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The condition of Hagaon HaRav Meir Mazuz further deteriorated overnight Sunday. The Rosh Yeshivah was transferred to the ICU and is sedated and ventilated. HaRav Mazuz was hospitalized two weeks ago and is in great need of Rachamei Shamayim. Members of the Rosh Yeshivha’s household stated on Monday morning, the first day of Chol HaMoed in Israel: “Following a deterioration in the Rosh Yeshiva’s condition, Maran is now undergoing a life-threatening procedure. We ask the public to gather their children, remind their friends, and gather everyone to daven and recite perkei Tehillim for Maran’s refuah sheleimah so that the generation will not be orphaned from him.” Public tefillos for the Rosh Yeshivah’s refuah were held early Monday afternoon in several cities, including Bnei Brak, Elad, and Netivot. The public is asked to daven for the refuah sheleimah of מאיר ניסים בן כמסאנה b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on the first day of Chol HaMoed in Israel)

The Hamas terror group published a propaganda video of US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander on Motzei Shabbos, Leil HaSeder. The family approved the release of a screenshot from the video. “As we begin the holiday evening in the USA, our family in Israel is preparing to sit around the Seder table,” the family said in a statement. “Our Edan, a lone soldier who immigrated to Israel and enlisted in the Golani Brigade to defend the country and its citizens, is still being held captive by Hamas.” “So when you sit down to mark Passover, remember that this is not a holiday of freedom as long as Edan and the other 58 hostages are not home.” Alexander grew up in New Jersey and made aliyah at age 18 to serve in the IDF. He was abducted from his base on October 7. Hamas previously released a video of him in November. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on the first day of Chol HaMoed in Israel)

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu contacted the family of hostage Eitan Mor and informed them that there has been progress in negotiations for the release of 10 hostages, Channel 12 News reported on Monday monring Eitan’s father, Tzvika, is the founder of the right-wing Tikvah Forum, which has repeatedly stressed the position that all the remaining hostages must be released at one time as a selection of hostages is a death sentence to those remaining behind. The Forum stated: “Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and the head of the Hostages Administration, Brigadier General (Res.) Gal Hirsch contacted Tzvika and Efrat Mor, the parents of the hostage Eitan Mor, and updated them on the progress of negotiations for the release of ten living hostages.” “The Prime Minister emphasized that the deal is not yet final, but clarified that the government is committed to returning all the hostages.” “Tzvika and Efrat Mor emphasized to the Prime Minister the position of Forum Tikva, according to which there is an obligation to return all the hostages in one phase and on one bus.” According to reports that appeared today in Saudi media outlets, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are pressuring Hamas to reach a deal by the end of April. Hamas agreed in principle to increase the number of hostages it releases from five to ten living hostages, including US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander. A Lebanese newspaper reported that the initial proposal includes a ceasefire of between 40 and 70 days, as well as the release of approximately 1,100 security prisoners. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on the first day of Choel Hamoed in Israel)

Lugging around boarding passes and needing to check in for flights will be scrapped as part of the biggest aviation industry shake-up in 50 years, The Times reported. Within the next “two to three years,” passengers will be able to upload their passports on their phones to pass through the airport using only their face for verification. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN body responsible for policy, plans to replace the existing rules for airports and airlines with a new “digital travel credential” that will allow passport information stored on devices to be used for travel.

“The last upgrade of great scale was the adoption of e-ticketing in the early 2000s,” Valérie Viale, the director of product management at a travel technology company called Amadeus, told the Times. “The industry has now decided it’s time to upgrade to modern systems that are more like what Amazon would use.”

Although the new technology might spark some privacy concerns, Amadeus claims that the system it developed wipes passengers’ details within 15 seconds of each contact with a “touchpoint,” like the pre-security gates. Read more at The Times.

{Matzav.com}

An immigration judge ruled on Friday that Mahmoud Khalil could be expelled from the United States because of his participation in anti-Israel demonstrations at Columbia University. The decision, delivered by Judge Jamee Comans in a Louisiana courtroom, was part of a broader federal push to remove Khalil, a Syrian-born U.S. permanent resident, due to his activism.

Judge Comans declared that the federal government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that [Khalil] is removable,” following a hearing that lasted about two hours.

At the conclusion of the session, Khalil addressed the judge directly, asserting she had failed to uphold the fairness she had previously emphasized during an earlier hearing that week. “Clearly what we witnessed today, neither of these principles were present today or in this whole process,” Khalil claimed. “This is exactly why the Trump administration has sent me to this court, 1,000 miles away from my family,” he said. “I just hope that the urgency that you deemed fit for me are afforded to the hundreds of others who have been here without hearing for months.”

Though the judge ruled Khalil can be deported, the decision doesn’t take immediate effect. His legal team still has the opportunity to appeal and continue contesting the removal order before it is finalized.

Khalil, 30, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 8 at his subsidized campus apartment in Manhattan, where he was living with his pregnant American wife.

