinted at further sanctions against Russia. The Trump-Zelenskyy conversation on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral was the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since they argued during a heated Oval Office meeting at the White House in late February. Russia fired 149 exploding drones and decoys in the latest wave of attacks, the Ukrainian air force said, adding that 57 were intercepted and another 67 jammed. One person was wounded in drone attacks on the Odesa region and one other in the city of Zhytomyr. Four people were also wounded in a Russian airstrike on the city of Kherson on Sunday morning, according to local officials. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that air defenses shot down five Ukrainian drones in the border region of Bryansk, as well as three drones over the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Five people were wounded when Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Horlivka in the partially occupied Donetsk region, the city’s Russian-installed Mayor Ivan Prikhodko said. (AP)
A fierce wildfire broke out Sunday in the Nachal Prat area, near the community of Nofei Prat in the Binyamin region, prompting an urgent rescue operation for dozens of hikers trapped by the flames.
Firefighters from the Yehuda and Shomron District, supported by four firefighting planes and an aerial rescue unit, have been working intensively to evacuate the hikers who found themselves stranded due to the sudden blaze.
According to a statement from Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority, as of this time, the fire has been largely contained. There is currently no immediate danger to either the hikers or local residents. Approximately 100 hikers are still in the area, divided into three groups, all of whom are situated in safe zones.
Given the rugged and challenging topography of the Nachal Prat area, which makes access by foot difficult, additional airborne teams have been deployed, along with aerial support from the Israel Police.
Police Commander of the Shai District Commissioner Moshe Pinchi is on-site conducting situation assessments together with teams from the Fire and Rescue Authority, police, IDF, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and the Megilot Dead Sea Rescue Unit. Forces continue to work relentlessly to gain full control of the situation and to ensure the hikers’ safe evacuation.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, five firefighting teams from various Dan District stations are battling a brush fire and a burning truck within the Safari area. Firefighters, led by Senior Fire Officer Albert Monis, are focusing on containing and suppressing the flames. At this stage, there are no reports of injuries.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Another angle of the IDF strike in Beirut. It is reported that the building targeted stored Hezbollah missiles.
With one-fifth of states seeing active measles outbreaks, the U.S. is nearing 900 cases, according to figures posted Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s confirmed measles cases count is 884, triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The vast majority — 646 — are in Texas, where an outbreak in the western part of the state that’s approaching the three-month mark. Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children died from measles-related illnesses in the epicenter in West Texas, and an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness. Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 1,020 cases from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Friday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 605 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. As the virus takes hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear the virus that the spread could stretch on for a year. Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the U.S. How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico? Texas state health officials said Friday there were 22 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 646 across 26 counties — most of them in West Texas. Hospitalizations were steady Friday at 64 throughout the outbreak. State health officials estimated about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious. Sixty-one percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 393 cases since late January — just over 1.5% of the county’s residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February — Kennedy said age 6. New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 66. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each. State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a measles-related death in an adult on March 6. How many cases are there in Indiana? Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas was steady this week with 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state. […]
Following the IDF’s warning, an airstrike is reported in Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting Hezbollah positions.
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