Court documents have revealed that Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to acquire a rocket launcher from Ukraine just weeks prior to his arrest for allegedly trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his golf resort in Florida.
According to federal prosecutors in a motion filed Monday, the 58-year-old suspect sought to purchase military-grade weaponry from a person he thought was a Ukrainian contact with access to such arms.
In a conversation conducted over an encrypted messaging platform, Routh allegedly said, “send me an RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] or Stinger and I will see what we can do… [Trump] is not good for Ukraine.”
At a later point in the exchange, Routh reportedly asked how much the weapon would cost and whether it could be delivered directly to him, writing, “ship it to me????”
He then added, “I need equipment so that Trump cannot get elected,” according to the prosecutors’ filing.
Routh appeared to recognize the difficulty of purchasing a rocket launcher through legal channels, allegedly stating, “Going to the local store for such an item is impossible – however you are at war so those items lost and destroyed daily – one missing would not be noticed.”
Court records state that he also sent his contact a photograph of Trump’s aircraft with the caption, “he gets on and off daily.”
Prosecutors claim the message trail clearly shows Routh’s intention to assassinate Trump.
Authorities say Routh was caught on September 15 after a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of his SKS semiautomatic rifle poking out from the bushes near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
Before he could fire, Routh allegedly dropped his weapon and sped off in an SUV, leaving behind the rifle, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera, according to court documents.
Law enforcement officers caught up with him roughly 40 minutes later on Interstate 95 in Martin County, Florida, where he was taken into custody.
Inside his vehicle, agents discovered what they described as a stockpile of incriminating material, including handwritten notes referencing plans to fight for Ukraine, the filings state.
Routh’s defense team is currently petitioning the court to exclude certain pieces of evidence, including testimony from a witness, from being presented during his upcoming trial.
{Matzav.com}
Several of Iraq’s most powerful Iranian-backed militias are now preparing to lay down their arms for the first time in nearly two decades—not out of reconciliation, but out of fear. Faced with the threat of direct U.S. military retaliation under the Trump administration, the commanders of key Shiite militia groups say they are ready to dismantle their armed networks, multiple senior Iraqi officials and militia leaders told Reuters. These groups, once considered untouchable power brokers, now appear shaken by the specter of American airstrikes and rising regional instability. The decision follows private ultimatums from U.S. officials warning Baghdad: disband the militias—or Washington will do it by force. The U.S. State Department reinforced the message bluntly: “These forces must respond to Iraq’s commander-in-chief, not to Iran.” The factions involved—including Kataeb Hezbollah, al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Ansar Allah al-Awfiya—make up the core of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a heavily armed coalition of hardline Shiite militias loyal not to Baghdad, but to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These groups have claimed responsibility for dozens of missile and drone attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets since Hamas launched its October 7 massacre against Israel in 2023, a war that plunged the entire region into chaos. Iran’s once-expansive Axis of Resistance, built over decades through proxy forces across the Middle East, is now under unprecedented strain. In the wake of Israel’s punishing campaign in Gaza, Hezbollah is hemorrhaging resources in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen have come under relentless U.S. bombardment. Meanwhile, Syria’s Assad regime is no more, and now even Iraq’s militias—long shielded by Tehran—appear ready to retreat. According to Iraqi officials, IRGC leadership has given these militias the green light to make “whatever decision is needed” to avoid further confrontation with Washington. “The factions are not acting stubbornly,” said Izzat al-Shahbndar, a senior Iraqi Shiite politician. “They are fully aware that they could be targeted by the U.S.” Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is now at the center of high-stakes negotiations with militia leaders over how to dismantle or repurpose the groups. Options on the table include integrating fighters into the national army or transitioning them into political organizations. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly warned Sudani directly during a March 16 call: rein in the militias, or risk retaliation. American officials say the stakes are higher than ever, as the groups have launched lethal attacks on both U.S. and Israeli forces, including the deadly drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers and a drone attack in Israel that killed two IDF troops and injured 24. And the pressure extends beyond Iraq’s borders. The U.S. has allegedly warned of political and economic consequences if Iraq fails to secure the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli academic kidnapped over a year ago and believed to be held by Kataeb Hezbollah. Whether this unprecedented shift by the militias represents a genuine move toward peace or merely a tactical pause is unclear. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, cautioned that the militias have temporarily ceased operations under pressure in the past—only to return stronger. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Department of Homeland Security is offering buyouts and early retirement options to staffers, as the Trump administration pushes forward with efforts to reduce and reshape the federal workforce, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. In the email, titled “Reshaping of the DHS Workforce,” Secretary Kristi Noem said the department would give staffers who want to leave three options: deferred resignation, early retirement and a voluntary separation payment. The email, which was sent Monday night, said the last option offers a lump-sum payment of up to $25,000 in some cases. Staff have until April 14 to decide on whether to apply for the offer. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about how many people are expected to take the offer or whether staff cuts would eventually follow. “The American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised,” spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “Every dollar spent and position filled at DHS should be focused on our core mission of securing our homeland and keeping the American people safe.” Homeland Security has so far avoided the widespread, sweeping layoffs seen in other agencies across the federal government. In fact, the department has been advertising on social media that it’s looking for more staff in areas critical to immigration enforcement, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. Some areas of the department have seen cuts, including at a center focused on reducing targeted violence and terrorism. Also, 200 probationary FEMA employees were fired earlier this year, and three offices designed to provide oversight of the department were gutted. In the Monday email, Noem said the offers to workers “reflect our commitment to aligning our workforce with evolving mission needs while supporting the personal and professional goals of our dedicated employees.” She said individual components within Homeland Security would give further guidance to staff about who is eligible and who would be excluded because they are “mission critical frontline workforce.” Noem said that law enforcement officials would generally be exempt from the buyout offer. That’s significant for Homeland Security, with law enforcement officers employed for many department functions such as Customs and Border Protection. Homeland Security was created in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks to bring together 22 disparate agencies into one department. The sprawling department pulls together the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Coast Guard, Secret Service, and key parts of the country’s immigration and border security mission, among others. (AP)
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Rochel and Aizik never imagined that their lives would take a violent turn when they took their 3-year-old Brachi to the doctor.
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Get ready for 40 minutes of comedy gold! This Chol Hamoed, join us for the livestream premiere of “Leave it to Kletzkin,” the must-see, hilarious comedy film for the whole family. Featuring the Stars of Bardak – starring in their first English Film. Save the Date: Get your unique access code now for the livestream premiere on Motzei Yom Tov Rishon, April 14th at 9:30 PM EST. Don’t Miss Out! Vote and Get Your Access Code Now! – Click Here Presented by Eretz Hakodesh – Slate 11
In an unexpected change of plans, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, will not be returning to Eretz Yisroel for Pesach, as originally scheduled. Instead, due to a significant decline in his strength, the Rebbe will remain in Los Angeles for the duration of Yom Tov.
An official statement released today by the Vizhnitzer court explained: “In light of the significant weakness that has affected the Rebbe shlit”a in recent days, and following a hospital visit, the doctors have ruled that he should not travel at this time. Therefore, it has been decided that the Rebbe will remain in Los Angeles, hosted at the home of the chassid and philanthropist Reb Binyomin Einhorn. The public is urged to continue davening for the Rebbe’s recovery and renewed strength.”
The Rebbe was initially slated to return to Israel this Thursday in time for Yom Tov, and preparations had been underway in the Vizhnitzer court for his arrival. The news of the cancellation has sent waves through the Chassidus, as it is exceptionally rare for the Rebbe not to spend Pesach in his beis medrash in Bnei Brak.
All are asked to continue davening for Rav Yisroel ben Leah Esther.
{Matzav.com Israel}
A groundbreaking study has upended a foundational principle of forensic science, revealing that fingerprints may not be as unique as long believed. Researchers from Columbia University, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), have demonstrated that prints from different fingers of the same person can share striking similarities, challenging over 100 years of law enforcement practice and raising profound legal implications. For more than a century, the belief that every fingerprint—from every finger of every individual—is entirely distinct has underpinned criminal investigations worldwide. This assumption has been a bedrock of forensic identification, linking suspects to crime scenes with what was thought to be unassailable precision. However, a team led by Columbia Engineering undergraduate Gabe Guo has turned this notion on its head. Using a neural network trained on a public database of 60,000 fingerprints, the AI identified patterns across an individual’s prints, achieving a 77% accuracy rate in matching prints from different fingers of the same person. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that traditional fingerprint analysis, which focuses on minutiae like ridge endings and bifurcations, overlooks broader similarities in ridge orientation and flow. When multiple fingerprint pairs were analyzed, the AI’s accuracy soared, hinting at a potential tenfold increase in forensic efficiency for unresolved cases. “This could revive cold cases or even acquit the innocent,” said Professor Hod Lipson, a co-author of the study. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to travel to the United States for an informal visit shortly after the conclusion of Pesach. Representing the Otzma Yehudit party, Ben-Gvir is slated to meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and to engage with members of the American Jewish community. While no formal invitation was extended by the Trump team, the visit has received their stamp of approval.
