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US CENTCOM fighter jets operating off the coast of Yemen from the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.

President Trump calls on those who operated Joe Biden’s Autopen to be thrown in jail.

According to Iranian media, the number of deaths in the explosion at the port of Bandar Abbas has risen to 40 and the number of injured has risen to 1205.

Chinese manufacturers have been pushing forward in the electric vehicle sector, unveiling innovations like a battery that claims it can deliver a 320-mile charge in just five minutes. This week, KCBS Radio’s Holly Quan interviewed Bloomberg’s David Welch about this breakthrough and whether such technology might eventually reach the United States.

“They have a licensing deal with Ford in Michigan,” Welch said, referring to CATL, the China-based electric vehicle battery maker.

Despite the buzz surrounding the announcement at the Shanghai auto show, Welch pointed out that U.S. drivers shouldn’t expect to see these ultra-rapid charging batteries on American roads anytime soon.

“That technology, they say works, but it’s not being built industrialized and commercialized yet,” Welch explained. “But that’s coming. And when the Chinese want to get stuff out, they don’t have a lot of barriers domestically to getting it done. And they tend to move pretty quickly.”

Welch mentioned that the timing of when Chinese EV technology might arrive in the U.S. is tied closely to the ongoing tariff battles that began under President Donald Trump. He noted that CATL’s collaboration with Ford is drawing plenty of attention.

“All that’s going on with tariffs, trade talks, trade wars… does kind of throw some of this Chinese EV technology up in the air in terms of getting it to U.S. shores,” said Welch.

During his conversation with Quan, Welch also explained that Chinese firms primarily produce lithium iron phosphate batteries, unlike the lithium ion batteries more commonly used in American EVs. While they may not deliver as much mileage per charge, they are significantly cheaper to produce.

“BYD, which is the biggest EV maker in the world, and CATL, which has the biggest battery maker in that world – both Chinese companies – have been working on these technologies,” Welch said, noting that improvements continue to be made, especially in enhancing the batteries’ energy density to allow for faster charging.

At present, the United States lacks the necessary infrastructure to efficiently fast charge vehicles using these Chinese battery types, Welch said. Nonetheless, General Motors plans to introduce a refreshed version of the Chevy Bolt later this year, which will reportedly feature a lithium iron phosphate battery.

“They are keeping the range and charge time a secret,” said Welch. “So we’ll see what that comes with and whether or not it’s CATL’s technology. I suspect it is.”

Another important distinction, Welch added, is that vehicles equipped with lithium iron phosphate batteries tend to be smaller than the typical American car and offer more limited driving ranges.

“I know somebody personally a friend who bought a BYD EV in Mexico… it’s a $29,000 car, slightly smaller than the old Chevy Bolt which means it’s subcompact and he gets I think 220 or 230 miles of range,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu shared details surrounding the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, while reiterating that Israel would only back a nuclear agreement that guarantees Iran never obtains nuclear arms.

Describing the current military situation, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel is engaged in a conflict across seven different fronts, though he clarified that it is essentially a single war being waged against Iran and its network of proxies. He made it clear that much work remains ahead. “We have to finish the war in Gaza, get our hostages back and destroy Hamas,” he declared. “Hamas will not be there and we’re not going to put the PA (Palestinian Authority – ed.) there. Why replace one regime that is sworn to our destruction with another regime that is sworn to our destruction?”

Looking beyond the war’s end, Netanyahu was adamant that Israel would maintain security control over Gaza. Israel will “in any case” control Gaza militarily, according to Netanyahu.

Turning to the death of Hassan Nasrallah, Netanyahu explained that his elimination was a critical blow to Iran’s strategic reach. “It was a terrific blow. Some people are irreplaceable. And so far, he’s been irreplaceable. And so having delivered that blow to Hezbollah, we also delivered a blow to [former Syrian dictator Bashar] Assad, because Assad was relying heavily on Nasrallah.”

