The Sanzer Rebbe said that while the media has fueled hostility toward the Torah world, most secular Israelis still respect Torah and those who study it. His remarks came during a special meeting with a young bochur who had recently been released from military prison after refusing to leave Torah study. The Rebbe also addressed the ongoing campaign against bnei yeshiva and proposals to unite leading rabbonim in response.

The meeting took place on Thursday night, Parshas Eikev, at the Rebbe’s home. The Ziditshov Bnei Brak Rebbe visited together with his son-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Pinter, a descendant of the Sanzer dynasty, and his son, Shmuel Shmelke Pinter, who had recently completed a prison sentence imposed after his arrest by the military police for remaining in yeshiva.

The Sanzer Rebbe warmly encouraged the young man and his family, recalling a story his father, the Klausenberger Rebbe zt”l, often told about Rav Aharon of Kriz zt”l, who was imprisoned. When people asked the Divrei Chaim to daven for Rav Aharon’s release, he reminded them that Yosef HaTzaddik, the Maharam of Rottenburg, and the Ruzhiner Rebbe had all been jailed. When someone suggested that imprisonment was a chilul Hashem, the Divrei Chaim answered that the true chilul Hashem is forgetting Hashem, even for a single moment.

The Rebbe explained that he intentionally refrained from sharing the story while the bochur was still incarcerated.

“I did not want to say this while he was still sitting in prison… Not everything can be imitated… But now that, Boruch Hashem, he has been released, it is appropriate to tell this story.”

The discussion then shifted to the draft crisis and the treatment of Torah learners. The Ziditshov Rebbe raised the idea of convening leading rabbonim to place a cherem on those leading the campaign against the Torah world. The Sanzer Rebbe responded by recalling that his father had long ago proposed organizing chareidi attorneys to defend the interests of Torah Judaism through the legal system in Eretz Yisroel.

“He was wise and could foresee the future… He wanted to gather chareidi attorneys who would coordinate everything related to protecting the interests of Torah Judaism through the legal system in Eretz Yisroel.”

The Rebbe said that government authorities today often act arrogantly and without restraint.

Despite his criticism of government officials and institutions, the Rebbe emphasized that they do not represent the feelings of the general public. He said most Jews in Eretz Yisroel have faith in Hashem and maintain a genuine respect for Torah and religious life, while the media creates the false impression that anti-Torah voices represent the majority.

The Rebbe related that he has personally experienced this in places such as Netanya and even Caesarea, which he described as a left-wing city. During visits there, many non-observant Jews approached him to ask for brachos or treated him with great respect as he walked through the streets.

“This is the majority of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisroel,” he said.

Speaking about the ongoing war, the Rebbe said it has created confusion among many Israelis who do not understand the sanctity of Torah, but it has also inspired countless others to strengthen their faith and seek brachos and tefillos.

Addressing hostility toward the chareidi community, the Rebbe said many secular Jews cannot be judged harshly because they are tinokos shenishbu who were never properly taught Torah. However, he added that when one encounters intense hatred of religion and an organized campaign against Torah-observant Jews, his father attributed such behavior to the influence of the Eirev Rav.

The Rebbe concluded by expressing absolute confidence in the eternity of Torah, recalling his father’s frequent assurance that Torah will never collapse regardless of the challenges facing the Torah world.

Before the young bochur departed, the Sanzer Rebbe gave him a heartfelt bracha, telling him that he had been chosen from Heaven to sanctify Hashem’s Name on behalf of Klal Yisroel and expressing the hope that the future joy of the Torah world would far outweigh its present suffering.

Following a heartbreaking day in which three fatal incidents claimed multiple lives, United Hatzalah spokesman Avi Suissa is calling on the public to exercise greater caution during bein hazemanim, warning that many of the tragedies unfolding across the country are preventable.

Speaking on Kol Chai Radio’s main evening news program, Suissa described the emotional toll on emergency responders, whose volunteers were dispatched to several fatal scenes throughout the day while continuing to respond to numerous other emergencies nationwide.

“You can’t simply move on after a day like this,” Suissa said. “We have to stop and ask ourselves what we’re doing. United Hatzalah volunteers are deployed across the country and are seeing these tragedies up close. Beyond the incidents that make the headlines, we have responded in recent weeks to dozens of near-drownings, dehydration cases, and hikers who became lost. Boruch Hashem, those situations ended safely, but every one of them had the potential to become a tragedy.”

Suissa directed a heartfelt appeal to bochurim and avreichim taking advantage of bein hazemanim to travel and enjoy the outdoors, stressing that recreation must never come at the expense of safety.

“We understand that every bochur and every avreich deserves the opportunity to get away, hike, relax, and recharge during these weeks,” he said. “But we also have to recognize that we’re entering environments and conditions that we aren’t accustomed to during the rest of the year. Our rescue boat on the Kinneret is operating almost nonstop to assist people who are drifting away. We are pleading with the public: Go out, travel, and enjoy yourselves—but make sure you know how you’re going to return home safely. Understand the enormous impact of every one of these tragedies and how it completely changes the lives of an entire family and everyone around them.”

To help prevent additional tragedies, United Hatzalah urged the public to follow basic safety guidelines when traveling or spending time outdoors during bein hazemanim.

The organization recommends wearing appropriate clothing, hats, and sunscreen when heading outdoors, swimming only at officially designated beaches or swimming areas while lifeguards are on duty, strictly following the instructions of lifeguards and rescue personnel, and avoiding strenuous hikes during periods of extreme heat in order to reduce the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s navy has taken possession of the most expensive warship it has ever ordered, a German-built attack submarine designed to stay hidden at sea for weeks at a time so the country retains a way to strike back even if its land forces are knocked out in a surprise attack.

The vessel, named the INS Drakon, was handed over at the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, Germany, in late July, with the transfer confirmed in early August. It is the sixth Dolphin-class boat in the Israeli fleet and the third built to the upgraded Dolphin II design. Delivery had originally been set for 2025.

The price is what sets it apart from anything Israel has bought before. The submarine runs more than 70 meters, or roughly 230 feet, displaces over 2,000 tons, and is described as the largest submarine Germany has built since the Second World War, at an estimated cost of $634 million.

That figure buys a specific kind of insurance. Israel’s air bases, missile batteries and naval facilities are concentrated in a country the size of New Jersey, and Haifa harbor — where much of the submarine fleet ties up — is a known, fixed target. A boat at sea is not. Ehud Eilam, an Israeli national security researcher who previously worked for the country’s defense ministry, said keeping a submarine continuously deployed is a matter of national survival.His argument is straightforward: if Iran struck in a way that crippled Israeli forces on land, the boat already at sea would be the one able to answer.

Submarines sitting in port, he noted, could be hit and left unable to sail.

Israeli defense reporting has long described the Dolphin fleet as the country’s sea-based second-strike layer — the piece of the deterrent an adversary cannot destroy in a first blow because it cannot find it. Israel has never confirmed what the boats carry.

Size, in this case, is a range calculation. Eilam said the larger hull points to Israel wanting more options, including longer-reaching missiles that could cover targets inside Iran while the submarine remains in the Mediterranean. The alternative routes are unattractive: transiting the Suez Canal brings the boat close to Iranian reach and can be risky or unavailable outright, while sailing around Africa would take weeks. A missile with enough legs removes the need to make that trip at all.

The economics behind the program are as notable as the hardware. Germany has underwritten a substantial share of Israel’s submarine purchases over three decades, a commitment rooted in postwar policy and one that has drawn periodic criticism inside Germany. For ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the Israeli order book has been a steady anchor at a moment when European naval yards are running near capacity on rearmament work tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine and NATO spending increases. TKMS chief executive Oliver Burkhard told Israeli outlet Ynet that the current program is running to schedule, including the delivery of the final boat in the earlier series and its voyage home to Israel.

That backlog matters commercially. Submarine construction is among the slowest, most capital-intensive work in defense manufacturing, with build cycles measured in years and a small number of yards worldwide capable of doing it. Orders placed today lock in industrial capacity well into the 2030s, which is why delivery slippage — the Drakon arrived roughly a year behind its original date — is common across the sector rather than unusual.

The boat’s day-to-day work is intelligence gathering and reconnaissance across the Mediterranean, with the strategic mission held in reserve.The name carries its own weight. Drakon, Hebrew for dragon, was chosen partly because its letters echo Dakar — the Israeli submarine that vanished in the Mediterranean in 1968 with all 69 crew aboard — and the defense ministry has said the naming honors that crew.

The wreck was not located until 1999.

Fox News Digital said it had requested comment from the Israeli navy, the defense ministry, TKMS and the Israel Defense Forces.

The delivery lands with the U.S.-Iran conflict still unresolved and Gulf shipping lanes under strain, and it hands Israel a capability that does not depend on airfields, runways or ports remaining intact.

JBizNews Desk | Jerusalem

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Ukraine has purchased 70 U.S.-made M39 ATACMS ballistic missiles and 12 M270 multiple launch rocket systems from Turkey as part of a major weapons package that also includes tens of thousands of cluster munitions.

The planned transfer was disclosed in a U.S. State Department report published in the Congressional Record on August 6. The documents were submitted to Congress on August 3, beginning a mandatory 15-day review period before U.S. authorization for the re-export can take effect.

Because ATACMS and the M270 systems are American-made, Washington’s approval is required before Turkey can transfer them to Ukraine.

Congress does not need to hold a separate vote approving the transaction. Unless both chambers pass a joint resolution blocking the transfer during the 15-day review period, U.S. consent will automatically take effect.

With the House currently in recess until August 31 and the Senate until September 14, the congressional review window is expected to expire without lawmakers taking action to stop the transfer.

The package includes 70 M39 ATACMS missiles, an early variant of the Army Tactical Missile System capable of carrying a cluster warhead, along with 12 M270 tracked multiple launch rocket systems.

Ukraine is also set to receive 2,524 unguided 227mm M26 rockets equipped with DPICM cluster warheads.

Another 47,000 M509A1 203mm cluster artillery shells are included for use with heavy artillery systems such as the Soviet-designed 2S7 Pion and the U.S.-made M110 self-propelled howitzer.

The weapons transfers are expected to be handled by Turkish, Bulgarian and American defense and logistics companies acting as authorized exporters.

The acquisition would provide Ukraine with a significant new stockpile of long-range missiles and heavy munitions as Kyiv continues its war against Russia and seeks to replenish weapons expended during years of fighting.

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Israel’s Chief Rabbinate and the Ministry of Religious Services have issued a joint statement clarifying that no private organization is authorized to represent them in matters of marriage registration, warning the public against relying on groups that claim to operate under their auspices without official approval.

The statement was released in response to advertisements and social media posts circulated in recent weeks by the nonprofit organization “Anachnu Techelet,” which, according to the government agencies, has presented itself as working “in full cooperation with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel” to assist couples seeking to register for marriage.

The Chief Rabbinate and the ministry categorically rejected those claims, stating that no such relationship exists. “No approval has been granted, no authorization has been issued, and there is no institutional relationship whatsoever between the Chief Rabbinate, the Ministry of Religious Services, and ‘Anachnu Techelet’ or anyone acting on its behalf,” the statement said.

Officials emphasized that the clarification applies not only to this specific organization, but to any private nonprofit, association, or other entity that claims to operate in cooperation with, on behalf of, or under the sponsorship of the Chief Rabbinate or the Ministry of Religious Services without receiving formal authorization.

The ministry and the Chief Rabbinate also reiterated that Israel’s official marriage registration process is handled exclusively through authorized government channels. “The marriage registration process in Israel is conducted solely through the regional rabbinate offices and the official systems of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and no private entity or nonprofit organization is authorized to act on their behalf,” the statement said.

The agencies concluded by urging couples to work directly with their local rabbinate offices when registering for marriage and to avoid relying on private organizations that claim to represent the Chief Rabbinate unless they have received explicit official authorization.

{Matzav.com}

Hungary’s only nuclear plant sits on the Danube and uses river water to cool its reactors. The river has fallen so low that the plant’s pumps can no longer draw enough of it, so the country switched the plant off — and is now buying replacement electricity from its neighbors at a far higher price than it costs to make at home. That swap, repeated day after day through a heat wave, is what officials and economists in Budapest are warning will show up in the national accounts.

The shutdown is not a forecast or a contingency. The Paks plant, about 75 miles south of Budapest, went fully offline for the first time in its 44-year history, a consequence of sustained drought across central Europe. Officials said record-low Danube water levels had disrupted reactor cooling. Output had already collapsed before the final shutdown, falling to 965 megawatts on a Friday and then to 240 overnight, against a normal 2,000 megawatts. The plant accounts for 40% of Hungary’s electricity generation.

The immediate bill is for imported power. Hungarian politicians have put the cost of the energy crisis at 100 billion to 200 billion forints, roughly €273 million to €547 million, because electricity bought abroad is far more expensive than what Paks produces. Reuters has put the potential cost as high as $632 million. Those outlays land on a budget the government was already trying to consolidate.

The growth arithmetic is smaller but harder to undo. Paks contributes about half a percentage point to Hungary’s GDP, and an outage of roughly twenty days within a quarter could shave about 0.1 percentage point off quarterly output, according to Gábor Regős, chief economist at Gránit Capital Management. The distinction that matters: electricity Paks does not generate today cannot be generated later, so it is a permanent loss, whereas factories running below capacity can make up some lost production once power returns.

Industry is absorbing the shock in real time. The government is boosting power imports to cover part of the shortfall and has asked large industrial firms, including car and battery makers, to cut consumption voluntarily, while warning that mandatory reductions may follow. A crisis plan prioritizes cutting electricity to companies and treats household limits as a last resort — rail freight was halted at peak hours starting Monday, and decorative lighting on state buildings has been switched off.

Agriculture is the second front. The drought is expected to hit farm output hard, restraining growth and potentially pushing food prices higher — a complication for central bankers who had penciled in a third consecutive monthly rate cut in August. More than 100 cities and villages have been placed under water-use restrictions.

Currency markets moved first. The forint, one of the world’s best performers earlier this year, slid to a three-month low against the euro and posted its steepest monthly decline since October 2024 as the energy crisis unsettled investors. It has since given up only modestly, though its failure to recover has been read as a sign the market is still pricing risk. The trade picture is being squeezed from both sides: weaker industrial exports on one hand, larger and costlier electricity imports on the other, with global oil and gas prices — still shaped by the Iran conflict — determining how much damage lands on the current account.

This is a regional problem, not a Hungarian one. Romania shut both Candu reactors at its own Danube-cooled plant and is leaning more heavily on imported electricity, driving up prices already lifted by air-conditioning demand. Danube flow fell to 1,650 cubic meters per second in late July against a July average of 4,750, approaching the record low of 1,400 set in 1985. On the Rhine, Germany’s most important inland trade corridor, vessels are carrying significantly less cargo, requiring more ships to move the same volume at higher cost.

The politics are sharpening. Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány has said a low-water pumping station costing roughly 10 billion forints could have prevented the shutdown, and has ordered an inquiry into why it was never built. Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who urged the public to conserve electricity and water, has partly blamed infrastructure gaps inherited from the previous government.

There is a path out, and it runs through the weather. By Tuesday evening the Danube had risen five centimeters and the plant’s last turbine was running steadily, reducing the odds of a total shutdown for now. Forecasters expect weak industrial figures for late July and worse for August, but see a chance of recovery starting in the autumn if a complete outage is avoided and manufacturers can lift capacity utilization to recoup lost production. Budapest, meanwhile, faces temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit for days ahead with no rain in the forecast.

JBizNews Desk | Budapest

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Wildfires continued to burn across the western United States and Canada on Sunday, leaving many residents anxiously watching for evacuation orders while others who had already escaped their homes waited to learn what damage they might face when they return.

In western Canada, a rapidly spreading wildfire forced more than 20,000 people from communities along British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake over the weekend, destroying homes and requiring dozens of residents to be rescued by aircraft. Meanwhile, in Washington state, firefighters battling three blazes in the Spokane region for more than a week continued cleanup efforts around containment lines.

Laurie Allen fled her Nine Mile Falls home, north of Spokane, last weekend with her husband, dog and two kittens as flames burned nearby. Although roads leading into her neighborhood remained closed Sunday, she said a friend had told her that her ash-covered home, along with others nearby, was still standing.

“I’ve been here 65 years. It’s never happened,” Allen said. “We didn’t think about anything but grabbing our animals and leaving. But now it’s affected so many of our friends and family around. So it’s pretty dang devastating.”

More Than 20,000 Forced From Canadian Communities

In Canada, Anette Boulet was among those who evacuated Summerland, a community of roughly 12,000 residents along Okanagan Lake. When she and her family fled at about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, thick smoke had engulfed the area.

“You couldn’t see barely. It was, it was just dark, and the ridge, the ridge of fire just coming towards you,” said Boulet, who evacuated to a center in Penticton.

“There’s no words to express it,” she said. “The fear.”

The Bald Range fire, which was first reported Friday evening, prompted evacuations not only in Summerland but also for roughly 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. British Columbia declared a state of emergency on Saturday.

Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s minister of emergency management and community resilience, said Sunday on social media that she had authorized federal assistance requested by British Columbia to help provide shelter and accommodations for evacuees.

Spokane-Area Wildfires Keep Communities on Alert

Fire crews battling three major wildfires in the Spokane area continued “mop-up operations” near containment lines Sunday, according to the team overseeing the response. None of the fires were expanding, but the blazes that have burned over the past week have damaged or destroyed about 920 structures.

Earlier in the week, authorities arrested and charged a man with allegedly deliberately starting the largest of the three Spokane-area fires.

Residents of the small rural town of Malden, about 35 miles south of Spokane, were ordered to evacuate immediately on Saturday. By Sunday, officials had lowered the warning level, advising residents to remain prepared to leave quickly if conditions changed.

“The wind is fairly calm. The fire is not progressing,” said John Goyke, whose company operates Malden’s water under contract, “but we’re using social media and Facebook to keep in contact with everyone.”

Goyke, who also serves as mayor of nearby Rosalia, said Malden residents were asked to conserve water so supplies would be available for firefighting if needed. Malden’s fire department has also been receiving trucked-in water from Rosalia.

Malden was largely destroyed by a wildfire in 2020, which wiped out the town’s fire station, post office, city hall and library.

Two Pilots Killed in Utah Firefighting Helicopter Crash

In Utah, two helicopter pilots died after their aircraft crashed Friday morning while battling a wildfire in Fishlake National Forest. Rescue crews were not able to reach the crash site until Saturday, when they confirmed both deaths.

Officials said intense fire activity, combined with steep and rugged terrain, delayed efforts to reach the area.

“When we first got there we could see two different plumes of smoke, one from the crash site, one from an active fire coming towards us,” Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the helicopter crash.

Iran cannot move dollars through ordinary banks, so it moves them as crypto through small exchanges that ask few questions. On Friday the Treasury Department blacklisted one of the biggest of those exchanges, a Dubai storefront called Shelbit, along with the Iranian expatriate who built it and a chain of shell companies stretching across four countries.

The designation puts every one of those entities on the sanctions list, which means American banks, payment processors and crypto platforms are now barred from touching them and must freeze any assets they hold. Foreign firms that keep dealing with them face their own exposure.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said the action targets two digital asset exchanges the Iranian regime relies on, along with the ringleader of a network of front companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. Iranian actors used unlicensed or lightly regulated platforms to move large volumes of digital assets, running the proceeds through corporate networks and an online gambling operation that hid where the money came from before it reached the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and regime-connected individuals.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed it as evidence the pressure campaign is landing, saying the department will “hunt down and dismantle the illicit financial networks” keeping the regime solvent, whether the money moves in dollars, rials or crypto.

The numbers Treasury put on the record are specific. Wallets belonging to the Revolutionary Guard sent more than $1 million in digital assets to Shelbit Exchange addresses, and more than $2 million moved back the other way from Shelbit to Guard-controlled wallets. Addresses owned or controlled by the exchange’s founder, Siavash Kayvanpour, sent over $2 million to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, which the US designated earlier. Kayvanpour was born in Iran, holds citizenship in Dominica and Afghanistan, has lived in the United Arab Emirates, and runs the exchange through a Republic of Georgia company while a UAE entity, Shelbit General Trading, operates it commercially. He also owns a Poland-based affiliate and manages two more Dubai companies, all of which were designated Friday.

The gambling piece is the part that turns a sanctions case into a story about how the money actually cleared. Shelbit served a large Persian-language gambling network run by two Iranian influencers living abroad, and tens of millions of dollars of that network’s digital assets were washed through the exchange. Both men were convicted of illegal gambling inside Iran in 2023, yet their websites retain access to Iran’s online payment systems, which the central bank controls tightly.

Dubai’s regulator had already been circling. The UAE’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority took enforcement action against the trading company in January 2025 and again in July 2026, and it remained open for business.

Treasury hit a second target the same day. Aban Tether, an Iran-based exchange, was designated for operating in the Iranian financial sector after processing millions of dollars in transactions with previously blacklisted platforms including Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex.

