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A day at Uranus just got a little longer. Scientists reported Monday that observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed it takes Uranus 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete a full rotation. That’s 28 seconds longer than estimates by NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s. A French-led team studied a decade’s worth of aurora observations at the ice giant to track its magnetic poles. That long-term tracking provided a more precise rotation period for Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. From that distance, it takes about 84 Earth years for Uranus to orbit the sun. “The continuous observations from Hubble were crucial,” lead author Laurent Lamy of the Paris Observatory said in a statement. Lamy and his international team said this new approach can help pinpoint the rotation of any world with auroras and a magnetosphere. Published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the findings come a few weeks before the 35th anniversary of Hubble’s launch. NASA’s space shuttle Discovery delivered the space telescope to orbit on April 24, 1990. (AP)

President Trump shows his respect to PM Netanyahu by pulling out his chair for him. He did the same for Bibi during the Israeli PM’s visit to the White House earlier this year.

Interior Committee chairman MK Yakov Asher of United Torah Judaism gave an interview to the Israeli Yated, addressing the escalating Draft Law crisis and what it could mean for both the chareidi community and the governing coalition.

Opening the discussion, Asher spoke of the comfort and assurance he receives from the guidance of gedolei Torah.

“Every time I visit the homes of Israel’s gedolei Torah, may they live long, there is not just the knowledge but the feeling that there is someone who takes responsibility for what happens, and that Israel is not widowed,” he shared.

Touching on the tension with the Religious Zionist party, Asher clarified the nature of their alliance.

“We never had an ideological, perspective-based covenant with our Religious Zionist brothers. Now there is a situation in which this sector has suffered very heavy losses, and we all feel their pain, our pain. Despite this, this difficult reality cannot blur even for one moment our viewpoint on how the Torah world should look.”

He then issued a warning to the Religious Zionist community, highlighting the broader political implications.

“Do not make a mistake. There is currently a political war and the chareidi community is a target for the wheel of incitement, but this wheel continues turning and will soon reach you, so long as the goal is to bring down the right-wing government.”

Speaking about the dynamic with the Likud party, Asher emphasized the longstanding values-driven connection between the chareidi and right-wing blocs.

“The partnership with the Right is a partnership based on tradition and values. If the partnership with the Likud breaks apart, it will not be because we are breaking the partnership. In the current situation, where there is no unity on the Left and there is no concrete offer, we will not leave because of an alternative on the Left, but because we cannot continue sitting in a coalition when a sword is held over the lomdei Torah.”

He concluded with a stark message about what might happen if the current government cannot safeguard Torah study.

“If we reach a situation where it becomes clear that we cannot protect the yeshiva students while we are in the current coalition, we will examine other options as well,” he said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

WATCH: This is the scene inside the Whitehouse Press Room as Israeli reporters are reporting on the Trump Netanyahu meeting.

AD MEAH V’… Marcelino “Mashico” Abad Tolentino — who is just 4’3″ tall — is believed to be the world’s oldest person after he turned 125 on Saturday. Tolentino’s government-issued photo ID lists his year of birth as 1900, though the Guinness Book of World Records says they have not received an application to confirm him as the world’s oldest person.  

Dozens of reporters await entry into the Netanyahu-Trump meeting at the White House.

President Donald Trump issued a warning that he will slap China with a 50% hike in tariffs if the Chinese government doesn’t reverse its newly announced 34% retaliatory duty on U.S. goods by today.

“If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

This comes after Trump’s announcement on April 2, when he raised tariffs on China by 34%, adding to the 20% duty he had already put in place earlier during his presidency as part of his broader trade war strategy.

If Trump follows through with this latest threat, Chinese imports would face a cumulative tariff rate of 104% compared to pre-Trump levels.

China fired back with its own move Friday morning, declaring a 34% retaliatory tariff that is scheduled to go into effect on April 10.

“Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated!” Trump continued in his message. “Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Kevin Hassett, who heads the National Economic Council, noted that over 50 nations have approached the White House seeking discussions on the tariff issue. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to meet later today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shortly after enacting a 17% tariff on goods from Israel.

Trump also stated that he’s already held preliminary talks with leaders from Japan as well as other Asian and European countries about potentially renegotiating trade terms. Discussions are still underway, and he’s suggested that tariffs could eventually be reduced if economic conditions worsen.

Speaking earlier on Monday, Trump sought to calm market fears, urging Americans not to overreact. He advised people not to become “Panicans” and instead remain “patient” as the tariff situation unfolds — marking his first direct effort to address concerns from investors.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: A fire has broken out at Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI). The cause of the fire is unknown.

CENTCOM releases footage of soldiers arming aircraft aboard USS Harry S. Truman for operations against Iran-backed Houthis.

