https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-852204
Some fear that handling both Hamas and Iran will be too much for Steve Witkoff.
“Wait a minute. Terry. Terry, Terry,” Trump said during Tuesday’s interview, refusing to move on.
“He did not have the letter ‘M-S-1-3,’” Moran said.
“It says ‘M-S-1-3,’” Trump insisted.
“That was Photoshopped,” Moran said.
“That was Photoshopped? Terry you can’t do that,” Trump told Moran.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/01/politics/alien-enemies-act-trump-rodriguez-ruling
The ruling is a significant blow to Trump’s decision in March to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, which has faced numerous legal challenges and has been halted by several courts. But Rodriguez’s ruling is the first to conclude that the president exceeded his authority by relying on a law that was intended to be used during times when the US is at war.
The Trump administration, Rodriguez wrote, does “not possess the lawful authority under the AEA, and based on the Proclamation, to detain Venezuelan aliens, transfer them within the United States, or remove them from the country.”
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5277593-judge-trump-alien-enemies-act-texas
A federal district judge ruled Thursday that the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) does not permit President Trump to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador, extending a block on the law being used against migrants detained in South Texas.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, said the rarely used law can only be invoked when an “organized, armed force” is entering the United States, rejecting the president’s claims that he can use it against alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-01-2025/
Fire service stresses ban on visiting national parks and forests in areas near fires during Independence Day * Three people rescued from blaze at Bat Yam senior home
Notorious gang’s initials were digitally added to an image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s hand
https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-casts-tiebreaking-vote-defeat-democrats-trump-tariff-plan-2066490
Vice President JD Vance cast a tiebreaking vote to table a bipartisan resolution Wednesday night aimed at canceling President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency in order to impose global tariffs.
The resolution ended in a tie during the first round of votes, as a few members of the Senate were not there. In a subsequent vote to table or reconsider the resolution, Vance stepped in to break the 49-49 tie.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky cosponsored the bill and Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski also voted in favor of it.
Igros Moshe (CM I #93) Question Is it permitted to get a job at a place which requires that he not wear a kip and go bare headed? Answer It is clearly permitted since one is not obligated to lose money in order to wear a kipa! That is because there is no actual prohibition even as a rabbinic decree to go bare headed but it is only a good custom. It definitely is not worse than nullifying a positive command which does not require sustaining a loss of a lot money to avoid. Therefore avoiding taking the job which is the basis for his parnossa is considered a large financial loss. Thus even according to the Taz who says not wearing a kipah violates the Torah prohibition of following non Jewish practices which would require sustaining a large financial loss to avoid. However this prohibition is is not clear. And this would also seem to depend on the specific place and country. In America , going bare headed is definitely not goyish custom, since most people don’t go bare headed to show they are goyim. But it would be permitted only at the office where they are strict about this. But going to another place and especially in public it would be prohibited to go bare headed even if people will laugh at him since there is no longer a financial loss of losing his job.by wearing a kipa there.
Igros Moshe (OC IV #2) Question: Can one stop wearing a Kipa in order to get a job which requires meeting people and his boss says he can’t wear a kippa. Answer It would seem that this is permitted since most authorities say that wearing a kipa is not actually required but is an act of piety. Even wearing this when saying G-d’s name is not actually prohibited. However this is an ancient custom (minhag) and thus to avoid a great loss as it would be permitted concerning nullifying a positive commandment it is permitted. However the Taz says that not wearing a kipa involves an issur of chukas goyim which would not be permitted by a great financial loss and it is appropriate to be strict according to his view even though that in a case of great loss one can rely on the view that this is not a case of chukas goyim because even the goyim don’t wear a hat when it is warm so we see that not wearing a hat is not a requirement but only a free choice which refutes the view of the Taz. .
At the Sea The Angel asked Why the Jews were saved since they were sinners like the Egyptians and had no special merit of their own
Mechilta (beshalach 6) The Jews were only redeemed from Egypt because of the reward for their faith
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-worst-first-100-days-of-any-administration-in-history/
That is not to contradict the White House’s assertion that it has been a record-breaking first 100 days. Indeed, it is inarguable that no administration has done more damage, more quickly, to the U.S. economy, to the rule of law, to America’s standing in the world and to important institutions at home and abroad than Trump’s second tenure has.
