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Harvard University announced Monday that it has filed suit to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants after the institution said it would defy the Trump administration’s demands to limit activism on campus activism on campus. In a letter to Harvard earlier this month, the Trump administration had called for broad government and leadership reforms at the university as well as changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded that the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs. Harvard President Alan Garber said the university would not bend to the government’s demands. Hours later, the government froze billions of dollars in federal funding. “The Government has not — and cannot — identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological, and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America’s position as a global leader in innovation,” the university wrote in its lawsuit, filed in Boston federal court. “Nor has the Government acknowledged the significant consequences that the indefinite freeze of billions of dollars in federal research funding will have on Harvard’s research programs, the beneficiaries of that research, and the national interest in furthering American innovation and progress,” it added. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. In its letter dated April 11, the administration told Harvard to impose tougher discipline on protesters and to screen international students for those who are “hostile to the American values.” It also called for broad leadership reforms at the university, changes to admissions policies and the removal of college recognition for some student clubs. The government also demanded Harvard audit its faculty and student body to ensure wide viewpoints in every department and, if necessary, diversify by admitting additional students and hiring new faculty. Last Monday, Harvard said it would not comply, citing the First Amendment. The following day, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, questioning whether the university should lose its tax-exempt status “if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” The Trump administration also threatened to block the university from enrolling international students. The university frames the government’s demands as a threat not only to the Ivy League school but to the autonomy that the Supreme Court has long granted American universities. For the Trump administration, Harvard presents the first major hurdle in its attempt to force change at universities that Republicans say have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism. The conflict is straining the longstanding relationship between the federal government and universities that use federal money to fuel scientific breakthroughs. Long seen as a benefit to the greater good, that money has become an easy source of leverage for the Trump administration. “Today, we stand for the values that have made American higher education a beacon for the world,” Garber wrote Monday to the Harvard community. “We stand for the truth that colleges and universities across the country can embrace and honor their legal obligations and best fulfill their essential role in society without improper government intrusion,” he wrote. “That is how we achieve academic excellence, safeguard open inquiry and freedom of speech, and conduct pioneering research—and how we advance the boundless exploration […]

​Harvard University has initiated legal proceedings against the Trump administration, challenging the federal government’s decision to freeze $2.2 billion in research funding. The university contends that this action is an attempt to exert undue influence over its academic operations. In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, Harvard argues that the administration’s demands—such as auditing faculty for plagiarism, reporting international students accused of misconduct, and ensuring “viewpoint diversity” in academic departments—are unconstitutional and threaten the institution’s independence.

Harvard President Alan Garber stated that the government’s actions would have “severe and long lasting” consequences, particularly affecting critical health research projects. He emphasized that the administration’s approach bypasses established legal procedures and infringes upon the university’s First Amendment rights.

The Trump administration has justified the funding freeze by citing concerns over antisemitism on campus. However, Harvard maintains that it has taken significant steps to address such issues and that the government’s measures are disproportionate and politically motivated.

The lawsuit names several administration officials as defendants, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi. Harvard seeks a court order to lift the funding freeze and prevent further governmental overreach into its academic affairs .​

This legal action underscores the escalating tensions between the federal government and higher education institutions over issues of academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and the role of political considerations in educational policy. The outcome of this case may have significant implications for the relationship between universities and the federal government moving forward.

{Matzav.com}​

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was the victim of a theft at a Washington, D.C., restaurant over the weekend, according to officials.

ABC News reported that Noem’s purse was taken by a masked individual while she was dining with her family. The bag reportedly contained $3,000 in cash, her passport, makeup kit, apartment key, a DHS access card, and various personal items.

A DHS representative confirmed that the suspect approached the table during a holiday outing and quickly fled the scene after grabbing the secretary’s purse.

According to CNN, the Secret Service reviewed surveillance video and identified the alleged thief as an unidentified white male who had been wearing a surgical mask at the time.

During Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll, Noem acknowledged the incident and confirmed that authorities had yet to resolve the case. “The theft has not yet been solved,” she said.

ABC also noted that prescription medication belonging to Noem was among the contents of the stolen purse.

The Secret Service has launched an investigation, which remains ongoing.

