The United Nations aid agency in the Gaza Strip says it has only weeks of funding remaining after multiple sponsor nations suspended their support. At least nine countries and the European Union have suspended or cut back funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following revelations that at least a dozen of its workers were connected to Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. About 10% of its 12‚000 employees in Gaza were found to have links to terror groups across the Middle East‚ according to an Israeli intelligence dossier reported by The Wall Street Journal. Israeli officials say the problems inside the UNRWA are more extensive than a few bad actors. Roughly half of all UNRWA workers in Gaza have close relatives with ties to terror groups‚ especially Hamas. The WSJ cited the dossier in its report which said six UNRWA workers “were part of the wave of Palestinian militants who killed 1‚200 people in the deadliest assault on Jews since the Holocaust.” “The institution as a whole is a haven for Hamas’ radical ideology‚” a senior Israeli government official told WSJ. Since the revelations‚ the U.N. aid agency has bled funding. Many of its top donors‚ including the United States which gave more than $340 million to the UNRWA last year‚ have suspended funding over concerns that aid money is being redirected to Hamas. U.N. officials are pleading for a return of funding‚ saying that its coffers will run dry by the end of February. “[Two] million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for daily survival but UNRWA’s current funding will not allow it to meet all requirements to support them in February‚” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. “While I understand their concerns – I was myself horrified by these accusations – I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to‚ at least‚ guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.” Guterres said that action is being taken against the 12 workers‚ some of whom participated directly in the terror attack‚ with connections to October 7. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Along with the United States‚ other countries that have suspended or reduced funding to the UNRWA include Australia‚ Austria‚ Canada‚ Finland‚ France‚ Germany‚ Italy‚ Japan‚ the Netherlands‚ Switzerland‚ and the United Kingdom‚ according to Fox News. The European Commission of the European Union has also announced a pause on funding the UNRWA‚ calling for a quick investigation. The commission said it would make a decision to restore funding no sooner than the end of February. “The European Commission will determine upcoming funding decisions for UNRWA in light of the very serious allegations‚” the commission said in a statement‚ according to The Jerusalem Post. “The Commission will review the matter in light of the outcome of the investigation announced by the UN and the actions it will take.”

The events of October 7‚ 2023‚ awakened me. They changed my relationship with Israel and opened my eyes to the decaying of this country that I love‚ that has now been my home for 32 years — the United States. The US is becoming a laughingstock of the world‚ deservedly so. We are still the strongest democracy in the world. People still want to move here‚ but we are resting on the laurels of our past glory‚ which was achieved by elevating meritocracy and excellence. Our successes‚ and our grocery stores full of food‚ have gone to our heads and are turning us into a society focused only on pleasant outcomes‚ independent of how much work we put in. We are a society that is losing its pragmatism. We used to be a country of practical‚ innovative problem solvers‚ and now we are turning into a country of useful idiots‚ where a tiny woke minority leads us into self-immolation. Israel will not exist 50 years from now without a strong US. I have to fight for the US – it’s a two-for-the-price-of-one type of deal: A strong United States that supports Israel is mandatory for Israel to survive. I learned an important lesson from longtime Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger‚ who recently passed away. I have been attending the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting since 2008. At these shareholder meetings‚ Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger would sit on stage in a giant sports arena and answer questions from shareholders for five hours. Buffett would usually have the first chance to answer the question‚ and then he would direct it to Munger. If the question was controversial‚ Buffett would go into politician mode and give a non-answer answer. Munger would say what he really thought and didn’t care if his answer upset someone who disagreed with it. Buffett was shackled by the fear of public opinion‚ while Munger was free. Munger said‚ “I think that one should recognize reality even when one doesn’t like it; indeed‚ especially when one doesn’t like it.” And thus‚ he told the truth because it mattered more than someone’s hurt feelings or criticism of him. Buffett was afraid‚ Munger was not. Today‚ the most important thing for us is to stop being afraid. This is how the loud minority gains power. They accuse the silent majority of bigotry or racism and make us afraid to speak up. And because we are afraid of being canceled‚ we stay quiet while the woke minority goes about killing our country. Fighting against anti-Semitism and the woke cancer is one and the same fight‚ as we are fighting the same enemy. We can no longer have tunnel vision. As my son Jonah reminded me‚ with greater power comes greater responsibility. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Yes‚ this is the time to fight. Each of us has a different role in this fight‚ and we all have different strengths. Israelis are fighting Hamas. Some of my friends have gone to Israel and joined that fight‚ lending a hand wherever it’s needed (farming‚ cleaning‚ feeding soldiers). I have another Jewish friend who was never involved in politics. He told me that after October 7 he realized‚ “I won’t need money in the concentration camp.” He is now contributing to opposition campaigns to replace anti-Semitic politicians. If you are a donor to universities‚ work to defund those with DEI departments that are promoting racism and inequality. Redirect your money toward universities that promote free speech‚ the ones whose objective is not to coddle our youth but to challenge their thinking. If you want to change society’s future‚ change its universities. We all have special gifts. Use them. Fight for what is right‚ while we still have something to fight for. * * * READ: Anti-Semitism‚ Wokeness‚ And Why A Strong America Is Essential To Israel’s Survival‚ Part 1: A Small Country With A Big Story READ: Anti-Semitism‚ Wokeness‚ And Why A Strong America Is Essential To Israel’s Survival‚ Part 2: Wokeness Is Destroying America — One Student at a Time READ: Anti-Semitism‚ Wokeness‚ And Why A Strong America Is Essential To Israel’s Survival‚ Part 3: The Socialism Of Grades * * * Vitaliy Katsenelson is CEO of IMA – a value investing firm in Denver. You can read his articles on investor.fm. He is the author of Soul in the Game – The Art of a Meaningful Life (Harriman House‚ 2022). The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

