An Israeli source said that Israel is holding indirect talks with the Syrian rebel groups who captured Syria in recent days, Arutz Sheva reported on Monday. The communication is being carried out via the Druze populations in Israel and Syria, the Kurdish population, foreign intelligence organizations, and the US. “There is someone to speak to on the other side and messages were passed,” the source said, adding that Israel plans to continue carrying out airstrikes throughout Syria to destroy weapons caches from the Assad regime. The source also said that the US has been informed of Israel’s actions and is fully supportive. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he is appointing one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as counselor to the president. Alina Habba, 40, defended Trump earlier this year, also serving as his legal spokesperson. Habba has been spending time with the president-elect since the election at his Florida club Mar-a-Lago. “She has been unwavering in her loyalty and unmatched in her resolve — standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles and countless days in Court,” Trump posted on his social network Truth Social.

Earth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) — scientists were anticipating that 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year’s global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). Through November, this year’s average global temperature is 0.14C (32F) above the same period last year.

South Korea’s Justice Ministry on Monday imposed an overseas travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as authorities investigate allegations of rebellion and other charges in connection with his short-lived declaration of martial law last week. Yoon’s martial law decree on Dec. 3, which brought special forces troops onto Seoul’s streets, plunged South Korea into political turmoil and caused worry among its key diplomatic partners and neighbors. On Saturday, Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most governing party lawmakers boycotting a parliamentary vote. But opposition parties vowed to submit a new impeachment motion against him this week.

Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House. Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will choose who takes the seat through the remainder of Rubio’s term, which expires in 2026. “It is something I would seriously consider,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me.

As re-stated by Rabbi Yair Hoffman We are extremely fortunate to have within our midst Gedolei Torah who have remarkable insights and hashkafos that carry us through life. What follows is from a Vaad on Kislev given by Rav Brudny adapted for younger students of Rabbi Hoffman. It was done without formal permission. A Life-Changing Teaching About Growth When Yitzchok davened to Hashem for his barren wife Rivka, something extraordinary happened. Hashem answered his tefillos immediately! The pasuk says, “Vayetar Yitzchok lashem linochach ishto ki akara hi.

Authorities say a gunman who opened fire at a private Christian school in northern California on Wednesday left behind a note blaming U.S. policies toward Israel and the Middle East for his actions. The attack at Feather River Adventist School in Oroville has left two young boys critically injured. Police identified the shooter as 56-year-old Glenn Litton, who allegedly shot six-year-old Roman Mendez and five-year-old Elias Wolford with a handgun. Both victims remain in critical condition and may require surgery, according to law enforcement. Litton died shortly afterward, with authorities describing the fatal wound as likely self-inflicted. On Thursday, investigators released a statement that Litton had written before the shooting.

The IDF on Monday announced that four IDF reserve soldiers were killed in a tunnel collapse in southern Lebanon on Sunday afternoon. The fallen soldiers, who all served in the 9263rd Battalion’s 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, were named as Master Sgt. (res.) Binyamin Destaw Negose, H’yd, 28, from Beit Shemesh; Cpt. (res.) Sagi Ya’akov Rubinshtein, H’yd, 31, from Kibbutz Lavi; Sgt. First Class. (res.) Erez Ben Efraim, H’yd, 25, from Ramat Gan; and Maj. (res.) Evgeny Zinershain, H’yd, 43, from Zichron Yaakov. An initial investigation revealed that the four soldiers, who were engaged in clearing an underground area in southern Lebanon, triggered an IDF explosive device rigged by IDF forces several months ago.

A drone fired from Yemen landed on a multi-story residential building in the central city of Yavne on Monday morning. In a neis, although no sirens sounded before the drone hit, no one was injured. However, several apartments sustained significant damage. Residents reported hearing a loud explosion shortly after 9:15 a.m. and smoke was seen rising from the building. Footage shared on social media shows the aircraft moments before the explosion. An IDF spokesperson updated that “a strike by an unmanned aircraft has been identified, which apparently crossed from Yemen in the vicinity of the city of Yavne. No reports of casualties have been received so far.” The IDF said it will investigate why no sirens were sounded.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has instructed the IDF to seize additional points in the buffer zone in Syria along the Iraeli-Syrian border. Katz also ordered the establishment of a security zone “free from heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure” beyond the buffer zone that could threaten the State of Israel. IDF troops have also been instructed to establish contact with the Druze communities in the area and other populations in southern Syria.