Gilyonos for Shabbos attached

The UK economy grew by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, new official figures show, making it the fastest growing economy in the G7 in a boost for Sir Keir Starmer.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew faster than expected and at the fastest rate in a year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The figures showed economic growth in the first quarter of 2025 – the period directly before Donald Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs in early April.

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The number of appointments for patients waiting for NHS treatments in England increased by nearly 19,000, to 7.42 million in March up from 7.4 million in February.

While the increase has not undone all recent progress, the path to reducing the waiting list has been slow and any gains are fragile, as today’s figures show.

The waiting list had been showing gradual but steady decreases since last September but has now increased for the first time since then.

Before COVID, the waiting list was at around 4.5 million appointments, and it peaked at 7.7 million in September 2023.

Since then, the waiting list has decreased by around 300,000 from its peak, but remains well above pre-pandemic levels.

A north-west London council raised more than £300,000 in 17 days from drivers who ignored or were unaware of restrictions during roadworks.

Wembley High Road in Brent was damaged by “leaky drainage systems” and pressure from vehicles using it, and was partly closed in January until the repair work was finished earlier this month.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted to Brent Council revealed that 5,701 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued between 15 and 31 January due to violations of the restrictions.

The council said it was “surprised” by the number of drivers who failed to take notice of the no-entry signage and used a lane that was only open to buses and emergency vehicles.

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A Palestinian terrorist opened fire on Israeli vehicles on Wednesday night in the northern West Bank, striking a pregnant woman who was en route to a hospital to give birth, along with her husband, the military and medics said.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras spotted the terrorist only as he opened fire, and immediately dispatched troops to the area.

The woman, identified as Tzeela Gez, 30, was rushed to Petah Tikva’s Rabin Medical Center in critical condition.

Israel has been holding secret talks with Syrian officials in recent days, including on the possibility of the new regime joining the Abraham Accords, according to a report Thursday, a day after US President Trump invited new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to join the accords and normalize ties with Israel.

The talks are being mediated by the United Arab Emirates, Channel 12 news said, also referring to unspecified wider regional moves being advanced by the United Arab Emirates. A Haaretz report, by contrast, said the talks were being mediated by Qatar and had been going on for months.

Sharaa confirmed last week that security-related talks were being held through mediators, though he did not comment on potential diplomatic relations.

Channel 12 said one meeting was held in recent days in Azerbaijan, where Israel was represented by the chief of the IDF Operations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk. He met with representatives from the new Syrian government, with Turkish representatives also present, the report said.

Trump on Wednesday urged Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, as the two leaders met in Riyadh for the first direct talks between leaders of the countries in 25 years.

Trump later told reporters that Sharaa backs such a move. “I told [Sharaa], I hope you’re going to join [the Abraham Accords] once you’re straightened out, and he said yes,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “But they have a lot of work to do.”

For the UK Jewish Orthodox Community
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Erev Shabbos

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