The sweeping new tariffs announced Wednesday by U.S. President Donald Trump were met initially with measured reactions from key trading partners, highlighting the lack of appetite for a full-fledged trade war. Trump presented the import taxes, which he calls “reciprocal tariffs” and range from 10% to 49%, in the simplest terms: the U.S. would do to its trading partners what he said they had been doing to the U.S. for decades. “Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” he said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that Israeli forces are establishing a new security corridor in southern Gaza, aiming to isolate the city of Rafah from the rest of the Strip and increase pressure on Hamas to release remaining hostages. In a video statement, Netanyahu said the IDF is securing the “Morag Corridor” — named after a former Israeli settlement — between Rafah and Khan Younis. He described the effort as creating a “second Philadelphi” route, echoing the corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border. Netanyahu has prioritized Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor in ongoing ceasefire talks, although Israel previously agreed to vacate the area by the 50th day of the January hostage deal — a commitment it has since breached.

Due to the overwhelming interest from the public in joining the annual Birkas Kohanim at the Kosel on Chol hamoed, the Western Wall Foundation has announced that this year, the event will take place twice—on Tuesday and Thursday of Chol Hamoed Pesach.
These gatherings at the Kosel will be attended by a distinguished group of participants, including former hostages who have been freed, their families, relatives of those still in captivity, injured chayalim, heroes of the IDF, the chief rabbis, the mayor of Yerushalayim, and throngs of mispallelim.

A classified intelligence briefing on the situation in Gaza was presented to the members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday. A senior IDF intelligence official said in the briefing that Israel is continuing efforts to reach a hostage release deal while simultaneously carrying out intense military activity in order to exert pressure on Hamas and bring about the release of additional hostages.

Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party and longtime antagonist of lomdei torah, has openly called on police to prosecute the gedolim for allegedly “encouraging draft evasion.” His accusations, laced with contempt, were directed at none other than the Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka and leader of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Hagaon HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a, as well as the former Rishon LeTzion, Harav Yitzchak Yosef shlit”a. Lieberman, no stranger to anti-chareidi rhetoric, claimed that Rav Landau had “ordered bochurim not to report to recruitment offices,” and that Rav Yosef had made remarks about discarding draft notices.

Israeli defense officials said Wednesday that the IDF is nearing control of roughly 30% of Gaza, as its forces press ahead with operations in both the southern and northern parts of the Strip, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The 36th Division has now taken on a significant role in the fighting, shifting its efforts to the northern section of Rafah in southern Gaza. This development comes on top of ongoing operations by Division 252 in northern and central Gaza, as well as Division 143 working in the southern areas of Rafah since mid-March.
Military strategists believe these maneuvers could soon sever Rafah from Khan Yunis, isolating Hamas strongholds and complicating their movements.

There has been a deterioration in the health condition of HaGaon Rav Yehuda Ades, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Kol Yaakov, and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah. The Rosh Yeshiva was rushed on Wednesday morning to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem due to a worsening of his condition stemming from pneumonia. The Tzibur is requested to say Tehillim for Yehuda ben Chaya Esther. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs, including a 10% baseline rate on all countries and higher rates for those with higher tariffs

As the April 5 deadline approaches for TikTok to find a buyer or face a U.S. ban, Amazon has made a last-minute bid for the popular short-form video app, joining other potential buyers vying for control.