U.S.

Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, brushed off concerns Wednesday about his low popularity numbers, choosing instead to highlight his party’s momentum and strategy against President Trump.
During a press briefing, a CNN reporter brought up a recent poll showing Schumer with just 17% approval — the lowest rating among current congressional leaders — and asked, “Are you concerned that you may be a liability for your party?”
“Polls come and go,” Schumer replied. “Our party is united. We’re on our front foot. We’re stepping forward and going after Trump and having real success.”

Hamas issued a provocative message through its Telegram channel, urging Palestinians to take violent action by starting fires targeting Jewish homes, farmland, and forests.
In its post, the terror group incited followers with the words: “Youth of the West Bank, youth of Jerusalem, and those inside Israel, set their cars ablaze… Gaza awaits the revenge of the free.”
On the same platform, the Jenin News Network joined the incitement campaign, publishing a call to “burn the groves near the settlements,” specifically directing their message at Palestinians in proximity to Israeli communities.

Israeli Air Force pilots have joined firefighting teams working to contain several conflagrations that have consumed about 5,000 acres of forest and terrain, mostly near Yerushalayim.
These efforts and weather conditions helped stabilize the situation, but the Israel Fire & Rescue Authority said in a statement on Thursday morning that its 155 teams were still working to contain the fires, in which no one was killed but which resulted in the hospitalization of 12 civilians and 17 firefighters. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes in the Judean Foothills.

Law enforcement officers in Florida have been instructed to cease enforcing state immigration laws, following a decision handed down this week by a federal judge.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams clarified that her previous directive barring the enforcement of Florida’s immigration statute is binding on all local agencies. Fox News reported that during a Tuesday hearing in Miami, Williams also told state attorneys she intends to grant a preliminary injunction against a law that criminalizes undocumented migrants who enter Florida while bypassing immigration authorities.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a blunt warning to Iran over its ongoing backing of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, making it clear that such actions won’t go unanswered—even as American officials reengage in nuclear discussions with the Islamic Republic.
Washington and Tehran have now participated in three indirect negotiation rounds, all facilitated by Oman. The aim is to strike an agreement that would restrict Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons while offering relief from severe American sanctions.
The negotiations are scheduled to continue this weekend in Rome.

President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that his administration is considering pulling federal grant money from Harvard University, expressing frustration with the school’s resistance to certain White House mandates regarding campus governance and policies on speech.
“And it looks like we are not going to be giving them any more grants, right Linda?” Trump said, addressing Education Secretary Linda McMahon, according to Reuters.
He followed up by saying, “A grant is at our discretion and they are really not behaving well. So it’s too bad.”
Harvard University and the Department of Education did not immediately respond to media requests for comment on the President’s statements.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Having recently celebrated Pesach, we are now in the Sefirah period, counting towards Shavuos and striving each day to refine ourselves, so that we may be worthy and prepared to accept the Torah and its way of life.
Our study this week of the parshiyos of Tazria and Metzora is an essential part of that process. Otherwise, we would not be laining these parshiyos during this time of introspection and personal growth.