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Arutz Sheva

News from Israel

Israel slams Macron over Gaza comments: ‘He wants to reward terrorists with a state’

Israeli government fiercely rebukes French President after he calls for tougher European action against Israel over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, 'We will stand firm against international pressure.'

During World Jewish Congress: African delegation visits bereaved families at Gvura Forum

A delegation of representatives from Africa in Israel for the World Jewish Congress gathering, visits the Gvura Forum Tent to offer support to the bereaved families and demand victory over Hamas.

Ancient 'Damascus Crowns' unveiled in Jerusalem in tribute to Syrian Chief Rabbi

In a moving ceremony at the National Library in Jerusalem, the public was granted a rare glimpse of the ancient “Damascus Crowns” — Torah manuscripts smuggled from Syria in a daring operation led by Rabbi Avraham Hamra.

Former hostage, Eli Sharabi: 'I am proud that I chose life'

Former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi launches his new book 'Kidnapped' in which he shares his difficult time in captivity, 'they demanded that we read the Quran, we refused; I am proud that I chose life.'

Fire breaks out near Nes Harim in Jerusalem hills; no danger to residents' homes.

David Libi laid to rest at Malachei Hashalom

David Libi, who was killed in an explosive device blast in Jabaliya, is laid to rest in Malachei Hashalom, in a cemetery established within 24 hours. His friends bid farewell to him with an emotional song.

Foreign Ministry slams Macron: ‘On a crusade against the Jewish state’

The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a sharp response to French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, following his claim that there is a “humanitarian siege in Gaza,” accusing him of continuing a campaign against Israel.“President Macron’s crusade against the Jewish state continues. The facts do not interest him. There is no humanitarian siege — this is a blatant lie,” the Ministry stated.“Israel is currently facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through two parallel efforts. In the first, nearly 900 aid trucks have already entered Gaza from Israel this week. In the second, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began operations this week, has already distributed two million meals and tens of thousands of aid packages.”

'Despite Hamas's ongoing abuse of Gazans, they continue to come and receive aid.'

IDF Spokesman: 'Hamas is starving the residents of Gaza and looting the aid intended for them; Hamas continues to hold 58 of our hostages captive.'

Minister of Defense Israel Katz at Sanur: 'This is a historical moment'

Defense Minister Katz: We are rebuilding Sanur and 21 more communities in Judea and Samaria

IDF troops dismantle dozens of terror infrastructure sites throughout Gaza

The IDF troops eliminated terrorists, dismantled weapons, terrorist infrastructure, and underground infrastructure sites.

Calendar

Candle Lighting Times

Shabbos Times for New York City, New York, USA

Candle lighting: 8:01pm on Friday, May 30
This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Bamidbar
Havdalah (72 min): 9:33pm on Saturday, May 31
Erev Shavuot: Sunday, Jun 1
Candle lighting: 8:03pm on Sunday, Jun 1
Shavuot I: Monday, Jun 2
Candle lighting: 9:34pm on Monday, Jun 2
Shavuot II: Tuesday, Jun 3
Havdalah (72 min): 9:35pm on Tuesday, Jun 3

Shabbat Candle Lighting times for New York

Shabbos Times for Chicago, Illinois, USA

Candle lighting: 8:00pm on Friday, May 30
This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Bamidbar
Havdalah (72 min): 9:31pm on Saturday, May 31
Erev Shavuot: Sunday, Jun 1
Candle lighting: 8:01pm on Sunday, Jun 1
Shavuot I: Monday, Jun 2
Candle lighting: 9:32pm on Monday, Jun 2
Shavuot II: Tuesday, Jun 3
Havdalah (72 min): 9:33pm on Tuesday, Jun 3

