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Six years ago Mexico’s president disbanded the country’s Federal Police and handed security responsibilities fully to the military. Now, his successor has quietly begun to build an elite civilian investigative and special operations force to fight the drug cartels. President Claudia Sheinbaum had already shown a willingness early in her presidency to move away from former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s oft-criticized “hugs, not bullets” strategy. It focused on addressing the social roots of crime rather than directly confronting Mexico’s powerful cartels. Sheinbaum’s security chief, Omar García Harfuch, is drawing on his law enforcement contacts — mostly from the former ranks of the Federal Police — to claw back security capabilities from the armed forces with a civilian force under his direct command. The government has yet to formally announce the new National Operations Unit, known by its Spanish initials UNO, but its existence is an open secret among former members of the Federal Police, where García Harfuch started his career. Three Mexican officials, all of whom requested anonymity to speak about the still unannounced force, confirmed its existence to The Associated Press. Security analyst David Saucedo, who has spoken with people who have joined the force, said he believes García Harfuch’s main objective is to have an armed force that allows him to meet demands from Washington. UNO takes shape The unit began to form shortly after Sheinbaum took office. It now has 250 members and hopes to have 800 by the end of the year, said one federal official, who is familiar with many of the unit’s details. On Monday, while García Harfuch was in Washington meeting with the Trump administration, the security ministry published a call for college graduates to make up “the first generation of investigative and intelligence agents,” only saying they will be part of a specialized group to strengthen the country’s security. UNO will have three branches distributed geographically across Mexico, as well as a high-impact team that will be the “elite of the elite,” the federal official said. Its current members are mostly former Federal Police and members of the special operations team García Harfuch created when he was Mexico City’s police chief. Most have previously received training from security forces from the United States, Colombia, Spain or France. His challenge is rebuilding the trust of his U.S. counterparts after López Obrador limited U.S. agents’ movements in Mexico and do it as President Donald Trump pressures Mexico to step up the fight against fentanyl trafficking. A controversial past Shortly after taking office, López Obrador replaced the Federal Police with a new force, the National Guard, that he sold to the public as civilian, but that was always led by and made up of the armed forces. He lambasted the Federal Police as too corrupt to save and made Mexico’s former security chief Genaro García Luna, then facing trial in the U.S. and eventually convicted of working for the Sinaloa cartel, the poster child. He cut funding for training and equipping local police. What followed were six years of what critics decried as militarization that effectively concentrated unprecedented authority in the hands of the armed forces. Despite that, levels of violence remained stubbornly high and critics said the cartels grew stronger, fueled by soaring revenue from fentanyl. One of the main criticisms of the […]

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discusses looming tariffs and potential tax cuts on ‘Hannity.’

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Delta Air Lines resumed flights to Israel on Tuesday, becoming the latest major airline to restart services that had been suspended due to the Israel-Hamas war. Delta’s decision comes two weeks after its competitor, United Airlines, reinstated flights to Tel Aviv, and just ahead of the busy Pesach travel season. The Atlanta-based airline will have daily flights to Tel Aviv from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, providing nearly 2,000 additional weekly seats on this high-demand route. United Airlines, based in Chicago, currently operates two daily flights to Israel from its hub at Newark, maintaining its position as the U.S. carrier offering the most flights to Israel prior to the conflict. Meanwhile, American Airlines, headquartered in Dallas, remains the only major U.S. legacy carrier yet to resume flights to Israel since suspending services following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, that sparked the ongoing conflict. Additionally, Israel’s Arkia Airlines recently launched flights to New York three times a week at fixed pricing, while Israir has announced plans to resume its own service to New York, a route it previously operated last decade. The re-entry of Delta and United effectively ends the temporary monopoly held by Israel’s national carrier, El Al, on the transatlantic route. This monopoly led to huge fare increases amid allegations of price gouging, though fares are expected to decrease following the Pesach travel period. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

DOGE leader Elon Musk discusses the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, stopping fraud and Tesla protests on ‘The Five.’

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A man recently deported from Maryland to El Salvador was a known member of the violent MS-13 gang, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who addressed the issue on Tuesday, clarifying that while the deportation may have stemmed from a bureaucratic mistake, it involved a dangerous individual.

