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The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked an order for the Trump administration to return to work thousands of federal employees who were let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government. The justices acted in the administration’s emergency appeal of a ruling by a federal judge in California ordering that 16,000 probationary employees be reinstated while a lawsuit plays out because their firings didn’t follow federal law. The effect of the high court’s order will keep employees in six federal agencies on paid administrative leave for now. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson said they would have kept the judge’s order in place. A second lawsuit, filed in Maryland, also resulted in an order blocking the firings at those same six agencies, plus roughly a dozen more. But that order only applies in the 19 states and the District of Columbia that sued the administration. The Justice Department is separately appealing the Maryland order. At least 24,000 probationary employees have been terminated since Trump took office, the lawsuits claim, though the government has not confirmed that number. U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco ruled that the terminations were improperly directed by the Office of Personnel Management and its acting director. He ordered rehiring at the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, the Interior and the Treasury. His order came in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions and nonprofit organizations that argued they’d be affected by the reduced manpower. Alsup, who was nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton, expressed frustration with what he called the government’s attempt to sidestep laws and regulations by firing probationary workers with fewer legal protections. He said he was appalled that employees were told they were being fired for poor performance despite receiving glowing evaluations just months earlier. The administration has insisted that the agencies themselves directed the firings and they “have since decided to stand by those terminations,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court. (AP)

Hamas’ official media outlets have issued statements labeling Jewish religious activities on the Har Habayis as a desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

In a message shared via the group’s Telegram channel, Hamas reiterated that Islamic teachings consider the entire area of the Har Habayis to be “an indivisible component of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.” As such, “any Jewish presence or religious observance at the site”—particularly korbanos, or offerings—is viewed as a “profound breach of the sanctity of the location.”

The message further pointed to past Jewish religious practices—such as shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah, taking the arba minim during Sukkos, kneeling and bowing, and bringing sacred objects into the site—as “calculated efforts,” in Hamas’ view, “to disrupt the long-standing status quo.”

Hamas went on to assert that even a “symbolic sacrificial act,” like the bringing of a symbolic Korban Pesach, on the Har Habayis would, in their opinion, “symbolically transform Al-Aqsa into a Temple,” thus laying the groundwork for what they described as a broader plan to construct the Third Bais Hamikdosh. The group warned that the first phase of this alleged plan would involve dividing areas of worship at the site—comparable to the current arrangement at the Meoras Hamachpeilah—followed by actual construction.

It should be noted that all leading poskim of this and previous generations have said that it is halachically forbidden to go on to the Har Habayis today.

{Matzav.com Israel}

From Kosher.com  Prepping for Pesach? With so much to do before Yom Tov, having a few freezer-friendly dishes ready to go can make all the difference. These five freeze-ahead favorites from Kosher.com are perfect for lightening the load without compromising on taste. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or just looking to stay one step ahead, these Pesach-friendly recipes will help you breathe a little easier—and eat a lot better. Fork Tender Brisket By Chanie Nayman My mother has been making second-cut brisket with loads of onions for years. I firmly believe that with this and salad, I am good to go for a week. The most important components of this recipe are onions, salt, and a well-marbled brisket! The rest is just to add some additional layers of flavor to an already good thing. So if you have no patience for all the dehydrated spices below, you can really omit them. Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/fork-tender-brisket-8740/ Sweet and Sour French Roast By Fleishigs Magazine  This roast is tender, the perfect balance of sweet and savory, a real crowd-pleaser. It tastes even better when made in advance and reheats incredibly well. Second cut brisket or top of rib work just as well.  Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/sweet-and-sour-french-roast-8520/ Seder Ribs  By Naomi Nachman These sticky and sweet ribs are sure to please by shulchan orech, or even for a yummy chol hamoed dinner. Easy recipe + crowd pleaser? Check! Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/seder-ribs/ Yom Tov Roast with Chestnut Chutney By Brynie Greisman A roast with sweet and savory components. The flavor is epic! The chutney adds a mélange of taste and texture. You’ll appreciate the creative presentation as well. Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/yom-tov-roast-with-chestnut-chutney/ Pesach Chuck Eye Roast  By Yussi Weisz Yussi Weisz is keeping it simple but spectacular with a chuck eye roast that practically melts in your mouth. Get the full recipe here on the latest episode of BHIS: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/pesach-chuck-eye-roast/ Explore hundreds of recipes for Pesach at https://www.kosher.com/recipes/passover/.

