The 2026 FIFA World Cup has shattered soccer’s all-time attendance record, with packed stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico drawing unprecedented crowds and delivering a major economic boost to host cities. A total of 4,644,549 fans passed through the turnstiles during the group stage that concluded late last month, filling 99.7% of available seats and averaging 64,508 spectators per match, according to FIFA. The total surpassed the previous group-stage attendance record of about 3.6 million, set when the United States hosted the tournament in 1994.

“This is a true reflection of our fans’ love for the beautiful game,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said as the group stage wrapped. With the knockout rounds now underway and the July 19 final approaching, the crowds continue to grow. The tournament also set a single-day attendance record of 426,834 spectators on June 25, while fans from 210 countries and territories have attended matches so far.

For host cities, those record crowds are translating into significant business activity. Card spending across the tournament’s 16 host cities climbed 5.4% from a year earlier between June 10 and June 28, while spending by out-of-town visitors surged 17.4%, according to the Bank of America Institute. Hotels, restaurants, bars, retailers and rideshare companies have all benefited from the influx of visitors, while FIFA fan festivals in cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles have attracted millions more who never entered a stadium.

The concession numbers tell their own story. During the group stage alone, fans purchased more than 2.8 million beers, 300,000 hot dogs and nearly one million bottles of water inside stadiums, according to FIFA. More than three million supporters also signed up for digital Fan IDs, giving organizers and sponsors direct access to one of the largest global sports audiences ever assembled.

Attending the tournament has not come cheaply. On FIFA’s official ticketing platform, seats for the 104-match tournament have ranged from about $60 to nearly $11,000, with prices fluctuating based on demand. For the championship match at MetLife Stadium outside New York, premium seats reached roughly $33,000, while resale tickets for marquee knockout matches were listed near $20,000 on StubHub. Fans following their teams from city to city have reported spending anywhere from about $2,500 for a single destination trip to as much as $150,000 for premium hospitality packages covering multiple matches.

The travel boom has been uneven across the hospitality industry. A report from FCM Consulting found hotel rates in 13 of the 16 host cities climbed at least 80% compared with last year. Rooms in Guadalajara that averaged about $90 last summer were going for $511, while Boston averaged roughly $611 a night and Houston about $205. Before kickoff, however, the American Hotel & Lodging Association reported that roughly 80% of host-city hotels were seeing bookings below expectations, with many operators citing visa delays and geopolitical uncertainty that discouraged some international travelers. Domestic visitors have made up much of the attendance.

The excitement on the field continues to keep stadiums full. The U.S. Men’s National Team faces Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle, though it will be without leading scorer Folarin Balogun, who is suspended after receiving a red card in the victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is seeking its first World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2002, while defending powers led by stars including Kylian Mbappé remain among the favorites to win the tournament.

For businesses, every sold-out match brings another wave of customers. FIFA, which operates as a nonprofit and reinvests tournament revenue into developing the sport, estimates in a study prepared with the World Trade Organization that the World Cup will generate $80.1 billion in global economic activity, including $30.5 billion in the United States alone. Whether host cities ultimately realize lasting economic gains will be debated long after the final whistle, but for now the numbers are unmistakable: stadiums are packed, businesses are bustling, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup has already made attendance history.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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An internal IDF work plan for 2025 has revealed a series of measures aimed at improving conditions for imprisoned Hamas Nukhba terrorists, including the immediate installation of hot water systems in their cells and expanded medical services.

According to the document, obtained by Army Radio correspondent Tuvia Yagelnik, the plan was drafted following the fallout from the Sde Teiman controversy and outlines infrastructure upgrades intended to bring detention facilities into compliance with legal requirements. Among the most controversial measures are the installation of hot water in terrorist cells, the addition of more doctors, and the creation of a dedicated dental treatment station for the prisoners.

The document also places significant emphasis on what the IDF calls strengthening ethical conduct among the soldiers guarding the terrorists. Planned initiatives include ethics seminars for commanders, the appointment of “ethics officers” at detention facilities, specialized training on ethical dilemmas, and the prominent display of the IDF’s code of ethics throughout the compounds.

Attorney Michael Litvak, who obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information request, sharply criticized the plan.

“Once again, we see that the State of Israel has been required to provide terrorists with hot water while our hostages were held in terror tunnels, tortured, sexually abused, and starved,” Litvak said. “The time has come to move the terrorists from prison to the grave.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Monsey community is mourning the petirah of Hugh (Chaim) Jacobson z”l, the longtime First Assistant Chief of the Monsey Fire Department’s Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1, who was niftar after an illness at the age of 46.

Jacobson dedicated nearly 30 years to the Monsey Fire Department, joining the volunteer force approximately 28 years ago after following in the footsteps of his late father, who also served the department for many years. Over the course of his distinguished career, he advanced through the ranks, holding the positions of Lieutenant, Captain, Second Assistant Chief, and ultimately First Assistant Chief, becoming one of the department’s most respected leaders.

Born and raised in Monsey, Jacobson attended Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Suffern during his elementary school years before continuing his education at the Torah Academy of Bergen County. Friends recalled that he frequently expressed his deep affection for the Monsey community and viewed volunteer service as a way of giving back, a commitment inspired by the example set by his father.

Those who served alongside him described Jacobson as a steady and thoughtful leader who placed tremendous emphasis on firefighter safety while remaining unwavering in his mission to protect the community. He often spoke about the enormous responsibility of leading firefighters into hazardous situations, stressing that every operation had to balance aggressive firefighting with ensuring that every firefighter returned home safely.

Jacobson also took particular pride in the camaraderie within Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1, often pointing to the way firefighters from diverse backgrounds worked side by side as one family in service to the community.

His passing leaves a profound void within both the Monsey Fire Department and the broader Monsey community, where he was admired for decades of selfless service and dedication.

The levayah was held Friday at Kehillas Sha’ar HaShamayim in Spring Valley. Following the levayah, a procession accompanied the aron to the Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1 firehouse on Grove Street, where fellow firefighters paid tribute to Jacobson’s many years of devoted service. The aron was then taken to the Tahara Shteibel in New Square, where it remained until Motzoei Shabbos, before being flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah.

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir toured the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon on Sunday and said Israeli forces now control Hezbollah’s underground tunnel network in the strategic area.

Zamir inspected a major Hezbollah tunnel system built beneath the ridge during the visit. He described the Beaufort Ridge as a strategic area “saturated with terror infrastructure.”

“The Hezbollah terror organization, financed and directed by Iran, built underground routes in the area over the course of decades to threaten the northern communities,” Zamir said, according to remarks provided by the IDF. “Our forces now control the key terrain above ground and these underground routes below ground.”

Zamir said the Lebanese army “is required to fulfill its commitment under the historic agreement that was signed, and act to clear the area of Hezbollah terrorists” in parts of southern Lebanon outside Israeli control.

At the same time, he warned that the military remains prepared to respond forcefully to any violations.

“The IDF will continue to operate decisively to remove threats in Lebanese territory and is prepared to launch a rapid offensive if the ceasefire is violated,” Zamir said.

The visit comes as Israeli forces maintain operational control of key positions in southern Lebanon following the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

Dozens of protesters breached the light rail construction site on Bar Ilan Street in Yerushalayim on Sunday, leading to clashes with large police forces and the arrest of at least one demonstrator.

The protesters, who oppose construction of the new light rail line through the Chareidi neighborhood, entered the fenced construction zone, allegedly damaged engineering infrastructure, and attempted to disrupt traffic.

Police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and ordered demonstrators to disperse. When some refused, officers from the Jerusalem District Police, Border Police, and special units moved in to clear the site.

Video from the scene shows officers arresting one protester who had wedged himself between large exposed infrastructure pipes at the bottom of the excavation area.

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Police said the suspect was arrested on suspicion of intentionally damaging infrastructure and participating in the violent disturbance.

Large security forces remained deployed along Bar Ilan Street and nearby roads to prevent further unrest.

The protests are part of an ongoing campaign by members of the Eidah HaChareidis and others who oppose the light rail project, arguing that its route through the neighborhood raises religious concerns. Previous demonstrations in the area have also resulted in clashes with police.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Bitcoin sank below $59,000 this week, its weakest level since September 2024, capping a brutal stretch that has cut the price in half despite a Washington that has never been friendlier to digital assets. On Wednesday, Citigroup slashed its 12-month Bitcoin target to $82,000 from $112,000 and its Ethereum target to $2,240 from $3,175, blaming vanishing demand, a wall of fund outflows and stalled crypto legislation.

The drop is striking because it comes under a president who campaigned as crypto’s champion. President Donald Trump promised to make the United States the crypto capital of the world, installed regulators friendly to the industry, and backed efforts to write digital assets into federal law. Yet Bitcoin has fallen roughly 50% from its record high of about $126,000, reached in October 2025, and the coins that rode Trump’s endorsement into the mainstream are now leading the market lower.

The clearest culprit is money leaving the exchange-traded funds that were supposed to make crypto safer and more mainstream. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs lost about $4.5 billion in June, according to industry fund-flow data, marking their worst month since launching in early 2024 and pushing total 2026 flows into negative territory for the first time. Those funds were major buyers on the way up. Now the same mechanism is working in reverse, amplifying each new wave of selling.

Citigroup analysts outlined the shift in their research note. The bank cut its assumption for net ETF inflows over the coming year to zero, down from an earlier forecast of $10 billion, warning that the pipeline of new institutional money has largely dried up. One reason, the bank said, is that the CLARITY Act—legislation designed to provide regulatory certainty for institutional crypto investors—remains stalled in the Senate. In a more pessimistic scenario involving continued fund outflows and a weakening economy, Citi sees Bitcoin falling to approximately $53,000.

Investor confidence also took a hit from an unexpected source.

Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, which built its reputation on continuously accumulating Bitcoin, sold a portion of its holdings for the first time since 2022. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor previously indicated the company might sell assets to cover dividend obligations and demonstrate financial flexibility if necessary. Even so, the move unsettled investors who had viewed Strategy as Bitcoin’s most unwavering corporate supporter. The company remains the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, owning approximately 843,700 coins.

The broader economic backdrop has done little to help.

The Federal Reserve, under Chair Kevin Warsh, has maintained benchmark interest rates in the 3.50% to 3.75% range, keeping financial conditions relatively tight and making speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies less attractive. At the same time, investor enthusiasm has shifted toward artificial intelligence, with much of Wall Street’s risk capital flowing into semiconductor companies, AI infrastructure and data centers instead of digital assets.

The weakness extends beyond Bitcoin.

Ethereum has fallen to around $1,600, its lowest level since April 2025, while many smaller cryptocurrencies have suffered even steeper losses. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index, a closely watched measure of investor sentiment, has dropped to 11, deep inside “extreme fear” territory. Blockchain data also indicates that more than half of all Bitcoin currently in circulation is being held at a loss, a condition that has historically appeared only during periods of severe market stress.

For everyday investors, the lesson remains familiar.

Political support and favorable headlines do not override the basic forces that ultimately drive financial markets: interest rates, investor demand and capital flows. A supportive White House may have provided the cryptocurrency industry with greater legitimacy and regulatory access, but it cannot create buyers or eliminate the effects of higher borrowing costs.

Some analysts believe Bitcoin is approaching a market bottom and argue that much of the recent selling has already been priced in. Others warn that if the $58,000 support level fails, the next leg lower could come quickly.

What appears increasingly clear is that cryptocurrency’s direction over the remainder of 2026 will depend less on politics than on market fundamentals—whether ETF inflows return, whether the Federal Reserve begins easing monetary policy, and whether investors regain confidence in digital assets.

JBizNews Desk | New York
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The generators are powering up approximately 10 intersections throughout affect affected areas in Lakewood.

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Oil prices hovered near pre-conflict levels Sunday after OPEC+ agreed to increase production again, adding to global crude supplies as exports through the Strait of Hormuz continued to recover following months of disruption.

The oil-producing alliance said it will raise output targets by 188,000 barrels per day beginning in August, marking its third consecutive monthly increase as it gradually unwinds production cuts implemented in 2023.

The decision reflects easing concerns about a lingering global supply crunch. Oil exports from the Persian Gulf have begun rebounding after the Strait of Hormuz — a critical shipping lane for global energy supplies — reopened after it was disrupted during the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. 

A U.S.-brokered memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran has also helped calm markets and reinforced expectations that supplies will continue to normalize.

Brent crude traded near $72 per barrel Friday, down sharply from highs above $120 reached during the conflict and roughly back to levels seen before the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February.

Oil prices have also faced pressure from weaker-than-expected crude demand in China, increased production from countries outside the Middle East and a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves by the International Energy Agency.

The latest increase follows similar production hikes in June and July. The seven core producers managing OPEC+’s supply policy — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman — have now restored nearly 800,000 barrels per day of production since April.

Despite those increases, actual output remains below levels seen before the conflict because disruptions to Gulf exports temporarily curtailed shipments from several major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

OPEC+ is also navigating internal challenges after the United Arab Emirates exited the alliance earlier this year, while Iraq has pushed for a larger production quota. If the group approves another increase at its next meeting on Aug. 2, it will have fully reversed the production cuts adopted in 2023.

Investors will now be watching whether recovering exports, stronger demand and future OPEC+ production decisions keep crude markets balanced through the remainder of the year.

“The last people who said the Jews are a ‘burden on humanity’ were Hitler and Goebbels,” said Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who had recently used the phrase to describe Israel in an interview with CNN Türk.

“You’re in excellent company, Mr. Fidan,” Chikli added in his tweet, accompanied by an AI-generated image of Fidan standing next to a Nazi flag.

Fidan said Turkey had no intention of changing its position toward Israel and defended Ankara’s decision to halt trade with the Jewish state following the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Responding on social media, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused his Turkish counterpart of incitement to genocide, describing his remarks as “sickening.”

Likud Party lawmaker Dan Illouz told JNS on Sunday that Fidan’s remarks were “not just despicable; they are the words of a regime that has entirely lost its way.

“Erdoğan is rapidly dragging Turkey down the exact same path as Iran’s axis of terror. If he continues going in Khamenei’s ways, he very well might end up like Khamenei,” Illouz added. “Israel has made it perfectly clear what happens to those who seek our destruction.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

Currys Chief Executive Alex Baldock warned Thursday that supplies of fans and portable air conditioners are becoming “tight” ahead of another forecast heatwave in the United Kingdom, after a surge in demand during recent record temperatures emptied shelves across much of the country.

Speaking alongside the electronics retailer’s annual financial results, Baldock said cooling products had been “flying off the shelves” and that the company was working aggressively to replenish inventory before another period of unusually hot weather expected next week.

The demand surge has been extraordinary.

Currys reported that sales of electric fans increased nearly 3,000% during the most recent heatwave weekend compared with the previous week, while portable air-conditioner sales jumped approximately 330%. The company said its nationwide buying power has allowed it to secure more inventory than many competitors, although supplies remain under pressure as temperatures continue climbing.

Currys operates approximately 691 stores across the United Kingdom and the Nordic region, making it one of Europe’s largest consumer electronics retailers.

The comments came as the company reported stronger financial results for the year ended May 2.

Annual revenue increased 6% to £9.2 billion, while pre-tax profit climbed 23% to £153 million. Comparable sales at established UK stores rose 3%, outperforming many competitors in a retail environment that has remained challenging for discretionary spending.

Company executives credited growth across several categories, including coffee machines, artificial intelligence-enabled laptops, repair services, installation services and business sales.

The annual results also mark Baldock’s final earnings report before leaving Currys later this year to become Chief Executive of Boots, one of Britain’s largest pharmacy and health-and-beauty retailers.

The cooling-equipment shortage reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior across Britain.

For decades, air conditioning remained relatively uncommon in British homes because summers were generally mild. However, repeated periods of record-breaking heat have transformed cooling equipment from an occasional purchase into a mainstream household necessity.

Retailers throughout the UK have reported customers lining up to purchase portable air conditioners and fans whenever temperatures spike, creating supply shortages that manufacturers often struggle to replenish quickly.

Industry analysts say climate change is gradually reshaping seasonal retail demand, turning cooling products into an increasingly important sales category that can produce dramatic revenue swings within days.

Baldock also highlighted broader cost pressures facing retailers.

He warned that inflation remains a concern, pointing to continued global demand for semiconductor chips driven partly by artificial intelligence data-center construction. Although Currys said it has secured supplies of computers and mobile phones through at least September, the company expects supply-chain pressures to remain an ongoing challenge.

The chief executive also renewed calls for government reforms involving business rates and tax treatment for low-value imported goods sold through overseas online marketplaces, arguing that domestic retailers continue facing an uneven competitive environment.

For consumers, Baldock offered simple advice: shoppers needing fans or portable air conditioners should not wait until temperatures peak.

With inventories already tightening before the next forecast heatwave arrives, delaying purchases could leave consumers facing fewer choices—or empty shelves—as demand accelerates once temperatures begin rising again.

JBizNews Desk | London

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While New York City celebrated the nation’s 250th anniversary, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, traveled to Spain to take part in an Islamic spiritual retreat, drawing criticism from political opponents who questioned her absence during one of the country’s most significant patriotic observances.

Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist who was raised in Dallas and educated in Dubai, was seen Monday at Newark Liberty International Airport boarding a flight to Palma, the capital of the Spanish island of Mallorca. According to reports, she traveled there to participate in a sold-out retreat organized by The Women’s Sanctuary, where she serves as the group’s artist-in-residence and one of the event’s hosts.

The retreat, titled “Plants Of The Quran,” carries a price tag of approximately $3,400 per attendee. Running from Wednesday through Monday, the program centers on plants referenced in the Quran through art, botanical instruction, and spiritual reflection.

Following the Mallorca event, Duwaji is expected to travel to Corsica, France, to help lead another sold-out Women’s Sanctuary retreat scheduled for July 9 through July 14. That gathering, titled “Mary In The Quran,” promises to “explore” in “depth” the legacy of Mary, described by organizers as “the most honored woman in the Qur’an.”

Conservative commentator and comedian Arynne Wexler posted photographs on X on Friday showing Duwaji seated at a United Airlines departure gate before her flight. Wexler criticized the timing of the trip, writing, “Funny how when @ZohranKMamdani was telling New Yorkers to lower their AC his wife Rama Duwaji was boarding a flight to party in Mallorca.”

Wexler added, “Reminder that I can’t tag her because she deleted her account after her insanely offensive tweets were discovered. Champagne socialists,” referring to controversial racial, homophobic, and other social media posts from more than a decade ago that resurfaced earlier this year.

According to Wexler’s publicist, the photographs were taken by an acquaintance who happened to be on the same flight and were shared so the public would be aware of Duwaji’s travel.

The cost of Duwaji’s airfare has not been disclosed. However, round-trip tickets between Newark and Palma later this month were listed at approximately $930 as of yesterday.

Her decision to leave the country during the America 250 celebrations quickly drew criticism from Republican officials in New York City.

“Nothing says ‘America 250’ quite like skipping the celebration for a Mediterranean vacation, but I am not surprised because she has made her hatred for America very evident,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola of Queens.

Councilman Frank Morano of Staten Island also criticized the trip.

“It’s disappointing that the First Lady chose to be overseas instead of taking part in one of the biggest civic events our city and country will mark this year,” he said.

“No one is saying elected officials and their families can’t take vacations, but this was a moment to show up for the city and for the country, and she missed it.”

City Hall declined to respond directly to the criticism but confirmed that Duwaji was not accompanied by members of the NYPD security detail assigned to the mayor and his family.

Duwaji has previously faced scrutiny over deleted social media posts. According to a March report by the Washington Free Beacon, some of the posts praised Palestinian terrorist organizations, while others criticized American military personnel for supporting Israel.

One post she reposted on Tumblr in 2015 declared, “American soldiers fighting in imperialist wars are not brave nor are they fighting for anyone’s freedom. They are mercilessly slaughtering 3rd world civilians and fighting to maintain American hegemony.”

Mayor Mamdani, who has also been sharply critical of Israel, has defended his wife, arguing that her past online activity should not be treated as a political issue because she holds no official position in his administration. Duwaji has since apologized for many of her earlier posts.

While his wife was overseas, Mamdani remained in New York, where he faced criticism over his handling of the city’s first major heat wave since taking office. He urged residents to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, even as temperatures inside portions of City Hall reportedly dropped as low as 54 degrees.

Mamdani also participated in the city’s America 250 observances, delivering a 15-minute speech from City Hall in which he criticized capitalism and America’s involvement in foreign conflicts while seated at the former desk of George Washington.

Yesterday, the mayor attended the Sail4th 250 International Parade of Sail on Governors Island and was later scheduled to preside over the Empire State Building’s Fourth of July lighting ceremony.

{Matzav.com}

A Bnei Brak resident was arrested at the Rantis Crossing after police discovered seven illegal Palestinian workers hidden inside his vehicle.

According to police, detectives from the Ariel station stopped the vehicle during a targeted operation and found the seven illegal entrants concealed behind the rear seat panel and in the trunk under a blanket.

The driver, an Israeli citizen in his 30s from Bnei Brak, was arrested on suspicion of illegally transporting them into Israel. All eight suspects were taken for questioning at the Ariel police station.

Police said they will continue acting with “zero tolerance” against illegal entry into Israel and against those who assist it, warning that transporting illegal entrants is a serious criminal offense punishable by prison time.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Firefighters battled a structure fire in Howell early this morning.

Emergency crews were dispatched just after 2:00 a.m. to a home on Seagull Lane following reports of a structure fire. Firefighters from Howell were assisted by mutual aid crews from Lakewood and Jackson as they worked to bring the blaze under control.

It is not immediately known whether anyone was injured. Firefighters were able to safely rescue a pet from inside the home during the incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes devastated Venezuela’s northern coast, rescue crews are still struggling to reach victims—not because of a lack of equipment, but because many of the cranes, excavators, and heavy machines needed to clear debris have run out of fuel.

According to Venezuela’s National Assembly, the death toll climbed to 3,000, with more than 11,200 people injured and tens of thousands still unaccounted for. Rescue operations remain concentrated in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit regions.

The fuel shortages have added a painful irony to the disaster.

Despite possessing the world’s largest reported oil reserves, Venezuela has been unable to keep enough gasoline flowing to support emergency recovery efforts. Government machinery has reportedly sat idle while families and volunteers searched collapsed buildings by hand.