A record number of well over half a million Americans are homeless as rents continue to surge‚ a new report finds. About 653‚000 people reported being homeless in January of last year‚ according to a report released Thursday by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. That’s up about 12% from the same time the previous year in 2022‚ the largest single-year increase ever recorded‚ the report says. About 71‚000 more people were homeless last year than the year before. Even more striking‚ last year’s number was about 48% higher than the homeless population in 2015. Sky-high rent prices and inflation are partly to blame‚ along with the end of pandemic relief‚ such as eviction protections. “Rapidly rising rents‚ combined with wage losses in the early stages of the pandemic‚ have underscored the inadequacy of the existing housing safety net‚ especially in times of crisis‚” the Harvard report said. The median rent in the U.S. was $1‚964 in December‚ 23% higher since the pandemic‚ according to Rent.com. The rental market is cooling‚ but rent prices are still much higher than they were pre-pandemic‚ and wage growth has not kept up. Median weekly wages grew only 1.7% between 2019 and 2023‚ government figures show. People earning between $45‚000 and just under $75‚000 a year saw the biggest increase in newly “cost-burdened” renters‚ according to the report. In 2022‚ about 41% of those renters were spending between 30% and 50% of their monthly pay on housing. That’s a 5.4 percentage point increase over how many spent this much before the pandemic‚ and nearly double how many people did back in 2001. Meanwhile‚ low-cost rental units are disappearing. More than half a million apartments with rents under $600 disappeared between 2019 and 2022. Arizona‚ Ohio‚ Tennessee‚ and Texas were some of the places that saw the biggest rise in homelessness due to spiking housing costs. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP In California and Washington state‚ both of which have a chronic homelessness problem and overburdened shelters‚ the issue has gotten worse. Homelessness increased 9% in Los Angeles County in 2023‚ totaling an estimated 75‚000 people. About 38‚000 people are homeless in the Bay Area on a given night. That’s up 35% since 2019. More than 7‚000 people are homeless in San Francisco itself. Crime and open-air drug use often accompany the homeless issue‚ causing businesses to flee San Francisco’s downtown‚ where foot traffic has thinned. The deadly fentanyl epidemic‚ in particular‚ has ravaged the Bay Area as well as other cities‚ including New York and Philadelphia‚ which also struggle with homelessness. In Washington‚ the number of homeless people rose 11% to 28‚036 last year‚ although that is likely an undercount‚ according to state data.

