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Q: What is the Torah view of Mother’s Day? And should we consider it a halachic problem of chukos akum, of going in the ways of the non-Jews?

A: There’s no question that the American public has been sold an item that was created for the purpose of filling the pockets of businessmen. The American public is the real proverbial sucker. No matter what you’ll say about Mother’s Day, it’s a day when people make money. Not only florists! Jewelers and bakers and caterers – everybody is lining his pockets because of Mother’s Day.

Now, Mother’s Day doesn’t have any significance based on historical reasons or some religious grounds. A President didn’t think it up. It didn’t begin as an act of Congress – legislators didn’t get together and decide that there must be a day to honor mothers. It was nothing but a ploy of the businessmen. That’s all it is. Now, you mothers will have to forgive me for being so crass and vulgar but that’s the plain truth.

So you’ll say, “But now that Mother’s Day already exists; now it’s here, it’s real – we can’t ignore it.” That’s a different question, what to do now that it’s here. But it’s important to realize where it came from – that makes a difference too.

Now, I’m going to say something that’s going to be fifty percent unpopular. The authenticity of Mother’s Day will depend on how much you celebrate Father’s Day. Because Father’s Day, like Mother’s Day, is not genuine. The truth is that Father’s Day was just an afterthought by the businessmen. That’s all. They thought, “If we’re going to cash in on the mothers, so what about the fathers too?” But it turned out to be a flop. Father’s Day is a very small business item. So they sell a few cufflinks, a few cheap things to give the old man; but it’s Mother’s Day – that’s the big day! Oooh and ahhhh!

And you’re taught that you’d better observe it – or else. And how many fights have arisen between husbands and wives because of insufficient appreciation of Mother’s Day! “My Mother’s Day!” she says to him. “That’s how you’re going to celebrate my day?!”

Now, whether observing Mother’s Day or Father’s Day is a transgression of walking in the ways of the goyim, I’m going to leave to the gedolei Yisroel – because I always do that when it’s a halacha shailah. And therefore I’m going to limit myself merely to this overview of the origin of these days.

Now, it’s important for us to realize that as Jews we have days that are really important. לא היו ימים טובים לישראל כחמשה עשר באב ויום הכיפורים. If you want to celebrate, the fifteenth day of Av is a beautiful opportunity. So many good things happened on that day. On that day the generation ceased dying in the Wilderness; the sentence to perish in the wilderness came to an end. Isn’t that a glorious occasion to celebrate? Now, let’s see all the Mother’s Day participants gather and get drunk on Chamisha Asar b’Av. That’s not the proper procedure by the way, but at least something you should do. All of us skip tachanun on the fifteenth of Av because that’s a day you should celebrate.

Now, if you really want to do something, what about Purim? Some people show lip service to Purim; shalach manos and so on. But Purim is a very big day – you should make a big banquet on Purim! That’s the time to summon all the relatives – spread out good foods; make it a big expense! We have days! In the Torah calendar there’s a plentitude of happy occasions. Lag Ba’omer is a glorious occasion. And there are plenty of them.

So why do you have to go shopping for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? And not only are you shopping among the gentiles but we swallow the bait that the storekeepers and the Chamber of Commerce are hanging out for us. We’re silly suckers and because they say “Boo,” so we say “Ooh.” We’re impressed by what they say even if it’s meaningless. All these things are meaningless.

Now, if you’ll go out and say, “Rabbi Miller made Mother’s Day into nothing,” – it’s the truth. But whether we actually should ignore it? That’s a different story because there’s such a thing as darkei shalom. Sometimes for the sake of harmony it pays to do certain things. But this I’m going to leave to bigger men than me. I just want to emphasize that we shouldn’t be slaves to the mode of the day.

Listen to me. There will come a day in America when Mother’s Day will be forgotten. I can guarantee that. It’s not a chok v’lo ya’avor, a statute that will last forever. It’s not in the Constitution by the way, Mothers Day. So it’s possible that it’s some day going to be forgotten.

So people are going crazy because of things that not gentiles, but that businessmen invented!