His detention followed a Trump administration directive targeting anti-Israel demonstrators on college campuses.

Just one day later, Khalil was transported over 1,000 miles to a detention center in Jena, Louisiana, leaving his wife behind in New York.

His attorneys have challenged his arrest both in immigration court and by filing a habeas corpus petition in federal court in New Jersey. They argue the government violated his constitutional right to free expression by detaining him in response to his pro-Palestinian advocacy.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE justified the arrest using a little-known statute that empowers the Secretary of State to deport a noncitizen deemed a risk to U.S. foreign relations.

At Tuesday’s initial court appearance, Judge Comans directed government attorneys to present documentation supporting their deportation effort, reserving her ruling until Friday’s hearing.

By Wednesday, the government had submitted a short memorandum from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which accused Khalil of engaging “in antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States.”

Rubio’s letter asserted that Khalil’s presence clashed with “U.S. policy to combat antisemitism around the world and in the United States, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence in the United States.”

The memo further cited legal authority granted to the Trump administration to expel foreign nationals whose presence is deemed detrimental to U.S. diplomatic priorities.

Following the ruling, Khalil’s attorney, Marc van der Hout, issued a statement condemning the court process: “Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent. This is not over, and our fight continues.”

Meanwhile, Khalil’s legal team is also pinning its hopes on the federal court in New Jersey, where Judge Michael Farbiarz has already paused the deportation order pending further proceedings.

Farbiarz also instructed both parties to participate in a status call Friday afternoon to update him on the outcome of the immigration hearing.

Originally from Syria and also an Algerian citizen, Khalil is a former employee of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. He came to the U.S. in 2022 to begin his studies at Columbia.

While at Columbia, Khalil led Columbia United Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of student activist groups known for backing extremist positions, including support for Hamas and Hezbollah, and advocating for the “end of Western civilization.”

He also served as the primary representative in talks with Columbia’s leadership during protest encampments held on campus last year.

At a press briefing on Thursday, van der Hout argued that the government’s move had nothing to do with actual foreign policy considerations, stating that Rubio’s “determination has absolutely nothing to do with foreign policy.”

The attorney insisted that the evidence presented against Khalil was weak and that his client was being targeted purely for exercising political speech.

{Matzav.com}

The Palestinian Authority has extended a formal invitation to the Trump administration, requesting that it verify the implementation of a newly restructured welfare program that has long faced criticism for allegedly promoting terrorism. This was disclosed to The Times of Israel on Friday by both a U.S. official and a representative of the PA.

The invitation was conveyed in a letter sent on Wednesday by Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior aide to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The correspondence references a decree issued by Abbas in February that annuls previous legislation linking prisoner stipends to the length of their prison sentences in Israel. Instead, payments are now meant to be based solely on the recipient’s financial status, according to the officials.

In the letter, Sheikh emphasized that the Palestinian Authority is fully committed to enforcing the new policy and welcomes an American team to visit Ramallah and begin its certification process starting June 1.

Although that date will mark nearly four months since the decree was signed, both U.S. and Palestinian officials explained that the delay was due to the time required to redesign the system. Families are now required to reapply and must qualify under newly established financial criteria.

“This is a major step demonstrating that this is not just talk, but action because an invitation would not be extended if we weren’t confident that the US will certify,” the PA official told The Times of Israel.

When asked about the letter, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics, saying, “We do not comment on diplomatic correspondence.” However, the spokesperson reiterated the administration’s stance: “This abhorrent practice of compensation that provides benefits and payments in support of terrorism needs to end now. We want to see actions, not words.”

The reform is aimed at bringing the Palestinian Authority into compliance with the Taylor Force Act, a U.S. law passed in 2018 that prohibits American economic aid directly benefiting the PA unless specific conditions are met.

To resume aid under the law, the Secretary of State must certify four criteria: first, that the policy of basing payments on prison sentences has been rescinded; second, that these payments have stopped entirely; third, that the PA is actively working to curb terrorism in the West Bank; and fourth, that it is publicly denouncing acts of terror.

While Abbas’s decree satisfies the first requirement, U.S. officials will evaluate compliance with the second requirement during their planned visit on June 1.

Addressing the third condition, the PA pointed to its ongoing security collaboration with Israel and recent operations against militant groups in northern parts of the West Bank.

Regarding the fourth requirement, the Palestinian official referenced public condemnations issued by the PA against Hamas as evidence of its stance against terrorism.

For the Palestinian Authority to be deemed compliant with the Taylor Force Act, Rubio must provide a written certification. This determination must be reaffirmed every 180 days for aid to continue.

The longstanding practice of paying stipends to imprisoned terrorists or the families of attackers has been condemned by critics as a financial reward for terrorism. Israel has cited it as evidence of the PA’s failure to act as a legitimate peace partner.