The deportee, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, is believed to be held at CECOT, a high-security prison in El Salvador infamous for housing gang leaders and violent offenders. Leavitt emphasized that despite reports of an administrative oversight, Abrego Garcia was far from a low-risk individual.

“The administration maintains the position that this individual who was deported to El Salvador and will not be returning to our country was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang,” Leavitt said. “We also have credible intelligence proving that this individual was involved in human trafficking. This individual was a member, actually a leader, of the brutal MS-13 gang, which this president has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.”

In response to claims portraying Abrego Garcia as a benign resident living quietly in the U.S., Leavitt rejected those narratives outright.

“This individual is an illegal criminal who broke our nation’s immigration laws. He is a leader in the brutal MS-13 gang, and he is involved in human trafficking. And now MS-13 is a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Leavitt said.

{Matzav.com}

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BREAKING: The Pentagon has deployed additional aircraft carriers to the Middle East.

Hagaon HaRav Shimon Galey at a Kumzitz tonight with Rav Hillel Paley at the annual conference with coordinators and Rabbonim from the איחוד בני הישיבות taking place in Ashkelon.

THIS JUST HAPPENED: A group of baalei batim and their Rov, Rabbi Srour, from Midrash Zion in Brooklyn, are currently in Israel, and visited HaRav Tzvi Kushlefsky, Rosh Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah. The Rosh Yeshiva has been giving many people Chizuk after he was zocheh to his first child at the age of 88, in July of 2024.

The IDF and Shin Bet uncovered a bomb-making laboratory in the city of Tulkarm last week, the military announced on Tuesday. The facility contained landmines, explosives, explosive-making materials, and a welding machine, highlighting ongoing concerns over terror infrastructure in the West Bank. In a series of coordinated operations over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces also arrested 12 wanted individuals in the towns of Tammun and Kabatiya. An additional 15 suspects were detained across the West Bank, with authorities seizing two firearms and other weapons during the raids. All detainees and confiscated materials were transferred to Shin Bet and the Yehuda and Shomron District Police for further investigation. The arrests form part of Israel’s ongoing campaign to dismantle terrorist networks and reduce violence in the region. On Monday, the IDF, Shin Bet, and Israel Police conducted a joint operation in Nablus, apprehending a Palestinian terror cell allegedly backed by Hamas’s headquarters in Turkey. The group was reportedly planning shooting and bombing attacks. Security forces seized an M16 rifle and $60,000 in cash during the operation. In a separate operation on Friday, the IDF, Israel Police, and Border Police arrested eight additional suspects and confiscated an M16 rifle, a tactical vest, magazines, and ammunition. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

It has now been publicly revealed that Zvika Klein, Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, is the journalist currently being investigated in connection with the unfolding Qatar-Gate scandal. Authorities suspect Klein of having ties with a foreign operative and allege that he served as a go-between for Eli Feldstein, spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli businessman Gil Birger, and Jay Footlik, an American citizen who formerly lobbied on behalf of the Qatari government.

Klein reportedly traveled to Qatar last year on an official media assignment, following an invitation extended to him in his professional capacity. During and after his visit, he published interviews with senior Qatari officials. As part of the probe, investigators are expected to summon and question additional members of the media who are believed to have helped give Qatar a public platform. These developments come amid broader allegations concerning Netanyahu’s advisors, Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein.

Earlier, a court extended the remand of both Urich and Feldstein by 48 hours and simultaneously rescinded a gag order that had been imposed on the case. Police maintain that Urich played a role in disseminating information to journalists under the guise that it originated from the Prime Minister’s Office, though investigators suspect it actually stemmed from Qatari-aligned sources. The judge overseeing the proceedings remarked that a significant number of such reports had already been circulated.

During a court session, Police Investigator Zohar Erez confirmed that Urich had been interrogated over whether he leaked sensitive Cabinet-level material. Additionally, it has been reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu himself was asked during questioning whether his advisor had divulged confidential information.

Attorney Amit Hadad, representing Urich, criticized what he described as aggressive tactics used by the police. He pointed to one incident in which an interrogator allegedly told Urich, “Think carefully, because you can see your child tonight.” Investigator Erez, who was present during the session, denied that any such comment had been made.