Donald Trump has made good on his promise to impose “additional 50 percent tariffs” on Chinese imports starting Wednesday. According to a White House announcement, this move pushes the total U.S. tariff rate on Chinese goods to a staggering 104 percent, a level never seen before.

Trump had issued an ultimatum to China, demanding it reverse the 34 percent retaliatory tariff it had slapped on American exports within a 24-hour window. If Beijing didn’t comply, he warned, Chinese imports would face massive penalties. China defied the warning, and by day’s end, Trump followed through with his threat.

Until recently, Chinese goods faced a 10 percent tariff when entering the U.S., a rate Trump claimed had “robbed and ripped off” the American economy of untold billions. That changed when the president unveiled his “reciprocal tariff” strategy — a policy under which the U.S. would impose tariffs that mirrored, or partially mirrored, those of other countries. With China’s new 34 percent levy on U.S. products, Trump matched it with an additional 34 percent on Chinese goods, raising their total tariff burden to 44 percent.

Shortly after the president’s latest move, the White House revealed that the U.S. would also be levying a 10 percent non-reciprocal tariff on all imports from other nations. Officials said the purpose of the broader surcharge was to bolster the U.S. federal reserves. Meanwhile, the total duties applied to Chinese goods jumped to 54 percent.

With the newest hike targeting only China, the tariff rate on its exports to the U.S. now stands at an extraordinary 104 percent — nearly double what it was just days ago. Still, Trump indicated that a diplomatic resolution was not out of the question. On Truth Social, he wrote, “China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don’t know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call.”

In the hours before the latest escalation, Beijing had pushed back against Trump’s demand that it abandon its retaliatory tariffs, calling the move a form of coercion.

“The US threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the US’s blackmailing nature,” China’s commerce ministry said in a statement, adding that “If the US insists on having its way, China will fight to the end.”

As the trade conflict between the two economic superpowers intensifies, global markets are caught in the crossfire. With neither side showing signs of backing down, investors are witnessing the most significant market downturn since the early days of the COVID-19 crisis.

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In the early days of the Great Depression, Rep. Willis Hawley, a Republican from Oregon, and Utah Republican Sen. Reed Smoot thought they had landed on a way to protect American farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition: tariffs. President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in 1930, even as many economists warned that the levies would prompt retaliatory tariffs from other countries, which is precisely what happened. The U.S. economy plunged deeper into a devastating financial crisis that it would not pull out of until World War II. Most historians look back on Smoot-Hawley as a mistake that made a bad economic climate much worse. But tariffs have a new champion in President Donald Trump. Like Trump, Hoover was elected largely because of his business acumen. An international mining engineer, financier and humanitarian, he took office in 1929 like an energetic CEO, eager to promote public-private partnerships and use the levers of government to promote economic growth. “Anyone not only can be rich, but ought to be rich,” he declared in his inaugural address before convening a special session of Congress to better protect U.S. farmers with “limited changes of the tariff.” Instead, the 31st president got the Great Depression. Trump, now championing his own sweeping tariffs that have sent global markets into a tailspin, argues that the U.S. was founded on steep import taxes on goods from abroad. But the country began abandoning them when it created a federal income tax in 1913, the president says. Then, “in 1929, it all came to a very abrupt end with the Great Depression. And it would have never happened if they had stayed with the tariff policy,” Trump said in announcing his tariff plan last week. Referring to Smoot-Hawley, he added, “They tried to bring back tariffs to save our country, but it was gone. It was gone. It was too late. Nothing could have been done — took years and years to get out of that depression.” America’s history of high tariffs actually continued well after 1913, however, and Trump’s take on what sparked the Great Depression — and Hoover-era Washington’s response to it — don’t reflect what actually happened. Gary Richardson, an economics professor at the University of California, Irvine, said the U.S. long maintaining high tariffs “helped to shift industry here. But we’ve gotten rid of them because, as the country at the cutting edge of technology, we didn’t think they were useful.” “When we were at our most powerful, right after World War II, we forced a low tariff regime on most of the world because we thought it was to our benefit,” said Richardson, also a former Federal Reserve System historian. “Now, we’re going back to something else.” Tariffs date to 1789 George Washington signed the Tariff Act of 1789, the first major legislation approved by Congress, which imposed a 5% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. With no federal income tax, the policy was about finding sources of revenue for the government while also protecting American producers from foreign competition. After the War of 1812 disrupted U.S. trade with Great Britain, the U.S. approved more tariffs in 1817 meant to shield domestic manufacturing from potentially cheaper imports, especially textiles. High tariffs remained for decades, particularly as the government looked to increase its revenue and pay down debt incurred during the Civil […]