This visit represents a notable departure from previous American policy. Under President Biden, Ben-Gvir was diplomatically marginalized due to his former ties with the banned Kach organization, which is classified as a terrorist group. In late 2024, the State Department criticized Ben-Gvir for visiting the grave of Rabbi Meir Kahane, the movement’s founder, issuing a harsh statement: “Celebrating the legacy of a terrorist and a terrorist organization is abhorrent. We strongly condemn any attempt to glorify acts of terror.”
The green light from the Trump administration seems to signal an effort to keep communication lines open with top Israeli figures. Observers believe this may be motivated by a desire not to complicate ongoing or future negotiations—whether they involve hostages or diplomatic overtures with countries like Saudi Arabia.
Roughly three years ago, the U.S. officially removed Kach from its list of foreign terrorist organizations. The group, which was led by Meir Kahane until his assassination in 1990, was banned in Israel after Baruch Goldstein, a follower of the movement, carried out a deadly attack at the Me’aras HaMachpelah in 1994. Although Kach has been labeled “dormant” since 2005, a 2019 exposé by Yediot Achronot revealed that former activists—Ben-Gvir among them—continued to operate in various ways.
After Israel’s 2022 election, U.S. officials debated whether Ben-Gvir should be denied entry, particularly if he attempted to visit in his capacity as a cabinet minister. His last trip to the U.S. was in 1988, which he says was a family visit, and he has not applied for a visa since. With a past conviction for incitement to terrorism, any application might have faced serious scrutiny or even a denial. At one point, the Biden administration weighed placing sanctions on Ben-Gvir, though this idea was ultimately shelved.
{Matzav.com Israel}
A day care facility in a Texas county that’s part of the measles outbreak has multiple cases, including children too young to be fully vaccinated, public health officials say. West Texas is in the middle of a still-growing measles outbreak with 505 cases reported on Tuesday. The state expanded the number of counties in the outbreak area this week to 10. The highly contagious virus began to spread in late January and health officials say it has spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mexico. Three people who were unvaccinated have died from measles-related illnesses this year, including two elementary school-aged children in Texas. The second child died Thursday at a Lubbock hospital, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the funeral in Seminole, the epicenter of the outbreak. As of Friday, there were seven cases at a day care where one young child who was infectious gave it to two other children before it spread to other classrooms, Lubbock Public Health director Katherine Wells said. “Measles is so contagious I won’t be surprised if it enters other facilities,” Wells said. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is first recommended between 12 and 15 months old and a second shot between 4 and 6 years old. Maegan Messick, co-owner of Tiny Tots U Learning Academy, where the outbreak is occurring, recently told KLBK-TV in Lubbock that they’re taking precautions like putting kids who are too young to get the vaccines together in isolation. “We have tried to be extremely transparent,” she told the TV station. There are more than 200 children at the day care, Wells said. Most have had least one dose of the vaccine, though she added, “we do have some children that have only received one dose that are now infected.” The public health department is recommending that any child with only one vaccine get their second dose early, and changed its recommendation for kids in Lubbock County to get the first vaccine dose at 6 months old instead of 1. A child who is unvaccinated and attends the day care must stay home for 21 days since their last exposure, Wells said. Case count and hospitalization numbers in Texas have climbed steadily since the outbreak began, and spiked by 81 cases from March 28 to April 4. On Tuesday, the state added another 24 cases to its count and two additional counties, Borden and Randall. One more person was hospitalized since Friday, with 57 total. Gaines County, where the virus has been spreading through a close-knit Mennonite community, has the majority of cases, with 328 on Tuesday. Neighboring Terry County is second with 46, followed by Lubbock County with 36. The Texas Department of State Health Services tracks vaccinations rate for kindergartners, though the data doesn’t include homeschooled children or some kids who attend private school. Gaines County’s rate is 82%, which is far below the 95% level needed to prevent community spread — and health officials have said it’s likely lower in the small religious schools and homeschooling groups where the early cases were identified. In Terry County, the vaccination rate for kindergartners is at 96%, while Lubbock County is at 92%. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met with Texas officials Monday to determine how many people it would send to […]
A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the Biden administration must reinstate the Associated Press’ inclusion in the presidential press pool, granting the news organization access once again to exclusive venues such as Air Force One, where only select members of the press are allowed to engage with President Trump.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden of Washington, D.C. — who was appointed to the bench by Trump in 2017 — issued a temporary delay on the enforcement of his ruling. This pause, which lasts five days, gives the White House until Sunday to seek a higher court’s intervention.
