Three-year-old Hope Jones weighed 24.5 pounds, less than 99% of children her height and age, just a month before she died in July 2022.
The child was starved and beaten up by her foster parent, a distant relative from Southwest Philadelphia who pleaded no contest to third-degree murder over Hope’s death.
A new federal lawsuit is pointing a finger in another direction. It accuses medical providers from Philadelphia FIGHT, a community health nonprofit based in Center City, of failing to investigate or report abuse despite a series of red flags from Hope’s wellness checks.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is against the United States because FIGHT is a federally qualified health center and thus receives funding and operates with requirements from the government.
Philadelphia’s U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment. FIGHT did not respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit is not only the latest legal fallout from Hope’s death, but the latest in litigation brought after children who were part of the city’s child welfare system have been harmed.
The city and its affiliated agencies were sued nearly 70 times between 2012 and 2024 after kids in their care were killed, sexually abused, or injured, an Inquirer/Resolve Philly investigation found. And at least 50 of these lawsuits led to settlements or verdicts of $1 million or more.
The new lawsuit on behalf of Hope’s biological family extends the circle of litigants to include medical providers.
“It’s another group of professionals that failed Hope,” said Sherrell Dandy, one of the Kline & Specter attorneys representing the family.
Child welfare services were involved in Hope’s life from her first days on Earth, according to the complaint. Her mother and the infant tested positive for marijuana after the delivery, and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services placed the infant under its care.
Hope became a FIGHT patient, and her first few visits as a baby went well, the lawsuit says. She was “well-developed and well-nourished,” the complaint says, and had a “good appetite.”
Hope’s weight reached the 98th percentile at her 15-month wellness visit, in the summer of 2020, but she fell off the growth chart steadily after the following November when she was placed in foster care with a distant relative, the complaint says. Hope failed to meet developmental milestones and lost teeth, a couple times without explanation and another time following an alleged fall.
The child’s medical records note that she developed an abnormal gait, ate her own feces, and was eating extremely fast followed by periodically vomiting, the suit says.
The FIGHT physicians did refer Hope to an orthopedic specialist because of her gait, but the lawsuit says that they failed to recognize it as “clinical indicators of severe weight loss and underlying caloric deprivation, starvation, and neglect.”
Hope’s weight fell to the single digits as summer 2022 approach. She was rushed to the hospital that July and was pronounced dead. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office determined that her cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries, and the manner of death was homicide.
“The hallmark for health is growth,” said Nadeem Bezar, another Kline & Specter attorney. “During those visits there were alarming things that were never followed up on.”
A previous version of the lawsuit was filed against FIGHT in federal court in February. A judge dismissed that case in March because Hope’s estate had other administrative remedies to pursue before filing a lawsuit, and said that the appropriate defendant would be the United States.The new lawsuit says that all administrative remedies were exhausted and the government is the only defendant.
If you’re heading to grandma’s house ahead of Thanksgiving this week, you might want to pack an umbrella — but other than that, it looks like relatively smooth sailing for Turkey Day.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly predict a period of rainy weather ahead of the holiday, with a warm, wet Tuesday and Wednesday giving way to a dry, breezy Thursday. The weekend, meanwhile, looks to be colder, with some potential rainfall Sunday, but no severe weather appears to be on tap, weather service meteorologist Nick Guzzo said.
“It looks to be just some rain and a possible isolated rumble of thunder,” Guzzo said.
Showers are expected to arrive in the Philadelphia region Tuesday afternoon, bringing periodic bouts of rain that will stick around through Wednesday, producing around a half-inch of rain, the weather service estimates. Forecasters do not expect any severe weather, but local rainfall totals could hit up to an inch in some areas, and some thunder in the morning is possible.
Along with the wet weather comes a warm front resulting in milder temperatures likely nearing 60 degrees that will continue through Wednesday evening.
By late Wednesday, forecasters predict, a cold front is likely to move in, dropping temperatures and drying out the rain. By Thanksgiving morning, high temperatures are expected to reach only the 40s, with breezy weather throughout the day that will likely bring wind chills in the 30s.