Netanyahu also took the opportunity to express gratitude toward the United States for its military efforts against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. “We appreciate the fact that the United States is taking action against the Houthis,” he said. “We appreciate the help that we’re getting from the United States. Arms are flowing in. It’s important we share the same goals, but we have to make sure that Iran does not get nuclear weapons.”

While Israel does not seek foreign troops to fight on its behalf, Netanyahu emphasized that international backing remains vital, particularly to prevent hostile moves at the United Nations. Israel must ensure that “the UN Security Council does not make binding resolutions against Israel,” so that “Israel is not sanctioned, is not choked by the international community, and that support is being threatened by the systemic public opinion campaign.”

He also called for a concerted effort to push back against distorted narratives in the media. “So I ask you to continue to fight for the truth.”

Addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions directly, Netanyahu asserted that the only effective agreement would be one that fully dismantles Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. “All the infrastructure of Iran’s nuclear program. That is the deal.”

He concluded with a stern warning that anything less would be disastrous. “We cannot live with anything short of that—anything short of that could bring you the opposite result, because Iran will say, all right, I won’t enrich, wait, run out the clock, wait for another president, do it again. That’s unacceptable.”

{Matzav.com}

Michael Montgomery used to check the balance on his retirement account once a week and smile. But lately, not wanting to get upset and question if he could retire in a few years, there was only one solution. “I’m not looking,” says the 66-year-old professor from Huntington Woods, Michigan. As the White House simultaneously injects turmoil into financial markets with its trade war and dismisses fears of a downturn, retired and near-retired Americans are anxiously looking on, worried about outliving their savings or having to put off entries on their bucket lists. Keeping logged off his account has made Montgomery’s days less worrisome. He and his wife adjusted their portfolio after Election Day, including moving more money into bonds. But he’s not sure what more he can do if the entire world economy can be affected by Washington’s decisions. “I hope like hell I don’t lose all my retirement savings,” he says. “But where else could you put the money that these people could not disorder? They can’t get into your mattress but that’s about it.” Many experts warned U.S. stocks were overpriced and due for a correction even before President Donald Trump reclaimed the Oval Office. But a historic blanket of tariffs have injected new uncertainty into the market. Though stocks rallied this week, the S&P 500 is down 10% from an all-time high reached in February. Losses in the Nasdaq and among small-cap stocks are steeper. Even bonds and the U.S. dollar have been volatile. Many economists are warning of a possible recession. It has 71-year-old Jeanne Oats Estridge feeling so “paranoid” she called her financial planner with an idea. “How about we put it all in cash?” Oats Estridge asked. “I just don’t advise it,” she heard back. Oats Estridge, who lives in Dayton, Ohio, retired from a job in software engineering and now writes books, including her latest, on four octogenarian women kidnapped by sex-trafficking aliens. Her account is down more than $40,000 and she gets angry thinking about how some in Washington have reacted to the market volatility, including Trump’s recent market assessment that it was “a great time to buy.” “Where am I supposed to come up with the money to buy? My underwear drawer?” Oats Estridge asks. Earlier this month, the Cboe Volatility Index, considered a “fear gauge” of investor pessimism, reached its highest level in five years. The index, known as VIX, has since retreated but is still in territory reflecting fearful investors. Another measure of market sentiment, the Cboe S&P 500 Left Tail Volatility Index, which tracks investor worry about so-called “black swan” events such as the 2008 housing crash that spurred the Great Recession, likewise has backed off from highs but remains elevated. Trump has urged people to “be cool” in assessing the impact of tariffs on their investments. Asked about his own savings earlier this month, he chuckled and replied: “I haven’t checked my 401(k).” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meantime, brushed off the possibility that some might need to delay retiring, saying people “don’t look at the day-to-day fluctuations of what’s happening.” That seeming nonchalance isn’t sitting well with some older investors. Peter Rost, 72, retired from his software development job last year and planned to start tapping his retirement savings to supplement Social Security. But he doesn’t want […]

President Trump declared that he plans to revive Columbus Day, promising to restore it to its former prominence in a passionate message shared on social media. In his post, he took direct aim at those who have criticized the holiday and the European explorer it celebrates.