Palestinian leaders, on the other hand, have defended the payments, characterizing them as necessary welfare support for families impacted by what they describe as Israel’s harsh judicial practices in the West Bank.

Although the State Department initially praised Abbas’s February 10 decree as a “big win for the administration,” its tone has grown more critical in recent weeks.

Despite the signing of the decree, two Palestinian sources confirmed to The Times of Israel that monthly payments to families of incarcerated or deceased militants were made twice since then.

According to a Palestinian official, those disbursements were for months prior to the policy change. Financial constraints—exacerbated by Israel’s withholding of substantial tax revenue—delayed the PA’s ability to pay December’s stipends until February, with January’s payouts distributed earlier this month.

As a result, the official noted, it may take an additional one to two months before the revamped system becomes fully operational.

The Palestinian official suggested that U.S. frustration may have stemmed from an expectation that the reforms would take effect more quickly than they have.

“We still plan to uphold the decree that was signed,” the Palestinian official said.

{Matzav.com}

In an uncommon move, senior Iranian officials recently pressed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to approve renewed discussions with the United States concerning Iran’s nuclear ambitions, warning that failure to negotiate could lead to the downfall of the Islamic Republic, according to a report from The New York Times published Friday.

The Biden administration and Iranian representatives are slated to meet in Oman on Shabbos to address concerns over Iran’s advancing nuclear program.

Sources cited by The New York Times said that Khamenei hosted a high-level meeting last month with Iran’s judiciary and parliament leadership. During that session, the officials united in urging him to approve talks with the United States—even direct ones—despite prior resistance.

They warned Khamenei that the likelihood of American and Israeli military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities had become very real. “If Iran refused talks or if the negotiations failed, the officials told Mr. Khamenei, military strikes on Iran’s two main nuclear sites, Natanz and Fordow, would be inevitable,” the sources said, as reported by the Times.

The officials expressed that Iran, already mired in deep economic hardship, would be forced to retaliate, potentially setting off widespread internal turmoil if a war erupted.

They reportedly told Khamenei that the compounded impact of such developments could present a grave threat to the regime’s survival.

One of the voices warning of this scenario was Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and now speaker of Parliament, who cautioned that war, coupled with economic collapse, might spiral beyond control.

President Masoud Pezeshkian also voiced concern, reportedly telling Khamenei that the regime was nearing a breaking point. The Times highlighted severe power outages affecting factories and water shortages that recently forced the closure of schools and government buildings in Yazd as examples of the growing crisis.

Though Iran had previously rejected the idea of renewed talks, that position shifted in the face of pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and threats of military action.

Hossein Mousavian, once a lead nuclear negotiator for Iran and now a scholar at Princeton University, told the Times that Khamenei’s decision reflects his core political philosophy. “Mr. Khamenei’s turnaround demonstrates his long-held core principle that ‘preserving the regime is the most necessary of the necessities,’” Mousavian said.

Though the Supreme Leader gave a green light for the negotiations, he set certain boundaries, according to the report.

Citing three Iranian insiders, the paper said Khamenei was willing to consider stringent oversight of the nuclear program and scaling back uranium enrichment. However, he refused to entertain any discussion over Iran’s missile capabilities, calling them an essential part of the country’s defense—a condition described as a “deal breaker.”

The report also noted that Iran was open to addressing its activities across the region, including its backing of terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, both Hamas and Hezbollah have suffered heavy blows at the hands of the IDF. Simultaneously, the U.S. has continued launching strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

President Trump has made clear that Iran will not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon, repeatedly issuing strong warnings of “bombing” and a “very bad day for Iran” should an agreement not be reached.

Although the Islamic Republic insists it does not seek a nuclear bomb, it has significantly increased uranium enrichment to 60 percent—a level that serves no civilian purpose—and has hindered access for international nuclear watchdogs.

On Friday, Iranian officials signaled that they are earnestly approaching the negotiations and believe a deal may be within reach—provided the U.S. avoids further threats. They stated that the process has “a good possibility of reaching an accord.”

According to Iranian state media, Saturday’s talks will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for Iran and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi acting as a mediator.

President Trump has described the planned discussions as “direct,” but Iranian authorities insist they will engage only through indirect channels.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, confirmed on X that Araghchi was traveling to Oman “with full authority for indirect negotiations with America.”

“Tehran seeks a real, just deal—away from media show and rhetoric. Key proposals are ready. If Washington shows determination for a deal, the path to agreement will be clear,” he wrote in a multilingual post including Farsi, English, Arabic, Russian, and Hebrew.

In a statement issued Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on the U.S. to respect Tehran’s willingness to enter negotiations, criticizing what it described as America’s aggressive tone.

Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran was “giving diplomacy a genuine chance in good faith and full vigilance,” and added, “America should appreciate this decision, which was made despite their hostile rhetoric.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is sending a firm message to Iran, signaling that every possible strategy is under consideration to stop Tehran from becoming a nuclear-armed nation, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a media briefing on Friday.