{Matzav.com}

The Education Department will begin collection next month on student loans that are in default, including the garnishing of wages for potentially millions of borrowers, officials said Monday. Currently, roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans. The Trump administration ’s announcement marks an end to a period of leniency that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. No federal student loans have been referred for collection since March 2020, including those in default. Under President Joe Biden, the Education Department tried multiple times to forgive millions of people’s student loans, only to be stopped by courts. “American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. Beginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department’s offset program, which withholds payments from the government — including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits — from people with past-due debts to the government. After a 30-day notice, the department will also begin garnishing wages for borrowers in default. The decision to send debt to collections drew criticism from advocates. “This is cruel, unnecessary and will further fan the flames of economic chaos for working families across this country,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center. Already, many borrowers have been bracing for obligations coming due. In 2020, President Donald Trump paused federal student loan payments and interest accrual as a temporary relief measure for student borrowers. The pause in payments was extended multiple times by the Biden administration through 2023, and a final grace period for loan repayments ended in October 2024. That meant tens of millions of Americans had to start making payments again. Borrowers who don’t make payments for nine months go into default, which is reported on their credit scores and can go to collections. In addition to the borrowers already in default, around another 4 million are between 91 to 180 days late on their loan payments. Less than 40% of all borrowers are current on their student loans, department officials said. For borrowers in default, one step to avoid wage garnishment is to get into loan rehabilitation, said Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute for Student Loan Advisors. Borrowers need to ask their loan servicer to be placed into a loan rehabilitation program. Typically, servicers ask for proof of income and expenses to calculate a payment amount. Once a borrower has paid on time for nine months in a row, they are taken out of default, Mayotte said. A loan rehabilitation can only be done once. Biden oversaw the cancellation of student loans for more than 5 million borrowers. Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of his signature proposal for broad relief, he waived more than $183.6 billion in student loans through expanded forgiveness programs. In her statement Monday, McMahon said Biden had gone too far. “Going forward, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury, will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law, which means helping borrowers return to repayment — both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation’s economic outlook,” she said. (AP)

In a dramatic declaration to the High Court on Monday, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar claimed that his dismissal was rooted in Israel Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s demand for personal allegiance — not just professional duty — and that he had been implicitly instructed to prioritize loyalty to Netanyahu over the rule of law in the event of a constitutional standoff.

Bar, in a formal response to petitions challenging his removal, asserted that he was pushed out for refusing to align himself with the prime minister’s political interests. He pointed to a series of sensitive decisions, including declining to shield Netanyahu from testifying in his corruption trial, launching probes into the conduct of Netanyahu’s inner circle, and the fallout from the October 7 Hamas attack, as factors behind the firing.

He also denied claims by Netanyahu and his allies that the Shin Bet had prior intelligence warning of the October 7 assault and failed to relay it in time. Bar provided a timeline outlining the actions taken by his agency in the hours leading up to the invasion based on the intelligence they had at the time.

Although Bar indicated he would soon announce his resignation, he emphasized that the court’s ruling on his termination would have more lasting implications than his personal exit.

Netanyahu rejected Bar’s version of events, calling it “a false statement.” The Prime Minister’s Office followed up by saying that Bar’s own admission of security failings validated the decision to remove him. The court has asked Netanyahu to formally respond to Bar’s remarks.

Bar’s dismissal was finalized on March 21, following a cabinet vote prompted by Netanyahu’s recommendation. The prime minister cited a loss of confidence in Bar’s leadership. However, critics and legal watchdogs argue that the firing was marred by conflicts of interest and procedural flaws, given Shin Bet’s active investigations into Netanyahu’s aides.

The High Court temporarily blocked the firing and urged both the government and the Attorney General to resolve the legal missteps, while inviting Bar to present his account.

Bar responded by submitting an eight-page public statement via the State Attorney’s Office, accompanied by a 31-page classified annex with supplemental documentation.

In his public remarks, Bar said tensions with Netanyahu did not emerge until late 2024. The shift, he claimed, stemmed from Netanyahu’s expectation of “personal loyalty” rather than a breakdown in professional performance. He noted that Netanyahu had previously lauded the Shin Bet’s contributions during the war, including rescuing hostages and neutralizing terrorists across multiple fronts.