Hadad also argued that the arrest warrant was issued without a sufficient factual summary to support it. He said that omission constituted a procedural violation, undermining not only the legal basis of the arrest but also his client’s rights. He further accused investigators of trying to pressure Urich into turning state’s witness, calling the approach coercive and inappropriate.

In his appeal to the court, Hadad demanded that the gag order be lifted, claiming that the entire investigation lacked credible evidence and was being manipulated for public relations purposes. “There is no substantial evidence in this case, only empty accusations designed to serve a media agenda. The justice system must not be allowed to obscure the truth through procedural barriers, particularly when it involves such a severe violation of an individual’s rights and reputation.”

Judge Menachem Mizrahi ultimately agreed to remove the gag order, issuing a stay of execution despite the police’s request to appeal. The judge explained that the order had already been largely ineffective, given that much of the information had already reached the press.

It’s worth noting that Attorney Hadad is representing both Urich and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the investigation. This dual representation prompted Attorney Oded Savorai, legal counsel for Feldstein, to raise concerns before the court regarding possible ethical conflicts. He questioned whether authorities were doing enough to prevent interference in the investigation, considering that the same lawyer was advising multiple parties tied to the case.

{Matzav.com Israel}

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Rescue workers saved a 63-year-old woman from the rubble of a building in Myanmar’s capital on Tuesday, but hope was fading of finding many more survivors of the violent earthquake that killed more than 2,700 people, compounding a humanitarian crisis caused by a civil war. The fire department in Naypyitaw said the woman was successfully pulled from the rubble 91 hours after being buried when the building collapsed in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit midday Friday. Experts say the likelihood of finding survivors drops dramatically after 72 hours. Death toll numbers forecast to increase The head of Myanmar’s military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, told a forum for relief donations in Naypyitaw that 2,719 people have now been found dead, with 4,521 others injured and 441 missing, Myanmar’s state MRTV television reported. He said Friday’s earthquake was the second most powerful in the country’s recorded history after a magnitude 8 quake east of Mandalay in May 1912. The casualty figures are widely expected to rise. The earthquake hit a wide swath of the country, leaving many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaging roads and bridges, making the full extent of the devastation hard to assess. Most of the reports so far have come from Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, which was near the epicenter of the earthquake, and Naypyitaw, the capital. “The needs are massive, and they are rising by the hour,” said Julia Rees, UNICEF’s deputy representative for Myanmar. Myanmar’s fire department said 403 people have been rescued in Mandalay and 259 bodies have been found so far. In one incident, 50 Buddhist monks who were taking a religious exam in a monastery were killed when the building collapsed, and 150 more are thought to be buried in the rubble. Structural damage is extensive The World Health Organization said more than 10,000 buildings overall are known to have collapsed or been severely damaged by the quake. The earthquake also rocked neighboring Thailand, causing a high-rise building under construction to collapse and burying many workers. Two bodies were pulled from the rubble Monday and another was recovered Tuesday, but dozens were still missing. Overall, there were 21 people killed and 34 injured in Bangkok, primarily at the construction site. In Myanmar, search and rescue efforts across the affected area paused briefly at midday Tuesday as people stood for a minute in silent tribute to the dead. Relief efforts moving at a sluggish pace Foreign aid workers have been arriving slowly to help in the rescue efforts, but progress lagged due to a lack of heavy machinery in many places. In one site in Naypyitaw on Tuesday, workers formed a human chain, passing chunks of brick and concrete out hand-by-hand from the ruins of a collapsed building. The state Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported Tuesday that a team of Chinese rescuers saved four people the day before from the ruins of an apartment complex. They included a 5-year-old and a pregnant woman who had been trapped for more than 60 hours. It also reported that two teenagers were able to crawl out of the rubble of the same building using their cellphone flashlights to help guide them. Rescue workers were then able to use details from what they told them to locate their grandmother and sibling. International rescue teams from several countries are […]

Following instructions from Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Israel has officially eliminated all existing import tariffs on goods arriving from the United States—its largest trade ally—thanks to joint efforts by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat.

With the green light from the Knesset Finance Committee and the formal signing of the new trade directive by Minister Barkat, an updated amendment concerning tariffs and protective trade measures will now take effect, completely removing customs duties on all American imports into Israel.

