ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — More than 800 pounds of peanut butter — enough for around 15,000 sandwiches — has been spread across the floor of a museum in the Netherlands in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month.

The conceptual artist, who died at the age of 83, first created the Pindakaasvloer, or peanut butter floor, in 1969. The work was unveiled on Thursday at the Depot offshoot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam for a two-month show.

Schippers was a beloved non-conformist character in the Netherlands, where he also voiced Ernie and Kermit the Frog in the Dutch version of “Sesame Street,” and created absurdist and silly works that challenged conventional ideas about the meaning of art.

“Isn’t it fantastic that we are all standing here looking at peanut butter?” Schippers told journalists gathered at the Central Museum in Utrecht in 1997 where Pindakaasvloer was on display for the second time.

Schippers created the work as part of a Floor Covering Series, which also included floors covered with glass shards and salt.

The aroma, redolent of breakfasts and lunch boxes, is what lingers with many who experience the work first hand. Museum staff directed visitors for the opening to “follow the smell” which was wafting by the ticket counter, three floors below where the artwork is laid out.

“The thing I remember is the smell,” Mieke Weismann told The Associated Press. The food photographer and writer saw the 1997 exhibition as a teenager.

Workers spread peanut butter on a floor to recreate the “Peanut Butter Floor” artwork in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mouneb Taim)

The art installation may not be for everybody. A sign at the museum’s entrance warns visitors with peanut allergies that they might not want to enter the space.

It took two employees of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen several days to spread 40 buckets of peanut butter across a 25-square-meter (270-square-foot) hexagon last week.

“It was a lot of work,” Leon Duenk, one of the two men who installed the artwork, told AP.

The pair used drywall trowels to smear the peanut butter to a thickness of 2 centimeters (0.8 inch).

Prior to his death the museum and Schippers discussed how to recreate the work in the future, producing a 20-point plan that included the requirement to apply the peanut butter “as smoothly and boringly as possible” and that “no one is supposed to stand in, or lie down on the peanut butter.”

Workers spread peanut butter on a floor to recreate the “Peanut Butter Floor” artwork in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mouneb Taim)

Schippers did not specify the size or shape of the work, but he did say it needed to be smooth peanut butter and that he preferred the Dutch peanut butter brand Calvé. The company donated 40 tubs of peanut butter for the work.

Multiple visitors stepped into the sticky artwork when it was on display in 2011. In 1997, the work was “vandalized” when a group of people placed 12 slices of bread and several bags of hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles commonly eaten on bread at breakfast in the Netherlands — on the floor.

“It doesn’t look bad,” Schippers told Dutch newspaper Volkskrant at the time. “The sprinkles have been applied with a sense of proportion and a skillful hand.”

Workers spread peanut butter on a floor to recreate the “Peanut Butter Floor” artwork in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mouneb Taim)

Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi launched a scathing attack on Democrats MK Naama Lazimi in an interview on Kol Barama on Thursday, saying that she is “worse than Hamas.”

During the interview, Vaturi referred to the conduct of opposition members in Knesset committees, claiming: “They’re frustrated because they can’t accept four years of this government. Look at Naama Lazimi — when she goes up to the podium she curses everyone and the Prime Minister. She can run for elections….maybe for the leadership of Hamas in Gaza. That’s her character.”

When the radio hosts questioned his comparison of the left-wing MK to a murderous terror organization, Vaturi refused to retract his statement and even escalated further: “Listen to how she talks. Look at what they wish for the Prime Minister. You know what? I don’t see any difference between her and them, I’m sorry. Someone who harms the State of Israel from within is even worse than that. Our enemies are among us, in our soft underbelly, in the Knesset.”

Lazimi responded quickly, placing the blame on the Prime Minister: “Netanyahu and his people have marked a target on my back,” she claimed. “The government of draft‑dodgers and failures is inviting the next political assassination. Our blood will be on their hands…Likud has become a mafia; they have nothing to offer so they turn to incitement and violence.”

Vaturi also addressed the issue of the High Court’s overreach, saying that he fully backs Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s call not to comply with the Court’s ruling ordering a new election for the State Comptroller.

“Of course we must listen to Minister Levin,” Vaturi said. “The High Court harms the state and has become hostile to it. If we listen to them on this matter, we might as well shut down the Knesset, lock the building, and go home.” He added: “My personal opinion is to dissolve the High Court and rebuild it, but if the Prime Minister decides otherwise — I’ll go with Netanyahu.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

According to a recent announcement from Canada’s Department of Finance, a group of allied governments is moving ahead with plans to establish the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), a multilateral financial institution designed to help member nations finance military modernization and defense projects. The proposed bank, modeled after the World Bank, would provide long-term financing for weapons procurement, military infrastructure and defense manufacturing while helping participating countries borrow at lower costs. Canada has agreed to host the institution’s headquarters.

The proposal comes as defense spending across the Western alliance accelerates at the fastest pace in decades. At its recent summit, NATO members committed to increasing defense expenditures toward 5% of gross domestic product over the coming years, placing significant pressure on government budgets already strained by higher borrowing costs and slowing economic growth.

The International Monetary Fund, in its April World Economic Outlook, warned that the renewed global military buildup could significantly increase public debt while forcing governments to make difficult fiscal choices. The IMF found that major defense expansions historically add roughly 14 percentage points to national debt-to-GDP ratios within three years while placing pressure on spending for healthcare, education and other domestic priorities.

Supporters argue the DSRB offers a practical solution. Like other multilateral development banks, member governments would contribute capital, allowing the institution to secure top-tier credit ratings and raise funds in global debt markets at favorable interest rates. The bank would then lend those proceeds to participating nations over extended periods, making expensive defense investments more affordable while helping smooth annual budget pressures.

Backers also hope the institution will attract significant private-sector investment. By providing guarantees and co-financing arrangements, the DSRB could encourage commercial banks and institutional investors to participate in defense projects that have traditionally relied almost entirely on government funding. Officials have discussed an initial lending capacity approaching $135 billion, with additional private capital expected to expand the bank’s overall financing power.

The proposal reflects a broader shift in how governments view defense spending. Rather than treating military investment solely as a security expense, policymakers increasingly describe it as an industrial policy capable of supporting manufacturing, technology development and skilled employment. Defense companies, aerospace manufacturers, electronics suppliers and advanced materials producers all stand to benefit from a more predictable pipeline of long-term financing.

One proposal under discussion would use frozen Russian central-bank assets held in Europe as part of the bank’s capitalization, though that idea remains politically sensitive and has not been adopted. Supporters argue such an approach would reduce the financial burden on taxpayers while helping fund Ukraine’s long-term security and allied defense capabilities.

For financial markets, the bank could create an entirely new category of government-backed defense financing, opening opportunities for institutional investors while providing manufacturers with greater certainty as they expand production capacity. Large defense contractors, suppliers and commercial lenders could all benefit if governments begin financing procurement through a permanent multilateral institution rather than relying exclusively on annual appropriations.

Questions remain over governance, membership, lending criteria and how much private capital will ultimately participate. Even so, the direction is becoming increasingly clear. As geopolitical tensions reshape national priorities, allied governments are not only increasing military spending — they are building the financial infrastructure needed to sustain it for decades to come.

JBizNews Desk | Ottawa

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

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is bringing senior officials from more than 60 nations to Washington next week for a high-level conference aimed at strengthening international cooperation against what the Trump administration says is an escalating wave of transnational far-left terrorism.

The gathering, scheduled for July 16 at the State Department, will include ministers and senior representatives from Europe, Latin America, and Asia. According to a planning document obtained by The Washington Post, participants will focus on improving intelligence-sharing and law enforcement coordination to combat what U.S. officials describe as a renewed surge in politically driven violence carried out by far-left extremist organizations.

The planning paper states that the meeting will address “far-left terrorists” who are “increasingly turning to organized, deadly violence to advance their political objectives.”

The initiative has drawn skepticism from a number of current and former American officials, foreign diplomats, and terrorism specialists, many of whom argue that left-wing extremist organizations do not currently present the same level of international danger as other terrorist threats.

Some officials within the administration have also voiced concern that broadening counterterrorism powers in this area could establish legal precedents that might later be used against other political groups.

“The idea is you’re setting a precedent for a future Gavin Newsom administration to turn these authorities on conservatives,” one current administration official told the Post.

The White House rejected that criticism, saying such concerns did “not represent the prevailing feeling” and pointing instead to the administration’s national counterterrorism strategy released in May, which states: “We will not permit the weaponization of America’s unparalleled CT capabilities for partisan purposes.”

The strategy further emphasizes, “Our counterterrorism powers will not be used to target our fellow Americans who simply disagree with us.”

White House counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka has explored whether organizations linked to antifa could qualify for designation as foreign terrorist groups, a move that officials say could broaden investigative tools available to law enforcement under certain circumstances.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly condemned antifa and signed an executive order last year identifying it as a “domestic terrorist organization,” although legal scholars have noted that such a designation does not carry formal legal standing under existing federal law.

Administration officials have also highlighted recent criminal cases involving anti-fascist activists as evidence supporting their concerns.

Last month, multiple defendants were handed lengthy prison terms for their involvement in a violent demonstration outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas, where a police officer was shot during the unrest.

Federal prosecutors characterized those charged as members of an “antifa cell,” while defense lawyers maintained that the prosecution was politically motivated.

The State Department extended invitations to nearly every European country, along with several nations in Latin America and key Asian partners, including India, Indonesia, and Singapore.

According to The Washington Post, some foreign governments have indicated they are unlikely to dispatch cabinet-level officials, citing scheduling issues or disagreement with the administration’s assessment of the threat posed by far-left extremist movements.

Several terrorism experts also questioned whether the administration’s priorities accurately reflect today’s global security landscape.

“We have to be objective about identifying threats, not politically selective,” said Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Colin P. Clarke, executive director of the Soufan Center, offered a similar assessment, saying, “If I were to rack and stack priorities, left-wing terrorists wouldn’t be in my top three.”

Billboards calling for revenge and targeting U.S. President Donald Trump were erected today in the Iranian city of Mashhad.

Over the past day, billboards and posters carrying harsh messages against U.S. President Donald Trump have appeared throughout the city. Footage published online shows signs displaying Trump’s portrait with a red crosshair superimposed over his face alongside the words: “Kill Trump.”

According to reports, the signs were placed in public areas across the city as part of a wave of protests and expressions of hostility directed at the U.S. administration and Trump personally.

Local sources said the campaign is a direct continuation of the regime’s official rhetoric and public statements emphasizing its desire to “settle the score” with political figures in the West.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

José Batista Sobrinho S.A., the world’s largest meat company, has formally stepped back from its promise to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that drew wide attention this week. The disclosure marks the clearest retreat yet from a climate commitment the Brazilian giant once promoted as a first for the global meat industry.

José Batista Sobrinho S.A. first announced the goal in March 2021, and global chief executive Gilberto Tomazoni reinforced it at a New York Times event in September 2023, saying the company aimed for net zero by 2040 rather than 2050 because it recognized the urgency. In the recent filing, the company frames that ambition far more cautiously, acknowledging that achievement of a goal of this magnitude was never under the control of any one company and noting the legal exposure the pledge has created.

That exposure is real. In February 2024, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued José Batista Sobrinho S.A., alleging it violated state consumer-protection laws with “sweeping representations” about a net-zero goal the state said the company had no actual plan to achieve. The two sides settled in late 2025, with the company agreeing to present “net zero by 2040” as a goal rather than a pledge or commitment, disclose specific actions and conduct annual internal reviews for three years, funded by a $1.1 million settlement supporting climate-smart agriculture in New York.

The company’s claims had already begun to shift. In January 2025, global chief sustainability officer Jason Weller told Reuters the 2040 target was an “aspiration” and “was never a promise that José Batista Sobrinho S.A. was going to make this happen,” citing the company’s limited control over farms and customers. The company later said its climate ambitions had not changed.

The challenge is rooted in the company’s supply chain. By José Batista Sobrinho S.A.’s own reporting, Scope 3 emissions — chiefly from suppliers — account for 97% of its total greenhouse gas footprint, while its estimated methane emissions exceed those of oil giants ExxonMobil and Shell. In March 2024, the Science Based Targets initiative, widely regarded as the leading benchmark for corporate climate goals, removed the company from its register after it failed to submit a validated emissions-reduction plan.

The retreat comes at a sensitive moment for the company’s finances. José Batista Sobrinho S.A. listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2025, completing a comeback after paying billions of dollars in fines to Brazilian and U.S. authorities to settle bribery and corruption cases. The listing expanded the company’s access to American capital markets as it continued investing in new facilities, including operations in Nigeria and expanded U.S. beef production.

Environmental groups quickly criticized the latest disclosure, arguing they had warned for years that the company was using the net-zero commitment to improve its public image while continuing business largely unchanged. They point to reported links to more than 118,000 hectares of Amazon deforestation between 2022 and 2024. The company says it continues investing in supply-chain initiatives, including cattle-tracking systems in the Brazilian state of Pará and programs worth tens of millions of dollars to help farmers reduce emissions.

For the broader food industry, the retreat reflects a wider reassessment of ambitious climate commitments. José Batista Sobrinho S.A. was the first major global meatpacker to announce a 2040 net-zero target, but a growing number of companies across industries are revising environmental goals that proved more difficult to achieve than initially expected. At the same time, regulators in states including New York and California are increasingly requiring companies to support climate-related marketing claims with measurable plans and documented progress.

For shoppers and suppliers, the takeaway is straightforward. Environmental claims attached to beef, chicken and pork products — including brands such as Swift and Pilgrim’s — face growing scrutiny from regulators and investors alike, making documented progress increasingly important alongside public commitments.

JBizNews Desk | São Paulo

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

BEIJING (AP) — A fire broke out at a shoe factory in the eastern Chinese province of Fujian on Thursday, killing 28 people, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded “an all-out search and rescue effort,” urging a swift investigation of the incident and “strictly hold those responsible accountable.”

The blaze started at a factory in Huiteng shoe company in the city of Jinjiang, the city’s fire department said in a statement. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

There were 237 factory workers and two visitors in the building when the fire broke out. Authorities evacuated or rescued 213 people. Of the 28 people who died, two were pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Xinhua said the factory’s owner and others in charge have been arrested and the company’s accounts have been frozen.

Video by CCTV shows the facade of a building of several floors charred black and covered in white smoke. Earlier footage shows fires were burning on multiple floors and the building shrouded in thick, black smoke.

Jinjiang, the city where the fire happened is known as China’s shoe capital.

The Gerrer Chasidus world was shocked Thursday evening after Reb Yidel Toib, 77, one of the chassidus’s veteran and well-known baalei kriah, collapsed during a shiur held in the main Beis Medrash of the Gerrer shul on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim. He was niftar a short time later.

MDA responders, together with United Hatzalah, were rushed to the scene and immediately began CPR, in front of the many people present in the beus medrash at the time. Sadly, despite their efforts, Reb Yidel passed away.

New Jersey slipped to 31st in CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business rankings, as the state’s strengths in education and quality of life continued to be overshadowed by concerns over its business climate and the high cost of operating in the Garden State.

The 2026 rankings, released today, evaluated all 50 states using 138 metrics across 10 broad categories that influence business competitiveness, including workforce, infrastructure, economy, cost of doing business, business friendliness, quality of life, technology and innovation, education, access to capital and cost of living.

New Jersey received high marks in several foundational categories, ranking second nationally in education and third in quality of life. The state also continued to benefit from its highly educated workforce, strategic location between New York City and Philadelphia, and strong presence in industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, logistics and financial services.

But those advantages were offset by continued struggles in categories tied directly to the business climate. New Jersey ranked dead last in the nation for business friendliness and continued to score poorly on the cost of doing business, contributing to its overall decline from 30th to 31st in the national rankings.

In a statement, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association said the report underscores longstanding concerns about the state’s economic competitiveness.

“While it’s a positive to see New Jersey maintain good foundational metrics like quality of life and education, the continuation of our bottom-of-the-pack ranking for business friendliness and high cost of doing business continue to be of great concern,” the organization said in a statement.

NJBIA argued that decades of policies have created a reputation that discourages business investment and pointed to what it described as troubling trends, including companies choosing to expand outside New Jersey and more than 9,000 jobs affected by WARN Act notices so far this year.

The business group also criticized a series of recent state policies that it says have increased costs and regulatory burdens on employers. Among the measures cited were the Corporate Transit Fee, changes to the state’s independent contractor standards, the Climate Superfund law, and a new assessment on certain employers whose workers receive Medicaid benefits.

CNBC’s annual rankings are based on publicly available data from federal agencies, private-sector organizations and independent research groups. The network adjusts the weight of each category annually based on the priorities states emphasize in their economic development efforts.

The rankings have become a widely watched benchmark for comparing state economies and business climates, offering policymakers and business leaders a snapshot of where states are succeeding—and where challenges remain.

For New Jersey, the latest report reinforces a familiar theme: the state continues to excel in producing a highly educated workforce and offering a strong quality of life, while facing persistent criticism over taxes, regulation and the overall cost of doing business.

Less than 24 hours after declaring they would not accept any changes to the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, the chareidi parties in the Knesset have agreed to a compromise with the Likud that would significantly narrow the legislation by removing one of its central provisions.

