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Many hours after the explosion, the blaze in Iran continued to burn.

MORE: At least one Iranian official said that the blast was caused by the improper storage of chemicals in containers at the port. Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, told an Iranian news agency that “the cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Reuters reported.

WATCH THIS! A massive explosion and fire rocked a port Saturday in southern Iran linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant, killing at least 14 people and injuring around 750 others. Helicopters dumped water from the air on the raging fire hours after the initial explosion, which happened at the Shahid Rajaei port just as Iran and the United States met Saturday in Oman for the third round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday named a veteran aide and confidant as his new vice president. It’s a major step by the aging leader to designate a successor. The appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization does not guarantee he will be the next Palestinian president. But it makes him the front-runner among longtime politicians in the dominant Fatah party who hope to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas. The move is unlikely to boost the image among many Palestinians of Fatah as a closed and corrupt movement out of touch with the general public. Abbas hopes to play a major role in postwar Gaza. He has been under pressure from Western and Arab allies to rehabilitate the Palestinian Authority. He has announced a series of reforms in recent months, and last week his Fatah movement approved the new position of PLO vice president. Under last week’s decision, the new vice president, coming from the PLO’s 16-member executive committee, would succeed Abbas in a caretaker capacity if the president dies or becomes incapacitated. That would make him the front-runner to replace Abbas on a permanent basis, though not guarantee it. The PLO’s executive committee would need to approve that appointment, and the body is filled with veteran politicians who see themselves as worthy contenders. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, would have a separate caretaker leader, Rawhi Fattouh, the speaker of the Palestinians’ non-functioning parliament. But within 90 days, it would have to hold elections. If that is not possible, the new PLO president would likely take over the position. Al-Sheikh, 64, is a veteran politician who has held a series of top positions over decades, most recently as the secretary-general of the PLO’s executive committee for the past three years. He spent 11 years in Israeli prisons in his youth and is a veteran of the Palestinian security forces — experiences that could give him credibility with Palestinian security figures and the broader public. Now he finds himself in a strong position to shore up his power. He is Abbas’ closest aide and, most critically, maintains good working relations with Israel and the Palestinians’ Arab allies, including wealthy Gulf countries. As Abbas’ point man with Israel, al-Sheikh is responsible for arranging coveted travel permits for Palestinians, including VIP leaders, giving him an important lever of power over his rivals. The PLO is a rival for Hamas, which won the last national elections in 2006 and is not in the PLO. Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas’ forces in 2007, and reconciliation attempts have repeatedly failed. Abbas is still seen internationally as the leader of the Palestinians. The chain-smoking political veteran has clung to power since his mandate expired in 2009. (AP & YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem) (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

Vandals broke into the Jewish cemetery in Damascus overnight Wednesday and vandalized the kever of Hamekubal HaRav Chaim Vital, Z’tl, one of the talmidim of the Ari, z’tl. The intruders dug a pit near the kever to look for remains. Bachour Simantov, one of the few remaining Jews in Syria, told Kan News that he informed local authorities about the incident and they promised to find those responsible for the incident. The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic Countries issued a statement saying: “We are shocked and saddened by the desecration of the tomb of Rabbi Chaim Vital, z”tl this Thursday in Damascus.” “Jews have lived in Syria for thousands of years and are an integral part of its history. We urgently call on the Syrian government to immediately secure  Jewish holy sites, synagogues, and cemeteries and ensure their safety, security and well-being.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