The Associated Press had been excluded from pool coverage after declining to adopt the term “Gulf of America” in its reporting, a name President Trump had assigned to the Gulf of Mexico.
{Matzav.com}
The Viznitzer Rebbe, HaRav Yisroel Hager Shlita, of Bnei Brak, who is currently in California undergoing medical treatment, was originally scheduled to return to Eretz Yisroel in time for Pesach. However, due to health concerns the Rebbe will now remain in Los Angeles for Yom Tov. Sources close to the Rebbe’s court tell YWN that doctors have advised against any long-distance travel at this time. As a result, plans for his return to Eretz Yisroel have been canceled, and the Rebbe will conduct the Pesach Sedarim and Yom Tov from his current location in Los Angeles. This unexpected change has altered the plans of many Chassidim both in Eretz Yisroel and abroad who had hoped to be with the Rebbe for Yom Tov. Nevertheless, preparations are underway in California to accommodate the Rebbe’s stay and ensure a proper and uplifting Yom Tov environment. The Rebbe’s presence in the U.S. was initially intended to be temporary for medical purposes, and his extended stay highlights the seriousness of his current health condition. Please continue to say Tehillim for Yisrael ben Leah Esther for a Refuah Shelima. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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Nearly 200 family members of Americans slain in the October 7 Hamas massacre have filed a bombshell federal lawsuit against Bashar Masri — a celebrated Palestinian-American developer — accusing him of knowingly aiding and abetting the terrorist group behind the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Masri, long hailed in elite diplomatic circles as a “moderate” visionary and touted by 60 Minutes as a beacon of hope in the West Bank, is now facing explosive allegations that he helped build the very infrastructure Hamas used to wage war — including tunnels, rocket launch sites, and command centers hidden beneath his luxury hotels and industrial parks in Gaza. Filed in D.C. federal court, the suit claims Masri’s companies provided Hamas with utilities, facilities, and logistical cover — all while raking in millions from international aid agencies and green energy initiatives. One alleged hotel, the Blue Beach, became a literal gateway to terror, with tunnel shafts descending from guest rooms into Hamas’ underground network. Another, the Al Mashtal Hotel — where world leaders once gathered — allegedly doubled as a command center for Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the Oct. 7 atrocities. “Defendants provided services that legitimized Hamas and protected its operations from Israeli and U.S. action,” wrote lead attorney Lee Wolosky, a former national security official under four U.S. presidents. Masri, a naturalized U.S. citizen with deep ties to Washington and Harvard’s Kennedy School, was still advising President Trump’s hostage envoy as recently as last month. Now, families of Americans murdered in the Oct. 7 attack — including those of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Itay Chen, and victims from the Nova music festival — are demanding justice under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The complaint doesn’t just allege moral complicity — it outlines a complex network of financial, logistical, and political support that allegedly enabled Hamas to turn real estate into weaponry. Masri’s $350 million “futuristic city” of Rawabi was bankrolled largely by Qatar — a country that also funds Hamas. His Gaza properties, the lawsuit claims, received U.N., EU, and World Bank dollars — and then funneled electricity into Hamas’ tunnel system via solar panels on his hotels and factories. Above ground, the Gaza Industrial Estate looked like a hub of economic progress, producing everything from pharmaceuticals to soft drinks. Below ground, it was allegedly a launchpad for bloodshed — complete with rocket infrastructure, anti-tank emplacements, and escape tunnels stretching toward Israel. The lawsuit also names Masri’s companies, including PADICO and Massar International, as co-defendants. Notably, the filing includes photos of Masri with Hamas officials and claims of joint business ventures with figures like Hamas Deputy Minister of Economy Abdel Fattah Zrai — killed by the IDF last year. The lawsuit accuses Masri of three violations under the Anti-Terrorism Act: aiding and abetting Hamas, conspiring with the group, and providing material support to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. Masri’s office denied the allegations in a statement, calling them “baseless,” and insisted he “unequivocally opposes violence of any kind.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