Under the emerging agreement, the bill will no longer include a clause stating that recognition of Torah study as a foundational value is intended to create “balances of justice” in relation to other fundamental values of the State of Israel. Instead, the legislation will retain only its opening provision, which establishes Torah study as a foundational value of the Jewish people’s heritage and the State of Israel.

The compromise represents a notable shift from the position taken just a day earlier by Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni. Following a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gafni had insisted that “what was agreed upon in the meeting is what will pass in the second and third readings. I will not agree to any change in the wording.”

Gafni also rejected a Likud proposal to reduce the legislation to a largely declarative measure, insisting that the bill be passed “exactly as written.”

At the time, officials from the chareidi parties stressed that the purpose of the legislation was to grant Torah study tangible legal and budgetary significance, rather than merely symbolic recognition.

However, mounting pressure from within the Likud, coupled with opposition voiced during Knesset committee discussions, ultimately led the chareidi parties to soften their position.

Knesset Legal Adviser Attorney Sagit Afik warned that the original wording could eventually serve as a legal basis for demands that full-time Torah scholars receive benefits currently reserved for military personnel and combat soldiers, including scholarships and additional financial assistance.

Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz made clear that the bill would not have enough support to pass unless it was amended. He also warned that Likud lawmakers were prepared to submit reservations against the legislation if no changes were made.

Faced with the possibility that the entire bill could fail, the chareidi parties agreed to remove the controversial “balances of justice” provision.

At the same time, coalition lawmakers are working on separate legislation addressing disabled veterans, aimed at recognizing the value of military service and the sacrifices made by combat soldiers. The move is intended to separate that issue from the Torah Study Basic Law and clear the way for the revised version of the bill.

The final draft has not yet received the approval of the leading gedolei Torah. Nevertheless, the agreement to delete the disputed clause underscores that despite the firm public statements and ultimatum issued to Netanyahu only a day earlier, the chareidi parties ultimately agreed to the Likud’s primary demand and accepted a substantially more limited version of the legislation.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Wednesday that the Israel Defense Forces remain on high alert and fully prepared to resume operations against Iran, including independent Israeli strikes to neutralize threats.

Speaking at a pilots’ graduation ceremony, Katz emphasized Israel’s readiness to regain air superiority and conduct “blue-and-white” — meaning independent Israeli — operations in Iran if necessary.

“If we need to return, we will return with even greater force,” Katz said.

The comments come amid heightened tensions following prior rounds of conflict between Israel and Iran. Katz stressed that the military is equipped to carry out such strikes “even for a third time” to remove ongoing threats to Israel.

Katz’s remarks accentuate Israel’s determination to act unilaterally if required to safeguard its security, without reliance on external forces.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is seeking sweeping control over the next Likud Knesset slate, demanding 10 reserved slots for candidates of his choosing in a move that has triggered a growing internal fight inside the party ahead of the upcoming primaries.

Under Netanyahu’s proposal, he would keep the top spot on the list for himself while also reserving places 2, 4, 6 and 8 in the top 10, effectively giving him control over half of the party’s first 10 spots. He is also seeking additional reserved slots at numbers 11, 15, 18, 22 and 29. The move would allow Netanyahu to place candidates directly onto the list without a primary vote, bring in outside figures and push some sitting Likud lawmakers into lower and less secure positions.

The battle is now centered on Likud’s constitution committee, chaired by Minister Haim Katz, which is supposed to set the rules for the party primary and determine how many places Netanyahu will be allowed to reserve. The committee had been scheduled to meet Thursday ahead of the August 4 primary, but Netanyahu has already delayed the meeting twice and on Wednesday asked for a third postponement. In a letter to Likud’s internal tribunal, party attorney Ilan Bombach requested an extension until Sunday for finalizing the proposed primary rules, citing urgent constraints involving the prime minister.

The repeated delays have fueled suspicions inside Likud that Netanyahu is trying to run out the clock so that a full primary cannot be held in time, potentially allowing him to push for a smaller selection committee instead. Senior party figures believe the effort is aimed at giving Netanyahu broader control over the slate, enabling him to add outside candidates and weaken the position of current MKs. Among the names raised as possible additions are Local Government Federation chairman Haim Bibas and media personality Natali Shem Tov.

The push has drawn strong opposition from within the party. MK David Bitan, chairman of the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, petitioned Likud’s internal tribunal demanding that the constitution committee and party institutions convene immediately and that the primary process begin without further delay. He also demanded that any reserved slot Netanyahu seeks be brought to the Likud Central Committee for a secret ballot, arguing that such a large number of personal appointments would effectively turn the party into a selection committee and undermine the democratic process.

At the same time, Netanyahu is said to be exploring understandings with Haim Katz that could help him pass the plan. Party sources claim Katz may support Netanyahu’s reserved-slot proposal in exchange for a guaranteed place on the list for his ally, MK Eti Atiya, whose chances of securing a realistic spot in an open primary are seen as slim. Katz’s office denied the claim and insisted that any decision would be brought before the proper party institutions.

Pressure is also building from newer Likud lawmakers, especially MK Tally Gotliv and other first-term members, who are pushing for primaries and warning against a system that would place their political future in the hands of a small committee. Some of them have recently accused Netanyahu of “throwing them under the bus” after they stood by him throughout the term, and messages have reportedly been sent to his associates warning that if all candidates are not given an equal chance, there could be retaliation through no-confidence votes, secret ballots and other parliamentary moves.

With the August 4 primary date approaching and July 15 serving as the deadline for candidates to submit paperwork in order to receive Knesset campaign financing, the struggle over how Likud’s slate will be built is quickly becoming one of the most explosive internal battles in the party.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.)

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE

Shas, Rashi & Tosfos

IN JUST ONE YEAR!

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact.

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own.

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden.

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

Beyond the Grave

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory.

ShasYiden.com

Ireland’s parliament has approved legislation banning the import of goods produced in Israeli communities in Yehuda and Shomron, marking one of the most sweeping trade measures adopted by a European nation targeting Israeli communities beyond the 1967 lines.

The proposed law would prohibit the import of products from Israeli residential, agricultural, and commercial enterprises located outside Israel’s internationally recognized borders. Irish officials said the legislation was drafted in response to the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel’s presence in Yehuda and Shomron, eastern Yerushalayim, and Gaza to be illegal under international law.

Ireland has been among Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel throughout the war in Gaza. In 2024, Dublin recognized a Palestinian state, prompting Israel to close its embassy in the Irish capital. More recently, Ireland announced that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich would be barred from entering the country.

Despite the political significance of the legislation, its economic impact is expected to be minimal. Irish imports from Israeli communities in Yehuda and Shomron—including agricultural products, timber, fruits, and vegetables—totaled less than €1 million between 2020 and 2024.

The measure nevertheless carries broader diplomatic implications, as Ireland has become the first European Union member state to advance comprehensive legislation specifically targeting imports from Israeli communities in Yehuda and Shomron.

The move has also drawn criticism from Washington. The U.S. State Department warned in June that the legislation amounts to a “pointless signal” that neither advances peace in the Middle East nor helps address humanitarian needs in Gaza.

Irish officials insist the proposal is not a boycott of Israel but a narrowly targeted restriction on goods originating from Israeli communities beyond the pre-1967 Green Line.

The bill must still complete several additional parliamentary stages before becoming law, though Irish lawmakers are expected to finalize the legislation before Parliament’s summer recess next week.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In one of the largest recent philanthropic gifts to Satmar educational institutions, philanthropist Mr. Avraham Yehuda (Yudi) Goldberger has pledged $10 million to secure the naming rights for a major expansion project benefiting the Satmar girls’ schools in Kiryas Yoel.

The donation will fund the naming rights for the construction of new Bais Rochel towers that are planned as part of a significant expansion of the mosdos. The new buildings are intended to accommodate the continued rapid growth of the Satmar community and provide additional space for its expanding network of girls’ educational institutions.

In honor of the landmark contribution, a special l’chaim celebration was held at Mr. Goldberger’s home, attended by the Satmar Rebbe along with prominent rabbonim, community leaders, and supporters of the project.

The expansion is expected to play a key role in meeting the increasing demand for classroom and educational facilities in Kiryas Yoel, where the Satmar community has experienced substantial growth in recent years.

The $10 million gift marks one of the largest individual contributions toward the project and reflects the continued commitment of community philanthropists to strengthening and expanding the Satmar educational system.

{Matzav.com}

A beret march completion ceremony was held at the Golani Interchange area in northern Israel on Thursday. Parents arrived at the site at dawn to meet their children, who had completed the physically demanding all-night endurance exercise.

However, for some parents and soldiers, the joy and excitement of the ceremony were overshadowed by a lack of consideration for their religious way of life, Arutz Sheva reported.

The father said his family stayed overnight in nearby Mitzpe Hoshaya to arrive at the ceremony at 5 a.m. Right before the ceremony began, an announcement was made informing attendees that female singing would be incorporated into the event and that anyone who found it objectionable was welcome to step aside during those portions.

“Some families left along with quite a few soldiers,” the father said, adding that because the ceremony site was surrounded by loudspeakers, stepping away did little to mitigate the noise of the singing. “There was nowhere to escape. It was pathetic.”

He said the ceremony alternated between speeches by commanders congratulating the soldiers and their families and performances by two female soldiers and one male soldier, who sang both together and individually.

“Time and again you could see mothers wearing headscarves and men wearing kippot walking off to the side,” he said.

“Then I suddenly saw my son joining them, followed by more soldiers wearing kippot who went over to stand with their families. When the song ended, they returned to formation. Then another commander would speak, and as soon as he finished, the small singing group would come back on stage, and once again the families and soldiers would leave and stand off to the side. It was disgraceful.”

The father said his son later told him, “Is this what we marched dozens of kilometers all night for? So they could spit in our faces like this?”

He said that the hurt was evident on his son’s face.

“The feeling was that we were the outsiders—the strange ones who had to leave the ceremony. At the same time, they were telling us, ‘Well done, parents, for your dedication,’ and praising us.”

Asked whether anything could have been done, the father said that after the ceremony, several parents looked for the unit Rabbi, who had attended previous ceremonies and addressed the families, but were unable to find him.

“They told us he had left earlier,” he said.

“We couldn’t do much. It’s a military ceremony, and we respect the army and the occasion. But I’m not sure that respect is mutual.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a Sunday cabinet meeting on July 5 that the proposed $4.2 billion sale of Israeli shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping Services to Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd is “not on the agenda at all,” throwing the deal into serious doubt and erasing much of the premium built into Zim’s stock. Defense Minister Israel Katz backed him, telling ministers the government still holds a “golden share” in Zim and will use its legal authority to step in if national security requires it.

The turning point came when Deputy Minister Almog Cohen raised the sale during the meeting and warned that handing control to a buyer with Gulf ownership would be a disaster. He said Israel would be giving away the key to its maritime gateway to a company under Qatari and Saudi influence. Days earlier, the Defense Ministry had formally concluded that the deal, in its current form, does not adequately protect Israel’s security interests — a position Katz adopted and disclosed to the media.

Investors reacted fast. Zim shares fell about 6.8% on Monday on the New York Stock Exchange, closing near $23.70 and pushing the company’s market value below $3 billion — well under the $4.2 billion the buyers agreed to pay. The stock now trades at a steep discount to the $35-per-share cash offer, a sign the market sees a real chance the sale never closes.

The deal was signed in February. Under its structure, Hapag-Lloyd would take over most of Zim’s international routes, including lanes between East Asia and the Americas, while Israeli private equity fund FIMI Opportunity Funds, led by Ishay Davidi, would carve out the Israeli operations into a separate company called New Zim. That smaller carrier — roughly a dozen vessels — was designed to satisfy the state’s golden-share rules, which require Zim to keep a fleet of Israeli-owned ships and maintain freight service to and from Israel.

Officials say that is exactly the problem. With few commercial land crossings and a single major international airport, Israel depends on the sea for about 90% of its imports. Critics argue that a slimmed-down New Zim, with limited reach and capacity, could not carry that load during a war or blockade, especially if foreign shipping lines stay away. A Knesset committee earlier warned that Zim vessels played a direct role during the recent conflict, moving ammunition, food and medicine when it mattered most.

The ownership of Hapag-Lloyd has drawn the sharpest objections. Among its largest shareholders are Qatar Holding, an arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund with a 12.3% stake, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which holds about 10.2%. The Ministry of the Economy wrote that relying on a shipping company whose major owners include states hostile to Israel during a national emergency is completely detached from strategic reality. The Defense Ministry also flagged Chile’s government, a shareholder that has grown increasingly critical of Israel, as an added concern.

Katz confirmed the government retains a golden share that lets it intervene when national security is at stake. The February agreement itself says the transaction cannot close without sign-off from Israeli regulators and the state under that special share, alongside approvals from the Israel Companies Authority and the Israel Competition Authority. That gives the government a hard stop, not merely a voice.

Opposition has been building for months. Before Netanyahu and Katz weighed in, the Economy, Agriculture and Transportation ministries, together with Israel’s Shipping and Ports Authority, had already moved to block the sale. Zim’s workers’ union and the naval officers’ union oppose it as well. Union chairman Oren Caspi called Zim the world’s ninth-largest shipping line, controlling about 40% of Israel’s import and export market, and said it is not an ordinary commercial company.

Hapag-Lloyd is not backing down. A spokesperson said the company still expects to complete the acquisition and is pursuing approvals from regulators and the government, adding that it believes it will receive them all. The German carrier has hired former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi to help move the bid forward. For Hapag-Lloyd, losing Zim would be a major setback to its growth strategy.

Some parties close to the deal believe the review is being slowed on purpose to push any final decision past Israel’s November elections, leaving it to a future government. FIMI’s Davidi, who has clashed with Netanyahu politically, argues that New Zim would launch debt-free with $700 million in equity and meet every state requirement. For now, the sale sits stalled at the top of Israel’s government, and the market is pricing in the doubt.

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

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Israel alliance in an interview with journalist Sharon Gal, praising President Trump as an unwavering supporter of the Jewish state while addressing regional security threats, relations with Turkey, and the growing confrontation with Iran.

Rejecting suggestions that President Trump has acted inconsistently or contradicted his previous positions, Netanyahu said both leaders are guided by the interests of their respective countries while maintaining an open and honest relationship.

“He looks after America’s interests, and I look after Israel’s interests – and I am not ashamed to speak my mind,” the prime minister said.

Netanyahu explained that during his meetings with Trump, he openly presents Israel’s concerns, including his views on Turkey and the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said the same candid discussions extend to the security situation along Israel’s northern frontier and the continued need to maintain a security buffer in southern Lebanon.

“We must protect the region.”

The prime minister emphasized that his conversations with Trump are marked by complete transparency and mutual respect. While acknowledging that the two leaders do not agree on every issue, Netanyahu said he deeply values the president’s backing of Israel.

“Even if there are disagreements on certain matters, I greatly appreciate his support. I do not think there has ever been a president so supportive of Israel in our history.”

Turning to the escalating tensions involving Iran and the Persian Gulf, Netanyahu cautioned that it remains too early to predict how the situation will ultimately unfold.

At the same time, he said the Trump administration recognizes that Iran is deliberately delaying negotiations rather than pursuing a genuine resolution.

“It shows he has immense frustration over the fact that the Iranians are playing for time – that is what they are doing – and he understands that.”

Concluding the interview, Netanyahu stressed that Israel remains fully prepared for whatever developments may lie ahead.

“We are prepared for any scenario.”

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (JNS/Jonathan S. Tobin) Say this for Rahm Emanuel. He may have about as much chance of being nominated for the presidency in 2028 by the Democratic Party as he does of being elected pope. But he knows how to retain the attention of the national media by manipulating contacts inside the Beltway.
That’s the only way to explain why someone who is not even being included in way-too-early polls about presidential preferences could get the kind of massive coverage he got for a speech given this week in Israel, when those far ahead of him in the contest struggle to be noticed.

On July 7, The Washington Post devoted three full articles to previewing Emanuel’s July 8 talk at Tel Aviv University. The Post, The New York Times, CNN and the rest of the corporate press then followed up with even more coverage of the speech after the fact. Those articles not only depicted it as deeply relevant to the current debate about the U.S.-Israel relationship going on in his party, but also to the reality on the ground in the Middle East.

A rerun of failed ideas

But what made this public relations coup even more remarkable is the fact that the much-ballyhooed address consisted of little more than a recycling of the conventional wisdom of his long-past political heyday. Emanuel’s speech was more or less a rerun of what passed for foreign-policy establishment canon in 1995 and 2015, put forward as a formula for peace in the second quarter of the 21st century.

Once you strip away Emanuel’s attempts to claim both the credibility and credentials to demand that Israelis discard everything their lying eyes and ears have been telling them about their nation’s struggle to survive a multifront war launched by Iran and its terrorist auxiliaries, all you’ve got is what we might term a piece of political nostalgia.

Emanuel calls his big idea the “23-state solution” because it is based on the notion that the Arab and Muslim world can cajole the Palestinian Arabs to make peace. But that’s just window dressing for what is the same two-state solution that his former bosses, Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, foolishly expended so much political capital trying to force into being. Contrary to liberal myth, that formula was thwarted not by Israeli intransigence but by the stubborn refusal of the Palestinians—enabled by much of the Muslim and Arab worlds, in addition to Western leftists—to countenance any future but one in which Israel is erased.