(May 1976)

Toras Avigdor / 732-844-3670 / info@torasavigdor.org / 1273a 46th Street, Brooklyn NY 11219

Sec. Sean Duffy on the air traffic control issues at Newark airport: “The system is old. This is a system that is 25 — at best — sometimes 50 years old … We HAVE to fix this.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick: “If you want to build overseas, okay, you’ll pay tariffs and be less competitive in America so build here…Open your markets. Let our exporters sell to you. Finally get some fair trade.”

Another air traffic control equipment outage caused the FAA to implement another ground stop for Newark flights this morning. FAA advisories show the ground stop lasted for about 45 minutes. This comes after 90-second-long radar and radio outages twice in the past 2 weeks.

During Friday night’s episode of HBO’s “Real Time,” ABC News Contributor and past Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile addressed President Joe Biden’s claim that Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 election was due to racism and sexism. While acknowledging racial issues in the country, Brazile emphasized that the United States had twice elected Barack Obama and said she remains “proud” to be part of a nation that did so.

“Kamala Harris, there were many reasons for her defeat, but I think among the first was the fact that the six or seven million Americans who voted for Biden-Harris in 2020 did not come out because they didn’t feel that the administration was doing enough,” Brazile stated. She continued, “And maybe when Kamala was on ‘The View’ and they asked her, what would you do differently? She should say, I’m going to lower costs, I am going to keep faith with the American people, I’m going to create jobs, I’m going to work for you. And if I’m not working hard enough, you take me out in four years. But, look, we know why Kamala lost.”

Brazile also pushed back on the focus on race as the dominant factor, pointing to Obama’s electoral success. “And one last thing, I know people talk about racism, we elected Barack Hussein Obama not once, but twice. So, America may have problems with race, but I’ll tell you one damn thing: I am proud that I live in a country that elected Barack Hussein Obama.”

She concluded with a confident prediction about the future of women in politics: “[W]e are going to have a woman president, y’all just mark my word on that, too.”

{Matzav.com}

Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, announced during an appearance on Channel 12 News that he plans to campaign for the role of prime minister in the next national election, which is currently scheduled for 2026.

When asked directly if he would run, Lieberman replied without hesitation, “Absolutely yes.” He added, “We are running as Yisrael Beytenu, and anyone who wants to join me is welcome to reach out.”

Addressing the proposed legislation to formalize draft exemptions, Lieberman was blunt in his disapproval: “It must not be passed. There must be one draft law for everyone. In my government, we will draft everyone. It’s unacceptable that 60,000 reservists are drafted and sent to the front while draft dodgers are sent home. Anyone who deserts or evades service should have their voting rights revoked.”

Lieberman also weighed in on the U.S.’s recent diplomatic dealings with the Houthis, describing it as a major blow to ties between Washington and Jerusalem. “An unprecedented low. I believe this period could have been handled much better. I won’t analyze it, but the result is that instead of preventing a nuclear Iran, Netanyahu is becoming the father of the bomb—both Iranian and Saudi.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start. Zelenskyy, writing on X, said it was a “positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war” and said that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time.” He added, however, that “the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire,” in a reference to his proposal to start a 30-day unconditional truce on Monday. “There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting, and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” Zelenskyy said. Russian President Vladimir Putin in remarks to the media overnight effectively rejected that ceasefire offer and proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday instead “without preconditions.” He said a ceasefire might be agreed on during the negotiations. Putin’s counter-offer came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Moscow if it does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday and issued a coordinated call for the truce starting Monday. The plan has received backing from both the European Union and U.S. President Donald Trump. In a social media post several hours after Putin’s overnight remarks about peace talks, Trump said it was “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!” “I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!” he added. Macron said Sunday that Putin’s offer of direct negotiations with Ukraine is “a first step, but not enough,” signaling continued Western skepticism toward Moscow’s intentions. “An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations,” Macron told reporters at the Polish-Ukrainian border, according to French media. Macron also warned that Putin is “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments aired by Russian state TV on Sunday, called Putin’s proposal “very serious,” aimed at eliminating “the root causes of the conflict,” and said it “confirms a real intention for find a peaceful solution.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday spoke to Macron and Putin and told them in separate phone calls that Turkey was ready to host the peace talks. He also said that a “historic turning point” had been reached in efforts to end the war, according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office. Meanwhile, Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early on Sunday, after its self-declared three-day pause expired. Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six different directions, Ukraine’s air force said. It said 60 drones were shot down and another 41 simulator drones failed to reach targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures. The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday accused Ukraine of “violating” Moscow’s three-day ceasefire more than 14,000 times. Ukraine, which did not agree to the May 8-10 ceasefire, has also accused Russia of violating […]

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of the commemorations marking eight decades since the defeat of Nazi Germany.