Thursday’s windy weather could bring gusts around 30 mph, Guzzo said. Representatives for Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day parade said they were keeping a close eye on the weather and anticipate the balloons will fly.
“But should the weather not cooperate, we have contingency plans in place,” said Mike Monsell, spokesperson for parade sponsor 6abc.
Balloons in Philly’s Thanksgiving parade were last grounded due to high winds in 2019 — though wind gusts that year reached high speeds of up to 50 mph. Before that, the parade’s balloons had not been grounded since 1997, when similarly high winds kicked up on Thanksgiving Day.
Friday and Saturday are expected to bring a preview of winter weather with morning lows in the upper 20s — roughly 4 to 6 degrees below average for this time of year. That is thanks to the cold front moving through the area, Guzzo said, which will keep highs in the low to mid-40s.
As for weekend rain, Saturday looks dry, but as milder conditions take hold, there is a slight chance of rain Sunday to close out the weekend.
The HBO crime thriller Task will return to Pennsylvania along with star Mark Ruffalo for a second season, thanks in part to generous support from the state.
On Monday, the Pennsylvania Film Office announced that Task will receive a record $49.8 million tax credit, the largest amount the state has granted to a single production.
The effort is expected to bring about 3,700 jobs to Pennsylvania as HBO estimates investing $194.1 million into the state economy, including hiring local crews and paying for hotel accommodations.
Task comes from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, the writer from Berwyn who has developed a reputation for putting Delco (and Philly) crime stories on national television. Last week, HBO announced the popular show would return for a second season, which is expected to film primarily in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
The tax credit is part of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s efforts to bring more TV and film productions to Pennsylvania.
“This is the largest tax credit we’ve ever awarded to one show, and we’re proud to support another returning series by homegrown storyteller Brad Ingelsby through the Film Production Tax Credit Program,” said Pennsylvania Film Commissioner Gino Anthony Pesi in a statement.
“The Shapiro administration understands that supporting productions like Task have a powerful impact on Pennsylvania’s creative economy through the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while also giving new opportunities to local businesses in the southeastern region.”
“Task” showrunner Brad Ingelsby and star Mark Ruffalo on set.
Ingelsby has been committed to “investing in authenticity” through not only writing film and TV scripts that are based in the Philadelphia region, but pushing for his productions to shoot on location as much as possible.
“There is value in shooting something where it’s set — it will bring something to the production, to the characters, to the emotion that you just can’t emulate somewhere else,” Ingelsby told The Inquirer in September.
“The locations in and around Philadelphia add an invaluable level of authenticity to the series,” said Janet Graham Borba, HBO’s executive vice president of production, in the statement. “Furthermore, the opportunity to bring a production of this caliber to Pennsylvania and provide jobs to its citizens and businesses is extremely gratifying to Brad Ingelsby and all of us at HBO.”
Shooting with Pennsylvania crews also had an impact on the Task cast: Some actors, including Emilia Jones, who played Maeve Prendergrast, bonded with crew members, who also helped them learn that difficult-to-nail Delco accent.
Last year, Arcadia University transformed a basketball gymnasium on campus into the home of its newest athletic programs: men’s and women’s wrestling.
“Compared to most wrestling rooms, we have a very open facility,” men’s coach David Stevens said. “We have three full-size wrestling mats and a turf field. We have treadmills, standalone bikes, and a weight room. [Arcadia] did a really good job of supporting us.”
As the facility was under construction, women’s coach Michael Childs gave prospective members of his 11-athlete squad an up-close look at the progress.
“I took [recruits] through a construction site with our facility that was being built,” Childs said. “There were certain days that they had to wear hard hats when they went through the building. I could show them pictures on my phone, and the education piece kind of sold itself. … The more difficult part was selling them a vision for the program.”
“Wrestling is very popular in the state of Pennsylvania and has very passionate fans, but countrywide, it is still a niche sport,” Childs said. “So introducing that to the Arcadia community in general and the administration, it’s been a growing year for us.”
Focus on ‘family’
The men’s roster features 32 wrestlers, primarily freshmen. The team leadership comes from a group of older wrestlers who entered the season nationally ranked.