The context here is the fact that the former U.S. ambassador to Japan (2022-2025), mayor of Chicago (2011-2019), White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama (2009-2010), U.S. congressman from Illinois (2003-2009), investment banker (1999-2002) and senior adviser to Clinton (1993-1998) believes that his already impressive résumé ought to be rounded out by a stint as commander-in-chief. The man renowned as a serious policy wonk, albeit one with a predilection for profanity and a notorious temper, may have much to say about a lot of different topics. Yet when it comes to Israel—a subject he claims intimate knowledge of—Rahm is nothing but a blast from the discredited past.

That’s why the truly significant aspect of the speech and the massive coverage it generated isn’t what it says about the 2028 race, efforts to prevent the Democratic Party from becoming the anti-Israel party or even the one that is comfortable with antisemitism. Rather, it points toward the fact that while Israelis have absorbed the lessons of the last 33 years of history, including the Oslo Accords disaster, the Second Intifada, the fruits of the withdrawal from Gaza and the horrors of Oct. 7, 2023, supposedly smart people, including those like Emanuel who know a thing or two about Israel, have learned nothing.

Emanuel claims to represent a rational compromise between two factions.

On the one hand, he disdains the rabid antisemites chanting for Jewish genocide (“From the river to the sea”), terrorism against Jews everywhere (“Globalize the intifada”) and their political frontmen, like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who speaks for his party’s base, if not the overwhelming majority of its rank-and-file. But he has equal contempt for those politicians who, he says, give “blind” support to Israel and its democratically elected government. Few Democrats these days, other than an outlier like Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), come even close to basic support of the Jewish state, and not even the most hard-core backers like the senator and the many Republicans who share his views do so blindly.

His supposed compromise involves smearing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, and placing the lion’s share of the blame for the current state of the Middle East on them. He points a finger at the supposed unconditional support that Israel has gotten from the United States. And while he also says that Palestinian Arabs bear some responsibility for their problems, this is secondary to his belief that the United States can help impose a solution on the region.

The architect of ‘daylight’

If that sounds familiar, it ought to. The same condescending tone with which Emanuel blasted Netanyahu and Israeli voters this week was the one he helped orchestrate a campaign of pressure on the Jewish state during the opening months of the Obama administration in 2009. At that time, Emanuel’s big idea wasn’t some nonsense about 23 states, but rather a belief in the value of creating more “daylight” between Washington and Jerusalem.

It’s been more than 17 years since Emanuel stage-managed the launch of that initiative. Obama snubbed Israel on his first trip to the Middle East and then gave a speech in Cairo in which he not only apologized for America’s alleged past sins committed against Muslims, but compared Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians to the Holocaust.

In the years that have followed, the world has seen that such “daylight” didn’t encourage Israel’s enemies to give up their quest for its destruction. To the contrary, it only encouraged the Palestinians and their supporters to double down on their belief that if they are only patient and brutal enough in their assaults on the Jewish state, the West will someday abandon it and acquiesce in its eradication.

Obama’s appeasement of Iran, which, instead of preventing them from achieving their nuclear ambitions, actually guaranteed that it would someday get a bomb with Western permission, illustrated the same principle.

And yet, Emanuel thinks this record of failure that dates back to his support for the folly of Oslo entitles him not merely to pose as an expert on the situation. He believes that it gives him the right to scold and dictate to Israelis.

The veteran politician has closer ties with Israel than most American Jews. His father fought with the Irgun Zvai Leumi during Israel’s War of Independence, and his mother is buried in Israel. But unlike the Israeli people whom he now lectures, he not only doesn’t share their dangers but played a not-insignificant role in increasing their peril. So, his “tough love” approach is not only unhelpful but deeply offensive.

In his Tel Aviv speech, Emanuel gave a potted recent history of the Middle East that acknowledged Palestinian intransigence, but then demanded that Israelis ignore it. With his quotes of the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and lauding Obama’s “achievements,” he showed just how rooted he is in the patent nostrums of the past.

The truth is, Israel has repeatedly attempted to trade land for peace, and as a result, received only more terror. Withdrawing from the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2005 brought into being what is now, for all intents and purposes, an independent Palestinian state in all but name.

Israel tried to live with that state. Netanyahu is ceaselessly chided by his critics, including Emanuel, for having allowed funds from Qatar to flow into Gaza in the hope that doing so, along with allowing Palestinians to work inside Israel, would cause the Strip’s Islamist rulers to think it was in their interest to keep the peace. The prime minister deserves the criticisms he gets for that, but the truth is that few of his political opponents inside Israel or his American critics thought it was wrong while that was happening. None of them would have supported an effort to push Hamas out of Gaza if Israel had sought to do so before the events of Oct. 7, 2023.

If this bribery failed to achieve its purpose, it’s not because of Netanyahu’s bad judgment. It’s because the Palestinian people and the terror groups they support, like Hamas, had no interest in peace, including merely the maintenance of the status quo. The Hamas-led massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7 bears witness to the folly of those who preached for “two states.” They also exposed the cluelessness of those who failed to understand that, unfortunately, the conflict with the Palestinians has been and remains a zero-sum game.

If Israel were to withdraw from the larger and more strategically important Judea and Samaria, as it did from Gaza, that would not only be an unconscionable abrogation of Jewish rights and the ethnic cleansing of Jews from the heart of their ancient homeland. It would also set Israel up for more Oct. 7 horrors on an even greater and more dangerous scale.

Still smearing Israel

For 100 years, the Palestinian Arabs have refused any such compromise that would involve them living in peace with a Jewish state, no matter where its borders might be drawn. The war they launched on Oct. 7 with the largest mass slaughter since the Holocaust wasn’t a response to Israel’s policies. It was, like the decades of terrorist attacks that preceded it, an expression of anger at the existence of a Jewish state in their midst, coupled with a desire to see it destroyed and its people annihilated. Emanuel claims that harping on such history is to ignore opportunities for change; however, this insight applies as much to the present situation as it does to the past.

But, as was the case back in the 1990s when Clinton was pushing the same ideas, and in the 2010s when it was Obama falsely claiming that Israelis were not brave enough to take “risks for peace,” none of that matters to Emanuel.

For him, the problem is that Netanyahu has transformed Israel into a militarized “Sparta” and international “pariah” state. But whatever you might think about Netanyahu, an observer who was less determined to double down on past failures would understand that the prime minister’s political success and the policies he has pursued were merely a response to the reality of Palestinian intransigence that a generation of Democratic policymakers like Emanuel has either downplayed or tried to wish away.

His peace formula involves America punishing Israel by cutting off aid and political pressure, matched by the Arab world doing the same to the Palestinians. This is nonsense. The Palestinians have made it clear that they cannot be bribed or persuaded to accept peace with Israel. And as long as that is true, no amount of pressure on Jerusalem will end the conflict. That is why, though Israelis disagree on much, including whether Netanyahu should remain in office, there is a broad consensus within Israel that there is no Palestinian peace partner and that withdrawal from territory, let alone the uprooting of Jews, is a non-starter.

A futile candidacy

Does Emanuel think that Israelis will listen to his stale prescriptions for policies that have already been tried and proven failures? Probably not. But his insatiable ambition and his ego have placed him under the misapprehension that his position on Israel is critical enough to satisfy Democratic primary voters. The vast majority seem to have accepted blood libels about Israel committing “genocide” and swallow toxic leftist ideas like critical race theory, intersectionality and settler-colonialism that led them to think it has no right to exist.

Emanuel epitomized the sort of establishment Democrat who ran the party under Clinton and Obama, but who is now reviled by the progressives who dominate it today. There is also the problem that during his time as mayor of Chicago, Emanuel alienated the African-American community because of various controversies over police brutality. It is a long shot for someone like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is nominally pro-Israel but critical of Netanyahu, to win the nomination of a party where hatred for the Jewish state has become normative. But the chances of someone at odds with both African-Americans and the Israel-haters in the party are about as close to zero as one can get.

Still, we should not dismiss the damage that speeches such as his do to the U.S.-Israel alliance and the dwindling chances of reviving support for Israel inside the Democratic Party.

Israelis know that it is in their long-term interests to phase out the military aid they get from Washington. That’s despite the fact that almost all of it is spent in the United States, and is part of a mutually beneficial relationship that enhances American security. Still, the idea that America can bludgeon Israelis into endangering their security to conform to outdated notions about the formula for peace that were discredited long ago is a dangerous myth. The effort to revive interest in a two-state solution that Palestinians don’t want will, as it did in the past, only encourage them to continue their century-old war on Zionism.

Bashing Israel or claiming that “bad” Israelis like Netanyahu have been the obstacles to peace isn’t just wrong. It will make it that much harder to fend off the antisemitic push to anathematic Israel that has been the hallmark of discussion about the Middle East on the left since Oct. 7. Democrats like Emanuel, who engage in such discourse, may claim that they love Israel. However, all they’re doing is making it easier for their fellow party members to demonize the Jewish state and ignore the ongoing Palestinian quest for Jewish genocide.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS. Follow him: @jonathans_tobin.

Israel’s Nurses Association has declared a labor dispute involving approximately 60,000 nurses, a move that could pave the way for widespread strike action affecting hospitals, clinics, maternal and child health centers, nursing schools, and other healthcare facilities across the country.

According to the union, the dispute stems from growing workloads, severe physical and emotional burnout, and what it describes as the government’s failure to improve working conditions or address longstanding staffing shortages. Union leaders say nurses continue to face increasing patient loads without adequate resources, resulting in lower caregiver-to-patient ratios and concerns about the quality of care.

The Nurses Association also cited deteriorating workplace conditions, a shortage of hospital beds and medical infrastructure, limits on hiring new staff, and proposed changes that would replace certain nursing roles in operating rooms with non-medical technical personnel. The union further objected to plans to privatize school health services, arguing the move would undermine nurses’ rights and working conditions.

Shaul Skiff, chairman of the Israel Nurses Association, said the dispute comes as the healthcare system continues caring for thousands of people physically and psychologically affected by the war. He said nurses remain on the front lines despite chronic understaffing and warned that the union is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect both healthcare workers and patient care.

Last month, the association warned Health Minister Chaim Katz that it could move toward a strike, claiming Israel is short roughly 1,200 nursing positions, including more than 1,000 in hospitals and another 200 in school health services and maternal and child health clinics.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

BALTIMORE (VINnews) — A Maryland man was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison after admitting he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State group (ISIS) and planned attacks targeting Jews and supporters of Israel.

Michael Sam Teekaye Jr., 22, of Maryland, also received a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty in January to attempting to support the foreign terrorist organization.

According to prosecutors, Teekaye told an undercover FBI officer he wanted to travel to Somalia to join ISIS as a fighter. He also described a “plan B” to carry out an attack in the United States, saying he had researched Jewish and pro-Israel buildings and considered shooting people connected to them.

Authorities said Teekaye bought ammunition and practiced at a Maryland shooting range before unsuccessfully attempting to purchase a Kalashnikov-style firearm while on probation. Investigators also said he communicated with an ISIS fighter about traveling through Turkey and Ethiopia to Somalia and received airline tickets before his arrest at Baltimore/Washington International Airport in October 2024.

After his arrest, prosecutors said Teekaye vowed to continue jihad after serving his sentence and threatened law enforcement officers.

A search of his cellphone found searches for Jewish and Israeli individuals and organizations in Howard County, along with searches related to breaking into homes and evading murder investigations. A local rabbi who was among those targeted submitted a victim impact statement and addressed the court during sentencing.

Federal prosecutors said the investigation prevented a potential terrorist attack before anyone was harmed.

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wa-1783607323958-2jp4n8.mp4

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BERLIN (AP) — Germany has struck a deal with the United States to buy American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and station them in Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Thursday.

The German leader said the agreement on the long-range missiles, which are used to strike targets deep inside enemy territory, was reached this week on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey’s capital, Ankara.

“This will close an important strategic gap in our defense, and at the same time, we will work to develop our own European systems and station them in Europe,” Merz told parliament after returning from the two-day summit.

The deal struck with the Trump administration amounts to broader export of American know-how to some of its major allies in Europe, whose security posture has been upended by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defense systems to counter missile attacks from Russia — a huge coup for Kyiv which has long requested the technology.

The Tomahawk cruise missile has been in the U.S. military’s inventory since the 1980s. While slow by missile standards, the cruise missile flies around 100 feet (about 30 meters) off the ground, making it harder to detect by defense systems.

The missile boasts an impressive range of around 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) and precision guidance systems that make it the go-to weapon for striking targets that are deep inland or in hostile territory.

(AP) – Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed in June, but a key measure of home prices climbed to an all-time high, adding to prospective homebuyers’ affordability challenges.

Existing home sales fell 2.4% last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. Sales rose 2.8% compared with June last year.

The latest sales tally fell short of the roughly 4.21 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Home sales have been mostly hovering close to a 4-million annual pace going back to 2023, far short of the historic norm that is closer to 5.2-million.

Sales have remained sluggish this year as mortgage rates have mostly trended higher in the months since the spring as the war between the U.S. and Iran began raising expectations of higher inflation. Still, mortgage rates remain below where they were a year ago.

Home prices continued to rise nationally last month. The U.S. median sales price increased 1.8% in June from a year earlier to $440,600, an all-time high, NAR said. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 36 months in a row.

President Trump announced a major shift in U.S. support for Ukraine on Wednesday, revealing that Washington will allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles under license—a move he said will enable Kyiv to produce one of the world’s most advanced air-defense weapons domestically instead of relying solely on American deliveries.

The announcement came during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where Trump said the United States would provide Ukraine with the rights and technical know-how needed to build Patriot missiles, which serve as the interceptor component of the Patriot air-defense system. The missiles are among the few weapons capable of shooting down incoming ballistic missiles, which travel into space before descending toward their targets at tremendous speeds.

Trump unveiled the plan while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing it as a major step toward dramatically increasing production of the sophisticated weapon by allowing Ukrainian factories to manufacture the interceptors themselves.

For months, Zelensky has repeatedly urged the United States and its allies to provide additional Patriot missiles. It was unclear whether he had been informed of the licensing plan beforehand, but Trump presented the announcement publicly as though it were new information.

Although the Patriot system is among the most technologically advanced defensive weapons in the world, Trump expressed confidence that Ukraine possesses the industrial expertise needed to manufacture the missiles and suggested production could begin relatively quickly.

Explaining why he was comfortable sharing the technology, Trump stressed that the Patriot is a defensive system designed to protect civilians and infrastructure rather than conduct offensive operations.

“We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it, it’s very complex… That’s pretty cool, right? That’s why he can’t complain we’re not giving him enough, make ’em yourself!”

Trump said Ukraine is one of the few countries capable of building such sophisticated weapons and predicted the production process could move rapidly.

“most countries couldn’t do that… but this is a very ingenious group… [it could be done in] not that much time, actually… I think they can produce them pretty quickly… we’ll work with the company. They have the capability to produce weapons, pretty complex weapons”.

Zelensky welcomed the announcement and praised the Patriot system as the world’s premier defense against ballistic missile attacks.

Calling the Patriot “the best in the world today, the best anti-ballistic system”, Zelensky expressed appreciation for the expanded cooperation.

Later in the day, Trump broadened the discussion during remarks at the NATO conference, outlining plans to significantly expand U.S. defense manufacturing as well. He said new production facilities would dramatically reduce the time required to build Patriot missiles and other advanced weapons.

“I provided other leaders with an update on the steps we are taking to rapidly scale up production in the United States, and they wanted to hear that because they don’t want to get it in four years, five years, they want to get it in a week. And we’ll actually be at a point like that in the not too distant future with the defence plants that are being grown.

“Lockheed, I think, is building five [new plants]… its going to quadruple the output we have with the munitions, whether it’s a Patriot or a Tomahawk missile… Lockheed-Martin will establish a world-class Patriot missile sustainment facility in Europe. They’ve been given a tremendous incentive by Europe to do that.”

Trump also announced that German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall will begin producing the U.S.-designed Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) in Europe under license.

It remains unclear whether Ukraine’s proposed manufacturing license would cover only Patriot interceptor missiles or extend to the entire Patriot weapons system, including its sophisticated radar and command-and-control components.

A complete Patriot battery—which includes advanced radar, launchers, control equipment, and interceptor missiles—costs more than $1 billion. Individual replacement interceptor missiles are estimated to cost roughly $5 million each.

Trump’s meeting with Zelensky reflected a noticeably warmer relationship between the two leaders than earlier in the year. The president said their personal rapport has improved considerably.

“We had a great talk the other day, I think, very positive. We have some very good stories to tell. He wants to see a settlement… we’ve actually developed a good relationship. It’s hard to believe, right? From the Oval Office to now, we’ve developed a very good relationship.”

Zelensky suggested their improving relationship was only beginning, prompting Trump to respond optimistically.

“and this is the beginning, maybe. Just the beginning. And you know the country has a lot of future, such great land, such great assets, such great people… we’ve made a lot of progress in the past couple of weeks”.