The action followed a press investigation rather than preceding it. Reuters published a report on July 31 identifying Shelbit as the hub of a $4 billion Iranian sanctions-evasion operation, finding that the exchange moved crypto for Iran’s central bank, for one of the world’s largest illegal online gambling networks, and to addresses Israeli authorities have tied to the Revolutionary Guard. The exchange’s public website had been dark for months while money kept flowing through it, including during the war, and it came back online the day after that report ran.

Shelbit disputes the case. In an August 1 statement posted on its revived site, the company said it “categorically rejects any suggestion” that it knowingly took part in money laundering, terrorist financing, illegal gambling, sanctions evasion, or work for any sanctioned, military or government body, and said it had shut down operations in January 2026. Neither the company nor Kayvanpour responded to requests for comment.

For compliance officers at US banks and crypto firms, the practical takeaway is the reach of the order. Any entity owned 50 percent or more by the blocked parties is automatically blocked as well, penalties can be imposed on a strict-liability basis, and non-US persons are barred from causing Americans to violate the rules even unwittingly. The case was built with the IRS criminal investigation division, and the State Department is offering up to $15 million for information that disrupts Revolutionary Guard financing.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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WASHINGTON ‒ The Trump administration’s sweeping effort to roll back Head Start regulations is drawing resistance from both parties in Congress,

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Aug. 5 that his department plans to eliminate or significantly scale back many of the federal regulations governing the multibillion-dollar Head Start program. The current rules span more than 100 pages.

The proposed changes would eliminate requirements for disability screenings, smaller class sizes, daily toothbrushing assistance and bus monitors. Rules requiring comparable pay for staff and prohibiting student expulsions would also be removed.

Several Senate Republicans have voiced concern in recent days about cutting back those standards, which advocates argue are important for protecting children’s health and safety.

Teaching assistant Anna Muniz reads a book with children during a Head Start preschool class in Wisconsin on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

“We’ve been hearing from our Head Start folks back home that are concerned about what they’re seeing,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told USA TODAY. “That’s something that we’re monitoring.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, said he previously examined potential Head Start reforms at the state level while serving as speaker of North Carolina’s legislature. Still, he questioned whether an overly broad rollback of regulations would be beneficial.

“Just walking away and turning a blind eye toward it, I don’t think that’d be a good idea,” he told USA TODAY.

The Republican concerns carry considerable weight because opposition from influential GOP senators can provide one of the strongest checks on Trump administration policies. Last year, resistance from lawmakers including Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, to fully eliminating Head Start was widely seen as a key factor in preserving the program.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) arrives for votes at the U.S. Capitol on August 7, 2026.

Sen. Jim Justice, R-West Virginia, said he supports efforts to improve Head Start but warned against changes that could undermine a program he said already serves many children successfully.

“When we start tweaking with stuff, a lot of times we can make it better,” he said in a brief interview. “But there are ways we can make it worse, too.”

Cutting Red Tape, or Going Too Far?

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is interviewed after announcing new nutrition guidelines at the White House in Washington, D.C., on January 7, 2026.

Kennedy maintains that the proposed overhaul would simplify Head Start operations, reduce federal bureaucracy and potentially allow the program to serve more low-income children each year.

Alex Adams, a Kennedy deputy who oversees the Administration for Children and Families, said during a recent call with reporters that Head Start providers would remain subject to applicable state and local rules. He emphasized that reducing federal requirements would give programs more discretion rather than force them to abandon effective practices.

“Flexibility is permission. It’s not a mandate,” he said.

Democrats sharply rejected that argument.

“They’re saying they might be able to serve more children by promising each child less,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said. “President Trump has all but declared war on Head Start.”

Cassidy Reviewing Proposed Head Start Overhaul

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, walks in the Capitol on August 7, 2026, after announcing his intention to vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing health and education issues and has jurisdiction over Head Start, said he and his staff are examining the proposed regulatory overhaul. Speaking Aug. 6 amid the political battle over Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation, Cassidy said he had not yet had the opportunity to fully review the changes.

“I’d like to see what they actually put out,” he told USA TODAY.

The 75-page proposed rule, formally published in the Federal Register on Aug. 7, does more than eliminate existing regulations. It would also establish new requirements, including making English the primary language of instruction and requiring children whose first language is different to learn English while enrolled. The proposal also sets new nutrition standards and requires 30 minutes of physical activity for every 3.5 hours of classroom instruction.

The rulemaking process remains at an early stage, and the proposal could also face legal challenges. Khari Garvin, who led the Office of Head Start during the Biden administration, noted that the public will have 60 days to submit comments. He encouraged concerned teachers and families to participate in the process.

“There still is an opportunity for their voices to be heard.”

“No one should surrender and feel like, well, all is done,” he said.

Saudi Arabia hosted the International Nuclear Science Olympiad for the first time in the Middle East, bringing together 120 students and scientific experts from 19 countries for a program focused on nuclear science and technology.

The competition, held in Jeddah, included studies in nuclear physics, radiation protection, peaceful applications of radiation, and practical training involving nuclear measurements and experiments.

The event comes weeks after Saudi Arabia received approval to move forward with the construction of a nuclear reactor, drawing additional attention to the Kingdom’s rapidly developing nuclear ambitions.

Twelve of the 19 participating countries were Muslim-majority nations, including two countries bordering Israel — Jordan and Syria. Turkey and Pakistan, which have strengthened security ties with Saudi Arabia, also participated.

The full list of participating countries included Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand and Turkey.

The International Nuclear Science Olympiad was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2024.

According to the IAEA, the competition is intended to promote the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technologies, encourage young people to pursue careers and education in nuclear science, and foster innovation in nuclear applications.

The event also provided participants with hands-on scientific training, including nuclear measurements, alongside theoretical instruction.

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the competition comes as Riyadh continues expanding its involvement in nuclear technology and pursuing plans for a domestic civilian nuclear program.

The Kingdom has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear ambitions are focused on peaceful purposes, including energy production, while developments surrounding the program continue to receive close attention across the Middle East.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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Israeli authorities have reportedly been secretly holding senior Hamas military commander Basel Salahiya for the past two years after he was captured during fighting in Gaza. Salahiya, who allegedly orchestrated the deadly 2011 Kornet missile attack that killed Israeli teenager Daniel Viflik Hy”d, is expected to stand trial in Israel for his role in multiple terrorist attacks. The revelation was first reported by journalist Avishai Grinzaig on i24NEWS.

According to the report, Salahiya’s capture followed an extraordinary chain of events that began years before the current war. Roughly five years ago, a bitter dispute erupted within Hamas’s military leadership after Salahiya accused senior commander Marwan Issa of betrayal. The accusations reportedly triggered a deep rift between Salahiya and the organization’s top military leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif. As tensions escalated, Sinwar allegedly ordered Salahiya’s arrest, and he was imprisoned inside the Gaza Strip.

When the war in Gaza broke out, the prison where Salahiya was being held was reportedly destroyed in an Israeli Air Force strike. Hamas subsequently transferred him to house arrest in the Hamad neighborhood of Khan Younis. During the IDF’s ground operations in the area, Israeli forces raided the building where he was being held, took him into custody, and transferred him to Israel, where he has remained ever since.

His arrest comes as Israel continues targeting Hamas terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre. In recent weeks, the IDF has eliminated several senior Nukhba commanders who participated in attacks on Israeli communities, including the commander of the unit that infiltrated the Re’im military base and another who led the assault on Kibbutz Nirim.

Salahiya’s anticipated prosecution is expected to bring a measure of justice for one of the most notorious terrorist attacks carried out before the current war. According to the report, he was directly responsible for the April 2011 Kornet anti-tank missile attack on a school bus near Sha’ar HaNegev.

That attack claimed the life of 16-year-old Daniel Viflik Hy”d after Hamas terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at the bus, an incident that had a significant impact on Israel’s security policy at the time. Years later, after first being imprisoned by Hamas itself, Salahiya now faces prosecution in an Israeli court for his alleged role in the attack.

The report noted that Salahiya’s story highlights the intense internal rivalries that have existed within Hamas. His conflict with Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar—both of whom were later eliminated by the IDF—ultimately led to his imprisonment by the terrorist organization, a development that eventually enabled Israeli forces to capture him during the war.

Meanwhile, IDF forces under Southern Command continue operations throughout Gaza aimed at eliminating immediate threats to Israeli troops and civilians. Military officials say the terrorists targeted in recent weeks had been working to rebuild Hamas’s operational capabilities and advance additional terror plots against Israel.

{Matzav.com}

A major new phase of Israel’s traffic enforcement reform has officially taken effect, significantly changing how many drivers can challenge speeding tickets and other moving violations. Under the expanded system, motorists cited for a broad range of offenses will no longer be able to automatically request a court hearing. Instead, they will first have to appeal through a newly established administrative traffic tribunal.

The latest stage of what has become known as the “Sa’ar Reform” went into effect over the weekend, extending the administrative process to traffic offenses carrying fines ranging from 750 to 1,500 shekels, as well as many speeding violations that previously qualified for an automatic court appearance.

The reform was originally introduced while Gideon Sa’ar served as justice minister in the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas government. Its goal was to move a substantial portion of traffic offenses out of the criminal court system and into an administrative framework, reducing the burden on Israel’s courts while handling most cases through a digital process. When promoting the initiative, Sa’ar said it reflected a policy of decriminalization and would spare drivers unnecessary criminal proceedings and court appearances.

The first phase of the reform took effect on February 8, 2026, covering violations carrying fines of between 100 and 500 shekels, excluding speeding offenses. As of August 8, the system now also includes qualifying speeding tickets and violations carrying fines between 750 and 1,500 shekels. During Knesset Economic Affairs Committee discussions, lawmakers noted that the expanded system covers several significant offenses, including using a cellphone while driving, running a red light, and certain speeding violations.

Under the new process, drivers who believe a citation was issued in error will no longer submit a request for a traditional traffic court hearing. Instead, they must file an appeal with the administrative traffic tribunal. In most cases, the matter will be decided based on written submissions and evidence filed electronically by both sides. The tribunal may hold a hearing only if it determines one is necessary to achieve justice, generally through remote technology and, in exceptional circumstances, in person.

One of the most significant changes involves sentencing authority. Unlike a criminal traffic court, the administrative tribunal cannot increase or reduce the statutory fine. It may uphold the citation, dismiss it, modify the decision, or even change the traffic offense attributed to the driver. As a result, while the tribunal reviews the facts and evidence independently, it does not have the discretion to tailor the amount of the fine based on individual circumstances if the violation itself is upheld.

Although some critics have claimed the new system leaves drivers with little opportunity to appeal, the law still provides judicial review. Final decisions by the administrative tribunal may be appealed to the Traffic Division of the Magistrate’s Court. Appeals of interim rulings require permission from the court, with additional review procedures available under the law. In other words, court oversight remains in place, but the courts are no longer the first stop for challenging most citations.

The reform has drawn criticism since it was first proposed. The Israel Bar Association’s Traffic Law Committee warned during the legislative process that the changes could weaken motorists’ legal protections by replacing traditional court proceedings with a more limited administrative process. Supporters countered that there is little justification for processing hundreds of thousands of routine traffic violations through the full criminal court system and argued that the new framework would resolve cases more efficiently.

Questions about the system intensified following its initial rollout. During a June meeting of the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, the chairman of Israel’s Trucking and Transportation Council said that only nine of approximately 500 appeals filed under the new process had been accepted. At the same hearing, committee chairman MK David Bitan criticized the Transportation Ministry and called for greater flexibility for law-abiding drivers.

At the same time, the committee approved changes to Israel’s driver’s license point system to align with the reform. Under the revised rules, offenses carrying up to six penalty points will now be removed from a driver’s record after one year, while penalties have been increased for dangerous violations such as using a cellphone while driving, running red lights, and driving on road shoulders.

For many Israeli motorists, the practical effect is immediate. Drivers cited for speeding or other higher-value traffic offenses may now discover that the legal process has fundamentally changed. Rather than automatically requesting a hearing before a traffic judge, they must first pursue a digital appeal through the administrative tribunal, with the courts serving only as the appellate forum if necessary.

The Quebec government has revoked the operating licenses of three Belz educational institutions in Montreal: a kindergarten, Talmud Torah, and yeshiva ketana, serving approximately 600 students, shortly before the start of Elul zman.

Authorities said the decision followed a series of educational and safety deficiencies identified during inspections. Among the issues cited were a shortage of qualified teachers who speak English or French, failure to meet required instructional hours in mandatory subjects, use of unapproved educational materials and deficiencies involving emergency exits.

Surprise inspections also reportedly found students spending school hours in areas used for davening, classrooms without teachers and staff members who spoke neither French nor English. The girls’ educational institutions are continuing to operate normally but remain under supervision.

The institutions reject the allegations and have sought an injunction from Quebec’s administrative court, arguing that the decision was based on “incorrect factual assumptions, inconsistent analysis and a disproportionate measure.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK (VINnewws) — Tomer Tzaban, a former Israeli counterterrorism operative who spent a decade conducting undercover missions in Gaza, has detailed his experiences in a podcast interview about his book, “The Ghosts of Rafah: An Undercover Counter-Terrorism Agent in the Heart of the Middle East Conflict.”

Tzaban spoke with Alan Skorski on the Alan Skorski Reports podcast about his years with the elite Shimshon unit, where he served from 1986 to 1996.

The unit operated undercover inside Gaza, with agents frequently assuming Arab identities and relying on disguises and carefully developed cover stories. Tzaban described operations that involved tracking terrorist suspects, preventing attacks and targeting members of armed groups.

One operation involved a group of terrorists who, according to Tzaban, had disguised themselves as young Orthodox Jewish men as part of a plan to abduct Israeli soldiers and hold them for ransom.

Tzaban also described an operation in which an intended target was located in a heavily populated area. The team abandoned the mission after a large number of children emerged from a nearby school, he said. Protecting civilians took precedence over completing the operation, consistent with the procedures under which the unit operated.

Maintaining a convincing disguise required attention to details that went far beyond clothing and appearance. Tzaban said operatives had to understand local customs, speech patterns and even seemingly insignificant differences in daily life.

He recalled that agents avoided strongly scented personal-care products because unfamiliar fragrances could make them appear out of place. Teams also worked with local Arabic speakers who could navigate regional dialects and social nuances.

According to Tzaban, Gaza’s different areas had distinct dialects, making language a potentially dangerous vulnerability. An operative could speak Arabic well and still attract attention by using words or pronunciation associated with another region.

The conversation also touched on “Fauda,” the Israeli television series about undercover counterterrorism operatives. Tzaban said he knows several actors involved with the series and believes some of the show’s early storylines drew heavily on the kinds of missions conducted by units such as Shimshon.

His book recounts individual operations while also examining the personal cost of spending years working undercover. Tzaban described the constant pressure of maintaining a false identity and the psychological effects that could continue long after an operation ended.

Tzaban also discussed security concerns in Europe, arguing that some extremist organizations have pursued strategies for decades that are now becoming more visible. He warned that Western countries, including the United States, should study those developments rather than wait until similar threats emerge at home.

The interview concluded with a discussion of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the intelligence failures that preceded it.

Tzaban said the attack represented a profound turning point for Israel and had consequences that extended far beyond the immediate security failure, changing the way many Israelis and Jews view the country’s security and the threat posed by Hamas.

“The Ghosts of Rafah” draws on Tzaban’s experiences to provide a firsthand account of Israel’s undercover counterterrorism operations in Gaza during the 1980s and 1990s.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to Jared Kushner and pledged to give Trump’s 15-point plan a chance, Axios reported Sunday evening citing a US official.

Additionally, the IDF has began a gradual return to the Yellow Line in Gaza, the report stated.

According to the report, the US and the mediators in talks are demanding that Hamas begin the process of disarmament.

This is a developing report.

This post was originally published on here.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf, will become White House counsel and assistant to the president effective September 1, US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.

Scharf, who is Jewish, was “a top student at both Princeton University, and Harvard Law School,” Trump added.

“Will is Tough, Strong, and Smart! He also loves our Country, and respects the Law. Will Scharf will do a great job as White House Counsel!”

Scharf will become the White House‘s top lawyer after overseeing the administrative work of the Oval Office in his current role.

He also led the National Capital Planning Commission, which approved the president’s construction of the White House ballroom.

Trump said David Warrington, the current White House counsel, is going to the private sector. Warrington formerly served as a personal counsel and a lawyer for Trump’s 2024 campaign.

This is a developing story.

This post was originally published on here.

Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to analyzing genetic code. A new study shows that AI models can design entirely new viral genomes, with researchers successfully creating functioning viruses capable of reproducing inside bacteria.

Researchers from Stanford University and the Arc Institute used AI models to generate approximately 700,000 candidate genetic sequences. Of those, 16 ultimately became functioning viruses.

The study, published in the journal Science and reported by The New York Times, was deliberately restricted to viruses that cannot infect humans, animals, plants or fungi.

Researchers used the Evo 1 and Evo 2 AI models, which were trained on trillions of nucleotides, the basic building blocks of DNA. The models were subsequently trained using approximately 15,000 viruses from a family that includes Phi X-174, a tiny virus that infects E. coli bacteria.

From the roughly 700,000 sequences generated by the AI models, researchers selected 285 candidates they considered particularly promising. Scientists then produced their DNA and introduced it into bacteria.

Sixteen of the designs successfully developed into functioning viruses capable of reproducing.

According to the study, the newly designed viruses were at least as viable as Phi X-174, while some reproduced more rapidly than the naturally occurring virus.

Researchers say the technology could eventually have beneficial applications, including advancing genetic therapies, studying genomes and developing new tools to combat harmful bacteria.

At the same time, the breakthrough raises significant questions about the potential risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems capable of designing biological material.

The researchers emphasized that the experiment did not involve viruses capable of infecting humans and was specifically limited to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria.

Still, the ability of an artificial intelligence model to generate genetic sequences that can be physically produced and become functioning, self-replicating viruses demonstrates how rapidly AI capabilities in biology are advancing.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The U.S. Navy has launched a sweeping modernization plan for its submarine fleet, announcing that 19 advanced attack submarines will be converted into guided-missile platforms as Washington seeks to strengthen its military position against China’s rapidly expanding naval power in the Pacific.

The announcement comes as concerns continue to mount over America’s missile inventory following the conflict with Iran and reflects a broader effort to reinforce U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Under the initiative, Virginia-class submarines will be equipped with a specialized payload module approximately 25 meters (84 feet) long, adding 28 new missile launch tubes to the 12 already built into each vessel. The enhanced submarines will be capable of carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles for long-range strikes against land targets, as well as advanced hypersonic weapons designed to penetrate sophisticated Chinese air and naval defense systems.

Military analysts say submarines remain one of the few assets capable of operating undetected close to an adversary’s territory. Sidharth Kaushal, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, explained, “Submarines are one of the few capabilities that can stay near or inside the first island chain in relative safety,” adding that positioning missiles closer to their targets significantly reduces an opponent’s response time.

The overhaul comes as the Navy gradually retires its four aging Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. Those vessels were originally built as nuclear missile submarines before being converted to carry conventional weapons, with each capable of launching up to 154 Tomahawk missiles. Former Navy captain and RAND Corporation researcher Bradley Martin described the Ohio-class boats as “the platform with the greatest capability to launch conventional missile payloads.”

One of those submarines, the USS Georgia, entered the decommissioning process last month, while the remaining three are expected to retire over the next several years. According to the Washington-based Submarine Industrial Base Council, the retirement of the Ohio-class fleet will temporarily reduce the Navy’s undersea strike capability by as much as 60%.

The first upgraded Virginia-class submarines are not expected to enter operational service until 2029, with the final vessel in the program scheduled for delivery in 2038. Despite the temporary decline in firepower, senior Navy leaders have expressed confidence in the transition. Rear Adm. Rob Gaucher, head of the Navy’s submarine programs, said, “These submarines will ensure the Navy continues to dominate the undersea domain for decades.”

Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said the next generation of submarines will build on the Ohio-class legacy while offering “greater survivability and adaptability.” Analysts note that although each new submarine will carry only about one-quarter of the missile load of an Ohio-class vessel, distributing those weapons across a larger number of submarines will make them far more difficult for China to detect and track.

The move comes in response to China’s accelerated military buildup. Between 2021 and 2025, China’s navy launched 10 nuclear-powered submarines, compared with seven built by the United States during the same period. Over those four years, Beijing also expanded its missile arsenal by approximately 50% and recently unveiled a new unmanned underwater vehicle during a military parade, highlighting its preparations for a potential conflict involving Taiwan.

The Navy’s restructuring also follows the depletion of portions of the U.S. munitions stockpile after the 2025 “Operation Midnight Hammer” strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, ordered by President Donald Trump. In announcing the new submarine strategy, the Navy emphasized that “the submarines will operate unhindered in contested waters, ensuring the U.S. Navy maintains absolute undersea superiority.”