Her remarks came ahead of planned negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are set to take place on Saturday in Oman.

Leavitt explained that while Trump continues to advocate for a diplomatic path, his top priority remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “But he’s made it very clear to the Iranians and his national security team will as well, that all options are on the table, and Iran has a choice to make. You can agree to President Trump’s demand, or there will be all h— to pay, and that’s how the president feels. He feels very strongly about it,” she stated.

Though Trump maintains that the upcoming discussions in Oman would involve direct engagement, Iranian authorities have insisted that any contact will occur through intermediaries rather than face-to-face.

Iran has also declined Trump’s proposal for direct dialogue, which he had extended in a formal letter addressed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Earlier this week, Trump emphasized that if military intervention becomes necessary to neutralize Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel would take a front-line role. “With Iran, if it requires military, we’re going to have military. Israel will be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, we do what we want to do,” the president said during a press availability in the Oval Office.

When pressed about the timeframe he is giving Iran to come to an agreement, Trump avoided giving a firm deadline. “I can’t really be specific, but when you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not, and I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well,” he explained.

Although Trump has consistently expressed his preference for reaching a diplomatic resolution, he has made clear that military force remains an option should negotiations fail.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. wholesale prices fell last month in another sign that inflationary pressures are easing. But President Donald Trump’s trade wars cloud the outlook. The Labor Department said Friday that its producer price index — which tracks inflation before it hits consumers — fell 0.4% from February, first drop since October 2023. Compared with a year earlier, producer prices rose 2.7%, down from a 3.2% year-over-year gain in February and much lower than the 3.3% economists had forecast. Gasoline prices fell 11.1% from February and egg prices, which had skyrocketed because of bird flu, plummeted 21.3%. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core wholesale inflation fell 0.1% from February, the first drop since July. Compared to a year earlier, core producer prices were up 3.3% and lower than economists had forecast. The report comes a day after the Labor Department delivered good news on inflation at the consumer level. Its consumer price index rose just 2.4% last month from March 2024, the smallest year-over-year gain since September. Core consumer prices posted the smallest year-over-year increase in nearly four years. The inflation outlook is muddied by Trump’s trade wars. He’s imposing a 145% tax — a tariff — on Chinese imports and is hitting most of the rest of the world’s imports with a 10% levy that might go up after 90 days. The trade barriers are widely expected to raise prices as importers attempt to pass along their higher costs. (AP)

The Trump administration has directed immigration authorities to confirm whether non-citizens have submitted their personal details to a digital registry, marking a new phase in the broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

According to a directive issued to field agents, any migrant found without proof of registration should be “treated as an immigration enforcement priority,” and the matter should be “referred to the US Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.”

An internal source at ICE noted that officials expect a large portion of undocumented migrants will avoid registering, effectively placing them in immediate jeopardy of detention and removal.

On his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, setting in motion the creation of this registry, which requires undocumented immigrants to provide identifying information or risk legal consequences.

Under the policy, all undocumented individuals aged 14 and above are now obligated to submit their fingerprints and residential addresses to the system or risk arrest and prosecution, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

“Most aliens in the United States have already registered, as required by law,” according to USCIS. “However, a significant number of aliens present in the United States have had no direct way in which to register and meet their obligation under INA [section] 262.

“In order that unregistered aliens may comply with their duty under INA [section] 262, USCIS is establishing a new form and process by which they may register. No alien will have an excuse for failure to comply with this law.”

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told The NY Post on Tuesday that violators may be fined as much as $1,000 for every day they remain unregistered.

Additionally, the Wall Street Journal reported that failure to comply could result in jail time of up to six months.

“Everyone should know that because we’re enforcing the Alien Registration Act, if you’ve been here longer than 30 days and haven’t registered with the government, we are now coming after you criminally,” Noem warned while accompanying an ICE enforcement operation in Phoenix.

A legal attempt by immigrant advocacy groups to stop the registry was dismissed Thursday, when a federal court ruled in favor of the administration’s right to proceed with implementation and penalties.

“Plaintiffs have not shown that they are likely to succeed on the merits,” DC US District Court Judge Trevor McFadden ruled Thursday. “They have failed to demonstrate that they have standing to bring this suit.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed the recent wave of protest letters circulating in the name of reserve soldiers, dismissing them as a political stunt orchestrated by a vocal minority. Speaking on Friday, he portrayed the campaign as a rehashed effort aimed at undermining his administration.

“Again the same letters,” said Netanyahu, “Sometimes in the name of pilots, of Navy veterans, and so on. The public no longer buys into their propaganda lies that are so impressive to the media. These letters were not written in the name of our heroic soldiers. They were written by a small group of thorns, who are operated by foreign-funded organizations with one goal – to overthrow the right-wing government.”

He insisted that the effort does not reflect the broader population of soldiers, but instead represents a small and detached faction. “This is not a wave. This is not a current. This is a small, noisy, anarchistic, and disconnected group of retirees – most of whom haven’t served in years.”