Bar identified November 2024 as the critical turning point. That month, he authorized an investigation into leaked materials from the Prime Minister’s Office, declined to assert that Netanyahu could skip his court testimony on national security grounds, supported the position that political leaders bore some responsibility for the October 7 failures, and endorsed the establishment of a state commission of inquiry. He also launched an investigation into the so-called Qatargate affair, in which Netanyahu’s aides allegedly lobbied for Qatar — a nation linked to Hamas.

“This sequence of events is what brought about a turning point in the prime minister’s attitude to me, and it alone stands at the foundation of the demand to end my tenure,” Bar wrote.

On Qatargate, Bar insisted the involvement of individuals linked to a state that backs Hamas in sensitive Israeli decision-making circles demanded scrutiny — especially given Qatar’s role as a mediator in negotiations with the terror group. He warned that suspected interference by Netanyahu’s associates could jeopardize national security and hostage release efforts.

Bar also revealed that Netanyahu had asked him to take action against citizens participating in anti-government protests and requested intelligence on activists who had monitored cabinet ministers and members of the prime minister’s family.

“The expectation to monitor ‘protest funders’ was made clear to me,” Bar stated, making it known that he refused to carry out such demands.

According to Bar, these requests were made after formal meetings had ended and once military aides and record-keepers had exited the room — a tactic that would leave no official trace of the conversations.

“The prime minister addressed me multiple times in a manner that made clear his expectation that the Shin Bet act against citizens involved in protest action and demonstrations against the government,” wrote Bar.

Bar added that in Netanyahu’s official response to the court, the prime minister acknowledged that one of his grievances was Bar’s refusal to act against those organizing widespread army reserve duty boycotts — a major part of the protest movement against judicial reform.

“This shows how the prime minister viewed the job of the head of the Shin Bet and his expectations that he activate the authorities of the agency in connection with open and public demonstrations of public protest against the government and its policies in which there is no clandestine activity or threat of violence,” Bar told the court.

Bar further alleged that during discussions about these protests, he was told that in the event of a constitutional crisis, he would be expected to “obey the prime minister and not the Supreme Court,” though he did not specify who conveyed that directive.

He said that more details about that issue would be included in his classified filing.

The threat of a constitutional breakdown has loomed large throughout the current government’s push to overhaul Israel’s judiciary, sparking mass protests and deep political rifts.

Bar reiterated previous claims that Netanyahu had pressured him to submit false security justifications to the Jerusalem District Court in order to excuse the prime minister from testifying in his criminal trial.

Bar said Netanyahu “repeatedly” urged him to issue orders that would prevent the prime minister from making public appearances and from being exposed to security risks — a move that would have effectively delayed or derailed the trial.

He disclosed that a draft memo had even been prepared, which he said was likely authored by Netanyahu or his staff, and that he was asked to present it as the Shin Bet’s official position.

Bar said the full details of that episode would be laid out in his confidential filing.

Bar flatly denied allegations from Netanyahu and his allies that the Shin Bet had knowledge of Hamas’s attack plans in advance and failed to alert the necessary authorities. He provided a detailed account of the agency’s actions before and during the start of the assault.

While acknowledging operational shortcomings, Bar said claims that he failed to brief the prime minister were part of a coordinated campaign to discredit him and the agency.

He noted that months earlier, the Shin Bet had warned the government that internal divisions — largely sparked by the judicial overhaul — were being interpreted by Israel’s enemies as a window of opportunity to strike. The agency had recommended targeted military actions to reestablish deterrence.

Bar also recalled warning Netanyahu in July 2023 about a dangerously deteriorating security landscape, even issuing a rare “war alert” — something nearly unprecedented from a Shin Bet director.

He said that after detecting “unusual but not unambiguous” indicators on the night of October 6, his agency alerted top IDF officials, including those overseeing Gaza and the Southern Command, at 11 p.m.

By 3:03 a.m. on October 7, the Shin Bet issued a general alert to all security branches about possible hostile activity by Hamas, though Bar conceded that the level of warning fell short — a failure he acknowledged.

He said he arrived at the Shin Bet’s headquarters at 4:30 a.m. and instructed that Netanyahu’s military secretary be notified by 5:15 a.m.

“It is with pain that I emphasize that no one evaluated that an attack like this would erupt and certainly not on that morning,” Bar wrote. “However, the attack was ‘not coordinated by us,’ our teams were not ‘sent in order to save Shin Bet personnel,’ and on that night nothing was ‘hidden from the security establishment or the prime minister,’” he emphasized.

