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President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying Zelenskyy is prolonging the ‘killing field’ after he pushed back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. Ukraine’s leader on Tuesday ruled out the idea of ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said. During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump called Zelenkyy’s pushback “very harmful” to talks. “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media. Trump added that “inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s” are making “it so difficult to settle this War.” “The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump wrote. Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE.” Wednesday’s meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth. “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to India. He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details. A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal that the U.S. says is “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed. When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day. “We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the United States tabled six weeks ago. Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because […]

Rabbi Menachem (Mendy) Raitport z”l, a beloved Crown Heights figure known both for his presence in the local food industry and his efforts in klal engagement, tragically lost his life in a fatal accident Tuesday night. He was 57 years old.

Rabbi Raitport was the father of eight and the husband of Esther. He once operated the Crown Kosher Meat Market on Kingston Avenue, a cornerstone of the community for many years.

More recently, he served as a menaker in the shechitah process, providing his expertise under several prominent hechsherim, including CHK and Skver, among others.

Although he never secured an elected position, Rabbi Raitport made multiple attempts to enter public office. His campaigns reflected a sincere desire to improve civic life, particularly in areas such as public safety, education, and local governance.

The fatal accident that claimed his life occurred in Georgia as he was traveling back to New York following Pesach, which he had spent in Florida.

Rabbi Raitport leaves behind his wife, Esther, and their children: Eliyahu, Yehuda, Shloimy, Dovid, Dubi, Avrami, Zevi, and Chanoch.

He is also mourned by his parents, Rav Yitzchok and Shaindel Raitport of Boro Park—well known for their philanthropic work—and by his siblings: Chana Kaplan, Chaim Raitport, Shloime Zalman Raitport, Yossi Raitport, Peshy Waxman, Miriam Rothberg, Ezriel Raitport, Moishe Raitport, Rivkah Raitport, Bracha Sternbach, Fraida Mindel Hess, and Batsheva Raitport. He was predeceased  by his brother, Sholom Dovber Raitport z”l.

{Matzav.com}

The man accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at Florida State University last Thursday had a documented history of neo-Nazi sympathies and white supremacist rhetoric, according to findings released by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Phoenix Ikner, the 22-year-old alleged gunman, is accused of killing two people and injuring six others in a campus attack. While the motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, the ADL has identified alarming ties between Ikner and far-right extremist ideology based on his online presence and digital footprints. According to the ADL’s Center on Extremism, Ikner was “an avid gamer and YouTuber” who used aliases and screen names referencing Nazi imagery and white supremacist groups. Among his usernames was “Schutzstaffel,” a direct reference to the SS — the infamous Nazi paramilitary organization responsible for executing Hitler’s Final Solution. His profiles also reportedly featured logos of the Patriot Front, a white nationalist group linked to hundreds of antisemitic propaganda incidents in 2023. One image uncovered by the ADL depicted Adolf Hitler with a cartoon speech bubble saying “Nein!” — part of what researchers say was a pattern of glorifying the Third Reich and signaling extremist affiliations online. “He was immersed in a world where white supremacy and the glorification of violence intersect,” said Carla Hill, Senior Director at the ADL’s Center on Extremism. “This is yet another chilling reminder of how online extremism can bleed into real-world violence.” Ikner sustained injuries during the shooting and remains hospitalized. Authorities have yet to confirm whether he acted alone or if he had communicated his plans in advance. Multiple students have come forward describing Ikner as a combative and radical presence on campus. FSU student Lucas Luzietti said he took a class with Ikner in 2023 and frequently clashed with him over his far-right views and racist remarks. According to Luzietti, Ikner openly expressed hostility toward Black Americans. “He wasn’t shy about his views. He wanted people to know he was angry and armed,” said Luzietti. In a separate interview with NBC News, Reid Seybold — a former student at Tallahassee State College — recalled that Ikner was expelled from a political discussion group for violating their only rule: “No Nazis.” Seybold said, “He espoused so much white supremacist rhetoric and far-right extremism, we had no choice but to ask him to leave.” The ADL noted that the Patriot Front group frequently appears in cases of white supremacist propaganda and incitement. In 2023, the organization was responsible for 431 documented cases of antisemitic messaging, often invoking the slogan: “No Zionists in government, we serve one Nation.” The watchdog noted that “Zionists,” in the context of these materials, is a thinly veiled reference to Jews. Ikner’s case joins a legacy of mass shooters who harbored neo-Nazi beliefs or expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler. From the 1999 Columbine massacre, where shooter Eric Harris openly idolized Nazis, to more recent attacks by individuals like Nikolas Cruz in Parkland, Florida, and Jeff Weise in Minnesota, the pattern of ideological extremism merging with school violence has become disturbingly common. In the past four months alone, two school shooters — Natallie Rupnow and Solomon Henderson — carried out deadly attacks after leaving behind neo-Nazi manifestos. Henderson, in particular, cited antisemitic conspiracies and praised far-right commentator Candace Owens for influencing his views. (YWN World Headquarters […]

President Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, accusing him of obstructing diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution with Russia. The comments came after Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would never accept Russia’s seizure of Crimea, stating that it remains sovereign Ukrainian land.