During the meeting, as reported by the official PA outlet Wafa, Abbas blamed Israel for what he described as ongoing acts of aggression in both Gaza and the regions of Judea and Samaria. He accused Israel of launching targeted assaults on civilians, including children and the elderly, as well as destroying essential infrastructure and exacerbating famine conditions.

Abbas emphasized the importance of an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, referring to Israel’s military campaign as a “war of extermination.” He demanded the swift delivery of humanitarian supplies—such as medicine, fuel, food, and water—and urged a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Additionally, he called for an end to IDF activity in Judea and Samaria and demanded a cessation of Israeli actions in areas of Jerusalem considered holy to both Muslims and Christians.

According to Wafa’s account, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s backing of Palestinian national aspirations. He reiterated Russia’s stance in favor of halting the conflict, ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need, and rejecting any forced relocation of residents from Gaza.

At the same time, Wafa noted that “Deputy President of the State of Palestine” Hussein al-Sheikh was in Cairo, where he conferred with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. In that meeting, al-Sheikh underlined the Palestinian Authority’s firm position advocating for a ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors, a pullout of Israeli forces, and the handover of Gaza’s governance to the Palestinian Authority.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Trump administration is preparing to accept a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet — dubbed a “flying palace” — as a gift from the royal family of Qatar. The aircraft, valued at nearly $400 million, will reportedly be used as an interim Air Force One during President Trump’s term and then transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before he leaves office. Sources familiar with the arrangement told ABC News that the gift will be formally announced during Trump’s upcoming visit to Qatar — his first overseas trip of his second term. The highly customized plane, which Trump personally toured in February at West Palm Beach International Airport, features ultra-luxurious interiors and will be retrofitted by the U.S. Air Force to meet presidential transport requirements. While administration lawyers have concluded the arrangement is legally permissible, the plan raises serious questions about ethics, legality, and transparency — including whether this constitutes a form of influence peddling or circumvents the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which bars U.S. officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional approval. According to sources, legal analysis provided by White House Counsel David Warrington and Attorney General Pam Bondi argues that because the jet is first being donated to the U.S. Air Force, and later to the Trump library foundation, it does not violate anti-bribery statutes or the Emoluments Clause. The rationale hinges on the claim that the gift is not offered in exchange for any official act and ultimately benefits a nonprofit entity, not Trump personally. Still, critics note that the optics of the deal are troubling. The jet — which the U.S. military will modify at taxpayer expense — will serve the president personally before transitioning to his post-presidency institution. The arrangement effectively grants Trump exclusive use of one of the world’s most expensive aircraft, provided by a foreign monarchy, and ultimately transfers it to a foundation bearing his name. “It’s hard to see how this doesn’t raise the specter of foreign influence,” said one legal expert not affiliated with the case. “When a foreign power gives the sitting president a $400 million aircraft that he gets to keep in some form after leaving office, the distinction between public benefit and personal enrichment becomes dangerously blurred.” Neither the White House nor the Department of Justice responded to requests for comment. The Qatari embassy also declined to provide a statement. The transfer comes as the U.S. faces ongoing delays in replacing its aging fleet of Air Force One jets. Boeing’s newest models are not expected to be ready before 2029. Trump, reportedly frustrated by the timeline, has tasked Elon Musk with assisting the Air Force in speeding up delivery, though progress has been limited. Under the current plan, the gifted Qatari aircraft will be used by Trump and the Air Force until the new planes arrive. It will then be handed over — along with any remaining costs — to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation no later than January 1, 2029. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi firmly stated on Saturday that Tehran will not compromise on its nuclear rights, particularly if ongoing discussions with the United States are geared toward limiting those rights, according to a Reuters report.

Araghchi, speaking from Doha just before the next round of indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in Oman, emphasized that the Iranian government sees its nuclear program as untouchable and not open for bargaining.