“Out of a deep concern for the State of Israel in general and the ability of the Shin Bet to function in particular, I saw it as my duty to bring before the court in a full and public manner the sequence of events,” Bar concluded.

“This is my duty to my successor, so that their ability to fulfill their role with professionalism, with commitment to the country, and while insisting that the authorities of the agency and its tools be used for their intended purposes alone, be preserved, and so as to clearly delineate between the trust required in democratic systems and loyalty that characterizes other regimes.”

In a blistering response, the Prime Minister’s Office declared Bar’s testimony was “full of lies,” claiming he only informed Netanyahu’s military aide at 6:13 a.m.

“Bar confirms the assertion of all government ministers that he failed miserably on October 7,” said the statement from Netanyahu’s office. “This reason alone is cause for his termination.”

The PMO added that just two days prior to the Hamas onslaught, Bar had claimed that “renewal of understandings between Israel and Hamas based on the principle of quiet in exchange for concessions reveals the potential for preserving stability in the Gaza Strip.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israir Airlines has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to begin operating flights to the United States, marking a major milestone in the airline’s push to expand its international footprint. The DOT’s authorization, granted Monday, is a temporary permit that could become permanent once Israir meets all safety and operational requirements set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The airline expects to secure full approval by June 2025, according to a timeline shared with its board of directors. Israir plans to launch nonstop Tel Aviv–New York service using Airbus A330 aircraft, with flights operated by its own flight and maintenance crews. Israir says it plans to launch the Tel Aviv-New York route by Pesach 2026 El Al, Israel’s national carrier, has enjoyed near-monopoly status during the ongoing war with Hamas, particularly as foreign airlines suspended service. El Al has positioned itself as the “Spirit of Israel” to maintain customer loyalty, but Israir’s entry into the U.S. market is poised to offer consumers a competitive alternative. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar submitted a classified affidavit to the High Court of Justice containing explosive allegations involving Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office, according to a report by Kan News. The classified filing, submitted alongside a publicly available affidavit, reportedly includes sensitive information related to multiple scandals. These include details of the Qatargate investigation, the leaking of classified documents by a Netanyahu aide to Germany’s Bild newspaper, and Netanyahu’s alleged attempts to use the Shin Bet against anti-government protestors. Bar also reportedly disclosed that Netanyahu asked him to assist in delaying his testimony in his ongoing criminal trial. Additionally, the affidavit covers internal discussions between security and political leaders on how to handle the war with Hamas. The revelation come as part of High Court petitions challenging the government’s decision to dismiss Bar, a move made at Netanyahu’s recommendation. In his public affidavit, Bar accused Netanyahu of firing him due to his refusal to act as a political tool, his support of criminal probes into Netanyahu’s associates, and his opposition to what Bar described as illegitimate directives during the 2023 protests against judicial reform. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