Using his Truth Social platform, Trump dismissed Zelensky’s assertion regarding Crimea, writing that the region was “lost years ago” and “is not even a point of discussion.”

According to reports, Trump has floated a plan offering U.S. recognition of Russia’s 2014 takeover of Crimea as part of a broader peace framework. That proposal was reportedly shared separately with both Moscow and Kyiv last week.

Trump has warned that Ukraine and Russia have only a limited window to agree to a deal. He indicated that if the sides do not reach a resolution soon, the United States could step back from its involvement in facilitating negotiations. However, it remains uncertain whether this would also involve curtailing American aid to Ukraine.

At a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday, Zelensky stood firm. “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea… There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”

In response, Trump took to social media, leveling harsh criticism at Ukraine’s military performance, pinning blame on the Obama administration for letting Russia build its hold on Crimea, and casting Zelensky as an obstacle to peace.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 came during a moment of upheaval in Ukraine. Protests had forced out the pro-Kremlin president in Kyiv, and Moscow capitalized on the disarray by moving forces into Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

While the Obama White House refused to recognize Russia’s control of the region, Trump’s first administration echoed that stance in 2018, officially demanding that Moscow withdraw.

Yet in his latest post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory,” before condemning the Ukrainian president’s “inflammatory statements… makes it so difficult to settle this war.”

Trump’s remarks further strained relations between Washington and Kyiv, with the president appearing to lean more favorably toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has eased off pressure on Moscow while appearing to ramp up demands on Ukraine.

Back in March, the U.S. president halted weapons shipments and intelligence cooperation with Ukraine for close to two weeks. The pause followed a tense Oval Office confrontation where Zelensky clashed with Trump and Vice President JD Vance over whether Putin was truly seeking a diplomatic solution.

Military support from the U.S. resumed after Ukraine, acting unilaterally, agreed to a partial ceasefire proposed by Washington — a move that Russia subsequently declined.

Trump and Zelensky are scheduled to meet in person on Saturday at the funeral of Pope Francis. It will be their first face-to-face interaction since their contentious White House meeting in February.

{Matzav.com}

Iran has agreed to allow in an International Atomic Energy Agency technical team in the coming days to discuss restoring camera surveillance at nuclear sites, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Wednesday, calling it an encouraging signal of Iran’s attitude toward nuclear talks with the United States. Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking to reporters in Washington after meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran last week, joined the American and Iranian sides in projecting optimism after a second round of negotiations Saturday over the Islamic Republic’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. Technical-level talks were expected this week. Iranian leaders were engaged “with a sense of trying to get to an agreement,” Grossi said. “That is my impression.” The U.S. is looking to ensure Iran doesn’t develop nuclear weapons, while Iran wants the easing of sanctions that have damaged its economy. After President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of an Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers in his first term, it responded by curtailing access and monitoring by the IAEA at nuclear sites. Since then, Iran has pressed ahead on enriching and stockpiling uranium that is closer to weapons-grade levels, the agency says. Iranian Supreme Ali Khamenei long has refrained from ordering the final steps needed to make nuclear bombs. Iranian leaders say their nuclear sites are for civilian purposes only. Iran resumed talks with the months-old second Trump administration, in the face of threatened Israeli or U.S. strikes aimed at disabling Iran’s nuclear program by force. Grossi said Iranian officials during his visit there last week agreed to allow in an IAEA technical team to discuss resuming access to and monitoring of nuclear sites, among other issues. While that move was not directly linked to the U.S. talks, he called it an encouraging sign of Iran’s willingness to reach terms in a potential deal. The IAEA is not playing a direct role in the talks, and Trump’s Republican administration has not asked it to, Grossi told reporters. That Iran and the U.S. sought to resolve the issue peacefully was more important than whether U.N. nuclear monitors take part, he said. But when it comes to ensuring Iranian compliance with any deal, he said, “this will have to be verified by the IAEA.” “I cannot imagine how you could put … a corps of invented international or national inspectors to inspect Iran” without having the agency’s decades of expertise, he said. “I think it would be problematic and strange.” (AP)

Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, announced Wednesday that he will not be running for re-election in 2026.