{Matzav.com}

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By Julia Parker – JBizNews Desk

KPMG said a survey of its interns found career growth is Gen Z’s top workplace priority, outranking work-life balance, culture and salary, with 93% of respondents aspiring to reach the C-suite. The findings matter for employers competing for young talent as retention strategies increasingly depend on training, internal mobility and visible promotion paths, not just pay packages.

The survey challenges a common corporate assumption that younger workers are primarily motivated by flexibility and lifestyle benefits. For business owners and executives, the message is more practical: entry-level employees may stay longer where they see a clear route to advancement, broader responsibilities and leadership development.

The results come as companies continue to recalibrate hiring after several years of uneven labor-market conditions, rising wage costs and changing expectations around hybrid work. Many employers have invested heavily in wellness benefits and flexible schedules, but the KPMG findings suggest those programs may not be enough if workers believe their careers are stalling.

For large companies, the issue is tied directly to succession planning. A generation that says it wants senior leadership roles could help strengthen management pipelines, but only if employers provide early access to mentorship, skills training, client exposure and measurable advancement opportunities.

The survey also has cost implications. Companies may need to shift more spending toward structured development programs, rotational assignments and manager training. Those investments can be expensive, but they may reduce turnover, a recurring problem for employers that spend heavily to recruit graduates only to lose them within the first few years.

Compensation remains important, but the ranking indicates that pay alone may not secure loyalty among ambitious younger employees. That could alter how companies market entry-level roles, particularly in professional services, finance, consulting, technology and other sectors that rely on a steady inflow of junior workers.

Employers are also likely to face pressure to make promotion criteria more transparent. Younger workers seeking rapid career growth may be less willing to wait through informal or opaque advancement systems, especially in a labor market where skilled employees can compare opportunities across industries.

The findings should be read in context. A survey of interns at a professional-services firm is not the same as a broad measure of all Gen Z workers, and interns are already more likely to be career-focused than the overall population. Still, the results offer a useful signal for companies trying to understand the expectations of students and recent graduates entering corporate roles.

For small and midsize businesses, the takeaway may be especially important. They often cannot match the salaries or brand recognition of larger competitors, but they can offer faster responsibility, direct access to senior leaders and clearer learning opportunities. Those advantages may become more valuable if career acceleration is a decisive factor for younger workers.

The data also complicates the debate over work-life balance. Rather than rejecting flexibility, the respondents appear to be prioritizing advancement when forced to choose among workplace values. That creates a management challenge: companies may need to offer both flexibility and credible career growth to remain competitive.

Recruiting teams are likely to use the findings to refine campus hiring messages ahead of future internship and graduate recruitment cycles. Employers that can show defined career ladders, leadership training and internal promotion rates may have an advantage in attracting young candidates who view their first job as a launchpad to senior management.

JBizNews Desk | New York

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

One of the most revealing parts of architect Liran Shukrun’s thinking is the way he speaks about the home itself. A frum family does not always live inside the standard Israeli apartment formula. In many Torah homes, the center of gravity is different. It may be the dining room table. It may be the seforim. It may be the constant flow of children, guests, learning, meals, and Shabbos. A home like that needs scale, flexibility, and a different kind of attention.

That understanding shaped the apartments at Givat Hashalvah. The homes are large, open, and planned to adapt over time. Structural elements are kept away from the center of the living space wherever possible, allowing rooms and layouts to remain flexible as family needs change. Liran speaks about this almost as a moral responsibility: if a family is going to live here for many years, the home must be able to grow with them.

The same thinking appears in the windows and balconies. Bedrooms were planned with unusually tall openings so a person standing inside the room meets the landscape at eye level. Living rooms and bedrooms open toward the view, not through small, incidental windows, but through panoramic glass that makes the hills and courtyards part of the home experience. The balconies are large enough to live on, not just step onto, creating real space for hosting, sitting, breathing, and bringing family life outdoors.

That is what makes the planning feel so specific. Givat Hashalvah is not only responding to a market need for larger homes. It is responding to a way of life. The project understands that a home for a frum family carries learning, hosting, children, guests, privacy, flexibility, and daily rhythm all at once. The architecture was asked to respect that. And in the best parts of the plan, it does.

Explore Givat Hashalvah

The Pentagon is pressing U.S. defense companies to sharply accelerate weapons production and delivery as the war with Iran continues to deplete American munitions stockpiles, according to a Defense Department memo obtained by The Washington Post. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg told industry leaders they have 21 days to submit plans for substantially faster delivery schedules and increased production of critical weapons systems.

“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Feinberg wrote. “We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.” The Pentagon is also asking companies to identify investments and facility expansions that could support higher and sustained order volumes, with Feinberg telling industry leaders to demonstrate their willingness to “put skin in the game.”

The scale of U.S. weapons use during the Iran war has intensified the pressure. The report says that during the first month alone, the U.S. fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors, while the Army used more than 1,300 tactical ballistic missiles during the opening weeks of fighting. A CSIS analysis cited in the report estimated that the global Patriot missile inventory fell from roughly 2,200 before the war to fewer than 827, while the THAAD inventory declined from 452 to fewer than 278.

The Pentagon has also been working with both traditional defense contractors and newer Silicon Valley companies. Officials have held meetings with representatives from companies including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Anduril and Palantir, while separate framework agreements have been pursued to expand missile production and acquire lower-cost weapons.

A major obstacle remains funding. Many of the Pentagon’s framework agreements are not final purchase contracts and require congressional appropriations before they can become binding orders. The broader effort is tied to a $1.15 trillion defense spending bill that remains stalled in Congress. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the Feinberg memo and said it is part of an effort to rebuild the U.S. defense industrial base and will help shape the fiscal 2028 budget.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Nickolay Mladenov, the director-general of the Board of Peace charged with overseeing Gaza’s postwar future, sought to ease Israeli concerns in an exclusive interview with Channel 12 News political commentator Amit Segal.

Mladenov said the complete dismantling of Hamas’s tunnel network across the Gaza Strip would take 10 years. He emphasized that Israel would not be required to withdraw from its current positions at this stage of the process.

On the issue of personal weapons, Mladenov indicated that the framework does not call for large quantities of Kalashnikov assault rifles remaining in private hands. The plan addresses heavy weapons, manufacturing workshops, tunnels, and personal arms held by factions, with the goal of transferring control to a transitional authority.

Mladenov’s comments come amid ongoing efforts to implement the U.S.-backed plan for demilitarization, governance transition, and reconstruction in Gaza. The Board of Peace has insisted that concrete steps on disarmament must precede any significant Israeli pullback.

The interview reflects Mladenov’s efforts to address skepticism in Israel about the pace and reliability of demilitarization commitments by Palestinian factions.

Concrete plants established along the Gaza border to help seal Hamas tunnels are reportedly being transferred from Israeli control to full American management and funding, marking another expansion of the U.S. role in Gaza.

The facilities, located near Nahal Oz and Kerem Shalom, were established in recent months and have been operated by private contractors on behalf of Israel’s Defense Ministry.

The plants were built to produce the large quantities of concrete needed to seal underground tunnels discovered by IDF forces in Gaza, including tunnels still being located in areas along the Yellow Line.

According to a report by Army Radio correspondent Doron Kadosh, responsibility for the facilities is now being transferred to the U.S. command center in Kiryat Gat, which will assume responsibility for both their management and financing.

Contractors currently operating the concrete plants have reportedly been informed by Israel’s Defense Ministry that their employer will soon effectively become the United States.

The move raises questions about whether the facilities will continue to be used exclusively for sealing tunnels or could eventually be redirected toward reconstruction projects inside Gaza.

Neither Defense Minister Israel Katz’s office nor the Defense Ministry has commented on the report.

The development comes amid a growing American role in postwar arrangements for Gaza. Recent steps have included Israeli approval for a multinational force to operate in Gaza and a green light for reconstruction work to begin in Rafah.

Kadosh noted that the transfer of the concrete plants, when viewed alongside those developments and increased U.S. involvement in Israeli policy regarding Gaza, could indicate a broader shift in responsibility for developments inside the enclave.

The report also comes against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s previous statements about the United States taking a major role in Gaza and its future, with Washington increasingly involved in security, reconstruction and diplomatic arrangements surrounding the territory.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dear Lakewood Scoop,

I am writing to raise a concern about a practice that seems to be becoming increasingly common in shuls around town: individuals collecting tzedakah while displaying explicit medical images of patients’ illnesses or injuries in order to elicit donations.

There is no question that many of these people are facing genuine and heartbreaking medical situations, and that their families may be in desperate need of financial assistance. The community has always shown tremendous compassion and generosity toward people in need.

At the same time, I believe there should be a line when it comes to how those appeals are presented.

Displaying graphic medical images in a shul can be deeply uncomfortable and disturbing, particularly for children and teenagers who may be present. A person should not have to encounter explicit images of a serious illness or injury simply because they walked into a shul and someone is collecting money.

Our community understands the importance of tzedakah and does not need graphic images to teach us to care. There are many ways to communicate the seriousness of a medical situation—through written descriptions, letters, or discreet informational materials—without putting explicit images on display.

This is not a criticism of the individuals or families seeking assistance. Their circumstances may be extremely difficult, and they deserve our support. My concern is specifically with the method of fundraising and whether there are more appropriate ways to appeal to the generosity of the community.

I think this is actually hurting their chances of someone coming over to donate.

We can—and should—remain a community that gives generously without sacrificing dignity, sensitivity, and basic standards of appropriateness.

Thank you for considering this.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

A new Kan News poll shows Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s Likud and Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party locked in a dead heat with 23 seats each, while two newly launched center-right political alliances remain below the electoral threshold and would fail to enter the Knesset.

According to the survey released Sunday evening, Likud gained one seat compared with the previous poll, drawing even with Yashar at 23 mandates apiece.

The two newest center-right parties—one led jointly by Yoaz Hendel and Matan Kahana? Actually Troper and Hendel? (the Troper-Hendel alliance), and another headed by Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein—both remain below the electoral threshold. Their weak showing appears to have benefited larger parties. Likud and the Netanyahu bloc each gained one seat, bringing the coalition bloc to 53 mandates. Meanwhile, Yair Golan’s Democrats rebounded from eight seats in the previous survey to 10, while Yisrael Beiteinu also climbed one seat to 10.

Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party held steady at 13 seats, unchanged from the previous poll. The survey also examined a scenario in which Hadash, Ta’al, and Balad reunite on a joint list, though such an alliance is currently uncertain. In that case, the combined Arab list would win eight seats, while Ra’am—running together with Yoav Segalovitz—would receive five seats. Together, the Arab parties would command 13 mandates, reducing the Netanyahu bloc to 52 seats.

When respondents were asked who is best suited to serve as prime minister, Netanyahu continued to lead Bennett by a margin of 41% to 31%, virtually unchanged from the previous survey. Netanyahu also widened his advantage over Eisenkot. After leading by four percentage points in the last poll, he now holds a seven-point edge, with 41% naming Netanyahu as the preferred prime minister compared with 34% for Eisenkot.

In a head-to-head comparison between Bennett and Eisenkot, the Yashar leader came out ahead with 31% support, while Bennett received 20%. Although Eisenkot maintained the lead, the gap narrowed significantly from last week’s survey, when he led Bennett by 22 percentage points.

The poll also found that 18% of respondents said they have recently considered leaving Israel. Among opposition voters, that figure rose to approximately 23%, compared with just 6% of coalition supporters. Despite those numbers, most Israelis do not appear alarmed by the trend. Sixty-seven percent said they are not concerned about the number of people leaving the country, while only 12% said the issue worries them.

By Julia Parker – JBizNews Desk

NEW YORK — Google DeepMind Chief Operating Officer Lila Ibrahim said the risk that artificial intelligence could contribute to human extinction is not zero, underscoring the governance challenge facing Alphabet, enterprise AI users and investors as the technology moves deeper into business operations.

Ibrahim, who signed a widely circulated statement warning that advanced AI could pose an existential risk, pushed back against confident forecasts from technology billionaires about how quickly AI and space technology will reshape daily life. Her comments highlight a widening gap between Silicon Valley’s most optimistic projections and the more cautious stance being adopted by executives responsible for deploying AI systems at scale.

“Nobody actually knows that,” Ibrahim said, referring to predictions such as Elon Musk saying money will not matter by 2036 and Jeff Bezos saying people will live in space by 2045. She said the odds of extreme harm from AI are “not zero,” while emphasizing that specific timelines remain unknowable.

The remarks matter for companies spending heavily on AI because safety concerns are increasingly linked to regulatory risk, customer trust and capital allocation. Businesses adopting generative AI are weighing productivity gains against concerns over data security, intellectual-property exposure, workforce disruption and potential liability from automated decision-making.

For Alphabet, which owns Google and Google DeepMind, AI is both a growth engine and a strategic risk. The company is investing billions of dollars in computing infrastructure, AI models and cloud services as it competes with Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon and others to supply businesses with tools that can write software, summarize documents, automate customer service and support scientific research.

That commercial opportunity has made AI safety a boardroom issue. Large corporate customers are demanding more assurances about accuracy, explainability and privacy before moving sensitive workloads into AI systems. Insurers, banks, healthcare companies and government contractors face especially high compliance hurdles because mistakes can create financial, legal or safety consequences.

Ibrahim’s position also reflects the balancing act inside leading AI labs. Executives must promote products that can generate revenue while acknowledging risks that could invite tighter oversight. Governments in the U.S., Europe and Asia are developing rules for powerful AI models, with policymakers focused on transparency, cybersecurity, election misuse and potential systemic risks.

Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and founder of xAI, has repeatedly warned about AI risks while also investing aggressively in the sector. Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, has made expansive predictions about human activity in space. Ibrahim’s comments contrast with those forecasts by stressing uncertainty rather than fixed milestones.

Investors are watching whether AI spending will translate into durable earnings growth. Alphabet and its peers are under pressure to show that rising capital expenditures on chips, data centers and talent can support higher revenue from cloud computing, advertising, enterprise software and consumer products.

The debate is likely to intensify as more businesses embed AI in core operations. For executives, Ibrahim’s warning adds weight to a practical conclusion already shaping procurement decisions: AI may offer major efficiency gains, but companies will be expected to manage the technology with tighter controls, stronger oversight and clearer accountability.

JBizNews Desk | New York

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

Orange County, NY (VINnews) – A homicide suspect who prompted a massive, multi-day manhunt in Orange County was safely apprehended early Sunday after authorities received a tip that led investigators to a vehicle connected to the case, New York State Police said.

Thomas D. Ryan was wanted in connection with the Aug. 6 killing of his father, Robert Ryan, 70, at his residence on Greenville Turnpike in the town of Greenville.

Ryan was taken into custody at about 12:10 a.m. Sunday by the New York State Police Special Operations Response Team in the town of Gilboa in Schoharie County, about 100 miles northwest of Greenville.

The search intensified Saturday evening after police received a tip that a Toyota Prius associated with the investigation had been found unoccupied in a parking lot on State Route 990V in Gilboa. Officers from multiple agencies searched the surrounding area before another tip helped lead police to Ryan.

Ryan was treated at the scene for injuries sustained before his apprehension and was taken to a hospital, where he remained in stable condition Sunday. He remained in State Police custody and is expected to be charged and arraigned when his medical condition permits.

Investigators said Ryan did not live with his father and had no known current ties to the Greenville community. They also determined that he had lived a transient lifestyle and had stayed at shelters in New York City, Long Island and northern New York.

The investigation was led by the State Police Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from multiple State Police troops and local, state and federal agencies, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, NYPD, New York State Park Police and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police and Forest Rangers.

Authorities credited members of the public with providing information that helped locate Ryan.

“The information provided by alert members of the public, combined with the relentless efforts of our investigators, Troopers, and law enforcement partners across multiple jurisdictions, allowed us to locate Thomas Ryan and bring this search to a safe conclusion,” Troop F BCI Capt. Brad Natalizio said.

The investigation remains ongoing. State Police said additional information about Ryan’s apprehension and criminal charges will be released when appropriate.

TORONTO (AP) — A Porter Airlines flight in Canada was canceled last week after a young child refused to sit down and buckle up, forcing the plane back to the terminal and delaying it past the airport’s runway closure.

The Toronto-based airline said Sunday the parent and crew repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to secure the child in the seat before returning the plane to the terminal in Victoria International Airport in British Columbia to remove the parent and child.

Porter said removing the parent and child and their baggage delayed the Toronto-bound flight on Thursday past the airport’s 12:30 a.m. runway closure, forcing the remaining passengers to disembark.

Porter apologized to the other passengers, who were rebooked on a flight the following day.

Just one week after the ceasefire took effect in Gaza, Hamas is rapidly reestablishing its grip on the territory by recruiting new operatives, intimidating civilians, and imposing steep taxes on merchants, according to Gaza residents who spoke with Israel’s Channel 12 News.

Residents said the terrorist group has begun enlisting young men between the ages of 18 and 20, paying them between 600 and 700 shekels a month and arming them with Kalashnikov rifles. According to those interviewed, the recruits wear civilian clothing and face masks while manning intersections and other strategic locations throughout the Strip.

Despite the lull in fighting, Gazans say Hamas continues to maintain control through fear. Residents reported that masked gunmen quickly open fire on anyone who publicly criticizes the organization, insults it, posts negative comments on social media, or attempts to organize protests. They also claimed that Hamas has established operational and interrogation centers inside hospital complexes while its operatives closely monitor activity throughout the streets.

Many residents remain deeply skeptical that Hamas will ever surrender its weapons. Hussam al-Astal, commander of an armed militia in Khan Younis that opposes Hamas, said, “If Hamas gives up its weapons – neither our forces nor Israel will kill them, but the people themselves, because they killed many people.” Another resident, identified only as “M,” said he believes Hamas is deceiving the public and, at most, would stage a symbolic handover involving only a negligible number of weapons.

Residents also said Hamas is attempting to rebuild its financial base by imposing heavy taxes on local merchants. According to the report, traders are being forced to pay levies ranging from 18% to 40%, with additional taxes imposed on products such as cigarettes as the terrorist organization seeks to replenish its resources and strengthen its control over Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions between Israel and the United States are deepening as Washington presses Israel to move toward ending active fighting in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, Channel 13 reported.

Israeli security officials have protested to the political leadership in recent days over a demand that, while not explicitly included in the framework, has emerged in discussions between Israel and the United States: to halt targeted killings and moderate IDF operations in the Gaza Strip.

The United States wants Israel to end the fighting on all three active fronts. That message was also conveyed by U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper during his weekend visit to Israel. A senior IDF officer told Channel 13 that the American message to the military is to “move toward closing all three fronts.”

Regarding Iran, the IDF has told its American counterparts that Israel intends to preserve the option of acting if intelligence indicates that Iran is continuing to advance toward a nuclear capability or rebuild its ballistic missile array.

In Lebanon, the Americans want the IDF to withdraw from additional positions in the security zone in the south of the country. In Gaza, Washington wants to see progress and the deployment of the multinational force, which currently includes several hundred troops from Morocco and Uganda.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the opening of Sunday’s Cabinet meeting that “Israel rejects the 15-point document,” and said the IDF would not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is fully disarmed.

“The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed, and when I say Hamas is disarmed, that means the heavy weapons, the less-heavy weapons, all the weapons. Real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel is now discussing the issue with the Americans.

Netanyahu said the Americans have ideas, some of which Israel accepts and some of which it does not, and stressed that the IDF will continue thwarting threats against Israeli forces and civilians.

On Iran, Netanyahu said he greatly appreciates President Donald Trump and the historic partnership with the United States against Iran’s attempts to arm itself with nuclear weapons. “With an agreement or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said.

Addressing Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israel has operated forcefully there in recent days, eliminating terrorists, including in the Ali Taher Ridge area, and said Israel remains engaged in an important operation to eliminate threats.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Greenland’s government has issued a sharp rebuke to a Texas-based oil company with ties to President Trump after drilling equipment was brought ashore without official authorization, as the firm pushes ahead with plans to explore for massive oil reserves beneath the Arctic territory.

The dispute comes as President Trump has renewed his public calls for the United States to take control of Greenland. In recent days, equipment intended for exploratory drilling was unloaded along Greenland’s eastern coastline, prompting officials to stress that the operation had not been approved.

In a strongly worded statement, Greenland’s government said no authorization had been granted for the delivery of the equipment and reminded the company that, “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out.”

Just two days after the warning, Trump intensified attention on Greenland by posting an image on Truth Social depicting himself towering over a Greenlandic village.

The company at the center of the controversy, Greenland Energy, was established in Texas last year. Its executives believe the Jameson Land region could contain as much as $1 trillion in crude oil and have announced plans to invest $60 million to drill two exploratory wells to determine the area’s potential.