House Republicans are renewing calls for criminal charges against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, accusing him of making “criminally false statements” to Congress regarding the underreporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), cites “overwhelming evidence” that Cuomo misled Congress during a June 2023 interview about his role in drafting and editing a July 2020 report that allegedly undercounted nursing home deaths by 46%. “This wasn’t a slip-up — it was a calculated cover-up,” Comer said, accusing Cuomo of shielding himself from responsibility for his March 25, 2020, directive that forced COVID-positive patients back into senior care facilities without mandatory testing. Cuomo denied involvement in the report’s preparation during sworn testimony, but internal emails and handwritten edits appear to contradict his claims. Staffers have identified Cuomo’s handwriting in margins of the draft, including changes to death figures and language minimizing culpability. The renewed criminal referral comes after the Justice Department declined to prosecute Cuomo last year. Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi dismissed the move as a politically motivated stunt and “transparent election interference” – Cuomo is currently the frontrunner to be the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor. House Republicans maintain that Cuomo’s statements warrant up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of lying to Congress. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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A kosher pizzeria and two other Jewish-owned businesses were broken into on Shabbos, Shevi’i Shel Pesach. While law enforcement says the crimes appear financially motivated, local leaders are sounding the alarm on growing threats facing Jews in Toronto and across Canada. My Zaidy’s Pizza, a beloved Thornhill establishment founded by the grandfather of Deputy Conservative Leader Melissa Lantsman, was among the businesses targeted. Lantsman, whose riding includes a large Jewish population, called the break-in “a blatant attempt to intimidate and target our community,” noting that the crimes took place on Pesach. “Today, this country is unrecognizable,” she wrote on social media. York Regional Police acknowledged similarities between the three break-ins and believe they were committed by a single suspect seeking cash. They said there was no evidence of hate-motivated vandalism. Still, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca described the incidents as acts of intimidation and called for immediate federal and provincial action to support local efforts. The break-ins follow a disturbing trend: B’nai Brith Canada reported over 6,200 antisemitic incidents in 2024, a 7.4% increase from the year prior. Lantsman has pledged a Conservative government would impose tougher penalties for antisemitic crimes and deport foreign offenders. The incidents come just a week before the April 28 federal byelection, with public safety and antisemitism front and center. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hackers linked to Russia’s government launched a cyberattack last spring against municipal water plants in rural Texas. At one plant in Muleshoe, population 5,000, water began to overflow. Officials had to unplug the system and run the plant manually. The hackers weren’t trying to taint the water supply. They didn’t ask for a ransom. Authorities determined the intrusion was designed to test the vulnerabilities of America’s public infrastructure. It was also a warning: In the 21st century, it takes more than oceans and an army to keep the United States safe. A year later, countries around the world are preparing for greater digital conflict as increasing global tensions and a looming trade war have raised the stakes — and the chances that a cyberattack could cause significant economic damage, disrupt vital public systems, reveal sensitive business or government secrets, or even escalate into military confrontation. The confluence of events has national security and cyber experts warning of heightened cyberthreats and a growing digital arms race as countries look to defend themselves. At the same time, President Donald Trump has upended America’s digital defenses by firing the four-star general who led the National Security Agency, shrinking cybersecurity agencies and slashing election cybersecurity initiatives. Businesses now are increasingly concerned about cyberattacks, and governments have moved to a war footing, according to a report this month by NCC Group, a British cybersecurity firm. “The geopolitical dust is still settling,” said Verona Johnstone-Hulse, a London-based expert on government cybersecurity polices and the report’s co-author. “What the new normal looks like is still not yet set.” Many in the U.S. are already calling for a more muscular approach to protecting the digital frontier. “Hybrid war is here to stay,” said Tom Kellermann, senior vice president of cyberstrategy at Contrast Security. “We need to stop playing defense — it’s time to make them play defense.” Digital life means more targets for hackers Vulnerabilities have grown as people and businesses use connected devices to count steps, manage finances and operate facilities such as water plants and ports. Each network and connection is a potential target for foreign governments or the hacking groups that sometimes do their bidding. Espionage is one motive, demonstrated in a recent incursion linked to hackers in China. The campaign known as Salt Typhoon sought to crack the phones of officials, including Trump, before the 2024 election. These operations seek entry to sensitive corporate or government systems to steal secrets or monitor personal communications. Such information can be hugely valuable by providing advantages in trade negotiations or military planning. These hackers try to remain hidden for as long as possible. More obvious intrusions can serve as a warning or deterrent, such as the cyberattacks targeting the Texas water plants. Iran also has shown a willingness to use cyberattacks to make political points. The cyberattacks that frighten experts the most burrow deeply into telephone or computer networks, inserting backdoors or malware for later use. National security experts say this was the motivation behind a recent attack from China called Volt Typhoon that compromised telephone networks in the U.S. in an effort to gain access to an unknown number of critical systems. China could potentially use these connections to disable key infrastructure — power plants, communication networks, pipelines, hospitals, financial systems — as part of a larger conflict or before an invasion of Taiwan, national security experts said. “They can position their implants to be activated at a date and time in the future,” said Sonu Shankar, a former researcher […]

