NY Governor Cuomo extended his “PAUSE” order through May 28 for New York City and Long Island, which have met just four of the metrics required to start reopening. The extension applies to the three other regions — Capital, Mid-Hudson and Western New York — that have yet to check all seven boxes as well. Cuomo says they can be “UN-PAUSED” the moment they do. All enforcement mechanisms “shall continue to be in full force” until June 13 unless extended or amended by a future executive order. The governor says five regions – Central New York, North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley – can begin Phase One of reopening Friday.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning doctors about a serious rare inflammatory condition in children linked with the coronavirus. In an alert issued Thursday, the CDC called the condition multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. The agency’s case definition includes current or recent COVID-19 infection or exposure to the virus, a fever of at least 100.4 for at least 24 hours, severe illness requiring hospitalization, inflammatory markers in blood tests, and evidence of problems affecting at least two organs that could include the heart, kidneys, lungs, skin or other nervous system. The name and definition are similar to those used in Europe, where the condition was first reported several weeks ago.

In a timely and important message, Dr. Shmuel Mandelman, speaks directly to every parent regarding the current situation and its impact on the academic experience and psychological well being of students. His timely message is also directed towards every person in Chinuch: Menahlim, principals, Rabbeiyim, teachers etc. The message is a must listen for every parent who is trying to cope with the educational needs of their children, while under the COVID lockdown. Dr. Shmuel D. Mandelman holds a doctorate from Columbia University in educational and developmental psychology. He also spent five years conducting research at Yale University’s Child Study Center into the individual differences in cognitive ability.

Netanel Felber, a Nachal Chareidi soldier who was critically wounded in a shooting terror attack at the Givat Assaf junction in December 2018, has taken a turn for the worse following a skull construction surgical operation he underwent on Wednesday. The terror attack killed two Nachal Chareidi soldiers, IDF Sergeant Yuval Mor-Yosef and Corporal Yosef Cohen, and left Felber with a near-fatal head injury. Felber, from an American-Israeli family in Ra’anana, remained in critical condition for some time, lying unconscious and wavering between life and death but he eventually regained consciousness and recovered from the initial injury. He was then transferred to the Tel Hashomer rehabilitation hospital, where he has been ever since undergoing rehabilitation due to his severe head injury.

Cook County is set to overtake Queens, New York as the county with the most COVID-19 cases nationwide, according to a Chicago Sun-Times analysis. Queens County reported a total of 56,889 cases on Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Cook County reported 56,406. Sources tell YWN that Chicago Hatzalah had no COVID emergencies for around 10 days, and are now responding to 3-6 calls a day. There are now Frum patients that have been hospitalized in critical condition in the ICU – just from the past few days. Doctors continue to warn people in NY/NJ that many people were never infected with the Coronavirus and are all susceptible to catching the virus. People are urged to follow doctors orders and continue with social distancing and other precautions.

As if Israelis haven’t waited long enough for the 35th government, the swearing-in of the Netanyahu-Gantz government has been postponed from Thursday night until Sunday due to political drama in the Likud surrounding ministerial positions. Coalition negotiations were supposedly finalized on Thursday night and despite last-minute negotiations between Yamina leader Naftali Bennett and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Yamina is joining the opposition after the prime minister failed to grant the party senior ministerial positions.

A ramming attack was carried out by an Arab terrorist at an army base near Negohot in the Har Chevron area on Thursday afternoon. An IDF soldier was hit by the car and moderately to severely injured. MDA paramedics arrived at the scene and transferred him to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva in a mobile intensive care unit. The soldier was fully conscious and in stable condition. The terrorist was neutralized by other IDF soldiers at the scene.

The FBI brought weapons charges Wednesday following a New York City sting operation against two men, one of whom espoused racist and anti-Semitic views on social media and had been acquiring tactical military gear, authorities said. Joseph Miner, 29, and Daniel Jou, 40, were charged with buying firearms with obliterated serial numbers from an undercover agent in Queens. It was not clear whether the men, who are neighbors, were planning an attack, authorities said. But prosecutors pointed to alarming Instagram posts Miner made praising Hitler and the machete attack last year on a Hanukkah celebration north of New York City. In January, Miner “posted a photograph of the entrance to a Jewish Community Center in Queens,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hafetz wrote in a court filing.

Top Obama administration officials purportedly requested to “unmask” the identity of former national security adviser Michael Flynn during the presidential transition period, according to a list of names from that controversial process made public on Wednesday. The list was declassified in recent days by Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell and then sent to GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson, who made the documents public. The roster features top-ranking figures including then-Vice President Joe Biden — a detail already being raised by the Trump campaign in the bare-knuckle 2020 presidential race where Biden is now the Democrats’ presumptive nominee.

In a rare occurrence, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe held a personal and historic meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his Balfour Street Residence in Yerushalayim. According to reports by Kol Baramah reporter Yisroel Cohen, the purpose of the meeting was to gain assurance from Netanyahu that the status quo with regards to religious issues and the Conscription law will stay the same, ahead of the signing of the coalition agreement between the Likud and the UTJ. During the meeting, which was held in utmost secrecy, the Rebbe came all the way from Hazor Hagalilit to hold the meeting in person. The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. BChadrei Charedim reported that the Rebbe praised Netanyahu for his handling of the Coronavirus crisis.