Ed Sheeran is one of the world’s favorite superstars. He’s always had a down-to-earth vibe‚ playfully maneuvering stardom. This week‚ Ed Sheeran was literally down to Earth when he took a fall onstage. He played it off epically! Not only did he just keep going with his performance‚ but he posted this absolutely hilarious edit of the event on TikTok. @edsheeran Felt cute might delete later ♬ original sound – Ed Sheeran The clip shows Ed making his way to the stage and then tripping. Then‚ he edited his famous lyrics in. “When your legs don’t work like they used to before‚” sang the clip of Ed Sheeran embracing his fall. What a wonderful reminder to laugh at our own mistakes. Life doesn’t have to be so serious! This image is from TikTok. “I actually cackled when the song started‚” commented one viewer on Ed Sheeran’s fall meme. “We’re all human… it happens. But dang your recovery was awesome. Last time I fell I laid there for 5 min‚” shared another viewer in the comment section. It’s so easy to be hard on ourselves when we slip up‚ but Ed’s silly clip is great proof that we can just laugh and keep going. Thanks for the reminder‚ Ed! The featured image for this post is from TikTok. The post Ed Sheeran Shakes Off Silly Tumble Onto Stage‚ Embraces It In The Best Way. appeared first on InspireMore.

This young kid was having the time of his life‚ celebrating and high-fiving the Alabama basketball team. He couldn’t have been happier — until Nick Pringle literally swept him off his feet! That’s right. This playful ball player picked up this tiny tot and put him on his shoulders. What an epic celebration! @myad521 We Alabama Basketball I live for moments like this #alabamabasketball #rolltide #UA #crimsontide #alabamavsauburn ♬ original sound – Myaa I have no doubt this will be a memory for this kid for decades to come. What a special moment! Nick Pringle carried the kid into the Alabama basketball celebration‚ riding high above the crowd. Another player fixed the kid’s helmet‚ and you could see he was totally amazed at the experience. This image is from TikTok. “He picked him right up just like a sibling‚” commented one fan of the Alabama basketball clip. “The way he looked back at you with excitement is so adorable! You can really see how happy that made him‚” posted another viewer. Apparently‚ Nick and this kiddo had never met before. Despite the obvious comradery‚ this was just a shared moment of celebration. It’s such a special thing when strangers take the time to make someone else’s day. Nick Pringle could’ve just given a high-five‚ but instead‚ he decided to make this kid’s dreams come true. The featured image for this post is from TikTok. The post Alabama Basketball Player Creates Magical Moment For Young Fan. appeared first on InspireMore.

Get ready for an unprecedented piece of musical news… Billy Joel is releasing a new song‚ and we couldn’t be more excited! Billy Joel posted a teaser‚ sharing a bit of the new tune and the release date of February 1‚ 2024. He’s posted some captions asking the question‚ “Did I wait too long?” No way‚ Billy! We’re so excited to hear your new song‚ “Turn the Lights Back On.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Billy Joel (@billyjoel) While Billy Joel hasn’t released new music in a while‚ his songs have remained incredibly relevant. In fact‚ “Vienna” was a trending TikTok audio for months! Clearly‚ Billy Joel has the support he needs to put out a new song. He’s also ramping up for a tour‚ and in 2024‚ will be teaming up with both Rod Stewart and Sting. Billy’s relevance is not in question! This image is from Instagram. However‚ it’s not likely that he’s going to put out a new album. He doesn’t feel pressure to prove himself‚ and he wants to make sure his releases are quality. “Some people think it’s because I’m lazy or I’m just being contrary‚” Billy said in an interview with the New Yorker. “But‚ no‚ I think it’s just — I’ve had my say. If I put out an album now‚ it would probably sell pretty well‚ because of who I am‚ but that’s no reason to do it. I’d want it to be good.” Whatever he releases‚ we’re excited to give it a listen. Thanks for sharing new music‚ Billy! The featured image for this post is from Wikimedia Commons. The post Billy Joel Is Making A Comeback: Learn More About His First New Song In 17 Years. appeared first on InspireMore.