“If the goal of the negotiations is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights,” Araghchi was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

He also reiterated Iran’s stance that the country’s nuclear agenda is centered on peaceful energy production and not weaponization. “In its indirect talks with the United States, Iran emphasizes its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and clearly declares that it is not seeking nuclear weapons,” he stated.

Araghchi stressed that Tehran remains committed to diplomatic efforts, but warned that any effort to curtail Iran’s nuclear sovereignty would be a dealbreaker. “Iran continues negotiations in good faith, and if the goal of these talks is to ensure the non-acquisition of nuclear weapons, an agreement is possible. However, if the aim is to limit Iran’s nuclear rights, Iran will never retreat from its rights,” Araghchi stated.

Iranian officials have repeatedly maintained that enriching uranium is a fundamental right of the nation and have resisted calls—especially from Washington—for a full stop to enrichment, a concept known as “zero enrichment.”

Just a day earlier, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy on Iran appointed by President Donald Trump, told reporters that any pact with Tehran must include a complete shutdown of Iran’s enrichment operations. He said, “Iran’s enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.”

Trump, while expressing a preference for diplomatic resolution, has consistently signaled that military intervention remains a viable option.

Earlier this week, Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Iran regarding its nuclear program. “I would much prefer a strong, verified deal where we actually blow them up… or just de-nuke them,” he said, referring to Iran’s centrifuges.

“There are only two alternatives there, blow them up nicely or blow them up viciously,” Trump stated.

{Matzav.com}

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to reduce the number of flights in and out of the Newark Liberty International Airport for the “next several weeks,” as New Jersey’s largest airport struggles with radar outages and numerous flight delays and cancellations due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Duffy said he will convene a meeting with all the airlines flying out of Newark this week to determine the reduction, adding that it will fluctuate, with a larger reduction coming in the afternoons when international flight arrivals make the airport busier. “We want to have a number of flights that if you book your flight, you know it’s going to fly, right?” he said. “That is the priority. So you don’t get to the airport, wait four hours, and then get delayed.” The Federal Aviation Administration said radar at the facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of Newark airport went black for 90 seconds at 3:55 a.m. Friday, similar to an April 28 incident. There has been an average of 34 arrival cancellations per day since mid-April at Newark, according to the FAA, with the number of delays increasing throughout the day from an average of five in the mornings to 16 by the evening. They tend to last 85 to 137 minutes on average. The Trump administration proposed a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the U.S. air traffic control system Thursday that includes six new air traffic control centers and technology and communications upgrades at all of the nation’s air traffic facilities over the next three or four years. Duffy said Sunday that he also plans to raise the mandatory retirement age for air traffic controllers from 56 to 61, as he tries to navigate a shortage of about 3,000 people in that specialized position. He plans to give those air traffic controllers a 20% upfront bonus to stay on the job. However, he says many air traffic controllers choose to retire after 25 years of service, which means many retire around the age of 50. “These are not overnight fixes,” Duffy said. “But as we go up — one, two years, older guys on the job, younger guys coming in, men and women — we can make up that 3,000-person difference.” Adding more air traffic controllers is in contrast to a top priority of the Trump administration — slashing jobs in nearly all other federal agencies. However, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Duffy deserves credit for putting “caution tape” around FAA safety functions and separating those personnel from DOGE cost-cutting. Kirby said United has already reduced its schedule at Newark, and will meet with Duffy later this week. He expects a deeper cut in capacity to last until June 15 when construction to one of Newark’s runways is expected to be complete, though he thinks some reductions will last throughout the summer. “We have fewer flights, but we keep everything safe, and we get the airplane safely on the ground,” Kirby said. “Safety is number one, and so I’m not worried about safety. I am worried about customer delays and impacts.” (AP)

Tensions within the governing coalition escalated this week as United Torah Judaism (UTJ) declared that it would maintain its boycott of Knesset votes, a move aimed at pressuring the government over its failure to pass legislation that would safeguard military draft exemptions for chareidi yeshiva students.

The boycott, which began last week, came in response to statements by Brigadier General Shai Taib, the IDF’s head of manpower, who raised alarms about an urgent shortage of personnel. Taib emphasized the military’s immediate need for an additional 12,000 soldiers, including 7,000 for combat roles—figures that underscore the mounting push to broaden conscription and potentially eliminate longstanding exemptions.