Durbin, who has served in the Senate since 1996, shared the news in a video message posted to X. At 80 years old, he reflected on the weight of the decision.

“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,” Durbin stated.

“I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.”

As the senior senator representing Illinois, a reliably Democratic state, Durbin’s departure is expected to ignite a crowded race to fill his seat. Both parties are likely to field contenders, though Republicans have only managed to win a Senate seat in the state twice since 1984.

With Republicans currently holding a 53-47 edge in the Senate, Democrats face a challenging path to regain control.

Durbin’s political career began with his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, where he served seven terms. He succeeded Paul Simon in the Senate in 1996.

One of Durbin’s early legislative achievements was championing the ban on smoking on commercial airplanes. This effort culminated in a bill signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and marked a turning point in national public health policy.

He was instrumental in passing the First Step Act in 2018, a bipartisan measure aimed at criminal justice reform. The law, signed by President Trump, reduced mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses, encouraged early release through rehabilitation, and improved prison conditions.

Durbin has also long supported immigration reform. He co-authored the DREAM Act, which aimed to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors. While the legislation did not pass, his advocacy was central to the creation of DACA, which grants temporary legal status and work permits to those individuals.

Throughout his tenure, Durbin pushed for tighter gun control laws and was a vocal backer of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

He also voted to convict President Trump during both Senate impeachment trials in 2020 and 2021, although Trump was acquitted in both instances.

Durbin’s decision to step down drew praise from his colleague, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

“Dick Durbin is, and will always be, a giant of the United States Senate. He has dedicated his life to making our state—as well as our nation—stronger, and we are all better for it,” said Duckworth.

She also recounted her personal connection with Durbin, recalling how he visited her after she lost both legs in combat during the Iraq War.

“When Dick looked at me, he saw past the wounds, saw past the wheelchair,” she said. “He saw a soldier in search of her next mission. And he recognized well before I did that just because I would no longer be flying Black Hawks for the Army didn’t mean that I couldn’t find a new way to serve my nation.”

{Matzav.com}

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon launched a blistering critique of the Trump administration’s Justice Department during an interview Monday with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, warning that inaction against entrenched political enemies could spark a major backlash from the MAGA base. Bannon, a longtime Trump ally and one of the leading voices of the populist right, expressed frustration over what he sees as the administration’s failure to deliver on promises of accountability, particularly against high-profile figures tied to past controversies. “We’re not doing anything over at the Justice Department,” Bannon fumed. “I don’t see investigations, I don’t see indictments… The Deep State is winning right now.” Citing a recent National Intelligence Council assessment, leaks regarding Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and what he called political attacks on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Bannon painted a picture of a White House under siege — and a Justice Department asleep at the wheel. The conservative firebrand specifically warned against investigations reportedly targeting individuals within Hegseth’s orbit. “If the guys around Hegseth are being investigated, and there’s no movement on the Epstein Files, no indictments of [former CIA Director John] Brennan, nothing on the 51 intel officials who interfered with the election — it’s going to be a firestorm,” Bannon said. In a direct appeal to the Trump faithful, Bannon echoed the growing discontent among hardline supporters who expected a wave of prosecutions in the first hundred days of Trump’s return to power. “With all the hard work that went into getting him there, we’ve seen nothing,” he said. While acknowledging that some scrutiny of the Pentagon may be warranted, Bannon said that such actions should be directed by Defense Secretary Hegseth — not imposed by the Justice Department, which he accused of failing in its central mission: “taking down the Deep State.” “People, we are burning daylight!” he declared. “These people are playing smashmouth, they’re playing hardball, and the Deep State is winning right now!” Bannon closed with a plea for action and support for Trump as he wages what Bannon characterized as a lonely battle to reorient the federal government. “He’s one man, he’s got everything on his shoulders,” Bannon said. “He needs support. He needs help. He needs people who are willing to get in there and put their shoulders to the wheel.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly considering a move that would mark a major shift in national vaccination policy: removing the Covid-19 vaccine from the federal list of recommended childhood immunizations, according to two individuals briefed on the matter who spoke with POLITICO.

If implemented, this change would take the Covid vaccine off the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s official childhood immunization schedule — a guide that many pediatricians use to determine which shots to administer and when. It would be the most consequential alteration Kennedy has pursued so far in his efforts to challenge mainstream vaccine protocols.