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sends direct message to China from the Panama Canal: “I want to be very clear: China did not build this canal, China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal.”

WH PRESS SECRETARY: “I do just want to point out one thing. Everybody in Washington, whether they want to admit it or not, knows that this president is right when it comes to tariffs and when it comes to trade.”

The organization StopAntisemitism has urged New York Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation into a popular YouTube personality who has come under fire for allegedly promoting narratives aligned with Hamas, according to the New York Post.

Rachel Griffin Accurso, widely known as Ms. Rachel, has gained massive popularity through her children’s content series, Songs for Littles, and has even drawn comparisons to Mr. Rogers. In recent months, however, she has made several social media posts referencing supposed child casualties in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

According to StopAntisemitism, Ms. Rachel has echoed casualty figures and other information originating from Hamas sources—claims which, the organization asserts, have been either disproven or questioned by Israeli officials. The group is calling for Bondi to determine whether the content creator received compensation in exchange for sharing “Hamas-like propagated images and stories.”

In a formal appeal to the attorney general, Liora Rez, director of StopAntisemitism, wrote, “Given the vast sums of foreign funds that have been directed toward propagandizing our young people on college campuses, we suspect there is a similar dynamic in the online influencer space.”

Rez further emphasized, “We urge you and your office to investigate whether or not Ms. Rachel is being remunerated to disseminate Hamas-aligned propaganda to her millions of followers, as this may violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).”

The group also pointed out that while Ms. Rachel has repeatedly highlighted the suffering of Palestinian children, she has remained silent on the trauma endured by Israeli children. They specifically mentioned the Kfir brothers, who were kidnapped from their home—one just nine months old—and were later murdered by their abductors.

Following backlash to her commentary after the October 7 attacks, Ms. Rachel issued a statement saying, “I care deeply for all children. Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US – Muslim, Jewish, Christian children – all children, in every country. Not one is excluded.”

{Matzav.com}

OVERNIGHT IN FLATBUSH: Around 4 a.m., while patrolling near East 9th Street between Avenues U and V, Flatbush Shomrim members witnessed an intoxicated driver crash into a parked car. Both vehicles quickly went up in flames. When the NYPD arrived and began questioning the driver, he fled on foot. After a two-block chase, Shomrim members apprehended him, and he was ultimately arrested by the NYPD.

White House Press Secretary on Elon Musk calling Trump’s trade advisor “dumber than a sack of bricks”: “Boys will be boys”

WH PRESS SECRETARY: “Countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate and try to double-down on their mistreatment of American workers are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break.”

WH PRESS SECRETARY: “Since the Liberation Day announcement, nearly 70 countries have already reached out to the president to begin a negotiation.”