Because of UTJ’s refusal to participate in parliamentary voting, the coalition was compelled to remove several significant items from Wednesday’s legislative docket. Among the shelved bills were a contentious measure to separate the responsibilities of the government’s legal adviser and another proposal to increase the pay of Knesset members, cabinet ministers, and the Prime Minister.

Signaling the seriousness of the political impasse, Prime Minister Netanyahu is slated to attend a confidential session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this Sunday at 15:30. The briefing will center on the military’s enlistment needs and the broader political fallout of the ongoing battle over draft exemptions.

Channel 13 reported that members of the coalition and individuals close to Netanyahu have reached out to Shas leaders, asking them not to contribute to what they termed a “negative dynamic of dismantling the coalition and the government.”

In response, Shas issued a statement declaring, “We will not be a political cover for Netanyahu and for the members of United Torah Judaism.” The party is expected to sustain its boycott into the coming week as well.

{Matzav.com}

New details were released on Sunday about the risky and complex operation carried out in the heart of Syria to recover the body of fallen IDF soldier Tzvi Feldman, H’yd, whose recovery 43 years after his death was announced on Sunday morning. Five months ago, shortly before the fall of the Assad regime,  the Mossad dispatched a team of non-Israeli Mossad agents to Syria, where their lives were constantly in danger, Ynet reported. The agents used deceptive tactics to explain their presence in the area where Feldman’s remains were thought to be located, in a cemetery dozens of kilometers from the border. There, the team progressed little by little, fostering relationships with the cemetery guards. Eventually, they found Feldman’s overalls. One of the sources said: “I saw Feldman’s overalls, I felt that this was it, we were in the right place. This was even before the DNA was confirmed.” Once the DNA was confirmed, they brought out the remains in sacks. “It was very complex because they had to get sacks out of there,” a source said. In response to a question from Ynet about what the turning point in the operation was, the source replied: “It happened when the Mossad found a way to work in the location, and allow the cell to feel a little safer doing the activity that is defined as banned [digging]. There are permanent guards there who are instructed to kill anyone who tries to touch these graves. The moment they found a way to appease them, the force was able to work more freely.” The source added that Israeli Mossad agents did not cross into Syria, and there was also no involvement of Russians or Syrian Druze in the operation. The source emphasized that the operation shows the Mossad’s commitment to fallen soldiers, even 43 years later. “We are explaining through our actions to the families that we are not abandoning them,” he said. “It’s not just Sultan Yacoub. There are other open cases, such as Eli Cohen, Ron Arad, Elizabeth Tsurkov in Iraq, and others. We continue to work and will not abandon those in or out of Gaza. This gives perspective to the families.” He noted that “the operation was carried out in cooperation with the IDF on intelligence and operational levels because ultimately the IDF’s assistance is needed to cross the border. Everything was coordinated with the IDF. All the actions were with the assistance of the IDF, working shoulder to shoulder. It was very significant. Without them, the Mossad would not have been able to carry out this operation.” Regarding Eli Cohen, the source said: “That’s a completely different issue. We don’t know where Eli Cohen is buried now. Regardless, we are making great efforts on the issue of Eli Cohen as well, and I hope that soon there will be positive news, not at the level of bringing the remains, but in a positive way from another direction. We are working very hard on it, and along the way, we are receiving additional clues. We are still far from closing the Eli Cohen case.” Regarding Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was abducted in Iraq, the source noted: “The Mossad is handling it. The Mossad is not close to returning her, but we hope to make progress on it. There is […]

President Donald Trump celebrated what he described as a major breakthrough in relations with China after the first round of high-level discussions took place in Geneva between American and Chinese officials. The talks were aimed at easing the strain caused by Trump’s recent imposition of sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports.

Calling the meetings “very good,” Trump said they marked “a total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner.” In a Truth Social post from late last night, he added, “We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business.” He also wrote, “GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!”

Yesterday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. This was the first face-to-face dialogue between representatives of the two economic giants since Trump enacted significant new tariffs on China last month—a move that was met with fierce retaliation from Beijing.

The talks were expected to continue on Sunday, according to someone close to the discussions who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

China’s state-run news agency Xinhua praised the meeting in an editorial, stating, “The contact in Switzerland is an important step in promoting the resolution of the issue.”

