Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump and former senior White House adviser, is reportedly set to have a significant, albeit unofficial, role in shaping U.S. Middle East policy during Trump’s second term. Despite not holding a formal position within the administration, Kushner’s established relationships in the region could make him a central figure in diplomatic efforts, according to a CNN report on Friday. Kushner’s deep ties to Gulf leaders and Israeli officials, cultivated during Trump’s first term, have positioned him as a trusted intermediary. A Middle Eastern diplomat told CNN, “No one on the incoming team has what Jared has, and that is trust. Jared earned it, he didn’t have it at the beginning. He earned it.

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Karoline Leavitt, his campaign press secretary, to serve as his White House press secretary. Leavitt, 27, currently a spokesperson for Trump’s transition, would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Previously that distinction went to Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the position in 1969 in Richard Nixon’s administration. “Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said in a statement. “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator.

President Joe Biden has authorized the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike even deeper inside Russia, the latest easing of limitations meant to prevent the conflict from further spiraling, according to one U.S. official and three people familiar with the matter. The decision allowing Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs, for attacks farther into Russia comes as thousands of North Korean troops have been sent into a region along Ukraine’s northern border to help Russia retake ground and as President-elect Donald Trump has said he would bring about a swift end to the war, expressing skepticism over continued support by the United States.

A French court on Friday granted the conditional release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a Lebanese terrorist imprisoned since 1984 for his role in the murders of Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov and U.S. military attaché Col. Charles Ray in Paris. Abdallah, now 73, was convicted in 1987 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The decision to release him, set for December 6, is contingent upon his permanent departure from French territory. France’s antiterrorism prosecutor plans to appeal the ruling, a spokesperson confirmed to AFP. “In [a] decision dated today, the court granted Georges Ibrahim Abdallah conditional release from December 6, subject to the condition that he leaves French territory and not appear there again,” prosecutors said in a statement quoted by AFP.

The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Thursday ordered three suspects accused of firing flares near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence to remain in custody for five days. The suspects were arrested following an investigation by police and the Shin Bet security service, who had requested a 12-day detention. The court opted for a shorter duration, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. A gag order issued by the court prohibits the publication of the suspects’ identities or details about the investigation for the next 30 days. However, reports in Hebrew-language media indicate that the individuals are senior members of the anti-government protest movement.

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman Early Life and Family Legacy In the heart of Jerusalem, at 107 Rechov Uziel, lived a man whose very presence radiated the hadras panim (spiritual countenance) of a previous generation. Rav Moshe Shapira zt”l was a unique fusion of extraordinary breadth and depth in Torah knowledge, combined with an unwavering commitment to nurturing individual souls. His life exemplified how ancient wisdom could illuminate modern challenges while maintaining absolute clarity of vision despite the shifting winds of contemporary culture. Born in Tel Aviv in 1935 to Rav Meir Yitzchok Shapira, a great-nephew of the Alter of Kelm, young Moshe inherited a legacy of superhuman discipline and devotion to Torah. His father’s remarkable habit of rising precisely at 2 a.m.

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Chris Wright, a campaign donor and fossil fuel executive, to serve as energy secretary in his upcoming, second administration. CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking, a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change, and could give fossil fuels a boost, including quick action to end a year-long pause on natural gas export approvals by the Biden administration.

“Telling your wife your needs and wants” is a complete waste of time for married men who want happiness and I’ll tell you why. So many marriage experts claim they have the secret to a happy marriage and that it all comes down to communication, boundaries and bringing in more money. They tell you to help out more at home, talk about the past, go together to a marriage professional but never stop to take inventory of whether ANY of these methods are actually WORKING in creating happiness and joy! I am not saying those strategies don’t work at all, but they are the long… slow… painful way of having a happy home.

A stabbing attack at a vocational school in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi on Saturday left eight people dead and 17 others injured, local police said. The attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing, a smaller city within Wuxi, at around 6:30 p.m. local time, the Yixing police said in a statement. The suspect, a 21-year old male student surnamed Xu, was detained on site. Police said Wu had failed his examinations and could not graduate, and that he was dissatisfied about his pay at an internship. He decided to vent his frustrations via the attack, the statement said. Videos circulating on Western social media platforms like X showed injured people lying on the street after the attack while others rushed to help.

Hamas political leaders have left Qatar and have moved to Turkey, Kan News reported on Sunday night, following reports earlier this month that Qatar has ordered Hamas leaders to leave the country. The report quoted an Israeli official who said that Hamas officials flew to Turkey “in recent days.” According to the report, the move is expected to affect negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who viciously turned against the Jewish state following October 7, told the media last week that Turkey has cut all ties with Israel. Prior to October 7, Erdogan had launched efforts to repair ties with Israel and under pressure from Jerusalem, took steps to expel members of Hamas’s military wing from the country.