Senior Caden Frost was ranked No. 15 in the 149-pound weight class, graduate student Logan Flynn (285) was No. 6, and senior Jacob Blair (133) was No. 8.
Blair and Flynn followed Stevens, their former assistant coach, to Arcadia from Delaware Valley University, while Frost transferred from New England College.
“It’s a lot of leading by example,” Blair said. “We’re trying to build something here with longevity and make an impact not only this year, but also down the road. We’re trying to create good team camaraderie and spirit because this is something none of us have ever experienced. We’ve never wrestled on a team with 25 freshmen.”
Arcadia wrestling is in its first season.
The Knights (1-3) secured their first team win on Nov. 8 over Eastern, 27-20.
Stevens believes the young roster will grow significantly over the course of the season, which begins in November and culminates with the NCAA championships in March.
“We tell every recruit that if you join this team, you become part of a family,” Stevens said. “We haven’t had the early success that we expected or that we wanted. But I think that’s what a family does, is that even through the hardships, we don’t give up on each other. We truly believe that we’re going to do something special here in our first year.”
The three leaders went undefeated in Arcadia’s most recent competition at Misericordia University.
“We talked about how you either have to buy in now or hop off,” Blair said. “But the fire under these guys is that they truly want to be here and want to be college wrestlers. They know it’s going to take hard work, because it’s a grueling sport, both mentally and physically.”
While the Arcadia women’s team (0-2) is a MAC member, there are fewer than 100 NCAA women’s wrestling programs nationwide. The limited number means that all programs, regardless of division, will vie for the same national championship.
In addition to helping freshmen adjust to the rigors of college athletics, Childs must also prepare his team to face some of the country’s top wrestlers.
“I think that the biggest challenge for us is bringing our student-athletes along to understand what this commitment is,” Childs said. “It’s not just your morning lifts and your daily practices. It’s a lifestyle. We’ll potentially be seeing world team members in competitions, All-Americans, and Olympians. So it’s really exciting, and it’s really challenging.”
Taylor McCue, a junior, is the only non-freshman on the Arcadia women’s wrestling roster.
Junior Taylor McCue is the only non-freshman on the women’s roster. From goal-setting meetings to decorating the locker room before competitions, the team is establishing its identity.
“The best thing that I can do for the success and growth of this program is to surround it with good people, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” Childs said. “We had our first tri-meet a couple weeks ago on our floor. After our event, we had a parent social, and over a hundred people were there. It was pretty cool to see.”
Freshman Molly Lubenow (right) in action for Arcadia.
A sport on the rise
Arcadia’s addition of a women’s wrestling program follows the rapid expansion of the sport nationwide. According to the NCAA, 17 schools began offering women’s wrestling programs in 2024-25 alongside its promotion to a championship sport.
The inaugural NCAA women’s wrestling championship will take place this spring.
Both Arcadia programs see themselves as leading the growth of wrestling. They also aim to bring national attention to the small university through success in Division III.
“Why I’m grateful to be at Arcadia is the support they give us,” Stevens said. “High school and even college programs are usually focused on other sports that more people are familiar with. But here at Arcadia, we feel like they’re really investing in us and giving us a great opportunity. This is a place that I want to continue to grow.”
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence sagged in November as households worried about jobs and their financial situation, likely in part because of the recently ended government shutdown.
The Conference Board said on Tuesday its consumer confidence index dropped to 88.7 this month from an upwardly revised 95.5 in October.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index edging down to 93.4 from the previously reported 94.6 in October.
“Consumers’ write-in responses pertaining to factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and inflation, tariffs and trade, and politics, with increased mentions of the federal government shutdown,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board.
“Mentions of the labor market eased somewhat but still stood out among all other frequent themes not already cited. The overall tone from November write-ins was slightly more negative than in October.”
WASHINGTON – The FBI has requested interviews with six Democrats from the U.S. Congress who told members of the military they must refuse any illegal orders, a Justice Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.