Discussing prospects for ending the war, Trump repeatedly emphasized the importance of face-to-face negotiations among the leaders of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. Asked whether he would be willing to travel to Moscow for such talks, Zelensky drew laughter from those in attendance by joking, “It’s difficult, there are a lot of Ukrainian drones there.”

{Matzav.com}

Montreal police have opened a hate crimes investigation after a series of coordinated attacks targeting Chassidic Jews unfolded Friday night in the Outremont and Mile-End neighborhoods, where Yidden walking home from Shabbos davening were reportedly harassed, assaulted, and subjected to antisemitic abuse.

According to CityNews Montreal, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal’s (SPVM) specialized hate crimes unit is investigating the incidents after multiple victims were targeted by individuals riding through the area in a vehicle.

The Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec (CJHQ) said several people returning from shul encountered aggressive harassment from the vehicle’s occupants.

“Victims were yelled at, subjected to antisemitic slurs, spat at, and had objects thrown at them,” the organization said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The CJHQ said several victims had their shtreimels ripped off or knocked from their heads during the attacks. Among those assaulted was an individual who uses a wheelchair.

Security camera footage released by the organization appears to show the suspects pulling their vehicle to the curb before one individual jumps out, sneaks up behind a pedestrian, attempts to yank the man’s shtreimel off while mocking him, and then runs back to the waiting vehicle, which quickly sped away.

The CJHQ condemned the attacks in the strongest terms, stressing, “This was not a prank or a random act of mischief.”

The incidents sparked widespread condemnation from elected officials and Jewish advocacy organizations.

Outremont Mayor Caroline Braun said she has witnessed an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in recent months.

“For several months now, I have observed a disturbing rise in antisemitism in Montreal and Outremont,” Braun wrote on Facebook. “We have seen the emergence of hateful graffiti, acts of intimidation, violence, and hate speech that have no place in our city. This must stop.”

United Against Hate Canada called on authorities to strengthen the SPVM’s hate crimes unit and urged greater involvement from the city’s Public Security Commission.

“There needs to be rapid arrests for this latest manifestation of hate and the heaviest instruments in the Criminal Code need to be used against those arrested,” said Marvin Rotrand, director general of United Against Hate Canada, as quoted by CityNews.

Rotrand’s organization also urged Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada to establish a dedicated municipal task force to combat the growing wave of antisemitism.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) likewise denounced the attacks, warning that they reflect a broader national crisis.

The organization described the assaults as “a horrific act of Jew hatred in Montreal… A month after the prime minister’s address, Canada’s antisemitism crisis continues as attacks targeting visibly Jewish Canadians spread across the country. Here’s what happens when antisemitism is normalized: A gratuitous, cowardly, and hateful attack against Hasidic Jews was carried out on Friday evening.”

The latest assaults come amid an ongoing surge in antisemitic incidents across Canada, particularly in Montreal.

Congregation Beth Tikvah, a synagogue in Montreal, has been targeted twice within the past year by firebomb attacks.

In November 2024, a man described as Arab entered a Jewish-owned business in Montreal and threatened to kill its owners while unleashing an expletive-filled tirade against Jews and Israel.

That threat came only days after violent riots erupted during a pro-Palestinian Arab demonstration in Montreal, where participants burned an effigy of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, hurled firecrackers at police officers, smashed storefront windows, and set several vehicles ablaze.

In July 2024, vandals desecrated a Jewish cemetery in Montreal by arranging stones atop graves in the shape of a swastika.

Last November, the phrases “Kill all Jews” and “Allahu Akbar” were discovered scrawled on a bathroom wall at Concordia University.

More recently, in March, a kosher restaurant and a neighboring business in Montreal were vandalized in another apparent antisemitic incident.

Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen understands that recovery is just as important as training.

The 2024 NFL MVP said quality sleep plays a critical role in helping him perform at his best, which is why he and Natrol announced an expanded partnership Wednesday.

As part of the collaboration, Allen will incorporate Natrol Ultra Sleep and Natrol Ultra Energy into his overall wellness routine. According to the company, Natrol is a drug-free sleep aid brand.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM

In an interview with FOX Business, Allen spoke about the importance of how much of a role sleep has played in his football career.

“As we all know, quality of sleep, it’s not a luxury. It’s the foundation of overall performance,” Allen said. “Now being a dad, it’s given me a whole new perspective on sleep. Introduced a whole new reality on interrupted sleep and the unpredictability of it. 

“The training aspect, making sure you’re sleeping well enough to get the recovery that you need to then wake up and feeling good to go and get back at it again. … And with Ultra Sleep helping supporting my sleep and overall wellness and then the Ultra Energy, which helps your overall wellness, I think it’s been a really good pair.”

Allen further noted that the wider partnership is about more than football, emphasizing his commitment to recovery and overall wellness.

“It’s about being present for my family, my teammates and the people that count on me every day. Sleep is the foundation for everything I need, while Ultra Energy provides the sustained cellular support to show up as my best self regardless of what the day brings,” Allen said in a news release.

Allen followed up his 2024 NFL MVP campaign by leading the Bills to a wild-card round victory in January, scoring the decisive rushing touchdown in a thriller against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He finished the 2025 regular season with 25 touchdown passes.

Allen and his wife Hailee Steinfeld welcomed their first child together in April.

“Our baby girl has arrived!!” Steinfeld wrote in a Substack titled “Special Delivery” at the time. “We’re feeling incredibly grateful and blessed and savouring these early moments. Thank you so much for the love and well wishes.”

The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday began transitioning Palm Beach International Airport to its new Donald J. Trump International Airport designation, changing the airport’s FAA locational identifier from PBI to DJT as the renaming officially took effect.

The name change was required under legislation signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 30, which renamed the airport and directed Palm Beach County to obtain the necessary federal approvals and begin implementing the transition.

Beginning Thursday, the FAA’s locational identifier is DJT, while the airport’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) identifier is KDJT. Those identifiers are used by pilots, air traffic controllers and aviation systems for flight planning, navigation and other operational purposes.

The code passengers see on airline tickets, baggage tags and travel websites is different.

While the FAA’s operational identifier changed immediately, the transition will occur in phases.

According to the airport, travelers should continue using PBI when searching for flights, booking flights and checking baggage until Aug. 18, when the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is scheduled to implement the commercial code change to DJT. Airport officials said the change was initiated by IATA at the request of several airlines serving the airport.

Officials said the phased rollout is designed to ensure a smooth transition as airlines, reservation systems and airport partners update their platforms. Flights, airline schedules and airport services will continue operating normally throughout the transition.

Airport officials also emphasized that the renaming does not affect ownership or governance of the airport. Palm Beach County will continue overseeing airport operations, finances and strategic decisions, describing the transition as a branding change rather than an operational one.

Motorists are already beginning to see the new name. Florida Department of Transportation highway signs directing travelers to the airport have been updated, while airport officials said onsite signage and branding will be replaced in phases over time.

The airport also said local property taxes will not fund the transition. Instead, costs will be covered through airport revenues or other airport funding sources, with the possibility of additional state funding.

One of the first high-profile arrivals following the transition was expected to be Eric Trump, whose aircraft, Trump Force One, was scheduled to land shortly after the new FAA identifier took effect. Ahead of the flight, Eric Trump celebrated the milestone on social media.

“I am deeply honored that at 5:01 a.m., Trump Force One will be the first plane to land at the newly renamed Palm Beach International Airport — now and forever President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT),” he wrote. “There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor.”

Eric Trump, who said he flies through the airport “nearly every day,” added that he would “forever be proud to see the initials ‘DJT’ on my boarding pass.

“Congratulations Dad — I’m happy to have played a big role in making this happen,” he wrote.

Airport officials said they will continue providing updates through the airport’s website and social media channels as additional signage, branding and passenger-facing systems are updated in the coming weeks.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A prominent Religious Zionist rabbi is urging members of his community to lower the tone of the public debate over Haredi military service, saying disagreements over enlistment should be expressed with respect and a commitment to Jewish unity rather than anger and division.

Rabbi Moshe Ganz, a senior disciple of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook and former rabbi of Sha’alvim Yeshiva and Kibbutz Lavi, issued the appeal in a public letter that has drawn widespread attention within Israel’s Religious Zionist community. He later expanded on his remarks in an interview with Kol Hai Radio, saying he decided to speak out after hearing increasingly harsh attacks directed at the Haredi community over the draft issue.

Opening his message, Ganz wrote, “My brothers, the Religious Zionists — repent your ways!”

Ganz said he understands the frustration of many Religious Zionists who have spent hundreds of days in reserve duty during the war and have faced financial hardship and family strain. He said he shares their belief that more Haredim should serve in the Israel Defense Forces, but argued that criticism should be measured and constructive.

“We need to do what can be done, and do it wisely. There is certainly no place for verbal attacks,” he said in the interview. “A Jew, even if he did not enlist, is still a Jew.”

In his letter, Ganz said he was “filled with shame and embarrassment” by the way some Religious Zionists have spoken about observant Haredim, noting that the community has often shown compassion toward Jews with different levels of religious observance.

“I fully understand your justified frustration that they are not enlisting,” he wrote. “I share it as well. But what about the love of Israel that we know how to show even toward those who desecrate Shabbat? You have become completely confused.”

Referring to the establishment of the Hashmonaim Brigade, an IDF framework created for Haredi recruits, Ganz said it is legitimate to debate the issue of enlistment but warned that hostile rhetoric and punitive measures could discourage Haredim who are already choosing to serve.

“There is a Haredi public, not a large one, that is enlisting, and we must not damage its motivation,” he said, pointing to the Hashmonaim Brigade as an encouraging development. He added that commanders in the unit have expressed satisfaction with the soldiers serving there and said he hopes those recruits will inspire more members of the Haredi community to enlist over time.

Ganz also urged listeners to judge those expressing anger with understanding, saying many have endured extended reserve service and are speaking from genuine pain rather than ideology alone.

“I ask everyone, wherever they are, to look for ways to increase peace,” he said. “We have enough disagreements.”

He also cautioned that some people appear more interested in widening the divide between the Religious Zionist and Haredi communities than in increasing military enlistment.

“There are many people who are not interested in Haredim enlisting but are very interested in creating conflict between our communities,” Ganz wrote. “We must not assist them.”

Concluding his remarks, Ganz called for patience, calm and unity, saying he believes progress will come over time. “To increase peace,” he said, “is a message that belongs to every community, every side and every direction.”

Iranian state media claimed Thursday that U.S. forces struck a strategic railway bridge used for trade with Russia and China, marking what Tehran described as an attack on key civilian infrastructure.

According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the bridge is part of the China–Turkmenistan–Iran rail corridor and has recently handled increased volumes of Russian cargo as maritime shipping routes faced growing disruption. The report alleged the bridge was hit by U.S. cruise missiles during the latest round of strikes.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the reported attack, claiming the strikes targeted civilian infrastructure, including railway bridges, and called them a “serious war crime.” In a sharply worded statement, the ministry accused the United States of carrying out attacks on multiple sites in Iran’s southern coastal provinces as well as two railway bridges on the route leading to the holy city of Mashhad, while denouncing the U.S. administration in harsh terms.

The U.S. has not publicly commented on the Iranian claims.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hotter, drier weather could nearly double household water bills in some American cities by midcentury, according to a Stanford-led study published July 8 in Nature Sustainability. The research, led by Jennifer Skerker, a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering, is the first to model how climate change, the cost of new infrastructure and household demand combine to push an already growing affordability problem toward a breaking point.

The team built its model around Santa Cruz, California, a small coastal city that draws almost entirely on local surface water and a single reservoir with barely a year of storage. That makes it unusually exposed to drought and a useful test case, the authors said, because the city has already used up cheaper conservation options such as restricting irrigation and switching to water-efficient appliances.

The numbers are stark. Under a dry-climate scenario, median monthly water bills for the poorest residents could rise from about $60 to $111 in today’s dollars. Paying for the needed infrastructure could push the share of local households above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) affordability threshold from 19% to 35%. More than 5% of households could end up spending as much as a third of their income on water, forcing hard trade-offs against food, health care and other basics.

“Climate change stresses water supplies and forces utilities to build expensive new infrastructure to maintain reliability,” Skerker said. That construction — desalination plants, water-reuse systems, new pipelines — is costly, and utilities pass the expense on to ratepayers.

How a city pays for resilience matters as much as the climate itself. The study found that a build-early approach adding large desalination capacity delivered reliable supply but at a steep cost to affordability, while a wait-and-see approach kept bills lower but provided reliable water in only six of ten years on average.

“Under today’s financing and regulatory models, climate adaptation and water affordability are on a collision course,” said senior author Sarah Fletcher, an assistant professor at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

The warning sits atop a longer trend. The average cost of tap water in the United States has risen three times faster than inflation over the past two decades, driven largely by aging pipes and deferred maintenance. Water has long been one of the cheapest lines on a household budget, in part because most communities draw from nearby sources and are shielded from the global forces that move gas and food prices.

That is changing. When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in 2024, it caused nearly $3.7 billion in damage to the region’s water systems, and in Asheville it took 53 days to restore drinkable tap water to the whole city. In Corpus Christi, Texas, four years of drought pushed the city to approve nearly half a billion dollars for new water sources, and the city manager has said residents will likely see rates double over the next few years.

The researchers said the framework can be applied to other exposed cities, naming Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and abroad Cape Town and Melbourne. Even places that look secure could grow vulnerable as utilities raise rates.

The finding fits a wider pattern. A separate analysis from MIT Sloan economists Christopher Knittel and Catherine Wolfram, with UCLA’s Kimberly Clausing, estimated that climate change is already adding hundreds of dollars a year to household budgets — more than $1,000 in some regions — through insurance premiums, utility bills and disaster losses, including an average $360 increase in home insurance premiums between 1990 and 2023.

For families, the throughline is simple. The cost of a warming climate is not only wildfires and floods on the news; it turns up on the monthly water, power and insurance bills households pay whether or not they follow the science.

JBizNews Desk | Stanford, California

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

A heated confrontation erupted during a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as lawmakers debated legislation that would freeze the arrests of yeshiva bochurim. The exchange was triggered by remarks from Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern, who questioned how anyone could avoid resenting the chareidi community while reservists continue serving in the military.

During the discussion, Stern addressed one of those present and said, “How can you not hate the chareidim when you see them celebrating during Bein Hazemanim in the Galilee while everyone else is in reserve duty?”

His comments immediately sparked outrage among the chareidi members of the committee.

Shas MK Yinon Azoulay fired back sharply, declaring, “I don’t know any Jew who hates another Jew. If you hate Jews, then your Jewishness should be examined.”

MK Moshe Solomon also entered the exchange, telling Stern, “It is forbidden to hate a Jew. Elazar, my friend, I believe it is forbidden to hate a Jew, no matter what.”

Later in the discussion, Stern sought to clarify his remarks, saying, “I don’t hate people at all—not just Jews.”

The tense exchange took place against the backdrop of the ongoing national debate over the military draft of yeshiva bochurim and proposed legislation to suspend the arrests of those who have declined to report to military induction centers in accordance with the directives of Gedolei Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

Sirens sounded across the Middle East as Iran launched retaliatory strikes on US assets in the Gulf Region on Thursday. 

Iran’s air force scrambled fighter jets to “secure the skies over the funeral procession” of the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, the regime-affiliated Fars news agency said.

The retaliatory strikes come after the US struck around 90 sites overnight from Wednesday to Thursday in Iran.

The most recent round of US strikes was completed early Thursday morning in Iran. The US military struck various sites throughout southern Iran “to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civil mariners in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on X/Twitter.

Iranian officials said the US attacks had killed 14 people and injured 78 across five provinces on Wednesday and Thursday, state media reported.

Fars said one US strike had hit a rail bridge used for trade with Russia and China, while Mehr news agency reported several explosions in the Bushehr province, which is home to a Russian-built nuclear power plant.

Sirens sound through Middle East: Strikes, interceptions in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain

Iran’s army said in a statement released by state media that it had launched attacks at US Patriot systems with drones in Kuwait, an early warning site in Qatar (satellite antenna) and a fuel storage facility of the US army in Bahrain.

Kuwait said its armed forces had engaged with a cruise missile, three ballistic missiles and 10 drones in its airspace, and that one person had been injured from falling shrapnel.

Sirens also sounded in Jordan on Thursday after missiles launched from Iran were detected in Jordanian airspace, the state news agency reported. Eight of ten missiles, which were fired at Jordan’s Azraq military base, were intercepted.

No injuries or damage were reported, the news agency said.

A government spokesperson said the Jordanian Armed Forces are on high alert and ready to deal with any threat targeting the kingdom’s security.

Sirens were sounded in Bahrain on Thursday morning, the Interior Ministry confirmed on X. Sirens were also sounded overnight as Iran launched missile and drone attacks on the Gulf State.

The ministry called on citizens and residents to seek shelter.

The siren has been sounded.. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place

— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) July 9, 2026

A drone attack hit a camp belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group northeast of Iraq’s Erbil, security sources told Reuters on Thursday.

No casualties were immediately reported in the attack.

Qatar calls for calm, Iran demands full control of Strait

Qatar, which hosts the largest US military base in the region and has often mediated between Washington and its adversaries including Tehran, called for a return to diplomacy.

In a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also condemned attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the ship attacks, analysts say Tehran uses such actions to gain leverage in negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz handled about a fifth of global oil supplies before the war erupted on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes against Iran.

Tehran has since taken effective control of the strait, allowing it to force a stalemate in its confrontation with the world’s most powerful military.

“The US has yet to learn that bullying and breaking its commitments no longer come without a cost. Let me be clear: If you strike, you will be struck back,” Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad ​Baqer Qalibaf, wrote on X.

“The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened only under Iranian arrangements, not through US threats.”

US-Iran diplomacy falling through, Trump says MoU ‘over’

However, the US leader, who was attending a NATO summit in Turkey, also said he did not think the latest military strikes would escalate into a full-fledged conflict with Iran.

“Anything that happens is going to be over very quickly… and will only make it safer, including for oil,” he told reporters in Ankara.

Asked before the NATO summit on Wednesday whether the memorandum of understanding with Iran was over, Trump said: “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s ​over. I don’t want to deal with them.”

Jonah Davidov and Shoshana Baker contributed to this report. 

This post was originally published on here.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing announced on Wednesday that charedi applicants who registered for the government’s “Apartment with Discount” (Dira B’Hanacha) housing lottery have been disqualified from participating because they are classified as draft evaders.

The move follows an order by the Supreme Court of Israel directing the government to tighten enforcement against individuals obligated to serve in the military and to deny certain economic benefits to those who fail to report for IDF service.

In an email sent to thousands of Torah students, the ministry wrote: “In accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision and the resolution of the Israel Land Council, effective May 25, 2026, eligibility to participate in the ‘Apartment with Discount’ lottery is contingent upon IDF records showing that neither the applicant nor either member of a couple registering for the lottery is classified by the IDF as a person liable for military service who has not regularized his or her status.

“According to information received from the IDF, you are classified as someone who has not regularized your status. Therefore, you are not eligible to participate in the lottery.”

As part of implementing the new policy in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives, the government has decided to revoke five major state benefits from individuals classified as draft evaders:

• Eligibility for the “Apartment with Discount” housing lotteries.
• Subsidized tuition at institutions of higher education.
• Discounts on after-school childcare programs.
• Subsidized public transportation.
• Municipal property tax (arnona) discounts.

MK Meir Porush criticized the Housing Ministry’s decision, saying:

“The land of the Land of Israel was given by the Holy One, Blessed be He, to the Jewish people. Every Jew has a share in this land, and the Housing Ministry’s announcement conveys a message of taking away what rightfully belongs to each of us.

“Every Jew has the right to live in the Land of Israel, and therefore every Jew is also entitled to all the rights the state grants regarding land.”

The first deadlines set by President Donald Trump’s executive order on artificial intelligence have now arrived, putting hard dates on a policy the administration spent months shaping. The order, titled “Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security” and signed at the White House on June 2, gave federal agencies 30 days to begin strengthening government cybersecurity systems, with a broader set of actions due by August 1.

The order was notable because the White House substantially revised an earlier draft before it was signed. Trump had postponed a tougher version, telling reporters he did not want regulations that could slow American leadership in artificial intelligence. “We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” he said, adding that he did not want the policy to become a barrier to innovation. The final version shortened a proposed government review period for advanced AI models from 90 days to 30 and relies primarily on voluntary industry cooperation instead of mandatory requirements.

The administration’s concern centers on cybersecurity risks posed by increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and then-Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell met with major Wall Street executives earlier this year to discuss emerging AI-related cyber threats and the potential risks advanced models could pose to financial institutions and critical infrastructure.

The executive order directs the Department of War and the Committee on National Security Systems to prioritize strengthening cybersecurity protections across their networks within roughly 30 days. It also instructs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to accelerate protections for civilian federal systems while expanding cybersecurity assistance to state and local governments and operators of critical infrastructure, including community banks, rural hospitals and local utilities.

The next major milestone arrives on August 1. By then, the Treasury Department, the National Security Agency (NSA) and CISA are directed to establish a classified process for determining when an artificial intelligence system qualifies as a “covered frontier model.” The framework also calls for a voluntary process allowing developers to provide the federal government with up to 30 days of early access before releasing certain advanced AI models. The order specifically states that it does not create a mandatory licensing or government pre-approval requirement.

The decision to place the Treasury Department in a leading role reflects the administration’s view that cybersecurity risks now extend well beyond the technology sector into banking, financial markets and the broader economy. The order also instructs the Attorney General to prioritize prosecution of individuals who use artificial intelligence to illegally access, disrupt or damage computer systems under existing federal criminal laws.

The policy marks a significant shift from the administration’s earlier approach. Upon returning to office, Trump rescinded a Biden-era executive order that required leading AI developers to share certain safety testing information with the federal government. The administration also renamed the federal AI Safety Institute, removing the word “Safety” from its title. Some lawmakers have noted that portions of the new executive order revive concepts that had previously been rejected.

Technology industry groups have responded cautiously but positively. Victoria Espinel, president and chief executive officer of the Business Software Alliance, praised the administration for adopting a voluntary, phased approach that encourages collaboration among government agencies, developers and cybersecurity experts. Analysts say that although participation remains voluntary, many companies developing advanced AI systems may feel practical pressure to cooperate because of national security concerns and growing public expectations.

For businesses outside the technology sector, the order carries practical implications. Community banks, hospitals, utilities and other critical infrastructure operators are specifically identified as beneficiaries of expanded federal cybersecurity assistance, while companies developing or deploying advanced AI systems will be watching closely as the August 1 framework begins taking shape.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

President Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling rejecting his effort to end birthright citizenship, calling the decision a catastrophic mistake that threatens the nation’s future.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that children born in the United States to parents who are either in the country illegally or temporarily remain entitled to American citizenship under the 14th Amendment. The decision blocked Trump’s executive order that sought to eliminate automatic citizenship for those children.

Responding to the ruling, Trump declared on Truth Social that he would immediately seek another review by the nation’s highest court.

“I will be asking for a Rehearing by the United States Supreme Court, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision.”

Requests for Supreme Court rehearings are rarely granted. Under Rule 44 of the Court’s rules, such petitions generally must be submitted within 25 days of the decision and are reserved for extraordinary situations involving major legal or factual matters that may have been overlooked.

Even when a petition is filed, rehearings are almost never approved. In addition, at least one justice who sided with the majority in the original ruling must vote in favor of reopening the case before the Court can rehear it.

The White House has made clear that the administration has no intention of abandoning its effort to end birthright citizenship. Speaking to Newsmax on July 1, Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said the legal battle is far from over.

According to Jackson, the administration remains determined to challenge what it believes is a longstanding misuse of the nation’s birthright citizenship policy despite the Supreme Court’s decision.

“American citizenship is worth so much more than a cheap plane ticket or a last-minute border crossing,” Jackson said. “The American people can rest assured that President Trump isn’t giving up on this any time soon.”

Jackson also argued that the administration believes the Supreme Court “fundamentally misinterpreted” the original purpose of the 14th Amendment, maintaining that it was never intended to automatically grant citizenship to children born to foreign nationals who entered the United States illegally or on a temporary basis.

In his Truth Social post, Trump also claimed that advertisements promoting birthright citizenship services are appearing along the U.S.-Mexico border and throughout Mexico.

“Signs and Billboards are being put up all over our Southern Border, and Mexico, advertising BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, with ‘Deliveries starting at $4000,'” Trump wrote. “Likewise, similar signs going up all over our Country.

“Billions of Dollars will be illegally made by this SCAM, with Citizenship going to anyone willing to pay.

“It will be, by far, the number one way of becoming a citizen, and then the entire family will be allowed to follow. Not sustainable.

“NOBODY SAW THIS COMING!!! AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP IS NOT FOR SALE! In fact, that is a crime, and therefore, the Supreme Court’s ruling is wrong.”

{Matzav.com}

ANTWERP, Belgium (VINnews) — A rare chalitzah ceremony was held this week in Antwerp, marking the first time in nearly 40 years that the city’s Orthodox Jewish community has conducted the ritual, according to Israel’s Kol Chai Radio.

The ceremony was organized by the rabbinical court of the Machzikei Hadas community and drew hundreds of attendees, including rabbis, rabbinical judges, Torah scholars and local residents. Organizers selected a large hall to accommodate the unusually large turnout for what is considered one of Judaism’s least frequently performed legal ceremonies.

The proceeding was led by Rabbi Aharon Schiff, the city’s senior rabbinic authority, together with members of the local beit din, including Rabbis Amram Hennig, Yechezkel Pollak and Eliezer Shimon Eckstein. Serving as witnesses were Rabbis Asher Sternbuch and Shalom Grinfeld.

At Rabbi Schiff’s request, Rabbi Aharon David Dunner, head of a London rabbinical court who has previously presided over several chalitzah ceremonies, traveled to Antwerp to oversee the proceedings. He also brought with him the specially prepared leather shoe required for the ritual.

Ahead of the ceremony, the rabbinical judges inspected the venue to ensure it complied with halachic requirements. Printed copies of the traditional Seder Chalitzah text, based on the ruling of the Maharam, a disciple of the Rema, were distributed to those in attendance so they could follow the proceedings.

During the ceremony, the widow removed the special leather shoe from her late husband’s brother, recited the prescribed declaration and spat on the ground before him, in accordance with Jewish law. The assembled crowd then proclaimed three times, “Chalutz Hana’al” (“The one whose shoe has been removed”), formally completing the ritual.

Under Jewish law, when a married man dies without children, his widow and his brother may either enter into yibbum, or levirate marriage, or perform a chalitzah ceremony. Today, virtually all Orthodox rabbinical courts require chalitzah rather than yibbum, with the ceremony formally releasing both parties from the biblical obligation and permitting the widow to remarry.

The ceremony concluded with a traditional prayer asking that Jewish women no longer be required to undergo either chalitzah or yibbum, reflecting the community’s hope that such circumstances will become increasingly rare.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee has approved for its second and third readings a bill that would allow Israeli institutions of higher education to offer gender-separate graduate degree programs. Under the proposal, separation would be permitted only inside classrooms at mixed-campus institutions, and only for students who choose to study in such programs.

The bill’s sponsor, MK Limor Son Har-Melech, said the legislation would “assist women from sectors that have not received appropriate opportunities for advancement.”

Opposition lawmakers and academic representatives strongly objected, arguing that the proposal would undermine gender equality in higher education, harm women’s status in academia, and negatively affect teaching and research. During the committee debate, opposition female MKs protested by holding signs reading “Men” and “Women” and sarcastically declaring, “If there is going to be separation, let it be everywhere, even in Knesset committees.”

Committee legal adviser Adv. Tami Sela said the bill serves a legitimate purpose that could justify a limited infringement on equality, provided appropriate safeguards remain in place. She emphasized that the legislation does not require universities to establish separate programs but leaves each case subject to approval by the Council for Higher Education (CHE), which would examine necessity, proportionality, and supporting evidence. She also stressed that the bill does not alter existing legal protections against discrimination involving female faculty members.

Sela questioned the bill’s original reference to doctoral studies, arguing that the broader term “advanced degrees” was less closely connected to the legislation’s stated objective of improving workforce integration.

Throughout the lengthy legislative process, organizations both supporting and opposing the bill presented their views. Yael Yechieli, CEO of the 50:50 Initiative, said that if the goal is integrating the charedi community into higher education, she supports it, but argued that the proposal instead grants additional autonomy to the charedi community without necessarily improving integration.

Naama Zarbib, CEO of the “Breaking Equality” movement, defended the proposal, saying, “We constantly hear imaginary fears about a slippery slope. These are paternalistic voices that refuse to see women who genuinely want these degree programs.”

Academic representatives maintained that gender-separated programs could damage academic quality, research standards, faculty status, employment practices, and academic freedom. Prof. Michal Frenkel, representing the Organization of Women Professors in Academia, argued that “gender-separate studies are academically inferior.” CHE representative Ronen Kutin rejected that claim, insisting that academic standards would remain unchanged.

The debate also referenced a 2021 Supreme Court of Israel ruling that upheld the CHE’s framework permitting gender-separated undergraduate programs as a means of increasing Haredi participation in higher education. An amendment proposed by MK Yosef Taieb, which explicitly anchors undergraduate gender-separate programs in law, was accepted and incorporated into the bill.

Taieb also sought to broaden the legislation by allowing gender separation throughout entire campuses designated as separate institutions, not just in classrooms. He argued that lawmakers should establish a new legal norm for such institutions. Representatives from the Justice Ministry opposed the broader interpretation, warning that it exceeded the careful balance between religious accommodation and equality established by the CHE and Supreme Court precedent.

The version approved by the committee permits separation only inside classrooms at mixed institutions. However, the wording leaves open the possibility of broader separation in institutions classified as separate campuses. Sela argued that broader segregation in public spaces had not been shown to be necessary to achieve the law’s objectives and could face significant legal challenges.

CHE representative Ronen Kutin noted that Israel currently has no fully separate higher education institutions, only separate campuses within mixed institutions, and pointedly asked whether lawmakers expected the CHE to begin regulating separation in libraries and cafeterias instead of focusing on academic excellence.

Charedi participant Oshra Danoch welcomed the legislation, calling it “real good news for the State of Israel,” and said efforts to force Haredi women to abandon their values would not succeed.

Roy Asaf, head of the Prime Minister’s Office Authority for the Economic and Social Development of the Haredi Community, supported the bill, saying it would increase Haredi women’s earning potential and expand their professional opportunities.

According to CHE data presented during the discussions, approximately 19,000 graduates of the charedi education system were enrolled in Israeli higher education during the 2024–25 academic year, with women comprising about two-thirds of that population. Kutin added that only 13% of charedi adults hold academic degrees, compared with 46% of the general population, citing economic, social, and cultural barriers and not only the issue of gender-separated education.

Following the committee’s approval, committee chairman MK Zvi Sukkot said the legislation is intended to expand access to higher education for religious communities that have traditionally avoided graduate studies because of their religious lifestyle. He rejected criticism that the bill imposes segregation, saying, “Contrary to the misleading campaign against it, this law forces separation on no one. It expands freedom of choice. Those who speak in the name of pluralism should also respect the religious and charedi public and allow them an equal opportunity to advance in academia without compromising their beliefs.”

Costco Wholesale Corporation on Wednesday reported net sales of $29.24 billion for the retail month of June, the five weeks ended July 5, an increase of 10.6 percent from $26.44 billion a year earlier, according to the warehouse retailer’s monthly sales release issued from its Issaquah, Washington headquarters.

The company said comparable sales, a measure that strips out newly opened warehouses, rose 8.8 percent across the business in June. Canada posted growth of 3.7 percent and other international markets rose 4.7 percent. Digitally enabled comparable sales, which cover online orders and delivery, jumped 20.9 percent, extending a long run of double-digit gains in Costco’s e-commerce channel.

A large share of June’s headline growth came from the gas pump rather than the sales floor. Costco said higher fuel prices added roughly 2.5 percentage points to overall comparable sales, with average worldwide selling prices per gallon up about 22 percent from a year earlier. Fuel prices have stayed elevated through the spring and early summer. Stripping out both gasoline and swings in foreign exchange rates, comparable sales still rose, but at a more modest pace, showing that steady member traffic and everyday grocery demand carried the underlying business even without the fuel boost.

For the first 44 weeks of its fiscal year, Costco reported net sales of $250.43 billion, up 10.1 percent from the same stretch last year. Comparable sales for that period rose 8.3 percent, with digitally enabled sales again climbing more than 20 percent. The figures point to a retailer still pulling shoppers through its doors at a time when many chains are fighting to hold traffic against cautious household budgets.

Costco’s model continues to lean on membership fees and repeat visits rather than one-time promotions. The company operates 933 warehouses worldwide as of the June report, including 641 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada and 43 in Mexico, along with locations across Europe, Asia and Oceania. That store base, paired with a renewal-driven membership base, gives the chain a recurring revenue stream that smooths over month-to-month swings in discretionary spending.

Separately, Costco’s board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.47 per share on Tuesday. The dividend is payable Aug. 7 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 24. The payout signals continued confidence in the company’s cash generation and hands a direct return to shareholders on top of the sales momentum.

Despite the double-digit sales gain, the market reaction was muted, with shares trading in a narrow range after the release rather than rallying on the top-line number. Part of the caution reflects how much of June’s growth was tied to fuel prices, a factor outside the company’s control that can reverse quickly if pump prices fall. Investors tend to focus on the fuel- and currency-adjusted figure as a cleaner read on how the core warehouse business is performing, and that adjusted number, while solid, was less dramatic than the 10.6 percent headline.

For everyday shoppers, the report underscores a pattern that has held for much of the past year. Households have kept filling carts at warehouse clubs, leaning on bulk buying and Costco’s private-label Kirkland Signature brand to stretch grocery budgets as prices for many staples remain higher than they were before the recent stretch of inflation. Fresh foods and core grocery categories have continued to grow, while the company’s ancillary businesses, including gas stations, pharmacies and optical departments, add reasons for members to keep returning.

The June update follows a fiscal second and third quarter in which Costco beat Wall Street expectations on both profit and comparable sales, helped by higher membership fee revenue and steady demand for both essentials and higher-margin discretionary goods. The company has also been pursuing refunds tied to tariffs it paid on imported merchandise, a cost pressure that has weighed on retailers importing goods from abroad.

The next test comes with Costco’s fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year results later this summer, when the company will report full profit figures alongside sales. For now, the June numbers show a retailer holding its ground: growing faster than much of the sector, keeping members loyal and returning cash to shareholders, even as a chunk of the reported growth rests on fuel prices that could ease in the months ahead.

JBizNews Desk | Issaquah, Washington

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

ICYMI: Reader-submitted TeslaCam footage shows why drivers should never become complacent when using Tesla Full Self-Driving.

While stopped at a red light on Lanes Mill Road in Lakewood on Wednesday afternoon, the vehicle – still on FSD mode – unexpectedly made a left turn on red.

(The footage was initially published last night on TLS Communities)

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wa-1783600000228-b3zts4.mp4

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The global chemical weapons watchdog on Thursday reinstated Syria’s voting rights at the body, rewarding Damascus for “constructive engagement” with the organization and a willingness to destroy previously hidden stockpiles of toxic munitions.

The decision by the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons underscores a new era of cooperation since the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in 2024, and comes five years after Syria’s voting rights were suspended as a punishment for the repeated use of toxic gas by Damascus. It was the first time a member state had been hit with such a sanction.

The new openness has already produced results, In May, the OPCW announced that dozens of chemical bombs and rockets left over from Assad’s rule had been found in the country as previously undeclared weapons sites were opened to inspectors.

The OPCW’s executive council also approved plans for destroying some of that recently declared stockpile at a site in Al Qutayfah, 37 kilometers (23 miles) north of the capital, including materials used to make a nerve agent.

The decisions “reflect the tangible progress achieved through continued cooperation and constructive engagement between the Technical Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic,” supported by other member states, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said in a statement.

The move comes a day after U.S. authorities announced that Washington will remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former insurgent who led the offensive that unseated Assad, seeks to rebuild Syria and restore its long-shattered ties with the West. He also has pledged to destroy any remaining chemical weapons from the Assad era.

When Syria joined the OPCW in 2013, under pressure from the West over alleged poison gas attacks, Assad’s administration claimed chemical weapons were present at 26 locations in the country, but the watchdog has said it has reason to believe Syria had an additional 100 sites.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced a sweeping new initiative on Wednesday aimed at dramatically overhauling New York City’s bus system, pledging major investments to speed up service, modernize infrastructure, and improve the daily commute for millions of riders. The ambitious proposal, dubbed “Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service,” represents an unprecedented partnership between City Hall, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the New York City Department of Transportation.

Under the plan, New York City will invest $254 million in operating funds and an additional $628 million in capital funding over the next five fiscal years. Officials say the initiative will target 50 major bus corridors throughout the five boroughs, with the goal of increasing bus speeds by 20%, cutting travel times by as much as six minutes each way, improving reliability, and making buses more accessible and comfortable.

“For working New Yorkers, every minute matters. But for too long, our buses have been stuck in traffic instead of keeping pace with the city that never sleeps,” said Mayor Mamdani. “When a commute stretches longer than it should, that’s less time with your kids, less time with your loved ones and less time enjoying the greatest city on earth. Together with Governor Hochul, we’re investing in faster, more reliable buses because New Yorkers deserve a transit system that respects their time. This plan will make it easier to get to work, school and home — and build a city that works better for the people who keep it running.”

“Every day, millions of New Yorkers rely on buses to get around this city, but for far too long, making their journeys faster and their lives easier has seemed out of reach. That all changes today,” said Governor Hochul. “New York is in the midst of a transit renaissance, with historic investments being made to improve the lifeblood of our city. Now, working with Mayor Mamdani, we are advancing a bold and ambitious plan to move buses faster, dramatically expand bus priority, reduce delays and make our bus system the envy of the world.”

The MTA praised the new partnership, saying years of stalled efforts to improve bus service are finally gaining momentum.

“For years, we at MTA have wanted more bus lanes, more enforcement of cars and trucks blocking bus lanes. Faster buses. Congestion pricing. But it’s no secret we didn’t have support at the local level,” said Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO of the MTA. “That is not the case anymore. Our partners today — this Governor, this Mayor and this NYC DOT — all want to make sure that riding the bus is always faster than walking. They want to follow through on long overdue commitments to build bus lanes and busways. They will ramp up traffic enforcement to keep streets moving. Buses can only move as fast as traffic allows, so if you are a bus or a bus rider this is terrific news.”

Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson described the initiative as a milestone for transit in New York City.

“Next Stop represents a historic partnership to build the fastest, best bus system in our city’s history,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “The plan is designed to deliver for riders, to give time back to our neighbors and to make our bus system easier, more reliable and more comfortable for everyone. It represents a unique spirit of collaboration in which Albany and City Hall do not hesitate to work together to improve working people’s lives. The City has the streets, the State has the buses, and together, we are committed to delivering fast buses and better service for New Yorkers.”

Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said the city is making bus riders a priority after years of neglect.

“Too often, New York City’s bus riders have felt like an afterthought. The Mamdani administration is putting the city’s one million daily bus riders front and center through this historic partnership and investment,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Bus service shouldn’t be treated as a second-rate option at the mercy of traffic congestion. It should be a world-class system for a world-class city: fast, comfortable, reliable and convenient enough that every New Yorkers sees the bus as a great way to get around. Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service provides the blueprint for transforming our bus system, and we are deeply appreciative of Governor Hochul and the MTA for their strong partnership.”

Elizabeth Adams, Mayor Mamdani’s Senior Advisor for Fast and Free Buses, said the proposal fulfills a central campaign promise to improve bus service.

“The Mayor came in with a mandate for fast and free buses, and today he’s proudly delivering on fast, with a bold plan that will speed up buses for millions of daily riders,” said Elizabeth Adams, Senior Advisor for Fast and Free Buses for Mayor Mamdani. “Thanks to a historic partnership between the MTA and DOT, we are marking a new chapter for bus riders. These improvements will give people real time back in their day for what’s truly needed. The bus is a lifeline for countless New Yorkers and when someone is made late to work, school or to pick up their kids, it can have devastating impacts. Thank you to the advocates and partners who made this plan possible and helped bring this vision forward.”

New York City’s bus network carries approximately 2.75 million passenger trips each day, making it the busiest bus system in the United States—handling more riders than the combined bus systems of Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Despite that enormous ridership, buses in New York average only about eight miles per hour, making them the slowest among major American cities.

City officials emphasized that improving bus service is a key component of their effort to make New York more affordable and livable for working-class residents. They noted that bus riders are disproportionately women, working-class commuters, and people of color, and are more likely than subway riders or drivers to come from households earning less than $100,000 annually.

The initiative identifies 50 major corridors where improvements will be concentrated, with construction and upgrades beginning this year.

The first five routes selected for the city’s next generation of rapid bus service are Tremont/Cross Bronx in the Bronx, Northern Boulevard in Queens, Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, and the Kensington-JFK corridor spanning Brooklyn and Queens. Officials said those routes were chosen because they connect residents to employment centers, schools, subway lines, and neighborhoods experiencing continued housing and economic growth.

Beginning in 2026, the city and the MTA plan to introduce protected bus lanes, more frequent all-day service, upgraded stations with covered waiting areas, and redesigned streets modeled after successful bus rapid transit systems around the world.

To improve reliability, the MTA will strengthen maintenance operations, modernize bus depots, and focus on ensuring scheduled trips are completed. Through its fully funded $68 billion capital program covering 2025 through 2029, the authority plans to purchase roughly 2,500 new buses, replacing about 40% of the existing fleet.

Officials also announced that all-door boarding will begin rolling out in 2027 as the transit system fully transitions to tap-and-go fare payment, allowing passengers to board more quickly and reducing delays at bus stops.

The plan also focuses on improving the overall passenger experience by expanding accessibility upgrades to 65 bus stops annually by 2030, installing 300 new shelters by 2028, adding seating to 875 bus stops each year until every feasible stop has seating by 2035, planting trees at bus stops to provide shade, testing new shelter designs to reduce extreme heat, and installing thousands of real-time arrival displays across the city.

Keeping bus lanes free of illegally parked and moving vehicles is another major component of the proposal. Officials pointed to automated camera enforcement, which they said has already increased bus speeds by as much as 30% while reducing crashes by 20%.

To build on that success, bus-mounted enforcement cameras will expand to 25 additional routes annually during 2026 and 2027. Another 200 fixed bus lane cameras will also be installed by 2027, while the NYPD will expand targeted enforcement from 14 corridors to 20 beginning next year.

Officials also pledged to make riders a central part of the planning process. Community meetings, surveys, partnerships with advocacy organizations, and public education campaigns will accompany each project before construction begins. After projects are completed, the city and MTA will publish performance data measuring travel times, reliability, and rider satisfaction to ensure transparency and accountability.

A broad coalition of elected officials, transit advocates, disability organizations, environmental groups, and rider organizations praised the proposal, calling it one of the most ambitious bus improvement initiatives in New York City’s history. Supporters said the investments have the potential to shorten commutes, improve accessibility, reduce traffic congestion and emissions, strengthen economic opportunity, and finally deliver the faster, more reliable bus service that millions of New Yorkers have sought for years.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Even before the United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday and President Donald Trump cast doubt on the ceasefire between the two countries, divisions had already begun to emerge within Iran’s leadership over the agreement.

The developments of the past day have only deepened those rifts, pitting one faction of Iranian officials that supports negotiations with Washington against hardline figures who strongly oppose any agreement with the United States.

The faction favoring talks has simultaneously accused the United States of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Among its senior members is Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said on Wednesday that Washington “abuses its adversaries, creates obstacles, and deceives.”

The opposing camp, made up of a minority of hardline officials advocating a more confrontational approach, has directed its anger at the Iranian president and the country’s negotiating team.

The growing tensions, both inside and outside Iran, have unfolded during the week-long funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held in five cities across Iran as well as in Iraq. Khamenei’s body arrived in Najaf, Iraq, as the U.S. airstrikes began, and was scheduled to return to Iran for burial in Mashhad today.

Throughout the week, as the funeral procession continued, Iran’s hardline faction increasingly targeted government officials.

According to The New York Times, President Pezeshkian was confronted on Monday by a crowd of hardline supporters who attempted to push into him while shouting, “Death to the appeaser!” As he participated in the funeral procession, Pezeshkian reportedly stumbled and appeared shaken while his security detail shielded him and pushed the crowd back.

Another senior official aligned with Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, was reportedly struck by a stone on Monday while being chased through an alley during the funeral. According to the report, his attackers waved flags, cursed at him, and called for his death.

Government officials and supporters have since called for the arrest of those who attacked the president and the foreign minister, urging Iran’s judiciary to prosecute the hardliners responsible.

Yousef Pezeshkian, the president’s son and adviser, published a lengthy social media post defending his father’s policy of engagement with the United States. He condemned the attacks against his father and other officials by hardline elements.

“If this anger is directed at our own officials instead of toward internal unity and broader Islamic solidarity, then it has become a tool in the hands of the enemy,” he wrote.

PepsiCo will open the books on its spring quarter Thursday, July 9, and the results could provide one of the clearest signals yet on whether Americans are still willing to pay higher prices for snacks and soft drinks or are finally beginning to push back. The company confirmed it will release second-quarter results before the market opens, with Chief Executive Ramon Laguarta and Chief Financial Officer Steve Schmitt discussing the results with analysts later that morning. The quarter covers the period ending June 13.

Wall Street expects another profitable quarter. Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research forecast earnings of about $2.19 per share on revenue of roughly $23.9 billion, representing approximately 5% sales growth from a year earlier. Other analyst estimates are similar, with consensus earnings near $2.21 per share. PepsiCo earned $2.12 per share during the same quarter last year.

While investors will focus on whether the company meets expectations, the more important question is how PepsiCo achieved those results. Analysts want to know whether sales growth is being driven by customers buying more products or by the company continuing to charge higher prices. That distinction has become increasingly important as consumers face years of elevated grocery costs.

For several quarters, major food and beverage companies have relied heavily on price increases to boost revenue. But there are signs shoppers may finally be reaching their limits. Families are increasingly switching to private-label products, buying fewer discretionary items, or waiting for promotions before making purchases. PepsiCo’s results could help determine whether that trend is accelerating.

Particular attention will be paid to Frito-Lay North America, home to brands including Lay’s, Doritos, and Cheetos. The division has faced growing concerns that demand for snack foods is softening as consumers become more price-conscious. Some analysts have trimmed their price targets for PepsiCo ahead of earnings, and the company’s shares have hovered around $144, a level many technical analysts view as an important support point.

PepsiCo has responded by expanding into faster-growing product categories. The company recently introduced Pepsi Prebiotic, a gut-health soft drink, while also rolling out Gatorade Lower Sugar and additional functional beverage offerings aimed at health-conscious consumers. Investors will be looking for signs these newer products are attracting meaningful customer demand rather than simply adding more options to store shelves.

Costs also remain a key issue. Like much of the food industry, PepsiCo continues to face higher expenses for ingredients, packaging, transportation and tariffs affecting parts of its supply chain. Those higher costs put pressure on profit margins unless the company can successfully pass them on to consumers through additional price increases. Thursday’s report should provide a clearer picture of whether PepsiCo still has that pricing power.

The company enters earnings on relatively solid footing. During the first quarter, PepsiCo reported revenue of $19.4 billion, up 8.5%, while earnings rose to $1.70 per share. Management also reaffirmed its full-year outlook, calling for 2% to 4% organic revenue growth. Investors will be listening closely to see whether executives express greater confidence in reaching the upper end of that range as the second half of the year begins.

PepsiCo also benefits from its broad international operations, where sales have generally outpaced the more mature and highly competitive U.S. market. Continued strength overseas could help offset slower domestic growth if American consumers become more cautious.

For consumers, PepsiCo’s earnings matter far beyond the stock market. The company’s brands—including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lay’s, Doritos, Tostitos, and Quaker—are found in millions of American households every day. As one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, its results often provide an early indication of broader trends across grocery stores nationwide.

If PepsiCo reports that consumers are buying fewer products or increasingly trading down to lower-cost alternatives, it would suggest inflation and higher living costs continue to weigh on household budgets. If shoppers continue purchasing despite higher prices, it could indicate consumers remain more resilient than many economists expected.

Thursday’s earnings also mark the unofficial start of another busy corporate earnings season, with investors looking for clues about the overall health of the American consumer. More than the quarterly numbers themselves, management’s outlook for pricing, demand and the remainder of 2026 will likely determine how investors react.

For shoppers, the message is straightforward: listen closely to what PepsiCo says about consumer behavior. As one of the nation’s largest food companies, its outlook often offers an early glimpse into where grocery prices—and consumer spending—may be headed next.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Analyst estimates are subject to change, and actual results may differ.

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

As relentless missile and drone attacks batter Ukraine’s capital, leaving dozens dead and thousands in distress, Kyiv’s Jewish community has mobilized an extensive humanitarian operation. Led by Chief Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, volunteers are distributing food, water, clothing and essential supplies to Jews and non-Jews alike who have been affected by the bombardments

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, has endured one of its most devastating waves of bombardment since the outbreak of the war. In recent days, large-scale missile and drone attacks have struck residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, claiming dozens of lives and leaving many more wounded.

The scale of the destruction prompted city authorities to declare an official day of mourning, while rescue teams continue searching through the rubble for survivors and victims.

In a statement to Belaaz, Rabbi Markovitch said:

“Over the past week, we’ve gone to sleep to the sound of explosions and woken up again and again to the noise of incoming missiles. It certainly hasn’t been easy. But when you’re able to help a Jewish man put on tefillin for the first time in his life, or bring a bag of food and clothing to someone whose home was destroyed and who breaks down in tears from gratitude, your entire perspective changes.”

Alongside the emergency services, JCC Beit Menachem Kyiv community has mobilized to provide assistance to those affected. Under the leadership of Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi and Chabad shaliach, Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, community volunteers have launched a broad humanitarian relief effort to aid residents whose lives have been upended by the attacks.

Over the past several days, volunteers have been distributing food, bottled water, clothing, medications, essential supplies and other basic necessities to families whose homes were damaged, as well as to the elderly, the needy and anyone requiring immediate assistance, regardless of their religion. In addition to providing material aid, volunteers are offering practical support and guidance to families left without help in the wake of the devastation.

“At a time when the air raid sirens scarcely stop, our responsibility is to be here for every person in need,” Rabbi Markovitch said. “We are distributing food, water, and essential supplies, strengthening families and giving them hope. Our mission is to bring light precisely during these darkest moments for the people of Ukraine in general, and for the residents of Kyiv in particular.”

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschtuz

There are moments when life feels settled, when the world seems to be moving along familiar tracks and even its difficulties feel manageable because they fit into patterns we recognize. And then there are moments when that sense of order begins to loosen, when events seem to arrive faster than they can be processed, and the future feels less predictable than what came before it.

For the Jewish people, that feeling is not new.

It is the story of our history.

As we proceed through the Three Weeks, reflecting on the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh and the long journey of golus that followed, we learn Parshiyos Mattos-Masei, which, at first glance, appears to be little more than a detailed record of travel stations in the wilderness. The Torah lists, one after another, the places where Klal Yisroel encamped during their forty-year journey from Mitzrayim toward Eretz Yisroel, seemingly offering a geographical itinerary that records where the nation stopped along the way.

Sifrei Kabbolah and drush explain that the forty-two encampments listed in the parsha correspond to the Sheim Mem-Bais, the Divine Name of forty-two letters, indicating that each stop was part of a deeply structured spiritual process, carefully guided and precisely arranged by Hakadosh Boruch Hu to prepare the Jewish people for their ultimate entry into Eretz Yisroel.

What appears to be a travel log is, in truth, a map of destiny. This explains the teaching of Chazal (Brachos 8b) that we are obligated to read and study the parsha each week shnayim mikra v’echod targum. Chazal add that this obligation extends to “afilu Ataros v’Divon,” the names of the places where the Jews camped in the midbar. Though the names of these places have no apparent significance and no targum, we are nevertheless obligated to recite them, because every stop and every name carries profound meaning.

Our ancestors were not wandering aimlessly in the desert for forty years. They were engaging in a Divinely orchestrated sequence of stages through which Klal Yisroel had to pass in order to become the nation capable of entering the Land promised to Avrohom Avinu. Some of those stages were elevated and uplifting, while others were marked by complaint, failure, or punishment. Yet, all of them together formed the continuous process of national formation.

One of the most profound messages of this week’s parshiyos is that life is not defined by isolated moments, but by movement through stages, each of which contributes – even when not immediately understood – to the unfolding of a larger story that becomes visible only when viewed in its entirety.

A person often imagines his life as a series of disconnected events – some meaningful and some confusing, some successful and others disappointing – as though each stands alone without necessarily being part of a unified structure. The Torah, however, teaches otherwise. Every stage is part of a journey, every experience is part of a direction, and every passage through life is part of an overarching design that is guided by the Ribbono Shel Olam with purpose and intention.

We are not static beings. We are travelers, and travelers, by definition, are always in motion, even when that motion is not immediately visible.

This is why Chazal emphasize that adam l’umal yulad, man was created for work, for effort, for striving, for movement toward something beyond his present state. The goal is not to stagnate, not to become too comfortable in one place for too long, but rather to pursue continual growth, continual refinement, and continual advancement through the various stages of life.

There are times when progress is visible and satisfying, and there are moments when it feels as though nothing is moving at all. There are times when a person feels elevated and inspired, and times when he feels weighed down by uncertainty or failure. Parshas Masei reminds us that the journey does not cease during those moments, even if it is no longer perceptible in the same way, because we are always in transit. Always moving.

This idea takes on deeper meaning when we consider one of the most frequently misunderstood descriptions of Klal Yisroel in the Torah: the phrase am k’shei oref, a stiff-necked people, used by Hakadosh Boruch Hu after the chet ha’Eigel. At first glance, it appears to be a rebuke, a criticism of stubbornness that led the nation to sin. Yet, Moshe Rabbeinu, in his plea for forgiveness, transforms this description into a defense, arguing that the same trait that can lead to rebellion can also be the source of extraordinary resilience and unwavering loyalty when directed toward the service of Hashem.

What appears to be a negative – obstinacy – becomes, in the context of Jewish survival, an essential strength.

It is this stubborn continuity that has carried Klal Yisroel through every stage of golus. History is filled with civilizations that rose and fell, empires that dominated the world only to vanish, and cultures that once seemed unshakable but ultimately disappeared into obscurity. Yet, Klal Yisroel, despite having been exiled repeatedly, persecuted relentlessly, and dispersed across continents, has continued forward without interruption.

The Romans thought that they had ended Jewish history with the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh.

The Crusaders thought that they had broken the spirit of Klal Yisroel.

The Cossacks thought that they had extinguished Jewish life in Eastern Europe.

The Nazis declared with chilling confidence that they were implementing the “Final Solution.”

Each generation of our enemies believed that it had brought about the end of our story, and each time, boruch Hashem, they were mistaken.

What they perceived as endings were really transitions. They were simply another station in a journey that continued regardless of how final things appeared at the time.

This becomes particularly evident when we study the accounts of the Holocaust through the lens of those who lived through it with a world of emunah. While secular historians often emphasize helplessness and victimhood, the testimonies of frum survivors reveal something far more complex and far more profound. They describe Jews who clung to mitzvos under the most impossible circumstances, who risked their lives for tefillin, and who never gave up their emunah and bitachon, even under the most trying conditions.

They were not passive. They were defiant in their faith.

And when the war ended, their response was not to remain defined by destruction, but to begin again. Survivors rebuilt families, reestablished yeshivos, revived communities, and laid the foundations for the Torah world that exists today. They did so not because they had recovered from trauma in any conventional sense, but because they understood that Klal Yisroel does not remain in any one place indefinitely.

We move forward.

This pattern can be traced throughout Jewish history.

Take Telz, for example. To describe Telz merely as a town is to miss its significance. It was one of the great centers of Torah in Lithuania, home to a yeshiva that shaped generations of Torah leadership. Sunday was the 20th of Tammuz. On that date, in 5701 (1941), the Jews of Telz were murdered in the Rainiai Forest, and it appeared, at that moment, that an entire world of Torah had been extinguished.

The Nazis were driven not only to destroy lives, but to eradicate an entire spiritual civilization.

But they did not understand the nature of Klal Yisroel. Telz was not extinguished. It was relocated.

Its Torah was carried forward and rebuilt in new places by its leaders, who understood that destruction is never the final word.

Today, the sound of Torah in Yeshivas Telz is loud and strong. On Sunday, Selichos were recited and special shiurim were delivered l’illui nishmos the kedoshei Telz. Their memory lives on. Their sanctified lives are not forgotten.

Similarly, on Tisha B’Av, we mourn the loss of the residents of the ancient city of Beitar. The Rambam describes a city filled with tens of thousands of Jews, led by Bar Kochva, who was believed to be the potential Moshiach, a moment in history when Klal Yisroel stood at the threshold of geulah. And yet, that moment collapsed into catastrophe.

As the Rambam (Hilchos Taanis 5) writes: “A great city by the name of Beitar was captured. Inside it were many tens of thousands of Jewish people. They had a great king whom all of Yisroel and the rabbis believed was the king Moshiach. He fell into the hands of the gentiles and they were all killed. It was a great tragedy, as great as the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh.”

Rav Moshe Shapiro explains that the depth of Tisha B’Av lies not only in what was lost, but in what could have been – in the recognition that Klal Yisroel has stood at the edge of redemption more than once, only to find that the moment slipped away.

And that realization becomes part of the mourning, for we mourn not only the destruction, but also the missed opportunities.

And so, the question naturally arises: How many times in history have we been closer than we realized? How many moments could have unfolded differently? And how often do we fail to recognize the significance of the place we are currently in while we are still standing within it?

These days, we are experiencing many moments that feel historically charged. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the pace of change, to gasp in awe as we perceive Hashem arranging the world for the period of the ultimate geulah.

The Satmar Rebbe would say that after the devastation of the Holocaust, Klal Yisroel stood at the precipice of the geulah. Hashem granted us a glimpse of what redemption would look like – a partial restoration of Jewish life in Eretz Yisroel that was not yet complete, not yet governed by Torah, and not yet accompanied by the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh. It was, in that sense, a station along the way, but not the destination itself.

The Bais Hamikdosh was not returned. Halacha did not rule. It was merely a taste of what was to come.

However, the rebbe would say that because the Jewish people were satisfied with that small taste, Hashem determined that we were not yet deserving of the redemption, and therefore we were left with only a semblance of what could be.

And once again, we were left with yet another stop along the road, another station on the way to geulah.

And that is where we still are today. Moving. Waiting. Building. Continuing along the journey with clarity and faith.

This is the message of Ataros v’Divon, the reason we study every one of the stops in the midbar on the way to Eretz Yisroel. That is the message of Parshas Masei. Until the geulah, no place is the final stop. It is merely a station, and we are not meant to mistake the station for the destination.

We are not meant to settle where we are. We are meant to move. To climb. To grow. To improve. Not to become stationary, apathetic, or content.

People can cycle for miles on a stationary bike, sweating, raising their heart rate, feeling the strain in their legs as though they are accomplishing something significant, and yet they remain in exactly the same place where they began. There is motion, there is effort, there is even exhaustion, but there is no forward movement.

It is possible for a person to be very busy, very active, even very tired from all he is doing, and still remain essentially unchanged. He may feel that he is progressing because he is exerting effort, but if all that effort doesn’t translate into forward movement, then he is still standing in the same place where he started.

This is one of the subtle dangers of spiritual life as well. A person can become accustomed to his routines, his habits, and the way he goes about life, and, without realizing it, begin to mistake activity for advancement. If he becomes too comfortable with where he is, then his entire life can resemble a stationary bike: a great deal of motion without actually going anywhere.

The Torah carefully records each masa, each journey, each departure, and each arrival, emphasizing that the defining feature of those forty years was movement. Not permanence. Not settling. Not remaining in one place for too long, but constant transition from one stage to the next, in a precisely structured process of growth under the direct guidance of Hakadosh Boruch Hu, moving forward until Klal Yisroel reached Eretz Yisroel.

That is the fundamental difference between a journey and a routine.

A routine repeats itself. A journey goes somewhere.

And that is why the Torah does not refer to them merely as encampments, but as masa’os – journeys, departures, movement.

The Torah is telling us that life must always be measured not only by intensity, but by direction. Are we moving forward or are we circling in the same place? A person is not meant to define success by being busy or engaged, but by moving toward a higher destination. It is what yeshivos refer to as shteiging. We must always strive to shteig – not just to learn, not just to go through the motions, but to become better and to grow.

When a person understands that every stage of life is meant to move him forward, then even effort, struggle, and challenge become part of a forward-moving journey rather than an illusion of progress.

Even when we slow down in the summer and take a break for bein hazmanim, we don’t stop. We don’t lose sight of our goals and don’t take a vacation from Torah.

The parshiyos of Mattos-Masei teach us that we are not meant to become spiritually stationary, even if we are spiritually active. We are meant to be in motion, progressing from one masa to the next, never confusing where we are with where we are meant to go.

Because the difference between pedaling and a journey, between merely learning and shteiging, is not how much energy is expended, but whether you are actually going somewhere.

Klal Yisroel, from the midbar until today, has never been a people standing still. We have always been a people moving forward toward the fulfillment of the Divine promise that one day all of these journeys will be seen not as wandering, but as a single path leading home.

May we merit coming home with the geulah sheleimah bekarov.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented NATO leaders with an unusual gift at the conclusion of the alliance’s summit in Ankara: a personalized handgun engraved with each leader’s name, along with a box of ammunition, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed on Wednesday while speaking to reporters aboard his flight back to the United Kingdom.

According to Starmer, each pistol was engraved with the recipient’s name and came with a box of ammunition. He added that Erdoğan also included a personal note intended to facilitate the export process for the firearm from Turkey.

In Britain’s case, however, domestic law prevented Starmer from taking the handgun home. According to the prime minister, the firearm will remain at the British Embassy in Ankara until it is decommissioned, as U.K. regulations do not permit its import into the country.

Erdoğan described the NATO summit as “historic” and “successful.” He said the conference had laid the foundation for a stronger alliance and a more balanced sharing of responsibilities among member states. He also offered special thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he referred to as “a dear friend.”

The Turkish president also commented on the welcoming ceremony for the visiting leaders, which featured soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Janissaries, the elite military corps of the Ottoman Empire. According to Erdoğan, several leaders praised the gesture, saying they were impressed by it and were familiar with the history of the Janissaries.

Trump also praised Ankara’s hospitality. At a press conference, he said the dinner hosted by Erdoğan was “10 out of 10, maybe even a 12,” and complimented Turkey’s infrastructure.

“You get off the plane, the roads are beautiful. It’s an amazing thing,” Trump said, adding that Erdoğan “has made the country much better, much stronger.”

BOSTON, July 8 — Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for approximately $10 billion, marking the largest acquisition in Vertex’s history as the biotechnology giant expands beyond its leadership in cystic fibrosis into treatments for rare endocrine diseases. The transaction was announced jointly by both companies and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Under the agreement, Vertex will pay $85.00 per share in cash for Crinetics, valuing the San Diego-based biotechnology company at approximately $10 billion, or about $8.8 billion net of Crinetics’ cash on hand. The offer represents a premium of more than 100% over Crinetics’ recent closing price, sending the company’s shares sharply higher as investors welcomed the acquisition.

The purchase significantly broadens Vertex’s pipeline beyond its dominant cystic fibrosis franchise, which has generated billions of dollars in annual revenue but has also increased investor pressure on the company to diversify future growth. The acquisition immediately gives Vertex access to a newly approved commercial product while adding several late-stage drug candidates targeting rare hormonal disorders.

Among the biggest attractions is PALSONIFY, Crinetics’ once-daily oral treatment for adults with acromegaly, a rare disorder caused by excessive growth hormone production. The therapy received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2025 and has also secured regulatory approval in Europe.

Vertex also gains control of atumelnant, an experimental therapy currently in late-stage clinical development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, with additional potential applications for Cushing’s syndrome. Company executives described the treatment’s clinical results as among the most promising they have seen, believing it could become a major long-term growth driver.

Executives estimate the combined commercial opportunity for the newly acquired portfolio could eventually exceed $5 billion in annual revenue, strengthening Vertex’s position as one of the biotechnology industry’s fastest-growing large-cap companies.

To finance the acquisition, Vertex will use a combination of existing cash and new debt, supported by $4.5 billion in committed bridge financing arranged by Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley and Lazard served as financial advisers to Vertex, while Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal counsel.

The acquisition continues an active year for pharmaceutical mergers as large drugmakers seek to replenish future product pipelines ahead of looming patent expirations on blockbuster medicines. Industry leaders have increasingly turned to acquisitions rather than internal development to accelerate growth, particularly in specialty and rare-disease markets where pricing power and long-term demand remain strong.

For patients, the transaction could accelerate global access to innovative therapies as Vertex brings its worldwide commercial infrastructure and financial resources to Crinetics’ growing portfolio. For investors, the deal signals that major biotechnology companies remain willing to pay substantial premiums for high-quality late-stage assets despite broader market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.

The agreement also reinforces confidence across the biotechnology sector, demonstrating that strategic acquisitions remain a priority even as rising interest rates, inflation concerns and global market turbulence continue to weigh on corporate dealmaking. If approved, the acquisition will become one of the largest healthcare transactions completed this year and a defining milestone in Vertex’s continued evolution into a broader rare-disease powerhouse.

JBizNews Desk | Boston

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BEIJING (AP) — Authorities in southern China said Thursday that 39 people died in flooding after a tropical storm dumped heavy rainfall, as the country’s east coast and Taiwan prepared for a typhoon expected to make landfall in the coming days.

Most of the deaths were in Hengzhou, where the partial collapse of a reservoir dam sent torrents of water into the city and claimed 26 lives, said Ding Wei, the vice mayor of Nanning city, which has jurisdiction over the area. Nine people remained missing in the broader Guangxi region.

Tropical Storm Maysak brought record rainfall to Guangxi starting Saturday, breaching reservoirs and stranding people for days in homes and other buildings. The previously announced death toll on Tuesday was six people.

A second storm, Typhoon Bavi, was at sea on a northwest track that would take it over some remote Japanese islands and then just north of Taiwan before making landfall in China’s Fujian or Zhejiang province on Saturday. Fishing boats could be seen tightly packed at ports in northern Taiwan on Thursday in anticipation of heavy rain hitting the island of 23 million people.

Bavi, which brought violent winds to Saipan and other U.S. territories earlier this week, was downgraded Thursday from super-typhoon strength but still had maximum sustained winds of 184 kilometers (114 miles) per hour, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration. Classes were suspended in several cities and towns in the Philippines and ships prohibited from leaving northern ports as the typhoon passed east of the northern island of Luzon.

In southern China, military rescue teams finished bringing out more than 10,000 trapped students and teachers from a cluster of schools in Guigang city, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Hengzhou. Video on state broadcaster CCTV showed the students, wearing bright orange life vests, clambering onto boats that took them away from the surreal scene of school buildings rising out of a lake of muddy water.

Animals were also stranded or swept out by the floodwaters.

A zoo in Guigang said more than 100 animals were missing, including two zebras, four porcupines and dozens of tropical birds. In Hengzhou, encounters with snakes that reportedly escaped from a farm prompted authorities to stock up on antivenom and advise residents what to do if they were bitten.

An animal shelter operator in Binyang country, about 75 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Hengzhou, struggled in recent days to rescue about 200 cats and dozens of dogs, bringing the dogs two at a time through deep water. The cats climbed up to the rafters as the water level rose.

Drones and some 5,700 boats have been used in a massive relief and rescue operation to deliver drinking water and other supplies and bring out trapped residents. About 130,000 people have been evacuated.

Ding said the floodwaters are receding but more rain is expected in some areas in the next two days. Crews have been deployed to clear mud and debris and disinfect several towns in Hengzhou.

Road repairs are ongoing and electricity has been restored to more than 60,000 homes, Ding said at a news briefing.

Heavier-than-expected rain battered southern Guangxi for days, with cumulative rainfall of 10 to 40 centimeters (4 to 16 inches) in some areas and more than 90 centimeters (35 inches) in hard-hit areas, the national meteorological center said.