A statement from the Government Press Office highlighted the significance of this move, noting, “The US is Israel’s closest ally and its most significant trading partner. In 2024, the export of goods to the US stood at $17.3 billion, while the export of services was estimated at $16.7 billion.”

Although most U.S. goods entering Israel—around 99%—are already exempt from tariffs under the 1985 Free Trade Agreement, the remaining duties were largely focused on select agricultural and food items. “The 1985 free trade agreement with the US has led to the fact that the overwhelming majority (approximately 99%) of goods imported from the US are already fully exempt from customs duties. Therefore, the reduction in customs duties will begin on a very limited number of products, in the category of imported food and agricultural products from the US.”

The GPO further stated that this policy shift broadens the existing trade framework with the United States and reinforces the strategic partnership between the two nations. “The reduction in customs duties will, in effect, expand the US-Israel trade agreement and strengthen bilateral strategic relations. The reduction also entails an assurance to Israeli consumers in the form of a possible reduction in the cost of living with the anticipated expansion in imports of food and agricultural products from the US, which will benefit from a zero customs rate,” the GPO stated.

Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized that this decision is part of a broader economic philosophy that his administrations have promoted over the years. “Cancelling the customs duties on American goods is an additional step in the policy that my governments have led for a decade in opening up the market to competition, introducing variety to the economy and lowering the cost of living. In addition to the economic advantages to the market and to the citizens of Israel, the current effort will allow us to further strengthen the alliance and ties between Israel and the US. We will continue to work to reduce barriers and customs, and bolster our special relationship with the US.”

Finance Minister Smotrich underscored the strategic value of the change, viewing it as an opportunity to deepen bilateral economic collaboration. “The current administration is a genuine opportunity to fashion a new strategic economic future for the countries by strengthening Israel’s central role as an economic partner. I ascribe great importance to deepening the economic cooperation, advancing innovation and strengthening the financial and commercial ties between the countries, as was recently declared by the US Treasury Department and the Israeli Finance Ministry. Lowering the customs duties will be good for the State of Israel and is in line with the Government’s policy on fighting the cost of living and will even increase competition in the food sector.”

Minister Barkat also emphasized the long-standing trade alliance between Israel and the United States, adding that this latest move is a natural next step in an already thriving economic relationship. “We are continuing to strengthen the Israeli economy and the strategic ties between the countries. Cancelling the customs duties on imports from the US is a complementary step to the commercial relationship between the countries that have shared a trade agreement for many years, and which will advance additional economic cooperation in the future and lead to a reduction on imported products. We will continue to work together to open new markets and create economic opportunities that will strengthen both the Israeli economy and the strong partnership with the US, while safeguarding local products.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

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Hamas has quietly removed around 3,400 previously reported “deaths” from its casualty lists—including an astonishing 1,080 children who apparently weren’t as dead as initially advertised. It seems the Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, has accomplished what science could not—bringing thousands back from the dead. Analyst Salo Aizenberg from Honest Reporting and NGO Monitor pointed out this curious phenomenon after noticing a striking discrepancy between Hamas’s August and September 2024 casualty figures and their magically revised March 2025 list. “These ‘deaths’ never happened. The numbers were falsified—again,” Aizenberg said. “What happened? How did 1000s of supposedly confirmed, fully identified deaths just vanish? Were some actually missing persons? Sloppy records? Intentional deception? Hamas’ Ministry of Health was never reliable.” Indeed, this isn’t the first instance of Hamas performing statistical miracles. Previously, they included 471 fictitious fatalities at the al-Ahli Hospital—deaths that proved to be as real as a unicorn sighting in downtown Gaza City. Even their claim that 70% of casualties were women and children quietly vanished like smoke after scrutiny arose. “From day one, Hamas has gamed the fatality data—from including 471 fake ‘deaths’ at al-Ahli Hospital in the official count, to claiming 70% of fatalities were women & children (then quietly backing off). Managed fakery, dressed up as precision—just like in past wars,” Aizenberg added. Of course, dropping these names doesn’t suddenly make Hamas’s figures reliable. They’ve been adding and subtracting casualties like an accountant in a circus tent since the war started. Despite Hamas’s numeric gymnastics, numerous international media outlets and human rights organizations initially took their word at face value. Israeli sources, on the other hand, insist that the real number of enemy combatants killed is closer to 20,000, marking an unprecedentedly low civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is urging a judge to expedite a decision on dismissing a criminal case against him as a key campaign deadline approaches. Hizzoner filed a motion on Monday asking Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley to speed up the ruling on tossing out the five-count indictment, which includes charges of bribery and fraud. Adams’ legal team argues that with the mayoral primary just months away on June 24, 2025, a swift resolution is needed so the mayor can focus on his reelection bid without the cloud of the criminal case hanging over him. Prosecutors allege Adams accepted illegal campaign contributions and luxury perks from foreign nationals, claims the mayor vehemently denies. Adams, a moderate Democrat and former NYPD captain, is facing a tough reelection fight in the heavily Democratic city. The criminal case threatens to derail his bid for a second term leading the Big Apple. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump calls for PBS and NPR to be defunded, labeling them “monsters.”