Nearly 7,000 Jewish voters in New York City have newly registered as Democrats since January — a surge that could have a huge influence on the outcome of June’s high-stakes mayoral primary and pose a challenge for far-left candidates seen as soft on antisemitism. According to the Jewish Voters Action Network (JVAN), 6,695 Jewish voters have joined the Democratic rolls in recent months, including more than 4,130 who switched from Republican, independent, or other party affiliations. An additional 2,564 are first-time registrants. “We think this registration drive is a big deal. Jewish voters are a sleeping giant in New York politics,” JVAN founder Maury Litwack told the NY Post. “And they are awake. Jews are showing up to play. We’re not ignoring this election. We are punching above our weight.” The Democratic primary field includes former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate Zohran Mamdani, City Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Sens. Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie, ex-Assemblyman Michael Blake, and financier Whitney Tilson. With Mayor Eric Adams running as an independent, the primary winner will be the clear frontrunner in the general election. JVAN, which has committed $7 million to mobilizing Jewish voters, remains officially non-partisan and is not endorsing any candidate. However, Litwack has been an outspoken critic of the DSA and its members, including Mamdani, whose positions on Israel prompt most Jews to be less than excited about his mayoral candidacy. “The Jewish community is paying attention — and taking action,” said Litwack, who also led a successful voter mobilization campaign last year in Westchester County that helped unseat Squad member Jamaal Bowman in favor of pro-Israel Democrat George Latimer. “Jewish voters have been moderate for some time,” Litwack added. “They are concerned about the extreme left and the extreme right. The Bowman-Latimer race was a wake-up call.” While New York City has approximately 3.77 million registered Democrats, fewer than 25% turned out in the last mayoral primary. JVAN believes energized Jewish voters could play an outsized role in this year’s primary, especially in key City Council districts where the group focused its registration efforts. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump has unexpectedly called off a planned White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, as Wall Street entered its third consecutive day of turmoil sparked by his controversial “Liberation Day” tariff initiative.

No reason was provided for the abrupt cancellation of the East Room event, which was scrapped just ahead of Netanyahu’s scheduled arrival. However, a brief Oval Office photo opportunity with both leaders is still expected to occur.

Monday’s markets were volatile, swinging up and down in response to conflicting reports that Trump might postpone the implementation of the new tariffs by three months.

While several global leaders—including those from the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea—have expressed a desire to negotiate in hopes of avoiding the harsh new duties, the White House reported that around 50 nations have reached out to initiate talks. Meanwhile, China continues to pursue an opposing path by responding with tariffs of its own.

{Matzav.com}

MOMENTS AGO: U.S. President Donald J. Trump greeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House.

BREAKING: President Trump welcomes Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to the Whitehouse.

In preparation for the upcoming Pesach holiday, COJO of Staten Island held a security and community coordination meeting with leadership from the NYPD, FDNY, Staten Island Shomrim, Hatzolah, the Department of Sanitation, and the NYC Mayor’s Office, focusing on the safety and logistical needs of the Jewish community. NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger of Patrol Borough Staten Island assured community leaders that there is currently no credible threat. The NYPD is actively monitoring developments on both a national and global scale and stands ready to respond as needed. Chief Eger also acknowledged the ongoing leadership and communication efforts of COJO Security Chairman Ari Weiss, with whom she remains in constant contact. FDNY Borough Commander Chief David Simms, recently appointed to lead Staten Island operations, confirmed that brush units will be stationed at all designated seraifas chametz fire locations. The FDNY will actively monitor these fires to ensure safety and will remain on standby throughout Pesach to address any potential incidents. Sanitation Borough Chief Christopher Hancock announced that extra garbage pickups will be scheduled in Jewish neighborhoods beginning Monday and continuing through Erev Yom Tov. Additional accommodations will be made on Shabbos to handle last-minute chametz disposal, with sanitation teams ready to respond to community needs. Chief Richie Taylor, Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s Community Affairs Bureau, stated that although there are no threats at this time, the NYPD is maintaining heightened vigilance and will immediately notify community leaders if any concerns arise. Fred Kreizman, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, expressed appreciation to the volunteers of Shomrim of Staten Island for their daily dedication and close collaboration with city agencies, particularly in preparation for Pesach and throughout the year. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Community Affairs Mark Stewart emphasized that public safety remains a priority despite the lack of any imminent threats. He also noted his personal connection to the annual pre-Pesach meeting, which he attends regularly as part of the NYPD’s commitment to community engagement. With the unified support of multiple city agencies, COJO of Staten Island continues to ensure that the community is well-prepared and secure for the Pesach season. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

BREAKING: The Trump-Netanyahu press conference that was supposed to take place this afternoon has been cancelled.