“I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much. They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but ‘WOKE,’ or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback.”

Trump went on to add, “I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!”

In recent years, progressive activists have pushed to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, arguing that it is more appropriate to honor the experiences of native communities who suffered during colonization.

{Matzav.com}

House Republicans are preparing a sweeping budget package that will allocate $68.8 billion toward border security efforts, including funding for new border and immigration agents as well as construction of the border wall.

The package details extensive spending initiatives aimed at strengthening the U.S. border — fulfilling one of President Trump’s major campaign promises — while also focusing on removing millions of illegal migrants who were permitted entry under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

Security funding is particularly critical in advance of major international events that the U.S. will host in the coming years, including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The plan calls for $1 billion in security spending for the Olympics and $625 million for the World Cup.

According to a report first published by Fox News Digital, the $68.8 billion in border-related spending will include:

• $46.5 billion for a comprehensive “border barrier system.”

• $5 billion to bolster facilities and staffing for Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

• $4.1 billion to strengthen frontline personnel, with $2 billion designated for retention and recruitment bonuses.

• $813 million toward upgrading CBP vehicles.

• $2.7 billion for advanced technology such as sensors, drones, radar, and remote surveillance systems.

• $673 million to expand biometric systems for tracking illegal migrants inside the U.S.

• Over $1 billion for enhanced air and maritime surveillance capabilities.

• $500 million to target and dismantle drug-smuggling operations by Mexican cartels.

• $1 million in support for American citizens victimized by crimes committed by illegal migrants.

The Trump team has touted its success in reducing illegal immigration without relying on large border security funding bills, noting that the biggest change needed was “just a new president.”

Nevertheless, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan warned that without new funding, the hard-earned progress could be jeopardized.

“Failure to pass the above spending will undo all the Trump administration’s massive successes,” the DHS stated in a memo circulated to House and Senate Republicans earlier this month.

Thanks to budget reconciliation rules in the Senate, Republicans — despite holding only a slim majority — can pass spending, tax, and debt-related legislation with just 51 votes.

The first major budget bill promised by President Trump will not only focus on border security, but will also aim to make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Originally set to expire during this term, the tax cuts are central to Trump’s economic agenda, along with new measures to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime wages, and Social Security benefits — key promises from his re-election campaign.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk spent years building cachet as a business titan and tech visionary, brushing aside critics and skeptics to become the richest person on the planet. But as Musk gained power in Washington in recent months, his popularity has waned, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Just 33% of U.S. adults have a favorable view of Musk, the chain-saw-wielding, late-night-posting, campaign-hat-wearing public face of President Donald Trump’s efforts to downsize and overhaul the federal government. That share is down from 41% in December. “It was a shame that he crashed and burned his reputation,” said Ernest Pereira, 27, a Democrat who works as a lab technician in North Carolina. “He bought into his own hype.” The poll found that about two-thirds of adults believe Musk has held too much influence over the federal government during the past few months — although that influence may be coming to an end. The billionaire entrepreneur is expected to leave his administration job in the coming weeks. Musk is noticeably less popular than the overall effort to pare back the government workforce, which Trump has described as bloated and corrupt. About half of U.S. adults believe the Republican president has gone too far on reducing the size of the federal workforce, while roughly 3 in 10 think he is on target and 14% want him to go even further. Retiree Susan Wolf, 75, of Pennsylvania, believes the federal government is too big but Musk has “made a mess of everything.” “I don’t trust him,” she said. “I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.” Wolf, who is not registered with a political party, said Musk’s private sector success does not translate to Washington. “He thinks you run a government like you run a business. And you don’t do that,” she said. “One is for the benefit of the people, and the other is for the benefit of the corporation.” Much of the downsizing has been done through so-called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which was Musk’s brainchild during last year’s campaign. Thousands of federal employees have been fired or pushed to quit, contracts have been canceled and entire agencies have been brought to a standstill. Musk has succeeded in providing a dose of shock therapy to the federal government, but he has fallen short of other goals. After talking about cutting spending by $1 trillion, he has set a much lower target of $150 billion. Even reaching that amount could prove challenging, and DOGE has regularly overstated its progress. He is expected to start dedicating more time to Tesla, his electric automaker that has suffered plummeting revenue while he was working for Trump. Musk told investors on a recent conference call that “now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” he expects to spend just “a day or two per week on government matters.” Musk, in his work for the administration, has continued a political evolution toward the right. Although the South African-born entrepreneur was never easy to categorize ideologically, he championed the fight against climate change and often supported Democratic candidates. Now he criticizes “the woke mind virus” and warns of the collapse of Western civilization from the threats of illegal migration and excess government spending. Musk’s increasingly […]