Shabbat Candle Lighting times for Chicago

Yeshiva World News

The Yeshiva World

Supreme Court Approves Oil Railroad Project, Scaling Back Environmental Rules

The Supreme Court backed a multibillion-dollar oil railroad expansion in Utah Thursday in a ruling that scales back the use of a key environmental law and could accelerate development projects around the country. The 8-0 decision comes after an appeal to the high court from backers of the project, which is aimed at quadrupling oil production in the remote area of sandstone and sagebrush. Environmental groups said the decision would have sweeping impacts on National Environmental Policy Act reviews. President Donald Trump’s administration has already said it’s speeding up that process after the president in January declared a “national energy emergency” and vowed to boost U.S. oil and gas production. Justice Brett Kavanaugh referred to the decision as a “course correction” in an opinion fully joined by four conservative colleagues. “Congress did not design NEPA for judges to hamstring new infrastructure and construction projects,” Kavanaugh wrote. The three liberal justices agreed the Utah project should get its approval, but they would have taken a narrower path. The justices reversed a lower court decision that required a more thorough environmental review and restored an important approval from federal regulators on the Surface Transportation Board. The board’s chair, Patrick Fuchs, said the ruling reigns in the scope of environmental reviews that are “unnecessarily hindering” infrastructure construction throughout the country. The case centers on the Uinta Basin Railway, a proposed 88-mile (142-kilometer) expansion that would connect the oil-rich region of northeast Utah to the national rail network, allowing oil and gas producers to access larger markets. The state’s crude oil production was valued at $4.1 billion in 2024, according to a Utah Geological Survey report, and could increase substantially under the expansion project. Construction, though, does not appear to be imminent. Project leaders must win additional approvals and secure funding from private-sector partners before they can break ground, said Uinta Basin Railway spokesperson Melissa Cano. Environmental groups and a Colorado county had argued that regulators must consider a broad range of potential impacts when they consider new development, such as increased wildfire risk, the effect of additional crude oil production from the area and increased refining in Gulf Coast states. The justices, though, found that regulators were right to consider the direct effects of the project, rather than the wider upstream and downstream impacts. Kavanaugh wrote that courts should defer to regulators on “where to draw the line” on what factors to take into account. “The goal of the law is to inform agency decision making, not to paralyze it,” he said. The court’s conservative majority court has taken steps to curtail the power of federal regulators in other cases, however, including striking down the decades-old Chevron doctrine that made it easier for the federal government to set a wide range of regulations. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said in a concurrence that the court could have simply cleared the way for the railway approval by saying that regulators did not need to consider increased fossil fuel production tied to the project. Justice Neil Gorsuch did not participate in the case after facing calls to step aside over ties to Philip Anschutz, a Colorado billionaire whose ownership of oil wells in the area means he could benefit if the project goes through. Gorsuch, as a lawyer in private practice, had represented Anschutz. The ruling follows […]

אהבה רבה מהרה”ק מצאנז קלויזענבורג זי”ע

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Judge Sentences ‘Keyboard Terrorist’ to 3 Years for Threatening Officials

A man who blamed exposure to far-right extremist content for his online threats to kill Democratic election officials in Colorado and Arizona was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday. U.S. District Judge S. Kato Crews said the penalty for such “keyboard terrorism” needed to be serious enough to deter others, particularly because threats against public officials are on the rise. People need to work out differences through the democratic process, not violence, Crews said. “The public must not accept this as the norm,” he said in handing down the sentence for Teak Ty Brockbank. Brockbank, 45, pleaded guilty in October to making threats between September 2021 and August 2022 against Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and former Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who is now governor. He also threatened a Colorado judge overseeing his DUI case and threatened to kill any federal agents who came to his house. In a statement, Griswold said conspiracy theories spread by the far right have incited threats and violence against election officials. “I will not be intimidated,” she said. Brockbank, dressed in a khaki jail uniform, apologized for his “ugly posts” and said he has turned away from the fear, hate and anger he found online. He asked Crews to sentence him to home detention instead of more time behind bars. Federal prosecutors sought three years in prison for Brockbank, the maximum recommended under sentencing guidelines. He asked for leniency, saying he made the posts when he was drinking heavily, socially isolated and spending his evenings consuming conspiracy theories online. Jonathan Jacobson, a Washington-based attorney for the Justice Department, pointed out that the threats continued during a period when Brockbank wasn’t drinking. Brockbank’s attorney referred to his client — who has been in jail since he was arrested in August — as a “keyboard warrior,” pointing out there was no evidence that he planned to carry out the threats. Brockbank spent time on social media sites such as Gab and Rumble, the alternative video-sharing platform that has been criticized for allowing and promoting far-right extremism. The sites delivered “the message that the country was under attack and that patriotic Americans had a duty to rise up and act,” attorney Tom Ward said in a court filing. He told Crews that Brockbank was drawn to QAnon conspiracy theories and that he regularly consumed online content from Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser. Ward noted that the Trump administration’s Justice Department was seeking a tough sentence for someone who was influenced by some of the same extremist content that motivated people to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6 and were later pardoned by Trump. But Crews, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, dismissed that argument, saying the Jan. 6 pardons were granted by a different branch of the government based on separate interests. Before announcing the sentence, Crews read some of Brockbank’s threats, including descriptions of how officials should be killed, starting with one in which Brockbank said Griswold should “hang by the neck.” Crews said he believed Brockbank’s remorse was genuine and urged him to follow through with his decision to turn away from hate even though he was going to prison. Brockbank was prosecuted by a task force started under the Biden administration in 2021 to combat […]

Nearly 40% of Syrians Back Peace with Israel Amid Post-Assad Upheaval, Poll Finds

