New York News
A devastating crash in Flatbush claimed the lives of Natasha (Sara) Saada, 35, and her daughters, Diana Saada, 7, and Debra Saada, 5,
who were struck by a vehicle on Ocean Parkway near Quentin Road. The incident occurred Shabbos afternoon as the family walked home from synagogue. Their 4-year-old son, Pinchas Raphael ben Sarah, was critically injured and remains hospitalized. The driver, Miriam Yarimi, 32, operating with a suspended license, collided with an Uber vehicle before hitting the family. She faces manslaughter and negligent homicide charges. The tragedy has shaken the Brooklyn Orthodox Jewish community, with a funeral held Sunday and burial in Israel on Monday.
A Brooklyn Jewish teen was interviewed by PIX11 News after recovering a briefcase containing diamonds, jewelry, and cash, valued over $100,000. Returning from Israel via Newark Airport, he was handed the case by his Uber driver, who assumed it was his. Realizing it didn’t belong to him or his group, he contacted Borough Park Shmira. The volunteer safety group traced the owner, a Diamond District worker who hadn’t yet noticed the loss. The teen’s actions were hailed as a “Kiddush Hashem,” reflecting Jewish values of honesty, and Shmira facilitated the reunion at their office, where the owner expressed gratitude.
State Senator Simcha Felder won the NYC Council seat for the 44th District, succeeding Kalman Yeger, who moved to the State Assembly. The district spans Boro Park, Midwood, and Flatbush, and Felder secured over 80% of the vote against Heshy Tischler. His term runs through December 2025, requiring him to run again in the June primary and November election for a full term. Felder’s victory vacates his 22nd District State Senate seat, prompting a special election likely to be scheduled soon. The conservative Democrat, who previously held the Council seat from 2002 to 2010, returns to represent this largely Orthodox Jewish area.
A lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court by six relatives of Hamas captives alleges that anti-Israel groups, including Columbia University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), served as fronts for Hamas and had “prior knowledge” of the October 7, 2023, attacks. The complaint points to an Instagram post from Columbia SJP, dormant for months, reactivated “three minutes before” the attack with the message “We are back!!” and a call to “stay tuned” for their first meeting. It claims this timing suggests foreknowledge, tying the group to a coordinated propaganda effort. The suit also names other groups like Within Our Lifetime and Jewish Voice for Peace, accusing them of aiding Hamas under U.S. antiterrorism laws.
The NYPD is hunting two suspects who vandalized a Tesla Cybertruck in Brooklyn, carving “Nazis” and a swastika into its doors around 1 a.m. Thursday at 730 Monroe Street. The incident, captured by the vehicle’s cameras, showed the pair defacing the unoccupied truck before fleeing on foot. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating, treating it as a bias-motivated act of criminal mischief. No arrests have been made, and police are seeking public tips via the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477. This follows a pattern of Tesla-targeted vandalism nationwide, amid tensions tied to Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration.
Columbia University’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, resigned after the university agreed to policy changes demanded by the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding. The concessions followed the cancellation of funds over alleged antisemitism tied to campus protests. Armstrong, who took the role in August 2024 after Minouche Shafik’s exit, will return to lead the university’s Irving Medical Center. Claire Shipman, co-chair of the board of trustees, was appointed acting president. Shipman dismissed the ongoing House investigation into Columbia’s handling of antisemitism as “nonsense,” signaling resistance to external pressure. The policy shifts included banning masks at protests and restructuring oversight of Middle East studies, sparking faculty backlash over academic freedom.
Super 4 Seasons, a Rockland County car wash, faces a $75,000 fine for charging Jewish customers $169 for a “Passover Special,” over three times the standard $47 price for the same service. An investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office, launched in April 2024 after complaints, found the car wash had targeted Jewish customers with inflated prices since at least 2018, often denying them regular services during Passover preparations. Attorney General Letitia James labeled it religious discrimination, barring the business from such practices. The fine is enforceable if Super 4 Seasons violates the agreement to stop overcharging and holiday-specific pricing.