Netanyahu also claimed that these actions send the wrong signal to Israel’s adversaries and undermine national strength. “These thorns are trying to weaken the State of Israel and the IDF, and they are encouraging our enemies to harm us. They have already sent a message of weakness to our enemies once. We will not let them do it again.”

He went on to state that the military will not tolerate insubordination under any circumstances. “The citizens of Israel have learned the lesson – refusal is refusal, regardless of what fancy name is given to it. Anyone who encourages refusal will be dismissed immediately. The IDF fights, the IDF wins, and we are all behind it.”

This came as a new group of dissenters, this time from within the Intelligence Corps, released a protest letter. It was signed by a combination of reservist officers, current personnel, and veterans, calling on the government to prioritize securing the release of hostages, even if it means halting the war in Gaza.

In the statement released by Intelligence Corps members, which closely echoed previous protest letters, they expressed alarm over the war’s direction and purpose. “We identify with the serious and worrying assessment that at this time the war mainly serves political and personal interests and not security interests. The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals and will lead to the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocent people. We are concerned about the erosion of reservists and the increasing rates of non-compliance with reserve duties and are worried about the future impacts of this trend.”

The signatories further argued that a negotiated deal is the only way to bring the hostages home safely. “Only a deal can return hostages in peace, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and endangers our soldiers. Every day that passes jeopardizes their lives, every additional moment of hesitation is a disgrace.”

Separately, roughly 1,900 academics from Israeli universities and colleges signed a petition echoing the sentiments of the Air Force protest letter. They wrote, “At this time, the war mainly serves political and personal interests and not security interests.” The document concluded with the same line found in the Intelligence Corps’ letter: “Every additional moment of hesitation is a disgrace.”

{Matzav.com}

Weeks after ordering all Food and Drug Administration employees back into the office, the agency is reversing course, allowing some of its most prized staffers to work remotely amid worries that recent layoffs and resignations could jeopardize basic functions, like approving new medicines. An internal email obtained by The Associated Press states that FDA leadership are “allowing review staff and supervisors to resume telework” at least two days a week. The policy shift was confirmed by three FDA staffers who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters. The message was sent Tuesday to some of the FDA’s hundreds of drug reviewers. Staffers said a similar policy was communicated to reviewers who handle vaccines, biotech drugs, medical devices and tobacco products— although not always in writing. It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s chaotic approach to overhauling the federal health workforce, which has included firings, a scramble to rehire some employees, and then additional layoffs last week of an estimated 3,400 staffers, or more than 15% of the agency’s workforce. When FDA employees were called back to the agency’s Maryland headquarters last month they confronted overflowing parking lots, crowded offices and broken or missing supplies. A spokeswoman for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is returning to “pre-COVID telework arrangements for reviewers, whose read and write work output is tracked in 15-minute increments to ensure productivity and accountability.” While many agencies switched to telework during the pandemic, the FDA began embracing the practice nearly two decades earlier. The flexibility was seen as a competitive perk for recruiting employees who can often earn more working in industry. Last week’s cuts included entire offices focusing on FDA policy and regulations, most of the agency’s communication staff and teams that support food inspectors and investigators. Senior officials overseeing tobacco, new drugs, vaccines and other products have also been dismissed or forced to resign. Staffers have described rank-and-file employees “pouring” out of the agency. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler called the cuts “devastating, haphazard, thoughtless and chaotic” during a House hearing on Wednesday. When Kennedy announced plans to eliminate 10,000 staffers across the federal health workforce, he noted that FDA medical reviewers and safety inspectors wouldn’t be impacted. In February, HHS was forced to recall some probationary employees who were fired, including hundreds of medical reviewers at FDA, whose salaries are largely funded by industry fees, not federal dollars. But last week’s cuts combined with resignations and retirements have raised a new threat: that FDA funding could fall so low that it short circuits a long-standing system in which companies help fund much of the agency’s operations. Nearly half the FDA’s nearly $7 billion budget comes from fees collected from drug, device and tobacco companies. The agency uses the money to hire thousands of extra staffers to quickly and efficiently review new products. For example, about 70% of the FDA’s drug program is financed by user-fee agreements, which must be reauthorized by Congress every five years. But the agreements stipulate that if FDA’s federal funding falls below set levels, companies are no longer required to pay fees and, in some cases, can claw back their money. The threshold requirements are designed to ensure Congress continues funding FDA, rather than relying entirely on the […]

As Pesach approaches, communities around the world prepare for the Yom Tov through the age-old halachic process of mechiras chametz. In Yerushalayim, this time-honored tradition took place under the auspices of the Eidah HaChareidis, with the participation of its senior dayanim and rabbinic leaders.

Heading the proceedings was HaGaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch, raavad of the Eidah HaChareidis, who arrived at the Beis Din headquarters in the Givat Moshe neighborhood to conduct the sale, as he does each year.