A Border Police commando and an IDF officer were killed on Friday in intense battles with terrorists in the Shijaiyah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. The Border Police officer was named as Sgt. Neta Yitzchak Kahane, H’yd, 19, a commando in the elite Yamas undercover unit from Moshav Eitan, a religious moshav in south-central Israel. The IDF officer was named as Cpt. Ido Voloch, H’yd, 21, from Jerusalem, a platoon commander in the 401st Armored Brigade’s 46th Battalion. The incident began when Hamas terrorists opened fire on soldiers engaging in efforts to expand the buffer zone along the Gazan border, sparking a fierce gun battle, during which Kahane, H’yd, was killed. The evacuation of the dead and wounded took place under fire, during which Voloch, H’yd, was killed and another soldier was lightly wounded. Commander A., the head of the undercover unit operating in Gaza, told Ynet: “The operation began midweek, with several nights inside Gaza. We eliminated several terrorists during ambushes. Yesterday, a terrorist emerged from a tunnel, fired at the force, and Kahana, who was alert and ready, returned fire along with another fighter. The terrorist managed to fire another burst, fatally hitting Kahana.” He added, “Soon after, heavy fire erupted from across the neighborhood. We called in reinforcements and evacuated Kahana under continuous engagement, providing medical treatment as best we could while continuing to fight until nightfall.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

A massive explosion and fire rocked a port Saturday in southern Iran linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant, killing eight people and injuring around 750 others. Helicopters dumped water from the air on the raging fire hours after the initial explosion, which happened at the Shahid Rajaei port just as Iran and the United States met Saturday in Oman for the third round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. At least one Iranian official said that the blast was caused by the improper storage of chemicals in containers at the port. Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, told an Iranian news agency that “the causeof the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Reuters reported. “Previously, the Director General of Crisis Management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger,” Zafari says. Security firm says port received chemical for missile fuel The port took in a shipment of “sodium perchlorate rocket fuel” in March, the private security firm Ambrey said. The fuel is part of a shipment from China by two vessels to Iran first reported in January by the Financial Times. The fuel was going to be used to replenish Iran’s missile stocks, which had been depleted by its direct attacks on Israel. “The fire was reportedly the result of improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles,” Ambrey said. Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press put one of the vessels believed to be carrying the chemical in the vicinity in March, as Ambrey said. Iran hasn’t acknowledged taking the shipment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment on Saturday. It’s unclear why Iran wouldn’t have moved the chemicals from the port, particularly after the Beirut port blast in 2020. That explosion, caused by the ignition of hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, killed more than 200 people and injured more than 6,000 others. Social media footage of the explosion on Saturday at Shahid Rajaei saw reddish-hued smoke rising from the fire just before the detonation. That suggests a chemical compound being involved in the blast — like in the Beirut explosion. “Get back get back! Tell the gas (truck) to go!” a man in one video shouted just before the blast. “Tell him to go, it’s going to blow up! Oh G-d, this is blowing up! Everybody evacuate! Get back! Get back!” On Saturday night, the state-run IRNA news agency said that the Customs Administration of Iran blamed a “stockpile of hazardous goods and chemical materials stored in the port area” for the blast, without elaborating. An aerial shot released by Iranian media after the blast showed fires burning at multiple locations in the port, with authorities later warning about air pollution from chemicals such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the air. Schools in Bandar Abbas will be closed Sunday as well. Port a major destination for Iranian cargo Social media videos showed black billowing smoke after the blast. Others showed glass blown out of buildings kilometers, or miles, away from the epicenter of the explosion. State media footage showed the injured crowding into at least one […]

Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) boasted about his party’s success in blocking initiatives aimed at ensuring that only American citizens are allowed to vote in federal elections.

Speaking about President Donald Trump’s March 25 executive order, titled “PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS,” Jeffries commented, “So-and-so signed the so-called executive order. It was a voter suppression Executive Order, trying to do all of the things that the so-called SAVE Act is trying to do, but trying to do it through executive action.”

The executive order affirms, “Under the Constitution, State governments must safeguard American elections in compliance with Federal laws that protect Americans’ voting rights and guard against dilution by illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error,” and further argues that America has “not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.”

The directive also outlines that within 30 days, the Election Assistance Commission must adjust its national mail voter registration form to require proof of U.S. citizenship and additional documentation details, while taking care to maintain information security standards.

Despite these efforts, Jeffries made clear that he is opposed to such measures. “He does not have the power to do that. And so all the Democrats, the House Democrats, partnered with the Senate Democrats partnered with the Democratic National Committee, partnered with the Democratic Governors Association, and I even joined the lawsuit. Is it up on screen? I even joined the lawsuit as an individual on your behalf,” Jeffries said, proudly.