Most people would be pretty hyped about closing a huge deal‚ but for CEO Dean Forbes‚ this moment in his career was particularly emotional. For one thing‚ the transaction was worth $1 billlion! However‚ that wasn’t the only significant thing about this moment for Forbes. He’d fought his way out of poverty and even homelessness in order to get to where he is today. A beautiful video on TikTok shows the businessman’s reaction to his overwhelming success. @forbesfamilygroup The moment Dean closed the €1 billion deal‚ from struggling at 17‚ homeless and being the primary carer to his mum it’s truly times like these we pray for‚ blessings #success #motivation #mindset ♬ snowfall – Øneheart &; reidenshi Dean Forbes started out with a big dream: becoming a footballer (aka‚ soccer player). However‚ this didn’t pan out for him. Although The Mirror tells us that he made it into the prestigious Academy at Crystal Palace Football Club‚ he wasn’t able to pursue his passion. At a young age‚ he found himself homeless and in debt while caring for his disabled mother. He ended up working in a Motorola call center to make ends meet. At the time‚ he had no idea how much that job would end up paying off. “I describe the start of my career journey as a twice homeless failed footballer who found himself doing telesales to service a mountain of debt that he’d accumulated to keep up with football friends‚” the CEO told Business Chief. “I’m really grateful for that debt because it meant I had to fail at football quickly in order to get into the professional working environment.” @forbesfamilygroup Dean on being dropped from Crystal Palace FC to then making the conscious decision of transitioning into the corporate world. To thrive‚ not just survive‚ in life’s journey‚ mastering the art of the pivot is key. @offtheagendapodcast ♬ Solas X Interstellar – Gabriel Albuquerqüe Dean Forbes worked at a call center before closing his billion dollar deal. As Dean Forbes proved his mettle at Motorola‚ he started rising through the ranks. He found success at software company Primavera‚ where The U.S. Sun tells us he helped secure a $550 million deal. Eventually‚ he became the CEO of KDS in Paris. By the time he became CEO of Forterro‚ another software business‚ his reputation prededed him as someone who made companies worth buying. That’s when he reached the highest point of his career so far. Instagram After a year with Dean Forbes at the helm of Forterro‚ a private firm called Partners Group decided to acquire the company in a billion dollar deal! Unsurprisingly‚ the new owners kept the talented businessman on as their CEO. Forbes is also the founder and chairman of Forbes Family Group‚ which is dedicated to helping other individuals and businesses achieve success. What an incredible journey! Through hard work‚ Dean Forbes was able to change the course of his life from a homelessness to a billion dollar deal. What’s even better is that he’s sharing his expertise! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post The Triumphant Moment A Man Who Grew Up Homeless Closes A $1 Billion Deal. appeared first on InspireMore.

If you could save someone’s life‚ would you? That question was burning in the hearts of Julia Harlin’s children. Their mother was suffering from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and was at risk of dying without a liver transplant. Julia did not want her children to become living donors‚ but the kids had other ideas. Eileen Harlin and two of her siblings made the decision to have testing as possible matches without telling their mom. Testing was the first step in this story of how a daughter saves her mom’s life. Image from YouTube. Eileen got the call that she was a match right before Mother’s Day. Deciding that Mother’s Day was the best time to tell her parents‚ Eileen began the conversation‚ “Hey‚ don’t get mad. For the past few months‚ I’ve been getting tested to see if I’m a match. And I am‚ and I want to do it.” The news was met with tears all around. Happy tears. How can you be mad when your daughter just said she was going to save her mom’s life? Daughter Saves Mom With Two Surgeries Within 16 Months The transplant surgery went great on August 16‚ 2022‚ at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. Unfortunately‚ Julia received additional bad news shortly after getting her new lease on life. She was experiencing kidney failure due to hepatorenal syndrome. The kidney damage was a result of liver disease‚ so even though the liver was mending‚ the kidneys had too much damage to recover. Image from YouTube. Without a second thought‚ Eileen went in for testing to see if she was a match for a kidney transplant. She was‚ and the successful transplant was completed on December 19‚ 2023. The procedure was accomplished at the same facility‚ the University of Maryland Medical Center. Double Live-Donor Transplants Are Extremely Rare This was the first time using the same live donor for two transplant surgeries on the same recipient at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Daniel G. Maluf‚ M.D.‚ is the director of the medical center’s transplant program. He was the surgeon for both of Julia’s procedures. When speaking with Good Morning America‚ Dr. Maluf said that Eileen is the 14th person to donate part of her liver and a kidney to another person. Image from YouTube. Following the second surgery‚ he said‚ “The mom’s kidney function recovered immediately. And both of them were home after two or three days post transplant.” When speaking about the mother-daughter duo‚ the doctor had nothing but praise‚ telling GMA‚ “Julia is a wonderful patient‚ very appreciative. And obviously the hero of the story is Eileen‚ who came forward twice to help [her] mother.” Image from YouTube. Eillen praised the entire staff at the medical center. She added encouragement for anyone considering being a live donor to do it. “You don’t even have to know the person … and it can be anonymous‚” she said. “You don’t do it for anything‚ [except] the fact that you can save someone’s life.” Consider Organ Donation To Save A Life Whether you are a live donor or check the organ donation box when you renew your driver’s license‚ you will make a difference. One of my very close personal friends is a heart transplant recipient. He meets with his donor’s family regularly and has developed a great relationship with them. He uses every opportunity to let that family know how much he appreciates the sacrifice they made. They made the decision to donate their son’s organs when he passed‚ and that selfless act saved many people. If you enjoyed reading about today’s hero‚ please share her story and her plea for organ donations. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Daughter Saves Mom’s Life With Organ Donation — Not Once‚ But Twice! appeared first on InspireMore.