Photographer Shlomi Trichter was on site to capture the scene:

הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר

A Japanese pilot slammed his Zero fighter plane into the USS Missouri and ignited a fireball on April 11, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa. The suicide attack instantly killed the pilot, but none of the battleship’s crew members were badly hurt. The Missouri’s captain ordered a military burial at sea with full honors, marking one of the more unusual and little-known episodes of World War II. The pilot received the same funeral that the ship would have given one of its own sailors. Eighty years later, the Missouri is a museum moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, not far from the submerged hull of the USS Arizona, which sank in the 1941 Japanese bombing that propelled the U.S. into the war. On Friday, three of the captain’s grandsons will mark the anniversary of the attack and burial with the mayors of Honolulu and the Japanese city of Minamikyushu, from which many kamikaze pilots set off on their suicide missions. “This is one of the ship’s great stories and explains, in part, why the ship became an international symbol of peace and reconciliation within two years of its launching and rather than just an instrument of destruction,” said Michael Carr, CEO of the Battleship Missouri Memorial. “This is a remarkable story of compassion and humanity, even in the midst of one of the worst battles of World War II.” Here’s what to know about the attack on the Missouri and the pilot’s burial: What is a kamikaze pilot? Japan launched a suicide attack campaign as a last-ditch measure to push U.S. forces back late in the war, when it was hopelessly losing. The Imperial Navy founded the Kamikaze Tokko Tai, which translates as Divine Wind Special Attack Corps, and the Imperial Army followed with its own unit. Internationally their missions are called kamikaze, but in Japan they are better known as “tokko,” which means “special attack.” The pilots flew hastily constructed planes and even reconnaissance and training aircraft because the military lacked sufficient equipment. They took off on one-way flights with just enough fuel to reach their targets. Kamikaze sank their first ship on Oct. 25, 1944, when a navy Zero pilot smashed into the USS St. Lo in the Philippine Sea while carrying a pair of 550-pound (250-kilogram) bombs. Britain’s Imperial War Museum says they killed 7,000 Allied naval personnel in all. Their initial 30% success rate fell to about 8% by mid-1945 due to declining crew skills, dwindling aircraft capabilities and improved U.S. defenses. Some 4,000 pilots died on suicide missions, about 2,500 navy and more than 1,400 army, most of them university students drafted in late 1943. Many launched from Chiran, a tea farming town that today is part of Minamikyushu, a city in southwest Japan. The missions became more intense as Japan’s outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war. Those who failed to take off or survived were considered a disgrace. Despite stereotypes of kamikaze as super-patriots who volunteered to die, many were not, as shown by their carefully nuanced last letters to loved ones and survivor accounts. “They were victims of war,” said Hiroyuki Nuriki, mayor of Minamikyushu, who noted the pilots were only around 20 years old and had futures. “I’m sure they didn’t want to […]

A halachic storm has erupted across Europe just days before Pesach, centered on the kashrus of Coca-Cola and Pepsi. At the heart of the debate are two rabbanim with sharply opposing views, one permitting the drinks for Pesach consumption in Ukraine, and the other warning that they may contain chametz gamur.

The longstanding halachic debate over Coca-Cola and Pepsi’s kashrus status resurfaces almost every year, but this Pesach, 5785, it has reignited with fresh intensity. Rabbi Avraham Kornick of London, a senior mashgiach under the supervision of the Landau hechsher, released a strongly worded letter and voice message asserting, “Anything not produced specifically for Eretz Yisrael under the Landau certification is absolute chametz.”

The uproar followed the publication of a Pesach product list by Rabbi Yaakov Jan, head of the kashrus agency in Uman, Ukraine. His list declared that Coca-Cola and Pepsi sold in Ukraine are suitable for Pesach, with the only concern being the presence of kitniyos—a stringency for Ashkenazim who are meticulous in this regard.

Rabbi Kornick, who is regularly stationed at the Coca-Cola flavoring plant in Ireland, responded with alarm, launching a full-throated public rebuke. “I cannot fathom how a respected rav who purports to head a kashrus organization in Uman and Ukraine can publish a list of Pesach-approved products,” he said. “To write that Coca-Cola and Pepsi are kosher for Pesach? That’s nothing less than causing innocent Jews to stumble! These products pose a real concern of chametz gamur!”

He explained that only the shipments designated for Israel are produced under full-time supervision. All other flavoring compounds produced in the Irish facility for distribution across Europe, including Ukraine, he claimed, are completely unsupervised and may contain wheat-based additives.

Rabbi Jan did not remain silent. His response, issued through the Ukrainian kashrus division, was sharp and personal. “The writer is brazen and insolent! If he had any yiras Shamayim, he would have reached out to me to ask why I permitted it and we could have discussed it like talmidei chachamim. Clearly, this man is either an am ha’aretz or carries a grudge against me, and that’s why he chose such a disgraceful way to express himself.”