POTUS signs executive orders to: — Reinvigorate America’s beautiful clean coal industry — Lift Biden-era restrictions on coal plants — Strengthen the reliability and security of the electric grid — Protect American energy from overreach by radical leftists in the states
Rather than going the easy way with AI, another YWN reader made the 10 Makkos completely out of Lego.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats from China, but that together the U.S. and Panama will keep it secure. Speaking at a ribbon cutting for a new U.S.-financed dock at the Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base after a meeting with Panama President José Raúl Mulino, Hegseth said the U.S. will not allow China or any other country to threaten the canal’s operation. “To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades,” he said. Hegseth alluded to ports at either end of the canal that are controlled by a Hong Kong consortium, which is in the process of selling its controlling stake to another consortium including BlackRock Inc. “China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area,” Hegseth said. “That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable.” Hegseth met with Mulino for two hours Tuesday morning before heading to the naval base that previously had been the U.S. Rodman Naval Station. On the way, Hegseth posted a photo of the two men laughing to X and wrote that it was an honor speaking with Mulino. “You and your country’s hard work is making a difference. Increased security cooperation will make both our nations safer, stronger and more prosperous,” he wrote. The visit comes amid tensions over U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that the United States is being overcharged to use the Panama Canal and that China has influence over its operations. Panama has denied those allegations. After Hegseth and Mulino spoke by phone in February, the U.S. State Department published on X that an agreement had been reached to not charge U.S. warships to pass through the canal. Mulino publicly denied there was any such deal. Trump has gone so far as to suggest the U.S. never should have turned the canal over to Panama and that maybe the U.S. should take it back. The China concern was provoked by the Hong Kong consortium holding a 25-year lease on ports at either end of the canal. The Panamanian government announced that lease was being audited and late Monday concluded that there were irregularities. The Hong Kong consortium, however, has already announced that CK Hutchison would be selling its controlling stake in the ports to a consortium including BlackRock Inc., effectively putting the ports under American control once the sale is complete. Rubio told Mulino during his visit that Trump believed that China’s presence in the canal area may violate a treaty that led the United States to turn the waterway over to Panama in 1999. That treaty calls for the permanent neutrality of the American-built canal. Mulino has denied that China has any influence in the operations of the canal. In February, he expressed frustration at the persistence of the narrative. “We aren’t going to speak about what is not reality, but rather those issues that interest both countries.” The United States built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military […]
POTUS: “We’re taking in almost $2 billion a day in tariffs… And we’re doing very well in making, I call them tailored deals… Right now, Japan is flying here to make a deal, South Korea is flying here to make a deal, and others are flying here.”
SEE IT: Security footage captures the horrifying moment a dead tree falls and crushes an SUV with a woman inside. Luckily, she walked away unharmed.
Trump plants a beautiful new magnolia tree in the White House Lawn, replacing a recently uprooted tree that Andrew Jackson had planted.
Israel and Turkey have been holding direct talks to establish a deconfliction mechanism in Syria to avoid the risk of military clashes, the Middle East Eye reported, citing two Western officials. The talks come in the wake of Israel’s airstrikes last week on airbases in Syria at the same time that Ankara was preparing to deploy a team to begin preparations for taking over the bases. “Netanyahu believes there has been progress in the talks with Turkey,” the report claimed. “Turkish and Israeli officials made similar statements at the same time that seem to have been coordinated, saying they were not looking for confrontation over Syria. The U.S. remains the final arbitrator on Syria and it seems that the administration wants Israel and Turkey tensions de-escalated.” During the meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday, Trump said that he has excellent relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and he could work out a deal between Israel and Turkey if there are tensions in Syria. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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