The move, reported earlier by Fox News, comes a day after the Pentagon threatened to recall Senator Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran and one of the six lawmakers, to active duty potentially to face military charges over what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described as “seditious” acts on social media.
The other lawmakers, who made the comments in a video released last week, include Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Iraq war veteran, and Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, all military veterans.
The legislators created the video amid concerns from Democrats — echoed privately by some U.S. military commanders — that the Trump administration is violating the law by ordering strikes on vessels purportedly carrying suspected drug traffickers in Latin American waters.
The Pentagon has argued the strikes are justified because the drug smugglers are considered terrorists.
The Justice Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the interviews were to determine “if there’s any wrongdoing and then go from there.”
The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement on Monday, Kelly dismissed the Pentagon’s threat as an intimidation tactic.
With the winter holiday season seeming to start before Thanksgiving turkey has even been served, it’s easy to feel like the Grinch. But if there’s one thing that can cure those early holiday blues, it’s over-the-top decorations and a novelty cocktail.
Luckily, these Philadelphia-area bars have already begun to their deck their halls (or booths) with garlands, nutcrackers, and more string lights than we can count.
One tip: Regardless of which holiday bars you chose, plan ahead and snag a reservation. The only thing worse than a stocking full of coal is waiting in the cold for a seat at the bar.
Wine Garden co-founders Nazaret Teclesambet and Favian Sutton are taking over three rooms inside Suburban Station through Dec. 31 for a luxe limited-edition holiday bar, not unlike last year’s at the Divine Lorraine. This go-round, the theme is diamond and pearls: Think gold-mirrored walls, grand Christmas trees, and enough bows and pearls for a tea party. Guests can sip on spiked hot chocolates rimmed with crushed candy canes, bourbon and apple cider holiday punches, and marshmallow-topped espresso martinis, among other cocktails. General admission is $14.64 per person for a 90-minute reservation. A $42.39 VIP ticket includes a welcome glass of sparkling rosé and a mini vintage cake. All other food and drinks are pay-as-you-go.
Unfortunately, Santa cannot call in favors to get you a table at High Street, one of Philly’s first-ever Michelin-recommended restaurants. The big guy, however, does recommend you spend $5 per person to snag a reservation at High Street’s holiday pop-up inside the Franklin Residence’s grand lobby. Ever Eve in the Back Bar runs Saturdays only through Dec. 27, and features a cocktail partnership with specialty spirits purveyor BOTLD alongside a menu of upscale bar snacks like crispy oysters, brown butter shoestring fries, and deviled eggs topped with trout roe.
Cocktails from a partnership with BOTLD will be served at Ever Eve in the Back Bar, a holiday pop-up from High Street taking over the lobby bar inside the Franklin Residences on Saturdays through Dec. 27.
Dining at this indoor-outdoor restaurant near Rittenhouse Square is far more low-key than most of the city’s holiday bars — mostly because it’s not marketed as a holiday bar at all. Instead, diners can spend two hours inside one of Harper Garden’s private heated outdoor cabins, which can seat four to six people. Something about eating warm bowls of pasta under woodsy garlands screams cozy.
There’s something about snow on the beach, at least according to that one Taylor Swift song. For a dose of holiday spirit down the shore, shoobies can check out the Jingle Bar inside Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille. The beloved holiday pop-up bar inside the Montreal Beach Resort will run through Dec. 31 this year, with some new additions, like outdoor fire pits overlooking the ocean and a $90 Christmas tree cocktail tower that comes with six libations of your choosing.
Juno’s Holly Jolly Bar is a collaboration with events company Bucket Listers that converts an outdoor summertime hot spot into a winter wonderland — with a roof. From Nov. 26 to Dec. 28, Juno’s patio will be draped in rows upon rows of string lights and ornaments designed as Instagram bait. Don’t expect any Mexican inspiration on the menu beyond a winter marg and some sangria. Tacos and ceviches have been swapped for giant french fries, chicken tenders, and a charcuterie-inspired snack board. Tickets cost $22.50 for a 90-minute seating and a welcome drink. All other food and beverage is pay-as-you-go.