He went on to say, “And I like this name Jeffries versus Trump, and so we sued him in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and we believe we will win.”

This week, a federal judge temporarily halted part of Trump’s executive order.

In a 120-page ruling, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote, according to NPR, “Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States — not the President — with the authority to regulate federal elections,” while noting that Congress is presently deliberating the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, further emphasized, “[N]o statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.”

The court ruling has stirred concern among conservatives, who see it as another example of judges using their positions to obstruct President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, which voters supported last November.

Jeffries’ stance, however, comes as little shock, given his previous skepticism regarding any broad public support for the MAGA movement.

“Despite the claims of some of my Republican colleagues who have spent a lot of time over the last two weeks talking about some big, massive mandate, I’m looking for it,” Jeffries said in November following former Vice President Kamala Harris’s significant election loss.

He added, “That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to make adjustments to make sure that we can get beyond fighting House Republicans with a national wave on top of us to withdraw,” before dismissing the idea of a sweeping conservative mandate: “But the question about this notion of some mandate to make massive far-right extreme policy changes — it doesn’t exist.”

“It doesn’t exist,” Jeffries stressed once again.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation Friday into allegations of “race-based discrimination” by New York state officials after President Trump spoke out in support of the Massapequa School District’s use of its “Massapequa Chiefs” nickname, The Post has learned.

Federal officials will examine whether the New York State Board of Regents is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial and national origin discrimination by any institution receiving federal funding, by enforcing its ban on Native American-related school mascots and symbols.

“The US Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

McMahon continued, “While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history, and their deep connection the state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students.”

She added, “It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups – the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys – and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully.”

This probe follows a formal complaint filed by the Native American Guardians Association, an advocacy organization based in North Dakota, with the Department’s Office of Civil Rights. The group claims New York’s policy is illegal under federal law.

The association, which has advocated for professional sports teams and schools retaining Native American names and imagery, argued that New York “is solely targeting Native American groups and images by attempting to eliminate them from athletic contests” and further stated that “[t]he decision to single out Native Americans as a class of people that cannot be represented in public school imagery is per se discriminatory.”

Frank Blackcloud, vice president of the association, said the policy leads to “dwindling expressions or our presence and contributions” to the history of the United States.

New York officials maintain that the rule, enacted in 2023, aims to dismantle harmful stereotypes, and have warned that districts such as Massapequa could lose state funding if they do not comply. The Massapequa school board is currently challenging the mandate in court.

Although a judge ruled against the Massapequa district last month, the federal investigation could ultimately put the state’s own funding at risk if it refuses to reverse course.

President Trump weighed in earlier this week on social media, stating: “I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School. Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population.”

He added: “It has become the School’s identity and, what could be wrong with using the name, ‘Chief’? I don’t see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon! By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my highly capable Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to fight for the people of Massapequa on this very important issue. LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!”

Kerry Watcher, president of the Massapequa Board of Education, applauded the federal government for stepping in to defend the district.

“We thank the Department of Education and the Trump administration for standing with Massapequa in our effort to preserve the Chiefs name and honor our community’s proud history,” Watcher said.

“We’re especially grateful to the Native American Guardians Association for their support and advocacy. Attempts to erase Native American imagery do not advance learning — they distract from our core mission of providing a high-quality education grounded in respect, history, and community values.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel bid farewell on Thursday to Nechama Grossman, the nation’s oldest Holocaust survivor, who passed away at the remarkable age of 109. Her passing coincided with Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day devoted to memorializing the six million Jews who perished. Grossman’s funeral was held the next day in Arad, the southern city where she had made her home for most of her life.

Born in 1915, Grossman survived the horrors of Europe during the Holocaust and eventually made her way to Israel, settling in Arad and raising a family there. Her resilience became a living testament to the strength of the Jewish people in the aftermath of unimaginable suffering.

Kan reported that Grossman leaves behind a large and growing family: two children, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Earlier this week, just days before her passing, her son Vladimir Schwatz spoke publicly about her enduring legacy.