The two earthquakes struck within seconds of one another on June 24, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, with epicenters in Yaracuy state west of Caracas. The second and stronger quake released roughly three times the energy of the first, bringing down aging apartment buildings and damaging communities across the northern coast.

Satellite imagery indicates nearly 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.

The United Nations estimates the disaster caused between $4.7 billion and $8.7 billion in physical damage—equal to roughly 4% to 8% of Venezuela’s economy. UN agencies also estimate that as many as 6.8 million people could require shelter, medical care, food, or clean water.

Ironically, the country’s oil infrastructure largely survived.

State-owned energy company PDVSA said major refineries, including El Palito, Amuay, and Cardón, escaped significant earthquake damage, while crude production in the Orinoco Belt continued operating.

Instead, officials say the fuel shortages stem from years of underinvestment that left Venezuela unable to refine enough gasoline for domestic demand, forcing the country to depend on imports and fuel rationing. Once the earthquakes struck, that fragile supply chain quickly broke down.

Public frustration has continued to grow.

Many survivors accused the government of responding too slowly, forcing neighbors to rescue victims before heavy equipment arrived. PDVSA and private distributor Domegas said they are also inspecting natural gas systems serving roughly 600,000 households around Caracas to identify leaks caused by the earthquakes.

The emergency response is unfolding under Venezuela’s new political leadership.

Following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in January, the United States has backed the country’s new government while overseeing much of Venezuela’s oil revenue.

About 2,000 U.S. service members are assisting with search-and-rescue operations, according to U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Francis Donovan. President Donald Trump has also pledged American assistance, describing the earthquakes as catastrophic.

International rescue teams from Ecuador, Spain, the Netherlands, Jordan, and Argentina joined local crews during the early days of the response. While many foreign teams have begun winding down operations, rescuers continue searching for survivors.

A three-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble in La Guaira on June 30, while crews continue efforts to rescue a 44-year-old man trapped beneath the parking garage of a shopping mall, supplying him with food, water, and medicine.

For businesses, the disaster strikes at a critical moment.

Since Maduro’s removal, the United States has eased sanctions on PDVSA, Venezuela has adopted a new oil law, and crude production has begun recovering. The country produced approximately 1.16 million barrels of oil per day in May, with PDVSA targeting 1.37 million barrels per day by the end of 2026.

Now, billions of dollars needed to rebuild homes, highways, ports, power systems, and public infrastructure may compete directly with efforts to expand oil production and revive the broader economy.

The World Food Programme has requested $50 million to feed up to 500,000 people during the next three months, while the World Health Organization warns that already strained hospitals face growing risks of disease outbreaks.

For now, one of the world’s largest oil-producing nations continues confronting a basic obstacle to recovery: getting enough fuel to power the machines needed to save lives. Until fuel supplies improve, much of the work in La Guaira will continue one shovel at a time.

JBizNews Desk | Caracas

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The government approved a new long-term rehabilitation plan on Sunday for survivors of the Nova and other southern music festivals attacked on October 7, allocating about 60 million shekels for 2026 through 2028 as part of what it described as a continued commitment to accompany survivors through the next stage of recovery.

The plan was formulated under the Prime Minister’s Office following a broad inter-ministerial review that included data analysis, public participation, and discussions with survivors, family members and professional officials. According to the data presented, about 3,600 festival survivors have been recognized as victims of hostile acts, with injury and disability rates indicating long-term consequences that require continued tailored support.

Under the decision, the government approved an expanded support framework meant to provide long-term therapeutic, rehabilitative and employment continuity for thousands of survivors and their families. The plan is designed to adapt the state response to the current phase of recovery, after the initial assistance provided in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre created a first layer of support.

The main elements of the decision include the creation of a personal accompaniment system for survivors through what the government described as “one governmental address,” aimed at helping survivors navigate benefits and coordinate care between different agencies. The plan also expands support for family members and includes the development of dedicated prevention and intervention programs dealing with the use of addictive substances among festival survivors.

In addition, the plan includes broader medical and mental health support, improved access to emergency mental health services for survivors and their relatives, and efforts to strengthen continuity of care through tailored physical and mental health services and coordinated case management.

Beyond the medical and emotional response, the program also includes the development of tailored rehabilitation and employment integration tracks through the Labor Ministry, the Employment Service and the National Insurance Institute. As part of the decision, the government will continue developing a digital system designed to coordinate between agencies, help survivors maximize their rights and maintain updated case information.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Social Security Administration announced Friday that parents will soon be able to enroll newborns in the new Trump Accounts program through the same paperwork used to obtain a Social Security number at birth, simplifying the process as the first federal deposits begin reaching eligible accounts.

Beginning next week, the agency will revise its instructions to hospitals and coordinate with states to update the Enumeration at Birth forms, allowing parents who apply for a Social Security number for their newborn to automatically initiate the creation of a Trump Account at the same time.

The Enumeration at Birth system, which has been in use since 1987, is the primary method by which American newborns receive Social Security numbers. By integrating Trump Account enrollment into that existing process, officials say parents will no longer need to complete a separate application.

Social Security Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said the streamlined enrollment process is a key part of the program’s implementation.

“Social Security numbers are the backbone of Trump Accounts, and we will empower parents to enroll their newborns through the Enumeration at Birth program to take full advantage of this program from the day a child is born,” he said in the announcement.

The investment accounts were established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. Designed as custodial investment accounts similar to retirement savings plans, they are available for children under the age of 18.

Children born in the United States between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, who are U.S. citizens and have valid Social Security numbers are eligible to receive a one-time $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury.

In addition to the government’s initial deposit, families, employers, relatives, and charitable organizations may collectively contribute up to $5,000 each year. The funds are invested in low-cost U.S. stock index funds and generally remain inaccessible until the child reaches age 18.

Ahead of the official rollout, President Trump announced on Truth Social that demand for the program had already exceeded 6 million account requests. He also revealed that the Treasury Department will now permit publicly traded stock to be donated to Trump Accounts.

“This opens the door for GREAT American Businesses, Philanthropists, and Job Creators to invest directly in the future of our children, and help build a Generation of Savers, Investors, and Owners,” he wrote.

Parents of children who have already been born may still open a Trump Account by visiting TrumpAccounts.gov and submitting IRS Form 4547. The new Social Security enrollment process is intended to automatically register future newborns at birth, eliminating the need for parents to complete a second application later.

Eligible children whose accounts have already been established began receiving the $1,000 Treasury contribution today.

{Matzav.com}

New York City was rocked by two separate shootings within hours of each other over the Fourth of July weekend, leaving an NYPD detective wounded and eight people—including four young children—shot in Brooklyn.

The first incident unfolded around 10:35 p.m. Friday in Coney Island, where a family had gathered for a Fourth of July barbecue and to watch fireworks near the boardwalk.

Police said a gunman dressed in black and wearing a ski mask walked up to the courtyard of the Seapark Apartments on Surf Avenue and opened fire before fleeing on foot.

Eight people were struck, including four children. The victims included a 21-year-old woman who was critically wounded after being shot in the chest. The other victims—a 47-year-old man, a 33-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman, and boys ages 14, 12, 7, and 6—were hospitalized, with the children suffering gunshot wounds to their legs or abdomen.

Police said there was no indication an argument preceded the shooting, and investigators are examining whether it is connected to a gang-related homicide on the same block earlier in the week. No arrests have been made.

Just hours later, at approximately 4:45 a.m. Sunday, an NYPD detective was shot in the upper back during a gunfight with an armed 18-year-old in Crown Heights.

According to police, the suspect approached an unmarked NYPD vehicle carrying two detectives while armed with a semi-automatic handgun. As the officers exited the vehicle to confront him, the suspect allegedly opened fire, striking Detective Robert L. Karroll in the back.

The veteran detective, who was wearing a ballistic vest, suffered minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. He was just 10 days away from retirement.

“Today that vest saved his life,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

A second detective sustained bruises during the confrontation.

The suspect fled but was captured after a foot chase and was subdued with a Taser after allegedly resisting arrest. Police recovered a 9mm handgun at the scene.

The two shootings capped another violent holiday weekend in New York City, underscoring continuing concerns about public safety under Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Target will replace the Ulta Beauty shops inside more than 600 of its stores with a new in-house concept called Target Beauty Studio, launching this fall, the retailer’s Chief Merchandising Officer Cara Sylvester said this week. The move ends a five-year shop-in-shop partnership that expires in August 2026 and marks one of Target’s biggest beauty strategy changes in years.

The Ulta Beauty at Target partnership launched in 2021, giving shoppers access to a curated selection of prestige beauty brands inside Target stores while allowing Ulta to expand its reach without opening standalone locations. Last August, both companies announced they had mutually agreed not to renew the partnership when it expires this summer.

Customers will still be able to shop Ulta Beauty locations inside Target stores through August. Those who have linked their Ulta Beauty Rewards and Target Circle accounts will continue earning rewards on eligible purchases until the partnership officially ends.

Rather than replacing Ulta with another retailer, Target is investing heavily in its own beauty business.

The new Target Beauty Studio will feature more than 80 prestige, global and emerging beauty brands, including approximately 60 brands that have never before been available at Target. The retailer also plans to introduce exclusive product launches available only through Target while expanding beauty-focused Target Circle offers and testing new staffing models designed to improve customer service.

Executives say the goal is to transform beauty into a destination category inside Target stores, creating a shopping experience that encourages discovery while making prestige beauty products more accessible to mainstream consumers.

The move reflects beauty’s growing importance to Target’s business.

While discretionary spending has slowed across many retail categories, beauty products have remained comparatively resilient, with shoppers continuing to spend on skincare, cosmetics, fragrances and personal care even as they reduce purchases elsewhere. Industry analysts have repeatedly identified beauty as one of retail’s strongest-performing categories over the past several years.

The strategy also changes the competitive landscape.

For Ulta Beauty, the partnership helped expand brand awareness and reach millions of Target shoppers. For Target, ending the agreement means transforming a former partner into a direct competitor.

Ashley Helgans, retail analyst at Jefferies, said the transition increases the likelihood that Target becomes a stronger competitor to Ulta as it expands its own prestige assortment and introduces exclusive products.

The announcement also comes during a period of leadership change at Target.

The company is now led by Chief Executive Officer Michael Fiddelke, making the beauty initiative one of the first highly visible merchandising strategies under the retailer’s new leadership. Analysts have suggested improving the in-store shopping experience will be critical as Target works to reverse softer customer traffic while competing more aggressively with both specialty beauty retailers and online marketplaces.

Retail analyst David Bellinger of Mizuho Securities previously wrote that Target’s execution challenges—including staffing levels and in-store operations—likely contributed to the companies’ decision not to extend the Ulta partnership. The success of Target Beauty Studio will therefore serve as an early test of whether Target can independently deliver a premium beauty experience.

Competition within prestige beauty has become increasingly intense.

Alongside Ulta’s standalone stores, Sephora continues expanding through its partnership with Kohl’s, while department stores, specialty retailers and online beauty companies continue investing heavily in premium cosmetics and skincare. Winning customer loyalty increasingly depends on exclusive products, knowledgeable staff and personalized shopping experiences rather than simply carrying well-known brands.

For shoppers, the transition means one final opportunity to visit the existing Ulta Beauty shops before they disappear in August. Beginning this fall, customers will instead find Target Beauty Studio locations offering a broader selection of brands, dozens of new products and a shopping experience designed entirely by Target.

Whether that strategy keeps existing customers—or persuades new ones to choose Target over Ulta, Sephora and other beauty retailers—will become one of the retail industry’s most closely watched merchandising experiments over the coming year.

JBizNews Desk | Minneapolis, Minnesota

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

The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are urging state attorneys general to investigate possible gasoline price gouging and anti-competitive conduct by oil companies, intensifying the Trump administration’s effort to bring fuel prices down as crude oil costs have fallen while prices at the pump remain relatively high.

In a letter sent Friday, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. and FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson told state law enforcement officials that federal regulators are closely monitoring developments in the petroleum market and warned that fluctuations in the market do not exempt companies from antitrust laws or consumer protection requirements.

Although neither the Justice Department nor the FTC has direct authority to enforce price-gouging laws, the officials noted that more than 36 states, along with several U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, have statutes prohibiting excessive price increases during emergencies. The agencies encouraged those jurisdictions to use those laws when appropriate.

Gasoline prices have remained elevated since the U.S.-Iran conflict led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for more than three and a half months beginning in late February, disrupting one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, which typically carries about 20 percent of global oil supplies.

According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $3.82 on Friday. While that is below the peak reached during the conflict, it remains significantly higher than the $2.98 national average recorded in the week before the fighting erupted.

President Trump has repeatedly criticized oil companies in recent days, arguing that consumers have not benefited from the sharp decline in crude oil prices.

In a Truth Social post on June 24, Trump accused the industry of keeping gasoline prices artificially high despite falling crude costs, writing that motorists were being “gouged” and announcing that he had directed the Justice Department to investigate the matter.

He renewed that demand Monday evening, writing that “Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY!” while saying prices should be closer to $2.50 per gallon.

Oil industry executives, however, contend that reductions in crude oil prices are not immediately reflected at gas stations.

Chevron Chief Financial Officer Eimear Bonner told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” that the adjustment takes time to work its way through the supply chain.

“It’s going to take time though,” she said, explaining that there is a delay between declining crude prices and lower retail gasoline prices. She added that consumers should see prices ease as market conditions stabilize.

The federal agencies also encouraged consumers who suspect unlawful pricing practices to file complaints through the Justice Department’s Citizen Complaint Center and the FTC’s online fraud reporting system, signaling increased scrutiny of gasoline prices as they remain a major issue for consumers ahead of November’s midterm elections.

SYDNEY (VINnews) — Two men have been charged after police say a replica handgun was allegedly pointed toward a synagogue in Sydney’s eastern suburbs during the Jewish Sabbath.

Police said officers responded Saturday afternoon to reports of a firearm being directed toward a synagogue in the Double Bay neighborhood. A vehicle matching the description was stopped a short time later, and officers recovered what authorities described as an imitation pistol.
IMG_0007
The two suspects, ages 22 and 25, were arrested and charged with firearms-related offenses. One also faces additional charges, including allegedly using an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offense. Both were granted bail with conditions, including a ban on entering the Double Bay area, pending future court appearances.

Jewish community leaders condemned the incident, saying it heightened concerns following a series of threats targeting Australia’s Jewish community in recent months. They praised the rapid response by police and community security personnel.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Google, working alongside the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, announced that it has dismantled the massive NetNut cyber network, which investigators say hijacked at least two million internet-connected devices worldwide and turned them into tools for cybercriminals.

According to Google, the network infected smart TVs, streaming boxes, and Android devices, converting them into proxy servers that allowed hackers to disguise their online activity behind the home internet connections of unsuspecting users.

The compromised devices enabled cybercriminals to launch attacks while appearing to originate from legitimate residential IP addresses, making it significantly harder for internet providers, security companies, and organizations to identify and block malicious activity.

Investigators said some devices were infected before they were even sold to consumers, while others were compromised after users installed malicious applications. Google said its Play Protect security system has detected and blocked infected apps and has begun notifying users whose devices may have been affected.

Authorities said the network was used for password-spraying attacks, attempts to access corporate networks, and bypassing geographic restrictions by routing internet traffic through legitimate-looking home connections.

As part of the operation, the FBI seized key domains used by the network, including **netnut.com**, while Google shut down cloud services and accounts used to operate the infrastructure, effectively severing communications with infected devices.

Google said it has also shared technical information with cybersecurity researchers and other technology companies in an effort to prevent the network from resurfacing under a different name.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

MONTREAL (VINnews) — Police are investigating after a man allegedly targeted members of Montreal’s Hasidic Jewish community Friday night, attempting to steal traditional fur hats worn for religious observance.

Video circulating online appears to show a suspect approaching a man from behind as he left a synagogue and trying to pull a shtreimel from his head. Witnesses intervened, prompting the suspect to flee the immediate area.

Community representatives later said the same individual is believed to have stolen two shtreimels from other Hasidic men before escaping.

Authorities have not announced any arrests or identified a suspect. Members of the Jewish community are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

A shtreimel is a traditional fur hat worn by many married Hasidic Jewish men on the Sabbath, Jewish holidays and other special occasions. The incident follows other reported antisemitic attacks in Canada in recent weeks.

Tonight’s drone and fireworks show has been postponed, officials told TLS.

“We have made the very difficult decision to postpone our fireworks and drone show to a future date,” the Township told TLS. “Our overwhelming concern is the safety of our residents, our township employees, and the employees of the drone and fireworks companies.”

“The past couple of days have shown just how unpredictable the weather can be. Even with a forecast indicating we should be able to hold the show between the expected afternoon and late-evening storms, we believe it is wiser not to take the chance of a storm hitting while thousands of people are making their way home from the lake.

“Additionally, we need to dedicate our time and resources to the thousands of residents who are still without power. Our DPW crews will be clearing obstacles from streets and around power lines so that JCP&L can make repairs.”

“Our police officers, along with our paid and volunteer emergency service personnel, need to be able to focus their resources on assisting those who remain without power.”

The Township says they hope to schedule the show on a future date.

“We are all very disappointed, but we look forward to enjoying the show with you on a future date, when the temperatures should also be a bit more pleasant,” the Township said.

Eli Albag, the father of former hostage Liri Albag, revealed the secret and desperate efforts he made on his own to gather information about his daughter while she was being held hostage in Gaza, including contacts with Palestinian sources who provided details about her medical condition.

In an interview with Radio 103FM, Albag said he reached out to different channels, including figures connected to the Palestinian Authority, in an attempt to monitor Liri’s physical and emotional condition while she was held in tunnels and in terrorists’ homes in Gaza.

“I was also with the bad people,” Albag said. “I reached the bad people in the Palestinian Authority too. These were requests through lawyers — we call them lawyers — for scraps of information, to make sure they would protect them, the hostages we knew were together. They were very careful. But one day they gave me a detail, and when Liri came back, I realized they knew.”

Albag said the information he received turned out to be accurate. “They told me, ‘Everything is fine with her, she was only injured in her fingernail,’” he recalled. “I didn’t believe it. When she came back, she said, ‘Yes, I was injured in my fingernail.’ The whole time I didn’t believe it, and I still don’t believe it. You’re inside this world where there are many people who want to help, and some of them want money.”

He said his family was prepared to do whatever it took to bring Liri home. “In this war, there is nothing you don’t grab onto,” he said. “I told myself: I will turn over every stone, we as a family will turn over every stone to bring Liri home, and we did not shy away from any means. I am glad about that, and I don’t regret it for a moment.”

Those efforts also included unsuccessful attempts, such as trying to obtain a foreign passport through payment to businessman Tzvika Naveh. The money was eventually returned to the family, but the episode reflected the desperation and willingness to try any possible route.

Albag also sharply criticized Israel’s political leadership, saying he had repeatedly pleaded with decision-makers and Knesset members during Liri’s captivity to stop the inflammatory rhetoric.

“When Liri was a hostage, I met with all the decision-makers, including Knesset members, and I told them: ‘Stop this violent discourse, this inflammatory discourse. It makes me want to vomit. I just want us to have new leadership,’” he said.

Albag warned that Israeli society is nearing a dangerous breaking point and blamed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for failing to stop the internal division. “We are almost at civil war,” he said. “Prime Minister Netanyahu does not come out and stop it. Apparently, all this division is good for him.”

Asked about the government’s handling of October 7 and the lack of a state commission of inquiry, Albag placed direct responsibility on Netanyahu. “Many cemeteries here will be registered under the name Bibi Netanyahu,” he said. “That is the reality. In what period were 1,200 people murdered, burned, and slaughtered in one day? And now they will say it is not his fault? It is his fault, it is the chief of staff’s fault, it is intelligence’s fault, it is the Shin Bet chief’s fault. In the meantime, everyone has left except one.”

On the question of a state commission of inquiry, Albag said he never believed one would be established while Netanyahu remained prime minister. “From the first day, when they said ‘this kind of commission of inquiry, that kind of commission of inquiry,’ I laughed,” he said. “I said from the first day that there would be no commission of inquiry as long as Bibi is prime minister.

Albag also voiced support for former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as a future leader. “Gadi Eisenkot is a worthy man; he was with us during the difficult hours,” he said. “A clean man who sees only Eretz Yisrael before his eyes. In the end, we are temporary, and the State of Israel will remain forever, and we need to know what we are leaving behind and how we are leaving it. There needs to be a change.”

He compared the country’s leadership to the business world, saying: “It cannot be that a CEO who destroyed my company remains in the company for even one day. There is no such thing, not in the business world and not in politics.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Earlier this week, the City of Cleveland and Cleveland’s Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund announced that UK-based MMY was selected as the City’s preferred modular housing manufacturer, following the award of $2.56 million to support the construction of a new modular housing factory.

The news mirrors a larger trend taking shape nationwide. As local and state governments embrace modular housing as one of many solutions to their housing shortfalls, many are willing to put their money where their mouth is and provide financial support for modular manufacturing facilities in an effort to stimulate more housing production.

The funding for the Cleveland project, which comes in the form of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits, will aid in the redevelopment of the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Engineering Company building, a historic property located in an underserved area of the city. 

The Cleveland redevelopment

The 185,000-square-foot building, constructed in 1901, has fallen into deep disrepair after being mostly abandoned over the last few decades. Originally used to build ore unloaders, the building will soon serve as a key piece of Cleveland’s housing and economic development strategy. 

MMY is still lining up some of the remaining financing for the estimated $26 million redevelopment project. The builder’s CEO, Robin Bartram-Brown, told HousingWire TBD that financial support from the city and state is crucial to getting a project like this up and running, as the building needs a lot of investment. 

“This is a significant historical building in Cleveland, and the intent of the Site Readiness Fund and of the mayor was always to keep it, but that means that you need a lot of help to be able to do that,” Bartram-Brown said. “It’s a very complex capital stack to bring this building back to life.”

The factory, part of a 350-acre redevelopment initiative called The Midline, is expected to create more than 150 jobs. Beyond that, the facility, at full buildout, would have the capacity to deliver three homes a day, predominantly single-family homes in and around Cleveland. 