Benny was born 18 months ago, bringing with him great joy to his parents. A healthy, thriving baby, he was their sunshine. But six weeks ago, he suddenly became sick. Very, very sick. The diagnosis was shattering: colon cancer, advanced. Benny declined quickly, turning from a happy toddler to a child unable to eat, crawl or even sit up. He had to be admitted to PICU, in total quarantine due to his fragile state, his parents can only see him in pictures taken by kind nurses. Desperate and broken hearted, they got a small ray of hope: there is a surgical protocol that might save his life. But it is an innovative procedure, and due to his young age, it will require a series of supportive tests and medical care. Estimated cost: $300,000 The parents do not have this sum. They have tried fervently to accumulate as much as they can, but they have no financial backing, and currently they are not even able work steadily, and need help with day-to-day expenses. But they have no choice but to do everything to save their child. So, reluctantly, they are turning to you to plead for help heal Benny. Who can imagine pain such as this? Enduring seeing their precious baby struggle for every breath, knowing they do not have the means to save him? Begging for pictures of him, and not even being able to hug and comfort him? Please, let’s give them the support they are so desperate for! Let them know they are not alone, that we all care, that we will give them their only wish: Give them the chance to save Benny. Click here to save little Benny

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At a commemorative event held Monday evening honoring Irgun fighters who lost their lives in the battle for Yaafo during Israel’s War of Independence, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s determination to see its ongoing military campaign through to the end.

“We will complete all of the war objectives. We will destroy Hamas’s rule in Gaza, return the hostages, prevent any future threat from Gaza to Israel, and return the residents safely,” Netanyahu stated.

Drawing a parallel between the historic victory in Yaffo and the present conflict, Netanyahu said, “Just as the liberation of Jaffa ended in complete victory, today we too adhere to the concept of complete victory.”

Addressing growing concerns about political division and unrest at home, the Prime Minister made a clear declaration: “There will be no civil war – there will be no civil war.”

Netanyahu concluded his speech by turning attention to Iran and pushing back against narratives in the media. “We have not given up on dealing with the Iranian threat. Do not believe what you hear on the news channels that spread poison, panic or, in short, propaganda.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The man once known as America’s top voice on COVID-19 is now reaping substantial rewards in retirement.

New findings shared by The Daily Caller and transparency watchdog Open the Books reveal that Anthony Fauci, who previously served as Chief Medical Advisor to the president, brought in $3.5 million during his first year away from public office.

According to The Daily Caller, financial records totaling 141 pages and reviewed by Open The Books indicate that Fauci received multiple deposits adding up to $1.15 million over the course of 2023. These records, however, do not specify where the funds originated.

Fauci has evidently capitalized on the public persona he cultivated during the pandemic, even as members of Congress increasingly scrutinize his actions and decision-making during the crisis.

In March 2023, Fauci reportedly secured a $5 million book deal with a division of Penguin Random House to publish his memoir. That same month, a congressional report disclosed that Fauci had privately “prompted” a widely circulated scientific article that dismissed the possibility of a laboratory origin for the coronavirus. On July 1, 2023, Fauci took on a new role as a distinguished university professor at Georgetown University, with appointments in both the School of Medicine and the School of Public Policy. Less than two weeks after that appointment, two of the researchers involved in the previously mentioned article appeared before Congress to discuss their communication with Fauci.

In a notable development last Friday, the White House updated the covid.gov website to spotlight the very study Fauci had reportedly influenced — “The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2” — as well as his role in shifting attention away from the lab-leak theory.

Throughout 2023, Fauci accepted invitations to speak before a number of professional and lobbying organizations, including the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and AHIP, which represents health insurers. Both groups have had significant stakes in the federal government’s COVID-19 strategy and dealings with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — the NIH branch Fauci led for nearly 40 years.

Over a span of four years, Fauci’s personal fortune experienced a sharp rise — from $7.6 million at the start of 2019 to $15 million by 2023. Despite no longer holding a government role, Fauci also continued to benefit from taxpayer-funded perks, including protection and travel support provided by the U.S. Marshals Service.

More details can be found in The Daily Caller’s full report:

Israeli prosecutors have completed draft indictments against 22 alleged Hamas perpetrators of the Oct. 7, 2023 massacres in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israeli media reported.

The report about the indictments—the first of Oct. 7 perpetrators—suggests authorities have resolved to prosecute the suspects in civilian courts, which may lack the authority to sentence terrorists to death, instead of military tribunals that have that authority.

The indictments provide the legal scaffolding for prosecuting additional suspects in atrocities and other crimes committed by the thousands of terrorists who invaded Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, murdering some 1,200 people and abducting another 251.

The United States is reportedly conducting its own investigations into the Oct. 7 attacks and may be preparing separate indictments. According to Ynet, Israeli officials have asked their American counterparts to hold off on any legal action until Israel files its own charges.