A new poll shows that nearly 40% of Syrians now support a peace deal with Israel — a stunning development in a country long considered one of Israel’s most implacable enemies. The nationwide survey, conducted by the Syrian Center for Public Opinion Studies (MADA), found that 39.88% of Syrians are in favor of signing a formal peace agreement with Israel, while 46% remain opposed and 13.76% express no opinion. The results underscore a population deeply divided — but increasingly open to a diplomatic path that would have been unthinkable under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. But even as talk of peace circulates, deep mistrust lingers. A staggering 76% of respondents still view Israel as Syria’s number one security threat — ranking it above Iran, the United States, and Russia. And 59.25% categorically rejected the idea of embassies or formal diplomatic missions between the two countries. Support for normalization is strongest in the southern provinces of Suwayda and Quneitra — areas with significant Druze populations and geographic proximity to Israel. MADA analysts attribute the openness in these regions to Israel’s quiet engagement with the Druze community and its perceived stability in the wake of Assad’s downfall. Ethnic and sectarian divisions also reveal sharp differences in sentiment. Kurds emerged as the most supportive ethnic group, followed by Syrian Christians. Among religious sects, Ismailis and Alawites — traditionally aligned with the Assad regime — showed greater willingness to back a peace deal than the Sunni majority, who were more skeptical. “This is not a monolithic society anymore,” said Dr. Hossam al-Saad, head of MADA. “The trauma of war, shifting alliances, and economic desperation have created new political fault lines — and new opportunities.” According to the survey, over 70% of Syrians believe that normalization with Israel could unlock sorely needed Arab and international investment. Yet 62% remain wary that peace might come at a territorial cost, fearing Israel could exploit the agreement to seize additional Syrian land. U.S. Congressman Cory Mills disclosed that al-Sharaa has signaled openness to dialogue with Israel, raising the possibility that post-Assad Syria could join the Abraham Accords — the sweeping normalization initiative that has already drawn in multiple Arab nations. MADA’s report suggests that Syria’s new leadership is seeking to reduce its dependency on Iran, reestablish relations with Arab neighbors and Turkey, and navigate the treacherous terrain of sanctions relief, reconstruction, and refugee repatriation. The question now is whether this shift in public opinion — and the quiet maneuvering behind the scenes — will translate into a formal peace process, or whether old grievances and new power struggles will bury a historic chance for change. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NYPD Detectives Being Investigated After Bitcoin Torture Victim Linked to Officers

New York City police are investigating two detectives who worked security at an upscale Manhattan townhouse where a man says he was kidnapped and tortured for weeks by two crypto investors who wanted to steal his Bitcoin, a city official said Thursday. One of the detectives serves on Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail and is believed to have picked up the victim from a local airport and brought him to the townhouse, the official said. It’s not immediately clear if the other detective, who is a narcotics officer, has any connection to the incident. The detectives have been placed on modified leave pending the outcome of the inquiry, according to the official, who was briefed on the case and spoke anonymously to The Associated Press because they are not authorized to discuss the internal investigation. It is not uncommon for members of the NYPD to do private security work outside of their city jobs but they need to receive prior approval. At this point, the official said, the department is looking into whether the officers received that approval. Adams’ office confirmed one of the detectives provides security detail for the Democrat, but said the mayor has no knowledge of what the officer does on his personal time. “Every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers, both on and off duty,” the mayor’s office said in an emailed statement. “We are disturbed by these allegations.” In response to an emailed inquiry, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed two members were placed on modified duty Wednesday. A spokesperson for the labor union representing NYPD detectives didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Thursday. Crypto investors John Woeltz and William Duplessie have been charged in the case. Their lawyers have declined to comment. Authorities allege that on May 6, the two men lured the victim, who they knew personally, to a posh townhouse in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood by threatening to kill his family. The man, a 28-year-old Italian national who has not been named by officials, said he was then held captive for 17 days, as the two investors tormented him with electrical wires, forced him to smoke from a crack pipe and at one point dangled him from a staircase five stories high. He eventually agreed to hand over his computer password Friday morning, then managed to flee the home as his captors went to retrieve the device. The investigation into the officers began, incidentally, on the same day Adams headlined a crypto convention in Las Vegas, where he described New York as the Bitcoin capital of the country. (AP)

Mamdani’s $10 Billion Socialist Fantasy Would Drive Businesses — and Taxpayers — Out of NYC, Experts Warn

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist assemblyman-turned-mayoral candidate, is betting big on a radical economic overhaul that critics say would send New York’s already shrinking tax base into full-blown collapse, a New York Post report warns. His $10 billion blueprint for taxpayer-funded giveaways — including free public buses, universal childcare, a citywide rent freeze, and even government-run grocery stores — relies on a punishing series of tax hikes targeting corporations and the wealthy. And business leaders are sounding the alarm. “This is being proposed at a time when people and their income are leaving New York State and New York City in particular,” a spokesperson for the Business Council of New York State warned Thursday. “This would only add to that exodus and further erode our tax base.” Mamdani’s plan, which would hike the city’s corporate tax rate from 7.25% to a crippling 11.5% and slap a 2% flat tax on high earners, is being billed as the financial engine for his so-called “progressive paradise.” But experts say it’s a recipe for economic disaster. Kathryn Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, minced no words: “Mamdani is following a well-worn political mantra that argues for more government spending as the solution to every problem and expecting that taxes on business and the wealthy can be infinitely expanded. This may get someone elected, but once in office they bump into reality.” And that reality is grim: New York City’s debt is already projected to hit $99.4 billion by July and continue rising. Mamdani’s proposals — including tripling the $30 billion housing capital budget — would blow past any realistic funding limit. His plan to create a “Department of Community Safety,” piloting socialist-style city-run supermarkets, and providing universal childcare would alone consume more than his estimated new tax revenue. Critics say Mamdani’s budget math simply doesn’t add up. Universal childcare could cost $5 billion to $7 billion, while free bus service would slash $900 million annually from MTA revenue. The new Department of Community Safety comes with a $450 million price tag. City-run grocery stores would tack on another $60 million. Combined, his initiatives exceed projected revenues — even assuming zero economic fallout from his tax hikes. Even former Democratic Gov. David Paterson couldn’t hide his skepticism. “He articulates his points very well, and they make sense. You understand exactly what he’s saying,” Paterson told Politico. “The problem is: Nobody told him there’s no such thing as Santa Claus.” Mamdani’s proposals would require approval not just from a wary Albany legislature but from Gov. Kathy Hochul — who has consistently vowed not to raise income taxes. Without their backing, the socialist dream dies on arrival. Still, Mamdani’s campaign is gaining momentum, especially among far-left voters who see his platform as a bold challenge to the status quo. But as businesses eye the exits and city revenues dry up, the cost of his vision may fall squarely on the shoulders of the working New Yorkers he claims to champion. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

White House Demands Answers from Jill Biden Over Alleged Cover-Up of President’s Decline

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt launched a direct attack on former First Lady Jill Biden on Thursday, accusing her of actively covering up former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and calling for her to face questioning over what she knew and when. The bombshell moment came in response to a pointed question from Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, who noted that some Biden aides are now in discussions with congressional Republicans to provide transcribed interviews about how they managed concerns over the president’s health. Doocy asked if the president believed such interviews were sufficient — or whether former First Lady Jill Biden should also testify. Leavitt didn’t hold back. “I think, frankly, the former First Lady should certainly speak up about what she saw in regards to her husband and when she saw it and what she knew,” she said. “Because I think anybody looking again at the videos and photo evidence of Joe Biden with your own eyes and a little bit of common sense can see this was a clear cover-up, and Jill Biden was certainly complicit in that.” Leavitt accused Jill Biden of shielding her husband from the public — and the truth — noting the couple’s recent appearance on a TV program as a glaring example. “There’s documentation, video evidence of her clearly shielding her husband away from the cameras,” she continued. “They were just on The View last week. She was saying everything is fine. She’s still lying to the American people. She still thinks the American public is so stupid that they’re going to believe her lies — and frankly, it’s insulting. She needs to answer for it.” Similar criticism was leveled by The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who told CNN that Jill Biden appeared to “play referee” during the Bidens’ joint interview in mid-May — jumping in to answer a question on cognitive decline before the president could respond himself. “That was his moment to knock out of the park any fear that he has cognitive decline,” Griffin said, “and it played into basically the worst assumptions — that he can’t finish sentences and she had to help him out.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

FBI Warns of AI Threat After Trump’s Chief of Staff Targeted in Impersonation Plot

Federal authorities are investigating a sophisticated impersonation scheme targeting White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. An unidentified individual or group accessed Wiles’ personal cellphone contacts and used that information to impersonate her, reaching out to high-profile officials and business leaders. The impersonator contacted senators, governors, and top executives via text messages and phone calls, some of which featured a voice resembling Wiles. Officials suspect that artificial intelligence was employed to mimic her voice. Recipients reported that the messages originated from unfamiliar numbers and included requests to continue conversations on alternative platforms like Telegram. Some messages contained unusual requests, such as assembling lists of individuals for potential presidential pardons and soliciting cash transfers. The formal tone and grammatical inconsistencies in the messages further raised suspicions. Wiles has informed her contacts about the breach and advised them to disregard any suspicious messages. The FBI and White House are actively investigating the incident, emphasizing the seriousness of threats against the President and his staff. This incident follows a previous cyberattack in 2024, where Iranian operatives reportedly hacked into Wiles’ email account during the presidential campaign. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

RFK Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Cited Fake Studies, Misrepresented Research

The White House will fix errors in a much-anticipated federal government report spearheaded by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which decried America’s food supply, pesticides and prescription drugs. Kennedy’s wide-ranging “Make America Healthy Again” report, released last week, cited hundreds of studies, but a closer look by the news organization NOTUS found that some of those studies did not actually exist. Asked about the report’s problems, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the report will be updated. “I understand there was some formatting issues with the MAHA report that are being addressed and the report will be updated.” Leavitt told reporters during her briefing. “But it does not negate the substance of the report, which, as you know, is one of the most transformative health reports that has ever been released by the federal government. Kennedy has repeatedly said he would bring “radical transparency” and “gold-standard” science to the public health agencies. But the secretary refused to release details about who authored the 72-page report, which calls for increased scrutiny of the childhood vaccine schedule and describes the nation’s children as overmedicated and undernourished. Leavitt said that the White House has “complete confidence” in Kennedy. “Minor citation and formatting errors have been corrected,” HHS Spokesman Andrew Nixon said in an emailed statement. He described the report as a “historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation’s children.” NOTUS reported Thursday that seven of the more than 500 studies cited in the report did not appear to have ever been published. An author of one study confirmed that while she conducted research on the topics of anxiety in children, she never authored the report listed. Some studies were also misinterpreted in the MAHA report. The problematic citations were on topics around children’s screen time, medication use and anxiety. Kennedy’s MAHA report had already been stoking concerns among Trump loyalists, including farmers who criticized how the report characterized the chemicals sprayed on U.S. crops. The report is supposed to be used to develop policy recommendations that will be released later this year. The White House has requested a $500 million boost in funding from Congress for Kennedy’s MAHA initiative. (AP)

Israel Fears Betrayal as Trump Inches Toward “Dangerous” Iran Deal

Seven weeks into nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, Israel is voicing escalating concerns that President Donald Trump’s administration may accept a deal that fails to eliminate Tehran’s uranium enrichment capabilities, potentially leaving Israel vulnerable to a nuclear-armed adversary. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia has privately urged Iran to engage seriously with the U.S. proposal, warning that failure to do so could risk a military confrontation with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly cautioned that a “bad deal is worse than no deal,” emphasizing that any agreement permitting Iran to retain enrichment capabilities would be unacceptable. Despite Netanyahu’s warnings, President Trump disclosed on Wednesday that he had advised Netanyahu against taking any actions, such as a military strike, that could disrupt the ongoing talks. “I told him this would be very inappropriate to do right now, because we’re very close to a solution,” Trump said during a White House press conference. The negotiations, which commenced on April 12, have included five rounds of discussions between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The primary sticking point remains the U.S. demand that Iran cease all uranium enrichment activities—a condition Iran has consistently rejected, citing its right to peaceful nuclear energy. Amid these tensions, Saudi Arabia has taken an unprecedented diplomatic step. In April, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman visited Tehran, delivering a message to Iranian officials that emphasized the urgency of reaching an agreement with the U.S. to avoid the risk of an Israeli military strike. This visit marked the first by a senior Saudi royal to Iran in over two decades and reflects a significant shift in regional diplomacy following the 2023 normalization of ties between the two nations. During the closed-door meeting, Prince Khalid conveyed that President Trump’s patience for prolonged negotiations is limited and that the window for diplomacy is narrowing. He stressed that the region, already destabilized by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, could not withstand further escalation. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by expressing Iran’s desire for a deal that would alleviate economic sanctions but maintained that Iran would not relinquish its enrichment program solely to accommodate U.S. demands. Israel, meanwhile, has prepared for potential military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities but has held off at the request of the Trump administration to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed. Israeli officials have indicated that any military strike would be more effective with U.S. support, particularly in countering potential Iranian retaliation. However, there is growing concern within Israel that delaying action could result in a missed opportunity to address the nuclear threat more decisively. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Norwegian Town That Resisted Nazis Now Prepares for Modern War

In 1944, Norwegian resistance fighters in the town of Kongsberg blew up a factory making cannons for occupying Nazi German forces during World War II. More than 80 years later, the municipality could once again be a target for sabotage and is preparing for war. The local authorities have dusted off Cold War-era bomb shelters, installed a new satellite communications system and are working with the military on plans to help a deployment of Western forces in case of conflict. “The lesson we learned from Ukraine is that everybody pitched in,” said Odd John Resser, Kongsberg’s Emergency Planning Officer, noting breweries that pivoted to making Molotov cocktails, local authorities that built schools in shelters and weapons factories which ramped up production. Across the Nordic nations, governments are boosting defense spending, reassessing security and pushing the concept of total defense. It’s an approach which mobilizes the whole of society to defend against military and non-military threats. As Moscow wages war in Ukraine, Western officials are accusing Russia of being behind a campaign of sabotage, arson and cyberattacks and there are jitters across the continent about whether Europe can rely on the U.S. as a partner. The Norwegian government published its first national security strategy in May, saying the country is facing its most serious security situation since World War II. “After decades of peace,” it warned, “a new era has begun for Norway and for Europe.” “What is now happening in Ukraine has to be a wake-up call for all and we must strengthen our defense to prevent anything like that from happening to us,” Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told The Associated Press. Total defense Norway announced in January that it plans to start building bomb shelters in new buildings after halting the practice in 1998. The Swedish government appointed its first minister for civil defense in 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Residents aged 16 to 70 are required to serve in the event or threat of war, either in the military or helping to provide rescue, firefighting, healthcare or other services. Finland’s civil defense shelters are the envy of the Nordics and can fit around 86% of the Finnish population. One public shelter in Helsinki can fit 6,000 people, is designed to withstand the fallout from a nuclear attack and is in an almost constant state of readiness with beds and sinks tucked away behind blast doors and an underground hockey pitch. Norway and some other Nordic nations also tell residents to have enough food and water stored for seven days. “How would you and your nearest family manage if the electricity supply was cut off for a longer period? What would you do if the water supply failed?” the Norwegian handbook asks. AP spoke to 11 people in Kongsberg and the majority said they had some form of supplies. While most didn’t have a stockpile for seven days – and some had nothing at all – two people said they could probably survive for more than a week. “Russia is very close to Norway and you don’t know what’s going to happen. I would rather be prepared than not prepared,” said Katina Bakke, who works in a sports shop in Kongsberg. Community support for troops Although Norwegian authorities are not expecting an imminent conflict, if war […]

