An Israeli court ordered Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) to compensate a Jewish couple for anti-Semitic remarks made by its staff in Vienna last year, Globes reported. In April 2019, the Israeli couple arrived at the airport in Vienna for their UIA flight to Tel Aviv with a stopover in Kiev. When the couple’s suitcases were weighed, they were told that one of their pieces of hand luggage exceeded the weight limit by 100 grams, which meant they would have to pay a fee of 60 euros ($73). As is commonly done in such scenarios, the couple removed items from the overweight piece of luggage to another bag in order to avoid paying the fee.

New York City will send sheriff’s deputies to the homes or hotel rooms of all travelers coming from the United Kingdom to ensure they comply with the city’s two-week COVID-19 quarantine requirement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. De Blasio announced the enforcement action amid concern about a new, fast-spreading strain of the virus that has been detected in the U.K. Airlines flying from London to New York agreed this week to test passengers before they board. All travelers to New York, regardless of where they’re arriving from, are required to fill out forms with contact information and where they’ll be staying. They will then be sent a quarantine order by certified mail, de Blasio said. People who fail to comply will face a fine of $1,000 per day, de Blasio said.

Nearly two years ago, Agudath Israel of America expressed its grave concern over laws passed in the Flanders and Wallonia regions of Belgium that effectively prohibited the slaughter of animals according to kosher ritual requirements (shechita). The law, Agudath Israel asserted, placed a substantial burden on religious liberty and on Jewish life in Belgium, as well as on those dependent on Belgian shechita living in other affected European countries. At the time of the ban, Agudath Israel expressed its hope that the judicial system would recognize this serious infringement on the rights of the Jewish community and strike down the grievous statute.

A New York City health care worker suffered a “significant allergic reaction” to a COVID vaccine, the city Health Department said Wednesday. “With more than 30,000 COVID-19 vaccinations administered in New York City, we have received a single report of a serious adverse event in a health care worker. The health care worker, who had a significant allergic reaction, has been treated and is in stable condition,”, the NYC Health Department told YWN in a statement. “Vaccines do have side effects and allergic reactions – while uncommon – are known to occur.

Israel utilized the recent visit of US Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,  to convey several messages to the incoming Biden administration about Iran and other regional issues, Axios reported on Wednesday. Since Milley is expected to continue in his position through the US administration’s transition, Israel views him as a “potential bridge” to Biden’s administration, the report said. “We wanted to make our case to the new administration on Iran through someone who is still going to be in the room when Biden assumes office and is going to play a substantive role in any policy review that will take place,” an Israeli official told Axios.

A new unknown photo of HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Meir HaCohen of Radin, the Chofetz Chaim, z’tl, was recently discovered by Rav Dan Schlesinger, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported. The rare picture was publicized on Wednesday morning by the author Yekusiel Yehudah Ganzel in the Hamevaser newspaper. Earlier this week, Rav Schlesinger published a special booklet with stories about the Chofetz Chaim, including the story of his planned trip to settle in Eretz Yisrael, which has never been published before. Rav Schlesinger discovered the anecdotes about the Chofetz Chaim when he received an inheritance which included documents and banknotes that the Chofetz Chaim sent to a Yerushalmi Jew named Rav Yosef Levi Chagiz.

The Belzer Rebbe added his signature to the Rabbanim and Dayanim of the Machzikei Das of the chassidus on Tuesday, calling for his chassidim to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the first Chassidic Rebbe on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to do so. The dayanim issued instructions following an in-depth discussion of the Rabbanim on the Beis Din with Health Ministry representatives, headed by Health Ministry Deputy Director-General Prof. Itamar Grotto, according to a B’Chadrei Chareidim report. A conference of Dayanim was held at the Belz Mercaz Olami in Jerusalem earlier this week in order to present the benefits of the vaccine to the Rabbanim of Machzikei HaDas.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is considering another run for president in 2024, even if it means challenging a Donald Trump comeback bid. “I would not rule it out,” Christie told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt in an interview on Monday, when asked specifically if he would run — even if that put him up against Trump. Christie frequently refers to his decades-long friendship with Trump, and has stood by the president’s side despite repeated snubs over the last four years. But he made clear in his interview with Hewitt that he disagreed with how Trump was handling his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, and was keeping his options open whether Trump sought a second term or not. “If I go and look up Christie2024, will that URL already be reserved?” Hewitt asked Christie.

The IDF Commander of military’s ground forces, Major-General Yoel Strick, was surrounded by members of the Peleg Yerushalmi who were protesting near the String Bridge at the entrance to Yerushalayim today. The protesters surrounded Strick’s car and made him feel uncomfortable to the extent that he pulled out his weapon and brandished it at the protesters. He was eventually rescued by the Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (Yassam). According to a statement made by the police, officers spotted protesters surrounding a military vehicle and attacking it. Officers immediately swung into action and extricated the vehicle from the crowd of protesters and the driver continued on his way. “The police will continue to allow the freedom of expression and the right to protest.

An IDF Golani soldier was removed from his unit for failing to open fire on an Arab who hurled a Molotov cocktail at him in the northern Shomron on Motzei Shabbos, the IDF stated on Monday. The soldier was stationed at an IDF post outside the settlement of Kedumim when an Arab drove to the post, emerged from his vehicle and walked toward a nearby bus stop while staring at the guard post. In light of the Arab’s suspicious behavior, the soldier approached the suspect and ordered him to halt. The suspect then threw the Molotov at the soldier, fortunately missing him. The suspect then fled the scene while the soldier stood by. The IDF stated that since the incident ended without the soldier opening fire in response to the attack, the soldier has been dismissed from his position.