Is nostalgia on your Christmas list this year? The Library Bar inside The Prime Rib at South Philly’s Live! Casino and Hotel has transformed into a swanky-yet-quirky holiday pop-up with drinks inspired by classic holiday movies ranging from Elf to Die Hard. Guests can sip on an Ovaltine espresso martini and spiked sea salt caramel eggnog, among other cocktails, while cozying up by the fireplace through Jan. 10.
Prime Rib inside the Live! Casino & Hotel at 900 Packer Ave. has been transformed into a cozy living room for Holiday Rewind, a pop-up inspired by nostalgic Christmas movies.
Philly’s first minigolf bar has also partnered with Bucket Listers to overload their course with a hefty dose of Philly-ified holiday spirit. From now through Jan. 31, guests can play nine or 18 holes of holiday-themed putt-putt with decor like a greased North Pole, snow globes, and a golf cart covered in Philadelphia Parking Authority tickets (of course). Libertee Ground’s seasonal menu features a standout tomato soup and grilled cheese duo alongside several holiday cocktails, including a cranberry and cinnamon mule and an orange-plum punch made with Stateside Vodka. Those looking to tee off can expect to pay $20 for nine holes of minigolf, plus a cocktail in a souvenir cup.
It’s a gift from Santa himself: A walk-ins only holiday bar. Every holiday season, McGillin’s covers itself in floor-to-ceiling Christmas decorations. (That’s roughly 1,200 feet of lights and 1,000 feet of garlands for number-crunchers.) Holiday barflies can expect a lineup of festive drinks that include an eggnog martini and a spiced rum hot apple cider. Just around the corner from the bar at Sansom and Juniper Streets is holiday pop-up shop that sells McGillin’s merch (stocking stuffers, anyone?). The shop is open noon to 6 p.m. daily.
All 18 holes of mini golf at Libertee Grounds have been updated with string lights, ornaments and other holiday decor for a collaboration with Bucket Listers that runs through Jan. 31, 2026.
It takes roughly 60,000 ornaments and 20,000 lights to transform Craftsman Row Saloon into the Miracle on 8th Street, its annual holiday pop-up bar best known for over-the-top milkshakes. This year’s shake lineup includes the seasonally confused Pumpkin to Talk About — blended pumpkin ice cream topped with a whole slice of pumpkin pie — and Santa’s cookies, a chocolate chip cookie dough variety rimmed with chipwiches. Reservations are recommended for Miracle on 8th Street, which runs through mid-January.
For the first time since its 1978 opening, Bridget Foy’s will transform into the aptly titled North Pole on South Street, a Christmas bar that will run from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. The devil (or Santa) is in the details: The bar’s new Instagram account shows footage of craftsmen freezing tiny nutcrackers into custom ice cubes for a lineup of cocktails that includes a peppermint tea-infused negroni and honey-chili margarita floated with aperol. Reservations also include access to several holiday-themed photo backdrops.
Take in views of the ice skating rink and the Delaware River from the lodge inside the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, a festival of all things festive that runs from Nov. 28 to March 1. Guests can choose to warm up inside the pop-up ski lodge or sip spiked hot chocolates and ciders around private fire pits or cabins available for rent.
Annual pop-up bar Tinsel runs from Nov. 28 through January with the same over-the-top shtick in new dressing. Sip on cocktails in novelty cups (that you can take home!) under a blinking neon Santa tracker, oversized ornaments, and illustrations of pop culture’s wackiest holiday characters. This year’s naughty beverages include punch served in an adult juice pouch and a duo of festive red and green shots.
Evil Genius regulars secured their spot on Santa’s nice list by painting larger-than-life gingerbread houses and cutting hundreds of paper snowflakes for the bar’s Twas an Evil Christmas holiday pop-up. Ornaments and wrapped presents hang from the ceiling while guests can sip on the brewery’s signature holiday saison Santa! I Know Him!, a 7.5% ABV Belgian-style brewed with rose hips, dark candy syrup, and chamomile.
The brewery is hosting a 0.5K (a run around the block) on Dec. 3, where $30 scores runners free beer and a Santa Hat. All proceeds will go toward buying Christmas gifts for families in need.
