A critical shortage of air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan National Airport may have played a role in Wednesday night’s deadly midair collision, according to a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety report reviewed by The New York Times. The findings expose alarming staffing deficiencies that have long plagued the airport’s control tower, raising urgent questions about aviation safety in one of the nation’s busiest airspaces.

A horrifying mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and a military Black Hawk helicopter sent both aircraft plunging into the icy waters of the Potomac River on Wednesday night, sparking a massive search and rescue effort near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. According to early reports, the aircraft involved in the catastrophic crash was PSA Airlines Flight 5342, a Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-700 operating under American Airlines. The flight had been on its final approach to Reagan National after departing from Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas. Onboard were up to 60 passengers, whose fates remain uncertain as emergency teams race against time.

HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau delivered a shiur on Wednesday at Yeshivas Beit Shemaya, a Sephardi yeshivah in Bnei Brak. After the shiur, the Rosh Yeshivah spoke about the issue of the recruitment of bnei yeshivos. Sephardi Roshei Yeshivos and Rabbanim are especially concerned about the effect of increased IDF recruitment in the Chareidi sector since it is known that more Sephardi bochurim choose to serve in the army than Ashkenazim. HaRav Landau addressed this fact, saying to the bochurim: “You must be mechazeik and not give in to them.

Hamas is expected to inform Israel today of a third hostage to be released from Gaza tomorrow, alongside civilian Arbel Yehoud and soldier Agam Berger. Reports suggest that 65-year-old Keith Siegel, a U.S. citizen, may also be freed this week, though no official confirmation has been given, and it remains unclear whether this will happen tomorrow or on Shabbos, when three additional hostages are set to be released. In return, Israel will release Palestinian security prisoners—30 for each civilian hostage and 50 for Berger, including 30 convicted terrorists serving life sentences. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has issued a stark ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening to bring down the government if a conscription law exempting yeshiva bochurim from military service is not passed within two months. Speaking on Charedi radio station Kol Baramah, Deri declared, “If the status of lomdei torah isn’t regulated, we’ll go to elections in two months.” Deri expressed outrage at the current discourse surrounding yeshiva bochurim, lamenting, “Who would have dreamed that Torah scholars would be called criminals?” He also accused members of the national-religious camp of joining what he called a “hate campaign” and warned that their actions could lead to the collapse of the right-wing government.

Israel has confirmed that eight of the 26 hostages listed for release in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal have been declared deceased, based on information provided by Hamas. Government spokesman David Mencer shared the devastating news with journalists, relaying details from the list submitted by Hamas. As part of the agreement, 33 hostages are to be released in the deal’s initial phase. Seven hostages have already been freed since the arrangement began on January 19, leaving 26 names remaining on the list. According to the Hamas information, 18 of these individuals are alive, while eight have tragically been confirmed dead. Overnight, Israeli authorities reported receiving the list, which provided long-awaited clarity on the fate of some of the captives.

The Hamas terror group on Sunday provided Israel with an official list detailing the status of 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the deal. According to the list, Hamas claimed that 25 of the 33 hostages already released or soon to be released are alive, and eight are dead. The list corresponds with the intelligence Israel already has. The list did not specify names but according to the intelligence it has, the IDF has informed the families of eight hostages scheduled to be released that “there is grave concerns about the fate of their loved ones.” However, the families were told that there is still no clear evidence that confirms the deaths of their loved ones and final identification will only be possible after their return to Israel.

An official source in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group told Arab media outlets that Arbel Yehud will be released on Friday in exchange for the opening of the Netzarim Corridor and the release of 30 terrorists serving life sentences in Israel. However, Israeli officials report that although there has been progress on an agreement for Yehud’s release, no deal has yet been finalized. Another source said that Yehud could be released by tomorrow (Monday). Earlier on Sunday, another Arab source told Al Jazeera that there should be a breakthrough on Sunday night regarding Yehud’s release. Meanwhile, thousands of Gazans have gathered at the Netzarim Corridor waiting to cross to the northern part of Gaza.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he’d like to see Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations increase the number of Palestinian refugees they are accepting from the Gaza Strip — potentially moving out enough of the population to “just clean out” the war-torn area to create a virtual clean slate. During a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump also said he’s ended his predecessor’s hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Speaking about his conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Trump said, “I said to him I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess.

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee convened on Tuesday to discuss the recruitment law presented last week by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz. Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon who attended the meeting, slammed the law, saying that Katz’s plan to recruit 50% of bnei yeshivos within seven years is not enough to meet the army’s needs and the Attorney-General’s office will knock down the law as “illegal.” Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) sharply criticized Limon’s comments, saying that the Attorney-General will invalidate any law the government formulates. The head of the IDF’s Personnel Directorate, Maj. Gen.