A Virginia man who spray-painted “Hamas is coming” on a federal monument outside Union Station during a riot tied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit has been sentenced to 10 days in prison and six months of supervision, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, pleaded guilty to destroying government property, a federal misdemeanor, after admitting he defaced a statue, tore down an American flag, and scrawled an inverted red triangle—a symbol used by Hamas to mark targets—on July 24, 2024. His actions were part of a violent demonstration outside the historic transportation hub, held during Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. The National Park Service estimated that Mahdawi caused $11,282.23 in damage. In addition to jail time and supervision, Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered Mahdawi to complete 80 hours of community service and pay $1,500 in restitution. Though the protest was permitted, it quickly turned violent. Court documents describe how demonstrators ripped down three American flags, set fire to objects in the street, and vandalized multiple federal monuments. Several interfered with police efforts to restore order. Mahdawi personally removed one of the flags, then spray-painted his pro-Hamas message onto a federal statue just steps from Union Station’s main entrance—drawing swift condemnation from lawmakers and watchdog groups. The inverted red triangle he painted is commonly used by Hamas to tag individuals and sites as potential targets. The use of such imagery in a federal vandalism case has raised further concerns about growing radicalization and the intersection of online extremism with street protests. Officials have not indicated whether further charges will be brought against other participants in the July 24 riot. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Indian police have arrested a 24-year-old American Youtuber who visited an off-limits island in the Indian ocean and left an offering of a Diet Coke can and a coconut in an attempt to make contact with an isolated tribe known for attacking intruders. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, from Scottsdale, Arizona, was arrested on March 31, two days after he set foot on the restricted territory of North Sentinel Island — part of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands — in a bid to meet people from the reclusive Sentinelese tribe, police said. A local court last week sent Polyakov to a 14-day judicial custody and he is set to appear again in the court on April 17. The charges carry a possible sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine. Indian authorities said they had informed the U.S. Embassy about the case. Visitors are banned from traveling within 3 miles (5 kilometres) of the island, whose population has been isolated from the rest of the world for thousands of years. The inhabitants use spears and bows and arrows to hunt the animals that roam the small, heavily forested island. Deeply suspicious of outsiders, they attack anyone who lands onto their beaches. In 2018, an American missionary who landed illegally on the beach was killed by North Sentinel islanders who apparently shot him with arrows and then buried his body on the beach. In 2006, the Sentinelese had killed two fishermen who had accidentally landed on the shore. Indian officials have limited contacts to rare “gift-giving” encounters, with small teams of officials and scientists leaving coconuts and bananas for the islanders. Indian ships also monitor the waters around the island, trying to ensure outsiders do not go near the Sentinelese, who have repeatedly made clear they want to be left alone. Police said Polyakov was guided by GPS navigation during his journey and surveyed the island with binoculars before landing. He stayed on the beach for about an hour, blowing a whistle to attract the attention but got no response from the islanders. He later left a can of Diet Coke and a coconut as an offering, made a video on his camera, and collected some sand samples before returning to his boat. On his return he was spotted by local fishermen, who informed the authorities and Polyakov was arrested in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an archipelago nearly 750 miles (1,207 kilometres) east of India’s mainland. A case was registered against him for violation of Indian laws that prohibit any outsider to interact with the islanders. Police said Polyakov had conducted detailed research on sea conditions, tides and accessibility to the island before starting his journey. “He planned meticulously over several days to visit the island and make a contact with the Sentinel tribe,” Senior Police Officer Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal said. In a statement, police said Polyakov’s “actions posed a serious threat to the safety and well-being of the Sentinelese people, whose contact with outsiders is strictly prohibited by the law to protect their indigenous way of life.” An initial investigation revealed Polyakov had made two previous attempts, in October last year and January, to visit the islands, including in an inflatable kayak. Police said Polyakov was drawn to the island due to his passion […]

Arab news sources claimed that on Sunday night, the Israeli military targeted what was described as a tent used by journalists at the Nasser Hospital located in Khan Yunis.

These reports stated that the attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals from Gaza and left nine others wounded. Among the injured was Hassan Aslih, a so-called journalist who worked as a freelancer for international media outlets and had ties to Hamas.

Aslih was previously identified as one of the media figures present during the October 7 terrorist rampage near the Gaza border. He crossed into Israeli territory without press identification gear, recorded footage of a burning IDF tank, and reportedly entered Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Following that, Aslih shared a tweet featuring an image of himself within Israel, captioned, “Live from the towns of the Gaza Strip,” and included a photograph of himself near the destroyed tank.

On Monday, the Israeli military issued a statement: “Overnight, the IDF and ISA struck the Hamas terrorist Hassan Abdel Fattah Mohammed Aslih in the Khan Yunis area who operates under the guise of a journalist and owns a press company.”

“Aslih, a terrorist in Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade, infiltrated Israeli territory and participated in the murderous massacre carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7th. During the massacre, he documented and uploaded footage of looting, arson, and murder to social media.”