Rabbi Jan stood his ground, insisting that there is absolutely no concern of chametz. At most, he said, one could argue there is a kitniyos issue, which in his view is a non-issue due to its nature as a stringency and the pre-Yom Tov bitul. “There are lenient opinions and stringent ones,” he wrote. “The only issue with cola is a potential concern of kitniyos. Since this is a minhag of chumrah and the ingredients are nullified before Pesach, there is no concern of chametz whatsoever.”

He added that his position is based on clear halachic standards. “He speaks nonsense. With Hashem’s help, I hope to publish a written explanation for anyone who wishes to understand. Only time limits what the heart wishes to share.” He concluded with a blessing: “May we all merit to partake of the korbanos in the Beis HaMikdash together, speedily in our days. Amen.”

{Matzav.com}

Former President Donald Trump reiterated his call on Friday for permanent Daylight Saving Time, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to promote legislation aimed at extending evening daylight throughout the winter months.

“The House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!”

Trump, now 78, had previously championed the change but seemed to express hesitation just last month, pointing out concerns voiced by people in northern states about students having to travel to school before sunrise during winter.

In a statement issued in December, Trump said: “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!”

However, during a meeting in the Oval Office last month, Trump expressed mixed feelings about the topic, stating that it was “hard to get excited” about the proposal. “It’s very much a fifty-fifty issue and it’s something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way, a lot of people like it the other way,” he remarked.

“I assume people would like to have more light later,” Trump added at the time, “but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark.”

Momentum for ending the biannual clock change gained traction in 2022 when a proposal introduced by then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida — who now serves as Trump’s secretary of state — passed the Senate without objection but later stalled in the House.

{Matzav.com}

The Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, filling the position almost two months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor. Trump nominated Caine to become the top U.S. military officer in February after abruptly firing Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the second Black general to serve as chairman, as part of his Republican administration’s campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks. The Senate confirmed Caine 60-25 in an overnight vote before heading home for a two-week recess. Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in multiple special operations commands, in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs and in the CIA. But he does not meet prerequisites for the job set out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or service chief. Those requirements can be waived by the president if there is a determination that “such action is necessary in the national interest.” Caine’s confirmation in the middle of the night, just before the Senate left town, comes as Republicans have been quickly advancing Trump’s nominees and as Democrats have been trying to delay the process and show that they are fighting Trump’s policies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., set up the early morning vote after Democrats objected to speeding up procedural votes on the nomination. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against Caine’s confirmation, saying in a statement that “I remain outraged” about Brown’s firing and that he is skeptical of Trump’s intentions in nominating Caine. “General Caine has served our nation with distinction in the Air Force and Air National Guard, including over multiple combat deployments,” Schumer said. “Now, as our nation’s top military advisor, I hope he will continue to fight for the needs of our servicemembers, speak truth to power, and resist Donald Trump when he’s wrong.” Still, the vote was bipartisan, with 15 Democrats and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voting in support of Caine’s nomination. At his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Caine said he would be candid in his advice to Trump and vowed to be apolitical. Caine disputed Trump’s story that Caine wore a “Make America Great Again” hat when the two first met. “I have never worn any political merchandise,” he said. Asked how he would react if ordered to direct the military to do something potentially illegal, such as being used against civilians in domestic law enforcement, he told senators that it is “the duty and the job that I have” to push back. Trump’s relationship with Caine dates to his first administration. They met during a trip to Iraq, as Trump recounted in a 2019 speech. He has said Caine is “a real general, not a television general.” During his first term, Trump’s relationship with then-Chairman Gen. Mark Milley soured as Milley pushed back and took steps to try to prevent what he saw as an attempt to politicize the office. Milley would remind military service members that they took an oath to the Constitution, not to a president. Within hours of Trump’s inauguration in January, Milley’s portrait as chairman of the Joint Chiefs was removed from the Pentagon. Milley’s security clearance […]

Turkish news outlets reported that six individuals, including three members of the same family, have been handed lengthy prison sentences totaling 100 years for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel’s Mossad. The charges centered around espionage activities and intelligence collection against specific individuals.

The arrests were initially made in April 2024 by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), which had been monitoring the group in Istanbul before launching a coordinated operation to detain eight suspects.

Among those sentenced was Ahmet Ersin Tumlucalı, an insurance company executive, who was identified as the ringleader. He was found guilty of directing a network of operatives, including members of his own household, and was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison.

Following deliberation, Istanbul’s 23rd Heavy Penal Court reduced Tumlucalı’s sentence to 18 years and nine months, citing “good behavior” as the reason for leniency.

His wife, Benan Tumlucalı, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months, while her daughter from a previous marriage, Dila Sultan Şimşek, received a prison term of 15 years, seven months, and 15 days.

The court also handed identical sentences—15 years, seven months, and 15 days each—to three other individuals implicated in the case: Cem Ozcan, Ozkan Arican, and Fuzuli Simsek.