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court today in response to petitions surrounding the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet, claiming that Ronen Bar’s remarks about having issued a war warning were untrue. Netanyahu referred to the intelligence breakdown that preceded the October 7th massacre as “the greatest failure in the history of the State of Israel.”

According to Netanyahu, during a security assessment conducted by Ronen Bar at 5:15 AM on October 7 — roughly an hour and a quarter before Hamas launched its brutal attack — there was no indication of an imminent war. “Bar bears direct and immense responsibility for the failure to prevent the massacre. He did not awaken other security forces, but rather deluded them,” Netanyahu stated in his affidavit.

The affidavit continues, alleging that “Bar’s insecurity in maintaining calm in Gaza at all costs led him to hold on to his misconceptions out of fear that Hamas would interpret these actions as intentions of war on the part of Israel and thus go to war against us. While Ronen Bar talked about ‘miscalculation,’ Hamas had already attacked.”

Netanyahu further asserted that if Bar had ordered the IDF to a state of “high readiness” rather than keeping them at a “medium and secret” alert level, and had instructed immediate broad military action, the tragedy could have been averted. “If Bar had called the IDF to prepare in ‘high readiness’ and not ‘medium and secret,’ and instructed the IDF to initiate broad action immediately, the massacre would have been avoided,” the affidavit stated.

Addressing Bar’s version of events, Netanyahu rejected the claim that Bar successfully activated the security apparatus during the night of the massacre. Netanyahu wrote, “He did not awaken the Minister of Defense. He did not awaken the Prime Minister. He did not awaken the head of the National Security Council and IDF forces. He did not awaken the civilian emergency squads in the Gaza region communities. He did not warn those partying at the Supernova festival. He did not fulfill his main role that night.”

The affidavit also disputes the assertion that Ronen Bar had issued serious warnings about Gaza. Netanyahu argued that throughout 2023, Bar actually advocated for policies that would bolster Gaza’s economy and opposed targeted killings, all to preserve a sense of quiet. “Ronen Bar said that Sinwar is a reasonable leader,” the affidavit notes, adding that Bar also said in cabinet discussions before October 7 that “the Gaza Strip is deterred.”

In connection with the effort to postpone his trial, Netanyahu addressed accusations against him, insisting that “contrary to Bar’s false statement, the Prime Minister never requested to delay his trial or cancel it, but on the contrary. The Prime Minister asked not to postpone the trial even for a day.”

Netanyahu’s affidavit also levels accusations of political bias against Bar, claiming that he engaged in improper political conduct. Netanyahu stated that “while operating agents at right-wing demonstrations, Bar fabricated lies about a demand to activate the ISA at left-wing demonstrations.”

Along with the public affidavit, the court also received classified annexes containing sensitive information.