The MMY factory, Bartram-Brown said, will feature three production lines aimed at vertically integrating the homebuilding process: a modular housing assembly line, a sub-assembly line that manufactures housing components and a precast foundation line that produces foundation systems.

A broader national trend

This isn’t MMY’s first project in the United States. In 2024, the City of Louisville awarded the company a $500,000 grant and a subsequent $1.2 million in additional funding to develop a modular housing factory in the city. The roughly 100,000-square-foot facility could ultimately build up to 500 housing units per year, according to an announcement from the City of Louisville. 

Elsewhere in the country, many other local and state governments have provided grants, loans, tax incentives and other forms of financial support to help launch modular housing factories.

For example, in March of this year, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker unveiled a proposed 2027 city budget that would designate $10 million to lure a modular factory into the City of Philadelphia. The proposed funding, part of the mayor’s plan to build 30,000 housing units by 2028, signals that city officials see modular housing as a critical component of their effort to deliver 30,000 new housing units by 2028.

There are other examples from Colorado, where harsh winters, especially in high-altitude mountain communities, can disrupt traditional construction. To mitigate those challenges, state officials have prioritized modular housing as a way to maintain year-round building activity.

In recent years, Colorado has provided millions of dollars to finance the construction of modular housing factories across the state. In 2024 alone, the state awarded grants totalling $9.6 million and low-cost loans totalling $38 million to spur the construction of modular housing facilities statewide. 

One such facility is a new 140,000-square-foot factory in Aurora, CO. Vederra Modular received $6 million in loans and lines of credit from the state to build the facility, which is expected to produce between 500,000 and 650,000 square feet of housing per year. 

Elsewhere in Colorado, the City of Boulder built and now owns a 31,375-square-foot modular housing factory. Flatirons Habitat for Humanity operates the facility in partnership with the local school district. The factory, which builds 1,150-square-foot, three-bedroom net-zero duplex homes, is expected to boost Habitat’s housing production from just three to four homes per year to as many as 50 homes annually. 

Yet another example comes from New England. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a regional planning agency in Greater Boston, $3 million to help plan for a new modular construction facility in the region. 

Taken together, these types of public investments suggest that policymakers in various states and cities throughout the country view modular housing as a worthwhile investment. As the national chronic housing shortage persists, many local governments are betting that expanding modular manufacturing capacity can help boost long-term housing production.

This post was originally published on here.

Baruch Dayan HaEmes: The passing of Rabbi Yaakov Ben Shlomo, zt”l has left a family shattered. His widow is now left to raise seven children alone while facing an overwhelming financial burden. He was a devoted husband and father whose life centered on his family and Torah.

The financial burden is immense, and the family urgently needs help covering basic necessities. Every donation helps put food on the table, pay household bills, and provide stability for these seven children. CLICK HERE TO DONATE

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, billed as the biggest gambling event in history, has become a record-breaking stretch for the companies that let Americans trade on the outcome. Kalshi cleared more than $31 billion in notional trading volume in June, up more than 70% from $17.9 billion in May, according to user-collected data on Dune Analytics, while rival Polymarket posted a record $10.8 billion on its international platform. The figures, tallied as the tournament reached its knockout rounds over the July 4 weekend, are the clearest sign yet that event-contract exchanges have moved from a crypto curiosity to mainstream finance.

Kalshi has kept daily trading volume above $1 billion nearly every day since the tournament kicked off on June 11, the first World Cup expanded to 48 teams. Polymarket’s international platform handled more than $10.8 billion in June, while its U.S.-regulated platform processed more than $3.5 billion, up from $1.77 billion a month earlier, as traders poured into contracts tied to individual matches, tournament winners and player propositions.

The surge has also produced a new competitor. Rothera, an event-contract exchange formed as a joint venture between trading firm Susquehanna International Group and Robinhood, launched in June and immediately generated more than $2 billion in trading volume after Robinhood began routing certain World Cup contracts through the platform. According to Bank of America, Rothera already accounts for about 7% of the U.S. prediction-market industry.

Retail investors have concentrated heavily on the U.S. national team. Traders have placed more than $64 million on Kalshi and $122 million on Polymarket wagering that the United States will win the tournament, despite both exchanges assigning only low single-digit probabilities—approximately 4.3% on Kalshi and 3% on Polymarket. Team USA faces Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday night, a match expected to generate another surge in trading activity.

The largest individual market remains the tournament champion. Kalshi’s World Cup Winner contract has attracted more than $832 million in trading volume, with roughly 35% of money backing France, the tournament favorite. Both exchanges have aggressively promoted the event to attract new customers. Polymarket offered a prize worth up to $2 million for anyone submitting a perfect knockout-stage bracket, while Kalshi prominently featured World Cup trading in the title of its mobile application.

Trading data also suggests users are holding positions rather than simply placing short-term wagers. Kalshi’s open interest—the value of active contracts awaiting settlement—has climbed above $1 billion for the first time. Polymarket’s open interest sits just below $400 million, elevated but generally consistent with recent months. Bank of America estimates Kalshi has averaged roughly $125 million in trading volume per World Cup match, with parlays accounting for about one-third of that activity, while controlling nearly 80% of the U.S. sports prediction-market sector.

The industry’s rapid growth is unfolding alongside an important legal battle.

More than a dozen states have challenged Kalshi and Polymarket, arguing the companies are operating unlicensed sports betting businesses. The exchanges, supported by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), maintain that event contracts fall under federal commodities law rather than state gaming regulations. CFTC Chairman Michael Selig has criticized state enforcement actions against federally regulated exchanges and warned the agency is prepared to defend its jurisdiction in court. Legal experts believe the dispute could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

The industry’s handling of unprecedented sports-related trading volume is also attracting attention beyond regulators.

Asaf Meir, chief executive of market-integrity firm Solidus Labs, which works with Kalshi, described the World Cup as a proving ground at a time when regulators, institutional investors and Wall Street firms are evaluating whether prediction markets can expand well beyond sporting events into elections, economic data and other real-world outcomes.

The tournament concludes on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

By then, the platforms will not only have crowned a World Cup champion—they will also have established a public track record that could influence how far prediction markets are allowed to expand into mainstream finance.

JBizNews Desk | New York
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Iran for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He was killed when the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February. Now, Iran is burying him in a week-long ceremony. What is Iran trying to accomplish and say with this funeral?

Here are a few angles that are worth paying attention to:

Which foreign delegations are showing face?

Iran has indicated it is prepared to host “dozens” of world leaders during the funeral. However, overall attendance has been from dignitaries who are not leaders but rather deputies or ministers.

There have been delegations from countries around the Middle East and Asia. This is the “global south” that Iran’s regime sought to appear to. However, Iran’s position has become more isolated in recent years. Had Khamenei died several years ago, it’s plausible more world leaders might have considered attending this event.

What do we know about those who did attend? Central Asian countries, such as Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, sent delegations. These countries enjoy increasingly good ties with Iran.

President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan expressed condolences and hopes for peace during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, according to reports. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the former president of Turkmenistan, also attended.

Overall, Iran expected some thirty delegations to attend. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that at least eight heads of government or state and parliamentary speakers from 12 countries would attend, Euro News noted. This included delegations from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Russia’s former President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, was sent as an envoy by President Vladimir Putin. China is sending the vice chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Afghanistan’s Taliban also sent their foreign minister. Iraq’s delegation was headed by President Nizar Amidi.

The president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani, also came. Pakistan, India, Russia and China are all countries that have decent relations with Iran and are part of an emerging multi-polar world order.

Iranian leaders attend, but not the new Supreme Leader

CNN and other outlets have noted the absence of the new supreme leader. “Three of Khamenei’s sons join mass mourning in Tehran, but not his successor,” a report noted. Mojtaba Khamenei is the new Supreme Leader. He has not been seen in public and is believed to be wounded from the same attacks that killed his father.

Among the attendees were also representatives of Iran’s proxy network in the region.

“Representatives of Tehran-backed militant groups attended the funeral ceremonies of slain Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, with envoys from Hezbollah and Hamas meeting with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, state media reported,” France24 added.

Iran’s IRGC Quds Force commander Brigadier General Esmail Qaani and Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi both attended the prayers linked to the multi-day funeral.

The goal here is for Iran to show that its leadership and officials can still appear in public. However, the absence of the new Supreme Leader is important.

Is he too wounded to attend? Is he alive? Is he afraid of being killed? Or is the answer more complex? Perhaps he will appear when his father is buried. He doesn’t want to eclipse his father.

Iran’s show of force for the region

The funeral is a show of force for Iran. Six months ago, there were large protests in Iran in late December and early January. A crackdown by Iran led to the massacre of tens of thousands of people. As such, Tehran’s regime is wary of allowing any kind of dissent.

The goal of the funeral is to show that the regime can galvanize support from millions. In a country of 90 million people, having a million supporters of the regime is not a surprise. The question is whether this show of force actually reflects the will of the people.

Iran is seeking to use the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to reinforce its regional influence and project continuity after months of conflict.

As noted above, the ceremonies have drawn senior officials, militia leaders, and representatives from across the Middle East, providing Tehran with an opportunity to demonstrate resilience. This comes despite obvious military setbacks and economic pressure.

By hosting key partners from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere, Iran aims to signal that its alliances remain intact and that what it calls the ‘Axis of Resistance’ continues to pose a threat to the region. In this sense, the funeral has become both a domestic display of unity and a diplomatic stage for regional messaging.

Will Iran get a boost from the funeral?

Key questions now remain about what comes next. Will Iran use the boost it feels from the week-long funeral to begin to try to claw back its influence? Will it now stall in the talks with the US?

Will it be hoped that the Trump administration is distracted by the 250th Anniversary and July 4 events, and that the American president will prefer quiet and talks in the months ahead? Iran may feel emboldened by the turnout for the funeral. 

This post was originally published on here.

TLS has obtained video from a local school bus showing a man suddenly stepping into the middle of Route 9 and lying down directly in front of the bus.

A passing Chaveirim CJ member activated his emergency lights, prompting the man to get up and walk away.

The individual is reportedly the same person who lay down in the roadway on Clifton Avenue Thursday evening.

(Initially published on TLS Communities)

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wa-1783258936109-exy04j.mp4

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently met with Yehoshua Sherman, a representative of the “Homeward – Returning to the Homeland” forum, who presented a sweeping proposal aimed at dramatically expanding Jewish settlement into portions of Judea and Samaria currently under Palestinian Authority control.

The initiative calls for the establishment of 100 new Jewish communities in Area A of Judea and Samaria, a region that, under the Oslo Accords, is under both the civil and security control of the Palestinian Authority.

The Oslo framework divided Judea and Samaria into three administrative zones. Area A falls under full Palestinian Authority control, Area B is administered civilly by the PA while remaining under Israeli security control, and Area C is under full Israeli civil and military authority. While Arabs are permitted to reside and work throughout all three areas, Jewish communities are currently limited to Area C, and Israelis who enter Area A face serious security risks.

During the meeting, Sherman outlined the details of the plan, explaining that the proposed communities would be built exclusively on undeveloped land, eliminating the need to evacuate existing residents.

Sherman also expressed appreciation to Netanyahu for what he described as the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Jewish settlement throughout Judea and Samaria, including the establishment of new farms and communities, and urged the prime minister to adopt the broader initiative.

The “Homeward – Returning to the Homeland” forum was founded approximately two months ago by Eliav Libi, a pioneer in the Judea and Samaria agricultural settlement movement whose son, David Libi, was killed while fighting in Gaza, together with Yehoshua Sherman, whose son, Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, was murdered in a terrorist attack near the Shuva Israel farm in the Shomron approximately three months ago.

{Matzav.com}

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its four-year investigation into reports of unexpected braking in Tesla vehicles, concluding there was no demonstrated pattern of crashes or significant safety risk that would justify a recall. The decision ends one of the agency’s longest-running reviews of Tesla’s driver-assistance technology and removes another regulatory overhang for the electric-vehicle maker as it continues expanding its software-driven autonomous driving capabilities.

The investigation, formally known as Preliminary Evaluation PE22002, covered approximately 695,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years. It was launched in February 2022 after hundreds of owners reported sudden, unexplained braking while using Autopilot, Full Self-Driving, or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, a phenomenon that became widely known as “phantom braking.”

Drivers reported vehicles unexpectedly slowing by 10 to 20 miles per hour over one to three seconds, often while traveling at highway speeds and with no visible obstacle ahead. Many owners said the sudden deceleration startled surrounding motorists and created the potential for rear-end collisions.

Consumer complaints rose rapidly during the investigation. NHTSA had received 99 reports by the end of 2021, a figure that climbed to 314 complaints by the time regulators formally opened the probe in early 2022.

After reviewing years of field data, software updates and customer reports, NHTSA concluded that the braking events presented only a low demonstrated safety risk. The agency said it found no crashes, injuries or fatalities directly linked to the reported incidents throughout the investigation.

One of the agency’s most significant findings was the dramatic decline in complaints following Tesla’s software updates.

According to NHTSA, reported phantom-braking incidents fell from their 2022 peak to just 45 complaints during 2024, 19 complaints in 2025, and only three reports during the first half of 2026. Regulators said the trend closely followed a series of over-the-air software updates Tesla released beginning in 2022 to improve how its driver-assistance systems interpret surrounding traffic conditions.

Unlike traditional automakers that often require dealership visits for repairs, Tesla routinely distributes software improvements remotely to vehicles already on the road. Regulators noted that approach appeared to significantly reduce the frequency of reported braking events without requiring a physical recall.

NHTSA also examined the technology behind the issue.

Investigators found the complaints coincided with Tesla’s 2021 transition from radar-and-camera sensor fusion to a camera-only “Tesla Vision” system. By eliminating forward radar and relying entirely on cameras and artificial intelligence, Tesla adopted an approach that differs from many competing autonomous-driving developers.

According to the agency, the vision-only system occasionally misinterpreted certain driving situations, resulting in unnecessary braking events. Although NHTSA stopped short of declaring the design defective, its report represents one of the clearest acknowledgments by a federal regulator that Tesla’s transition away from radar played a role in the complaint pattern.

The broader debate over autonomous driving technology continues throughout the automotive industry.

While Tesla argues that cameras combined with advanced artificial intelligence ultimately provide safer and more scalable autonomous driving than radar-based systems, several competitors continue relying on combinations of cameras, radar and lidar sensors to create redundant safety layers.

The closure of the phantom-braking investigation does not end Tesla’s regulatory scrutiny.

NHTSA emphasized that closing a preliminary evaluation does not mean a safety defect never existed and retains the authority to reopen the investigation if future evidence warrants additional action. Tesla also continues facing legal challenges outside the United States, including a 2025 class-action lawsuit in Australia involving similar phantom-braking allegations.

The decision follows several other recent regulatory developments involving Tesla. NHTSA recently closed its investigation into power-steering failures affecting approximately 376,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles after Tesla addressed the issue through a software update. Regulators have also concluded a separate review involving roughly 2.5 million vehicles equipped with Tesla’s remote vehicle movement feature.

Other investigations remain ongoing, including NHTSA’s special crash investigation into a Tesla Model 3 that struck a home in Katy, Texas, while operating with advanced driver-assistance technology.

For Tesla, the closure of the phantom-braking investigation removes another potential legal and financial risk as the company continues expanding autonomous driving features across its vehicle lineup. Coming on the same day Tesla reported stronger-than-expected quarterly deliveries, the regulatory decision provides another measure of reassurance for investors as the company pushes further toward a software-centered future.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.

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

Israeli Finance Committee Chairman MK Hanoch Milwidsky launched a scathing attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of waging a campaign against the Torah world through measures affecting yeshivos that enroll students whose military status has not been resolved.

Milwidsky’s comments came in response to reports that the Israel Tax Authority has begun implementing new procedures requiring dozens of yeshivos and Torah institutions to certify that none of their students have unresolved military obligations if they wish to retain tax benefits for donors. The move follows guidance issued earlier this year by Baharav-Miara.

Speaking with Kol Barama Radio, the Likud lawmaker claimed the policy was politically motivated.

“The Attorney General’s witch hunt against the Torah-learning community is intended to discourage it, harm it, and distance it from the ballot box.”

Milwidsky went on to accuse the attorney general of deliberately targeting one of Israel’s most vulnerable communities.

“She is abusing this community because it’s easy and because she can. She does not hesitate to harm children, she does not hesitate to harm the weak. She does not hesitate to support, if not participate in, the fabrication of cases against our soldiers during wartime.”

He concluded his remarks with a blistering personal condemnation of Baharav-Miara and predicted she would one day face consequences for her actions.

“She is a cursed woman, a terrible woman, and as for the damages she causes, I am certain she will ultimately be held accountable somewhere. I doubt it [will happen] here, because no one here will judge her until we carry out comprehensive judicial reform, but I am certain there are greater forces.”

{Matzav.com}

Likud MK Chanoch Milwidsky, who vowed on Sunday that Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara will face justice for her persecution of Chareidim, also addressed the intervention of the High Court.

In the second part of his interview with Kol B’Rama, Milwidsky referred to the High Court’s ruling ordering the Knesset to hold a repeat vote for the election of State Comptroller Michael Rabello because some MKs took selfies of themselves in the voting booth. The ruling was issued despite the fact that there is no Israeli law banning voters from photographing themselves at the ballot box.

“It is a disgrace if we hold another election, and no one in this coalition should ever again speak about governance if that’s what they’re going to do,” he said. “Time after time we make the same mistake and show up for the theater of the absurd run by Yitzchak Amit in the High Court building instead of sending him a note saying he has absolutely no authority to interfere in the Knesset’s internal elections and that we have no intention of complying with his decision.”

“I’m saying it now: if anyone is planning another vote, I’m going to film myself voting behind the booth again, and there isn’t a person in the world who can stop me. There is no explicit law prohibiting an MK from photographing his own vote. Even the Knesset’s legal adviser suggested banning phones, and both sides—including the opposition—rejected the idea. This entire story is fabricated and absurd, and I have no intention of giving in to it.”

Milwidsky also addressed the expected October 20 election date and dismissed concerns by some Likud members that the campaign would take place in the shadow of the October 7 memorial.

“We’ve long witnessed every remaining trace of statesmanship being abandoned by the left, whether at Yom Hazikaron or Yom Ha’atzmaut ceremonies, where they come and spread their poison everywhere.

“We shouldn’t conduct ourselves based on what they do or don’t do. If we do what is right for the Jewish people and protect Toras Yisrael, it doesn’t matter what everyone else does. The meaning of ‘A people that shall dwell alone and shall not reckon itself among the nations’ unfortunately also applies to the nations that are among us.”

Senior Attorney David Peter also slammed the High Court ruling, saying, “When they (the justices) say that a substantive flaw occurred, what they really mean is that no flaw occurred, because if there had been a flaw, they would have identified what the flaw was.”

“There is no dispute that someone voting in a secret ballot is permitted to document his own vote. We’ve seen that in previous votes.”

“There is no legal basis for invalidating the vote, which is why they refer to a ‘substantive flaw.'”

“In a nutshell, this is the politicization of the Israeli legal system. You don’t need evidence, you don’t need a legal foundation—you just need the desired outcome.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

NEW YORK (VINnews)  — An Iranian speaker at the funeral for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for the death of U.S. President Donald Trump before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people Sunday in the capital, Tehran.

The comment represents the first, direct call for Trump’s death by an official representative at the funeral, which has seen posters and graffiti calling for the killing of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Even as Tehran negotiates with the U.S. over a permanent end to the war, hard-line Iranians have rejected the deal in process and called for Iran to assassinate the leaders who instigated the Roaring Lion operation.

Mohammad Rasouli, a poet, drew calls of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” from the crowd. Speaking over loudspeakers at the funeral, Rasouli asked, referring to Trump: “Why is the most bastard man in the world still alive?”

The question drew cheers from the crowd, and again when Rasouli said that “the world is no longer a good place for” Trump.

Pay attention to the “new regime” in Iran: “Death to America, death to America,” the crowds at Khamenei’s funeral, including signs “Kill Trump.” pic.twitter.com/D9i9D8yu7j

— Eli Afriat 🇮🇱 (@EliAfriatISR) July 4, 2026

Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, a 97-year-old Shiite cleric, later led a prayer Sunday at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla for Khamenei and his late family members. On hand were Khamenei’s sons Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa, as well as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Revolutionary Guard head Gen. Ahmad Vahidi. Also there was Esmail Qaani, who leads the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei , did not attend. He’s believed to be in hiding after reportedly being seriously wounded in the airstrike that killed his father. Israel has threatened to kill him as well.

A far larger crowd than the day before attended the funeral ceremony on Sunday. Mourners dressed in black walked to the site, carrying banners and flags honoring Khamenei and also calling for Trump’s killing as the American president gave a speech in Washington for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States .

“We’ve had tremendous success,” Trump said, speaking of the American military. “You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran. We wiped it out, wiped out their military.”

Trump told Axios that U.S.-Iran negotiations are paused until the funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader conclude on July 9, saying that both sides agreed to “take a week off” and that “neither side will shoot at the other” during that time.

Referring to scenes of mourning in Tehran, Trump said he was surprised to see Iranians crying because he thought people hated Ali Khamenei, adding: “Maybe it’s fake tears.”

He also said, “They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth built a plan last month to pull more American troops out of Europe, then dropped it before announcing it. The Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, said Thursday that Hegseth made sure his message lined up with President Donald Trump‘s goals and did not want to crowd the president’s room to decide.

Hegseth had been planning to fly to Brussels in June to tell NATO’s top military chiefs that the United States was readying fresh troop cuts on the continent, according to people familiar with the matter cited by the Wall Street Journal. The cuts would have gone beyond two moves already made this year: the canceled deployment of an armored brigade to Poland and the earlier withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania.

That plan was scrapped after Hegseth shared it with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, and other senior officials. Instead of the bombshell, Hegseth used his June 18 speech in Brussels to announce a review of American forces in Europe that could take up to six months.

The episode shows the Trump administration has not settled on how fast or how deep it wants to cut in Europe. There are roughly 80,000 U.S. troops on the continent now.