Loren Allred’s performance of “Over the Rainbow” just blew the AGT judges and audience away. Her voice is totally magical! She started the song with a soft sound‚ but quickly ramped up the intensity. As the song continue‚ she shocked the judges with her range and power. It’s almost impossible to watch this without getting goosebumps! The performance value was unbelievable‚ too. Loren Allred stood centered on the stage‚ with the background changing behind her as her performance went on. It was truly an incredible sight to see. This image is from Facebook. Loren herself found this clip on Facebook and took to the comment section to express her gratitude. “Wow. I am emotional watching this back. Being able to sing this brilliant arrangement of Over the Rainbow has to be one of the most memorable moments of my whole life!” she said. “Thank you Simon and AGT for giving me this unforgettable opportunity‚ and thank you to everyone for your support.. it means the world to me!” If you feel like you recognize Loren Allred’s voice‚ you probably do. She was the singer behind the song “Never Enough‚” which appeared in the hit movie‚ The Greatest Showman. What a totally epic performance. We’re wishing you luck‚ Loren! The featured image for this post is from Facebook. The post Loren Allred’s Magical Take On “Over The Rainbow” Will Give You Goosebumps. appeared first on InspireMore.

As a fullback for the San Francisco 49ers‚ Kyle Juszczyk has quite a lot of fans. As for the NFL star himself‚ it’s safe to say that his adoration‚ first and foremost‚ is with his wife‚ Kristin Juszczyk. In 2017‚ she created her own fashion brand called Origin. Recently‚ Taylor Swift herself wore a jacket by Kristin‚ prompting folks to rave over the unique piece. The oversized puffer jacket was made to represent the Kansas City Chiefs. Plus‚ it’s customized with Travis Kelce’s number‚ 87. Swift wore this adorable jacket during a particularly frigid game‚ and folks couldn’t stop raving over how perfectly cozy it looked. Meanwhile‚ Juszczyk made it his mission to make sure everyone knew it was his wife who made it. TikTok In order to do that‚ this NFL star took the time to reply to social media posts that featured Swift in the jacket. Seriously‚ this guy was on every platform and replying to as many posts as he possible could! Kristin Juszczyk’s Jacket for Taylor Swift Goes Viral TikTok In turn‚ Kristin is getting all sorts of attention‚ including from media outlets and fashion brands. According to Juszczyk‚ Kristin has worked tirelessly over the years to get her brand off the ground‚ often spending up to 20 hours on a single jacket like the won Swift wore. Sometimes‚ he’ll even catch her at 3 or 4 a.m. working on a new piece. TikTok “[It was] just pure joy‚” Juszczyk shares. “Just to see her get that recognition. She’s been grinding for years now‚ working so hard. So‚ I was so happy to see her get her stuff out there‚ everybody sees it and people recognize that it was hers.” That’s my girl! https://t.co/vF2tJJTJ3Q— Kyle Juszczyk (@JuiceCheck44) January 29‚ 2024 We love to see such a caring‚ supportive husband! There’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing many more beautiful pieces from Kristin in the future. “She has every option on the table right now‚” Juszczyk says. “She’s going back and forth with a few companies and some good stuff is going to come from it.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post NFL Star Can’t Stop Bragging About The Jacket His Wife Made For Taylor Swift And It’s Too Cute. appeared first on InspireMore.