US NEWS
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed he was accidentally added to a Signal group chat with senior Trump administration officials discussing plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen. The chat, initiated by National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and others sharing operational details like strike timings and targets. Goldberg joined on March 11 after a connection request from Waltz, witnessing sensitive exchanges before the March 15 strikes. He initially withheld specifics in his March 24 Atlantic article, citing security concerns, but published the full texts two days later after officials downplayed their significance. The White House confirmed the chat’s authenticity, but President Trump said that there would be no firings over the incident.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state officials unveiled the Florida Holocaust Memorial in Tallahassee’s Memorial Park, constructed with iron and limestone to honor over six million Jews killed in the Holocaust and survivors who settled in Florida. During the ceremony, DeSantis awarded the Governor’s Medal of Freedom to 95-year-old Holocaust survivor David Schaecter, who has lived in Miami since 1956. Schaecter, a survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, was recognized for educating generations about the Holocaust’s horrors. The memorial features names and faces of survivors gathered by Florida Jewish groups, emphasizing the state’s commitment to remembrance, as highlighted by DeSantis and attendees like First Lady Casey DeSantis.
A New Jersey federal judge declined to grant bail to Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University graduate and green card holder, who remains in ICE custody in Louisiana. Arrested on March 8 in Manhattan, Khalil faces deportation as part of President Trump’s crackdown on campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. His lawyers sought his release and a case transfer to New Jersey, where he was briefly detained before being moved to Louisiana’s Jena facility. The judge postponed a bail ruling, first addressing jurisdiction—whether the case belongs in New Jersey or Louisiana, as argued by the DOJ. Khalil, a key figure in Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protests, awaits a decision while detained, with his wife and supporters rallying outside the Newark courthouse.
Camesha Hart, a 51-year-old nurse at Oregon Health and Science University, was terminated after posting antisemitic comments on social media. She justified the murder of Shiri Bibas and her sons, Ariel and Kfir, kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and killed in captivity. Hart expressed support for Hamas, stating she’d “choose to go with H group [Hamas] any day,” and called Jews “dogs,” “rats,” and “vermin.” She also declared she would refuse to treat Jewish patients, saying, “I don’t take care of animals.” Her firing followed outrage from groups like Physicians Against Antisemitism, though her nursing license remains active until November 2025, pending a state board review.
President Donald Trump pardoned Devon Archer, Hunter Biden’s former business partner, who was convicted in 2018 of defrauding a Native American tribe in a $60 million bond scheme. Archer, once tied to Hunter Biden through Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings, testified to Congress in 2023, claiming Hunter sold the “illusion of access” to his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden. Sentenced to a year in prison in 2022, Archer’s conviction was upheld after the Supreme Court declined his appeal in 2024. Trump signed the pardon, arguing Archer was unfairly treated, with White House staff noting the prosecution intensified after his cooperation with congressional probes into the Biden family. Archer called himself a victim of “lawfare” aimed at silencing him.
Wyoming billionaire Reid Rasner has offered $47.45 billion to buy TikTok from ByteDance, which must divest by April 5 under Biden-era legislation upheld by the Supreme Court. A Trump supporter, Rasner aims to move TikTok’s headquarters to Wyoming and address security concerns by letting users opt-in to data sharing for payment. His plan includes cutting ties with China by acquiring the algorithm, with engineers ensuring a clean break. Rasner told NBC News the Trump administration is seriously reviewing his bid, one of several, as Trump extended the deadline by 75 days via executive order. He also proposes a sovereign wealth fund contribution, aligning with Trump’s economic vision, though ByteDance has not confirmed its stance on selling.
Dollar Tree has sold its Family Dollar chain to private equity firms Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management for $1 billion, a sharp drop from the $8 billion it paid in 2015. The struggling subsidiary faced persistent challenges, including supply chain problems, poor store locations, and stiff competition from Dollar General. After a decade of integration attempts, Dollar Tree offloaded Family Dollar to refocus on its core business. The private equity firms plan to address pricing and operational issues to revitalize the chain, which operates around 8,000 stores. The deal, expected to close by mid-2025, marks the end of a challenging chapter for Dollar Tree.
Israel NEWS
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, approved the 2025 state budget with a 66-52 vote, ensuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition remains intact. The budget allocates 619 billion shekels ($169 billion), with a record 110 billion shekels for defense amid the Gaza war. It includes substantial funding for ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, securing their support. Had it not passed by March 31, early elections would have been triggered, risking Netanyahu’s 15-year tenure. The vote occurred as protests escalated over the ongoing Gaza conflict and the fate of 59 hostages still held by Hamas, with opposition leader Yair Lapid calling it the “greatest robbery” of Israel’s middle class.