Although Greenland halted the issuance of new oil exploration licenses in 2021 because of environmental concerns, British company 80 Mile already held exploration rights in Jameson Land. According to Greenland Energy’s corporate filings, the Texas firm plans to acquire a controlling interest in the project by financing the exploration effort, though it still requires formal approval from Greenland’s government before drilling can begin.

The company has enlisted Phil McGraw, widely known as Dr. Phil, the conservative former television host who previously served on President Trump’s religious freedom commission, to produce a documentary series that will “capture the mission of these modern-day wildcatters.”

Greenland Energy has also added to its board a retired U.S. Navy veteran who is involved in developing the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, a project for which Trump has argued that control of Greenland is “vital.”

Company chairman Larry Swets, a major shareholder with reported connections to Trump’s political circle, has insisted that the drilling project “not related to American annexation.”

Following a community meeting in Jameson Land in June, where a company representative incorrectly stated that permission had already been granted to bring drilling equipment ashore, Swets acknowledged the mistake, saying, “Our enthusiasm for the project led us to communicate in a way that created confusion.”

Despite that clarification, residents in the remote region reported seeing a tugboat towing a barge to shore the following month and unloading roughly a dozen shipping containers. Greenland’s government later confirmed that “The goal was to get the equipment onshore at Nunap Qeqqa [Jameson Land] in connection with planned oil exploration drilling.”

The Danish investigative outlet Danwatch reported that the head of the shipping company confirmed the cargo had been delivered on behalf of Greenland Energy.

The company has not responded publicly to questions about the controversy. However, in a letter sent to shareholders on Thursday, Greenland Energy stated: “Recent high-level meetings between project leadership and Greenlandic regulatory and oversight authorities have been constructive, and we continue to be encouraged by the progress being made toward the remaining approvals required for drilling.” The company also indicated that it now intends to begin with a single exploratory well rather than two.

As a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland controls its own natural resources, placing the decision squarely in the hands of its elected officials. Those leaders now face mounting pressure as they weigh whether to authorize drilling in an area that appears to overlap with land protected under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands or reject the proposal, a move some fear could further inflame Trump’s interest in the territory.

While Greenland’s government said it believes it “would not be proportionate” to order the removal of the equipment already delivered, officials emphasized that the company’s application remains under review and no drilling approval has been issued.

A representative for Greenland Energy has said another vessel carrying approximately 300 containers of drilling equipment is scheduled to depart Canada on September 12, with drilling operations expected to begin in October if approval is secured.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who serves as Trump’s envoy to Greenland, has predicted that oil production on the island could begin as early as next year.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is considering Switzerland as a possible country to provide a civilian force to supervise implementation of a future agreement with Lebanon, i24NEWS reported, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

Senior Swiss officials have held several meetings in Jerusalem and Washington in recent months, including in February, as Switzerland has emerged as one of the leading candidates for a supervisory role.

During the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Rome, Israeli officials made clear that there would be no expansion of the existing buffer zone before examining how the current zones function. Israel also rejected several other possible supervisory arrangements, including Turkish or Qatari involvement, and said international courts in The Hague would not be acceptable for overseeing implementation of the agreement.

Switzerland is being considered in part because Swiss Ambassador to Israel Simon Geissbühler has strong relations with Israel’s political leadership, while Switzerland also maintains close ties with the Lebanese government. Sources involved in the talks said Switzerland has a proven record as an independent country in similar missions and is viewed as an option Israel could accept.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NORAD dispatched F-16 fighter jets Sunday after two civilian aircraft entered restricted airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Donald Trump was expected to spend the weekend at his golf club during the LIV Golf New York tournament.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the aircraft violated temporary flight restrictions established over the area. Air Forces Northern, part of the 1st Air Force, later confirmed that two general aviation aircraft were involved in the incident.

Military officials said the aircraft were safely intercepted and escorted out of the restricted airspace by NORAD fighters without incident.

Ahead of the president’s arrival in New Jersey, NORAD had announced that it would actively enforce the Federal Aviation Administration’s temporary flight restrictions throughout the weekend to secure the airspace surrounding the Bedminster property.

Officials also advised pilots and the public that U.S. Army ground-based air defense systems could be operating in the region under the Continental U.S. NORAD Region as part of the military’s layered homeland defense network.

“These systems are operating under NORAD authorities, constitute a routine component of the command’s layered defense posture and work in tandem with the command’s airborne assets to monitor and protect the airspace,” information published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service said.

Following the interceptions, military officials reminded general aviation pilots to review all Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) before every flight to ensure they are aware of temporary airspace restrictions and other FAA flight requirements.

“Check NOTAMs before EVERY flight!” 1st AF/AFNORTH said in a post on X.

Officials also reiterated the procedures pilots must follow if intercepted by NORAD aircraft. Pilots should immediately switch their radios to frequencies 121.5 or 243.0 and, according to guidance published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, “turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies.”

Temporary flight restrictions are routinely established during presidential travel, major sporting events, national security operations, and other special events. NORAD relies on a combination of radar systems, satellites, fighter aircraft, and other surveillance capabilities to detect, monitor, and respond to potential threats within North American airspace.

{Matzav.com}

Wall Street heads into Monday with stocks near record territory and one of the most important economic weeks of the summer directly ahead.

The setup is unusually delicate. Friday’s July employment report showed the U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs, sharply changing the debate over whether the Federal Reserve’s bigger problem is still inflation or a labor market that is beginning to weaken.

Now investors get the other half of the equation.

July consumer inflation arrives Wednesday, producer inflation follows Thursday, and retail sales close out the week Friday. At the same time, a concentrated run of technology earnings will test whether the enormous investment behind the artificial-intelligence boom continues to justify elevated valuations.

The result is a market that could look considerably different by Friday afternoon than it does Monday morning.

Monday: Wall Street Digests the Jobs Shock

Monday does not bring the week’s biggest economic releases, which means Friday’s employment report should continue setting the tone.

The key signal will come from Treasury yields.

Falling yields accompanied by rising stocks would suggest investors are treating weaker employment as increasing the Fed’s flexibility without signaling an imminent recession.

But falling yields alongside falling stocks would send a very different message: Wall Street may be moving beyond hopes for easier monetary policy and beginning to worry about the health of the economy itself.

That distinction could dominate Monday trading.

Technology shares also bear watching. Lower interest rates generally help high-growth companies whose valuations depend heavily on future earnings, but those benefits can disappear quickly if investors conclude economic weakness is becoming more serious.

Tuesday: The AI Trade Gets Tested

Tuesday brings the NFIB Small Business Optimism report, offering another look at hiring plans, pricing pressures and confidence among smaller American companies.

After the closing bell, however, attention shifts toward artificial intelligence.

Super Micro Computer and CoreWeave are scheduled to report results, putting two companies directly exposed to the AI infrastructure boom under the microscope.

Super Micro has already indicated quarterly revenue should come near the lower end of its previous guidance, while saying orders reached record levels. Investors will now focus heavily on margins, backlog, deliveries and management’s outlook.

CoreWeave provides another window into the extraordinary demand for computing capacity needed to train and operate AI models.

Together, the reports could influence sentiment far beyond the individual stocks.

The market increasingly wants proof that billions of dollars being poured into chips, servers, networking equipment and data centers are translating into sustainable revenue.

Wednesday: CPI Could Set the Direction for the Entire Market

Wednesday morning is the centerpiece of the week.

The July Consumer Price Index arrives at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, giving investors their clearest new reading on whether inflation is cooling enough for the Federal Reserve to respond to a weaker labor market.

The headline number matters, but core inflation may matter even more.

Investors will be looking closely at services, housing and categories where tariffs, energy costs or other input increases could be filtering into consumer prices.

A softer report would give Wall Street something close to its preferred scenario: employment cooling while inflation also moves in the right direction.

That could push Treasury yields lower, strengthen expectations for easier Fed policy and provide support to rate-sensitive areas of the stock market.

A hotter CPI would create a much tougher problem.

The Fed could find itself confronting weakening employment while inflation remains too elevated to comfortably ease policy. That combination would threaten both bonds and richly valued stocks.

Cisco is also expected to report Wednesday, providing another reading on corporate technology and networking demand.

Thursday: Wholesale Inflation and Chips Take Over

The Producer Price Index arrives Thursday morning.

PPI measures inflation earlier in the supply chain and could provide evidence of whether businesses are absorbing higher costs or preparing to pass them through to consumers.

That question has become increasingly important as Wall Street tries to separate temporary price pressures from inflation that could persist.

Weekly unemployment claims will provide another timely look at labor-market conditions after Friday’s payroll shock.

Then semiconductor equipment giant Applied Materials reports after Thursday’s close.

Its results carry significance well beyond one company.

Applied Materials sells the sophisticated manufacturing equipment used to produce semiconductors, putting it close to the enormous capital-spending cycle behind AI chips, advanced memory and data-center construction.

Strong orders and guidance would reinforce the argument that AI infrastructure spending remains powerful.

Weakness could raise another question: whether the market has priced AI growth faster than the physical semiconductor industry can deliver it.

Friday: The Consumer Gets the Last Word

Friday brings July retail sales, potentially the week’s second-most important economic report.

America’s consumer has repeatedly kept the economy moving even as borrowing costs remained high.

The weak jobs report makes that resilience more important.

Strong retail sales would suggest households are still spending despite softer hiring, supporting the argument that the economy is slowing without falling into recession.

Weak retail sales would be harder to dismiss.

If businesses are pulling back on hiring at the same time households begin pulling back on spending, Wall Street would have evidence that economic weakness is spreading.

The preliminary University of Michigan consumer sentiment report will provide another look at how Americans view their finances, employment prospects and inflation.

The Fed’s Problem Is Changing

For much of the past several years, Wall Street’s biggest concern was straightforward: inflation was too high and the economy was too strong for the Federal Reserve to ease aggressively.

That calculation is becoming more complicated.

July’s loss of 23,000 jobs, combined with downward revisions to earlier payroll numbers, suggests employers have become significantly more cautious.

That makes this week’s inflation numbers critical.

Weak employment plus cooling inflation gives the Fed room to act.

Weak employment plus stubborn inflation leaves the Fed trapped between protecting jobs and protecting price stability.

Markets will be repricing that equation throughout the week.

AI Faces a Reality Check

The economic reports will determine much of the direction for the broader market, but earnings could determine whether technology continues leading it.

Super Micro, CoreWeave, Cisco and Applied Materials sit at different points across the AI infrastructure chain.

Their combined results offer investors something especially valuable: a real-world look at whether the AI buildout remains as powerful as stock valuations suggest.

The question is no longer whether AI spending is large.

It is whether the growth is large enough to keep surprising Wall Street.

At elevated valuations, companies may need more than solid earnings. They need strong outlooks capable of convincing investors that another year of extraordinary infrastructure spending is coming.

Oil Remains the Wild Card

The biggest risk to the week’s carefully scheduled economic calendar may be something that is not scheduled at all.

Middle East developments and uncertainty surrounding Iran remain capable of moving crude prices quickly.

A renewed oil surge would immediately complicate the inflation picture.

Higher energy prices eventually reach transportation, manufacturing, airlines, shipping and household budgets. That means an oil shock could undermine the very inflation improvement markets are hoping to see this week.

Energy shares could benefit, while airlines, transportation companies and other fuel-intensive businesses would face renewed pressure.

What Wall Street Needs This Week

The best outcome for markets is increasingly clear: softer inflation, resilient consumer spending and strong AI earnings.

That combination would tell investors that inflation is cooling, the consumer remains alive and corporate investment continues despite weaker hiring.

The danger is the opposite combination.

Hot inflation and weak retail sales would suggest prices remain a problem just as economic demand begins deteriorating.

That is the scenario that could leave the Federal Reserve with the fewest good choices.

Monday therefore begins with Wall Street still digesting the jobs shock. Tuesday tests AI. Wednesday’s CPI could set the week’s direction. Thursday tests wholesale inflation and semiconductor spending. Friday reveals whether American consumers are beginning to feel the slowdown.

By the closing bell Friday, investors should know considerably more about whether this record-setting market still has economic support underneath it — or whether Wall Street has gotten ahead of itself.

JBizNews Desk | Wall Street

© JBizNews.com⁠ All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

Chrysler is recalling more than 1.27 million pickup trucks in the U.S. over a possible seat belt issue that could increase the risk of injury in a crash.

The recall covers 1,271,294 model-year 2019 through 2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. Chrysler estimates that about 0.1% of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA said the second-row seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed, leaving the vehicles out of compliance with federal safety requirements.

“Reduced load management by the seat belt buckle may result in injury to vehicle occupants in certain types of driving conditions or crashes,” the report states.

The recalled trucks were produced between Feb. 17, 2018, and April 27, 2026. 

Production and service records were used to determine the potentially affected vehicles, according to NHTSA.

NHTSA said the recall stems from a vehicle assembly issue rather than a defective component.

Dealers will inspect the second-row seat belt buckle anchors and, if necessary, properly attach them to the vehicle’s body structure at no cost to owners.

“The remedy will be to ensure that the second-row seat belt buckle anchors are properly affixed to the body structure,” the report states.

Dealers were notified on or about Aug. 6, with owner notifications set to begin Aug. 18.

Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company, could not immediately be reached by FOX Business for comment.

Nearly three years after the October 7 massacre, Israel continues its relentless campaign to hunt down every Hamas terrorist connected to the atrocities. A specialized task force created in the aftermath of the attack is still working around the clock to locate and eliminate everyone involved—from senior planners to the terrorists who guarded and abused Israeli hostages, Arutz Sheva reports.

In the wake of the massacre, Israel’s security establishment launched an extensive effort to identify and eliminate every individual who played a role in planning, supporting, or carrying out the attacks, as well as those who participated in the captivity and mistreatment of hostages.

To lead that effort, the IDF and the Shin Bet created a joint task force known as NILI, an acronym for Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker (“The Eternal One of Israel Does Not Lie”). The unit was named after the famed Jewish underground intelligence network that operated in Eretz Yisroel during World War I.

Channel 12 recently provided a rare glimpse inside NILI’s operational strike center, speaking with members of the unit who continue their mission of identifying and eliminating Hamas terrorists linked to the October 7 massacre.

Since the war began, Israeli forces have succeeded in eliminating much of Hamas’ senior leadership and operational command, including Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Sinwar, Saleh al-Arouri, and, more recently, Izz al-Din al-Haddad.

One officer involved in the operation said NILI’s mission reaches far beyond Hamas’ top commanders and includes everyone who played any role in the attacks or hostage-taking.

“This can be the driver who drove a tractor, and it can be the Hamas officer who led a raid,” he said.

As the war progressed, the unit steadily expanded its target list. According to the head of its target division, investigators eventually broadened their focus to include Hamas members who held Israeli hostages, abused them, or even came into contact with them during captivity.

Among those pursued was the terrorist who phoned his father after October 7 to boast that he had murdered 10 Jews, as well as terrorists involved in the beheading of several hostages. The man responsible for murdering IDF soldier and lookout Noa Marciano remained on NILI’s target list for a year and a half before Israeli forces ultimately eliminated him.

“This was a Sisyphean task, work that also included failures and missed opportunities. But you do not forget it. You do not forget your responsibility to kill this evil.”

The unit maintains a database containing thousands of suspected terrorists. One soldier described the painstaking process of working through the list day after day.

“We have an Excel file; we consolidate all the terrorists’ names there, and every day we ‘delete a line,’” the soldier said. “I’ve already deleted dozens of lines. I delete a line and immediately think about the next one, even before I process what I feel about it.”

To locate its targets, NILI draws on a wide range of intelligence sources, including footage recovered from GoPro cameras carried by Hamas terrorists during the massacre, artificial intelligence technology, and intelligence gathered by agents operating in the field.

Since the ceasefire with Hamas took effect last October, the pace of operations has accelerated significantly. With Israeli hostages no longer being held in Gaza, the IDF and Israeli Air Force have gained greater operational flexibility. At the same time, testimony from released hostages and intelligence obtained from captured Hamas operatives has enabled Israeli security forces to identify and strike an increasing number of terrorists connected to the October 7 atrocities.

{Matzav.com}

No serious injuries being reported.

U.S. law enforcement authorities reportedly thwarted multiple credible threats targeting soccer superstar Lionel Messi during the 2026 World Cup, including alleged plots involving explosives and assault rifles.

According to a Spanish media report citing leaked classified documents from an FBI joint investigation file, authorities confronted several serious threats against prominent players during the tournament, with Argentina captain Messi among the primary targets.

One of the most serious incidents reportedly occurred ahead of Argentina’s match against Jordan in Dallas. Authorities received an anonymous warning call claiming that three individuals were traveling toward the stadium armed with improvised explosive devices and AR-15-style rifles.

The caller allegedly threatened to attack police officers and players from both teams while specifically identifying Messi as the primary target.

Another major security scare occurred surrounding Argentina’s match against Egypt in Atlanta.

According to the report, an individual posted a threat on X claiming he intended to enter the stadium as a suicide bomber carrying four explosive devices and assassinate Messi.

Police also received an anonymous call claiming that three explosive devices had been planted inside trash cans around the stadium. Additional security personnel and canine units were deployed to conduct extensive searches of the complex.

The reported threats were not limited to Messi.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly targeted by credible threats during the tournament. Authorities arrested a suspect on June 16 at the Houston hotel where Portugal’s national team was staying.

French referee François Letexier was also subjected to an extraordinary wave of threats, reportedly receiving more than 6,000 death threats through his personal WhatsApp account during the tournament.

The incidents highlight the massive security operation surrounding the 2026 World Cup and the challenges facing U.S. authorities tasked with protecting some of the world’s most recognizable athletes amid threats against players, officials and tournament venues.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iran said Sunday it is not negotiating directly with the United States and will not return to formal talks until Washington meets key demands — making clear that a possible shipping agreement with Oman does not mean the Strait of Hormuz is reopening. 

That distinction is now the most important part of the story for oil markets, shipping companies and businesses around the world.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran and Oman are close to completing an agreement governing shipping routes through the strait. But he said reopening Hormuz is a separate issue tied to broader negotiations with Washington. 

In simple terms: Iran and Oman may agree on where ships can travel, while Iran still decides which ships are allowed through.

Tehran is demanding major U.S. concessions before restoring full access, including an end to American economic and military pressure and compensation connected to the conflict. Iran says messages are still being exchanged through intermediaries rather than direct U.S.-Iran negotiations. 

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, historically carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments. Traffic has been severely disrupted since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began February 28. 

The Trump administration remains more optimistic.

Vice President JD Vance said Saturday that Washington is still talking with Iran and is focused on getting as much oil and gas as possible moving through Hormuz. He described the negotiations as still being in the “middle of the game.” 

But Iran’s latest comments show how large the gap remains.

A technical agreement with Oman could therefore produce headlines suggesting progress without actually restoring normal commercial shipping.

That matters because continued disruption keeps pressure on oil prices, tanker availability, freight costs and war-risk insurance throughout the Gulf.

Regional tensions also worsened Sunday when Iran-backed Houthi forces said they attacked Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery. Saudi authorities said a fire at the facility was extinguished without casualties. 

For businesses, the takeaway is straightforward:

Do not mistake an Iran-Oman shipping agreement for the reopening of Hormuz.

The real breakthrough comes only when commercial vessels can again move freely through the strait. Iran is now making clear that this requires a much larger political agreement with Washington — and that agreement has not been reached.

Until then, one of the world’s most important shipping routes remains a major risk for energy prices, transportation costs and global trade.

JBizNews Desk | Tehran

© JBizNews.com⁠ All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

The Trump administration has revoked the security clearance of former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, accusing him of disclosing classified information to the media about Air Force One, The Washington Post reports.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Kendall was being stripped of access to classified information and of his ability to hold any sensitive position following what he described as an “unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities.” Parnell added that safeguarding classified information is a “non-negotiable duty.”

Kendall, who served as Air Force secretary under President Joe Biden and previously held a senior Defense Department post during the Obama administration, denied revealing classified information and said he is considering his legal options. “I’ve been extremely careful to not say anything that could be classified, and as far as I know I have not said anything classified,” he told The Post. “So far no one has told me what I’m supposed to have revealed.”

Kendall had recently spoken to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal about the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that President Donald Trump is using as his official presidential aircraft. He told the Times he was “surprised to see this plane used outside the U.S.” given how quickly it was modified after being transferred to the United States, and told the Journal he was skeptical that the aircraft had been fully equipped with the security features Trump said it would have.

The White House said last month that Trump would tentatively return to using an older Air Force One while the Qatari-gifted aircraft underwent unspecified “additional upgrades and enhancements,” which were expected to take about a month.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei appointed two figures who played key roles in the formation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to senior political positions in statements attributed to Khamenei published on Sunday.

Mohsen Rezaee, who commanded the IRGC from 1981 until 1997, was appointed as Khamenei’s representative on the Supreme National Security Council.

Rezaee has run in at least three presidential elections, coming third in 2009 with 1.7% of the vote, fourth in 2013 with over 3.8 million votes, and second in 2021 with 3.4 million votes.

