A new book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, alleges that a small, tight-knit group of aides, referred to as the “Politburo,” effectively controlled the Biden White House during the former president’s term. The book, detailed in a New York Post article, paints a picture of a presidency where key decisions were made by a select few, shielding President Joe Biden from broader input as his health and cognitive abilities came under scrutiny. According to the authors, this inner circle included senior aides Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Bruce Reed, and First Lady Jill Biden’s top aide, Anthony Bernal.

Last week, the leaders of France, the UK, and Canada issued a joint statement slamming Israel for its handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, demanding that it halt military action in Gaza, and even threatening to implement sanctions on Israel if it doesn’t heed their orders. A day later, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot sharpened the rhetoric against Israel, claiming that it is turning Gaza into “a place of death, if not a cemetery.” “He who sows violence reaps violence,” Barrot said about Israel, and threatened to reevaluate the EU-Israel trade agreement. He also reiterated France’s commitment to recognizing a Palestinian state. “We can’t leave Gaza’s children with a legacy of hate and violence,” he said.

Prominent Gedolei Yisrael, led by Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galai, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, and the Admorim from Shevet HaLevi, Sasov, Shomrei Emunim, Bitchkov, Nadvorna Elad, Meilin, and others, went to the fields to harvest wheat for the renowned Tiferes Matzos Bakery, owned by the esteemed askan Reb Aharon Yosef Kornitzer. The wheat was harvested for Pesach 5786 matzos. View the photo gallery taken for YWN by photographer Shuki Lerer.

It is well-known in Israel that the Hostages and Missing Families Forum is run by leftists, and in many ways, the organization’s activities are a continuation of the pre-October 7 protests against the Netanyahu government and his so-called plan to “crush democracy.” What is less well known is the extent of the organization’s politicization, which was recently revealed by one of the organization’s founders, Liat Bell Sommer, who has since left the organization. Before October 7, Bell Sommer was a leftist herself, a self-described “Kaplanist who burned the Ayalon.” Following the massacre, she had a desire to help the families of the hostages, and she volunteered to work at the Hostages Forum. And as one may think, her desire to help was not related to her political views.

President Donald Trump late Sunday night unleashed a blistering attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “crazy” and accusing him of “needlessly killing a lot of people” amid Russia’s intensifying assault on Ukraine. The post, published on Trump’s Truth Social platform, marked a stark shift in tone from the former president, who has previously avoided directly blaming Putin for the war. Trump went so far as to warn that Putin’s actions would lead to the “downfall of Russia” — a dramatic departure from his usual posture of cautious criticism paired with repeated calls for peace. Within hours, the Kremlin responded, downplaying the remarks and portraying Trump’s outburst as a product of high emotions.

On Thursday, NYPD Brooklyn South Assistant Chief Frank Giordano visited the Boro Park Chaverim headquarters, where he was welcomed by coordinators from both the Boro Park and Flatbush divisions. Chief Giordano was given a full tour of the garage and dispatch center, where he got a close-up look at Chaverim’s operations and the various tools and equipment they use to assist the community daily. Volunteers explained the wide range of calls they handle—everything from car lockouts and flat tires to helping during blackouts, floods, and large-scale events. The visit gave Chief Giordano a firsthand look at how Chaverim functions behind the scenes and the close working relationship they have with the NYPD.

Israel’s Education Ministry is currently formulating a list of several educational programs aimed at restoring Jewish identity and mesorah, and school principals will be required to choose one program to implement at their schools, Channel 13 News recently revealed. Some examples of the programs are implementing Jewish ceremonies such as Havdalah or Kabbalas Shabbos and Chagim; the singing of piyutim, Jewish studies instruction for teachers, the establishment of a garden for growing the Shivas Minim in the schoolyard, or even the operation of a Beis Medrash in the school. Predictably, some of the secular public slammed the plan as “religious coercion,” but many supported the move.

The FBI has announced it is revisiting three high-profile cases that have drawn significant public attention: the discovery of cocaine at the White House in 2023, the leak of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022, and the placement of pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters on January 6, 2021. The decision to reinvestigate these cases comes under the direction of Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who cited “potential public corruption” as a driving factor for the renewed probes. Cocaine Found at Biden’s White House In July 2023, a small bag of cocaine was discovered in a cubby near the West Wing entrance of the White House, sparking widespread speculation and controversy.

Former Hamas hostage Omer Wenkert gave a harrowing account of his captivity in Gaza, revealing systematic abuse, deliberate starvation, and psychological torment during his 14-month imprisonment underground. Speaking at a Bar Association conference, Wenkert described how the already dire conditions worsened dramatically during Israel’s offensive on Rafah in May 2024. “They intentionally starved me,” Wenkert said, recalling being fed half a pita a day for weeks. “Around the entry to Rafah, [there was] intentional starvation, and intentional abuse. They did things that seriously endangered my life, for fun.” Among the disturbing incidents he recounted: a captor spraying insect repellent directly into his eyes and onto anything he might touch.

The upcoming Adirei HaTorah maamad at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia has officially sold out—in just three days—setting a new record for the much-anticipated event celebrating the kavod haTorah and the dedication of bnei Torah. By comparison, last year’s event, which drew a crowd of over 30,000, took 12 days to sell out. Organizers said on Sunday evening that while the main seating is completely booked, a few hundred obstructed-view seats still remain available for those hoping to attend. The highlight of this year’s Maamad will be a keynote address from Harav Ezriel Auerbach shlit”a, one of the most revered poskim in Eretz Yisroel.