Click here to read the full affidavit.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused the Netanyahu-led government of intentionally stalling the enlistment of bnei hayeshivos, claiming that this policy is directly responsible for the stalemate in Gaza. “The paralysis in Gaza stems from a conscious decision to deprive the IDF of its most vital resource: soldiers ready to fight,” Bennett wrote in a lengthy post on X. The former prime minister, who is rumored to be positioning himself for a political comeback, asserted that the IDF’s shortage of manpower is preventing a victory against Hamas. According to official figures, there are approximately 70,000 yeshivaleit between the ages of 18 and 24 who are legally eligible for military service but are currently not enlisted. Although the IDF sent out 18,915 initial draft notices to Charedim since July 2024 — in response to a High Court ruling mandating enforcement — only 232 have enlisted, with just 57 joining combat units. Meanwhile, Bennett noted, reservists across Israel — including businessmen, talmidim, engineers, and other professionals — have been pulled from their homes and workplaces, serving extended tours of duty. Even soldiers drafted since the war began are already on the frontlines, facing mortal danger in Gaza. Bennett pointed to the death of Police Officer Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane Hy”d, who fell in battle this past Friday in Gaza. “Hundreds of thousands of families live in dread, terrified for their sons’ safety,” Bennett wrote, “while an entire sector of the population rests comfortably.” He decried ministers who, despite having little or no combat experience themselves, issue proclamations demanding a full takeover of Gaza — even as they fail to provide the manpower needed to achieve such goals. Since the attacks of October 7th, the IDF has been stretched dangerously thin, with soldiers deployed not only in Gaza but also across Yehudah and Shomron in massive counterterrorism operations, as well as facing threats on the Lebanese and Syrian borders. “Never have we needed soldiers more than we do now,” Bennett said, claiming that the army currently lacks approximately 20,000 troops, including 7,000 combat soldiers. Emergency mobilizations of reservists — many serving hundreds of consecutive days — cannot be a long-term solution, Bennett argued. Instead, he proposed drafting even a modest proportion — one-fifth — of eligible Charedi men, which would allow reservists to return home and rebuild their strength for future large-scale conflicts. Nevertheless, Bennett charged, the government has failed to take meaningful action. He described the recent draft notices sent to Charedim as “a bluff,” accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of putting “political survival” ahead of national security. The stability of the coalition — which heavily relies on the support of Shas and UTJ, the two Charedi parties, who together hold 18 seats — has caused major obstacles to implementing such change. Despite the High Court’s ruling last year that long-standing draft exemptions are unlawful, the government is currently advancing a bill that would formally enshrine broad exemptions for bnei hayeshivos, which critics like Bennett have labeled the “evasion law.” IDF officials themselves admit the gap remains. Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein, head of the IDF’s Charedi recruitment office, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this week that the army had hoped to recruit 4,800 Charedim during this draft cycle, but so far, only 1,721 have enlisted. […]

Why not tax the millionaires? As Congress begins drafting a massive package for President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” with trillions of dollars in tax breaks and federal program cuts, it’s a question that won’t seem to go away. Trump himself has mused he’d “love” to tax wealthier Americans a little bit more, but the Republican president has also repeatedly walked it back. This week, the president dismissed a tax hike as “disruptive” when asked about it at the White House. But still it swirls. And it’s setting up a potential showdown between the old guard of the Republican Party, which sees almost any tax hike as contrary to the GOP goal of slashing government, and its rising populist-nationalists, who view a millionaire’s tax as championing working-class voters who helped deliver the White House. “Bring it, baby,” said former Trump strategist Stephen Bannon on his podcast. Think of it as Bannon on the one side, versus Newt Gingrich, anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist and others on the other — a debate that once seemed unfathomable for Republicans who have spent generations working to lower taxes and reduce the scope of the federal government. “I don’t think we’re raising taxes on anybody,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said this week on Fox News Channel. Johnson said there have been lots of ideas thrown out but the Republicans are working against the idea of a tax on millionaires. “I’m not in favor of raising the tax rates because our party is the group that stands against that, traditionally,” he said. This spring and summer, the Republican-led Congress is determined to make progress on the package, which is central to the party’s domestic policy agenda. It revolves around extending many of the GOP tax cuts that Congress approved in 2017, during Trump’s first term, but are expiring later this year. As it stands, the top individual tax rate is now 37%, on annual incomes above $611,000 for single filers and $767,000 for married couples. If Congress fails to act, that rate is set to revert to what it was before the 2017 tax law, 39.6%, on top filers. It seems impossible that Republicans in Congress will purposefully wade into the debate. They are striving to keep all the existing tax brackets in place, while adding new tax breaks the president campaigned on during the 2024 election — including no taxes on tips, Social Security income, overtime pay and others. It’s a potentially $5 trillion-plus package. But the Bannon wing is working to force the issue, saying it’s time to raise that top rate on the wealthier households, at least $1 million and above. Sounding at times more like progressive Democrats, Bannon’s flank sees a tax hike as a way not only to ensure wealthy Americans pay their fair share but to generate federal revenue. With federal debt at $36 trillion, they say it can help counter annual deficits that cannot be offset by budget cuts alone. “The current system we have is not sustainable,” Bannon said at Semafor’s World Economy Summit on Wednesday in Washington. “You have to go to an alternative. I think the alternative is budget cuts. And … it has to be tax increases on the wealthy.” That’s drawing fierce blowback from the traditional tax-cutters, who have gone into overdrive, warning […]