He has served as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council since 1997, and was appointed as Khamenei’s military advisor in March.

Additionally, Mohammed Bagher Zolghadr, who held several senior positions across the IRGC since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, including being deputy chief from 1997 until 2006, was appointed as Khamenei’s political advisor.

Zolghadr previously called for IRGC to hold stronger control over Iranian politics

In March, Zolghadr, who had just been appointed as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council following Israel’s killing of Ali Larijani during Operation Roaring Lion, was cited by The New York Times as saying that the IRGC should gain more control over Iran. He was also described by The Economist as an “IRGC apparatchik” at the time.

“He is one of the last remnants of the radical revolutionaries that armed themselves against the Pahlavi monarchy,” historian Shahram Kholdi told Iran International in March.

This post was originally published on here.

After serving 24 years as a Shas lawmaker, former minister Yaakov Margi has stepped away from political life. In a candid interview on the Mischak HaKisaot podcast produced by Yisroel Hayom and hosted by Shirit Avitan Cohen, Margi offered unusually sharp criticism of both his former party and the broader chareidi political leadership, particularly over its handling of the military draft issue.

Reflecting on the current state of the chareidi community, Margi argued that today’s rabbinic leadership lacks the unified authority that once existed.

“The chareidi community is very complex, and there is no strong Torah leadership like there once was. In the Sephardic community, there was Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef, who knew how to make decisive rulings, and among the Ashkenazi leadership there were also Gedolei Yisroel who knew how to do so. Today there is rabbinic leadership, but it is fragmented. Everyone is looking backward, wondering what people will say about them. And what happened? We all rejected the Peleg Yerushalmi. Now all of us—and when I say all of us, I mean the entire chareidi leadership, including the chareidi members of Knesset—have pushed the entire chareidi community into their hands.”

Margi described the ongoing draft crisis as “a bleeding wound” and expressed regret over what he believes was a missed opportunity to resolve the issue legislatively.

“This is a bleeding wound. I cry over it. They should have been wise rather than simply right, and they should have passed Edelstein’s framework. The army would never have been able to fully implement it anyway. Instead, we failed to regulate the status of the yeshiva bochurim. We didn’t draft those who aren’t learning, nor those in the middle. The army accomplished nothing. I was there in the past when the army genuinely wanted to recruit. We worked together with the Defense Ministry, created enlistment tracks, and large numbers enlisted. I couldn’t walk through the streets of Geulah or Bnei Brak. People chased after me because I was encouraging enlistment.”

Asked to summarize his broader philosophy on military service, Margi said he believes responsibility toward the country cannot simply be ignored.

“It is impossible to be a Jew with values and merely pay lip service to the idea of sharing the burden, or visit wounded soldiers at Tel Hashomer, or attend funerals, and then do nothing. I recognize the value of Torah learning—don’t misunderstand me—but the two are not mutually exclusive. Even before discussing the sefer and the sword model of the Religious Zionist community, if you’re needed now, then come. I was told to stay quiet. I remained silent for a year, and it frustrated me. But if they made a mistake, it was a serious one. On the contrary—that’s exactly how we surrendered to the extremists.”

When asked whether the chareidi parties should have publicly declared that those who are not learning Torah should serve in the military, Margi replied that they failed to do so.

“They didn’t say it, so I’m saying it now. The solution will not come from the chareidi politicians or from the rabbinic leadership because, objectively, they cannot deliver it. We missed the momentum. The chareidi public is not monolithic. There are different segments, and there are segments that are ready—they just need a small push.”

Margi also criticized what he described as Shas aligning itself too closely with the Ashkenazi chareidi leadership.

“That was a serious mistake. We should have said less publicly. We should have led this legislation. I look at Klal Yisroel as a whole. Sadly, and I hope I’m wrong, I believe that part of the Ashkenazi chareidi worldview still lives with the mentality of the shtetl in Eretz Yisroel, where preserving the shtetl is the supreme interest. That’s not my outlook. For me, Toras Yisroel, Eretz Yisroel, and Am Yisroel are one. They are not three separate things.”

Margi also questioned the necessity of recent legislative initiatives aimed at protecting Torah study.

“As far as I’m concerned, there was no need for a Basic Law on Torah study. There was no need for the arrests law. We should have advanced a draft law and enlisted those who are not learning. Everyone should have done their job. The army also had responsibilities. What are you waiting for—the legislature? You already have a draft law that applies to everyone. Start drafting people. Start creating a reality where uniforms are hanging from clotheslines in chareidi neighborhoods.”

{Matzav.com}

This series of articles will introduce you to various parts of your body to help give you a better understanding and appreciation for what they do. With this awareness, I hope people reading this will be able to improve their health.

By Aharon Elkayam

The heart, like the brain, is among the most fundamental organs in the human body. Most everyone knows where it is located and what it does — pump blood. But there is so much more to this remarkable organ.

Hopefully, by the time you finish reading this, you will have a deeper understanding of — and appreciation for — this extraordinary muscle that keeps you alive every single moment of your life.

A gift that works without your thinking

One of the most astonishing things about the heart is that it works involuntarily. You do not need to think about it, remind it, or manage it. It just beats — roughly 100,000 times a day, over 35 million times a year, decade after decade.

Amazing, right?

Most of us never think about our hearts. Yet from the day we are born until the day we leave this world, the heart faithfully serves us without asking for recognition. Perhaps one of the healthiest things we can do is simply appreciate it.

The coronary arteries: Keeping the roads clear

The heart is a muscle, and like all muscles, it needs to be nourished to function. It receives its blood supply through a network of vessels called the coronary arteries, which wrap around the outside of the heart and feed its tissue with oxygen and nutrients.

As people age — especially those eating a diet high in processed foods, refined oils, and animal fats — these arteries can gradually accumulate fatty deposits along their inner walls, a process known as atherosclerosis.

Over time, this buildup narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart. The consequences can include chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, fatigue, and reduced stamina.

In more serious cases, a piece of that buildup — called plaque — can break loose and trigger a heart attack or a stroke.

The encouraging news: the research is unambiguous that a whole-food, plant-based diet can not only slow this process but actually reverse it.

The pioneering work of Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has demonstrated that people who adopt a low-fat, plant-based diet can see measurable improvements in arterial health — without surgery or medication.

Think of this dietary approach as keeping the roads of your cardiovascular system clean and wide open.

The heart and emotions: More than a metaphor

When we say someone “died of a broken heart,” we often assume it is poetic language. But the science says otherwise.

Japanese researchers have documented a condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — also known as “broken heart syndrome” — in which sudden emotional shock or grief causes a temporary but dramatic weakening of the heart muscle. The heart actually changes shape in response to extreme sadness or stress.

In severe cases, it can be fatal.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the heart has long been considered the organ most closely connected to the emotions — particularly excitement and sadness. Too much excitement (which in modern terms we call stress or overstimulation), or an excess of prolonged grief, were understood to weaken the heart over time.

Modern research increasingly supports this ancient intuition.

Studies have found that people who experience chronic anger, hostility, loneliness, or depression have significantly higher rates of cardiovascular disease.

Conversely, those who maintain close social connections, a sense of purpose, and emotional resilience tend to have healthier hearts — and live longer.

The takeaway: caring for your heart means caring for your emotional life, too. Nurture your relationships. Find outlets for grief. Cultivate joy.

The heart and blood pressure: Helping the pump

The heart’s job is to push blood throughout the entire body — from the tips of your toes all the way up to your brain. Getting blood down to the feet is relatively easy (gravity is a big help). But pushing blood up against gravity to the brain requires real force.

When the blood becomes thick and sluggish — often due to a diet chronically high in saturated fats and oils — the heart has to work much harder to move it.

Think of the difference between pumping water versus pumping thick syrup. The harder the heart has to push, the more pressure builds up inside the arteries. This is what we call high blood pressure, or hypertension.

The good news is that this is largely a lifestyle-driven condition — which means it is also a lifestyle-reversible one. A whole-food, plant-based diet is naturally low in the fats that thicken the blood and restrict circulation.

People who adopt this way of eating often see their blood pressure normalize within weeks, sometimes dramatically reducing or eliminating their need for medication (always in consultation with their doctor, of course).

Stress reduction is equally important. Chronic stress keeps the body in a state of “fight or flight,” which constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Practices like relaxing breathing techniques, meditation, tai chi, and other forms of gentle exercise all help bring the nervous system back into balance — and with it, healthy blood pressure.

But these practices have their limits if the underlying sources of stress remain unaddressed.

If you hate your job, no amount of tai chi will fully protect your heart.

So alongside these practices, look honestly at what is causing the stress in your life and take steps to change it.

Movement: Strengthening the muscle

The heart is a muscle, and like any muscle, it responds well to regular, appropriate use.

Moderate exercise — walking, swimming, or cycling — strengthens the heart over time, improves circulation, and helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently.

The key word is moderate. As I’ve discussed in my article “E is for Exercise,” more is not always better.

Overexercising can actually put undue strain on the heart, particularly in people who are already depleted or stressed. Aim for movement that leaves you feeling energized, not exhausted.

A daily walk is one of the best gifts you can give your heart.

Breathing: The free medicine

Here is something most people don’t realize: how you breathe directly affects your heart. Slow, deep, nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” mode — which lowers heart rate and reduces blood pressure. Shallow, rapid mouth breathing does the opposite.

Taking a few minutes each day for intentional deep breathing — inhaling slowly through the nose, expanding the belly — is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do for cardiovascular health.

Sleep: When the heart recovers

Sleep is when the body repairs itself — and the heart is no exception. During deep sleep, heart rate and blood pressure drop, giving the cardiovascular system a chance to rest and recover. Chronically poor sleep is associated with higher rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

If you are not sleeping well, it is worth treating this as a health priority — not just a minor inconvenience. Address the causes: stress, screen time before bed, irregular hours, or poor diet. Your heart needs that nightly rest just as much as you do.

The whole picture

The heart is extraordinary — not just as a biological machine, but as a reflection of how you live. What you eat, how you move, how you breathe, how you sleep, and perhaps most importantly, how you love and connect with others — all of it shows up in this one remarkable muscle.

Treat it with the care and gratitude it deserves, and it will faithfully return the favor, beat by beat, for many years to come.

Until next time, wishing you good health and a happy, healthy heart.

Aharon Elkayam, M.S., is a practitioner trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and functional medicine, with clinical internships in the U.S., Taipei, and Beijing. He has spent over a decade in clinical practice as an acupuncturist, herbalist, and functional medicine practitioner, with more than 10,000 patient visits, and now focuses on guiding people in improving their diet as a health coach. He can be reached at [email protected] or visit his website at aharonelkayam.com.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is facing a lawsuit from a Minnesota woman who alleges a burrito bowl from a restaurant in the state caused a severe Salmonella infection that left her hospitalized with sepsis.

Kristen Behne filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, accusing Chipotle of strict product liability, negligence and violations of Minnesota food-safety law. She is seeking more than $75,000 in compensatory damages.

According to the lawsuit, Behne ate a chicken burrito bowl from a Chipotle restaurant in Roseville, Minnesota, on June 24. The meal included guacamole, Fresh Tomato Salsa and Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa — all of which the complaint claims contained raw jalapeño peppers.

Days later, Behne developed fever, chills, vomiting, abdominal cramping and severe diarrhea, the complaint alleges. She eventually sought emergency care, was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with sepsis.

“Three days later she was in a hospital bed, febrile, tachycardic and septic — a life-threatening complication of the Salmonella infection caused by Chipotle’s grossly contaminated food,” the lawsuit alleges. “She has not been the same since.”

According to the suit, the Minnesota Department of Health classified Behne as a confirmed case tied to a multistate outbreak that has sickened at least 345 people.

“MDH recorded her illness as outbreak-associated, identified the outbreak by name as the Salmonella Javiana outbreak, and classified Plaintiff as a confirmed case,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit alleges Behne continues to experience effects from the illness.

“Plaintiff’s health has not returned to its pre-illness baseline,” according to court documents. “She continues to experience the effects of her acute Salmonella infection and her septic episode, and is at increased risk of well-recognized post-infectious sequelae, including reactive arthritis and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.”

The legal action comes as health officials investigate a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers.

Chipotle said Tuesday it had removed jalapeños from some restaurants after health officials linked the outbreak to recalled peppers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that 345 people in 27 states had been sickened, including 36 who were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic and trace back evidence identified jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors as the source of the outbreak.

The CDC said Chipotle and QDOBA stopped serving the affected peppers after being notified. Because the products were removed, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration said they do not consider the restaurants to pose a current ongoing risk to consumers from this outbreak.

Chipotle and an attorney for Behne could not immediately be reached by FOX Business for comment.

FOX Business’ Brittany Miller contributed to this report.

Last Thursday, in what at the time seemed out of the blue, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X/Twitter that he had received a phone call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that they “exchanged views on the current situation in West Asia.”

He also wrote, “We reviewed progress on various aspects of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership which continues to grow from strength to strength.”

Modi posted the message in English and Hebrew, and Netanyahu reposted it.

Only the next day would the full context become clear. On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a sweeping mutual defense treaty, dubbed the Mecca Pact because of the city where it was finalized.

It is difficult to imagine that the looming pact was not a major focus of the Netanyahu-Modi conversation. While the public only saw the treaty signed on Friday, Jerusalem and New Delhi would almost certainly have been aware that a significant regional realignment was in the works.

When the leaders exchanged views “on recent developments in West Asia,” they were addressing one of the largest structural shifts in the region’s security architecture in years.

For years, Washington pushed a vision of a US-led regional security architecture integrating Israel with Saudi Arabia and other pragmatic Arab states. But that’s not what transpired in Mecca, and Modi and Netanyahu were surely discussing the ramifications of a very different tripartite alignment.

One major ramification Modi alluded to was the “progress on various aspects of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership.”

The announcement in Mecca will certainly add fuel to moving that partnership forward at full speed. That’s the way the world works: actions cause reactions, which in turn spark new arrangements.

Pakistan: Mecca Pact contains NATO-style Article 5 clause

On Friday, after the signing of this accord – which the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed contains a NATO-style Article 5 clause meaning an attack on one is an attack on all – The Wall Street Journal summarized the moment perfectly: “When a superpower flails about, regional powers begin to make arrangements for themselves.”

The superpower here is the US, and the flailing is its execution of the war in Iran. Saudi Arabia, having lost confidence in the American security umbrella alone to provide the protection it feels it needs, is looking elsewhere.

That’s a rational calculation, considering the pounding the Gulf states have taken from Iran and its proxies despite – and perhaps, at times, because of – the presence of US bases on their soil, paired with Washington’s waffling over how to respond.

What is deeply disappointing from Israel’s perspective is where Riyadh looked for its new partners. By joining up with Turkey and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia chose an architecture that fundamentally complicates Jerusalem’s long-term regional strategy.

Saudi-Pakistani defense ties predate new defense pact

Pakistan is not a new security partner for the Saudis. The two countries have had close defense ties for decades, and signed another security pact last year. But those arrangements did little to shield Riyadh when it came under attack from either Iran or the Houthis.

There is also an internal logic to the Saudis seeking out fellow Sunni states to build a new security architecture. But it nevertheless shatters Jerusalem’s hope that the recent upheaval in the Mideast would shuffle the deck in the region and lead to a clear-cut alliance between Israel and the pragmatic Sunni states.

The Saudis had different ideas. They wanted an alliance, but not with Israel. Hence the disappointment. But disappointment is not policy, and that explains the Netanyahu-Modi call.

This new trilateral alliance, though ostensibly a bulwark against Iran, is as much a concern for India – Pakistan’s bitter enemy – as it is for Israel. The combination of Saudi money, Turkish defense manufacturing capabilities, and a nuclear-armed Pakistan is causing just as much alarm in New Delhi as it is in Jerusalem.

The strongest evidence that this deal dominated the Modi-Netanyahu phone call is what happened immediately afterward.

On August 7, Turkish and Pakistani media outlets published reports claiming that India had urgently approached Israel to sign a reciprocal bilateral defense pact to counter the new Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey axis. The rumors grew so intense that India’s Ministry of External Affairs Fact Check unit issued an immediate statement dismissing reports of a new formal pact as “fake news.”

Crucially, however, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal explicitly confirmed that New Delhi is “closely following the development” of the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi deal.

That is an understatement. India has ample reason to be alarmed by any framework that enhances Pakistan’s military position, especially given Turkey’s history of supplying advanced drones and other military hardware to Islamabad.

For Israel and India, moreover, the concerns are not only military; they are economic as well.

Saudi Arabia sits at the geographic center of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – the grand, multi-billion-dollar transit network intended to bind India, the Gulf, and Haifa’s port to Europe. Turkey was explicitly excluded from the original IMEC route and has actively promoted a rival transit project.

By drawing Saudi Arabia into a much closer strategic relationship, Ankara potentially gains a new avenue of influence over a country central to the very economic corridor India and Israel have spent years trying to promote.

The Mecca Pact also complicates the already difficult path toward Saudi-Israel normalization.

By binding itself more closely to Ankara and Islamabad – two capitals fiercely hostile to Jerusalem – Riyadh is entering a strategic framework whose other members would strongly oppose any Saudi move toward the Abraham Accords.

That does not give Turkey or Pakistan a formal veto over Saudi policy, but it raises the political and strategic price Riyadh would have to pay for normalization with Israel.

And it makes it even less likely that the Saudis will soften their insistence on movement toward Palestinian statehood as a prerequisite for normalization.

There is an irony here.

Some analysts thought the weakening of Iran would naturally lead to a strengthening of Israel’s ties with the pragmatic Arab states. Instead, Iran’s weakening – and Israel’s demonstration of its own military reach – has apparently led some of those states to now fear Israeli dominance, and this alliance is one way to counter it.

But as The Wall Street Journal noted, when superpowers flail, regional powers make other arrangements. The Turks, Pakistanis, and Saudis are not the only wise men in town. Israel, too, will make other arrangements.

We have seen this script play out before.

When Israel’s once-strategic relationship with Ankara collapsed following the 2003 rise to power of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jerusalem was forced to readjust. And readjust it did, forging close security and energy ties with Turkey’s historic rivals, Greece and Cyprus, and, to a lesser extent, Bulgaria and Romania.

Those ties with Greece and Cyprus are also likely to get a boost from the Mecca Agreement. Athens and Nicosia are as concerned about an expanded Turkish footprint in the eastern Mediterranean as Jerusalem is.

And India, faced with a new framework that strengthens its archrival Pakistan and gives Turkey – already a close Pakistani ally – a larger regional role, has its own reasons to draw still closer to Israel.

That brings the story back to the seemingly out-of-the-blue Netanyahu-Modi phone call on Thursday.

It may have looked at the time like just another diplomatic conversation between two friendly leaders. In retrospect, it looks more like an early glimpse of the counter-alignments that the Mecca Pact may produce.

This post was originally published on here.

Israel and the United States have dramatically intensified their financial campaign against Hezbollah, targeting the terrorist organization’s banking network, smuggling routes and sources of Iranian funding in an effort to cripple its ability to finance both military operations and its extensive social-services network.

When fighting between Israel and Hezbollah resumed in March, some of Israel’s first targets were not rocket launchers or tunnels but financial institutions. Israeli fighter jets destroyed more than 10 branches of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, the financial institution that effectively served as Hezbollah’s banking system in Lebanon.

Additional strikes targeted currency-exchange businesses allegedly used by Iran to transfer funds to Hezbollah, as well as gas stations that generated revenue for the terrorist organization.

The campaign has been accompanied by close coordination between Israel, the Trump administration and the Lebanese government aimed at cutting Hezbollah off from its financial lifelines.

According to U.S. State Department estimates, Iran has historically provided Hezbollah with approximately $700 million annually, representing a significant portion of the organization’s budget. Tehran reportedly attempted to increase its support as Hezbollah faced enormous expenses from the ongoing conflict.

The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria in late 2024 dealt another major blow to Hezbollah by disrupting key land-based smuggling routes previously used to move weapons and money from Iran into Lebanon.

Iran subsequently sought alternative methods of transferring money, including through Beirut’s international airport. According to The New York Times, U.S. and Israeli officials said Iranian diplomats transported suitcases containing large amounts of cash aboard civilian flights.

Following warnings from Washington and Jerusalem, the Lebanese government took a series of significant steps to restrict the flow of Iranian money. Direct flights from Iran to Beirut were suspended, airport personnel considered close to Hezbollah were removed, and security officers coordinating with the United States were deployed.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also warned Iranian officials that Lebanon would not tolerate interference in its internal affairs.

At the same time, the Trump administration pushed for reforms within Lebanon’s financial system. Lebanon’s central bank governor, Karim Souaid, has moved to remove individuals linked to Hezbollah, increase oversight of money-transfer companies and tighten scrutiny of Lebanon’s cash-based economy, which Hezbollah has allegedly exploited for money laundering.