“My mother is one of the oldest Holocaust survivors in the world,” he shared. “She experienced the worst and she survived. We must all remember her Holocaust story, remember her survival, so that her past never becomes our future.”

On the same day, another survivor’s life came to a close. Eve Kugler, a longtime advocate for Holocaust education, died at the age of 94 in London. Kugler had been planning to join this year’s March of the Living at Auschwitz but was ultimately unable to make the trip.

Kugler had been a familiar presence at March of the Living events over the years, including participating in last year’s gathering. Her lifelong commitment to Holocaust remembrance had touched countless lives.

Born in Germany in 1931, Kugler lived through the traumatic events of Kristallnacht at the age of seven. In 1939, her family fled to France in search of safety. Two years later, she managed to reach the United States aboard a ship, where she and her siblings lived in foster care in New York until they were reunited with their parents after the war’s conclusion in 1946.

After completing her studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Kugler pursued a career in photojournalism. Later, she relocated to London, where she became a well-known figure in Holocaust education, tirelessly speaking to audiences and participating in programs that honored the victims of the Nazi atrocities.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Justice officially notified the Southern District Court of New York that it no longer recognizes the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as enjoying legal immunity, a dramatic shift from Washington’s earlier stance, according to a JNS report.

This announcement marks a pivotal moment in a lawsuit filed last year by families of victims who were murdered or kidnapped during the horrific Hamas onslaught in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The plaintiffs accuse UNRWA of playing a role in the massacre, while Israel has disclosed that at least 18 UNRWA employees allegedly took part in the atrocities.

The suit also asserts that billions of dollars in humanitarian aid directed to Gaza through UNRWA were diverted to Hamas and associated terror groups, funding their attacks instead of helping civilians.

“The complaint in this case alleges atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, and its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how UNRWA played a significant role in those heinous offenses,” wrote the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in a court filing submitted to Judge Analisa Torres.

The Justice Department openly acknowledged that its interpretation of UNRWA’s legal status had evolved. “Previously, the government expressed the view that certain immunities shielded UNRWA from having to answer those allegations in American courts,” the DOJ wrote. “The government has since re-evaluated that position and now concludes that UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants.”

In the filing, the government emphasized that although UNRWA was created via a resolution by the UN General Assembly, it does not satisfy the criteria necessary to be considered an actual organ of the United Nations. The Justice Department also cast doubt on whether the General Assembly had legitimate authority under international law to establish such a body.

This revised legal position sharply diverges from the earlier approach taken by the Biden administration, which had shielded UNRWA and the broader United Nations from lawsuits by arguing that they were covered under diplomatic immunity protections.

If the court sides against UNRWA’s claim to immunity, the agency — along with its leadership and possibly even the United Nations itself — could be forced to pay out significant financial compensation to the families of victims.

Responding to the Justice Department’s filing, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres told JNS, “We have seen the letter filed by the U.S. Department of Justice with the court. We will review it carefully.”

“The position of the United Nations is longstanding and clear. UNRWA is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly and, as such, is entitled to immunity from legal process under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,” the statement continued. UNRWA itself issued an identical response.

For years, critics have accused UNRWA of cooperating with Hamas. Those criticisms reached a fever pitch after Israel disclosed last year that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Israel also produced a dossier showing that UNRWA personnel participated directly in violent acts, including abducting a woman, distributing ammunition, and taking part in the slaughter at Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 innocent civilians were killed.

In the wake of these disclosures, Guterres appointed a panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to investigate the Israeli accusations.

That review group released its findings this past April, reporting the existence of “neutrality-related issues” within UNRWA, but also claiming that Israel had yet to furnish proof that a large portion of UNRWA’s workforce belonged to terrorist networks.

More recently, disturbing allegations surfaced when Emily Damari, a former hostage held by Hamas for 470 days, said she had been imprisoned inside an UNRWA facility.

Damari, who holds citizenship in both Britain and Israel, told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that she was denied proper medical care during her captivity at an UNRWA school.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian aid official, later pushed back against Damari’s account, insisting he has “not seen a shred of evidence” linking the UN or its employees to the detention of hostages inside Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

During a conversation with reporters today, President Donald Trump shared that he had recently discussed the situation in Gaza with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.
“I told him to be good to Gaza,” Trump stated, mentioning that he had encouraged Netanyahu to ensure the provision of medicine and food to the residents of the area.