The statement went on to explain that, “Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.”

It concluded with the assurance: “The IDF and ISA will continue to operate to remove any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel and IDF troops.”

In a related incident reported last week, the Israeli army and Shin Bet disclosed that they had eliminated Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Awad, a high-ranking operative within the Gaza-based Military Intelligence network, closely linked to senior figures in the Palestinian Mujahideen terrorist organization.

On October 7, Awad was one of the commanders who repeatedly entered the Israeli community of Nir Oz. Authorities believe he played a leading role in the horrific acts committed there, which included the kidnappings and murders of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. Additionally, he was said to be involved in the seizure and eventual burial of Gad and Judi Lynn Weinstein, and he participated in the abduction of several Thai nationals, according to the official statement.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk has made a strong statement warning against uncontrolled large-scale immigration, claiming it can dismantle nations—despite his active backing of the expansive H-1B visa system that brings in skilled and semi-skilled foreign workers.

“Mass immigration is insane and will lead to the destruction of any country that allows unfettered mass immigration,” Musk declared in a video interview he posted to his X account on April 5. “The country will simply cease to exist.”

He elaborated further on his stance by stating: “At the end of the day, it is a numbers game, a numbers situation. If there are a billion people in the world, and let’s say you’re a country of, you know, 50 million, 60 million … even for a country like the United States, which is 350 million, given that there are 8 billion people in the world, it only takes a few percent of the rest of the world to move to the country, to where it is no longer that country.

“It’s not geography — the country is its people. This is a fundamental concept that should be really obvious … If you teleported a bunch of people from some other part of the world to Italy, where the Italian people are no longer because they’ve been teleported to America, then the geographic region would no longer be Italy. It would be that other country.

“A country is its people, not its geography.”

Musk’s remarks are not rooted in the kind of ethnic nationalism that’s common among certain populations, such as Hindu nationalists in India or identity-based movements across Europe.

Rather, his viewpoint is shaped by a desire to protect what he sees as the unique cultural fabric of the United States—a society built on innovation, individual freedom, and an entrepreneurial spirit, all of which he believes are at risk under conditions of unregulated mass immigration.

At the same time, Musk remains an outspoken proponent of the H-1B visa pipeline, which supplies his companies like Tesla with foreign talent while helping him secure greater business access to India’s booming automobile market. Though critics say that programs like H-1B erode the integrity and long-term strength of America’s professional workforce, they are still considerably narrower in scope than President Joe Biden’s approach, which has effectively welcomed more than 9 million migrants from the southern border.

{Matzav.com}

This spring homebuying season is shaping up to be more favorable for home shoppers than it’s been in recent years — as long as they can afford to buy. Home prices are rising more slowly. Mortgage rates remain elevated, but have been mostly easing and could be headed lower if the U.S. economic outlook continues to darken over the Trump administration’s widespread tariffs, which have rattled financial markets and stoked fears of a recession. Most importantly, the number of homes on the market is up sharply from a year ago. While the inventory of homes for sale nationally is still low by historical standards, active listings — a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale — surged 28.5% last month from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings jumped between 44% and 68% in many large metro areas, including San Diego, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Washington D.C. As homes take longer to sell, prices have started dropping in many markets. The median listing price was down last month from a year earlier in most of the nation’s biggest 50 metro areas, including a more than 6% drop in Austin, Miami and Kansas City. These trends should give prospective homebuyers more leverage as they negotiate with sellers this spring, though they are unlikely to be a game-changer for many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market after years of soaring prices. “It’s a little hard to say that it’s a buyer’s market, but I’d call it a much more balanced market than it’s been in the last couple of years, where it’s really been a predominantly seller’s market,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com. Ryan Vasko and his wife, Whitney, recently navigated both sides of the housing market equation in their move from Oregon to Colorado. In December, the couple sold their three-bedroom, one-bath house in Portland for $505,000. That was $10,000 below their list price, but still above the $500,000 minimum they hoped to get. At the same time, the couple searched for a home in the Denver metro area, which is among the markets that’s had the biggest increase in homes for sale this year. Active listings soared 67.3% in March from a year earlier. As listings jumped, the median listing price fell 5.6% to $585,000. Last month, the Vaskos closed the deal on a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house in Littleton, Colorado, about 10 miles south of Denver, that had been on the market at least three weeks. “We got under contract week one, we found out we were pregnant week two and we put an offer on this house week three,” said Vasko, 41, a creative director at an advertising agency. The price: $680,000, or $5,000 above the list price. Still, the seller agreed to cover the cost of lowering the couple’s 6.9% mortgage rate for the first two years of the loan to 4.9% and 5.9%, respectively. “It gives us a little wiggle room, if we need it,” said Vasko, noting that he’s hoping to eventually refinance to a lower fixed rate. A mixed market The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly […]