New York News
The New York State Education Department has stripped three additional NYC yeshivas of their legal status due to their failure to meet secular education standards.
Parents must now find new schools for their children by next year, as these yeshivas will lose public funding for meals, transportation, and textbooks after June 30. This follows years of debate over ensuring basic instruction in subjects like English and math, with the state enforcing a mandate for “substantially equivalent” education. The affected schools, all in Brooklyn, include Yeshiva Torah V’Yirah Bais Rochel and two Mosdos Chasidei Square locations. This brings the total to eight penalized yeshivas, signaling a broader crackdown.
Yeshiva University announced it will officially recognize Hareni, an LGBTQ+ student club, following an agreement to resolve a three-year legal battle. The decision came after the YU Pride Alliance sued in 2021, claiming discrimination under New York City’s Human Rights Law when the Orthodox Jewish school denied club recognition. Hareni will operate under guidelines set by YU’s senior rabbis, balancing religious values with student inclusion. The university dropped its Supreme Court appeal of a lower court ruling favoring the students. Both sides agreed to dismiss the litigation, with YU affirming its commitment to Torah principles while allowing the club to function as an extracurricular group starting this semester.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ announced that he is running as a Democrat, ending rumors that he will be changing parties. His re-election campaign is faltering, raising only $36,000 from 42 donors in the past two months, according to recent filings. This amount starkly contrasts with his Democratic rivals in the June primary. Zohran Mamdani, a socialist state assemblymember, collected $845,000 over the same period, bolstered by over 16,000 donors. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, now leading polls, amassed $1.5 million since joining the race on March 1, leveraging his $7.7 million campaign fund. Adams’ total haul stands at $4.4 million, but his recent fundraising slump, amid federal corruption charges, signals trouble for the incumbent as the primary nears.
New York’s highest court ruled 6-1 that a New York City law permitting noncitizens to vote in local elections violates the state constitution. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote that the constitution explicitly limits voting rights to citizens, invalidating the 2021 measure passed by the City Council. The law would have allowed about 800,000 legal noncitizen residents with green cards or work permits to vote for mayor and other local offices. The decision upheld a lower court ruling after Republican lawmakers challenged the law. Judge Jenny Rivera dissented, arguing local governments could extend such rights. The ruling ends a three-year legal battle, barring noncitizen voting in NYC elections unless the constitution is amended.
Nassau County and NYU Langone have paused negotiations for a $3 billion cutting-edge medical center at Nassau Community College, likely ending the project. County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office stated that external challenges proved too difficult to overcome, halting plans for the advanced academic facility. Announced in May 2023, the center was set to span over 40 acres, aiming to expand top-tier care on Long Island. Both parties mutually agreed to stop talks after nearly two years, citing unspecified burdensome issues. NYU Langone is now exploring alternative sites, including preliminary discussions for a major hospital at Canon USA’s headquarters in Melville, while reaffirming its commitment to enhancing Long Island’s healthcare.
NYC subway crime fell 7% after the NYPD introduced overnight patrols in January 2025, according to police data. The initiative deployed 1,000 additional officers to monitor trains and stations from midnight to 6 a.m., targeting grand larcenies and assaults. Mayor Eric Adams attributed the drop—part of a 15% overall transit crime decline since 2022—to this beefed-up presence. Felony assaults decreased by 10%, and thefts dropped 8% compared to the prior year. The patrols, costing $20 million annually, aim to boost rider safety as subway use nears 4 million daily trips. Adams highlighted this as a key factor in broader crime reduction efforts across the city’s transit system.
Mayor Eric Adams appointed Randy Mastro as first deputy mayor, six months after Mastro withdrew his bid to become NYC’s top attorney due to City Council opposition. A former deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani, Mastro steps into a leadership role following the resignation of four aides—Maria Torres-Springer, Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom, and Chauncey Parker—amid a federal corruption probe into Adams’ administration. The probe, which led to Adams’ indictment on bribery and fraud charges, prompted the Justice Department to seek dismissal of the case, sparking concerns over his autonomy. Mastro, a seasoned litigator, joins to stabilize City Hall without needing Council approval, unlike his prior corporation counsel bid. Adams praised Mastro’s track record in navigating challenging times.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has extended New York City’s congestion pricing deadline by 30 days, moving it past the original March 21 cutoff. The decision, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, comes as negotiations continue over ending the program, which charges most vehicles $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours. The MTA has refused to stop tolls without a court order, filing a lawsuit to maintain the program after federal approval was rescinded. Governor Kathy Hochul has vowed resistance, citing $50 million in revenue from the toll’s first month. The extension delays the shutdown to April 20, with Duffy warning that noncompliance could risk federal funding.
A federal judge ordered Columbia University and Barnard College to withhold student disciplinary records from a Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce, pending a hearing next week. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate student arrested and facing deportation for his role in anti-Israel protests, along with other students. They aim to block the committee’s demand for records tied to campus demonstrations, arguing it violates their rights. The order coincides with a Trump administration deadline threatening further funding cuts, including $400 million already withheld, over Columbia’s alleged failure to address antisemitism. Judge Arun Subramanian will review Khalil’s request for a restraining order at the hearing.
US NEWS
President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education, fulfilling a key campaign promise. The order aims to return education authority to states and local communities, though fully closing the agency requires congressional approval. It preserves critical functions like student loans and special education funding, with plans to shift them to other agencies. The department’s staff has already been cut nearly in half, with 1,300 layoffs and 600 voluntary exits since Trump took office. Republicans like Senator Bill Cassidy plan to introduce legislation to support the shutdown, while Democrats and unions denounce it as harmful to students, predicting legal challenges ahead.
Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, passed away at age 49. Her family announced she died peacefully at her home in Saratoga Springs, Utah, surrounded by loved ones. Love, who represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019, had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, since her diagnosis in 2022. Her daughter Abigale shared earlier this month that the cancer was no longer responding to treatment. The former congresswoman, mayor, and CNN commentator leaves a historic legacy as a trailblazer in American politics.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced federal charges against three individuals—Adam Matthew Lansky, Lucy Grace Nelson, and Daniel Brendan Kurt Clarke-Pounder—for firebombing Tesla properties with Molotov cocktails. Lansky allegedly threw eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, while armed with a suppressed AR-15. Nelson is accused of attacking a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, with incendiary devices and possessing materials for more. Clarke-Pounder reportedly set fire to Tesla charging stations in North Charleston, South Carolina, after spray-painting anti-Trump messages. Each faces charges carrying up to 20 years in prison, with the DOJ labeling the acts “domestic terrorism” targeting Tesla vehicles and stations. All were arrested and await trial.
President Donald Trump issued a memorandum revoking security clearances for former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and over a dozen other political figures. The memo listed 15 individuals, including former President Joe Biden and his family, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump stated, “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for these individuals to access classified information,” directing agencies to rescind their clearances and unescorted access to secure facilities. The move followed earlier revocations by National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and aligns with Trump’s prior pledge to strip Biden’s clearance, escalating his actions against perceived adversaries.
Yisroel Liebb, a 20-year-old Orthodox Jewish man from New Jersey, has filed a federal lawsuit against United Airlines and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security following an incident on a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston. The suit alleges that on January 28, the pilot forcibly removed Liebb from a locked airplane bathroom during a medical emergency involving constipation, exposing him to passengers. It claims the pilot made anti-Semitic remarks while pushing Liebb and his companion, Jacob Sebbag, back to their seats. Upon landing, CBP officers detained both men, with one reportedly saying, “You have no rights here,” after tightening Liebb’s handcuffs. The Anti-Defamation League has condemned United Airlines, calling the pilot’s alleged actions antisemitic and unacceptable.
President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, announced from the Oval Office on Friday that the U.S. Air Force will proceed with producing the F-47, a new sixth-generation fighter jet. Boeing secured the contract to build this advanced aircraft, designed to replace the F-22 Raptor, after outcompeting Lockheed Martin. The F-47, part of the Next Generation Air Dominance program, features enhanced stealth, advanced sensors, and the ability to operate with drones. Trump highlighted its superiority, calling it the most advanced fighter ever built, with experimental versions having flown for nearly five years. The initial contract is valued at over $20 billion, aimed at maintaining U.S. air superiority amid tensions with China.
Harvard University announced that starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, students from families earning up to $200,000 annually will pay no tuition. The policy, unveiled Monday, aims to boost affordability for middle-income students, doubling the previous income threshold of $100,000 set in 2023. Eligible students may also receive additional aid for room, board, and other costs, based on need. Harvard, with a $53 billion endowment, will fund this through its financial aid budget, which exceeds $200 million yearly. The change is expected to benefit about half of its undergraduates—roughly 3,400 students—building on its history of free tuition for lower-income families since 2004. Applications rose 10% after the announcement.
Israel NEWS
An Israeli Supreme Court judge issued an injunction, temporarily halting the dismissal of Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar until a hearing can be held. This followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet unanimously voting to remove Bar, citing a loss of trust after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack failures. The court’s order, effective until at least April 8, responds to petitions from opposition groups and NGOs claiming the decision reflects a conflict of interest, as Shin Bet investigates alleged ties between Netanyahu’s aides and Qatar. Bar called his dismissal politically motivated and legally flawed. Netanyahu insists the government retains authority over Shin Bet leadership, while protests against the move continue across Israel.
The IDF has broadened its ground operation in southern Gaza, focusing on Rafah’s Shabura area to dismantle Hamas infrastructure. Troops have entered this neighborhood, destroying terrorist facilities, while maintaining operations in northern and central Gaza. In the north, forces targeted a former hospital used as a Hamas command center, and in central Gaza, they expanded control over the Netzarim Corridor. Airstrikes across the Strip have supported these efforts, hitting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad sites. The military reports ongoing efforts to neutralize threats, with brigade-sized units active in multiple zones, though full divisions are not yet deployed.
An 86-year-old man was killed and a 20-year-old IDF soldier was seriously wounded in a terrorist attack near Yokneam in Israel’s Lower Galilee on Monday. The assailant, a 25-year-old Arab Israeli from Ma’ale Iron, rammed his car into a bus stop, striking the soldier, then stabbed him and stole his rifle. He fired at a passing vehicle, fatally shooting the elderly man, identified as Moshe Horn from Kibbutz HaZore’a, who was with his son. Border Police officers neutralized the attacker at the Tishbi Junction on Route 66. The soldier is receiving treatment at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa in serious condition.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward central and southern Israel, which was intercepted outside Israeli territory by the Israeli Air Force. Air raid sirens sounded across multiple regions, forcing millions to seek shelter, though no casualties or damage were reported. The Houthis claimed the attack targeted a military site, marking it as their first missile strike on Israel since a January ceasefire with Hamas. This follows a pattern of over 400 Houthi attacks on Israel since late 2023, most intercepted by Israel’s multilayered air defense systems, including the Arrow missile defense. The U.S. has also conducted strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to such actions.
The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that Ismail Barhoum, a senior Hamas official and Khan Younis Brigade commander, was killed in an airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis last night. The strike targeted Barhoum, who was hiding among civilians in the hospital, which Israel claims Hamas uses as a military base. Barhoum was involved in planning the October 7, 2023, attack and managing weapons production. The operation involved precise intelligence and aerial coordination to eliminate him. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry reported eight deaths in the strike, including civilians, though Israel asserts it targeted only Barhoum and other operatives. This marks a significant blow to Hamas’s leadership in the region.
WORLD NEWS
The Pentagon has redirected the USS Carl Vinson from the East China Sea to the Middle East to join the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. This move bolsters U.S. naval presence against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have resumed attacks on Red Sea shipping. The Vinson, previously conducting exercises with Japan and South Korea, will take about three weeks to arrive. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth extended the Truman’s deployment by three months to maintain two carrier strike groups in the region. The intensified campaign follows Houthi missile and drone strikes, prompting U.S. airstrikes on over 30 Houthi targets. President Trump has vowed to hold Iran accountable for further Houthi aggression.
Russia launched a massive suicide drone attack on Odesa, Ukraine, one of the largest in the ongoing war, with dozens of strikes reported across the Black Sea port city. The assault targeted energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting power, water, and heating in multiple districts. Fires broke out across the city, damaging shopping malls, residential buildings, and private homes, with emergency services battling massive blazes. Regional Governor Oleh Kiper confirmed the strikes hit critical infrastructure, while the Ukrainian air force reported Russia deployed 214 drones, with 114 intercepted and 81 jammed. The attack, among the most intense on Odesa since the conflict began, injured at least three people, including teenagers, and underscored Russia’s persistent aerial campaign despite a partial ceasefire on energy targets.
Tesla has been removed from the Vancouver International Auto Show due to safety concerns, according to Executive Director Eric Nicholl. In a statement, Nicholl explained that the decision prioritized the safety of workers, attendees, and exhibitors. The electric carmaker was given multiple opportunities to withdraw voluntarily before the show, set to run from Wednesday to Sunday at the Vancouver Convention Centre, made the call. The move follows recent “Tesla Takedown” protests in Canada targeting CEO Elon Musk’s ties to U.S. President Donald Trump. Last week, BC Hydro also excluded Tesla products from its EV rebate program amid U.S.-Canada trade tensions. Tesla vehicles were already on-site when the decision was finalized.
George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic from Atlanta, was released by the Taliban after being abducted in December 2022 while traveling in Afghanistan as a tourist. The U.S. State Department announced his freedom on Thursday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming the deal brokered by Qatari diplomats. Glezmann, detained for over two years and deemed wrongfully held by the U.S., is now en route to reunite with his wife, Aleksandra, via Doha, Qatar. He becomes the third American freed by the Taliban since January, following Ryan Corbett and William McKenty’s release in a prisoner swap. The Taliban called it a “goodwill gesture,” with no U.S. prisoners exchanged in this instance.
Protests have erupted in Ankara, Turkey, with thousands demanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s resignation over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges. Demonstrators gathered at Guvenpark and Atatürk Boulevard, clashing with police who used water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse crowds. The unrest, sparked by Imamoglu’s detention—seen by supporters as politically motivated—has spread nationwide, marking the largest demonstrations in over a decade. Erdogan condemned the protests as a “movement of violence,” blaming the opposition CHP party, while authorities report over 1,100 arrests across cities including Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. The CHP insists the protests defend democracy against Erdogan’s 22-year rule.