With access to conventional banking channels increasingly restricted, Hezbollah has reportedly become more dependent on informal hawala networks operating through countries including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Iraq. Increased international scrutiny, however, has made those channels more difficult to use.

The financial pressure is now reportedly affecting Hezbollah’s support base within Lebanon’s Shiite community.

Hezbollah operates an extensive network of hospitals, schools and welfare programs, but the organization is increasingly prioritizing its military budget as available resources decline.

Hezbollah spokesman Youssef al-Zein acknowledged that the organization has completely frozen compensation payments previously promised to hundreds of thousands of displaced residents and families whose homes were destroyed during the fighting. Families had previously been promised payments of between $12,000 and $14,000.

While salaries for Hezbollah operatives and full-time fighters are reportedly still being paid in most cases, supporters have complained that medical assistance and reconstruction commitments have been suspended.

Hezbollah is now attempting to find alternative sources of cash, including establishing companies involved in gold trading and selling gold reserves and foreign-held gold.

The efforts come after Israeli strikes reportedly destroyed a significant portion of Hezbollah’s foreign-currency and gold reserves.

Despite Hezbollah’s history of adapting to financial pressure, the combined Israeli, American and Lebanese measures have reportedly left the terrorist organization facing one of the most severe financial crises in its history.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF is continuing its investigation into the deadly explosion in Majdal Zoun that killed two Israeli reservists, with the military increasingly assessing that the Hezbollah explosive device responsible for the blast was planted before the ceasefire took effect.

The fallen soldiers were Maj. Harel Birenstock, 34, from Nokdim, and Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin, 33, from Eilat. Both served in the 2855th Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 55th Reserve Brigade.

According to a Ynet report, the IDF believes the explosive was an older Hezbollah device that had been planted before the ceasefire but remained undiscovered.

The military is now conducting an extensive investigation into how the explosive went undetected, particularly because IDF forces had been operating in and around the structure where the blast occurred for several weeks.

Despite the assessment that the device was planted before the ceasefire, the IDF has classified the deadly incident as a serious violation of the agreement. Military officials said that the killing of Israeli soldiers by an explosive device during the ceasefire constitutes a violation regardless of when the bomb was originally planted.

The investigation comes amid continued Hezbollah activity in southern Lebanon.

Over the weekend, it was revealed that Hezbollah recently launched an explosive-laden drone toward IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon. No soldiers were injured and no damage was reported.

The IDF did not initially disclose the drone incident, saying it would not publish information that, based on operational assessments, could endanger Israeli troops operating in combat zones.

The military is also closely monitoring developments in the southern Lebanese village of al-Mansouri, where residents have begun returning despite continued IDF activity in the area.

According to military officials, seven Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated in the village over the past month. IDF forces continue surveillance and operations aimed at eliminating threats in the area.

Warnings have also been distributed to local residents informing them that the village remains within an active combat zone and that returning to the area could be dangerous.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Three of America’s biggest AI companies say their models accidentally broke into real computer systems during security testing — and all three incidents were linked to the same Israeli startup.

OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta were testing whether their AI models could find and exploit software weaknesses inside what was supposed to be a closed simulation. But a configuration mistake connected the testing environment to the real internet.

The models did not know that.

They continued following their instructions and attacked real websites and computer systems because they believed those targets were part of the exercise.

The company running the testing environment was Irregular, a Tel Aviv startup that specializes in stress-testing advanced AI models before they are released.

Anthropic disclosed July 30 that several Claude models gained unauthorized access to systems belonging to three organizations after the testing environment was mistakenly connected to the public internet. In another incident, an Anthropic research model recognized that it had reached a real organization and stopped its own attack.

OpenAI later disclosed a similar incident tied to the same testing setup. Its model was told it was operating without internet access, but the configuration mistake allowed it to reach a real website.

Meta became the third company to disclose an incident on August 6. The company said one of its models gained internet access during an Irregular evaluation and exploited a security weakness at another company.

Irregular said the incidents came from the same evaluation-environment problem and that there are currently no unresolved issues.

The Israeli startup has quickly become an important player in AI security. Founded three years ago, Irregular has raised roughly $80 million from investors including Sequoia and Redpoint Ventures and was valued last year at about $450 million.

The bigger issue goes beyond one startup.

AI companies increasingly rely on outside firms to test whether powerful models can hack systems, discover vulnerabilities or carry out cyberattacks. These incidents show that the testing environment itself can become a security risk.

The models largely did what they were instructed to do. The failure was that they were accidentally given access to real systems while believing they were still inside a simulation.

That creates a major question for businesses adopting powerful AI agents: who is responsible when an AI security test causes real-world damage?

As AI systems become more capable, companies may need to pay as much attention to how those models are tested and contained as they do to the models themselves.

JBizNews Desk | Tel Aviv

© JBizNews.com⁠ All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

A newly published UNICEF-coordinated nutrition survey is casting fresh doubt on longstanding claims that Gaza is experiencing a famine, finding that acute malnutrition among children remains at very low levels. Israeli officials say the report directly contradicts accusations that widespread starvation is taking place in the enclave.

The survey, which followed World Health Organization standards and was released on July 22, assessed children’s nutritional health by measuring weight, height, and mid-upper-arm circumference (WHZ). Researchers found acute malnutrition rates ranging from just 0.2 percent in Khan Younis and Rafah to 0.8 percent in Gaza City and northern Gaza—levels they said are similar to, or even lower than, those recorded before the Israel-Hamas war began.

Researchers collected data covering approximately 1.72 million residents, representing about 83 percent of Gaza’s population. Roughly 360,000 people—about 17 percent of the population—were not included because security conditions and access limitations prevented researchers from reaching them.

The findings place Gaza far below the 30 percent acute malnutrition threshold required to meet the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) standard for a Phase 5 famine, indicating that famine conditions are not present.

The report also found that child malnutrition rates in Gaza compare favorably with those of several neighboring countries and even some European nations. According to the survey, approximately 3.3 percent of children under age five in Egypt suffer from malnutrition, while the figure stands at about 4.3 percent in Iran and 2.3 percent in Jordan.

By comparison, the UNICEF 2025 Joint Child Malnutrition Survey reported child malnutrition rates of 0.5 percent in Germany and 1.4 percent in Finland, placing Gaza’s figures in a similar—or even lower—range.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the report disproves allegations that Israel is intentionally starving Gaza’s civilian population.

“Facts prevail over fiction,” Danon said, arguing that Israel has continued both its military campaign against Hamas and the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza while accusing the terrorist group of exploiting civilians throughout the war.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry likewise pointed to the report as evidence that Gaza’s nutritional conditions fall nowhere near internationally recognized famine thresholds.

“In other words: There is no famine in Gaza. Malnutrition is not only significantly below the critical values—it is exceptionally low in regional comparison. Anyone who is still open to arguments can look at the empirical data themselves,” the ministry said in a statement.

Although the survey found little evidence of widespread acute malnutrition, researchers did identify several longer-term nutritional concerns. About one in eight children was found to suffer from stunted growth, a condition associated with chronic nutritional deficiencies rather than an immediate lack of food. The report also noted that childhood overweight remains present, suggesting that poor nutrition and limited dietary quality—not simply food shortages—continue to pose health challenges.

“Acute malnutrition remains low, but nutritional vulnerability remains high,” the study contends.

The survey found that unhealthy eating habits remain common across Gaza. In Khan Younis and Rafah, as many as 78 percent of children were found to consume unhealthy diets, while approximately 64 percent of children in Gaza City and northern Gaza reportedly do not regularly eat fruits or vegetables. Researchers also found that only about 30 percent of Gaza’s population receives a sufficiently varied diet.

The results are consistent with a July assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which concluded that food security and nutritional conditions in Gaza improved after the October 2025 ceasefire as humanitarian aid increased. While the IPC cautioned that humanitarian needs remain significant, it classified Gaza’s nutrition status at its lowest acute malnutrition phase beginning in mid-April 2026.

The survey also challenges the widely circulated narrative that Gaza is experiencing an ongoing famine. Beginning in late 2023, the United Nations asserted that more than one-quarter of Gaza’s population was facing starvation, claiming hunger levels had exceeded those in conflict zones such as Yemen and Afghanistan. The UN later accused Israel of causing a famine in Gaza in July 2024. In August 2025, Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, cited what he described as “irrefutable” evidence of famine and criticized the international community for failing to intervene more aggressively.

Those allegations have faced growing scrutiny. In December 2024, the Biden administration challenged a report issued by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net), which claimed that famine conditions were emerging in northern Gaza and estimated that between 65,000 and 75,000 residents lacked adequate access to food.

The newly released UNICEF survey is expected to become a central reference point in the ongoing international debate over humanitarian conditions in Gaza, as governments and aid organizations continue evaluating both the extent of civilian needs and the effectiveness of relief efforts throughout the conflict.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump signaled Sunday that he is prepared, for now, to allow mounting economic pressure on Iran to do more of the work rather than order a new military offensive, telling Axios, “We are low keying it.”

“We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” Trump said during a brief phone call. He said Iran is “in very bad shape” economically and lacks the money to pay its troops, adding that the U.S. naval blockade has worsened the regime’s economic crisis.

Trump also pointed to oil prices, saying that with crude slightly above $75 a barrel, American consumers are feeling less pain from the war. “It will work out. It always works out. It’s like a chess game,” he said.

The comments come as an agreement negotiated among Iran, Oman and the United States over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled. Under the proposed arrangement, Iran would receive partial control over traffic in the strait. Qatari and Pakistani mediators had expected an announcement Wednesday, but the prospects for a deal have since faded.

Axios reports that Iranian officials are increasingly divided over how to proceed. One camp, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, is deeply concerned about a possible economic collapse and favors reaching an agreement with Washington. Another, led by IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, opposes making concessions.

On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, issued additional conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. They included demands that the U.S. never threaten or insult Iran, permanently end the war against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen and Iraq, lift the naval blockade and withdraw forces from areas surrounding Iran.

Zolghadr also demanded full compensation for war damages, the lifting of all sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian funds. The demands had previously been tied to a broader nuclear agreement but are now being presented as conditions for reopening the strait.

U.S. officials told Axios that Trump had been leaning toward resuming major combat operations against Iran about a week ago before deciding, for now, to de-escalate. One official said that when Iran is not actively fighting, the regime is forced to confront the damage to its infrastructure and the deepening economic crisis.

At the same time, around 8 million barrels of oil are moving out of the Gulf each night through the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the U.S. military, and U.S. officials say they intend to increase that flow while negotiations remain unresolved.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

U.S. carriers are quietly setting limits on where federal immigration officers can operate inside their terminals, as a wave of gate-area detentions turns a policy fight into a commercial problem with measurable costs.

Southwest Airlines, the Dallas-based carrier at the center of the most widely circulated incidents, has told its workforce to demand paperwork before cooperating. The airline said it has given employees guidance to ensure appropriate legal documentation is presented by law enforcement agencies before any interaction in gate areas, while maintaining that it complies with applicable state and federal law. That is a narrow statement, but for an industry that typically declines to comment on law enforcement activity at all, it amounts to a public boundary.

The incidents driving it have been unusually visible. A video showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining a woman as she tried to board a Southwest flight in Colorado has been viewed more than a million times, prompting travelers to say they would cancel bookings and boycott the carrier. A separate arrest took place on a jet bridge at Denver International Airport on July 20 as a passenger attempted to board. Weeks earlier, on July 14, agents detained Southwest flight attendant Lorenzo Thompson at Nashville International Airport as he returned from a work trip. Homeland Security said Thompson entered the country lawfully in April 2021 with permission to remain six months and stayed past that authorization; supporters say he had an active asylum case. Transport Workers Union Local 556, which represents more than 21,000 Southwest flight attendants, said it is providing legal counsel and monitoring the case.

The airline’s response to questions about the arrests was that federal screening gives the Transportation Security Administration and Homeland Security access to passenger information. That is the part carriers cannot control, and it is the part reshaping the calculus. Passenger information flows from airline booking systems to the screening agency for vetting, and that vetting now includes a hand-off to immigration authorities — with records on more than 31,000 travelers supplied for possible enforcement through February 2026. Officials have disputed the characterization, with a senior screening agency official telling a House Homeland Security hearing that the agency does not transmit passenger information but instead assists in checking against existing records.

The operational footprint has widened considerably. Immigration officers have been deployed to at least 15 airports under a data-sharing arrangement with the screening agency. Attorneys report the arrests are occurring more frequently, part of a broader effort to lift arrest numbers toward an administration target of roughly 2,000 a day, and now extending to travelers with expired visas rather than only those under removal orders. That expansion moves enforcement from a narrow category into one that touches a far larger share of the flying public — and, by extension, ticket sales.

Trade groups have already shown they will fight when the revenue math turns against them. Seventeen industry organizations, including Airlines for America, the U.S. Travel Association and the Cargo Airline Association, urged Homeland Security to avoid actions carrying operational and economic consequences, warning that changes at a small number of gateway airports would ripple across the country and hit travelers, cargo shipments and supply chains. Airlines for America warned separately that drawing down customs staffing could have a devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries. The International Air Transport Association told Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that eliminating customs processing at Newark Liberty would force carriers to reroute international flights and absorb substantial costs reshuffling aircraft, crews and schedules.

Some operators have exited the business entirely. Avelo Airlines ended its Homeland Security charter contract for deportation flights and closed its Mesa Gateway base in Phoenix, saying the program delivered short-term benefits but not enough consistent revenue to justify its operational complexity and cost. Denver’s city council voted 11-1 to reject a contract expansion for Key Lime Air, an operator that flew 83 immigration flights in a single month.

The commercial exposure is what distinguishes this from earlier rounds of the immigration debate. Carriers hand over passenger data because federal rules require it, then absorb the reputational damage when that data produces an arrest at their own gate, on camera, with their logo in the frame. Guidance requiring agents to produce documentation before approaching a boarding line is the one lever airlines hold — and they are now pulling it.

JBizNews Desk | New York

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

TALLAHASSEE (VINnews)-No one matched all six numbers in Saturday night’s Powerball drawing, pushing the jackpot to an estimated $905 million for Monday’s drawing.

The winning numbers were 5, 9, 35, 54 and 63, with a Powerball of 7. The Power Play multiplier was 3.

The previous jackpot of $856 million was the largest of the year and the eighth-largest in Powerball history. While no ticket claimed the grand prize, several players won substantial secondary prizes, according to the Powerball website.

One ticket sold in Texas matched all five white balls and included the Power Play option, winning $2 million. Four other tickets matched the five white numbers for $1 million each. Those tickets were sold in Arizona, Florida, Michigan and New York.

The new estimated $905 million jackpot will be available in the next drawing, set for Monday.

The most recent jackpot win occurred May 2, when two players in Florida and Texas split a $20 million prize.

Vice President JD Vance says federal investigators have uncovered a recurring pattern of fraud tied to certain migrant communities, as the Trump administration intensifies its nationwide effort to root out abuse in government benefit programs. According to Vance, investigators have already uncovered an estimated $230 billion in fraud, while suspending $55 billion in payments to individuals and organizations suspected of fraudulent activity.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News Digital from his West Wing office, Vance discussed his role leading President Trump’s anti-fraud task force and said investigators have repeatedly seen fraud spread within specific communities once weaknesses in government programs become known.

“You definitely see patterns where certain communities,” Vance said. “It’ll start as maybe one Somali person takes advantage of the system, or realizes you don’t even have to have children to get money from these programs. You could just claim that you have children, there’s no verification. Then, word spreads like wildfire, and that program gets tapped into by the same members of that community.”

In addition to overseeing negotiations with Iran and carrying out other White House responsibilities, Vance has been directing the administration’s anti-fraud initiative since earlier this year. The effort intensified following major fraud investigations in Minneapolis and is being coordinated with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and several federal agencies.

As part of the crackdown, federal payments have been suspended for hundreds of hospice and home healthcare providers in Minnesota and California that are suspected of fraud, while investigators continue examining similar operations in other states. Vance said the damage extends well beyond financial losses.

“The first and the most obvious victim is the American taxpayer,” Vance said. “You give your money to the federal government, and you expect the federal government, even if you disagree with the policy behind it, you expect that money to go to the people that it’s supposed to go to.”

He argued that fraudulent claims also deprive vulnerable Americans of services they legitimately need.

“When a new mom goes to apply for help for herself and her baby, the money isn’t there anymore,” Vance said.

“Or, you have autistic kids who benefit from services that are meant to go to the families of children with autism, and you have fraudsters who get rich off these programs,” he added. “Sometimes they don’t even have children, much less autistic children enrolled.”

Vance said investigators have identified approximately $230 billion in suspected fraud since President Trump returned to office and have prevented roughly $55 billion in federal payments from being distributed to suspected fraudsters.

The administration’s enforcement efforts continue to produce criminal cases. Last week, federal and state authorities charged 19 individuals accused of participating in schemes involving more than $4 million in fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims, according to the Department of Justice. Separately, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a plea agreement involving the final defendant in a previously charged 21-person case connected to more than $1.7 million in fraudulent claims.

While criminal prosecutions remain important, Vance acknowledged that recovering stolen taxpayer money is often far more difficult once it has already been paid out.

“Getting money back is very hard,” Vance said. “Once it’s gone out the door, it’s very hard to get it back.”

“What we’ve done most effectively is actually just stop the money from going out the door in the first place, because that’s the only real way to ensure the American people don’t lose it.”

Vance pointed to investigations that gained national attention late last year after independent journalist Nick Shirley published reports alleging widespread fraud involving daycare centers in Minnesota, including the “Quality Learing (sic) Center,” which he reported were largely operated by Somali immigrants.

Those reports prompted a federal response, with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem deploying DHS and ICE personnel to Minneapolis to locate and deport Somali immigrants who were in the country illegally. The operation led to confrontations between federal agents and local residents and eventually sparked violent riots across the Twin Cities.

President Trump has assigned Vance an unusually broad portfolio for a vice president, including multiple diplomatic missions involving Iran and leadership of the White House anti-fraud initiative after appointing him the administration’s “Fraud Czar” in May.

Despite those responsibilities, Vance recently welcomed his fourth child with Second Lady Usha Vance, becoming the first sitting vice president in more than 150 years to have a child while in office.

“Kids have a way of forcing you to focus on them, even when things are crazy at work,” Vance said. “[I was] with my six-year-old this morning, who was making like zoo animal noises, and I was like, ‘Buddy, what are you doing?’ And he said, ‘I just want you to get off the stupid phone.’ And I said, ‘Alright, this can wait.'”

Vance said fatherhood helps keep him grounded despite the demands of public office.

“Kids are so, they’re so in their own little world that they sort of force you to go into their world, and that’s a very, very good thing,” he said. “It’s good for my psychology. I think it’s good for my soul, but it’s a very good thing. The job obviously has its demands and the schedule can get kind of crazy.”

Although Vance has consistently declined to discuss a potential 2028 presidential campaign, speculation continues over whether he could eventually succeed President Trump. Trump recently said it is “way too early” to endorse a successor, but according to a source familiar with the remarks, he told donors during an Oval Office meeting last month: “At the end of the day, we need to elect JD.”

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen to his lowest suitability rating for prime minister in recent months, with 31% of respondents backing him while 56% prefer a candidate other than Netanyahu, according to a Channel 12 poll.

The figure represents a six-point drop for Netanyahu in less than a month, from 37% in the previous poll. The gap between Netanyahu and respondents who prefer a candidate other than him now stands at 25 percentage points.

Asked what should happen if neither bloc secures 61 seats without the Arab parties, 23% favored a change government supported through abstention by the Arab parties, 22% preferred a unity government with Likud led by Netanyahu, 21% supported a unity government with Likud without Netanyahu, and another 21% preferred new elections.

On whether the ethnic background of a party leader affects voting intentions, 79% said it has little or no influence, while 13% said it has a significant influence. Among Netanyahu supporters, 80% said ethnic background has no influence. By contrast, 64% said whether a party is perceived as right-wing or left-wing has a significant impact on their vote, while 31% said it has little influence.

The poll also examined whether the change bloc could rely on Yoav Segalovich as a “61st vote” in forming a government, amid his expected move toward Mansour Abbas. Among the general public, 44% said the bloc could not rely on him and 28% said it could. Among change-bloc voters, 45% supported relying on Segalovich, while 27% opposed it.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Israeli government is set to approve an additional NIS 2.6 billion, approximately $700 million, for urgent Defense Ministry procurement amid intensified fighting and emerging operational needs.

According to the government decision, the funding will be used to purchase military equipment and weaponry urgently required by Israel’s defense establishment. Details of the specific equipment being acquired remain classified for security reasons.

The proposal has already been approved by the Ministerial Committee on Procurement and is being brought before the full government for approval on Sunday.

Security officials said the additional funding is intended to address immediate armament requirements that have emerged as Israeli forces continue operating across multiple fronts.