Kennedy, who has long voiced skepticism about vaccinations, has raised doubts about the necessity and safety of administering the Covid shot to children. He’s repeatedly pointed to research suggesting that healthy minors face a negligible risk of death from the virus.

This potential policy reversal wouldn’t ban the vaccine for children outright, but it would amount to a dramatic override of the CDC’s prior guidance. Just three years ago, the agency — backed by an independent advisory committee — recommended including the vaccine in the standard childhood schedule.

Such a change would likely have ripple effects. Many healthcare providers, insurers, and local governments rely on the CDC’s recommendations to shape their own rules, including determining insurance coverage and school vaccine requirements. Although, at present, no state mandates the Covid shot for school enrollment.

Sources familiar with internal talks say the discussions are still ongoing, and the details of the policy shift could evolve. These individuals were granted anonymity to speak freely about the deliberations.

“No final decision has been made,” said Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for HHS, in response to questions regarding the Covid vaccine’s inclusion on the CDC schedule.

Nevertheless, according to those close to the matter, Kennedy has been urging the department to take the vaccine off the list, insisting the scientific justification for its inclusion — especially so early in life — is weak.

Numerous studies show that most children who contract Covid recover quickly and face little risk of severe outcomes. Many European nations have likewise backed away from recommending additional annual Covid shots for healthy young people.

Kennedy and those aligned with him also believe that removing the vaccine from the CDC’s schedule could energize supporters of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign — especially those who remain skeptical of the government’s pandemic response. Kennedy has criticized the CDC’s advisory panels, claiming they are overly influenced by pharmaceutical interests, despite existing safeguards against conflicts of interest.

His supporters argue that the move may not trigger widespread backlash, given that many parents have already opted not to vaccinate their children against Covid.

CDC data show only 13 percent of children have received the most recent version of the vaccine. As pandemic policies became increasingly polarized under President Donald Trump’s leadership, many states steered clear of mandating the vaccine.

In fact, 22 states have passed laws preventing schools from requiring Covid vaccinations for students, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. In February, Trump signed an executive order warning that any educational institution enforcing such a requirement could lose federal funding.

Even so, if finalized, Kennedy’s plan would probably face significant criticism from health professionals and those who oppose his anti-vaccine stance, who fear that such a move could further erode public trust in immunization programs.

“It’s like in Jurassic Park, when the Tyrannosaurus rex keeps checking where in the fence is a weakness,” said Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “He could do a lot of harm. I think he will do a lot of harm unless somebody stops him.”

During his confirmation process, Kennedy pledged not to tamper with the vaccine schedule to secure the support of Senator Bill Cassidy, a key Republican vote and a physician by profession. However, after assuming leadership of HHS, Kennedy signaled his intention to revisit areas he described as “taboo or insufficiently scrutinized” — including the childhood immunization list.

The Covid vaccine was added to the CDC’s schedule in 2022, following a unanimous vote by an outside expert panel. At the time, CDC officials argued that including it would help normalize the shot and ensure Americans kept up with their immunizations.

While statistically, children are less vulnerable to Covid than older age groups, the CDC still reports over 1,800 pediatric deaths and hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations attributed to the virus.

For Kennedy, challenging this inclusion would be a hallmark moment in his ongoing campaign against the Covid vaccine. As head of Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group, Kennedy has promoted conspiracy theories and cast doubt on the vaccine’s safety, while launching multiple initiatives aimed at preventing its rollout during the Trump administration.

Among those efforts was a threat in 2022 to sue the Food and Drug Administration if it went ahead with authorizing the vaccine for children under the age of five. In a letter at the time, the organization wrote it would “seek to hold you accountable for recklessly endangering this population with a product that has little, no, or even negative net efficacy but which may put them, without warning, at risk of many adverse health consequences.”

Despite the pushback, the FDA approved the vaccine for young children a few months later, and the CDC quickly followed by recommending it and incorporating it into the national immunization schedule.

{Matzav.com}

FDA Commissioner: “I don’t think we appreciated the potential risks to human health and child health when they were first introduced… the studies have caught up with the introduction of these petroleum-based chemical food dyes and the data doesn’t look good… we are erring on the safe side and moving to remove these from the U.S. food supply.”

President Trump accuses Zelenskyy of prolonging ‘killing field’ after Ukrainian leader pushes back on ceding Crimea to Russia.

Last night, Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was given a warm welcome at Mar-a-Lago.