‘Next Targets Are El Al Planes’: Houthis Vow to Strike Israeli Civilian Aircraft

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have announced plans to target civilian aircraft belonging to Israeli airlines, including El Al, in what could mark a dangerous new phase in the Yemeni group’s ongoing assault on Israel. The warning, issued through Lebanon’s Hezbollah-aligned Al-Akhbar newspaper, follows Israel’s airstrike on Sanaa International Airport earlier this week. The targeted strike reportedly destroyed the last operational Houthi aircraft, a move that Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said eliminatec the group’s remaining air capabilities. But the Houthis aren’t backing down—in fact, they’re upping the ante. In a direct threat to Israeli civilian air traffic, Houthi sources said their “upcoming operations will differ in quantity and substance,” vowing to add Israeli civilian planes to their list of military targets. If carried out, such a strike would cross a grave red line and could trigger a wider regional conflagration. The rebels claim the aircraft destroyed by Israel had been used for humanitarian medical evacuations to Jordan—a claim dismissed by Israeli officials as propaganda meant to deflect attention from the Houthis’ ongoing campaign of ballistic missile and drone attacks aimed at Israeli civilians. In recent weeks, the Houthis have launched near-daily missile attacks toward Israel, including one strike that landed inside the grounds of Ben Gurion International Airport earlier this month, prompting several foreign airlines to suspend service to Israel. With major carriers pulling out, most Israelis are now reliant on El Al and the domestic carriers Arkia and Israir—airlines that may soon find themselves in the crosshairs. It remains unclear whether the Houthis possess the technical capacity to strike aircraft in flight. However, in an interview earlier this month with Newsweek, a Houthi spokesman boasted of “new weapons” allegedly capable of enforcing an “aerial blockade” over Israeli skies. While the threat’s credibility is still under assessment by Israeli intelligence, the tone and timing have set off alarms. Israeli aviation security has been placed on high alert, and contingency plans are reportedly being reviewed at the highest levels of government. With Iranian fingerprints all over Houthi weapons and strategy, the latest development raises serious questions about Tehran’s role in greenlighting an attack on civilian aviation—an act that is a blatant war crime and a direct provocation. Defense analysts say any attempted strike on a commercial aircraft could trigger immediate and overwhelming Israeli retaliation—not just against the Houthis, but potentially against Iranian assets across the region. “This is not Yemen’s war anymore,” said one senior Israeli security official. “This is Iran using its proxies to test Israel’s red lines. And there will be a response.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Trump Administration Reverses Course, Will Keep 34 Mine Safety Offices Open

The Trump administration is dropping plans to terminate leases for 34 offices in the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the agency responsible for enforcing mine safety laws, the Department of Labor said Thursday. Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency, created by President Donald Trump and run by Elon Musk, had targeted federal agencies for spending cuts, including terminating leases for three dozen MSHA offices. Seven of those offices were in Kentucky alone. Ending the MSHA leases had been projected to save $18 million. Musk said this week that he’s leaving his job as a senior adviser. A statement released by a Labor Department spokesperson Thursday said it has been working closely with the General Services Administration “to ensure our MSHA inspectors have the resources they need to carry out their core mission to prevent death, illness, and injury from mining and promote safe and healthy workplaces for American miners.” Some MSHA offices are still listed on the chopping block on the DOGE website, but the statement did not indicate whether those closings will move forward. MSHA was created by Congress within the Labor Department in 1978, in part because state inspectors were seen as too close to the industry to force coal companies to take the sometimes costly steps necessary to protect miners. MSHA is required to inspect each underground mine quarterly and each surface mine twice a year. “That’s a relief and good news for miners and the inspectors at MSHA,” said Jack Spadaro, a longtime mine safety investigator and environmental specialist who worked for the agency. Mining fatalities over the past four decades have dropped significantly, in large part because of the dramatic decline in coal production. But the proposed DOGE cuts would have required MSHA inspectors to travel farther to get to a mine. “I don’t know what they were thinking when they talked about closing offices,” Spadaro said. “They obviously did not understand the nature of the frequency and depth of inspections that go on in mines. It’s important for the inspectors to be near the mine operations that they’re inspecting.” A review in March of publicly available data by the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center indicates that nearly 17,000 health and safety inspections were conducted from the beginning of 2024 through February 2025 by staff at MSHA offices in the facilities on the chopping block. MSHA, which also oversees metal and nonmetal mines, already was understaffed. Over the past decade, it has seen a 27% reduction in total staff, including 30% of enforcement staff in general and 50% of enforcement staff for coal mines, the law center said. Coal industry advocates are also trying to save hundreds of jobs within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Some estimates had about 850 of the agency’s roughly 1,000 employees being cut by the Trump administration. Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered the restoration of a health monitoring program for coal miners and rescinded layoffs within NIOSH’s respiratory health division in Morgantown, West Virginia. The division is responsible for screening and reviewing medical exams to determine whether there is evidence that coal miners have developed a respiratory ailment, commonly known as black lung disease. At a May 14 Congressional hearing, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he was reversing the firing of […]