Under the current funding plan, NIS 1.5 billion will be redirected from money allocated for government interest and commission payments.

Another NIS 1.1 billion will be taken from the operating budgets and financial commitments of government ministries.

However, the government decision provides a mechanism that could reverse the cuts to individual ministries if the 2026 state budget receives final approval from the Knesset.

In that case, the NIS 1.1 billion would instead come from a dedicated budget allocation established under previous government decisions, allowing the ministries to recover the funding currently slated to be cut.

The emergency allocation comes as Israel continues seeking to replenish and expand military stockpiles following sustained combat operations and increased demands on the IDF’s weapons and defense systems.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Emergency medical teams from United Hatzalah and Magen David Adom (MDA) rushed to Tzemach Tzadik Street in Lod on Tuesday following reports of a child found unconscious inside a vehicle. The five-year-old boy, who was named as Betzalel David Giller was later declared dead in the hospital.

According to first responders, had apparently been forgotten inside the car for an extended period.

United Hatzalah paramedic Netanel Eitan, together with EMTs Aryeh Mendelzon and Itzik Mishkovsky, said: “We were told at the scene that the child had been left in the vehicle for a prolonged period. We provided initial medical treatment before he was evacuated to the hospital in critical condition.”

MDA crews also administered advanced life support and performed prolonged resuscitation efforts after finding the child unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, and suffering from severe signs of heatstroke.

MDA senior EMT Chaim Shavit and EMT Yosef Yitzhak Sagiv said: “We received a report of a child found unconscious inside a vehicle. When we arrived, a 5-year-old boy was brought to us unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, and showing severe signs of heatstroke. We immediately began advanced resuscitation efforts, including chest compressions and assisted ventilation, and evacuated him by intensive care ambulance to the hospital in critical condition while fighting to save his life.”

Hatzalah EMT Mordechai Stein added: “When I arrived at the scene with my MDA ambulance, I found a 5-year-old boy unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, after being forgotten inside a vehicle. Together with EMTs and paramedics from Hatzalah and MDA, we carried out advanced resuscitation efforts before transporting him, while continuing CPR, to the trauma room at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in Tzrifin.”

United Hatzalah once again urged the public to follow strict safety precautions and never leave children unattended in vehicles, even for a moment. The organization also called on members of the public to remain vigilant during the hot summer months and check parked vehicles for children who may have been accidentally left behind.

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A South Korean company is preparing to sell an injection made from donated human fat, aimed at the sunken cheeks and hollow temples that show up on people who lose weight fast on drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound.

Here is what it actually does. Fat left over from donor tissue is stripped down to its underlying structure — the scaffolding that fat cells normally sit inside — and that scaffold is injected into the face. A patient’s own fat cells then move into the empty framework and grow there, rebuilding volume with the body’s own tissue instead of a synthetic filler that eventually dissolves.

L&C Bio, the Kosdaq-listed biotech behind the product, developed the technology roughly five years ago and holds patents on it in South Korea, the United States and China, chief executive Lee Whan Chul said in an interview. The product carries the working name MegaAdipoECM.

The reason it has not been sold until now had nothing to do with the science. South Korean law classified donated fat as medical waste, which barred companies from reusing it. Lawmakers changed that this year, and L&C Bio expects to launch after a one-year grace period, most likely in late 2027.

The American Hook

The condition the product targets is a byproduct of an American pharmaceutical boom. GLP-1 drugs — Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound — strip weight quickly, and the face often thins first. The result can include a hollowed-out look, sunken eyes, deeper wrinkles and sagging skin along the jaw and neck. Doctors stress it is a cosmetic effect rather than a medical danger, and that it is not a recognized diagnosis — but it is showing up in dermatology offices in volume.

That has already created a US retail category. Skincare brands have rolled out topical lines aimed at GLP-1 users, though dermatologists are candid that creams cannot put back what was lost. Topicals can improve texture, hydration and collagen density; they cannot restore the fat underneath, which is what creates the hollow cheeks in the first place. That gap — between what a serum can do and what the patient sees in the mirror — is the market L&C Bio is aiming at.

The company also intends to be selling in the United States around the same window. It has said it plans to enter the US market by 2027.

Why the Company Thinks It Will Sell

L&C Bio is not guessing at demand. It already sells a related product built on donated human skin rather than fat.

That product, Re2O, was introduced in late 2024 and runs roughly $400 to $530 per session. The company’s first-quarter operating profit came in at 6 billion won — about $4 million — a jump of more than 900% from a year earlier, and the stock has more than doubled over the past year. In January, Lee said the company was targeting record annual sales of 150 billion won, close to $104 million, with an operating margin above 20%.

Demand has been brisk enough to cause shortages. Shares spiked nearly 30% in a single session last year after a Daegu dermatologist posted that the product had sold out, and the company said the crunch reflected a timing mismatch between clinic inventories and distribution rather than a manufacturing limit.

The company has been pushing the line outward market by market. It launched two versions in Mongolia this spring after regulatory clearance, part of an expansion into Central Asia. Injectable boosters made from donated human tissue have become one of the faster-growing corners of South Korea’s aesthetics business.

The Objection

Injecting material derived from a deceased donor into a healthy person’s face for cosmetic reasons is not a settled question, even in Seoul.

A Korean attorney, Kwon Dongju, has called for banning the cosmetic use of human tissue and wants injectable tissue products reclassified as drugs. L&C Bio argues the donated material is rigorously processed, and points to certification from the Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics, a Washington-based body, which has said it is not aware of any effect on tissue supply for medical treatment and that donation honors the donor’s wishes.

That regulatory argument will follow the product to the US, where tissue-derived injectables face a stricter and slower approval path than the cosmetic category L&C Bio operates in at home. The Korean law change cleared the way to manufacture. It did not clear the way to sell in America.

Two years remain before the product reaches a clinic anywhere. In the meantime, the weight-loss drugs that created the problem keep adding patients — and the company has effectively made a bet that the aftermath of the injection will be worth as much as the injection itself.

JBizNews Desk | Seoul

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

[Video below.] Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed pushed back Sunday after President Trump shared a social media post contrasting the president and first lady Melania Trump with El-Sayed and his wife, calling it a reflection of two competing visions for the country.

The post, shared on Truth Social on Shabbos, featured two side-by-side photographs. One showed President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, while the other showed El-Sayed and his wife. Above the images were the words, “Two VERY DIFFERENT America’s.” Trump’s name appeared above his own photograph, while El-Sayed’s full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, appeared above the image of the Michigan Democrat and his wife.

During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” host Jake Tapper asked El-Sayed to respond to the president’s post.

“Yeah, he’s right. One in which your overlords are two people who don’t like each other but joint in the interest of making billions of dollars off of you, or two people who genuinely love each other, enjoyed some pancakes together, want to come together to build the kind of America where they can raise a family, and know that that family is going to have the good things.” El-Sayed said, referencing the actions from the post.

El-Sayed argued that the exchange highlighted what he sees as two fundamentally different political philosophies.

“So yes, you’ve got two different visions of America. Donald Trump’s vision is the one you’re living in right now. Can you afford your gas? Can you afford your groceries? Do you believe, when you look your kids in the eye, that they’re going to have a better future than you did?” he added.

El-Sayed, a leading progressive voice within the Democratic Party, narrowly defeated moderate Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens in last week’s Michigan Senate primary. His victory has been viewed as a significant test of the ideological direction of the Democratic Party heading into the general election.

WATCH:

Three Arab political parties have agreed to reunite under a single electoral slate ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, saying their primary objective is to defeat the current right-wing coalition and boost voter turnout in the Arab sector.

The National Reconciliation Committee announced that it had approved the creation of a joint list bringing together the communist Hadash party, the left-wing Palestinian nationalist Balad party, and the anti-Zionist Arab nationalist Ta’al party.

In a statement following the announcement, Hadash welcomed the agreement and said it was ready to begin campaigning immediately. The party said its immediate goals are to increase Arab voter participation and secure the strongest possible showing for the renewed Joint List at the ballot box.

According to Hadash, the decision to restore the alliance reflects what it described as the Arab public’s desire “to topple the fascist right-wing government.”

The party also accused the government of seeking to entrench the “occupation,” continue what it called a war of “extermination” in Gaza, carry out “ethnic cleansing in the West Bank,” and intensify what it described as a “racist” campaign against Arab citizens of Israel while allowing organized crime groups to operate with impunity and undermine public safety.

Despite billions of shekels invested in its development, Rafael’s advanced “Or Eitan” laser defense system remains non-operational in the IDF, approximately six months after the first system was delivered.

A senior defense official said that only one system has been transferred to the IDF so far, and it has yet to complete the process required to become operational.

Expectations for Or Eitan have been high because of its potential to dramatically reduce the cost of intercepting aerial threats. The system is designed to engage non-ballistic missiles, drones, mortars and UAVs at ranges of up to approximately 10 kilometers.

Unlike conventional missile interceptors that can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more, an interception using the laser is expected to cost only a few shekels.

However, six months after receiving the first system, the IDF has yet to take delivery of additional units, and officials have not publicly identified the primary reason for the delay.

Rafael officials said adjustments must be completed before Or Eitan can enter operational service. The delay comes despite comments approximately four months ago from Rafael chairman Yuval Steinitz, who estimated that completing the process would take only several days.

The slow deployment has generated disappointment given the technological achievement represented by the system, which has been described as a major global breakthrough in laser-based defense technology.

Once operational, Or Eitan is expected to serve as another layer in Israel’s air-defense network alongside systems such as Iron Dome. One possible factor behind the slow procurement of additional units is the budget pressure currently facing Israel’s Defense Ministry.

While each laser interception costs only a few shekels, the systems themselves are expensive, and nationwide coverage would require the deployment of a significant number of units.

Despite the delays, Rafael continues manufacturing systems for the IDF while expanding its work on laser technology, which the company views as a major component of future weapons systems.

Rafael is also developing additional technologies to counter drones as the Defense Ministry invests heavily in solutions to the growing UAV threat. Or Eitan is expected to ultimately operate as one of several systems tasked with countering such threats.

The company is simultaneously advancing development of an interceptor designed to counter hypersonic missiles amid concerns that Iran could employ such weapons in future conflicts. Hypersonic weapons are particularly difficult to intercept because of their extreme speed and ability to maneuver and evade detection.

Rafael is also working on next-generation naval defenses, including what a senior company official described as a “naval Iron Dome” concept involving technology capable of intercepting incoming torpedoes.

In the space sector, Rafael is focusing on the development of micro- and nano-satellites as it continues expanding its portfolio of next-generation defense technologies.

The developments come as Rafael reports strong international demand for its weapons and defense systems. Exports accounted for 63% of the company’s sales in 2025, when total sales reached NIS 21.7 billion, an increase of 10%.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Wendy’s has lost its place as America’s runner-up to McDonald’s, ending a six-year run as the second-largest burger chain, being surpassed by a resurgent Burger King.

Burger King reclaimed the No. 2 position as its U.S. turnaround gains momentum, with domestic same-store sales jumping 8.5% in the second quarter. Wendy’s, meanwhile, reported a 7% decline in U.S. same-store sales, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of contraction.

Wendy’s new CEO Bob Wright acknowledged the chain’s problems Friday, saying its competitive edge has weakened as customers have pulled back.

“Today we are clearly not performing at our potential,” he wrote in a statement.

“Our traffic, our value proposition and franchisee economics are not meeting our expectations. We have already begun taking action across five areas that we’ve identified to drive the turnaround: rebuilding a quality menu at compelling value, marketing that drives demand, operational excellence, a digital experience that builds frequency, and restaurants as an engine for growth.”

McDonald’s remains the dominant U.S. burger chain by a wide margin, leaving Burger King and Wendy’s fighting for a distant second place.

Wendy’s had surpassed Burger King roughly six years ago, helped by the successful nationwide rollout of its breakfast menu. But its hold on the No. 2 spot has eroded as Burger King poured money into improving restaurants, advertising and its core menu.

Restaurant Brands International, Burger King’s parent company, launched a broad U.S. turnaround effort in late 2022 after sluggish sales. The strategy has included restaurant remodels, increased marketing spending and changes intended to improve food quality and the customer experience.

More recently, Burger King has focused on its signature Whopper.

The chain revamped the burger earlier this year, making changes to its bun, packaging, mayonnaise and other elements. Burger King U.S. and Canada President Tom Curtis told The Wall Street Journal that the improvements are helping bring customers back.

“A lot of people are saying they’re coming back for the first time in a long time,” Curtis said.

Burger King has also introduced a Whopper quality guarantee, pledging to remake an order if a customer is unhappy with it and provide another Whopper free on a future visit.

“When we asked guests where we could do better, they gave us a lot of honest feedback, and now it’s our responsibility to act on it,” Curtis wrote in a statement in July. “We’re not going to get everything right every single time, but we’re committed to listening intently and improving every day.

“When guests choose us, they expect high-quality food, orders made the way they asked, and a team that’s there when they need us. That’s what these changes are about. We’re raising the standard in our restaurants, so every Guest feels like they made the right choice.”

Curtis said the chain believes it is taking market share from competitors, including potentially McDonald’s, and sees an opportunity to turn newly won customers into regulars.

“The next generation of burger lovers are being exposed to Burger King, and that means we’ve got runway ahead for years to come,” Curtis told the Journal.

The gains underscore a sharp reversal in fortunes for two longtime rivals that have wrestled with many of the same pressures in recent years.

Both companies navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, supply-chain disruptions and rising food and labor costs before confronting increasingly price-conscious consumers frustrated by years of restaurant menu inflation.

Burger King responded with its multiyear turnaround campaign. Wendy’s, by contrast, has faced leadership turnover just as restaurant traffic weakened and beef costs added pressure to its business.

Longtime Wendy’s CEO Todd Penegor retired in 2024 after eight years at the helm. Former PepsiCo executive Kirk Tanner succeeded him but left a little more than a year later to become CEO of Hershey.

Wendy’s CFO Ken Cook then served as interim chief executive before the company named Wright, the former CEO of Potbelly, to the permanent job in May.

“I returned to Wendy’s because I believe we can fix our issues and I am excited to work with our team and our franchisees to drive a strong turnaround,” Wright wrote in Friday’s release of second quarter results.

He said Wendy’s recent problems have hurt customer traffic and put pressure on restaurant economics, an increasingly important issue for a largely franchised chain whose operators must absorb higher costs while competing aggressively for value-conscious diners.

Burger King’s improvement also comes as McDonald’s works through challenges in its own U.S. operation. McDonald’s has been revamping its burgers, testing new menu items and looking for ways to improve food quality, service and value.

Still, Burger King’s move ahead of Wendy’s does not put it close to overtaking the Golden Arches.

McDonald’s accounted for about 48% of the U.S. burger market in 2024, according to Barclays data. Wendy’s held an estimated 11.4% share at the time, compared with about 10% for Burger King.

[Video below.] Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned Sunday that Iran has become increasingly confident in its confrontation with the United States, arguing that Tehran no longer feels compelled to respond to President Trump’s military threats and instead believes it holds the advantage as negotiations continue.

Appearing on ABC News’ “This Week,” Esper said Iranian leaders have adjusted their strategy after watching President Trump repeatedly stop short of carrying out major military action against Tehran.

“Clearly the Iranians have figured this out. They are not reacting to these threats, and they are taking very strategic positions with regard to this. And so, you saw them over the last week put forward again this Omani plan that they’re going to unveil at some point,” Esper said.

“But these demands they’ve now raised last night show that they are emboldened, that they feel confident about their position in the world. And at the same time, they are flexing their muscles by using their proxies,” he added.

Esper pointed to Iran’s efforts to tighten its grip over the Strait of Hormuz by relying on the Houthis in Yemen to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea, saying the campaign demonstrates Tehran’s willingness to expand pressure on global energy routes.

“We know that the Houthis just this morning attacked a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea. Yesterday, Iran attacked a UAE ship. But they’ve also — they being Tehran — have tried to expand this conflict,” Esper said.

“There was a long shot taken at an Egyptian port on the Mediterranean Sea to show the range of their weapons. And they’ve gone so far as to threaten a U.S. ally, NATO ally, Bulgaria, about supporting U.S. operations from there. So they’re expanding the conflict in many ways,” he added.

The growing tensions come as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel continues in Lebanon, further complicating international efforts to restore a broader regional ceasefire.

Despite the escalating hostilities, President Trump has continued expressing optimism that an agreement with Iran remains within reach, including a possible arrangement that would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments normally pass.

“It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” Trump said Tuesday after traveling to Los Angeles for a Republican National Committee fundraising event. “A lot of progress has been made.”

Iran, however, has largely dismissed that characterization, insisting it is instead pursuing an arrangement with Oman governing commercial traffic through the strait without American involvement. Iranian officials have also indicated that vessels using the waterway would be required to pay tolls.

At the same time, Tehran has submitted a list of conditions that it says must be met before the Strait of Hormuz would be fully reopened to international shipping.

Esper dismissed those demands as entirely unacceptable.

Esper said the demands are “ridiculous” and should be “rejected out of hand.”

“Demands such as the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the region, reimbursement for the cost of the war, the fact that … we would end our blockade, we would end sanctions. So, it’s gone beyond the pale,” he told host Jonathan Karl.

Esper concluded that Iran’s sweeping demands reveal not only its unwillingness to compromise but also its belief that it now holds the upper hand.

“But what it tells you is two things, Jonathan. First of all, they haven’t apparently left any room for negotiation, and we know that’s important. President Trump wants to pursue that, and rightly so. But secondly and more importantly, it shows that they believe they have the upper hand, they believe they’re winning, and they are emboldened,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper visited Israel on Saturday, meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior Israeli military officials before departing for the United States, Kan News reported.

Cooper arrived in Israel following a series of meetings in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as optimistic statements were heard from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. Vice President JD Vance regarding the possibility of moving closer to a new ceasefire agreement.

The United States continues to maintain a high level of military readiness across the Middle East, including in Israel. U.S. air defense systems remain deployed in the country, alongside dozens of refueling and fighter aircraft and thousands of American troops.

Cooper also held discussions on Gaza. Washington has been pressing Israel in recent weeks to move to the next phase in the Strip following the Board of Peace’s announcement of a plan for Hamas to disarm. Israel’s cabinet will be required to approve the new framework and timetable, which include a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza contingent on Hamas disarming and the technocratic government assuming its role.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

American technology companies have announced plans for nearly 4,000 new data centers across the country. Fewer than a quarter of them have a single shovel in the dirt. That gap between what has been announced and what is actually being built is the real story of the AI construction boom, and it is widening.

The United States ended last year with 5,427 data centers, according to Stanford University’s AI Index Report. AI companies have since announced plans for 3,969 more — a figure that would nearly double the national count, according to Aterio, a data center research firm. Of those, just 802 are currently under construction.

The reason is not public opposition, though there is plenty of it. A recent Gallup poll found 71% of Americans oppose data centers being built in their area, politicians are campaigning against them, and roughly a dozen states have floated construction moratoriums — with New York and Texas recently putting temporary bans into effect. But Goldman Sachs points to permit approvals, not bans, as the bigger obstacle standing between a developer and a finished building.

Announcements That Were Never Real

Part of the shortfall is baked into how the industry works. Developers routinely file multiple applications across several regions at once, then advance only the site that pencils out best, Goldman Sachs noted. The other applications were never firm projects; they were options.

That practice inflates the headline numbers considerably. Of the 565 gigawatts of computing power AI companies currently have on the drawing board — more than ten times what is running today — Columbia Business School real estate professor Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh expects roughly 180 gigawatts to actually get built over the next decade. He calls two-thirds of the pipeline implausible.

Even the credible third is enormous. Van Nieuwerburgh puts that buildout at about $10 trillion — 50% larger than the 19th century railroad expansion, the previous record holder for American capital spending booms. A single state-of-the-art AI campus runs around $8 billion.

Four Bottlenecks

The projects that do move forward are moving slower than planned. Historically about 72% of scheduled data center capacity comes online on time, according to Goldman Sachs. For capacity scheduled to activate between now and 2028, only about half is expected to hit its target date. Data centers typically take 18 to 24 months to build, and those timelines are stretching.JPMorgan counts $750 billion in AI infrastructure investment this year alone, yet finds that roughly 60% of capacity slated for completion in 2027 has not begun construction, with another 7% of started projects already delayed.

Four constraints explain most of it. Building materials have grown hard to source as demand surges. The chips going inside are scarcer still, concentrated at Taiwan’s TSMC, which fabricates virtually every leading AI processor including Nvidia’s Blackwell and AMD’s MI300X — described in Stanford’s report as a single point of dependency for the entire global supply chain.

Power is the second. Data centers already consume roughly 8% of US electricity, a share the American Edge Project projects will reach 12% by 2028. Companies building their own generation to compensate are hitting their own wall: wait times for generation step-up transformers have tripled, according to JPMorgan, and GE Vernova, the largest natural gas turbine maker, has seen bookings for its power generators double to $200 billion over a five-year span. Since 2020, transformers and power regulators have posted the second-steepest inflation of the 47 categories tracked in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wholesale price index.