The back-and-forth is familiar. In May, the Pentagon said it would withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Trump’s handling of the war with Iran. Weeks later, Hegseth canceled an armored brigade’s rotation to Poland — a move that caught even Trump off guard. Trump then reversed it on Truth Social, saying he would send 5,000 troops to Poland instead, citing his ties to Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

Congress has tried to slow the cuts. Under the 2026 defense budget law, the Pentagon cannot keep troop levels in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days without first notifying and certifying its plans to lawmakers. Republican and Democratic members of the armed services committees have complained they were not consulted on the earlier moves.

The direction, though, is set. A Pentagon defense strategy issued in January said the United States would trim its presence in Europe to focus more on the western Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, with the goal of handing European nations the main job of defending their own continent. On Thursday, Trump wrote on social media that the U.S. spends more on NATO than any other country and gets no benefit from it.

Troop levels and allied spending will be front and center next week when Trump meets NATO leaders in Ankara, Turkey. Alliance officials are hoping the summit shows unity and support for Ukraine, but they fear friction with Trump will steal the spotlight. Officials are also weighing whether to scrap a planned 2027 summit in Albania, according to Reuters.

For business, the story is about who pays and who builds. NATO members agreed in June 2025 to lift defense spending toward 5% of GDP by 2035, a huge jump from the old 2% target. Consulting firm McKinsey estimates European core defense spending could reach about €800 billion—roughly $912 billion—by 2030.

That money is lifting Europe’s arms makers. Shares of Germany’s Rheinmetall, Britain’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo, France’s Thales, and Sweden’s Saab have climbed sharply since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, driven by growing order books. The Stoxx Europe Aerospace & Defence index cooled somewhat this year as investors questioned whether prices had run too far ahead of actual deliveries.

There is a catch for American firms. Much of Europe’s new spending is being steered toward European factories. Under the European Union’s SAFE loan program, the bloc wants 55% of weapons purchases coming from European or Ukrainian makers by 2030. That threatens to shut out U.S. contractors that have long dominated European sales, even as Washington pushes allies to spend more.

At home, Hegseth has said the United States will invest $1.5 trillion in defense in its 2027 budget. But the uncertainty over troop levels—plans floated, then pulled—has unsettled allies and some leading Republicans, who worry the stop-and-start approach will damage the alliance and encourage Russia.

For now, the pace of any pullback is on hold pending the six-month review. The Ankara summit will offer the next signal of where Trump wants it to go.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

In a dramatic political and legal escalation, the Israeli government on Sunday unanimously approved a proposal declaring that it will not recognize the High Court’s ruling reinstating the Second Authority Council appointed by the previous government.

The resolution states that a judicial ruling that directly contradicts the law is null and void and will not be recognized, and that any decisions or appointments made by the council would not be recognized—including approval of the sale of Channel 13 to a group of high-tech entrepreneurs.

The Second Authority for Television and Radio is an Israeli commercial television and radio authority, established by a Knesset law in 1990. The Second Authority issues licenses for commercial television and regional radio stations, handles citizen complaints, ensures that commercial advertisements are run within the allotted time, and ensures that the operators maintain a certain mix of program genres as stipulated in their licenses.

The cabinet approved a joint proposal by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, announcing that it will not recognize any decision, approval, appointment, or action taken by the Second Authority Council as long as it does not meet the explicit statutory quorum requirements.

“The decision follows the Supreme Court’s June 17 ruling, which reinstated the Second Authority Council appointed by the previous government, even though the number of serving members had fallen below the statutory minimum,” the government said.

“The government determined that the rule of law binds all branches of government, including the judiciary. A judicial ruling that directly contradicts the clear language of the law cannot confer authority that does not exist under the law, and therefore the government will not recognize actions taken pursuant to that ruling.”

The government further declared that it “will not recognize any claims of reliance or fait accompli by parties in the communications market regarding actions taken by a council that does not meet the statutory quorum established by the legislature.”

Karhi accused the High Court of overstepping its authority. “The High Court justices are not the Knesset, and an intoxication with power does not grant them the authority to erase an explicit statutory requirement simply because it is inconvenient,” he said. “The rule of law is not the rule of judges. Today the government made it clear: when the Supreme Court tramples the law, the state will not cooperate.”

“A two-thirds quorum is a legal requirement, not a recommendation. A council that does not meet the statutory threshold established by the legislature simply does not legally exist, and its decisions are worthless as garlic peel. The same will apply to any future attempt by the Court to trample laws enacted by the Knesset.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin said: “The rule of law means that the law binds everyone, including the courts. In a democracy, the Knesset enacts the law, and the courts are obligated to apply it. When a judicial ruling stands in direct contradiction to the plain language of the law, it is no longer judicial review but a violation of the separation of powers. The government has a duty to ensure that the law—and only the law—remains the source of governmental authority. We will continue to use every lawful means to restore the rule of law.”

The resolution follows a High Court ruling issued in mid-June freezing the government’s decision to replace the membership of the Second Authority Council and ordering that the existing council remain in office until the Court rules on the petitions challenging the government’s move. The ruling was issued despite the fact that the number of serving council members had fallen below the statutory minimum of two-thirds of its full membership.

The ruling was issued by a panel consisting of High Court “President” Yitzchak Amit, Justice Alex Stein, and Justice Ruth Ronen in response to five separate petitions filed by various left-wing organizations, including the Journalists’ Association, the News Company, the Movement for Quality Government, the Israeli Press Council, and the Association for the Preservation of the Rule of Law.

The government’s decision is expected to trigger what some are calling “the beginning of an open constitutional crisis.”

The decision drew sharp criticism from the Israeli Journalists’ Association, which accused the government of undermining both the media and democracy.

“The Israeli government is dismantling the media—and democracy itself,” the organization said. “Today’s decision not to comply with a Supreme Court ruling is transparently intended to block the sale of Channel 13 to the high-tech entrepreneurs while trampling the Supreme Court in an unprecedented manner. The government is announcing that it will not obey the rule of law for political reasons. This is a state of emergency. Those who do not speak out now may no longer be able to do so later.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Newly analyzed documents detailing communications between Hamas and Hezbollah leaders reveal that Yahya Sinwar spent years trying to orchestrate a coordinated regional assault on Israel, believing Hezbollah would launch a massive offensive alongside Hamas once the war began.

The documents, examined by researchers at the Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute and published Sunday by Doron Kadosh of Galei Tzahal, shed new light on Sinwar’s extensive strategic discussions with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the years preceding the October 7 massacre.

According to the documents, Sinwar presented Nasrallah with multiple operational plans for attacking Israel, not just a single proposal. Each envisioned cooperation among members of the Iranian-backed regional alliance, although the degree of participation varied from one scenario to another.

Even in the less ambitious proposals, one strategic objective remained unchanged. Sinwar consistently viewed Israel’s border with Jordan as a critical battlefield in any future conflict, alongside the traditional fronts in Gaza and Lebanon.

The correspondence indicates that as early as June 2022, Sinwar advocated for a coordinated assault in which guerrilla forces would infiltrate Israel simultaneously from Syria and Jordan. He believed opening multiple fronts at once would overwhelm Israel’s military and force it to divide its resources across several theaters of combat.

The exchanges also suggest that Nasrallah responded favorably to the proposals. According to the documents, he described one of the plans as a “realistic scenario that can be realized.” Nasrallah reportedly said he intended to present the proposal to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for approval. Despite that, the plans did not envision direct Iranian military involvement, with Tehran expected to remain outside the fighting itself.

Researchers concluded that Sinwar became increasingly confident after each meeting with Hezbollah’s leadership. He came away believing that Nasrallah was committed to participating in a major war and that Hezbollah would assume a central role once hostilities began.

By June 2023, Sinwar was expressing that confidence publicly within Hamas leadership circles. During a meeting of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza, he declared, “In recent months, we have succeeded in bringing Hezbollah and the Iranians out of their ‘psychological deterrence’ mindset that has existed since 2006 in the Dahieh. Now the Iranians and Hezbollah are prepared…” The documents indicate that Sinwar believed both Hezbollah and Iran had become increasingly willing to confront Israel directly.

His confidence only grew as October approached. Addressing Hamas’s Shura Council in August 2023—roughly six weeks before the attack—Sinwar predicted that the conflict would rapidly spread throughout the region.

“We are certain that if the great strategic battle breaks out, God willing, many fronts will be opened against this enemy,” he told the gathering.

Not everyone within Hamas shared that optimism. Internal military intelligence assessments painted a more cautious picture, warning that Hezbollah still faced a significant “psychological barrier” when it came to entering a large-scale war with Israel. The intelligence analysis suggested Hezbollah remained hesitant despite Sinwar’s assurances to Hamas’s leadership.

Nevertheless, the documents indicate that Sinwar never altered his expectations. He remained convinced that Nasrallah would honor their understandings and enter the war immediately once Hamas launched its offensive.

According to the report, at 6:29 a.m. on October 7, shortly after Hamas began its assault, Sinwar sent an urgent message to Nasrallah apologizing for not informing him beforehand of the exact timing of the operation while pleading for Hezbollah to join the battle without delay.

“We ask for support and assistance,” Sinwar wrote before urging Hezbollah to “hurry and take part… in concentrated rocket bombardments… and begin a major ground offensive.”

The report, first revealed by Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, indicates that one of Sinwar’s immediate priorities during the opening hours of the massacre was to transform the conflict into a broad regional war by bringing Hezbollah into the fighting at full strength.

That plan never materialized.

Although Hezbollah eventually entered the conflict a day later, its involvement remained far more limited than Sinwar had anticipated. Rather than launching the sweeping invasion he envisioned, Hezbollah confined its operations to a much narrower campaign along Israel’s northern border.

Researchers concluded that the documents highlight a striking disconnect between Sinwar’s expectations and reality. While he believed the October 7 assault would almost automatically trigger simultaneous attacks on multiple fronts, that scenario never fully developed.

The analysis concludes that although the October 7 massacre itself represented an unprecedented terrorist attack and intelligence failure, the consequences could have been substantially more devastating had Hezbollah executed the full-scale offensive Sinwar expected. According to the report, Hezbollah’s decision not to immediately launch a major assault likely spared communities throughout the Galilee from a far broader and more destructive attack.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A 17-year-old Muslim is currently on trial in Zurich for the antisemitic stabbing of an Orthodox Jewish man on March 2, 2024. The teenager is accused of carrying out an antisemitic attack and attempting to target additional victims.

The Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office has charged him with multiple counts of attempted murder but is seeking a prison sentence of only one year because Swiss law does not allow lengthy prison terms for juvenile offenders.

Among other things, the judge sought to understand why the teenager identified with the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS), how he planned the attack, and what his current thoughts were regarding the victim. However, the 17-year-old refused to answer any questions, repeatedly responding simply, “No comment.”

Because the defendant remained silent, the judge referred to his earlier statements in the case. According to those statements, the teenager intended to be killed by police after the attack so that he could die as a “martyr” and “go to paradise.”

According to the indictment, the teenager became radicalized following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre. In January 2024, he searched online for information about ISIS and bomb-making. He later purchased a knife, went to a synagogue in Zurich, and began a livestream before carrying out the attack. The livestream recorded audio but not video.

The teenager described himself as a fighter for the Islamic State and declared his intention to attack a synagogue and kill as many Jews as possible. On March 2, he attacked the victim from behind and stabbed him repeatedly. The victim narrowly survived the assault. The 50-year-old man suffered 17 stab wounds and required prolonged hospitalization.

The attacker intended to broadcast the massacre he had planned to as many people as possible. He urged viewers to record the footage and share it online.

“The entire incident was recorded on a mobile phone, but he had placed it in his pocket. That’s why there is only an audio recording,” the judge said during the trial.

The recording reportedly captures the attacker complaining that the synagogue door was locked. He then announced that he would simply wait for someone to come outside. Moments later he says, “Now I’ve got one.” The recording then captures the sound of running, the attack itself, repeated cries of “Allahu Akbar,” and finally the arrival of paramedics.

Juvenile criminal proceedings in Switzerland are generally held behind closed doors. However, due to the significant public interest in the case, members of the media were permitted to attend the hearings, as well as the delivery of the verdict and sentencing.

The indictment states that the attacker spent weeks planning “to kill as many Jews as possible.” Online, he exchanged information with another like-minded individual about the best way to manufacture explosives and searched for suitable methods to carry out the attack.

After determining that building a bomb was too complicated, the indictment says he decided instead to use a knife. The day before the attack, he purchased a butcher’s knife at a shopping center in Zurich. On social media, he searched: “What time do the Jews gather?” His intention was to kill Jews while they were praying in a synagogue.

The attacker, who was 15 years old at the time of the crime, attacked the victim from behind and repeatedly stabbed him. He initially targeted the victim’s neck and head and ultimately attempted to slit his throat. In total, he inflicted 17 stab wounds.

The victim managed to escape several meters into the street, but the attacker chased him. As the victim desperately cried for help, the assailant continued stabbing him and refused to stop. A struggle eventually broke out between the attacker and the victim on the hood of a car stopped at a red traffic light. Passersby succeeded in overpowering the attacker. The victim collapsed with critical injuries, including multiple lung wounds, and required emergency surgery.

The attacker, a Swiss-Tunisian citizen, faces a sentence of one year in prison for multiple counts of attempted murder and other offenses, the maximum sentence available for someone who was 15 years old at the time of committing the crimes. The defense is seeking acquittal on the attempted murder charges and instead requests a sentence of six months’ imprisonment. The verdict is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday, July 7, at 1:30 p.m. local time.

The relatively light sentence the young terrorist is expected to receive has generated considerable concern. Under Swiss law, juvenile offenders are generally subject to rehabilitation and special treatment rather than lengthy imprisonment, based on the principle that they should be rehabilitated through education and reform. The maximum penalty the attacker can receive is one year in prison or placement in a secure educational institution until the age of 25 in an effort to rehabilitate him. Swiss lawmakers have begun promoting legislation that would impose significantly harsher penalties if an offense is classified as terrorism. However, given the pace of the Swiss legislative process, such a law could take considerable time to pass, if it passes at all.

Swiss law provides that an adult who seriously injures another person can receive up to ten years in prison. Murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. However, because the attacker was only 15 years old at the time of the offense, prosecutors could not seek a harsher sentence. The court does, however, have the authority to revoke the attacker’s Swiss citizenship, after which he could be deported to his country of origin, Tunisia.

Why is Switzerland’s juvenile criminal law more lenient than its adult criminal law?

According to Jan Ege, Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at the University of Zurich, two considerations are decisive.

“The goal is not to punish for the crime itself, but to prevent young people from reoffending,” he explained. Studies have shown that lengthy prison sentences have only a limited deterrent effect.

Secondly, neurological research shows that adolescents have a reduced ability to control their behavior compared with adults.

“Therefore, the legislature assumes that adolescents, to a certain extent, have diminished criminal responsibility,” Ege said.

The antisemitic terrorist attack shocked Swiss society. The fact that the perpetrator may serve only one year in prison is likely to be met with disbelief by many members of the public.

According to Ege, while one can argue for harsher penalties in the name of justice, “Stricter punishments do not lead to fewer crimes—proper treatment and rehabilitation do.”

Last year, Swiss lawmakers proposed increasing the maximum prison sentence for 16-year-olds from four to six years, and for 15-year-olds from one year to two years. However, for the time being, there has been no progress on legislation that would impose substantially tougher penalties on juveniles who commit serious crimes such as murder.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preparing to require most aircraft flying in U.S. civilian airspace to carry technology that allows pilots to see nearby aircraft in real time, according to reporting this week. The proposed rule follows the January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people and is intended to reduce the risk of similar accidents by giving flight crews an additional layer of situational awareness.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has directed agency officials to draft the proposal, according to people familiar with the effort, although the agency emphasized that no final decision has yet been made. If adopted, the mandate would represent one of the most significant cockpit safety upgrades for commercial and general aviation since the FAA required aircraft to broadcast their locations using ADS-B Out technology.

At the center of the proposal is ADS-B In (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In), a cockpit system that allows pilots to receive the positions of nearby aircraft on an electronic display while also providing audible traffic alerts. Unlike ADS-B Out, which transmits an aircraft’s location to air traffic controllers and other aircraft, ADS-B In gives pilots a direct view of surrounding traffic, allowing them to identify potential conflicts even before receiving instructions from controllers.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended broader adoption of ADS-B In for nearly two decades. Following its investigation into January’s fatal collision over the Potomac River, the board renewed that recommendation, concluding the technology could provide pilots with valuable additional warning during rapidly developing situations.

The January 29 accident involved a regional jet operating as an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. According to the NTSB’s preliminary findings, the helicopter was neither broadcasting its position through ADS-B Out nor equipped with ADS-B In. While the regional jet was transmitting its location, it lacked the ability to receive traffic information from surrounding aircraft. Investigators estimated that if the airliner had been equipped with ADS-B In, its pilots may have had approximately one minute to identify the approaching helicopter rather than only 19 seconds before impact.

Congress has debated legislation addressing the issue since the crash but has yet to produce a unified solution. The House approved the ALERT Act, while the Senate advanced separate legislation known as the ROTOR Act. The two proposals differ on implementation timelines and which aircraft would ultimately be required to install the technology.

Rather than waiting for Congress to reconcile the legislation, the FAA appears prepared to move forward through its own regulatory authority. Officials have reportedly discussed shortening or bypassing portions of the traditional federal rulemaking process because of the safety implications.

The proposal carries significant financial implications for the aviation industry.

For major commercial airlines, upgrading existing avionics to support ADS-B In is expected to be relatively modest because most fleets already carry modern ADS-B Out equipment. The greater challenge falls on the nation’s general aviation community.

Industry estimates suggest retrofitting older privately owned aircraft could cost anywhere from approximately $10,000 to $50,000 per aircraft, depending on the equipment installed. Some aircraft owners may determine those costs exceed the value of older airplanes, potentially leading to early retirements rather than upgrades.

The United States has more than 30,000 aircraft potentially requiring retrofits but only a few hundred certified repair stations capable of performing the installations. Aviation groups have also warned of a shortage of qualified aircraft mechanics, noting the median age of FAA-certified mechanics now stands at approximately 54 years, raising concerns about whether enough skilled technicians will be available if thousands of aircraft require upgrades simultaneously.

While aircraft owners could face higher costs, avionics manufacturers may benefit substantially.

Companies including Garmin and Honeywell are expected to see increased demand for cockpit display systems, surveillance equipment and installation services if the mandate is approved. Airlines may also accelerate fleet modernization plans, while business aircraft operators could increasingly favor newer aircraft already equipped with advanced avionics.

The proposal reflects a broader international trend toward enhanced aircraft surveillance and collision-avoidance technologies. Aviation regulators worldwide continue evaluating additional safety measures as global air traffic returns to record levels following the pandemic.

The effort has also highlighted differences between aviation regulators. Administrator Bedford previously suggested the FAA would avoid imposing a mandate without congressional approval, citing compatibility issues involving hundreds of commercial aircraft and proposing that less expensive tablet-based traffic displays might provide an interim solution. That position drew criticism from NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, who has urged the FAA to require permanent cockpit-based traffic awareness systems.

The FAA is expected to publish a formal proposal in the coming months. If finalized, the first compliance deadlines could take effect as early as 2027 for commercial airlines, followed by phased implementation for general aviation.

For airlines, aircraft manufacturers, avionics suppliers and private aircraft owners, the proposal signals that the next major investment in aviation safety may soon become a regulatory requirement rather than an operational choice.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.

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

A cargo ship came under attack Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said, the latest maritime attack off the conflict-torn Arab country.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the attack off the coastal city of Hodeida, which is under control of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

The UKMTO said the ship reported being “under attack by unknown armed assailants” 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Hodeida.

A skiff approached the bulk carrier and opened fire, forcing the ship’s security guards to return fire, before sailing back to a larger ship about 2 nautical miles (3.7 kilometers) away with its automatic identification system switched off, the UKMTO said.

The cargo ship and crew were reported safe, the British military agency said, adding that authorities were investigating.

No group immediately claimed the attack.

The Houthis have threatened to begin attacking ships again, though they have not been carrying out attacks. A Houthi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The rebels previously fired drones and missiles at ships that pass by territory they control near the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Their attacks over the course of the Gaza war forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa instead of through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea.

Somali pirates also have been active further away in the Gulf of Aden recently.

Suspected pirates attacked a vessel 76 nautical miles (140 kilometers) south of the port town of Balhaf in southeastern Yemen on July 1. Four armed men on a small craft caused minor damage to the ship’s bridge, according to the UKMTO.

(AP)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a shocking incident which emphasizes the current level of incitement against yeshiva students in Israel, a group of youths entered the Rechasim yeshiva on Saturday night and went on a rampage, throwing rocks and other heavy objects. According to testimony from yeshiva students, the violent youths assaulted several students, who did not call the police out of fear that they would be arrested as military draft evaders.

“Our blood has been declared forfeit. They had knives tucked into their waistbands. I’m afraid to call the police,” one student told Channel 13 News.

Another student described the incident: “After Shabbat ended, there was a fight involving at-risk youths outside our yeshiva. They started throwing rocks toward the yeshiva. One yeshiva student was nearly struck by a large rock that one of the youths aimed at his head. When they saw there was no police presence, they grabbed one student, threw him to the ground, and beat him brutally. Six of them attacked him until he was covered in blood. He’s now lying in the dormitory with a black eye and injuries all over his body.”

The student added that the injured yeshiva student is afraid to seek medical treatment because he is considered a draft evader and fears being arrested.

Summing up the situation, the student said: “We were afraid to call the police because everyone in the yeshiva is considered a draft evader. We feel like our lives are in danger, and we have no protection.”

In addition, Channel 13 News reported that a young charedi man who was in Kfar Hasidim this evening was severely beaten in the face but also chose not to report the assault to police because he feared being arrested as a draft evader.

Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is facing a recommended misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck a parked vehicle in Napa County and drove away before his own damaged car came to a stop a short distance later.

According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a reported hit-and-run on Yount Street in Yountville at approximately 2:30 p.m. on July 3.

Investigators said a witness called 911 after seeing a northbound convertible crash into the rear of a parked vehicle on the side of the road. The impact caused extensive damage and forced one of the parked car’s tires onto the curb.

The witness told deputies that the driver briefly stopped after the collision before leaving the scene.

Authorities later located Pelosi, 86, who acknowledged that he had struck something but told officers he did not realize what he had hit. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled because of the damage sustained in the crash.