Digital material, documents and other evidence were retrieved from combat zones in Gaza, often during Israel Defense Forces incursions, for the indictments, which prosecutors call “Case 7/10.”

Israel is in custody of roughly 300 individuals suspected of various degrees of involvement in the massacres, according to Ynet. Some were captured during the attack itself, while others were detained later during IDF operations in Gaza. Israeli officials have stated that these detainees are not intended to be included in potential prisoner exchange negotiations.

Prosecutors are debating whether to file a single indictment against all 22 suspects or to try them in smaller, separate cases, according to the news site.

The Attorney General’s Office has proposed several legal amendments to facilitate the prosecution of Hamas terrorists, including enabling court hearings in absentia of the defendants and potentially limiting defense access to some of the evidence. One proposal would even permit victim statements to be submitted in writing, bypassing live cross-examination—a move that may raise questions about defendants’ rights. The Public Defender’s office within the Justice Ministry has said it will not represent the Hamas defendants, and the issue of their legal representation is being discussed, according to the report. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Transnational organized crime groups in East and Southeast Asia are spreading their lucrative scam operations across the globe in response to increased crackdowns by authorities, according to a U.N. report issued on Monday. For several years, scam compounds have proliferated in Southeast Asia, especially in border areas of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, as well as in the Philippines, shifting operations from site to site to stay a step ahead of the police. More recently, scam centers that have bilked victims out of billions of dollars through false romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes are now being reported operating as far afield as Africa and Latin America. Asian crime syndicates have been expanding operations deeper into remote areas with lax law enforcement that are vulnerable to the influx, according to the report issued by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime or UNODC. The report is titled “Inflection Point: Global Implications of Scam Centers, Underground Banking and Illicit Online Marketplaces in Southeast Asia.” “This reflects both a natural expansion as the industry grows and seeks new ways and places to do business, but also a hedging against future risks should disruption continue and intensify in Southeast Asia,” Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC’s acting regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said in a statement. UNODC estimates that hundreds of industrial-scale scam centers generate just under $40 billion in annual profits. The trend to hedge beyond the region has been consistent with continued reports of crackdowns targeting Asian-led scam centers that have been found operating in Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and select Pacific islands, as well as related money laundering, people trafficking and recruitment services discovered in Europe, North America and South America. In Africa, Nigeria has become a hot spot, with police raids in late 2024 and early 2025 leading to many arrests, including people from East and Southeast Asia suspected of cryptocurrency and romance scams. Zambia and Angola have also busted Asian-linked cyberfraud operations. In Latin America, the report says that it’s “notable that Brazil has emerged as one country that has faced a growing set of challenges related to cyber-enabled fraud, online gambling, and related money laundering, with some linkages to criminal groups operating in Southeast Asia.” It also notes that in late 2023 in Peru, more than 40 Malaysians were rescued after being trafficked by a Taiwan-based gang known as the Red Dragon syndicate that forced them to commit cyber-enabled fraud. The report also points to crackdowns on Asian-led scam centers in the Middle East and some Pacific islands. Alarmingly, even as Asian-led groups have been expanding the geographical scope of their operations, the involvement of criminal groups from other parts of the world is also growing, the report says. New online markets, money laundering networks, stolen data products, malware, artificial intelligence and deepfake technologies are laying the ground for the rise of crime as a service, the report says. These technological innovations facilitate conducting their businesses online and adapt to crackdowns. “The convergence between the acceleration and professionalization of these operations on the one hand and their geographical expansion into new parts of the region and beyond on the other translates into a new intensity in the industry — one that governments need to be prepared to respond to,” Hofmann says. (AP)

In an emotional full circle, former Hamas captive Eliya Cohen returned on Sunday for the first time to the shelter from which he was kidnapped and donned tefillin.

Cohen was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists while attending the Nova music festival with his partner, Ziv Abud.

When the rocket fire began, they fled to a shelter that later became known as the “death shelter.”

With them were Ziv’s nephew, Amit Ben Avida, and his partner Karin Schwartzman, who were both killed, while Eliya was abducted to Gaza by the terrorists.

Eliya was released from captivity after 505 days. His partner, Ziv, posted a photo of the couple at the bunker today and wrote, “I can’t write anything, just victory.” JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

An A.I. video generated by a group calling itself the Temple Mount Activists envisioning a miraculous reestablishment of the Bais Hamikdosh led Qatar to condemn “plans” to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque, in a statement put out by its foreign ministry on April 19.