WH PRESS SECRETARY: “Last night, the Supreme Court delivered a massive legal victory to the Trump administration and allowed us to continue removing foreign terrorist invaders under the Alien Enemies Act. This was a smackdown to a rogue, left-wing, low-level district court judge… Our message to the monster Tren-de-Aragua and MS-13 terrorists still hiding illegally inside our country is clear: Deport yourself now or you’ll be locked up.”

BREAKING: The White House announces that President Trump has increased tariffs on China to 104%, set to take effect starting at midnight.

Big Israeli air strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Khan Yunis

The IRS is now offering access to tax records to ICE officials looking for illegal immigrants who they’re trying to deport.

The Supreme Court blocks activist judge’s order demanding President Trump to rehire “probationary employees” at 6 different federal agencies.

U.S. stocks rose 4% today, with the Dow up 800 points but still 3,000 points below last month’s level, recovering from three days of losses triggered by President Trump’s tariff announcements.

Dalia Ziada, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, addressed the growing tension between Egypt and Israel. “Military forces are standing on both sides of the Egyptian-Israeli border, aiming at each other, which indicates that the problem of mistrust between the parties has reached a boiling point,” she said. “I hope this doesn’t lead to further escalation in the coming years.” Ziada sharply criticized the Egyptian government, which she says “has been on the wrong side of this war from the start,” and accused Cairo of supporting Hamas, “who has hurt the Palestinians more than anyone else.” Ziada also referred to French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Egypt, claiming it is part of a power struggle between Europe and the United States in the Middle East. “France is trying to emphasize that its presence and influence, and that of Europe in the Middle East, are still strong, unlike those of the United States – especially in light of Macron’s recent success in brokering a ceasefire in Lebanon,” she said. She also emphasized the mutual economic interests of both countries, noting that “Egypt was ranked as the largest importer of French weapons between 2012 and 2021” and that “in 2021, Egypt signed a deal with France to purchase 30 French-made fighter jets for $4.5 billion.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The Rabbanim of Beit Shemesh published a Kol Koreh regarding instructions for bi’ur chametz this year, when erev Pesach falls out on Shabbos. The Kol Koreh, signed by HaGaon HaRav Natan Kupshitz, the Mara D’Asra of the Chareidi kiryah in Beit Shemesh and a dayan in Badatz Edah HaChareidis, and about 30 other city Rabbanim, states that this prohibition applies to flushing chametz down the toilet “whether on its own, and all the more so when it is inside a plastic bag or container.” When Erev Pesach falls out on Shabbos like this year, special preparations are required for the removal of chametz. Many have become accustomed to disposing of chametz on Shabbos by flushing it down the toilet, but the Rabbanim are now paskening that it’s assur. The Kol Koreh comes in response to a request from city council member Meir Schechter, who oversees the municipal water corporation. Schechter reported that in previous years when erev Pesach fell out on Shabbos, the flushing of chametz caused blockages, burst pipes, and even flooding that led to chametz resurfacing in residents’ homes over Pesach. The Rabbanim noted in the letter that the flushing of chometz is not only an infrastructural concern, but is also a serious halachic issue. “It has happened several times that due to blockages in the pipes, chametz rose in the houses of other people, leading to damage and michsholim (stumbling blocks). This is a concern of ‘מצוה הבאה בעבירה’.” The Rabbanim recommended an alternative solution. “Therefore, in such a year, the remaining pieces of chametz should be thrown into a public garbage bin, such as on the street or sidewalk [where there is an eruv]. This must be done before the end of the zeman for s’reifas chametz.” The city’s Rabbanim, representing all the various sectors in the city, stressed that this solution is fully acceptable since “the municipality does not intend to acquire what is found in the public bins and will also relinquish ownership of all the garbage bins on erev Shabbos” In addition, the Rabbanim said that S’reifas Chametz must be carried out in the early morning hours of Friday, just like every year, and should not be delayed until later in the day. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)