Deputies found Pelosi’s brown convertible partially obstructing the roadway on Yountville Cross Road. Officers observed significant damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle.

Investigators determined that alcohol did not play a role in the incident. Pelosi voluntarily submitted to a preliminary alcohol screening test, which registered a blood alcohol content of 0.00. Police said that “therefore, Driving Under the Influence was ruled out.”

Pelosi was not taken into custody. The sheriff’s office explained that “is common for this type of offense, in accordance with misdemeanor arrest laws spelled out in 853.6 of the California Penal Code.”

The investigation has been forwarded to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review. Authorities also said they will submit a driver re-examination referral to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, a procedure commonly used in cases involving elderly motorists.

A spokesperson for the Napa County Sheriff’s Office told The California Post that investigators are recommending a misdemeanor charge of property-damage hit-and-run without injuries under California Vehicle Code 20002.

The Pelosi family owns a vineyard estate in nearby St. Helena, roughly 10 miles north of Yountville. The 16-acre Zinfandel Lane property includes a residence and a licensed winery and generates revenue through grape production.

In a statement to The California Post, a spokesperson for Pelosi said, “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle.”

The spokesperson added, “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.”

Pelosi has previously spoken publicly about issues affecting the area surrounding the family’s vineyard. According to the Los Angeles Times, he once opposed a neighboring winery’s proposed expansion and also raised concerns about speeding on the local roads.

“One thing I would like to say while here, though,” he said, “all of us are concerned about the speed limit on Zinfandel Lane.”

Pelosi first became the focus of national attention in 2022 after an intruder broke into the couple’s San Francisco home and assaulted him with a hammer, causing a fractured skull.

The attacker, David DePape, had been searching for Nancy Pelosi, who was away on official business at the time of the attack.

Earlier that same year, Pelosi was involved in another crash in Napa County while driving his Porsche. Responding officers reported that he appeared intoxicated, alleging that he smelled strongly of alcohol, had difficulty maintaining his balance, and slurred his speech.

A blood alcohol test later measured his blood alcohol concentration at 0.082%. Pelosi subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge involving injuries.

Pelosi has also drawn public attention over financial transactions. In 2021, he reportedly earned approximately $5.3 million through Alphabet stock options that he had acquired on February 27, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the U.S. economy. The timing of the investment prompted questions from critics about possible insider trading because of his connection to a senior member of Congress.

{Matzav.com}

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beersheba have found that how fast an older adult can take a step, one foot in front of the other – especially when distracted by a cognitive task at the same time – can serve as a valuable predictor of how long they will live.

With the growing elderly population, predicting survival through clinical examinations has attracted considerable interest.

The research was led by Prof. Itshak Melzer from BGU’s physical therapy department, together with colleagues Ofri Gans-Or, Anat Reiner-Benaim, and Iuly Treger from BGU and Soroka University Medical Center.

It was done in collaboration with Lars Oddsson from the University of Minnesota and RxFunction Inc., a Minnesota-based medical device company that designs and markets technologies that improve balance, increase mobility, and reduce the risk of falling.

Their findings have just been published in the journal Gerontology, under the title “Speed of voluntary step execution may predict survival among older adults: An explorative study.”

Melzer has a broad background in the study of balance control and falls in older adults. As a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University, he conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether specific balance training could improve balance in older adults.

Faster stepping may help predict longer life, Ben-Gurion study finds

The team developed the first prototype of the BaMPer system, a balance perturbation system that could be an effective tool for measuring one’s ability to respond rapidly when balance is unexpectedly lost while recovering, providing a window into an individual’s long-term functional health.

It stimulates the nervous system and forces the body to develop quick, automatic reactions to prevent a fall,” Melzer told The Jerusalem Post in an interview.

While medical care usually measures life expectancy through chronological age or the number of chronic illnesses, physical indicators like walking speed seem to be strong indicators of health and independence.

The research team sought to expand this clinical toolkit by evaluating whether postural sway (static balance) and voluntary step execution (dynamic balance) could predict survival rates over a long-term follow-up period.

They stood on a force platform – a biomechanical instrument equipped with sensors that measure ground reaction forces and the center of pressure when a patient stands, walks, or performs movements.

It involves significant challenges, such as the need for a force platform in clinical settings, he said, but new technologies including wearable systems that can reliably detect step behavior could solve this problem.

The team analyzed balance data from 120 elderly participants, divided into two age groups – below 75 years of age and over 75 years living in the community – and found a significant link between step initiation latency and risk of death.

Participants in the dual-task setup were asked to take rapid steps while simultaneously performing a modified Stroop task, naming the ink color of words printed in mismatched colors. For example, seeing the word “blue” that was printed in green.

The researchers noted that because sensory detection and basic nerve conduction speeds remain constant between simple and distracted stepping, any delay in initiating a step during the mental challenge is largely driven by limitations in central neural processing.

Traditional static balance measures, such as an increase in anterior-posterior postural sway velocity (a sign of impaired balance), show a heightened risk of falls.

When this occurs, the central nervous system quickly corrects posture while standing barefoot with eyes closed. It can also predict the risk of death in a relatively shorter time. However, this was less effective and accurate than the dynamic stepping tests.

Health insurers can buy the equipment and test their elderly members, suggested Melzer, who has established strong ties with health funds and assisted-living facilities.

Slow stepping often means a decline in daily mobility that can trigger a cycle of reduced physical activity, overall deconditioning, and systemic health risks.

Because a voluntary step test is straightforward to conduct and requires minimal professional specialization, it could serve as an accessible indicator of functional vitality in clinical environments, the researchers said.

“Incorporating dual-task-based assessments into standard clinical evaluations could significantly improve survival prediction and help guide early interventions targeting cognitive-motor health,” Melzer noted.

“We tested people in the lab who were 80 and checked if they were still alive 20 years later; not many survived,” he recalled. “When we looked at the Health Ministry’s registry, if they died and when, we found that those who stepped faster than 100 milliseconds lived over a year longer on average than those who were slower.”

To improve your condition and live longer, do balance training – simple, targeted movements like the single-leg stand, heel-to-toe walk, and chair squats that strengthen core and lower-body muscles.

Always use a sturdy chair or wall for support, and aim for a few minutes of daily practice. Weight-bearing exercise while standing is also beneficial.

“It’s never too late to improve balance, but one must always consult a physician before starting to exercise at this age. We will study it with more people and follow up,” he asserted.

The study revealed that for every 100 milliseconds’ increase in step initiation time under dual-task (distracted) conditions, the risk of mortality increased by 28%.

In other words, older adults who required an additional 100 milliseconds to initiate a step while simultaneously performing a cognitive task were at a significantly greater risk of death during the follow-up period. This means that slower step initiation can serve as an indicator of reduced overall neurological and physiological resilience in aging.

They concluded that “crucially, because voluntary stepping speed is a modifiable trait that prior clinical trials have shown can be improved through targeted perturbation and balance rehabilitation training, these diagnostic measures offer a practical pathway to identify individuals who could benefit from specialized mobility programs to potentially extend longevity.

“Future studies should explore the longitudinal impact of voluntary stepping on survival, assessing whether cognitive-motor training for balance rehabilitation can enhance survival rates.”

Our muscles do what the brain tells them to do, Melzer continued.

“The brain is the big computer that gives orders and the timing, what works first and second, and how much muscles have to contract,” he said.

Asked how the elderly can reduce their risk of falling, Melzer advised “not talking when you walk. We know that drivers who talk on their phones have a much slower reaction time. But you can’t easily stop people from talking.”

Asked what the most common misunderstanding people are likely to have when they hear about the research, Melzer said that it was a pilot study, based on statistics.

“We need to test and follow up with a larger group. And our results showed averages – not predictions of individual patients. There are people who are slowest and will not die prematurely. Those who are fastest mustn’t think they’ll live forever,” he concluded.

This post was originally published on here.

Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev disclosed Sunday that Israel transferred Iron Dome air defense batteries to the United Arab Emirates during the recent war, saying the systems were provided to help shield the Gulf nation from Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Speaking in an interview with Army Radio, Regev, who is a member of Israel’s Security Cabinet, confirmed that the defensive systems were deployed to protect civilians in the UAE from aerial threats during the conflict.

Regev also addressed President Donald Trump’s recent comment that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “knows who the boss is,” dismissing it as characteristic of Trump’s outspoken style.

“That’s a typical Trump-style comment,” she said. “Netanyahu drew red lines and told him, ‘I will do what is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel, just as you would do what is necessary to protect the citizens of the United States.'”

The revelation comes after Iran fired two waves of cruise missiles at the United Arab Emirates in May. Approximately two hours before the attacks, residents throughout the country received emergency alerts on their cellphones warning of an imminent missile strike from Iran and instructing them to seek shelter. Authorities later issued an all-clear notice once the immediate danger had passed.

During the first barrage, three incoming cruise missiles were intercepted, while a fourth landed harmlessly in the sea. In the second attack, three people were reported wounded.

Iran also launched attack drones at the UAE during the conflict, with one drone reportedly striking a petrochemical facility.

Later in May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE had quietly conducted dozens of airstrikes against targets inside Iran throughout the war, coordinating the operations with both Israel and the United States.

According to the newspaper, the strikes focused on military installations and energy infrastructure and continued even after a ceasefire had been announced.

The report further stated that the UAE adopted a far more aggressive posture toward Iran than neighboring Saudi Arabia, leading to friction between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over how forcefully to confront Tehran and respond to the broader regional conflict.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday that the U.S. labor force participation rate fell to 61.5% in June, its lowest level since March 2021 and, setting aside the pandemic period, the lowest in 50 years, matching a level last seen in June 1976. The decline helped push the unemployment rate down to 4.2%, but largely because hundreds of thousands of Americans stopped looking for work rather than finding new jobs.

At first glance, the June employment report appeared mixed. Employers added just 57,000 jobs, well below economists’ expectations of 115,000, and down from a downwardly revised 129,000 jobs in May. At the same time, the unemployment rate declined to its lowest level in a year. A closer look at the household survey, however, tells a very different story.

According to the report, the U.S. labor force shrank by approximately 720,000 people during June, while the number of Americans classified as not participating in the labor force increased by more than 830,000. Household employment—a separate measure from the payroll survey—fell by 507,000, while the employment-to-population ratio declined to 59%, its lowest level since October 2021.

Many economists said those numbers provide a more accurate picture of current labor-market conditions than the headline unemployment rate.

Dan North, Senior Economist for North America at Allianz, said the labor force participation rate—not the unemployment rate—is the figure demanding the most attention, describing June’s decline as unusually large both on a monthly and yearly basis.

Mike Reid, Head of U.S. Economics at RBC, characterized the report as a “massive exodus” from the labor force, suggesting the decline reflects a combination of retirements, discouraged workers abandoning their job searches and broader demographic changes.

Heather Long, Chief Economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, noted it was especially striking to see roughly 720,000 Americans stop looking for work during the same month that the leisure and hospitality sector also lost jobs.

What makes June’s report particularly noteworthy is who exited the workforce.

Rather than older Americans nearing retirement, much of the decline occurred among prime-age workers, those between 25 and 54 years old—a demographic that historically maintains the strongest attachment to the labor market. Some economists cautioned that monthly household survey data can be volatile and subject to future revisions. Nevertheless, the latest figures continue a longer-term trend that has seen labor force participation remain well below its peak of more than 67% reached around the year 2000.

For businesses, the implications are significant.

A shrinking labor force reduces the number of available workers, making it more difficult for employers to fill open positions while placing upward pressure on wages and hiring costs. At the same time, fewer people earning paychecks ultimately means less consumer spending—the primary engine of the U.S. economy.

Separate data released by Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed U.S. employers announced the highest number of layoffs for the month of May since 2020, with companies citing artificial intelligence as a contributing factor in roughly 40% of announced job cuts. The figures suggest automation continues reshaping hiring decisions across multiple industries.

For the Federal Reserve, June’s employment report adds another layer of complexity to an already difficult economic outlook.

Slower hiring and declining labor force participation argue against further interest-rate increases, with some economists saying the data strengthens the case for the Fed to hold rates steady. Seema Shah, Chief Global Strategist at Principal Asset Management, said the report challenges recent expectations that the labor market had regained momentum while easing pressure on policymakers to tighten monetary policy further.

At the same time, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s long-term 2% target, leaving policymakers balancing signs of a cooling labor market against continued concerns over elevated prices. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, who described labor conditions as “steady” earlier this week, now faces another closely watched employment report that complicates the central bank’s policy decisions.

The next monthly employment report is scheduled for August 7, when investors, businesses and policymakers will be watching closely to determine whether June’s sharp decline in labor force participation proves to be a temporary anomaly—or a sign that America’s workforce is entering a more prolonged slowdown.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.

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When it comes to shidduchim, everyone has one. Maybe it’s a sibling you’re constantly davening for, a friend you always have in mind, or the shidduch that built your own home. Every shidduch begins with a connection: a conversation, an introduction, a shadchan who keeps thinking, a possibility revisited one more time. What people see is the engagement announcement. What they don’t see are the countless conversations and hours of thought behind it. 

That’s exactly what Kesher Shidduchim Lakewood, led by Rabbi Moshe Bender from Far Rockaway, is all about.

Perhaps the most powerful thing about Kesher is that the goal isn’t only engagements. It’s making sure girls are being thought about, that names are being discussed, that opportunities aren’t overlooked. No girl should be left behind. And unlike shadchanim who work independently, Kesher’s shadchanim function as a true family: sharing information, brainstorming together, celebrating each other’s simchos. Meaningful shidduchim are rarely built by one person working alone. They are built through connections.

The numbers tell part of the story: 

37 dedicated Kesher shadchanim 

275+ shidduchim facilitated since January 2025 

500+ girls connected to Kesher shadchanim. 

Behind each one is a new home, a family, a future, and none of it happens on its own. The challenges facing today’s singles are not a private issue; they are a Klal Yisrael issue.

Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshiva continue to speak openly about the need to create more shidduchim and support those navigating the process. Just recently, at Adirei HaTorah, Rav Dovid Schustal and other gedolim once again emphasized the importance of addressing this challenge and doing more for our singles.

Every day, Kesher is answering that call. 

Through dedicated shadchanim. Through meaningful meetings. Through collaboration. Through follow-up. Through an environment designed to help connections move forward.

That is what your support makes possible.

Because every shidduch starts with a connection.

And every connection has the power to change a life.

Click HERE to donate!

Although the Mossad has denied responsibility for the Gaza arena, a recent Channel 12 report revealed that the Mossad carried out several operations against Hamas in Gaza in the years leading up to the October 7 massacre.

The Mossad had maintained that Gaza fell under the Shin Bet’s responsibility and that the Shin Bet prevented it from operating there. Indeed, several years before the massacre, the Mossad decided to stop operating in the Strip.

However, according to the report, shortly before that decision was made, the Mossad carried out a number of intelligence operations aimed at penetrating Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza. Those operations ultimately failed after they were exposed and compromised.

The report emphasized that these were not peripheral activities, such as providing assistance to another agency, but rather Mossad-directed operations in which enormous resources were invested in an effort to penetrate Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza.

The report follows previous reports about the Mossad’s role in events and assessments leading up to October 7. Among other things, it was previously reported that the Mossad was involved in mediating the Qatari money transfers — which later turned out to have helped fund Hamas — as well as failures in intercepting communications between Hamas abroad and Hezbollah and Iran.

In addition, it was previously published that about two weeks before the massacre, the Mossad drafted a document assessing that Hamas was deterred and interested in a deal.

Channel 12 noted that all details in the report were cleared for publication by Israel’s military censor.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

US Vice President JD Vance said Britain had been “failed by its leadership for a long time,” adding that he hoped the country’s next prime minister could deliver the structural change voters were seeking after years of political turmoil.

In an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper, Vance said frequent changes of government pointed to deeper problems in British politics. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced last month he would step down after two years in office, paving the way for Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade.

Lawmaker Andy Burnham is widely expected to succeed Starmer after emerging as the sole candidate to replace the outgoing leader.

“What I see is six prime ministers in the last few years,” Vance told the newspaper. “What that says to me is that something is very broken about British politics and that people are really crying out for significant structural change.”

“I hope that Andy Burnham – and if not Andy Burnham, somebody else – is able to deliver it,” the vice president said, adding that “whoever the prime minister is figures out how to get Britain back on track.”

US-UK special relationship

Vance, whose wife Usha studied at the University of Cambridge and who has frequently spoken of his affection for Britain, described the country as an “amazing place” with the “most amazing people in the world” outside the United States.

His comments come after a sometimes uneasy but largely functional relationship between Starmer and US President Donald Trump.

The two leaders repeatedly stressed the importance of the US-UK “special relationship” despite disagreements over issues including Iran, Gaza and Ukraine, while also securing trade and investment agreements between the two allies.

Reacting to Starmer’s resignation last month, Trump described him as a “lovely man” and a “sort of friend of mine,” but said that he had failed on immigration and energy policy.

Trump had added: “I wish him well.”

Trump has described Burnham as “extremely liberal” and suggested Britain’s next likely prime minister would be unlikely to support further North Sea oil and gas development – something the US president had been asking Starmer to do.

In his interview with the Sunday Times, Vance said he did not know much about Burnham, but added that Britain remained one of Washington’s closest allies.

“Whoever is the prime minister, we’re going to work with them and work with them as successfully as we can,” he said.

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A violent line of thunderstorms tore across New Jersey Friday evening and left more than 230,000 homes and businesses without electricity, according to restoration updates from Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), the FirstEnergy subsidiary serving much of northern and central New Jersey. By Saturday afternoon, the utility said crews had restored power to nearly 80,000 customers, leaving about 150,000 still without service—roughly 95,000 in northern New Jersey and 55,000 in the central part of the state.

Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest electric utility, also reported widespread storm damage. As of Saturday morning, the company said it had restored power to 138,000 customers since extreme heat began on July 1, with powerful winds toppling trees, power lines, and approximately 165 utility poles throughout its service territory.

“We know being without power is challenging, particularly in hot weather,” said Paul Toscarelli, PSE&G’s Vice President of Electric Operations, adding that additional line crews were working throughout the Independence Day holiday weekend to restore service as quickly as possible.

The storm was driven by intense straight-line winds rather than a tropical system or widespread tornado outbreak. Dan Zarrow, chief meteorologist for New Jersey 101.5, said the combination of extreme heat and humidity fueled wind gusts exceeding 70 miles per hour in some locations.

JCP&L spokesman Chris Hoenig said the storm swept across virtually the utility’s entire service territory from north to south, leaving few communities untouched. Morris County and Monmouth County sustained the greatest damage, accounting for more than 90,000 outages at the height of the storm.

The timing could hardly have been worse. Communities across New Jersey were preparing for one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year when widespread outages forced the cancellation of Independence Day celebrations, including Summit’s fireworks at Soldiers Memorial Field. Restaurants, grocery stores, retailers, and other small businesses lost valuable holiday sales while many also faced spoiled inventory after prolonged power failures. JCP&L established free water and ice distribution sites for customers left without electricity during the dangerous heat.

Behind the storm damage sits a larger business story involving the region’s electrical grid.

PJM Interconnection, which manages the electric grid serving New Jersey and 12 other states along with the District of Columbia, reported electricity demand climbing to roughly 163 gigawatts on Thursday as the Northeast heat wave pushed heat index values above 110 degrees across portions of the Mid-Atlantic. That demand came within striking distance of PJM’s all-time record of 165,563 megawatts, established during the summer of 2006.

To help maintain reliability, the U.S. Department of Energy issued emergency orders under the Federal Power Act. Energy Secretary Chris Wright authorized PJM to temporarily operate certain power plants beyond normal environmental restrictions and, if necessary, require large industrial customers—including major data centers—to switch to backup generators during emergency conditions. Facilities drawing at least 50 megawatts of electricity can be directed to move onto backup generation within 15 minutes if the grid becomes critically stressed.

It marked the third time during 2026 that federal emergency authority has been used to support PJM’s electrical system.

The strain also drove electricity prices sharply higher. Wholesale electricity prices in portions of PJM exceeded $2,000 per megawatt-hour on Thursday, while the region’s Western Hub benchmark settled near $1,223, almost three times the level seen during comparable summer demand periods a year earlier. Businesses on demand-based utility rates and consumers with variable-rate electricity plans face the greatest exposure to those price spikes.

PJM officials say the long-term driver behind rising electricity demand is no longer a mystery.

The grid operator projects that approximately 30 of the next 32 gigawatts of expected electricity demand growth through 2030 will come from expanding data centers, which require enormous amounts of power to support artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure. PJM’s latest capacity auction produced a record clearing price of $333.44 per megawatt-day, significantly increasing the future cost of guaranteeing sufficient generating capacity across the region.

Those higher costs ultimately flow through to utility customers, helping explain why New Jersey lawmakers recently advanced legislation requiring large data centers to bear a greater share of future electric infrastructure costs.

The immediate concern, however, remains restoration efforts.

PSE&G warned that additional thunderstorms could move through New Jersey on Sunday, creating the possibility of new outages while crews continue repairing damage from Friday night’s storms. By early Sunday, FirstEnergy’s outage maps showed the number of customers without electricity gradually falling toward 90,000, although the company cautioned that complete restoration would require several more days because of the widespread damage.

For New Jersey residents and business owners, utility officials continue urging customers to avoid downed power lines, minimize refrigerator openings to preserve food, monitor official outage maps, and prepare for continued restoration work as crews race to rebuild the electric system during one of the hottest stretches of the summer.

JBizNews Desk | New Jersey

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The biggest fireworks show the country has ever attempted lit up the sky over the National Mall in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, after storms forced organizers to evacuate the crowd and push President Trump’s speech past 11 p.m. Saturday. Freedom 250, the White House-backed group organizing America’s 250th birthday celebrations, said the display featured roughly 850,000 pyrotechnic effects launched from 10 sites across the National Mall and West Potomac Park, along with eight barges on the Potomac River.

The company behind the display was Pyrotecnico, a fifth-generation, family-owned fireworks company based in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Company President Rocco Vitale told CBS News that his 75-person crew spent months planning the event, using GPS-synchronized firing systems to coordinate what he described as the largest production his company has ever attempted.