Israel’s Knesset passed a law on Thursday with a 67-1 vote, granting the government greater control over judicial appointments after a 17-hour opposition filibuster. Most opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote, leaving Meretz MK Gilad Kariv as the sole dissenter. The measure shifts power from the independent Judicial Selection Committee to the coalition, reviving a controversial 2023 judicial overhaul that triggered nationwide protests. It reemerged amid public frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s management of the Gaza war and hostage crisis. Critics, including protest leaders, warn it threatens judicial independence, while supporters argue it balances power. The law deepens Israel’s political rift as thousands rally against Netanyahu’s leadership.
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin succeeded Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari as IDF spokesman after Hagari’s two-year tenure ended. The handover occurred at a ceremony led by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, following Hagari’s retirement announcement with Zamir’s consent. Defrin, previously head of the IDF’s Personnel Directorate, vowed to enhance public trust in the military through transparency during wartime challenges. Hagari, who became a prominent figure with nightly briefings since the October 2023 Hamas attack, oversaw communications during a critical period. Defrin inherits the role as Israel continues operations in Gaza and faces regional threats, with Zamir praising Hagari’s service and welcoming Defrin’s leadership.
Israeli forces arrested Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Balal near Susya in Judea and Samaria during violent clashes involving settlers and Palestinians. Balal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was one of three Palestinians detained, along with one Israeli citizen. The IDF reported that the violence began when Palestinians threw stones at Israeli civilians, damaging vehicles, prompting a confrontation. Security forces intervened, alleging Palestinians then targeted them with rocks, leading to the arrests. Balal’s co-director Yuval Abraham claimed settlers beat Balal before his detention, while the IDF denied reports of his removal from an ambulance. He was released the following day after medical treatment.
WORLD NEWS
Four U.S. soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, died during a training exercise in Lithuania at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area near Pabrad. Their M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was found submerged in a peat bog after going missing on Tuesday. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced their deaths on Wednesday in Warsaw, noting he lacked details. A U.S. official confirmed only that a training accident occurred. Search efforts involving U.S. and Lithuanian forces continued until three bodies were recovered by Friday, with the fourth soldier’s body retrieved Saturday morning. The soldiers were part of a nine-month NATO deployment that began in January. The Army is notifying families and investigating the incident.
An Abu Dhabi Federal Court sentenced three Uzbek nationals to death for kidnapping and murdering Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Dubai last November, according to the UAE’s state news agency WAM. The trio were arrested in Turkey and extradited to the UAE. A fourth accomplice received a life sentence, to be followed by deportation. The court found the murder was premeditated with a “terrorist purpose,” aligning with Israel’s view of it as an antisemitic act. Evidence included the defendants’ confessions, forensic reports, and witness testimonies. Kogan’s body was found in Al Ain after his abduction, shaking the UAE’s Jewish community.
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand, killing at least 144 people in Myanmar and 8 in Thailand. The quake caused extensive damage, collapsing buildings and infrastructure across both countries. In Myanmar, the epicenter near Mandalay worsened the crisis, with over 732 injured and rescue efforts hampered by ongoing civil conflict and wrecked roads. In Thailand, a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok fell, trapping dozens. The shallow quake, at a depth of 10 kilometers, intensified the destruction, buckling highways and bridges, while aftershocks continue to challenge recovery in the war-torn region.
Marine Le Pen, the French far-right leader, was found guilty of embezzling European Union funds by a Paris court. She was sentenced to a four-year prison term, with two years suspended and two to be served under house arrest with an electronic tag, plus a €100,000 fine. The court also imposed an immediate five-year ban from public office, barring her from the 2027 presidential election unless she wins an appeal. The ruling stemmed from her misuse of €4.5 million in European Parliament funds to pay National Rally party staff in France between 2004 and 2016, a scheme the court called a “serious attack” on democratic rules. Le Pen plans to appeal, calling it a “political decision.”
Brazil’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled that former President Jair Bolsonaro must stand trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after losing the 2022 election. The five-justice panel accepted charges including coup d’état and violent abolition of democratic rule, stemming from a conspiracy that prosecutors say involved plans to assassinate Lula and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The decision followed a federal police investigation into the January 8, 2023, riots by Bolsonaro’s supporters in Brasília. If convicted, Bolsonaro faces over 20 years in prison. He denies the allegations, claiming political persecution, while the court continues to review charges against seven allies.