Authorities claimed that the group operated on behalf of Mossad and collected sensitive intelligence. Prosecutors alleged they were affiliated with Mossad’s “online operations” division and were responsible for photographing and monitoring persons of interest inside Turkey.

The official charge sheet stated, “the suspects were engaged in acts of obtaining information about foreigners in the country, particularly those who fled their home countries due to conflicts and shared this intelligence with (Mossad).”

Investigators alleged that Tumlucalı maintained contact with a Mossad handler known only by the alias “Jorg,” and that they used Skype for communication. Their meetings reportedly took place in Vienna and Munich in 2011 and 2017.

Another Israeli intelligence officer, Gavin Alfron, was also named in the case. Tumlucalı is said to have met with Alfron multiple times in Vienna and Frankfurt between 2017 and 2020, at which point Mossad reportedly ended their arrangement.

In addition to intelligence activities within Turkey, Tumlucalı is accused of operating in Georgia and Germany, and allegedly supplied Israel with “some official documents from Lebanon.”

The group is believed to have targeted individuals of Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, and Azerbaijani origin. Authorities claim that Tumlucalı’s wife, stepdaughter, and sister-in-law, Berna Çetin, were actively involved in the surveillance missions.

{Matzav.com}

Members of Israel’s elite military intelligence Unit 8200 have penned a collective letter urging the government to prioritize the return of the hostages held in Gaza—even if that means halting combat operations—according to reports in Israeli media on Friday.

The letter, signed by a wide range of individuals including reservist officers, current service members, and veterans, mirrors a recent public message released by Israel Air Force personnel. KAN reported that the initiators plan to disseminate the letter in a similar fashion.

In their statement, the 8200 signatories expressed sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the conflict. “We identify with the grave and troubling assertion that, at this time, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests.”

They continued by warning that persisting with the current military campaign would only deepen the crisis. “Continuing the war contributes nothing to its stated objectives and will lead to the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocent civilians. We are concerned about the erosion of the reserve force and the growing rates of non-reporting for duty, and we worry about the long-term consequences of this trend.”

The letter further argued that diplomatic measures are the only viable path to recovering the captives. “Only an agreement can bring the hostages back safely, while military pressure mainly results in the killing of hostages and endangers our soldiers,” the letter continued. “Every day that passes their lives are at risk; every additional moment of hesitation is a disgrace.”

Meanwhile, the IDF reportedly plans to dismiss several hundred air force reservists who recently signed a published appeal demanding a cessation of the war.

Though the message focuses primarily on the conflict, some of those involved are also vocal opponents of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s push to reform the judiciary and his alleged attempts to remove Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Of all those who endorsed the letter, only 60 currently serve in the reserves, and among them, the number of active pilots is reportedly fewer than ten.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir has taken the position that regardless of the political turbulence surrounding Netanyahu’s leadership, the IDF must remain apolitical. He emphasized that reservists are prohibited from publicly expressing views on matters decided by Israel’s democratically elected government.

{Matzav.com}

A woman in Australia unknowingly gave birth to a stranger’s baby after she received another patient’s embryo from her in vitro fertilization clinic due to “human error,” the clinic said. The mix-up was discovered in February when the clinic in the city of Brisbane found that the birth parents had one too many embryos in storage, said the provider, Monash IVF, in a statement supplied Friday. Staff discovered an embryo from another patient had been mistakenly thawed and transferred to the birth mother, a spokesperson said. Australia news outlets reported the baby was born in 2024. Monash IVF didn’t confirm how old the child was. The company, one of Australia’s biggest IVF providers, said an initial investigation had not uncovered any other such errors. Its statement didn’t identify the patients involved or divulge details about the child’s custody. “All of us at Monash IVF are devastated and we apologise to everyone involved,” said CEO Michael Knaap. “We will continue to support the patients through this extremely distressing time.” The “human error” was made “despite strict laboratory safety protocols being in place,” the statement said. The company said it had reported the episode to the relevant regulator in the state of Queensland. Monash IVF opened in 1971 and sees patients in dozens of locations throughout Australia. Last year, the firm settled a class-action lawsuit from more than 700 patients, making no admission of liability, after claims its clinics destroyed potentially viable embryos. The clinic paid a settlement of 56 million Australian dollars ($35 million). Rare cases of embryo mix-ups have been reported before, including in the United States, Britain, Israel and Europe. A woman in the U.S. state of Georgia in February filed a lawsuit against a fertility clinic after she gave birth to a stranger’s baby. Krystena Murray realized the error after the baby’s birth because she and her husband were both white and the child was black. Murray said she wanted to raise the baby but voluntarily gave the 5-month-old to his biological parents after she was told she would not win a legal fight for his custody. In Australia, each state makes its own laws and rules governing the use of IVF, which advocates say puts patients at risk of error or oversight failings. Queensland’s parliament passed its first laws regulating the sector in 2024. (AP)