While organizers promoted the display as the biggest in history, Guinness World Records had not officially verified a new world record as of Sunday. Guinness measures the number of fireworks successfully detonated, while Freedom 250’s announced figure referred to total pyrotechnic effects, making the two measurements different. The current Guinness record remains 810,904 fireworks, set in Bocaue, Philippines, during a 2016 New Year’s celebration.

Severe thunderstorms nearly derailed the celebration. Heavy rain and lightning moved through Washington Saturday evening, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to temporarily evacuate thousands of spectators from the National Mall into nearby museums and federal buildings before allowing them to return later in the evening.

President Donald Trump arrived after the weather delay and delivered his Independence Day remarks shortly after 11 p.m. He thanked members of the U.S. military, celebrated America’s founding ideals, and urged support for his SAVE America Act before the fireworks display began.

Earlier in the day, organizers canceled the scheduled Independence Day parade because of dangerous heat, with temperatures reaching approximately 102 degrees. Federal officials said 86 people received medical treatment during the event, while 34 were transported to local hospitals, including several suffering from heat-related illnesses.

Beyond the spectacle, the event highlighted growing economic pressures facing the fireworks industry. Nearly all consumer fireworks sold in the United States are imported from China, and tariffs have significantly increased costs for distributors and municipalities.

Pyrotecnico and other fireworks companies have acknowledged raising prices to offset higher import costs. Across the country, numerous cities and towns reduced, postponed, or canceled Independence Day fireworks because of rising expenses. Some communities relied on emergency fundraising campaigns to keep long-standing July 4 traditions alive.

The contrast was striking. While Washington staged an unprecedented national celebration, many smaller communities scaled back displays because they could no longer afford them.

Neither Freedom 250, the National Park Service, nor the U.S. Department of the Interior disclosed the total cost of the Washington production.

Industry experts estimate the fireworks alone likely cost between $6 million and $7 million, before labor, transportation, permitting, security, and setup expenses. Public federal records show the Department of the Interior previously obligated approximately $1.5 million for National Mall fireworks planning under an earlier contract, though officials have not released final costs for this year’s expanded celebration.

Vitale said Pyrotecnico anticipated trade disruptions well in advance by building inventory and sourcing fireworks from multiple countries, including the United States, Italy, Spain, and other international suppliers.

Weather also disrupted Independence Day celebrations elsewhere. Severe storms interrupted a July 4 concert in Philadelphia, while New York City’s Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks proceeded despite several small fires that briefly broke out on the Brooklyn Bridge during the event.

Whether Guinness ultimately certifies a new world record or not, Washington delivered one of the largest and most ambitious fireworks displays ever produced. The celebration showcased both America’s 250th anniversary and the growing financial challenges facing an industry increasingly affected by global supply chains, tariffs, and rising production costs.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.
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A Jewish real estate agent was brutally attacked in broad daylight in Toronto last week by an assailant who identified himself as a Houthi from Yemen.

Joseph Bitton described the incident in a Facebook post, saying that the man threatened to kill him due to his visibly Jewish appearance and then physically assaulted him.

Bitton wrote: “TODAY I WAS PHYSICALLY ATTACKED BY A MUSLIM in Toronto and in broad daylight while at a client’s commercial property. I am visibly Jewish, and the suspect said he was a Houthi from Yemen and was ‘going to kill me because Israel is killing babies and committing genocide.’

“He then threw a parking pylon at me as well as a brick, rocks, metal bars and struck me with a thick tree branch. I sustained only minor scratches and abrasions, but the greater damage was the emotional trauma. I called 911 and officers responded quickly, arrested the suspect, and said they were treating this as a hate crime. I also reported the incident to B’nai Brith and CIJA.

“This is NOT the Canada I grew up in and have lived in over the past 64 years.”

Antisemitic incidents in Canada reached another record high in 2025 for the second consecutive year, with 6,800 reported anti-Jewish hate incidents nationwide, highlighting the continued hostile climate toward Jews and Israelis across the country.

Figures from the beginning of 2026 already indicate that Canada is on track to experience its most violent year against the Jewish community in recent memory, with more violent antisemitic attacks recorded so far this year than during all of 2025. A total of 11 violent antisemitic attacks have been recorded across the country since the start of 2026, exceeding the 10 violent incidents documented throughout the entirety of last year.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

This past Friday afternoon, the power went out and our generator kicked on. About 30 minutes later, the carbon monoxide alarm started sounding.

With everyone rushing to finish getting ready for Shabbos, it would’ve been easy to ignore it. But after an experience we had this past winter, my first reaction was: everyone out of the house, shut off the generator, and call the fire department.

When they arrived, they found carbon monoxide levels over 40. Baruch Hashem, everyone was okay.

A few people said, “Just reset the alarm,” or “Take the battery out.” Please don’t ever do that.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It has no smell, no color, and you often don’t realize there’s a problem until it’s too late.

If your CO alarm goes off, take it seriously. Get everyone outside, call the fire department or your local emergency services, and make sure the source is identified before going back inside.

Baruch Hashem, this time the alarm did exactly what it was designed to do—it protected our family. Don’t take your carbon monoxide alarm for granted. It could save your life.

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

President Donald Trump used his Independence Day address on the National Mall on Saturday to declare the United States victorious over Iran, telling a storm-battered crowd that American forces had wiped out Tehran’s entire navy “in a moment.” Speaking at the Salute to America celebration marking the country’s 250th anniversary, Trump said the U.S. had destroyed 159 Iranian ships and declared the nation “stronger, freer, richer, safer, and prouder than ever before.”

The claim is Trump’s, and it goes beyond what his own government has publicly confirmed. The White House said U.S. forces used air and naval superiority to destroy Iran’s naval infrastructure, putting the count at 155 to 159 vessels. The Pentagon, however, has described the military operation as a blockade of Iranian ports combined with a limited number of maritime interceptions rather than the destruction of an entire fleet. Independent reporting has not corroborated the 159-ship figure, with one Pentagon briefing citing 13 vessels that were deterred rather than sunk. Earlier in the conflict, defense officials told Congress that clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz could take as long as six months—a timeline that contrasts with declarations of a complete military victory.

Trump devoted only a brief portion of his speech to Iran.

“They’re dying to settle. They want to settle so badly,” he said of Iran’s leadership. “We gave him a week off for a funeral because we’re nice.”

The comments referenced the temporary pause the administration placed on U.S.-Iran negotiations, which have continued for weeks through mediators from Qatar and Pakistan. The conflict began on Feb. 28, and has since moved into a fragile ceasefire following a June 17 memorandum of understanding establishing a negotiating window covering Iran’s nuclear program and other unresolved issues.

Much of the address revisited themes Trump introduced a night earlier at Mount Rushmore, where he framed the upcoming midterm elections as a battle against what he called a “resurgence of the communist menace,” describing communism as a direct threat to American liberty while linking the issue to immigration. On the National Mall, he returned to those themes while criticizing Democrats ahead of the 2026 elections.

The evening itself unfolded under difficult conditions.

Washington remained under an extreme heat alert, with the heat index approaching 105 degrees, before severe thunderstorms forced the U.S. Secret Service to evacuate portions of the National Mall shortly before the program. Some attendees left entirely while others later returned and underwent a second round of security screening. The remaining military flyovers scheduled for the evening were canceled because of the weather.

Earlier in the day, however, spectators watched performances by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, while the Qatari-donated Boeing aircraft currently serving as Air Force One conducted a ceremonial flyover before storms moved into the area. Organizers proceeded with what they described as the nation’s largest-ever fireworks celebration.

Elsewhere, a separate incident unfolded in New York City, where a fire broke out on the Brooklyn Bridge during the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks display. The FDNY classified the incident as a rubbish fire, reporting no injuries.

Despite the administration’s declaration of victory, the most immediate economic effects of the Iran conflict have become visible not on the battlefield but at gas stations across the country.

Crude oil prices have retreated to roughly the levels seen before the conflict began, with West Texas Intermediate trading near $69 per barrel, while the national average price for gasoline declined to approximately $3.83 per gallon, according to AAA, nearly 50 cents lower than one month earlier as commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continued recovering. U.S. financial markets, closed for the Independence Day holiday, are scheduled to reopen Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also added a diplomatic development to the day, announcing plans to visit the United States in the near future following Trump’s decision to pause negotiations with Iran for one week. Trump has indicated that any final decision formally ending the conflict would be made jointly with Netanyahu.

Attention now shifts from military operations to diplomacy.

The negotiating framework established last month provides both governments with a limited window to resolve the conflict’s most difficult outstanding issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and long-term security arrangements in the Persian Gulf.

Saturday’s Independence Day speech declared the war won.

The negotiations now underway will determine whether that declaration becomes a lasting reality.

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

The lone member of New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) who opposed the city’s newly approved rent freeze says the policy could gradually leave aging rent-stabilized buildings in worse condition by reducing the revenue landlords rely on for repairs and capital investments.

Arpit Gupta, who also serves as an associate finance professor at New York University’s business school, said he is concerned the freeze one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s signature campaign promises could make it increasingly difficult for property owners to cover essential operating expenses.

“It’s a little bit of a slow burn,” said Gupta, an associate finance professor at New York University’s business school. “The risk is that the buildings do go under more distress. There are a variety of responses. One is … deferred maintenance, which will worsen the physical conditions of buildings.

“There are other avenues of distress, like going behind on mortgage payments, insurance payments, eventually property taxes, which leaves the property to be transferred in ownership to a bank or to the city, possibly for a tax lien sale.”

Following the board’s June 25 vote, RGB Chair Chantella Mitchell appointed by Mamdani earlier this year acknowledged that landlords have experienced sharp increases in property taxes and insurance costs but maintained that most owners “remain able to meet rising costs.”

Gupta, who joined the board after being appointed by former Mayor Eric Adams in 2022, said he does not dispute that many landlords remain financially stable.

Instead, he argues that the impact varies significantly across the city’s housing stock. Older rent-stabilized buildings that depend almost entirely on regulated rental income, he said, face far greater financial pressure than newer developments with mixed-income revenue streams.

The latest policy goes beyond previous rent freezes approved during former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, when rent increases were suspended three times for one-year leases only in 2015, 2016 and 2020. The current measure freezes rents on both one- and two-year leases beginning Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, affecting roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments.

Because of the timing of those lease terms, some landlords may be unable to increase rents until as late as September 2029.

Gupta believes a citywide rent freeze is an overly broad solution to the affordability crisis. He said a better approach would provide direct assistance to low-income tenants while allowing financially stressed buildings to continue receiving modest rent increases.

“About 30% of the tenants in rent-stabilized housing make six figures or more. At the same time, many individuals in market-rate housing are below the poverty line,” Gupta said. “So, to have a system that provides so many benefits for one sector of the housing stock while completely leaving out the market-rate tenants whose rents might actually go up because of the dynamics of freezing one part of the housing stock means that we have an incompletely targeted program.”

Gupta also pointed to existing city programs that freeze rents for qualifying senior citizens and people with disabilities, arguing that similar protections should instead be expanded to include low-income residents regardless of whether they live in rent-stabilized housing.

Another concern, Gupta said, is that the policy may encourage some landlords to keep apartments vacant rather than rent them out.

Data reported by Gothamist in early June showed that more than 57,000 rent-stabilized apartments sat vacant in April 2025. State housing officials noted that the figure does not necessarily represent long-term vacancies because some units were in the process of being prepared for new tenants.

Gupta contends, however, that many apartments remain empty because owners cannot recover renovation costs under current rent regulations, a problem he believes could become even more pronounced under the latest rent freeze.

Many property owners trace their financial challenges back to the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, which eliminated the “vacancy bonus” that previously allowed landlords to raise rents by up to 20% after a tenant moved out. Owners argue the change reduced their ability to finance renovations before re-renting apartments.

Despite his opposition to the rent freeze, Gupta said he understands the reasoning behind his fellow board members’ votes and acknowledged that many tenants continue to struggle with housing costs despite previous efforts to limit rent increases.

“In the five years I’ve been on this board … we have set rents below our estimate of building cost increases, we have set rents below CPI and we’ve even set rents below wage growth in the city,” Gupta said.

Even with those lower increases, the board’s own income and affordability study found that New York City’s spending on one-time programs to cover tenants’ unpaid rent climbed from $102 million in 2022 to $555.8 million by 2025.

That same report also found that 62% of eviction cases last year involved buildings containing rent-stabilized apartments, a statistic supporters cited in favor of implementing the rent freeze.

Although Gupta opposed the final decision, he said he does not believe Mayor Mamdani’s appointments predetermined the outcome. The mayor selected six of the board’s nine members earlier this year, and each voted in favor of freezing rents.

“From my understanding, the administration did not direct or try to influence the vote directly,” Gupta said. “My fellow board members tell me that they were independently appointed.

“What I also hear from board members who joined is that in the vetting process, as they were entering the board, they weren’t asked or pressured on their position on the rent freeze,” Gupta said.

Former board member Christina Smyth, another appointee of former Mayor Adams who resigned before the vote, offered a different assessment. In a public letter posted on social media, she argued that the board had been “rebuilt,” was no longer a “fact-finding body” and that it was “required to deliver a rent freeze.”

Looking ahead, Gupta said his greatest concern is that the current policy may become permanent, noting that Mamdani campaigned on a pledge to “freeze the rent every year I’m in office.”

“I’ve had many discussions with other members of the board, and I’ve asked, ‘If you vote for the rent freeze now, what are the conditions under which you would vote for rental increases?’” he said.

Gupta said he has yet to receive a definitive answer. While some board members told him they intend to review future economic data before making additional decisions, he remains uncertain whether future rent increases will ever be approved.

“I’m not sure whether all the board members believe that’s the future or if maybe the future is just more freezes. Freeze after freeze for four years, as Mamdani campaigned on. That’s a very different picture.”

Fox News Digital said it asked Rent Guidelines Board Chair Chantella Mitchell whether she viewed the rent freeze as a temporary policy and about concerns that it could place additional financial strain on some rent-stabilized buildings. According to the report, Mitchell declined to comment beyond the statement she released following the board’s vote.

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman)  Rezső (Rudolf) Kasztner was a Hungarian Jewish lawyer, journalist, and Zionist activist. In the years before World War II, he was known as a clever and ambitious man, deeply involved in Jewish political life. When the war reached Hungary, he became one of the leaders of a small group in Budapest called the Relief and Rescue Committee. Its goal was to help Jews escape the Nazis. He began trying to save Jews, but he ended his activities during the war enabling the Nazis to achieve one of the swiftest mass murders in human history.  And yet, to this day, he remains controversial, notwithstanding near air-tight evidence carefully researched by Paul Bogdanor in his book entitled Kasztner’s Crime (Routledge, 2016).

For most of the war, Hungary was allied with Germany, and its large Jewish community—about 800,000 people—was battered but still alive. That changed on March 19, 1944, when Nazi forces occupied the country. Along with the troops came Adolf Eichmann y”s, the SS officer in charge of organizing the murder of Europe’s Jews.

His mission in Hungary was simple and monstrous: to deport every Jew he could reach to the death camp at Auschwitz, as fast as possible.

In only about eight weeks, more than 437,000 Hungarian Jews were shipped to Auschwitz, where most were gassed on arrival. Kasztner understood what was coming almost from the start. As he later testified, the German occupation was “like a death sentence” for the Jews of Hungary.

Instead of calling for revolt or mass escape, Kasztner chose to negotiate. He met with Eichmann and other SS officers and initially tried to buy Jewish lives with money and goods. Out of these talks came one real result: a single train (pictured above). In late June 1944, that train carried 1,684 Jews out of Hungary. After being held for a time in a camp, they were eventually released to safety in Switzerland. Ever since, it has been called the “Kasztner Train,” and the people on it owed their lives to his dealings with the SS.

After the war, Kasztner moved to the new State of Israel and became a government official. But his wartime choices followed him. In the 1950s, an elderly man named Malkiel Grünwald publicly accused him of having collaborated with the Nazis. Kasztner, actually the Israeli government (because he was part of the government),  sued for libel.

The trial that followed became one of the most explosive court cases in Israel’s history. In 1955, Judge Benjamin Halevi ruled largely against Kasztner, saying he had “sold his soul to the Devil.” The verdict caused a political earthquake and helped bring down the Israeli government. Kasztner appealed to the Supreme Court, but he never lived to hear its decision. In March 1957, he was shot outside his home in Tel Aviv by and eventually died of his wounds.

That, in outline, is his life. The harder question is how to judge it. To his defenders, he was a brave rescuer. He managed to pull 1,684 Jews out of Adolf Eichmann’s hands and send them to safety, including the Satmar Rebbe zt”l – even as half a million of his fellow Jews were being killed. To his accusers, he was something far darker—a man who helped the Nazis destroy his own people. Paul Bogdanor’s book Kasztner’s Crime gathers the evidence behind that darker view—and the evidence is quite damning.

Before turning to that evidence, it helps to see that Kasztner’s kind of choice is not new. Nineteen centuries earlier, another learned Jewish leader faced something painfully similar. His name was Yosef ben Matityahu, aka – Flavius Josephus.

Josephus was a scholar and a soldier from a priestly family. At the start of the great Jewish revolt against Rome, he was put in charge of the Galilee. He fortified a hilltop town called Jotapata (Yodfat) with his own hands, because he knew the Romans were coming.

The Romans came. For forty-seven days they besieged the town. Then the walls broke, and the Roman soldiers poured in. Almost everyone inside was killed. But Josephus did not die with them. He surrendered, his life was spared, and he spent the rest of the war in the Roman camp. He advised the very army that had just destroyed the town he built. Later he moved to Rome, lived in the emperor’s old palace as a Roman citizen, and wrote the history of the war—a history that carefully defended his own choices.

In the 1990’s archaeologists excavated Jotapata. They found the Roman siege ramp on the north side of the hill—the one weak spot Josephus himself said was the only way in. They found the stone ballista balls and the iron arrowheads from the Roman assault.

They found the bones of the slaughtered in the town’s cisterns. As Hershel Shanks and the excavators reported in Biblical Archaeology Review, the physical evidence matches Josephus’s account of the battle almost stone for stone. And here lies the hard question the evidence raises: the man who designed those defenses ended up in the enemy’s camp. It is difficult not to suspect that he helped the Romans understand how to break the very walls he had built. The Rav of Yeshiva University, Rav J.B. Soloveitchik, used to remark to his students that Josephus was the ultimate traitor to Klal Yisroel.

When a person in a leadership position decides that his people’s cause is already lost, and then makes his own private deal with the enemy, what is he? Is he a realist who saved what little could be saved? Or is he a traitor who made the killing easier?

Historians have argued about Josephus for quite some time and never fully settled it.  The same is true regarding Rezső Kasztner.

What Is Documented: The Deception

No one seriously doubts that the Nazis lied to hide what they were doing. Able-bodied Jews were told they were being sent to work. Families were told they would stay together. The Nazis even invented a fake work-site called “Kenyérmező”—Hungarian for “bread fields.” In truth, the trains went to Auschwitz. Here is what Bogdanor proves pretty clearly: Kasztner, knowing the truth about Auschwitz, didn’t just fail to expose this lie – in many cases, he helped spread it.

One survivor from Kolozsvár told this story. A man went to the local Jewish council chairman and asked whether he should escape to Romania. He was told to forget the idea and enter the ghetto instead. He was warned that Jews who tried to cross the border were being shot. Another leader, the former head of the Orthodox community, climbed onto a tree-stump and calmed the crowd. He told them they would be taken to Kenyérmező to work, and that families would stay together. The ghetto guards had approved his speech. Soon after, he was allowed to leave for Budapest, where he helped write up the list of people for the Kasztner Train.

Bogdanor also quotes a survivor who described Kasztner’s own words:

Kasztner was well aware that the young people wanted to escape and he spread it among the people that they should not escape and cause trouble for their families, that they would all be sent to southern Hungary (Kenyérmező) and families would remain together and work in agriculture.

The lie was deadly, because people believed it. Survivor after survivor said they boarded the trains calmly because they thought they were going to Kenyérmező. Yechiel Shmueli remembered the ghetto leader promising that all Hungarian Jews would be kept together until the war ended. When Shmueli reached Auschwitz, his wife, mother, daughter, and grandchild were murdered.

Dr. Lily Zamir told an even sharper story. Her father phoned Kasztner himself, just forty-eight hours before the deportation, and asked whether he should flee to Romania through the mountains. The answer he got was this: as sure as the sun shines every morning, no harm will come to you. Two days later, her father, his wife, and their nine-year-old daughter were on the train to Auschwitz.

The lie did not only trap those who might have run. It also killed the weakest. In one ghetto, a policeman offered to protect a Jewish family’s child and raise the boy as his own. The family did not know what was coming, so they refused to give up their seven-year-old. He was gassed a few weeks later.

The lie even reached the most famous survivor of all. In Máramarossziget, the young Elie Wiesel and his family were begged by their former servant to hide in a shelter she had prepared. They said no. As Wiesel later wrote, “well-informed” Jewish leaders in Budapest had assured everyone that the trains were staying inside Hungary. Wiesel’s mother and youngest sister were sent straight to the gas chamber.

The “Rescue Secret”

The most damning line in the whole record is Kasztner’s own. He was explaining why only a few Jews in Kolozsvár knew they had places on a special transport. He wrote that “the ‘rescue secret’ had to be kept.”

Bogdanor draws out the logic hiding in that phrase, and it is chilling. If the people being rescued could not be told they were being rescued, then the people being murdered could not be told they were being murdered. You cannot warn the many while keeping a secret from the few. If the doomed majority had understood that the trains led to the gas chambers, they would have fought desperately for the few open seats. So keeping the rescue a secret meant keeping the murder a secret too. The lie had to cover everyone.

This is the turning point of the whole case. Kasztner’s defenders say his sin was only silence—that he simply “failed to warn” people. But this makes it something worse than silence. His silence was not passive. It was the very thing that made the rescue possible, and it depended on everyone else walking quietly to their deaths.