This Manayunk Tex-Mex restaurant will dress up for any occasion, and the winter holidays are no exception. Taqueria Amor has transformed into its signature Señor Grinch pop-up for the sixth year in a row, playing classic holiday movies via projector every evening through New Year’s Eve, no reservations required. Taqueria Amor’s very-merry cocktail lineup includes a shot that purportedly tastes just like a gingerbread cookie and several margaritas the color of Rudolph’s nose or the Grinch.
Santa’s workshop is taking over Center City’s Uptown Beer Garden through the end of 2025, and with it comes inflatable elves, oversized nutcrackers, snow globes, and fire pits for s’mores. All of the pop-up’s holiday cocktails are served in souvenir cups, including the Polar Espress-o — a peppermint bark-flavored cold brew martini — and the Apple Spice and Everything Nice, a caramel apple mule.
1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 267-639-4493, uptownbeer.com
This popular Rittenhouse Square beer garden is winterized through Dec. 31 and features a 22-foot tall Christmas tree alongside plush life-sized penguins, a playhouse pulled by reindeer, and lots of neon lights. Also included inside Walnut Wonderland: make-your-own gingerbread house and s’mores kits for $9 each, plus $12 holiday drink specials that include a maple whiskey sour and a banana-flavored vodka and hazelnut liqueur number that’s meant to taste like banana bread.
Santa greets guests at Walnut Garden at 1708 Walnut St., which is offering table side s’mores and gingerbread house decorating kits this holiday season.
Spend the winter inside Butcher Bar‘s heated covered patio, which looks kind of like a man cave inside a contemporary ski cabin. Butcher Bar’s seasonal cocktails make up for the macho decor. This reporter’s favorites include the Die Hard is a Christmas Movie (rye whiskey, sweet potato, marshmallow, toasted almond bitters) and the Christmas in Paradise (citrus almond spiced rum, mango, lime, herbal liqueur topped with a teeny drink umbrella).
WASHINGTON/KYIV — Ukraine on Tuesday signaled support for the framework of a peace deal with Russia but stressed that sensitive issues needed to be fixed at a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Kyiv’s message hinted that an intense diplomatic push by the Trump administration could be yielding some fruit but any optimism could be short-lived, especially as Russia stressed it would not let any deal stray too far from its own objectives.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators held talks on the latest U.S.-backed peace plan in Geneva on Sunday. U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll then met on Monday and Tuesday with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, a spokesperson for Driscoll said.
U.S. and Ukrainian officials have been trying to narrow the gaps between them over the plan to end Europe’s deadliest and most devastating conflict since World War Two, with Ukraine wary of being strong-armed into accepting a deal largely on the Kremlin’s terms, including territorial concessions.
“Ukraine — after Geneva — supports the framework’s essence, and some of the most sensitive issues remain as points for the discussion between presidents,” a Ukrainian official said.
Zelensky could visit the United States in the next few days to finalize a deal with Trump, Kyiv’s national security chief Rustem Umerov said, though no such trip was confirmed from the U.S. side.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X that over the past week the U.S. had made “tremendous progress towards a peace deal by bringing both Ukraine and Russia to the table.” She added: “There are a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details that must be sorted out and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.”
Oil prices extended an earlier decline after reports of Ukraine potentially agreeing to a war-ending deal.
Underlining the high stakes for Ukraine, its capital Kyiv was hit by a barrage of missiles and hundreds of drones overnight in a Russian strike that killed at least seven people and again disrupted power and heating systems. Residents were sheltering underground wearing winter jackets, some in tents.
Zelensky will discuss sensitive issues with Trump
U.S. policy towards the war has zigzagged in recent months.
A hastily arranged summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August raised worries in Kyiv and European capitals that the Trump administration might accept many Russian demands, though the meeting ultimately resulted in more U.S. pressure on Russia.
The 28-point plan that emerged last week caught many in the U.S. government, Kyiv and Europe alike off-guard and prompted fresh concerns that the Trump administration might be willing to push Ukraine to sign a peace deal heavily tilted toward Moscow.