The confidential discussions took place at the Geneva residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations—a secluded home with pale blue shutters located beside a park overlooking Lake Geneva.

Since the beginning of the year, Trump has imposed tariffs on Chinese products that now total 145 percent. On some items, the combined US tariff load has reached an astounding 245 percent.

In response, Beijing has levied its own duties on American goods—reaching as high as 125 percent—effectively creating a virtual freeze on bilateral trade.

On Friday, Trump hinted that he might consider adjusting those tariffs, writing online, “80% Tariff on China seems right!”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News that Trump is open to reaching a compromise with China. “The president would like to work it out with China,” Lutnick said. “He would like to de-escalate the situation.”

However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the administration would not make tariff adjustments without reciprocal action from China. She said that China would first need to make meaningful concessions.

Even if changes are made, a reduction to 80 percent would still represent a massive financial hurdle for Chinese exporters, making the gesture more symbolic than practical.

Bessent, for his part, said the meetings in Geneva were not about striking a broad agreement but were intended to create conditions for “de-escalation.”

Meanwhile, Chinese leaders have held firm, insisting that the US must remove tariffs before any deal can be reached. An editorial in Xinhua published early Sunday stated, “Trade wars and tariff battles yield no winners.”

Vice Premier He entered the meetings bolstered by surprising economic news from China—exports had actually risen in the previous month despite the weight of the tariffs. Analysts attributed the increase to the redirection of trade through Southeast Asian countries to avoid US penalties.

This weekend’s dialogue took place just two days after Trump announced a separate trade pact with the United Kingdom. It was the first agreement the US had reached since launching its broad tariff campaign.

That five-page memorandum with Britain, while non-binding, reassured markets that Washington is open to negotiating exemptions in certain sectors—specifically, the deal involved relief for British steel, aluminum, and automobiles.

In exchange, the UK agreed to expand market access for US agricultural exports, including beef and other farm goods.

However, the administration left a 10 percent baseline tariff on most British imports unchanged. Leavitt told the press on Friday that Trump remained “committed” to keeping that rate for other nations as well.

A few hours later, Trump appeared to allow for some wiggle room, saying the baseline could be revisited under certain conditions.

“There could be an exception at some point. We’ll see,” he said. “If somebody did something exceptional for us, that’s always possible.”

{Matzav.com}

India’s military strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan earlier this week killed more than 100 militants including their prominent leadership, India’s director general of military operations said on Sunday. Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai said India’s armed forces stuck nine militant infrastructure and training facilities, including sites of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group that India blames for carrying out major militant strikes in India and the disputed region of Kashmir. There was no way to independently verify these claims. “We achieved total surprise,” Ghai said at a news conference in New Delhi, adding Pakistan’s response was “erratic and rattled.” The two countries agreed to a truce a day earlier after talks to defuse the most serious military confrontation between them in decades. But the ceasefire was shaken just hours later by overnight fighting in disputed Kashmir, and both sides accused each other of repeatedly violating the deal. Drones were also spotted Saturday night over Indian-controlled Kashmir and the western state of Gujarat, according to Indian officials. The escalation in violence began last week after a gun massacre of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied any involvement. As part of the ceasefire, the nuclear-armed neighbors agreed to immediately stop all military action on land, in the air and at sea. People on both sides of the Line of Control, which divides the territory, reported heavy exchanges of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops. The fighting subsided by Sunday morning. In the Poonch area of Indian-controlled Kashmir, people said the intense shelling from the past few days had traumatized them. “Most people ran as shells were being fired,” said college student Sosan Zehra, who returned home Sunday. “It was completely chaotic.” In Pakistan-controlled Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, which is 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Line of Control, residents said there were exchanges of fire and heavy shelling after the ceasefire began. “We were happy about the announcement but, once again, the situation feels uncertain,” said Mohammad Zahid. U.S. President Donald Trump was the first to post about the ceasefire deal, announcing it on his Truth Social platform. Indian and Pakistani officials confirmed the news shortly after. Pakistan has thanked the U.S., and especially Trump, several times for facilitating the ceasefire. India has not said anything about Trump or the U.S. since the deal was announced. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on Sunday with top government and military officials. A U.N. spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said on Sunday that Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed the deal as a positive step toward easing tensions. “He hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries,” Dujarric said. India and Pakistan’s top military officials are scheduled to speak on Monday. India and Pakistan have fought daily since Wednesday along the rugged and mountainous Line of Control, which is marked by razor wire coils, watchtowers and bunkers that snake across foothills populated by villages, tangled bushes and forests. They have routinely blamed the other for starting the skirmishes, while insisting they themselves were only retaliating. Kashmir is split between the two countries and claimed by both in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over the region and their ties have been shaped by conflict, aggressive […]