A Historic Tefillas HaShelah That Shook the Heavens

At the holy kever of the Shelah HaKadosh in Tverya, on erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan—the most mesugal time for tefillos on behalf of our children—Gedolei Yisrael and Ziknei Hador gathered for an unprecedented tefillah gathering, organized by Vaad HaRabbanim L’Inyanei Tzedakah B’Eretz HaKodesh. When HaGaon Rav Elimelech Biderman Shlit”a Spoke, Hearts Were Transformed The beloved tzaddik and mashpia stirred every neshama present with his fiery divrei chizuk, speaking about the tremendous kedushah of supporting Vaad HaRabbanim—the lifeline for thousands of struggling mishpachos across Eretz Yisrael. In just seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuos, nearly 20,000 families—yesomim, almanos, cholim, and heartbroken Yidden—received yeshuos that literally saved their lives. A Ma’aseh That Will Change How You See Your Children Rav Biderman shared an incredible teaching from the heilige Maran Rav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz zt”l: The Rosh Yeshivah noticed that often the “weaker” children—those who struggled—became the greatest talmidei chachamim. Why? “For regular children, people said the tefillah of the Shelah… but for the struggling ones—tears were shed. And that made all the difference.” Your Zechusim Are Waiting Following the drashah, Tefillas HaShelah was recited with tremendous hislahavus. The names of thousands of donors were mentioned b’rabbim—for yeshuos, refuah, parnassah, and nachas from their children. This Zechus Can Be Yours Right now, you can become shutaf with Gedolei Yisrael in this holy avodah. Every dollar puts food on an almanah’s table, pays for a choleh’s refuah, keeps broken families together. The zechusim of thousands of mishpachos and the tefillos of our gedolim accompany every donation straight to the Kisei HaKavod. Don’t wait—these families need your help today. DONATE NOW – Join This Sacred Zechus Tizku l’mitzvos! May all who participate be zocheh to kabbalas haTorah b’simchah u’v’tuv levav.

US Economy Contracts for First Time in Three Years Amid Trade War Disruptions

The U.S. economy shrank at a 0.2% annual pace from January through March, the first drop in three years, as President Donald Trump’s trade wars disrupted business, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its initial estimate. First-quarter growth was brought down by a surge in imports as companies in the United States hurried to bring in foreign goods before the president imposed massive import taxes. The January-March drop in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — reversed a 2.4% gain in the fourth quarter of 2024. Imports grew at a 42.6% pace, fastest since third-quarter 2020, and shaved more than 5 percentage points off GDP growth. Consumer spending also slowed sharply. And federal government spending fell at a 4.6% annual pace, the biggest drop in three years. Trade deficits reduce GDP. But that’s mainly a matter of mathematics. GDP is supposed to count only what’s produced domestically. So imports — which the government counts as consumer spending in the GDP report when you buy, say, Costa Rican coffee — have to be subtracted out to keep them from artificially inflating domestic production. The first-quarter import surge likely won’t be repeated in the April-June quarter and therefore shouldn’t weigh on GDP. From January through March, business investment surged 24.4%. An increase in inventories — as businesses stocked up ahead of the tariffs — added more than 2.6 percentage points to first-quarter GDP growth. A category within the GDP data that measures the economy’s underlying strength rose at a 2.5% annual rate from January through March, down from 2.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024 but still solid. This category includes consumer spending and private investment but excludes volatile items like exports, inventories and government spending. Trump’s tariffs have added considerable uncertainty to the economic outlook. He has imposed 10% tariffs on almost every country on earth in addition to levies on steel, aluminum and autos. A federal court on Wednesday blocked the 10% tariffs as well as specific taxes on Canadian, Mexican and Chinese imports, saying the president had overstepped his authority. Thursday’s report was the second of three Commerce Department estimates of first-quarter GDP. The final version arrives June 26. (AP)

Report: Over 11,000 North Korean Troops Now in Russia, Gaining Combat Experience

The United States and 10 allies on Thursday said the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea flagrantly violates U.N. sanctions and has helped Moscow increase its missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. They made the accusations in their first report since joining forces to monitor sanctions against North Korea after Russia vetoed a resolution in March 2024 to continue the monitoring by a U.N. Security Council panel of experts. It had been issuing reports of Pyongyang’s sanctions violations since 2010. The 29-page report produced by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team — comprised of the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom — said the evidence it gathered demonstrates that North Korea and Russia have engaged in “myriad unlawful activities” explicitly prohibited by U.N. sanctions resolutions. It said North Korea has transferred arms and related materiel by sea, air and rail, including artillery, ballistic missiles and combat vehicles, for Russia’s use in the war in Ukraine. Russia has transferred air defense systems to North Korea, and its forces trained the North’s troops deployed to support Russia’s war, the team said. And Moscow also has supplied refined petroleum products to Pyongyang in far excess of the yearly cap under U.N. sanctions, and has maintained corresponding banking relations with the North in violation of sanctions. The 11 countries said this unlawful cooperation has “contributed to Moscow’s ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure.” The cooperation also has provided resources for North Korea to fund its military and banned ballistic missile programs., and it allowed the more than 11,000 troops Pyongyang has deployed to Russia since October 2024 to gain first-hand military experience, the team said. There was no immediate response from the Russian Mission to the United Nations to a request for comment on the report. The report covers the period between Jan. 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025, and points to evidence that Russia and North Korea intend to further deepen their military cooperation for at least the foreseeable future. It cites an unnamed country in the team reporting that Russian-flagged cargo vessels delivered as many as 9 million rounds of ammunition for artillery and multiple rocket launchers from North Korea to Russia in 2024. The report includes images of containers, which the team says were from North Korean and Russian ports and an ammunition dump in Russia. Citing an unnamed team member, the report says North Korea last year transferred at least 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, which were launched into Ukraine “to destroy civilian infrastructure and terrorize populated areas such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.” It also transferred “elements of three brigade sets of heavy artillery,” the report said. It includes images of a North Korean 170mm self-propelled gun that it said was being transported through Russia, and North Korean multiple rocket launcher ammunition and an anti-tank missile it said were found in Ukraine. The team said in a joint statement that it will continue to monitor implementation of U.N. resolutions “and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade U.N. sanctions.” It urged North Korea “to engage in meaningful diplomacy.” The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea’s first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in […]