Look at Trump’s campaign promises. Ending the war in Ukraine in 24 hours? No. Revitalizing the economy? No. Beating inflation? No. Restoring America’s standing in the world? No. No. Making sure we no longer have an addled old man in the White House? No.
In fact, in each of these areas—and many more still—Trump has made matters worse.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-administration-immigration-tariffs-live-updates-2066077
The U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years, with new data showing a 0.3% decline in gross domestic product for the first quarter of 2025. The surprising drop, driven largely by a spike in imports ahead of steep new tariffs, sparked fresh market jitters and political finger-pointing, including President Donald Trump, who blamed the downturn on the "Biden overhang."
Trump blames Biden as US economy goes into reverse
President Donald Trump pointed the finger of blame at former President Joe Biden after data showed the U.S. economy shrank for the first time in three years.
"This is Biden's Stock Market, not Trump's," Trump posted to his Truth Social platform after the economic news dropped, and markets braced to open lower.
"I didn't take over until January 20th. Tariffs will soon start kicking in, and companies are starting to move into the USA in record numbers.
"Our Country will boom, but we have to get rid of the Biden 'Overhang.' This will take a while, has NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS, only that he left us with bad numbers, but when the boom begins, it will be like no other. BE PATIENT!!!"
Malbim (Bereishis 7:23) All existence on earth was blotted out While life was blotted out, many of their bones which were as strong as iron bars and did not disintegrate. Most of the carcasses were carried by the flood waters into deep crevices. They were thus buried deep in the earth. Consequentlt when Noach left the Ark, he found no trace of the carcasses of animals or the big bones of of the large animals or giants that existed before the Flood. The testimony of G-d is reliable and enlightens the fool. And is the response to the scholarly geologists who dig in the depths of the Earth where they find the large bones of giants and large animals. That were lost from the earth and have not existed after the days of the flood, They claim this is proof that the world is very old. That is because that the world is composed of different materials and that different distinct depths there is a different type of earth and they calculate based on these layers the age of the bones. They believe that the world is thousands of years old and that there were already animals from ancient times before the time of our creation. And this is nonsense, because at the time of the flood the earth opened up because of the earthquakes and they overturned the layers bring the lower levels to the top and the top layers to the bottom as well as lowering the carcasses to the lower levels. This process of overturning the layers which continued for 150 years confounds the scientists . They should only be aware of the deeds and wonders of G-d as to how he obliterated the world and drowned them to the depths.
Netziv (Bereishis 7:23) All existence on earth was blotted out That means that their bodies were removed from the surface of the world. But many of the bodies were covered with dirt by the Flood but remained intact. In fact these are source of the bones that have been found by those who dig in the dirt and find bones of creatures which don’t exist now in the world. The many scientist conclude from them that there must have been a different world in existence proior to the creation of this world. In fact in Bereishis Rabbah it clearly states that there were worlds created before this one which G-d destroyed. This idea is also found in the Zohar. Nevertheless I find this problematic as we see in Shemos Rabbah that what came before is not significant and nothing remained of them. I think that these bones are from those that existed before the Flood and no longer exist. Even though they flourished in a different climate but they deviated from their previous life prior to the Flood and moved to a different place. They continued to exist by breeding with different species and produced strange offspring like a horse breeds with a camel. It is the result of Divine supervision that these bones remain so that the contemporary generation can learn the secrets of Nature and the Glory of G-d. .
Igros Moshe (E.H.I #91). Question Is it permitted for someone to try and become engaged to a women who is engaged to another. Is this a case of Ani Hehapech becharara? Answer It is clear that if the first couple has not yet decided to finalize the engagement there is no problem. However if they have decided but are still lacking the customary kinyan there is a dispute among the poskim whether it is permitted. Once the kinyan is made there is a cherem against nullifying the engagement.