What Kasztner Knew, and When

Some might defend Kasztner by saying he did not know the truth. But Bogdanor’s timeline destroys that defense. By late April 1944, before the mass deportations even began, Kasztner already had proof. He had confirmation that a test transport had been seen rolling past Bratislava, headed for the death camp. He had reports that Jews were being packed into ghettos. He had news of plans to send train after train to Poland. He had even received a warning that described how the victims were being gassed and their bodies burned. At his own trial, under oath, he admitted: “I knew then the meaning of deportation to Auschwitz.” The judge asked the obvious question. Did Kasztner really believe that 168,000 Jews would still be alive in Auschwitz two weeks after the deportations started?

Kasztner also blocked other people’s warnings. A brave courier named Hannah Ganz made several dangerous trips to Kolozsvár. But Kasztner gave her no real information about the Nazi plans, so she arrived knowing almost nothing beyond vague rumors. After the war, Kasztner claimed he had sent messengers urging people to flee and resist. But his own words at the time tell a different story. In mid-July 1944, only about a week after the deportations ended, he spoke with the SS officer Kurt Becher. He said this:

I’ve wondered many times whether, instead of the negotiations, it wouldn’t have been better to call on the Zionist youth and rally the people to active resistance to entering the brickyards and the wagons.

A man who had actually urged people to flee and fight does not, weeks later, wonder out loud whether he should have. That remark is the confession of someone who chose the opposite path, and knew it.

The most revealing evidence of all comes from Yoel Palgi. Palgi was a Zionist paratrooper sent from Palestine to organize resistance. When he met Kasztner in late June 1944, he wrote down how Kasztner described the disaster:

Hundreds of thousands of Jews were led astray by the words of their leaders who promised them that they were being taken to labor camps inside Hungary’s borders with decent conditions. These leaders knew full well the fate awaiting those taken, but hoped to save their own lives in this way. So the Hungarian Jews went to the slaughter without even raising their voices in protest.

Kasztner meant this as an attack on other leaders. But word for word, it describes exactly what he himself did. It is also his own estimate of how many people died simply because they did not know the truth. The quiet, unresisting march to death that he describes—Jews going “without even raising their voices”—was precisely the result Himmler’s secrecy was designed to produce.

The Inference: Why He Did It

Up to now, we have dealt with proven facts. Now we move to what the evidence lets us conclude but cannot flatly prove. Bogdanor never found a document where Kasztner wrote, “they will die anyway, so I will keep them calm to prevent a revolt.” No such confession exists. What Bogdanor does show is the whole structure of motive around Kasztner. And that structure makes the following theory very believable.

Bogdanor shows that Heinrich Himmler was terrified of a repeat of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. He feared that people who knew they were doomed would explode into resistance and slow down the German war effort. Eichmann testified that his own orders to disguise the killing came straight from this fear. The entire deportation machine depended on the victims not knowing the truth. So the Nazi reason for total secrecy is beyond dispute. A second Warsaw Uprising was exactly what they were determined to prevent.

Bogdanor shows that the SS moved the families of Jewish leaders to safety on purpose—not out of kindness, but as leverage. One Jewish leader, Fülöp Freudiger, later understood the trick: “A person cares about his nearest and dearest and it’s more horrible to kill his family.” Those who were spared, Bogdanor writes, were useful to the Nazis as hostages. Kasztner’s own wife and relatives were among the people whose safety depended on his cooperation. So the price of turning against the SS was not abstract. It was his family’s lives.

Now let’s put the three proven facts together. First, the Germans needed secrecy to prevent a Warsaw-style revolt. Second, Kasztner’s cooperation was locked in by the threat to his family. Third, Kasztner knew the deportations meant death.

A man who knows the masses are doomed, whose family will die if he resists, and who serves a machine that demands silence, has every reason to rationalize the quiet death of the doomed is in their best interests anyway and he gets the added benefit of saving close to 1700 souls.  The “they will die anyway” thinking is not a quote from Kasztner. It is this author’s conjecture of the reasoning that best explains everything he did-  the knowledge, the blocked warnings, the remark to Becher, and above all the “rescue secret” admission. Bogdanor’s evidence makes that a very heavy load to carry.

The Lives That Were Saved

Fairness requires looking at the other side of the ledger, because it is real. The Kasztner Train carried 1,684 Jews to safety. They were not just numbers. Among the roughly 126 Orthodox passengers was the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, along with some of his followers. And there is a bitter irony here that Bogdanor does not miss. The Satmar Rebbe was one of the most passionate anti-Zionists of his time. Yet his place on the train was arranged using Palestine immigration certificates. In fact, after the war, one of the charges against Kasztner in Kolozsvár was that he had discriminated against local Zionists—by handing their certificates, and their seats, to others.

The Mishnah teaches that whoever saves a single life is regarded as if he saved an entire world. The Satmar Rebbe went on to rebuild a movement that today numbers in the tens of thousands. But the moral math of this case does not let the rescue of the few wash away the fate of the many. The train and the lie were two parts of one bargain.

That is what makes this case so painful. One cannot simply weigh the saved against the lost as if they sat on opposite sides of a scale. They were tied together in a single arrangement.

The Distinction That Matters

One important point must be made, and it is Bogdanor’s own. Many of the local men who spread the Kenyérmező lie in the ghettos were themselves under threat. Their own families’ lives were on the line. A court of law would recognize that as duress. They were trapped in a terrible choice: sacrifice their community to save their families, or sacrifice their families to save part of their community.

Kasztner was the head of the national rescue committee. He turned that committee from an underground network into an organization protected by the SS. He disobeyed the Jewish Agency’s orders to run a campaign of warning and resistance. And he worked to shut down the young Zionists who tried to warn people anyway. If his agents in Kolozsvár were acting under pressure, Kasztner was the one applying that pressure. Whatever excuses the men on the ground, it does not excuse the man who built the system they served.

Conclusion

The worst part of this case is not really in doubt, given Bogdanor’s evidence. Kasztner knew the trains went to Auschwitz. He kept the secret. He discouraged escape and blocked warnings. And people who might have fled or fought instead boarded the trains and died. All of this is documented—in survivor testimony, in trial records, and in Kasztner’s own words.

Whether he actually spelled out the calculation in his own mind—they are doomed anyway, so keep them quiet, save my family, and prevent a second Warsaw—is something the record lets us infer but not quote.

The facts convict him. The motive, rebuilt from those facts, explains him. And the explanation that fits everything Bogdanor lays out is the darkest one: a man who chose the silence of the many as the price of saving the few, and told himself the many were already lost.

Sources and Notes

The evidence below is mostly drawn from Paul Bogdanor, Kasztner’s Crime (Abingdon: Routledge, 2016), and follows the primary sources cited in that work’s apparatus. Section numbers (“s.”) refer to the Kasztner Trial verdict of Judge Benjamin Halevi (Jerusalem District Court, 1955).

1. On Josephus (Yosef ben Matityahu): his command in the Galilee, the 47-day siege of Jotapata (Yodfat), his surrender, and his later role advising the Romans while urging Jerusalem’s defenders to give up: Flavius Josephus, The Jewish War, Book 3; see also Biblical Archaeology Society, “The Histories of Flavius Josephus” and “Titus Flavius Josephus and the Prophet Jeremiah,” biblicalarchaeology.org.

2. On the archaeology of Yodfat confirming Josephus’s account—the Roman siege ramp on the northern approach, ballista balls, iron arrowheads, and the remains of the slain in the town’s cisterns: reporting in Biblical Archaeology Review (Hershel Shanks, ed.), 23:06 (Nov/Dec 1997); excavation work of Mordechai Aviam, “Yodefat/Jotapata: The Archaeology of the First Battle,” in Andrea M. Berlin (ed.), The First Jewish Revolt (Routledge). Josephus’s own statement that Jotapata could be approached “only on the north side” appears in The Jewish War, Book 3.

3. Background on Kasztner and the German occupation of Hungary: the Nazis occupied Hungary on March 19, 1944, bringing Eichmann’s SS unit to organize the deportations; Kasztner testified at Nuremberg that the occupation was “like a death sentence for about 800,000 Jews” (Veesenmayer Trial testimony, March 19, 1948). Veesenmayer reported that 437,402 Jews were deported in roughly eight weeks (Bogdanor, ch. 13). On Kasztner’s role in the Relief and Rescue Committee, the negotiations with Eichmann, and the train of 1,684 released via Switzerland: Bogdanor, Kasztner’s Crime, Introduction and chs. 1–2, 6.

4. “Sold his soul to the Devil” / the trial and its aftermath: the libel case grew out of Malkiel Grünwald’s accusation; Judge Benjamin Halevi’s 1955 verdict found Kasztner had collaborated with the SS; the ruling helped collapse the Israeli government; the verdict was under appeal to the Supreme Court when Kasztner was assassinated by right-wing extremists in Tel Aviv in March 1957: Kasztner Trial verdict (Halevi, J.), 1955; Bogdanor, Introduction.

5. The rescue-committee total of 1,684 and Eichmann’s two-week deportation of the first 200,000 Jews during Brand’s mission: R. L. Braham, The Politics of Genocide, Vol. 1, 673.

6. The Kenyérmező hoax (“bread fields”) as a Nazi camouflage for Auschwitz, and the advice to the would-be escapee to enter the ghetto because border-crossers were being shot: testimony of Avram Feuerman regarding Judenrat chairman Fischer; cf. Kasztner Trial verdict, s. 50.

7. Zsigmond Léb’s tree-stump speech reassuring the crowd about Kenyérmező, authorized by the ghetto guards, followed by his departure for Budapest to help compile the transport list: testimony of Anna Nussbächer; Kasztner Trial verdict, s. 50.

8. “Kasztner was well aware that the young people wanted to escape…”: survivor letter, Makor Rishon, August 9, 2002.

9. Yechiel Shmueli’s deportation (first Kolozsvár train, May 25, 1944, 3,130 persons) and the ghetto leader Dr. Endre Balázs’s Kenyérmező announcement; Shmueli’s family murdered on arrival at Auschwitz: Shmueli testimony (as reproduced in Bogdanor, ch. 7).

10. Dr. Lily Zamir’s father telephoning Kasztner 48 hours before deportation from Huszt and being told “as sure as the sun shines… no harm will come to you”: email from Lily Zamir to Eli Reichenthal, January 14, 2011.

11. The gendarme’s offer to raise a Jewish child, refused by the unwitting family; the child gassed weeks later: survivor testimony, Marosvásárhely (Bogdanor, ch. 8).

12. Elie Wiesel’s family declining their servant’s offer of shelter because Budapest notables assured them the convoys stayed inside Hungary: Elie Wiesel, All Rivers Run to the Sea (New York: Schocken Books, 1995), 69–70; cf. DEGOB Protocol 91.

13. “The ‘rescue secret’ had to be kept”: Rezső Kasztner, Der Bericht des jüdischen Rettungskomitees aus Budapest 1942–1945 (Basel, 1946), 46.

14. The analysis that keeping the rescue secret required keeping the extermination secret—because one could not inform the many while deceiving the few without provoking “murder in the ghetto”: Kasztner Trial verdict, ss. 43–44, 59; cf. A. Beit-Zvi, Post-Ugandan Zionism on Trial, Vol. 2, 115 (Halevi and Beit-Zvi differ on whether Eichmann made the terms explicit).

15. Kasztner’s late-April 1944 confirmation that the trial transport had passed Bratislava toward Auschwitz, and his contemporaneous knowledge of ghetto concentration, the Poland negotiations, and the gassing/cremation warning: Bogdanor, ch. 3.

16. “I knew then the meaning of deportation to Auschwitz”: Kasztner Trial testimony, March 1, 1954; the judge’s incredulity that 168,000 could still be alive after two weeks: Kasztner Trial verdict, s. 53; Kasztner Appeal, Silberg verdict, s. 13.

17. Hannah Ganz sent to Kolozsvár without specific information, so that she could warn no one effectively: testimony of Hillel Danzig, Kasztner Trial; Bogdanor, ch. 3.

18. “I’ve wondered many times whether… it wouldn’t have been better to call on the Zionist youth… to active resistance”: Kasztner-Becher minutes, July 15, 1944, Dinur Archive.

19. “Hundreds of thousands of Jews were led astray… without even raising their voices in protest”: Yoel Palgi, in Magen Baseter [Secret Shield], ed. Zerubavel Gilad (Jerusalem: Jewish Agency, 1948), Kasztner Trial defense exhibit 40, 416.

20. Himmler’s obsession with a repeat of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, and Eichmann’s testimony that his camouflage orders flowed from the fear of revolts weakening German defenses: Eichmann Trial testimony, July 21, 1961; Bogdanor, ch. 3.

21. The SS use of leaders’ families as hostages, and Freudiger’s realization – “A person cares about his nearest and dearest and it’s more horrible to kill his family”: Kasztner Trial testimony of Fülöp Freudiger, August 12, 1954; cf. Freudiger Report, 37.

22. The Satmar Rebbe (Rav Yoel Teitelbaum) and the Orthodox group of 126 among the passengers; the postwar Kolozsvár accusation that Kasztner diverted Zionists’ Palestine certificates to others: Ladislaus Löb, Dealing With Satan (London: Jonathan Cape, 2008), 117–18; Kasztner Trial testimony (on the composition of the passenger list).

23. The distinction between the duress-bound agents in the ghettos and Kasztner as head of the national committee—who converted an underground network into a client institution under SS protection and disobeyed the Jewish Agency’s resistance instructions: Bogdanor, ch. 7 (“If Kasztner’s men in Kolozsvár were under duress, he was the vehicle for the duress”).

[Video below.] President Donald Trump used a patriotic address at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day to deliver a forceful warning that communism threatens the nation’s freedoms, urging Americans to stand firmly behind the ideals of the Founding Fathers as the country began celebrating its 250th year.

Speaking before the towering memorial honoring Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, Trump said the United States is entering a historic milestone while confronting what he described as growing challenges to its identity and core values.

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” Trump said during remarks broadcast live by Newsmax. “Communism is the enemy of free people everywhere. Everywhere in the world. It never works.”

He continued by saying, “It’s the enemy of the Constitution,” adding, “Above all, it’s the enemy of July 4, 1776.”

Trump argued that communist doctrine stands in direct opposition to the principles that gave birth to the United States, describing it as “the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“It’s death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil,” he said, adding that communist systems “killed 100 million people just in the last century alone.”

Drawing a sharp contrast between American patriotism and Marxist philosophy, Trump declared, “You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America.”

“You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot,” Trump said. “You cannot be both.”

The president also criticized what he called efforts by “radicals and extremists” to rewrite American history by disparaging the nation’s founding and its historic leaders.

“As for those who peddle Marxist lies about our heritage, tell our children that we live on stolen land, or that our heroes were oppressors, they’re doing something much worse than slandering our past,” Trump said. “They are slandering and attacking our future.”

Earlier in the speech, Trump paid tribute to the four presidents immortalized at Mount Rushmore, describing them as “the men who declared the freedom, won our freedom, and saved our freedom and secured our freedom.”

“They were men of action, men of ambition, men of daring, men of destiny and men of truly great intelligence,” he said.

Trump also stressed that preserving America’s traditions and national character is essential to safeguarding its future.

“We must never forget there is no American freedom without American culture,” he said. “And there is no American founding without the American people.”

The appearance at Mount Rushmore officially launched the nation’s semiquincentennial observance ahead of the main Independence Day celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where Trump is scheduled to deliver another speech before a large fireworks display.

Concluding his remarks, Trump vowed that the United States would never embrace communist ideology.

“America will never be a communist country,” he said.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Existing home sales were still positive year over year last week, with our weekly pending home sales data holding steady even with elevated mortgage rates. While people are frustrated that lower oil prices haven’t brought rates down, they should be deeply grateful that improved mortgage spreads have helped housing growth in 2026. If this had been 2023, 2024 or even 2025, mortgage rates would have been over 7% for most of the year and housing demand tends to soften when that happens. 

In fact, that has been the reason why we can’t get traction on home sales, as the rate volatility from 2023-2025 kept home sales from growing, but not in 2026! In the past, existing home sales would get some traction with rates near 6%, only to lose it when rates popped over 7%. This year, we haven’t had to experience that, even with a hawkish Federal Reserve, oil prices over $100 and inflation above target. So, wow, yes, hug a mortgage spread folks.

Mortgage spreads

Since late 2022, housing demand has tended to perform better when mortgage rates fall below 6.64% and head toward 6%. We don’t need 3%, 4%,or even 5% rates to grow sales — rates near 6% work, mostly because we are working from record-low levels. However, mortgage spreads widened in 2023 to over 3%, which is very rare post-1986.  

Over time, as a rate-cut cycle starts, spreads historically improve, which is why, in 2026, my peak mortgage rate forecast was 6.75%, solely due to spreads getting closer to normal. For the most part, mortgage rates have been below 6.64%.

Historically, mortgage spreads have ranged from 1.60% to 1.80%. Last week, spreads were at 2.01%, down from 2.03% the week before.

Let’s compare last week’s mortgage rates to where they would have been over the last three years, given the 10-year yield’s current level:

• If we had the worst mortgage spread levels of 2023, mortgage rates would be 7.70% today, not 6.60%.
• If we had the worst levels of 2024, mortgage rates would be 7.32% today 
• If we had the worst levels of 2025, mortgage rates would be 7.13% today.

10-year yield and mortgage rates

In the 2026 HousingWire forecast, I anticipated the following ranges:

• Mortgage rates between 5.75% and 6.75%
• The 10-year yield fluctuating between 3.80% and 4.60%

Last week was jobs week and we saw a mixed bag in the data: job openings beat estimates, ADP was a slight miss but still at elevated levels, jobless claims were low, but Jobs Friday came in at a miss of estimates and negative revisions. And yet, the 10-year yield, even with oil prices at $68, closed the week at 4.49%.

Last week I wrote about why this is happening, and Sarah and I did an important episode of the HousingWire Daily podcast on this subject, which I believe is a must-listen. My take: policy getting more restrictive has been a reason the yields like hanging out around the 4.46%-4.48% level.

The Fed meeting is a few weeks away; we need to hear some hawks turn to doves to get bond traders off the rate hike cycle mindset. Last week we had two Fed Presidents talk and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack made it seem that lower oil prices were bad for inflation, a reason why yields stayed firm.

Weekly pending sales

Our pending home sales data provides a week-to-week perspective, though results can be affected by holidays and short-term fluctuations. Our weekly pending sales data typically takes 30-60 days to be reflected in the sales data. 

In the next two weeks, our weekly Housing Market Tracker will be hit due to the holiday data, but as you can see below, even with rates near yearly highs, we are still showing growth year over year. 

Here are the pending sales for last week over the last two years:

• 2026: 71,173
• 2025: 66,967

Total pending home sales

I normally don’t include our weekly total pending home sales data in the tracker, but for this July 4th weekend and since we are tracking how beneficial mortgage spreads have been to home sales this year, I wanted to show more of a moving average of sales to show how important mortgage spreads have been in 2026. 

Here are the total pending sales for last week over the last two years:

• 2026: 422,130
• 2025: 396,652

Mortgage purchase application data

Purchase application data all year long has shown why mortgage spreads have been so important to housing in 2026. Every week this year — outside of two weeks which had harder year-over-year comps — has been positive year over year. Even with all the drama in 2026, mortgage spreads have kept rates below 6.75% and thus purchase apps have been positive.

Here are the stats on purchase apps so far in 2026

• 11 positive week-to-week prints
• 12 negative week-to-week prints
• 2 flat week-to-week prints
• 10 weeks of double-digit year-over-year growth
• 23 weeks of positive year-over-year growth
• 2 negative year-over-year prints

Housing inventory

A lot of people are surprised that inventory growth has slowed down and we have had some negative year-over-year data in recent weeks. But this isn’t shocking to our readers and those that listen to our podcast.

However, now the low bar comps are done with and we need to follow the data more closely to see where the next direction is. The most important aspect of inventory is that we are at healthier levels in 2026 than what we saw in 2020-2023, which is why we are chipping away at making housing more affordable. 

• Weekly inventory change:(June 26-July 3): Inventory rose from to 841,547 to 852,241   
• Same week last year: (June 27-July 4): Inventory rose from 831,050 to 853,160

New listings

Seasonality in the new listings data is here; we are now starting the traditional decline. Traditionally, we would see 80,000-100,000 new listings during the seasonal peak weeks, but we’ve only cracked above 80,000 four times this year and never in back-to-back weeks. Still, both 2025 and 2026 new listing data is better than what we saw in 2023 and 2024. This year we just had a tad bit more demand than last year to start the year off.

In any case, the seasonal decline is with us now, but 2026 has not been a bad year for new listings: better mortgage spreads made more sellers ready to sell and buy. 

Some context for those who believe that the new listings data resembles the housing bubble years: new listings during that time ranged from 250,000 to 400,000 per week for several years. Several years!

Here is last week’s new listings data for the past two years:

• 2026: 75,360
• 2025:  69,701

Price-cut percentage

Typically, about one-third of homes undergo price reductions before they sell, reflecting the dynamic nature of the housing market. For the most part, price-cut percentages this year have been lower than last year.

In my 2026 home-price forecast, I had a negative 0.62% call for the year nationally. Home-price growth really isn’t going anywhere this year, but the percentage of price cuts has been lower year over year for most of 2026.  My forecast of negative -0.62% might be hard to achieve: even though home-price growth isn’t positive by much this year, it is still positive.

The price-cut percentage for last week:

• 2026: 39.54%
• 2025: 41%

The week ahead: Existing home sales, bond auctions and Fed speeches

Existing home sales will be reported this week and we will have easy year-over-year comps for growth. After this month is when home sales started to pick up last year so the comps will be more difficult to show growth for the rest of the year, especially in December.

We will also have some bond auctions this week and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will be speaking. Logan is one of the Fed hawks and the markets will be waiting to hear what she says now, because oil prices have fallen. It will be an interesting week with bond trading and mortgage rates.

This post was originally published on here.

A brief fire broke out during New York City’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration Saturday night after flames erupted on platforms used to launch pyrotechnics near the Brooklyn Bridge, sending thick smoke into the air before firefighters quickly brought the situation under control.

Dramatic videos captured smoke pouring from sections of the bridge area as fireworks continued exploding overhead during Macy’s annual Independence Day display over the East River. The flames appeared to spread across multiple launch platforms while the show was still underway, alarming many spectators gathered along the waterfront.