The plan would require Kyiv to cede territory beyond the almost 20% of Ukraine that Russia has captured since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, as well as accept curbs on its military and bar it from ever joining NATO — conditions Kyiv has long rejected as tantamount to surrender.
The sudden push has raised the pressure on Ukraine and Zelensky, who is now at his most vulnerable since the start of the war after a corruption scandal saw two of his ministers dismissed, and as Russia makes battlefield gains.
Zelensky could struggle to get Ukrainians to swallow a deal viewed as selling out their interests.
He said on Monday the latest peace plan incorporated “correct” points after talks in Geneva. “The sensitive issues, the most delicate points, I will discuss with President Trump,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
Zelensky said the process of producing a final document would be difficult. Russia’s unrelenting attacks on Ukraine have left many skeptical about how peace can be achieved soon.
“There was a very loud explosion, our windows were falling apart, we got dressed and ran out,” said Nadiia Horodko, a 39-year-old accountant, after a residential building was struck in Kyiv overnight.
“There was horror, everything was already burning here, and a woman was screaming from the eighth floor, ‘Save the child, the child is on fire!’”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said an amended peace plan must reflect the “spirit and letter” of an understanding reached between Putin and Trump at their Alaska summit.
“If the spirit and letter of Anchorage is erased in terms of the key understandings we have established then, of course, it will be a fundamentally different situation (for Russia),” Lavrov warned.
A group of countries supporting Ukraine, which is known as the coalition of the willing and includes Britain and France, was also set to hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
“It’s an initiative that goes in the right direction: peace. However, there are aspects of that plan that deserve to be discussed, negotiated, improved,” French President Emmanuel Macron told RTL radio regarding the U.S.-proposed plan. “We want peace, but we don’t want a peace that would be a capitulation.”
In a separate development, Romania scrambled fighter jets to track drones that breached its territory near the border with Ukraine early on Tuesday, and one was still advancing deeper into the NATO-member country, the defense ministry said. (Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Devika Nair, Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk, Alessandro Parodi, Michel Rose, Luiza Ilie and Sergiy Karazy; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Frances Kerry and Mark Heinrich)
A congressional committee is investigating allegations of antisemitism in the Philadelphia School District.
U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R., Mich.) said this week that the House Education and Workforce Committee — which he chairs — would probe “disturbing reports of Jewish students being harassed and subjected to open antisemitism in their classrooms and hallways” in three school systems: Berkeley Unified in California, Fairfax County in Virginia, and Philadelphia.
Walberg and U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a freshman Republican who represents the Lehigh Valley, informed Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. of the investigation in a letter sent Monday.
The committee, the lawmakers said, “is deeply concerned” that since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, it has “received allegations that SDP is rife with antisemitic incidents, including allegations of teachers spreading antisemitism in the classroom and SDP approving antisemitic walkouts that isolate Jewish students.”
Monique Braxton, a spokesperson for the district, said she cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
The Office of Civil Rights found in December 2024 that despite “repeated, extensive notice” of acts of antisemitism and other harassment in its schools, the district did not adequately investigate the claims, take appropriate steps to respond to them, or maintain all necessary records.
Walberg and Mackenzie’s letter said that even after the Office of Civil Rights settlement, antisemitic incidents have continued unanswered.
Allegations of antisemitism against certain educators
The representatives also referred to the district’s director of social studies curriculum, who they said “has been widely condemned by Jewish advocacy groups in light of his ‘pattern of denying the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel, refusing to speak about peace or coexistence, and downplaying the lived experiences of Jewish people in the face of violence.’”
Philadelphia, the letter said, failed “to exercise oversight of antisemitic materials in the classroom.” Officials also took issue with what they said was a partnership between the district and the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Philadelphia. (The organization this summer announced it was available to partner with local schools and administrations to provide religious accommodations and build inclusivity.)
Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director at CAIR-Philadelphia, said it “takes pride in offering these resources” but had no special partnership with Philadelphia’s school district. Instead, it was broadly offering its educational materials and training to any school, educator, or district, he said.