Labor is the third and hardest to fix quickly. Meeting the announced construction schedules would require the country to add 500,000 electricians, 300,000 welders and 550,000 plumbers, per the American Edge Project — and recent immigration policy changes have not helped. “Some of our clients are developing 24/7/365, and contractors are moving around all day, but there’s nothing they can do if all the labor is tied up in existing projects,” said Joe Macejak, who heads Marsh Risk’s US property digital infrastructure business.

What Is Getting Built

The money is still flowing at record pace. Census Bureau figures show data center construction spending rose 7% in June to $68.3 billion, a 46% jump from a year earlier. There are now 438 separate developers with active US projects, according to energy data firm Cleanview. The scale has grown large enough that Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari cited data centers as a contributor to inflation last week.

For contractors, electrical suppliers, and building trades, the shortage of capacity is a seller’s market. For investors, it is a warning about timing. “It’s very hard to get the timing right with these big buildouts, and often what ends up happening is we get overexcited and accrue too much debt and then a bunch of these investments go bust,” Van Nieuwerburgh said.

JBizNews Desk | New York

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When George W. Bush wrote an essay this year about another president named George, he avoided mentioning the one named Donald.

So did Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The three ex-presidents joined a roster of historians and authors in contributing to the In Pursuit project, a 250th-anniversary series that had each writer produce an essay about a president or first lady.

Though the project was explicitly designed to transcend today’s politics, some of its essays nevertheless reflect anxieties that are flaring in the era of President Donald Trump over the use of power, the health of the democracy and the integrity of the presidency.

The project is being curated by Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist who was fired without explanation by Trump last year. She instructed contributors not to be partisan or ideological. “Everybody took those instructions and that guidance very seriously,” she told The Associated Press. The goal was for all Americans to “feel welcome to be able to read these lessons and essays and learn something from them.”

The mission, Shogan said, “is to surface the lessons from the past 250 years of American history, so that we can learn from those lessons, from both our successes and our failures, so we can plan for the present and the future. It’s what has been described as debriefing the American story.”

The essays cover 43 presidents — all but Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Trump — and 30 first ladies. They are being published chronologically and weekly into December.

Trump and Biden were judged too fresh to be appraised by history, a call that may have also set aside passions of the moment.

Without naming Trump, Bush’s essay is difficult to read without thinking of Trump’s reluctance to cede power after his 2020 election defeat and his musings about a third term in defiance of the Constitution’s two-term limit.

Bush hails the heroism of humility
Bush’s essay celebrates George Washington, the original “No Kings” guy. Bush, a Republican, hails a man whose legacy only grew larger because he modeled the limits of the presidency for centuries to come.

“Our first president could have remained all-powerful,” Bush writes, “but twice he chose not to. In so doing, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to.” First, Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army, then set the precedent of serving only two presidential terms before that limit was enshrined in the Constitution.

Bush went on: “George Washington’s humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics.” Bush’s essay, released Presidents Day as the first in the series on Substack, drove heavy engagement.

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who led U.S. and international forces in the Afghanistan War, sized up a fellow general, Ulysses S. Grant, in another essay that drew much attention for its parallels with today.

History offers lessons on ‘law over loyalty’
McChrystal presents the Union general and post-Civil War president as a leader who displayed “an absolute commitment to principles larger than personal ambition” and who, before his presidency, resisted pressure on military leaders to “align with political factions and be loyal to a person rather than the Constitution.”

The emphasis on personal loyalty resonates in a time when Trump has repeatedly demanded fealty from officials in his administration.

The “temptation to bend institutions toward personal power is not unique to Grant’s era,” McChrystal writes. “Our future still depends on whether our leaders choose law over loyalty.”

This month, in the latest In Pursuit installment, Democrat Clinton writes about Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on that president’s drive to expand the universe of “we the people” at the expense of powerful corporate interests, while also emphasizing Roosevelt’s exclusionary views on Black and Indigenous people.

The essays frequently address presidents’ failures alongside their accomplishments, a contrast with Trump’s calls for federal cultural institutions to stick to patriotic interpretations of American history.

Presidents, the chief justice and first ladies contribute
Among the In Pursuit contributors are Chief Justice John Roberts (writing about William Howard Taft, the only president who also served on the Supreme Court); Hillary Clinton ( Eleanor Roosevelt ); Michelle Obama ( Jacqueline Kennedy ); GOP operative Karl Rove ( William McKinley ); documentarian Ken Burns ( Franklin D. Roosevelt ); and historian Michael Beschloss ( Lyndon Johnson ). Democrat Barack Obama presents Abraham Lincoln.

The project is being staged by More Perfect, a nonpartisan alliance of dozens of presidential centers along with academics and organizations dedicated to advancing democracy. It is where Shogan now practices her archivist craft that Trump shut down by firing her in February 2025.

She still has not been told why. Nor has Congress apparently been notified of the reason. The law requires Congress to be told but does not specify a deadline. The National Archives is the central repository of federal documents both precious and routine, and its leader has discretion over which records to preserve and display, and how.

“That is a position that used to be a nonpartisan position, much like the Librarian of Congress, the secretary of the Smithsonian,” she said. “And I took that very seriously and acted the entire time when I was archivist in a nonpartisan way.”

The White House did not respond when asked why Trump fired the archivist and whether the administration will tell Congress the reason.

Trump has long begrudged the archives for notifying the Department of Justice of his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left office following his first term, though Shogan was not working for the agency then.

Shogan sees hunger for history without a slant
Shogan said she has been overwhelmed with the public response to the series so far and figures that speaks to a hunger for history shorn of partisanship. The essays have received more than 1 million cumulative views on Substack and her podcast of the same name registered 160,000 audio downloads and nearly 64,000 YouTube views at last count. A documentary about the series is scheduled to air on PBS in October.

In the essays, readers learn something new not just about the giants, but about presidents such as Millard Fillmore — “a historic punchline — best remembered, ironically, for being so forgotten,” in the words of his essayist, former New York congressman Steve Israel.

Then there was Franklin Pierce, presented by his essayist as a pro-slavery president and “permanent victim” of Washington’s alcohol-soaked culture.

Yale history professor David W. Blight recounts how Pierce won the presidency for the Democrats in 1852 despite vicious trolling by the Whigs. Fielding Mexican War veteran Gen. Winfield Scott in that election, they labeled Pierce, who also served in the war, the “hero of many a well-fought bottle.”

President Trump’s Board of Peace unveiled an agreement last month calling for Hamas to surrender its weapons as part of a broader arrangement that would also involve an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.

The Israeli government has rejected a 15-point proposal supported by the Trump administration that seeks to strip Hamas of its weapons in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday

The announcement marked an unusually public disagreement between Netanyahu and President Trump, whose political relationship has taken several unexpected turns. The two leaders joined forces in launching the war against Iran in late February, but tensions have since emerged over how that conflict should conclude and over Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

Trump announced the agreement between Hamas and his Board of Peace late last month, describing it as a significant diplomatic achievement. Netanyahu’s office initially voiced concerns, stating that the framework did “not reflect Israel’s positions,” but at the time stopped short of formally rejecting the proposal.

Under the American-backed framework, Hamas would surrender its weapons through a phased process to a newly established Palestinian governing body in Gaza. In return, Israel would progressively pull its forces out of the portions of Gaza that have remained under its control since the cease-fire reached last October.

Netanyahu rejected that arrangement outright on Sunday, insisting that Israeli forces “would not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed.” He clarified that the requirement covered “heavy weapons, lighter weapons, all weapons,” and added, “We are talking about real disarmament.”

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu made his position unmistakable, saying, “I want to be clear here: Israel is ruling out the 15-point document.”

The Board of Peace did not immediately issue a response to Netanyahu’s comments. The White House likewise did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Netanyahu, who is heading into a difficult re-election campaign this fall, has repeatedly pledged “absolute victory” over Hamas following the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war. Yet almost three years later, Hamas continues to maintain control over parts of the territory it has governed for nearly two decades.

Hamas has publicly endorsed the U.S.-backed framework. Israeli analysts, however, remain doubtful that the group is genuinely prepared to surrender its weapons to a new Palestinian administration, particularly because armed resistance against Israel remains a central principle of Hamas’s ideology.

The proposed agreement emerged following months of sensitive negotiations involving Hamas leaders living outside Gaza and representatives of Trump’s Board of Peace, a newly created organization tasked with overseeing the Gaza cease-fire. The board includes several national leaders, among them Netanyahu, and is chaired by Trump.

Despite the board’s broad membership, the negotiations were largely conducted by a small group of Trump-appointed officials. Among them was Nickolay Mladenov, a former United Nations envoy to the Middle East. American negotiators attempted to develop an arrangement that would result in Hamas surrendering its weapons while still giving the organization enough incentive to accept the deal.

The agreement’s text states that Israel would first need to satisfy several unresolved requirements from the original cease-fire reached with Hamas last October, which brought an end to the two-year war in Gaza. Those requirements include a “cessation of military operations.”

Even after the cease-fire, Israeli forces have continued carrying out attacks across the Gaza Strip on an almost daily basis. Palestinian health officials say more than 1,000 people have been killed since last October, including senior Hamas figures as well as civilians and children.

The Israeli strikes became particularly intense during the weekend following the agreement’s completion. Gaza health officials reported that more than 18 people were killed during the escalation.

The attacks largely subsided after Mladenov met with Netanyahu last Monday. Mladenov had previously condemned the Israeli strikes, saying they had “killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on.”

Under the Trump-backed proposal, an international body would be responsible for determining whether Israel was complying with the cease-fire established last October. Hamas would then be required to “decommission and store” its heavy weapons under a process supervised by a group of Palestinian technocrats backed by the United States.

The plan would also require Israel to carry out a gradual withdrawal from Gaza. Palestinian militias that Israel has armed to oppose Hamas would likewise be expected to surrender their weapons.

Many elements of the arrangement, including the precise timetable, remain unresolved. The 15-point agreement calls for those outstanding details to be settled within 14 days, meaning the deadline would arrive later this week. Whether negotiators can meet that target remains uncertain as serious disagreements and doubts continue to threaten the future of the agreement.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee warned that antisemitism is becoming an increasingly dangerous force in American politics, pointing to recent developments within the Democratic Party as evidence that hostility toward Jews is becoming more mainstream.

Speaking on Newsmax’s Saturday Report, Huckabee cited Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s decision to skip her party’s nominating convention because of concerns about antisemitism and her personal safety.

“It’s a disturbing trend for the Democrats that I hope that they will change,” Huckabee told the network.

While acknowledging his own political affiliation, Huckabee said he believes a healthy political system requires two strong and responsible parties.

“I’m a Republican. I’m a pretty partisan Republican,” Huckabee said.

“But having said that, I wish there would be a competitive and a sane Democrat Party. It frankly makes both parties better to have a competitive environment.”

Huckabee argued that the Democratic Party has moved dramatically to the left both economically and socially.

Democrats are “moving so far to the left with socialism on the economic side, and with Jew hatred on the social side, that they are rapidly becoming the party of the insane.”

“And it’s not healthy. Not just for the Democrats. This isn’t healthy for America,” he said.

Huckabee also urged people not to minimize antisemitism by treating it as merely another political issue.

“We call it antisemitism. But let’s be clear what it is. It’s just hating Jews irrationally,” Huckabee added.

“Today, I want my Christian friends to hear me. Tomorrow they’ll hate the Christians.”

Asked how Israelis are viewing political developments in the United States, Huckabee said many are deeply troubled by what they are seeing.

Israelis are “very concerned” and “alarmed,” he said.

“Frankly, I am too,” Huckabee said. “I’ve been gone from the U.S. for a year and a half living here. It’s almost like I’m watching things in my own country and I’m thinking, ‘What’s happened over there? Where did this stuff start?’”

Huckabee also criticized political commentator Hasan Piker, questioning why he is widely described as an influencer.

“I want to think, who is he influencing?” Huckabee said. “Who would listen to somebody who is this completely off his cracker?”

Turning to developments in the Middle East, Huckabee said Israel is closely monitoring the newly announced mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, but is taking a cautious approach.

According to Huckabee, Israelis have “genuine anxieties about both Pakistan as well as Turkey, especially Turkey,” citing what he described as “very threatening” and “really bizarre” statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Huckabee concluded by expressing hope that countries in the region would choose closer ties with the United States and Israel rather than pursuing more confrontational policies.

“All of these countries would be far better off if they would be working with the United States and Israel for normalization rather than for radicalization,” Huckabee said. “But unfortunately, we’re seeing the opposite.”

{Matzav.com}

Pollster Shlomo Filber claimed Thursday that the political left is pursuing a strategy aimed at weakening the right-wing bloc by targeting the Chareidi public ahead of the upcoming elections.

Speaking in an interview with Galey Yisrael, he said, “The left is constantly trying to break up the right-wing bloc, and their latest effort is focused on the Chareidim.

“Their current mission is to suppress Chareidi voter turnout through a two-stage strategy: first, to create divisions within the Chareidi community and thereby discourage voting, and at the same time establish spoiler parties that will fail to cross the electoral threshold, simply to burn mandates.”

“This was created with a great deal of money and many Chareidi public relations professionals. It must also be said, unfortunately, that there are many collaborators within the Chareidi public who, for money from the left, are harming their own camp.”

Filber added that “as part of this effort, the latest project in the polls is to reduce Shas to six seats.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The IDF believes an explosive drone launched toward Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Friday was part of a Hezbollah attempt to help terrorists escape from an underground complex near the Ali Taher ridge, Kan News reported.

The drone did not explode, and no injuries or damage were caused. The incident occurred during the ceasefire, and despite what Kan described as a blatant violation of the agreement, the IDF has not yet responded to it.

Over the past week, the IDF identified several attempts by terrorists to escape from the underground site. Some were eliminated, while others who came under attack managed to return inside. The military estimates that around 15 terrorists remain trapped in the complex.

A senior IDF official said the military would like to neutralize the site and eliminate the terrorists inside, describing it as the last location in the security zone where terrorists are known with certainty to remain. However, because of restrictions imposed by the political echelon following the agreement reached with the Lebanese government through U.S. mediation, the IDF currently does not have authorization to carry out offensive action.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Department of Government Efficiency officially closed on July 4, but the White House office it was built on top of never went anywhere — and according to a report from the Government Accountability Office released this week, that office can keep doing the same kind of work with no new authorization required.

Here is the distinction that matters. Trump’s executive order created a temporary body called the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, which expired on July 4 as scheduled. That same order also permanently renamed an existing White House office — the U.S. Digital Service — as the U.S. DOGE Service. Only the temporary piece had an expiration date written into it. Because the order never called for shutting down the permanent entity, congressional investigators concluded that the office and staff placed at federal agencies could keep advancing the same initiatives after the temporary organization ended.

For companies that hold federal contracts, leases, or grants, that is the operative finding. The apparatus that spent the past eighteen months canceling contracts, terminating leases, and clawing back grant money was not dismantled on July 4. Only its temporary shell was. The broader U.S. DOGE Service continues to exist.

The report also puts numbers on a workforce that has never been fully counted. Investigators identified at least 206 people who worked for the cost-cutting effort while holding positions in the Executive Office of the President between January 20, 2025 and January 31, 2026, a figure that excludes staffers not assigned to that office. At least 128 of them had left those positions by the end of January. At least 27 were special government employees, a category that caps service at 130 days in any one-year period and permits outside employment. That mix is where the watchdog flagged conflict-of-interest risk, since special government employees can hold outside jobs and financial stakes while working for the government.

Getting even that much proved difficult. The Executive Office of the President said DOGE personnel received the same ethics and records-management training as everyone else in the office, but declined to hand over the training records or the financial disclosures themselves. Ten executive branch agencies either responded late or not at all. Neither the Executive Office of the President nor the Office of Personnel Management responded to requests to verify the report’s accuracy. The Office of Government Ethics told investigators it has not reviewed an Executive Office of the President ethics program since 2023. The ethics office also indicated it has no plans to examine the initiative’s activities, on the reasoning that it cannot review a program that no longer exists — precisely the gap the report identifies, since the entity that remains is the one nobody is examining.

This lands alongside a separate accounting review that has been circulating in Washington this week. The watchdog found that the effort did not follow its own stated method for calculating most of the savings it claimed from terminated contracts, could not supply enough information to verify the method behind 96 percent of its reported grant savings, and overstated lease savings by more than $80 million. In one case, a claimed $1.7 billion in savings was attributed to a single Pentagon health contract that was never actually canceled. The $110 billion reviewed covers only contracts, grants, and leases; the public total of $215 billion includes asset sales, workforce reductions, and regulatory changes, and has not been updated since January 1. Both reviews were requested by Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

The business consequences of the original push are already visible in hiring data. Federal headcount fell by more than 350,000, and agencies have since begun rebuilding — over 104,000 federal positions were advertised in the first five months of 2026, with some agencies reinstating employees after concluding the cuts had hit operations they could not do without. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was cited in a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing as one such case. Contractors who lost work in the first round are now bidding on rebuilt requirements at the same agencies.

More than a dozen lawsuits tied to the initiative’s actions are still pending, meaning the legal question of what was properly canceled remains open regardless of what happens administratively. The White House budget proposal in April requested $35 million for the U.S. DOGE Service, though lawmakers noted at the time that the effort had largely been wound down. Amy Gleason, who served as acting administrator, has since moved to lead a health technology office at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

For federal vendors, the practical takeaway is that a shutdown announcement is not the same as a shutdown. The office remains funded, staffed, and unreviewed.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

A Siyum was held last night in Camp Mesivta D’Masmidim, run by Reb Yitzchok Dovid Keller, L’zecher Nishmas nine Lakewood Bachurim who were tragically Niftar in recent years following car accidents.

The Siyum was held upon the completion of two Sedarim of Shas — Seder Nashim and Seder Nezikin — with the Torah learning dedicated L’zecher Nishmas the Bachurim.

The nine Bachurim being remembered are:

Aharon Nosson Lebovitz ZT”L
Chaim Simcha Grossman ZT”L
Chaim Zelig Berl ZT”L
Dovid Yitzchok Handler ZT”L
Eli Schepansky ZT”L
Elchonon Fasten ZT”L
Refael Faham ZT”L
Shoimy Cohen ZT”L
Yaakov Kilburg ZT”L

Campers and staff gathered for the Siyum, honoring the memories of the Bachurim and bringing an Aliyah to their Nishamos through Limud HaTorah.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing fresh criticism after appointing a slate of new members to the city’s Panel for Education Policy, including individuals whose past statements and affiliations have drawn controversy over anti-police and anti-Israel positions. One appointee has also advocated for racially segregated discussion spaces in public schools, according to reports.

Among Mamdani’s 13 selections is Lucas Koehler, a former New York City Department of Education official who now leads the $500 million endowment for the Foundation for City College. Koehler has previously promoted initiatives aimed at what he described as dismantling “white dominant culture.”

While serving at the Department of Education, Koehler endorsed a statement calling for “separate spaces for white people and non-black people of color” so they could “to interrogate their own internalized anti-black racism and unlearn white dominant behaviors without causing harm to black colleagues,” according to a statement from the Division of Early Childhood Education Antiracism Coalition cited by watchdog group Canary Mission.

Koehler, who worked for the DOE between 2014 and 2022, also backed a proposal urging the department to end all cooperation with the NYPD, arguing that police officers represent a “threat” to minority students.

“In addition to the threat in-school police pose to black and brown children and their families, the funding allocated to the NYPD necessarily keeps money away from the social services that keep children safe and secure, and therefore better able to learn and grow,” the statement from the DECE antiracism coalition read.

Another of Mamdani’s appointments is Raysa S. Rodriguez, who leads the Citizens Committee for Children, an advocacy organization that has repeatedly supported efforts to defund the police.

The organization has previously urged the NYPD to stop issuing quality-of-life summonses and called on the City Council to reject funding for a planned $225 million police training facility in Queens.

Mamdani also selected Dr. Madeline “Maddy” Fox, an alumna of Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, for the board. Fox previously signed a letter accusing Israel of committing genocide while rejecting claims that antisemitism is widespread on college campuses.

“There is no rampant crisis of antisemitism on our campuses, despite prolonged attempts by the current administration to persuade the public that there is one,” read the 2025 letter, which was signed by Jewish faculty members from CUNY, Berkeley, and Georgetown.

The same letter criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism, stating: “This campaign of repression and censorship, including deportation and detention, is evidence of an Islamophobic and racist campaign against political dissent.”

The Panel for Education Policy consists of 24 members and is responsible for approving Department of Education contracts, establishing education policy, and overseeing school closures. The Department of Education operates with an annual budget of roughly $45 billion.

Of the board’s 23 voting members, 13 are appointed directly by the mayor, giving City Hall substantial influence over the panel’s decisions.

{Matzav.com}