“The State of Qatar strongly condemns reports of plans by groups affiliated with Israeli occupation organizations to destroy the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and replace it with the so-called Temple,” the Ministry statement said.

“Qatar considers this a dangerous provocation that could significantly escalate violence in the region, especially amid the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip,” it added.

The A.I. video shows the Dome of the Rock suddenly engulfed in flames. In its place appears the Bais Hamikdosh with flames coming out the top while the tefillah of Shema plays. The caption, “Next year in Yerushalayim, Moshiach now,” displays toward the end of the video.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said it unequivocally rejected “any attempt to alter the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, or its holy sites.”

It called on the international community to halt such threats, hold the “the occupying power” (i.e. Israel) accountable, and ensure the protection of Muslim holy sites.

The statement then went on to express support for the Palestinian cause and a two-state solution.

Although Israel had not designated Qatar as an “enemy state” that Israeli citizens are prohibited from visiting without a special permit issued by the Interior Ministry (the U.S. classifies it as a major non-NATO ally), it has supported terrorist groups, including Hamas, Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood. It also runs the Al Jazeera television network, which Israel and the Palestinian Authority have banned, as have other countries in the region.

Last week, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Affairs Minister Sa’oud bin Abd Al-Rahman Al Thani published and then quickly deleted a post on X saying: “We Are all Hamas.”

He also deleted a 2014 post he wrote during “Operation Protective Edge,” a war between Hamas and Israel, in which he called for Muslims in Jerusalem to “rise up” and “revolt.”

The Temple Mount Activists have posted similar videos in the past. According to WAFA, the Palestinian Authority’s news agency, the group posted an image of the construction of the Temple on Al-Aqsa’s ruins.

In September 2024, the group posted a video of Al-Aqsa burning with the caption, “Coming soon in these days.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A man was attacked by a shark on the beach at the Nachal Hadera Park near the power station in the city on Monday afternoon. MDA received reports on Monday about a diver who entered the water and disappeared. A video circulating on social media shows a man in the water screaming for help and a shark fin peeking out from the waves. Rescue forces tried to find him but were unsuccessful. The search for the victim in the water ceased at nightfall but search teams will continue to search the coast. In a report received by MDA, a witness described: “There’s someone here who was bitten by a shark. He’s screaming ‘Help’ in the sea at Hadera Park. He’s drowning. He’s in the water. No one is coming to save him. It’s all blood there, the sharks are eating him. It’s deep, I think he’s a diver. There are several sharks on him.” Shlomo, who was on the beach, also witnessed the attack. He described that “I went to the beach with friends. We were about to go in and suddenly we saw a man thrashing in the water – we saw him fighting a shark and trying to escape from it. The shark attacked him. It was hard to see. It was chilling, really scary. We really saw how the shark attacked him. I don’t understand how they don’t close a beach with sharks. It could easily be me. All of us are traumatized.” Witnesses told Ynet: “It’s no wonder the sharks attacked. There are fishermen here all the time. The hooks of the fishing rods hit the sharks and cause them to bleed. That’s why they attacked.” Following the incident, all beaches from Hadera to Netanya were closed. It should be noted that the attack took place in a part of the beach where swimming was banned. Professionals in the field of shark and large marine life research told Yisrael Hayom, “It was absolutely clear that something like this would happen in Israel. It was discussed just yesterday among researchers. Despite all the warnings and explanations that these animals must not be disturbed, many Israelis swam toward the sharks, petted them, and even swam around them holding fish. This behavior creates a classic situation for unhealthy contact with these predators, even with shark species that do not see humans as prey or seek contact with them. We must remember these are animals with significant attacking capabilities. That’s why we continue to warn the public not to approach sharks in the Hadera area.” According to the report, sharks are attracted to Hadera’s coastline due to warm water discharged from the Israel Electric Corporation’s power station. The plant uses seawater to cool its turbines, and the heated water is released back into the sea, attracting the sharks. The Nature and Parks Authority recently warned that “the shark gathering site in Hadera is not managed and is not regulated and poses a great risk to both sharks and humans.” The authority called for limiting human activity in the area and delineating a shark observation area from the shore. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)