JUST IN: The U.S. Coast Guard crew stationed in Florida repatriated 99 migrants to Haiti on Tuesday

During a ceremony held at the U.S. State Department today, First Lady Melania Trump presented the 2025 International Women of Courage Award to former Israeli hostage Amit Soussana.

Soussana was among eight women honored from different parts of the globe. Her selection was based on her relentless advocacy on behalf of the hostages abducted on October 7, 2023, including those still held in Gaza, and her courageous decision to come forward as the first former hostage to publicly detail the sexual abuse she endured while in captivity.

Upon receiving the award, Soussana addressed the audience with emotion and strength. “It is with deep gratitude that I stand before you today as an awardee of the 2025 International Women of Courage Award alongside the courageous women here, women that I’m honored and grateful to have met.”

“This is an honor I never imagined receiving, and one I wish I didn’t have to accept under these circumstances,” she continued. “My name is Amit Soussana, and I am a survivor.”

She went on to recount her harrowing experience. “On October 7th, my world changed forever. I was taken hostage by Hamas and held captive for 55 days. 55 days of pain, of fear, and of being stripped of every freedom I once took for granted. In captivity, I had no control over my body, no control over my body, no control over my life. I resisted as best I could, but it was not enough to stop what happened to me.”

Despite the trauma, Soussana said she drew on inner strength to persevere. “The darkness was suffocating, yet even in the darkness, there was one thing they could not have taken from me: The strength my mother instilled in me, the belief that we must always stand for what is right no matter the cost,” she declared.

Although she expressed gratitude for the recognition, Soussana admitted the moment was also filled with grief. She said the ceremony was a “deeply painful moment” because “While I am here, my friends remain in the darkness. 543 long days and nights. They are still suffering, still waiting, still hoping. Their voices remain unheard, so I will speak for them.”

“We cannot move forward until they are free. I vowed that if I would survive, I would never be silent. I would speak not just for myself, but for every woman who had been silenced,” she said. “When I first told my story, I only wanted to raise awareness about the horrors of captivity and the terror of October 7th, but my story became part of a much bigger conversation, one about sexual violence, about war, and about the unimaginable strength of women in the face of brutality.”

In a statement, the U.S. State Department highlighted Soussana’s advocacy and professional background. “Amit Soussana uses her voice to courageously advocate for survivors by using her own lived example to describe the trauma she suffered as a hostage of the October 7th attack in Israel. Ms. Soussana has raised awareness of the conditions faced by the women, men, girls, and boys who remain hostages of Hamas. As an attorney at law, she holds an LLB from Sapir College and has been a licensed member of the Israel Bar Association since 2014. Ms. Soussana has extensive experience in intellectual property law, having worked at Luzzatto & Luzzatto, Attorneys and Patent Attorneys from 2015 to 2024, where she managed client files, negotiated with foreign patent attorney offices, and handled patent and trademark registrations both in Israel and abroad. Ms. Soussana is an advocate for the hostages that remain under Hamas control following the October 7, 2023 attacks.”

First Lady Trump, in her remarks at the event, honored not only Soussana but women across the globe who face adversity with courage and resolve. She praised “the women who are driven to speak out for justice, even though their voices are trembling; to the women who are motivated to rise up for their community, when all others remain indifferent; to the women who feel compelled to heal wounds caused by hatred — and cherish peace.”

{Matzav.com}

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