Addressing Iran, Trump was clear and to the point, saying, “The Iran deal is simple. They can’t have a nuclear weapon.” He also noted that ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran were “going very well.”

Earlier this week, Trump revealed that he and Netanyahu had spoken and touched upon several important topics. He emphasized that the United States and Israel were fully aligned on each matter they discussed.

“I’ve just spoken to Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, relative to numerous subjects including Trade, Iran, etc. The call went very well—We are on the same side of every issue,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Additionally, Trump stressed that Hamas would not be permitted to assume any role in the leadership of Gaza once the fighting concluded.

“We’re not going to let Hamas do that, and we’re going to see what happens with Gaza,” he said when questioned by a reporter about the Strip’s future governance.

Reflecting on the broader picture in the region, Trump pointed to the advances achieved under his leadership.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in the Middle East. Tremendous. That date, that very special date, October 7th, should have never happened. It would have never happened if I were president,” he remarked.

{Matzav.com}

In an interview released Friday, President Donald Trump stated that “Crimea will stay with Russia,” marking another moment where he urged Ukraine to concede territory in hopes of ending the ongoing war.

“Zelenskyy understands that,” Trump said, referencing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “And everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time.”

Trump’s remarks came during a conversation with Time magazine earlier in the week. He has consistently accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war by refusing to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Crimea, a vital region situated on the Black Sea, was annexed by Russia back in 2014 during President Barack Obama’s administration, long before the broader conflict erupted in 2022.

“They’ve had their submarines there for long before any period that we’re talking about, for many years. The people speak largely Russian in Crimea,” Trump said. “But this was given by Obama. This wasn’t given by Trump.”

As Trump discussed Crimea, Russian attacks continued across Ukraine. A drone strike on an apartment building in southeastern Ukraine killed three civilians and injured ten others, just one day after Trump criticized Russia’s leadership over a deadly assault on Kyiv.

Among those killed in Pavlohrad, located in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, were a child and a 76-year-old woman, according to Serhii Lysak, the regional governor, who posted about the tragedy on Telegram.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched 103 Shahed and other drones overnight targeting five Ukrainian regions. Officials in the Sumy and Kharkiv areas confirmed civilian infrastructure was hit, but there were no immediate reports of additional casualties.

The conflict could be reaching a critical stage, with the Trump administration reportedly weighing the possibility of stepping back if progress toward a peace deal is not achieved soon, which could also result in U.S. military aid being scaled down.

While diplomatic efforts stumble, Russia unleashed a massive assault on Kyiv Thursday, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring 87 more—the deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital since last summer.

Trump, who rarely criticizes Putin directly, expressed disapproval of the assault. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”

{Matzav.com}

In a newly published interview with Time magazine, President Donald Trump revealed that he has already secured “200 deals” related to tariffs and predicted that all of the arrangements will be finalized within the coming month.

The interview, part of a feature marking his first 100 days in office, followed a question referencing trade adviser Peter Navarro’s earlier assertion that “90 deals in 90 days” would be achieved. The interviewer challenged that claim, pointing out, “We’re now 13 days into the point from when you lifted the reciprocal, the discounted reciprocal tariffs. There’s zero deals so far. Why is that?”

Trump responded firmly, “No, there’s many deals.” Pressed on when those agreements would be formally disclosed, he emphasized that discussions were underway with various companies and allied nations, saying, “We’re meeting with China,” and adding, “We’re doing fine with everybody. But, ultimately, I’ve made all the deals.”

When asked to clarify the timeline for announcing these agreements, Trump offered an extended metaphor to describe his approach to trade: “Because the deal is a deal that I choose,” he said. “View it differently: We are a department store, and we set the price. I meet with the companies, and then I set a fair price — what I consider to be a fair price — and they can pay it, or they don’t have to pay it. They don’t have to do business with the United States, but I set a tariff on countries. Some have been horrible to us. Some have been OK. Nobody’s been great.”

Trump explained that these tariffs would be determined using objective measures. “Fairly according to the statistics,” he said, elaborating that he considers various economic factors. “Do they have the VAT [value-added tax] system in play? Do they charge us tariffs? How much are they charging us? How much have they been charging us? Many, many different factors.”

He also brought up broader concerns beyond just trade policy, including military expenditures that the United States shoulders abroad. “As an example, we have Korea. We pay billions of dollars for the military. Japan, billions for those and others,” Trump said. “But that, I’m going to keep us a separate item, the paying of the military. [In] Germany, we have 50,000 soldiers.”

Pressed again for a timeframe on when the deals would be made public, Trump offered a definitive forecast. “Over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished, by the way … we’ll be finished,” he said, noting that “some countries” might come back seeking “an adjustment,” which he’d be open to reviewing.

He also claimed the impact of the tariffs has been transformative for domestic investment. “We have $7 trillion of new plants, factories, and other things, investment coming into the United States,” Trump said. “If you look back at past presidents, nobody was anywhere near that. And this is in three months.”

Regarding China, Trump said he does not plan to initiate further calls with President Xi Jinping, although he noted that the Chinese leader has already contacted him. “He’s called,” said Trump. “I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf.”

When asked what Xi said during their exchange, Trump responded with another store analogy. “We all want to make deals. But I am this giant store. It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay.”

And when challenged on whether confusion exists around the administration’s tariff policy, Trump flatly denied it. “The only thing — they have an option,” he said. “They don’t have to shop here. They can go someplace else, but there aren’t too many places they can go.”

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Agudath Israel’s national director of government affairs with executive director of the Indiana Nonpublic Education Association John Elcesser and associate director Chris Bunson, outside House chambers just prior to the vote.

A high res version of the image above is available for download here or by clicking on the image.

In the early hours of Friday morning, the Indiana General Assembly voted in favor a budget that provides school vouchers to all students in the state regardless of their income. This victory for families comes sixteen years after Indiana passed its first school choice program in 2009.

The happy ending came after the Senate ultimately went along with the expansion supported by the House and Governor, albeit delaying the start date by a year.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, every student in the state will be eligible for a scholarship worth approximately $7,000 to attend the private school of their choice.

Indiana became the 17th state to offer universal school choice just a few hours after Texas passed its universal Education Savings Account.

This expansion will relieve schools and the state from the burden of collecting financial information from parents and will finally treat voucher students equal to those attending public and charter schools. Agudath Israel has consistently argued that just as the government doesn’t ask for financial information from parents before allowing a child to attend a public or charter school at taxpayer expense why should it require such information for a child to receive a voucher for half that amount?

Indiana also has a separate scholarship tax credit and education savings account programs which provide funding to eligible students and remain unchanged.

“Agudath Israel thanks Governor Mike Braun, Speaker Todd Huston and Chairman Bob Behning for their leadership,” said Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Agudath Israel’s national director of government affairs. “Indiana’s incremental approach has already helped more than 70,000 students access a tuition scholarship and will now send a clear message that all students deserve the same freedom and opportunity.”

{Matzav.com}

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.

Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos was sentenced Friday to over seven years in prison, sobbing as he learned his punishment for the crimes that led to his expulsion from Congress. Santos, who pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, appealed for mercy. In a federal court a short drive from his old congressional district, he said through tears that he was “humbled” and “chastised” and realized he had betrayed his constituents’ trust. “I offer my deepest apologies,” he said, adding: “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.” U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert evidently wasn’t convinced. “Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” she asked as she sentenced him to 87 months behind bars. “It’s always someone else’s fault.” The New York Republican served in Congress less than a year before becoming just the sixth member of the House to be ousted by colleagues. Santos admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his family members, to fund his winning campaign. His plea deal included agreeing to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties. “From the moment he declared his candidacy for Congress, Santos leveraged his campaign for his own enrichment and financial benefit,” U.S. Attorney John Durham, whose office prosecuted the case, said outside court. Santos, 36, is due to report to prison July 25. He didn’t respond to reporters’ shouted questions outside the courthouse, but he had told The Associated Press by text Thursday that he was “ready to face the music.” Santos’ victims included a woman with brain damage and two octogenarian men, prosecutor Ryan Harris told the judge. Defense lawyer Andrew Mancilla had asked the judge for a sentence of two years, portraying Santos as a troubled figure who grew up in a “broken house” and was subjected to bullying throughout his life. As a result, “he built the man he wanted to be, not who he was,” Mancilla said. “He did that because he believed that the world would not accept him for who he was.” “Deep down, he is warm, kind, caring, and thoughtful,” Mancilla said. But, the lawyer said, now “everyone hates George Santos.” Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a wealthy district representing parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP. Soon after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated much of his life story, painting himself as a successful business owner who worked at prestigious Wall Street firms and held a valuable real estate portfolio. In reality, Santos was struggling financially and even faced eviction. He falsely claimed to have been a volleyball star at a college he never even attended. He had referred to himself during the campaign as “a proud American Jew,” but later acknowledged that he was Catholic and insisted he’d only said he was “Jew-ish” after learning that his maternal family had a Jewish background. Reporters uncovered that Santos had been accused in Brazil of using stolen checks to buy clothing, and that he had once been charged in Pennsylvania with using bad checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. The revelations led to congressional and criminal inquiries into how he had funded his campaign. “He told lie after lie until it caught up with him — […]

George Santos, once a rising figure in New York politics who rapidly fell from grace, was sentenced on Friday in his wide-ranging federal corruption case—and broke down in tears as the judgment was delivered.

U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced Santos, the ex-congressman from Long Island, to seven years and three months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $373,000 in restitution. Santos had built his campaign on a foundation of fabrications and deception, and his lies eventually caught up with him in court.

Santos, 36, admitted guilt back in August to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. In doing so, he confessed to duping donors and using the identities of multiple individuals—including relatives and acquaintances—to artificially boost his donor list.

Although he held his congressional seat for less than a full term, having flipped a district covering parts of Queens and Nassau County, Santos was expelled in December 2023, becoming only the sixth member of the U.S. House of Representatives ever to be removed from office.

Since his ouster from Congress, Santos has turned to selling custom video messages through the platform Cameo, charging $100 per clip. On the day of his sentencing, he declined to take questions from reporters as he arrived in court, but earlier in the day he posted the word “Soon” with prayer-hand emojis on X.

Federal prosecutors had requested the maximum sentence under guidelines—seven years—pointing to Santos’ behavior both online and offline as evidence that he hadn’t shown genuine contrition.

In their filings, the prosecution cited recent posts from Santos, including one where he described himself as a “scapegoat,” and argued these showed he lacked remorse and was still lashing out at the justice system.

Defense attorneys countered the accusations, explaining that Santos’ online criticism was a response to what he saw as an overly severe punishment—not an indication that he didn’t regret his actions. They maintained he remained “profoundly sorry” for his conduct.

Santos won election in 2022, but it wasn’t long before the truth about his background began to unravel. He had falsely stated that he earned degrees from Baruch College and New York University and that he had been employed at financial powerhouses like Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. In fact, he had no college diploma and had never held direct positions at those companies.

By May 2023, a 23-count federal indictment was brought against him, alleging a variety of financial crimes tied to his campaign activities between October 2021 and October 2022.

Prosecutors laid out how Santos misled Congress about his finances, accepted unemployment benefits despite being employed, and misused campaign donations to support an extravagant lifestyle that included designer clothes, Botox treatments, and luxury getaways.

The scandal also ensnared his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, who was charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She is expected to be sentenced next month, with prosecutors recommending a term of between three and a half to four years.

In a recent interview with NY1, Santos said he hoped to be held in protective custody once incarcerated, expressing concern for his personal safety.

He also admitted in that same conversation that he currently does not have the financial means to repay the restitution sum included in his plea agreement.

Santos is expected to report to prison on July 25 to begin serving his sentence.

{Matzav.com}