“At first I thought it was supposed to happen but then I was scared it would exploded. I thought the bridge was made of wood so I was scared,” said Nearing Khoula, 24, from France, who was watching the display from the Brooklyn waterfront.

“There were four at the same time. Some extra fireworks exploded due to the fire.”

Another witness, Mohamed Shaban, 31, of Egypt, described watching the flames intensify.

“It started as a small fire and got bigger. There was too much black smoke,” he said.

According to a reporter at the scene, the fires burned themselves out within about a minute.

A source familiar with the emergency response said the blaze was limited to temporary platforms that had been installed to launch the fireworks and did not involve the Brooklyn Bridge itself. The source added that the 143-year-old landmark remains safe and structurally sound.

The FDNY said firefighters extinguished the fire using two engine companies. No injuries were immediately reported.

“He’s still AWOL.”

Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly been prevented from attending the funeral of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, amid fears that Israel could target him if he appears in public.

Mojtaba had requested permission to carry out funeral rites over his father’s body as the late ayatollah is scheduled to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, marking the conclusion of a multi-day state funeral.

However, security officials rejected the request, according to two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members who spoke to the New York Times.

Intelligence and security assessments inside Iran reportedly warn that Israel could attempt another assassination if Mojtaba Khamenei exposes himself, even for a highly symbolic public appearance.

As a result, officials have reportedly instructed him to remain completely concealed and to avoid any form of public signaling. Security sources have even gone so far as to say he should not reveal himself “in any way, even to the extent of releasing his voice,” according to Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, a relative cited by Iranian media.

The younger Khamenei has not been seen or heard from publicly since the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, which killed his father, his wife, and his teenage son.

Since then, his presence has been limited to written statements or brief messages released through state media and social media platforms.

His prolonged disappearance has fueled speculation and mockery inside Iran, where some have nicknamed him the “cardboard ayatollah,” a reference to the fact that his image rather than his physical presence has become the primary way citizens encounter him.

He is widely believed to be hiding in a fortified underground bunker, a location that has reportedly evaded even U.S. and Israeli intelligence efforts.

He also did not attend a recent memorial ceremony for his wife, Zahra Hadad-Adel, held in Tehran, though it remains unclear whether he intended to appear.

“US intelligence assessed Mojtaba Khamenei as “probably gay” and briefed President Trump to that effect, The Post reported back in March.”

Despite his absence, large-scale mourning events for Ali Khamenei have continued, including a major public viewing in Tehran where hundreds of thousands gathered to pay respects.

The late leader’s body was displayed in the capital’s Grand Mosalla courtyard, drawing massive crowds as part of the ongoing state funeral proceedings.

Iranian officials have not publicly commented on Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from the ceremonies or on the security restrictions surrounding him.

Fifty years ago, on July 4, 1976 – as America rejoiced with fireworks and fanfare to celebrate its bicentennial – news broke of one of the most audacious military operations in history. 

Israeli commandos flew 4,000 kilometers to Entebbe, Uganda, and stormed a terminal where Palestinian and German terrorists held 103 Israeli and Jewish hostages, hijacked aboard an Air France flight a week earlier. The mission was as successful as it was daring, with the terrorists killed and all the hostages freed and returned home.

This July 4, America turns 250. Israel marks the 50th anniversary of that rescue – known as Operation Jonathan, named for Lt.-Col. Yoni Netanyahu, the mission’s heroic commander and only fallen soldier.

The coincidence of dates is not merely a historical curiosity. It is a symbol that captures something essential about the bond between the two nations. Operation Jonathan embodied the very ideals America was celebrating that day: courage in the face of impossible odds, an unyielding commitment to freedom, and the ironclad principle that every innocent life is precious. 

It also captured Israel’s deepest moral tenet – as both a refuge for the Jewish people and a nation willing to bear the cost to bring its people home. Two democracies, an ocean apart, beating with the same moral heart.

That kinship has only deepened in the half-century since. The US-Israel security relationship is among the most consequential alliances in the world today. American military assistance has helped Israel defend itself against enemies that target the innocent by design. In turn, Israeli military technology, intelligence sharing, and counter-terrorism doctrine have saved thousands of American lives.

Contrary to how some people portray US-Israel relations, it is not one-sided. It is also not one whereby Israel is a pawn of America, and vice versa. In fact, it is a strategic partnership built on shared interests and values. Israel is America’s number one investment, and America is Israel’s number one partner. That partnership has been tested vigorously in recent years. 

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been engaged in a multi-front war against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and – most consequently – Iran, the grand architect of this terror network. 

When Iran launched direct missile and drone attacks on Israel proper, the United States helped intercept missiles and drones and coordinated the diplomatic response. When Israel struck back, it did so with American support and precision, exposing the vulnerabilities of Iran’s defenses and contributing to the pressure that is fracturing the regime from within.

Defending and celebrating freedom

The war against Iran and its proxy network is not Israel’s war alone. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has American blood on its hands – from the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 US servicemen to the IED networks that killed American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has called for “death to America” since 1979, and it still does.

Every Iranian proxy degraded on the battlefield is a blow against a terror machine that has long targeted both nations. Israel has been fighting on the front lines of a broader civilizational conflict with tenacity and moral seriousness, even as it faces relentless criticism from institutions that hold the Jewish state to unique standards. Double and at times triple standards.

The second half of the 20th century – the most prosperous and peaceful era in human history – was made possible by American power and leadership. It was America that defeated fascism and contained Soviet totalitarianism for decades. It was America that built the liberal international order that lifted billions out of poverty. 

That order is now under renewed assault from authoritarian powers – Iran, China, Russia – and from Islamist movements that seek to replace it with a world governed by violence and fear. Today, we are once again confronted with the oldest of choices: civilization or barbarism.

Freedom, as both Americans and Israelis know well, is never free. It must be defended by those willing to pay the price. On July 4, 1976, Yoni Netanyahu paid that price in Entebbe. American and Israeli service members have paid it on countless battlefields. Today, IDF soldiers pay it daily fighting on the front lines.

The forces of barbarism have not retreated. Civilization still needs defending, and America will once again need to have civilization’s back.

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence and Israel commemorates 50 years since Entebbe, the message of that extraordinary coincidence rings clearer than ever: two nations, forged in the pursuit of liberty, are strongest when they stand together.

The writer is head of the US office at Acumen Risk Ltd., a risk-management firm.

This post was originally published on here.

President Donald Trump kicked off the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration Friday with an address at Mount Rushmore that began by praising America’s exceptionalism before shifting to a politically charged message centered on what he described as the growing danger of communism.

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” he said from Mount Rushmore. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.”

Although Trump has delivered similar remarks in recent speeches, the setting made this address particularly notable. Speaking at a national monument honoring four former U.S. presidents, his comments contrasted with the traditionally bipartisan and unifying Independence Day speeches previously delivered by presidents such as Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.

The president’s remarks also echoed themes associated with the anti-communist Red Scare of the 1950s, a period marked by investigations, blacklists and the persecution of individuals accused of communist ties in government, entertainment and other sectors.

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, delivered his own Independence Day speech, portraying the United States as a nation filled with contradictions while continuing to pursue its founding ideals “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

Trump’s appearance concluded a holiday eve that was also dominated by an intense heat wave affecting much of the eastern United States. Officials urged those taking part in Fourth of July festivities to remain hydrated and seek relief in air-conditioned spaces when necessary.

Extreme temperatures forced changes to several holiday events. Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade, while Washington’s Great American State Fair temporarily closed during the afternoon before reopening later in the day. The Capitol Fourth concert ultimately proceeded with performances by Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins and appearances by members of the Artemis II space mission, followed by fireworks over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. A separate Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was canceled.

By Friday afternoon, large crowds had gathered on the National Mall for the Great American State Fair. Visitors watched military flyovers, purchased food and drinks, and searched for shade while enduring sweltering conditions, many dressed in red, white and blue despite the oppressive heat.

Glenn Brooks, who received a presidential pardon from Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”

The nationwide Independence Day celebration reaches its peak Saturday with fireworks displays, neighborhood gatherings and cookouts across the country. Trump is also scheduled to deliver another address on the National Mall before a fireworks display organizers describe as one of the largest in the nation’s history.

While much of the country endured dangerous heat, residents of the Pacific Northwest experienced far cooler weather, with temperatures in the 60s and occasional light rain.

In Seattle, soccer fans preparing for Monday’s World Cup matchup between the United States and Belgium enjoyed the mild conditions. Nearby in Issaquah, 31-year-old Megan Kurowski took her dogs to a local park before work and looked ahead to the evening’s festivities, including a possible paddleboard outing to watch the fireworks.

“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she said.

This year’s anniversary arrives during a period of deep political divisions, giving Americans both an opportunity to celebrate the nation’s history and reflect on the country’s current political climate.

Speaking in New York, Mamdani avoided mentioning Trump by name but appeared to challenge the president’s rhetoric during his address.

“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built, they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”

The milestone celebration has also highlighted competing efforts to organize national events. Freedom 250, a group aligned with the White House, coordinated many of the festivities in Washington, while the bipartisan America250 commission organized celebrations in cities nationwide, including ceremonial ball drops and a concert in Los Angeles.

An April survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about four in ten American adults said they felt proud about the country’s 250th anniversary, while roughly three in ten described themselves as excited.

In Topeka, Kansas, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano reflected on what he believes defines the United States, saying resilience not politics is the country’s greatest strength.

“We’ve just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that’s in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a booming business as a side hustle.

Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she planned to focus her attention on her local community during the holiday.

“It feels a little bit more like within our own personal control,” she said.

Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he had not realized the country was marking its 250th anniversary and planned to spend the holiday quietly at home with his wife and their dogs, which become frightened by fireworks.

“America’s a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said.

Chin said healthcare and politics remain major worries for him and his wife.

“We’re Democrats, so kind of given up hope,” he said. “Just feel that it is the way it is. I don’t know if there could be change.”

At the National Archives in Washington, visitors toured the Rotunda to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while also escaping the extreme temperatures outside.

Among them was Michael Dresdner, 60, who traveled from West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Cindi, 57, and a group of roughly two dozen people to take part in the America 250 celebrations. He said the fact that members of the group represented different political viewpoints gave him optimism about the future of the country.

“We are all here, and we all love America,” he said.

Dozens of young chareidim, many dressed in Shabbos clothing and wearing shtreimlach, blocked the Yerushalayim Light Rail tracks on Motzoei Shabbos in protest of the military draft of bnei yeshivah, temporarily disrupting train service in the capital.

The demonstration took place near the Chaim Bar-Lev and Shivtei Yisrael intersection, where protesters sat on the tracks, prompting police to suspend train operations along part of the route.

Following police instructions, service between the Givat HaMivtar and City Hall stations was temporarily halted, while trains continued operating on a partial schedule between City Hall and Hadassah Ein Kerem, and separately between Givat HaMivtar and Neve Yaakov.

The light rail operator issued a statement explaining the service disruption.

“Due to a demonstration in the Shivtei Yisrael area, and in accordance with police instructions, light rail service has been suspended between Givat HaMivtar and City Hall stations. Trains are operating on a partial schedule between City Hall and Hadassah Ein Kerem, and between Givat HaMivtar and Neve Yaakov. Once the tracks are cleared, full service along the entire L1 line (Hadassah Ein Kerem–Neve Yaakov) will resume.”

Approximately 30 minutes later, the tracks were cleared and normal operations resumed throughout the L1 line.

The operator later announced, “Dear passengers, light rail service has resumed its regular schedule along the entire L1 line (Hadassah Ein Kerem–Neve Yaakov). We thank you for your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.”

{Matzav.com}

Following President Isaac Herzog’s release of a video message in Arabic urging an end to the ongoing wave of violence and crime in Israel’s Arab communities, journalist Moshe Aryeh published a video response arguing that the root causes of the crisis are being ignored.

In his address, President Herzog appealed directly to Arab citizens, saying the bloodshed could not continue.

“My brothers and sisters, members of Arab society, my voice will not be silent and my conscience will not rest as long as blood continues to be spilled in the streets of our communities. It is the responsibility of the state, and its duty, to put an end to this tragedy and provide security and personal safety for every citizen.”

Responding in Arabic, Moshe Aryeh said that while restoring public safety is essential, focusing only on the violence itself will not solve the problem.

“Mr. President, the problem isn’t just in the streets,” he said. “Anyone who truly wants to fight violence must examine what is being taught, what messages are being passed on to the younger generation, and confront every form of incitement that encourages hatred and violence. If we deal only with the results and not the causes, nothing will change.”

Aryeh argued that the violence seen on a daily basis is merely a symptom of deeper social problems within Arab society and maintained that meaningful progress will require addressing what he described as incitement within educational systems and other institutions.

He said he deliberately recorded his response in Arabic so that it would reach the same audience as the president’s message, while urging Israeli leaders to move beyond public statements and address what he believes are the underlying sources of the violence.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Tamir Granot, whose son was killed while serving in the IDF, says he spent months quietly meeting with leading gedolim after his loss, hoping to bridge the divide between the chareidi and religious Zionist communities over military service. In a wide-ranging interview, he claimed that while some senior rabbinic leaders privately agreed with aspects of his message, they were unwilling to express those views publicly.

The interview opened with interviewer Moshe Mansa recounting a conversation with a chareidi educator who described Rav Granot as one of the most influential—and, in his view, dangerous—figures in the current debate.

“The voice is the voice of Yaakov, but the hands are the hands of Esav. He looks like one of us. He speaks our language of Torah learning. We can’t simply dismiss him because he sacrificed the most precious thing in the world—his son. Instead of going through the rabbanim, he’s trying to reach our yeshiva bochurim directly and persuade them to enlist.”

Rav Granot said he understands why some perceive him as a threat but believes those fears stem from deep anxiety.

“Whether something is dangerous depends on how much fear you live with. When your world is filled with anxiety, even things that are not threatening—even things that are positive—appear dangerous. Some people are afraid of growth. Some are afraid of greater love of Heaven because they fear it will change them.”

He said the events of October 7 transformed what had once been an ideological debate into an urgent national issue.

“We’re all in the same boat. From the standpoint of the existential threat, there’s no difference between Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv. We all have to fight. But not all of us are burying our loved ones, and not all of us are serving hundreds of days in reserve duty. My cry comes from that reality. It comes from my own family, from my students, from the thousands of wounded in Tel Hashomer, from reservists who desperately need relief, and from the students in my yeshiva who missed half the summer zeman while their counterparts in Mir and Ponevezh were not sharing that burden.”

Rejecting the notion that one group’s Torah study is inherently more valuable than another’s, Rav Granot said:

“Is their Torah worth more in Heaven? Anyone is entitled to think so, but in my opinion that has no place before the Ribbono Shel Olam. The Torah of Ponevezh is not worth more than my Torah. If we’re truly concerned with Torah rather than ego, then the responsibility has to be shared.”

One of the interview’s most striking moments came when Rav Granot described what he did immediately after completing the shivah for his son.

“For an entire year I didn’t speak to the media. The very first thing I did was meet privately with the gedolei Yisrael. I wanted them to hear my cry.”

According to Rav Granot, the responses he received generally fell into three categories.

Some, he said, remained unwavering in their position.

“I spoke about pikuach nefesh, about defending the Jewish people from those who seek to harm them. The response remained the same: ‘Nar Torah’—only Torah. ‘This is our world. This is how we preserve it.'”

Others listened sympathetically, offered words of encouragement and blessings, but took no public action.

The most surprising conversations, he said, came with senior rabbinic figures who privately expressed agreement but felt unable to speak openly.

“They told me, ‘You’re completely right. One hundred percent right.’ I asked them, ‘So why don’t you go out into the public square and say that?’ One of them looked me in the eyes and said, ‘If people find out that I listened to you for ten minutes without throwing you out of the room, I’m finished.'”

The discussion also turned to one of the chareidi community’s central concerns about military service—that it poses serious spiritual dangers for young men.

Mansa observed that someone wearing a black yarmulke generally belongs to a community with clearly defined standards and expectations, while the religious Zionist community encompasses a broader range of religious observance.

“When someone wears a black yarmulke, there are established codes. He doesn’t go to the movies. His children attend cheder. When someone wears a knitted yarmulke, he can be completely non-observant and still be considered religious Zionist. Our communal codes protect us, even if they come with a price.”

Rather than dispute that assessment, Rav Granot said he believes the difference reflects two distinct social structures.

“Chareidi society is first and foremost a society. Religious Zionism is first and foremost a worldview. A tightly knit society has significant advantages in preserving its framework. The chareidi world protects the community, even if that sometimes creates a gap between outward appearance and inner reality.”

To illustrate his point, he recounted a story he said he had heard from a security official at a government office.

“He told me that when people pass through the metal detector, the average person takes out one cellphone. A chareidi takes out two—one kosher phone and one smartphone. In the religious Zionist world there’s greater openness. People aren’t pretending. Parents know who their children really are.”

At the same time, Rav Granot acknowledged that the religious Zionist community accepts greater risks, including higher rates of young people leaving religious observance.

“We’re like a startup nation. Many startups fail, but the ones that succeed transform the world. The individual in the religious Zionist community has room to grow, choose, and change society and the economy. We’ve chosen to accept that price as Jews.”

Toward the end of the interview, Rav Granot discussed his new book, Al Sfas HaBris, explaining that it is not focused specifically on the chareidi community but on the broader challenge of strengthening unity among the Jewish people.

Referring to the Torah’s placement between Har Gerizim and Har Eival, he said the Torah must serve not only as the bond between man and Hashem but also as the force that unites the different segments of Klal Yisrael.

“The Torah does two things: it connects us to the Ribbono Shel Olam, and it should connect the different parts of the Jewish people. That’s a shared mission for us and for the chareidim—to make the Torah into something that unites all of us.”

Asked how dialogue is possible when one side refuses to engage, Rav Granot concluded with a somber response.

“I don’t know what I can do with him… other than daven for him.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Tax Authority has begun implementing a new policy that could significantly impact the finances of dozens of yeshivos and Torah institutions by conditioning valuable tax benefits on the military status of their talmidim, as reported earlier tonight here on Matzav.

In letters sent late last week to numerous institutions, the Tax Authority instructed roshei yeshivah, administrators, and authorized signatories to certify that none of their students are eligible for military service without having properly resolved their status with the military. Institutions that decline to make the declaration risk losing eligibility for Section 46 tax benefits, a key incentive for charitable donations.

The directive follows a decision issued at the end of May by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ordering an immediate halt to tax benefits for donations made to chareidi institutions that enroll students who are subject to military service but have not regularized their draft status.

Section 46 of Israel’s Income Tax Ordinance allows donors to approved nonprofit organizations to receive tax credits on their contributions, making it one of the most important tools available to charitable organizations for fundraising.

In its letter, the Tax Authority wrote that, under current Israeli law and in accordance with rulings of the Supreme Court, “as a general rule, it is not permissible to continue granting benefits that directly or indirectly facilitate evasion of military service, including benefits provided to a yeshiva student in that capacity when his attendance at the institution constitutes avoidance of military service. The state has no authority to encourage draft evasion through public funding.”

The letter further stated that, following consultations led by the attorney general and involving legal and professional officials, it was determined that “under the law and applicable court rulings, it is not permissible to provide indirect state funding—including tax credits for charitable donations—to Torah institutions attended by students who have not regularized their status with the military authorities.”

Under the new requirements, every Torah institution—or organization supporting one—that holds Section 46 approval must submit a signed declaration from an authorized board member affirming that, as of the date of the declaration, none of its students are subject to military service without having lawfully resolved their status, and that the institution will not admit such students in the future.

Institutions are also required to submit a complete list of enrolled students for the relevant academic year, including each student’s name and identification number, in an Excel spreadsheet. The Tax Authority warned that institutions failing to submit both the declaration and the student list could lose their Section 46 approval.

At the same time, Keren Olam HaTorah, the organization established to help yeshivos and kollelim offset government funding cuts, has been working to develop alternative methods of supporting institutions affected by the new policy.

As previously reported, the fund recently informed roshei yeshivah that, after consulting with accountants and legal experts specializing in nonprofit and tax law, institutions that—based on individualized legal advice—choose not to include certain students on the lists submitted to the authorities will not automatically lose the fund’s financial support.

In a letter sent to participating institutions, the fund explained that even schools choosing “to continue omitting those students from the reported lists—while recognizing that this should not be done in every case” would remain eligible for assistance, with the fund exploring alternative methods of distributing financial support.

Keren Olam HaTorah emphasized that it is not instructing or recommending any particular course of action. Rather, it said its goal is to provide institutions with practical options for navigating the legal challenges created by the attorney general’s directive.

The new policy comes amid ongoing debate among legal advisers and accountants serving chareidi institutions over how best to respond to the government’s requirements and represents the first organized effort to develop a broad strategy for protecting financial support for the yeshivah world in light of the new restrictions.

{Matzav.com}

Naor Narkis, a candidate for Israel’s Democrats Party, appeared to embrace a campaign message circulated by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich claiming that he would close mikvaos if appointed religious affairs minister in Israel’s next government.

Rather than deny the accusation, Narkis responded with a post on X that appeared to reinforce the criticism.

“I can’t wait to become the Minister of Secularization and dismantle the chareidi and national-religious establishment into pieces. A democratic state separates religion from money. That’s exactly what I intend to do together with my partners. If you want to make the plan to separate religion from money—which worries Smotrich—a reality, all you need to do is join the Democrats.”

Smotrich quickly responded, arguing that Narkis had confirmed the message featured in his campaign.

“Yair Golan’s candidate, Naor Narkis, the future religious affairs minister in an Eisenkot government, confirms it: The day they take power, they will close every mikveh for religious Jews. Listen to him. They intend to do exactly what they’re saying.”

The Sephardic religious party Shas also sharply criticized Narkis, accusing him of revealing what it described as the true agenda of Israel’s left.

“Naor Narkis has exposed the true face of a left-wing government—a war against the Jewish tradition. Shas is proud that during the last term it built and upgraded dozens of mikvaos and allocated hundreds of millions of shekels for the construction and renovation of thousands of mikvaos across the country, serving millions of Israelis—secular, religious, and chareidi alike. Shas will continue strengthening religious services and preserving the Jewish tradition. They speak about closing mikvaos; we will continue building them.”

{Matzav.com}