Tekelioglu dismissed the investigation as the machinations of “wild, right-wing” congresspeople.
“It’s a continuation of McCarthyism, what they are trying to do against colleges,” Tekelioglu said. “They are trying to quell and suppress academic freedom in school districts.”
What are the representatives calling for?
The committee requested documents “to assess SDP’s compliance with Title VI and determine whether legislation to specifically address antisemitism discrimination is needed.”
The district was given a deadline of Dec. 8 to produce documents including an anonymized chart of all allegations of antisemitism against students, faculty, or staff since Oct. 7, 2023; all documents and communications since that date “referring or relating to walkouts, toolkits, workshops, curricula, course materials, educational material, guest speakers, lecture series, partnerships, teacher training, or professional development, referring or relating to Jews, Judaism, Israel, Palestine, Zionism, or antisemitism, in the possession of SDP schools or offices”; and more.
Twenty-five years of running a small business teach you a lot. I have owned the Night Kitchen Bakery since 2000, and worked in the food business for over 40 years, at hotels, restaurants, and for caterers. In that journey, you start to see patterns as to how the economy and major events affect the business.
Anyone who has ever worked in the food and/or hospitality business will tell you it is incredibly hard work, but often rewarding and sometimes exciting. Anyone who has owned a food business will tell you that owning one is even harder, but can also be the most satisfying work.
Food is love
Feeding people is a beautiful love language. For those of us lucky enough to keep our small businesses going for so long, we know that, as my grandmother used to say, “It is a nickel-and-dime business.” The bottom line is so small that price fluctuations in raw product, broken equipment, or increases in other business expenses can be the difference between a tiny profit, zero profit, or a significant loss.
Large losses can be impossible to recover from for a mom-and-pop shop, or even a medium-sized restaurant. We learn to keep an eye on the small details every day. We often change the way we operate with new technologies to help become more efficient. Our staff often have skills and knowledge we learn from to improve our operation. We watch as sales patterns emerge every day of the week, every season, every holiday, and every year.
Most people love to have a treat or entertain on weekends, so most food businesses are busier Friday through Sunday. Our biggest expense is staffing, and we adjust schedules to account for slow and busy times of the year. Much of it is an educated guessing game.
The 12 finalists in the 2021 Holiday Cookie Challenge.
People tend to celebrate holidays at the same time, and want pies for Thanksgiving and cookies in December. Spring and warmer weather demand fruitier flavors. Buying seasonal products helps keep costs lower. Raw products constantly fluctuate, so we adjust our prices when we can without alienating our customer base. All this is challenging, but I’m used to it.
We have not been able to increase the prices of some of our products to match the rise in the cost of ingredients. In my 25 years here, I have never seen costs fluctuate so wildly and frequently. The cost of raw products, such as chocolate, coffee, jams, and other imported ingredients, is going through the roof. My vendors tell me this is largely due to tariffs.
We cover the cost of health insurance for some employees, which is also one of our biggest monthly bills. We just received our rate sheet for 2026, and the increase is over 20% — the largest hike I have ever seen. This is another expense that will make doing business extremely difficult. Other business owners I know are also struggling.
Growing stress
I see the job market changing fast, and I am seeing more applicants than ever before. Several customers have confided in me that they have government jobs and are worried they will not receive back pay when they return to work. It is very stressful for them, and stress has a trickle-down effect.
This all adds up, not only in expenses for the business, but in time spent adjusting to all the factors. We are lucky. We have a loyal customer base and, so far, have been able to accommodate ourselves to the changing market, if barely.
But it can’t go on forever.
Small businesses make up the vast majority of all U.S. businesses. So I offer this not as a personal problem, but an alarm about what is happening to the economy as a whole.
What can be done? Everyone has to decide this for themselves, but I think action is needed. I am in touch with our government representatives regularly to express my concerns. Whatever your situation, everyone is affected and burdened by the choices our politicians are making.
After all, our business is your business, too.
Amy Beth Edelman has been co-owner of the Night Kitchen Bakery and Cafe in Chestnut Hill for 25 of the shop’s 44-year history. She lives in Bala Cynwyd.