Fire Chief Eyal Caspi ordered the establishment of a special investigative team to examine the circumstances of last week’s fire in the Beit Shemesh area that reached the outskirts of Jerusalem. The special investigative team was established at the beginning of the fire, and one of the main conclusions was that the fire was the result of arson. “Evidence was found at the scene, supported by testimonies, which reinforce the suspicions that the fire was started by a person who was at the scene at the beginning of the fire,” the Fire and Rescue Authority spokesperson stated. The fire’s epicenter was located at the entrance to Moshav Tarom, near the access road to the chicken coops. The fire spread rapidly due to the harsh weather conditions. At the end of the investigation, the findings will be transferred to Capsi and the commander of the Jerusalem District, Fire Officer Shmulik Friedman, and from there for further handling by the Israel Police. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)  

As previously reported by Chaim V’Chessed, a significant travel update took effect at the start of 2025: all travelers to Israel are now required to complete an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before departure. Without an approved ETA, airlines will not permit passengers to board flights to Israel—with the exception of Israeli passport holders. Even Israeli citizens need an ETA – if traveling on a foreign passport.

With the conclusion of the busy Pesach travel season, many are now returning to Israel after the holiday, while others are arriving for the first time. Whether you’re a seasoned visitor or a newcomer, it is absolutely vital to confirm that you have a valid ETA in hand before traveling.

Do Student Visa Holders Need an ETA?

Technically, holders of valid student visas are exempt from the ETA requirement. However, Chaim V’Chessed strongly recommends that even student visa holders apply for an ETA to avoid any confusion or mishap at the airport. Additionally, if your student visa has expired, you must obtain an ETA.

Don’t Overlook Children or Expiring Passports

Parents, please take note: children of all ages—including infants—must have their own ETA to board a flight to Israel. This detail has caught many families off guard. Another important point to be aware of is the fact that ETAs are only issued to passports which have at least 3 months of remaining validity.

Avoid Boarding Denials

In recent days, Chaim V’Chessed has been inundated with reports from individuals who were denied boarding due to not having an ETA. These unfortunate situations often stem from misunderstanding the rules or assuming exemptions that do not apply.

If you do not have a valid visa, you must apply for an ETA. If you are unsure about your status, the best course of action is to apply for an ETA just in case. It’s a simple step that can prevent significant frustration and delays. In some instances, the travelers boarded flights from the USA without a valid ETA, yet were stopped at a connecting airport, and stranded there, due to their lack of an ETA.

Beware of Fraudulent ETA Websites

Travelers should be aware that there are several unsavory websites mimicking the official ETA site, often charging exorbitant fees for a service that is inexpensive on the official site. These third-party services may appear legitimate but should be avoided. An ETA on the authentic site costs just 25 NIS, and is valid for two years.