PHOTOS: HaRav Tzvi Meyer Zilberberg Giving A Pre-Shavuos Shiur At Breslov Bnei Brak [Via Shuki Lerer]

Hamas Officially Rejects Trump’s Latest Ceasefire Proposal For Gaza War

Hamas has rejected a U.S.-proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal, which Israel had accepted, further complicating efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The proposal, mediated by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in coordination with Egypt and Qatar, offered a 60-day truce, the release of 10 living Israeli hostages in two phases, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hamas’s refusal, citing demands for a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, has drawn criticism from Israeli officials who note that it prioritizes the group’s political survival over peace. The deal, discussed in Doha, included the release of 10 living hostages, starting with five on the first day and five on the seventh, alongside the remains of 16 deceased hostages. In exchange, Israel would release Palestinian prisoners and allow unconditional humanitarian aid into Gaza from day one. Israel endorsed the plan, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing hope for progress, though he maintained that any agreement must align with Israel’s goals of dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and securing all hostages. Hamas, however, rejected the proposal, insisting on a permanent end to the war and a complete Israeli troop withdrawal—conditions Israel has consistently deemed unacceptable. Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas negotiator, said the terror group seeks a “comprehensive package” that ensures a full Israeli withdrawal and Gaza’s reconstruction, accusing Israel of imposing “impossible conditions.” The rejection follows the collapse of a two-month ceasefire on March 18, when Israel resumed airstrikes after Hamas refused to extend the initial truce phase. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Family Sues Oil Companies For Wrongful Death After Woman Dies During Heat Wave

In one of the nation’s first wrongful-death claims seeking to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its role in the changing climate, a Washington state woman is suing seven oil and gas companies, saying they contributed to an extraordinarily hot day that led to her mother’s fatal hyperthermia. The lawsuit filed in state court this week says the companies knew that their products have altered the climate, including contributing to a 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest that killed 65-year-old Juliana Leon, and that they failed to warn the public of such risks. On June 28, 2021, an unusual heat wave culminated in a 108-degrees Fahrenheit (42.22 degrees Celsius) day — the hottest ever recorded in the state, according to the filing. Leon had just driven 100 miles from home for an appointment, and she rolled down her windows on the way back because her car’s air conditioning wasn’t working. Leon pulled over and parked her car in a residential area, according to the lawsuit. She was found unconscious behind the wheel when a bystander called for help. Despite medical interventions, Leon died. The filing names Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66 and BP subsidiary Olympic Pipeline Company. “Defendants knew that their fossil fuel products were already altering the earth’s atmosphere,” when Juliana was born, Thursday’s filing said. “By 1968, Defendants understood that the fossil fuel-dependent economy they were creating and perpetuating would intensify those atmospheric changes, resulting in more frequent and destructive weather disasters and foreseeable loss of human life.” The filing adds: “The extreme heat that killed Julie was directly linked to fossil fuel-driven alteration of the climate.” Chevron Corporation counsel Theodore Boutrous Jr. said in a statement: “Exploiting a personal tragedy to promote politicized climate tort litigation is contrary to law, science, and common sense. The court should add this far-fetched claim to the growing list of meritless climate lawsuits that state and federal courts have already dismissed.” ConocoPhillips, BP, Shell and BP subsidiary Olympic Pipeline Company declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press. The other companies did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit accuses the companies of hiding, downplaying and misrepresenting the risks of climate change caused by humans burning oil and gas and obstructing research. International climate researchers said in a peer-reviewed analysis that the 2021 “heat dome” was “virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.” Scientists have broadly attributed the record-breaking, more frequent, longer-lasting and increasingly deadly heat waves around the world to climate change that they say is a result of burning fossil fuels. Oil and gas are fossil fuels that, when burned, emit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide. “We’ve seen a really advanced scientific understanding about the specific effects that climate change can cause in individual extreme weather events,” said Korey Silverman-Roati, a senior fellow at the Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. “Scientists today are a lot more confident in saying that but for climate change, this would not have happened.” Silverman-Roati said the specificity of the case could clarify for people the consequences of climate change and the potential consequences of company behavior. The lawsuit was first reported by The New York Times. “Big Oil companies have known for decades that their products would cause catastrophic climate disasters that would become more […]

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