The IDF has released footage of the elimination of Hussein Ali Nasr, the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400, who was working to rebuild Hezbollah’s terror capabilities.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent leveled harsh criticism at the operations of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday even as he tried to reassure nervous investors that the United States would maintain its global leadership role. “America first does not mean America alone,” he said in a speech to the Institute of International Finance. “To the contrary, it is a call for deeper collaboration and mutual respect among trade partners.” Although Bessent said the IMF and the World Bank are “falling short,” he stopped short of calling for the U.S. to withdraw from the institutions as some conservatives have advocated. It was the latest example of how Bessent, a former hedge fund manager who keeps a close eye on the financial markets, has tried to calm the economic turmoil as President Donald Trump tries to rewire international trade through aggressive tariffs. After Bessent’s remarks, reporters asked him about a Wall Street Journal article that said the huge U.S. tariffs that the Republican president has levied on China could be cut in half, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. Bessent said: “I’d be surprised if that discussion is happening.” However, he said he expects “there’d have to be a de-escalation” from Washington and Beijing’s trade confrontation. Trump had said on Tuesday that the 145% tariffs on China could “come down substantially.” And then on Wednesday, he told reporters that “everybody wants to be a part of what we’re doing” and “everyone’s going to be happy.” Bessent’s speech in Washington represented a broadside against the IMF and the World Bank, which provide loans and other financial support around the world. He said the Trump administration “will leverage U.S. leadership and influence at these institutions and push them to accomplish their important mandates.” Some of Bessent’s criticisms echoed the Trump administration’s efforts to root out progressive ideology from federal institutions. Bessent said the IMF “has suffered from mission creep” and “devotes disproportionate time and resources to work on climate change, gender and social issues.” He said there were similar problems at the World Bank, which he said “should no longer expect blank checks for vapid, buzzword-centric marketing accompanied by half-hearted commitments to reform.” One of the problems, Bessent said, is that China is still treated like a developing country, which gives it more favorable treatment from global institutions. With China as the second-largest economy in the world, he said, “it’s an adult economy.” Despite growing friction between Beijing and Washington, Bessent said “there is an opportunity for a big deal here.” Bessent wants the U.S. to boost manufacturing while China increases consumption, making its economy less reliant on flooding the globe with cheap exports. “If they want to rebalance, let’s do it together,” he said. “This is an incredible opportunity.” Beijing said Wednesday that “exerting pressure is not the right way to deal with China and simply will not work.” (AP)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that he suspects that the Trump administration has canceled his travel visa to the United States.

Petro, who had earlier relented to pressure from President Trump to accept deported migrants, made this assertion during a Cabinet meeting in Bogota, where he explained why he would be unable to attend the spring meetings organized by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, DC.

“I can no longer go because I believe they took away my visa,” Petro remarked.

“I didn’t need to have one, but anyway, I’ve already seen Donald Duck several times, so I’ll go see other things,” the Colombian president continued, taking a jab at Trump.

The U.S. State Department, however, declined to verify or reject Petro’s statement, citing the confidentiality of visa-related information.

“Visa records are confidential under US law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases,” a spokesperson from the State Department told The Post.

Earlier this year, Trump had warned of potential visa sanctions, heightened inspections for travelers, and emergency tariffs up to 50% on Colombia after a confrontation over the deportation of migrants.

Initially, Petro, a former leftist guerrilla leader, had resisted accepting deported Colombian migrants, criticizing the Trump administration for treating them as if they were “criminals.” However, after Trump’s threat, the Colombian president quickly changed his stance and even offered the U.S. his presidential plane to help transport the deported migrants back to Colombia.

“Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at the time, referring to the dispute.

{Matzav.com}

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat and his party’s top leader on the Judiciary Committee, announced Wednesday that he won’t seek a sixth term in 2026. “I know in my heart it’s time to pass the torch,” the veteran senator said in a social media post Wednesday.

POTUS: “We’re going to have a fair deal with China. It’s going to be fair… we’re going to have a country that you can be proud of, not a laughingstock all over the world…”

Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from Miami: “As long as there are hostages who are not receiving food, no humanitarian aid will be brought into Gaza”

Last night at Yale University, Hundreds of pro-terrorists protesters set up a new encampment and were chanting “we will honor all our martyrs” among other pro-terrorist chants.

In a summary of activities in Lebanon over the past week, the IDF says it killed nine Hezbollah operatives and struck over 40 sites belonging to the terror group.

President Trump appears to be discussing changes to the north lawn at the White House, including a place for a new flagpole.