The only correct way to apply is through the official link. Click here to apply for an ETA.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Donald Trump might as well be on the ballot when Canadians vote for a new government. The U.S. president’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in nationalism that has helped the Liberal Party flip the narrative heading into Monday’s parliamentary election, at least in opinion polls. “Trump is the campaign,” former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. “The ballot question is who is the person we are going to choose to face Trump. Everything has changed.” Foreign policy hasn’t affected a Canadian election this much since 1988, when, ironically, free trade with the United States dominated the political discourse. Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Liberal leader who was sworn in on March 14 following Justin Trudeau’s resignation, led in the polls heading into Monday, marking a dramatic turnaround for a party that seemed destined for a crushing defeat until Trump started launching broadsides at Canada’s economy and sovereignty. “We are in a crisis. President Trump is threatening Canada, he’s threatening our companies, he’s threatening our workers, he’s threatening the savings of our retirees,” Carney said Tuesday. “This threat is not only an economic threat, it is an existential threat.” Until a few months ago, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was seen as a shoo-in to become the next prime minister by shepherding his opposition faction back into power for the first time in a decade. Trump’s tough talk could hurt his ideological allies abroad Charest, a moderate who led Canada’s French-speaking province from 2003-2012, said if Trump wants to help his ideological allies abroad, he needs to tone down the bluster. “At what point are the Trump folks going to think this thing through and measure what are the consequences?” Charest said. “In the White House, they should sit down and think about the effect Trump has in the world,” he added. Carney has accused Trump of severing the close relationship that Canada and the U.S. long enjoyed. Poilievre, meanwhile, would be “very much in sync” with the “new direction in America,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a Conservative ally. As such, Poilievre has offered a more muted response to Trump’s rhetoric and economic maneuvering, imploring Canadians to deny the Liberals a fourth-straight term after what he described as “a lost Liberal decade.” What will the result of Canada’s election mean for the US? Trump has threatened to slap steep tariffs on Canadian goods, and both Carney and Poilievre said that, if elected, they would accelerate renegotiations of the countries’ free trade deal in an effort to end the uncertainty hurting both of their economies. Carney plans to diversify Canada’s exports and is reviewing the remaining purchase order of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to see if there are other options “given the changing environment.” Carney visited Paris and London, not Washington, for his first trips as prime minister. But almost 80% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. “Let’s be honest, if Canada does a remarkable job — a remarkable job — of diversifying trade, what is that going to look like?” said former Foreign Minister John Baird, noting that even shifting 3% – 5% over five years would be quite an achievement. “Let’s keep our eye on the main ball. They are 78% of our customers so we need to tackle that challenge,” said Baird, a Conservative who works as […]

Lali’s last chance –  Esther & Sruli were ecstatic at the birth of their only child, born after five years of yearning.  Their joy was cruelly crushed when their Lali (Leah) was diagnosed with rapidly spreading cancer when she was only three years old. Lali is four now, a brave, charming little girl. She is fighting with all her might, her parents frantically trying to both be at her side and pay for new treatments that may cure her. Her condition is worsening, the cancer is aggressive, but she has a chance if we manage to raise the money needed for advanced treatment her parents cannot afford. Sruli and Esther are desperate to save their lovely little girl, and they ask for a chance. A chance to save their young daughter. They have to stay strong for her, despite the fear and pain and worry. We can help them! You can help them! Your donation will not only save a child’s life. It will support her parents and give them the strength to continue their battle for Lali. Support Lali and her parents

According to a new NYT report, new details show the female pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport ignored her co-pilot’s warning and made multiple critical errors.

Preparations for the upcoming Lag BaOmer celebration in Meron have reached a new milestone, as the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition has completed the paving of “Derech Hillel,” a new exit path behind the Tziyon of Rav Shimon bar Yochai.

The new route, which includes stairways and safety railings, is designed to ease crowd flow and reduce congestion at the sacred site.

The project, initiated by Minister of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush, Hilula project coordinator Yossi Deutsch, and professional staff at the ministry under Director-General Shimon Album and Deputy Director-General Chaim Rosenshtein, is part of a broader effort to implement lessons learned from previous tragedies and to ensure safer conditions, especially given that this year’s Lag BaOmer falls on a Friday, just as it did during the year of the disaster.