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The UK-based Al-Quds newspaper and other Arab media outlets reported on Sunday that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be joining the meeting in Riyadh with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. Trump is visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE this week in his first overseas trip to the Middle East, but not Israel. According to sources quoted in the report, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will also be joining the meeting. The summit was the initiative of Bin Salman and was accepted by Trump. The report also claimed that the Crown Prince “expects Trump to accept the Saudi condition for the establishment of a Palestinian state.” However, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee last week adamantly denied reports that Trump plans to announce the US recognition of a Palestinian state. Israel has set Trump’s trip to the Middle East as the deadline for launching an expanded military operation in Gaza. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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A passenger bus skidded off a cliff in Sri Lanka’s tea-growing hill country on Sunday, killing 21 people and injuring 35 others, a police spokesman said. The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday near the town of Kotmale, about 140 kilometers (86 miles) east of Colombo, the capital, in a mountainous area of central Sri Lanka, police said. Police spokesman Buddhika Manathunga said 21 people died and another 35 were being treated in hospitals. Local television showed the bus lying overturned at the bottom of a precipice while workers and others helped remove injured people from the rubble. The driver was injured and among those admitted to the hospital for treatment. At the time of the accident, nearly 50 people were traveling on the bus. Manathunga said police launched an investigation to ascertain whether the driver’s recklessness or a technical fault of the bus caused the accident. The bus was operated by a state-run bus company, police said. Deadly bus accidents are common in Sri Lanka, especially in the mountainous regions, often due to reckless driving and poorly maintained and narrow roads. (AP)

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan issued arrest warrants to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant two weeks after his female aide accused him of severe assault and a day after he abruptly canceled a critical visit to Israel and Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported. According to the aide’s testimony, Khan began assaulting her in March 2023 and continued for months, even after she told him she was feeling suicidal due to the abuse. On April 29, 2024, the aide, a Muslim lawyer from Malaysia in her 30s, tearfully shared the abuse with Thomas Lynch, a close American adviser to Khan, and another individual, saying she can no longer endure it. Several days later, Lynch and two others confronted Khan and told him they intended to report the allegations to the court’s human resources office. Khan initially said he would have to resign, but then added, “But then people will think I’m running away from Palestine.” On May 5, 2024, the ICC’s internal investigation agency contacted the aide, but she refused to cooperate because, as a Muslim, she did not want to disrupt the issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. [She later changed her mind and officially reported the allegations.] According to the testimony she later provided, which was reviewed by the WSJ, Khan tearfully pleaded with her at the office several times after her allegations were publicized, saying: “Tell me if I need to resign. Think about the Palestinian arrest warrants.” In October 2024, he begged her by phone to deny the allegations, warning her of the consequences if she didn’t: “The casualties will unfortunately be three: You and your family, me and my family, and the justice of the Palestinian victims.” She testified that Khan and one of his advisers repeatedly harassed her into denying the allegations. By August 2024, the aide was so distressed by the constant harassment that she approached members of the ICC’s governing board. “I held on for as long as I could because I didn’t want to mess up the Palestinian arrest warrants,” she told them. She added that she also didn’t report the abuse earlier out of concern that Khan would retaliate, she would lose her job, and be unable to pay for her mother’s cancer treatments. The harassment continued even after she reported the abuse to the board. Khan’s wife, Shyamala Alagendra, a high-profile international lawyer who specializes in gender-based crimes, has been accused of acting inappropriately following the charges, including contacting and confronting the aide about her allegations against her husband. Despite the severe allegations, Khan has refused to take a leave of absence from his high-profile position. Khan’s brother, Imran, is a former British politician who was expelled in disgrace after he was convicted in 2021 of assaulting a teenage boy. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)