As part of the upgrades, new and expanded access routes have been built, staircases have been divided into sections, and safety railings have been installed.

The goal is to eliminate the bottlenecks around the Tziyon, enhance the safety of pedestrian movement, and allow a larger number of visitors to pass through in an organized, steady, and secure flow—similar to a “conveyor belt” system.

Minister of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush stated: “We are investing tremendous efforts to upgrade the safety of the pathways and passages on Mount Meron, but the ultimate success depends on the mutual responsibility and careful adherence to guidelines by each and every visitor ascending to Meron.”

Hilula project coordinator Yossi Deutsch added: “This year, Lag BaOmer falls on a Friday, just like during the year of the tragedy, which obligates all of us to exercise extra caution, show consideration for others, and fully comply with all instructions—so that we can merit to celebrate with Rav Shimon bar Yochai in joy and safety.”

Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition and Head of the Meron Department Chaim Rosenshtein emphasized: “Over the past several months, we have worked tirelessly to open critical bottlenecks around the Tziyon, with the goal of improving crowd flow and enabling tens of thousands of visitors to daven safely and respectfully in Meron.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump can’t stop contradicting himself on his own tariff plans. He says he’s on a path to cut several new trade deals in a few weeks — but has also suggested it’s “physically impossible” to hold all the needed meetings. Trump has said he will simply set new tariff rates negotiated internally within the U.S. government over the next few weeks — although he already did that on his April 2 “Liberation Day,” which caused the world economy to shudder. The Republican president says he’s actively negotiating with the Chinese government on tariffs — while the Chinese and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have said talks have yet to start. What should one believe? The sure bet is that uncertainty will persist in ways that employers and consumers alike expect to damage the economy and that leave foreign leaders scratching their heads in bewilderment. And the consequences of all this tariffs turmoil are enormous. Trump placed tariffs totaling 145% on China, leading China to retaliate with tariffs of 125% on the U.S. — essentially triggering a trade war between the world’s two largest economies with the potential to bring on a recession. Trump’s negotiating trade deals with himself The president told Time magazine in an interview released Friday that 20%, 30% or 50% tariffs a year from now would be a “total victory,” even though a financial market panic led him to temporarily reduce his baseline import taxes to 10% for 90 days while talks take place. “The deal is a deal that I choose,” Trump said in the interview. “What I’m doing is I will, at a certain point in the not too distant future, I will set a fair price of tariffs for different countries.” If that is confusing for the nation’s trading partners, it’s also sowing anxiety at home. The Federal Reserve’s beige book, a compilation of anecdotes from U.S. businesses prepared eight times a year, on Wednesday reported a huge spike in uncertainty among American companies that has caused them to pull back on hiring and investment in new projects. The word “uncertainty” cropped up 80 times, compared with 45 in early March and just 14 in January. Beyond the idea that Trump plans to keep some level of tariffs in place, the world finance ministers and corporate executives who gathered this past week in Washington for the International Monetary Fund conference said in private discussions that the Trump administration was providing no real clarity on its goals for substantive talks. “There’s not a coherent strategy at the moment on what the tariffs are supposed to achieve,” said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the GeoEconomics Center at The Atlantic Council. “My conversations with the ministers and governors this week at the IMF meetings have been they don’t understand completely what the White House wants, nor who they should be negotiating with.” Other countries trying to get talks going Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, in an interview with broadcaster SRF released Friday, said after a meeting with Bessent that Switzerland would be one of 15 countries with which the United States plans to conduct “privileged” negotiations. But she said a memorandum of understanding would have to be reached for talks to formally begin. She was happy to at least know whom to talk to, saying that “we have also been assigned a specific contact person. This is not easy in […]

Border Czar Tom Homan on the completely locked down border President Trump secured in just seven weeks: “We got the most secure border in the history of this nation, and President Trump was able to accomplish that in seven weeks.”