Severe weather also hit central China this week, leaving 11 dead and many others homeless in Hubei province after thunderstorms and tornadoes on Monday night.

Elsewhere in Asia, landslides caused by monsoon rains have killed at least 13 Rohingya refugees in camps in Bangladesh this week. Authorities were moving refugees to safer areas on Thursday.

The hostilities between Iran and the US continued to escalate on Thursday as Iran targeted a US base in Jordan, firing eight missiles.

Residents of Israeli yishuvim in the Jordan Valley reported hearing the sound of explosions. According to Jordanian media, all the missiles were intercepted, with no casualties or damage reported.

Following the attack on its neighbor, Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran could expand its missile attacks to include Israel, Ynet reported, citing security sources.

Early Thursday afternoon, reports emerged of another unusual U.S. airstrike near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. It was the second daylight strike, after the United States earlier targeted a strategic bridge in Iran.

According to the latest reports, the U.S. strike hit the area around the nuclear power plant. It remains unclear whether there is any concern about a radioactive leak.

In response, Iran launched five missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan, in what appears to be a significant expansion of its attacks, which until now had been directed at American bases in Gulf states.

According to CNN, residents of the city of Choghadak, near Bushehr, “heard several explosions” early Thursday afternoon local time, citing the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars.

One person was injured in Kuwait after debris fell following interceptions during an Iranian missile and drone attack on the Gulf state, the Kuwaiti military said.

Iran launched three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and 10 drones at Kuwait, all of which were “successfully intercepted,” according to the Kuwaiti military, which added that the interceptions caused property damage.

In neighboring Bahrain, the military said its air defense systems intercepted an Iranian missile and drone attack earlier today, but provided no additional details.

As noted, Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran could expand its attacks to include Israel. However, the prevailing assessment by defense officials is that Tehran is reluctant to bring Israel into the confrontation out of concern that it would trigger a severe response.

Before the sirens sounded in Jordan, an Israeli security official told Ynet that the conflict was not expected to spill over into Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A New York City Housing Authority plumbing supervisor who earned one of the largest paychecks in city government is now under investigation after claiming nearly 2,600 hours of overtime while simultaneously being connected to two private plumbing companies, the NY Post reports.

Jakub Markowski, 41, has come under official scrutiny more than a year after he was identified as the city’s biggest overtime earner. During the 2025 fiscal year, he collected an eye-popping $332,000 in overtime alone, helping boost his total city compensation to approximately $465,000.

City officials confirmed that the Department of Buildings launched an investigation into Markowski after receiving a complaint regarding his “business practices.”

Markowski, who resides in a luxury apartment building near the Rockaway Beach boardwalk, did not respond to requests for comment. His wife, Elizabeth Markwowska, 63, said there was a simple reason for his absence.

“He works seven days a week,” she told The NY Post from their home Wednesday.

State records indicate that while employed by NYCHA, Markowski was also associated with two private companies, Super Plumbers Corp. NYC and Dynamic Blue Water Mechanical.

As part of the Department of Buildings’ inquiry, inspectors reviewed plumbing jobs for which Markowski was listed as the permit holder to ensure the work met safety requirements.

According to city officials, the inspection found no violations.

Payroll records compiled by the Empire Center show Markowski ranked as the fifth-highest-paid employee in all of New York City government.

His regular salary for fiscal year 2025 totaled about $118,000 before overtime. The remaining hundreds of thousands of dollars came from an extraordinary 2,558 hours of additional work.

According to The New York Times, reaching that total would have required Markowski to average roughly seven hours of overtime every single day of the year.

When questions first arose about the enormous payout, NYCHA defended the overtime, saying it resulted from “extensive plumbing and heating demands that are mandated and monitored by law.”

The unusually large overtime payments, coupled with Markowski’s ties to two private plumbing businesses, eventually prompted the Plumbing Foundation of New York, a nonprofit trade organization, to file a formal complaint, according to The New York Times.

“Enabling one individual to run a private plumbing business while serving as a city plumbing supervisor and accruing more overtime than any other city employee is beyond wasteful, and it raises serious concerns about the integrity, safety and oversight of NYCHA’s building operations,” April McIver, the group’s executive director, told the Times.

The city’s Department of Investigation has also opened a probe involving Markowski but has not disclosed whether it is examining his overtime claims, his private business activities, or both.

“This is an ongoing matter at DOI and we decline further comment,” a spokesperson said.

A resident of the Maspeth building where both plumbing companies are registered said she knew little about the businesses. A sign displayed in the window for Super Plumbers Corp. identifies Markowski by name.

Markowski’s wife said her husband had placed someone else in charge of operating the two companies.

She also said she had no idea he was New York City’s highest-paid plumber and did not know what he did with his earnings.

“He comes home late. He works overtime. He works very hard,” she said.

“He treats me like a woman. Very nice guy.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) —  The ongoing arrests and incarcerations of yeshiva students  are continuing to generate public discussion. In an interview on the “Arrest Warrant” program on Kol Hai Radio, Rabbi Asher Abramovitz, one of the senior rabbis of Jerusalem’s yeshiva community, shared a personal account after accompanying a yeshiva student who was arrested, visiting him in military prison, and attending his military court hearings.

The rabbi said that although he generally avoids media interviews, he chose to speak publicly because, in his words, “the public simply does not realize what is happening around them.”

He explained that the detainee is an older yeshiva student whose peers have largely married and started families, while he has continued devoting himself to Torah study every day. The moment that affected him most, he said, was seeing his student seated behind a glass partition in the courtroom.

“Instead of sitting in the study hall learning Torah, he was sitting there like a criminal,” the rabbi said.

According to Rabbi Abramovitz, the greatest hardship is not the physical conditions of detention but the ongoing sense of humiliation, including restrictions on speaking with family members, degrading treatment by prison staff, and what he described as a loss of dignity for yeshiva students.

He also described the inmates’ daily routine, which he said includes early wake-up calls, lengthy roll calls, prolonged periods standing before commanding officers, extended confinement in rooms, and various other restrictions.

The rabbi recounted that his student was disciplined after remaining in the synagogue for several extra minutes to continue studying following prayers. As punishment, he said, the student lost his telephone privileges for three days.

He added that the detainees also encountered religious challenges, including issues related to kosher food and the ability to study Torah quietly.

Concluding the interview, Rabbi Abramovitz said the image that will stay with him is seeing his student devastated on the first day of his detention.

“He told me, ‘Rabbi, it’s impossible to survive here,'” he recalled.

The rabbi said that the only way to cope is to remember the spiritual value of a Torah scholar, while also urging the public to empathize with the detainees and recognize that, as he put it, “here is a young man who, instead of sitting in the study hall, was taken away in handcuffs and humiliated.”

Amazon returned to the bond market on Tuesday, filing to raise at least $25 billion to help finance the massive data centers, specialized chips and cloud infrastructure driving its artificial intelligence expansion, marking one of the largest corporate debt offerings of the year.

According to a regulatory filing, the online retail and cloud-computing giant launched an eight-part offering of floating- and fixed-rate notes with maturities ranging from three to 40 years. Amazon said the proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, including future capital investments and the possible repayment of existing debt.

Investor demand remained strong despite the enormous size of the offering. Orders reportedly peaked at roughly $62 billion before banks tightened pricing and finalized a book of approximately $41 billion, still comfortably exceeding the amount Amazon ultimately sought to raise. Barclays, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley led the transaction.

The company also indicated it does not expect to return to the bond market again this year.

Tuesday’s offering is only the latest chapter in Amazon’s unprecedented borrowing campaign. Earlier this year, the company raised approximately $54 billion through bond offerings in the United States and Europe, followed by a $10 billion Canadian debt sale in June. Last November, Amazon also issued $15 billion in U.S. bonds, while its heavily oversubscribed March offering ultimately raised another $37 billion.

The reason for the borrowing spree is equally historic.

Amazon expects capital expenditures to reach approximately $200 billion this year, up dramatically from $131 billion in 2025. Much of that spending is earmarked for expanding data centers, purchasing advanced AI chips, upgrading networking equipment and building the infrastructure required to support growing demand for generative artificial intelligence.

Chief Executive Andy Jassy has repeatedly defended the investment strategy, describing artificial intelligence as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” capable of reshaping nearly every aspect of Amazon’s business.

The spending surge extends well beyond Amazon.

Technology giants including Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Oracle, and Nvidia are collectively expected to spend more than $700 billion this year on AI infrastructure, creating one of the largest corporate investment cycles in modern history.

For everyday Americans, those massive debt offerings have a direct connection to retirement savings.

Investment-grade corporate bonds issued by companies like Amazon are widely held by pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds and many of the bond funds included in 401(k) retirement plans. In effect, millions of retirement savers are helping finance the AI boom while sharing in both its potential rewards and its long-term risks.

Some investors, however, are beginning to question how quickly these enormous investments will generate meaningful returns.

Analysts estimate the largest cloud providers could collectively spend roughly $725 billion on AI-related infrastructure this year alone. While demand for artificial intelligence continues to grow rapidly, Wall Street has increasingly focused on when these investments will begin producing sufficient revenue to justify their extraordinary cost.

The somewhat softer demand for Tuesday’s offering, compared with Amazon’s heavily oversubscribed debt sales earlier this year, suggests some investors may be becoming more selective even as confidence in Amazon’s financial strength remains high.

Fortunately for the company, its balance sheet remains among the strongest in corporate America.

Amazon continues to generate substantial operating cash flow and maintains high investment-grade credit ratings, allowing it to borrow at relatively attractive interest rates even while issuing tens of billions of dollars in new debt.

Still, the sheer pace of fundraising underscores how expensive the AI race has become.

Building hyperscale data centers, purchasing advanced semiconductor processors, expanding cloud capacity and securing enough electricity to power those facilities require capital on a scale rarely seen in the technology industry. Even companies generating tens of billions of dollars in annual profits are increasingly turning to debt markets to help fund the expansion.

Amazon’s second-quarter earnings later this month will provide investors with another opportunity to evaluate whether those investments are beginning to translate into stronger cloud growth and higher AI-related revenue.

For now, Tuesday’s financing sends a clear message: Amazon has no intention of slowing its artificial intelligence ambitions, and Wall Street remains willing to provide tens of billions of dollars to help finance them.

JBizNews Desk | Seattle

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

Colombia and Portugal were deadlocked at zero in one of the most thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup matches when a cross from Colombia whipped into Portugal’s box. 

Davinson Sánchez of Colombia read the pass perfectly the whole way to the far post and used his head to smash the ball into the back of Portugal’s net. The goal was in stoppage time, Colombia and its fan base were in rapture, and the game appeared to be won. 

That is until the head referee of the match changed everything. 

Sánchez was ruled offside, and soccer fans around the globe couldn’t believe it. It appeared that Sánchez was right next to his Portugal opponent when the ball was kicked by his teammate, and there was no way the goal was being called off. 

But during the FOX broadcast, the ruling made more sense to the viewer, whether they were upset or not, because a 3D avatar of Sánchez was shown offside – by the literal front of his boot. 

It’s moments like these, and many more, that are showing how Lenovo, the official technology partner of FIFA, is making an impact on the fan experience, both at home and in the 16 different stadiums across three countries, throughout this tournament with its AI-powered solutions. 

“This is a sponsorship that goes well beyond just a logo,” Cathy Meister, Executive Director North American PC & Smart Device Sales at Lenovo, told Fox Business during a roundtable discussion about the impacts on the World Cup thus far. “Being the official technology sponsor, we are truly the end-to-end backbone of all the operations. Our technology, everything from mobile phones all the way to our storage and infrastructure, our AI-powered services, truly end-to-end, Lenovo is showcased in powering these games.”

The AI-powered 3D digital avatars are a perfect example of how Lenovo is helping improve not just the fan experience, but the game itself. Before the tournament began, each team had their players 3D reconstructed to replicate them precisely on the pitch to support FIFA’s match officials in their offside decision-making. 

We’ve seen it on multiple occasions throughout matches in the World Cup, giving players, coaches, and fans in the stands and at home the visual of how a tool that helped a crucial call come to be on the pitch. 

Then, in the locker rooms, meeting rooms and training pitches, every team has access to FIFA AI Pro, a groundbreaking AI-powered enterprise knowledge assistant that has been delivering data analytics and performance insights for countries participating throughout the tournament. 

This specialized football interaction tool is “leveling the playing field,” as Meister put it, giving teams that may not have the most robust analytics teams within their squad access to millions of data points, metrics and rapid insights following each match. We’ve seen smaller clubs in terms of manpower, like Cape Verde, DR Congo and others, shock the football world against powerhouse clubs. 

Could FIFA AI Pro have aided in that? Either way, that’s the vision for this World Cup and others moving forward. 

From the Intelligent Command Center, the control room for the tournament, creating “digital twins” of each venue to allow predictive planning to optimize the event experience, “Smart Wayfinding,” which allows matchgoers to streamline their experiences at venues, and the referee cam, Lenovo knew it could take on these 104 FIFA World Cup matches and provide an improved experience from every aspect of this great game. 

The partnership itself was one that Breanna Reader, Senior Communications Manager North America for Lenovo US, said came together with a dinner between top marketing officials within the technology powerhouse, where they dreamed big. 

“Throwing ideas out and it was one of those stories where it was like, ‘What could we do?’ FIFA came up, and that’s how the idea started,” Reader said. “FIFA has such a high standard of excellence and precision. It was lengthy conversations and we had to prove the rigor of our technology and our expertise in that space. So, it’s best summed up as a true partnership. There were lots of conversations about how we could enhance the experience, what they needed from a technology partner. Just testing and talking about it as we went.

“FIFA, we all know the high degree of excellence and precision, and we needed to back it up. It shows we did.”

And Lenovo isn’t done yet.

There are still big matches to go, including the World Cup Final on July 19 at New York/New Jersey Stadium. But the company has already proven it can help bring players, coaches, fans and everyone surrounding the World Cup closer to the game than ever before through groundbreaking innovation. 

Looking ahead, the Women’s World Cup in 2027 in Brazil will be yet another opportunity Lenovo will put its stamp on the game. And just as they have with their other sports partnerships, including F1, the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Hurricanes, they will take learnings from this World Cup and imply it to their next challenge.

“We’ll carry on the technologies that we developed, and I’d imagine we’ll have learnings along the way and continue to innovate and continue to improve the fan experiences. The Women’s World Cup is contained to Brazil so – I don’t want to say easy – but after three countries and 16 different stadiums, I believe we’ll be ready,” Meister said.

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Investors sharply increased their expectations Wednesday that the Federal Reserve could keep interest rates higher for longer—or even raise them again—after a spike in oil prices renewed concerns that inflation may prove more stubborn than previously expected. The shift followed the release of the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes and a sharp rally in crude oil after renewed tensions involving Iran, according to market pricing and CME FedWatch data.

Markets had entered the week expecting the Fed to remain on course toward eventually lowering interest rates as inflation gradually cooled. That outlook changed after crude prices surged following renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, raising fears that higher energy costs could once again spread throughout the U.S. economy.

International Brent crude settled more than 5% higher Wednesday, while West Texas Intermediate also posted strong gains. Rising oil prices typically filter into gasoline, diesel, transportation and manufacturing costs before eventually reaching consumers through higher prices on everyday goods and services.

Those concerns were quickly reflected across financial markets. Treasury yields climbed as investors adjusted expectations for future Federal Reserve policy, while traders increased the probability that policymakers could delay interest-rate cuts if inflation remains elevated. The move also pressured interest-rate-sensitive sectors of the stock market, particularly technology companies whose valuations are more vulnerable when borrowing costs rise.

Federal Reserve officials have repeatedly stressed that inflation must continue moving sustainably toward the central bank’s 2% target before monetary policy can be eased. Although inflation has moderated significantly from its post-pandemic highs, policymakers have remained cautious, warning that unexpected increases in energy prices could slow or even reverse that progress.

For businesses, higher interest rates carry broad implications. Companies face increased borrowing costs for expansion, equipment purchases and commercial real estate, while consumers typically pay more for mortgages, vehicle loans and credit-card balances. Small businesses, which often rely on financing to fund growth, are particularly sensitive to prolonged periods of elevated borrowing costs.

The latest market reaction underscores how quickly geopolitical events can reshape economic expectations. While the Federal Reserve does not directly target oil prices, sustained increases in energy costs often work their way through supply chains, making inflation more difficult to control and complicating policymakers’ decisions.

Investors will now focus on upcoming inflation reports, employment data and comments from Federal Reserve officials for additional clues about the direction of monetary policy. Should energy prices remain elevated, expectations for lower interest rates could continue to fade, increasing volatility across equity and bond markets.

For Wall Street, Wednesday’s trading served as another reminder that global geopolitical developments can rapidly alter the outlook for inflation, interest rates and corporate earnings. Until oil markets stabilize and inflation shows renewed signs of easing, investors are likely to remain highly sensitive to developments both in Washington and overseas.

JBizNews Desk | Wall Street
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The strongest U.S. summer movie season in six years is improving the outlook for AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and the broader theater industry, according to a new research report from Macquarie, which raised its 2026 domestic box office forecast following stronger-than-expected ticket sales during the second quarter.

Macquarie said U.S. box office revenue reached approximately $2.97 billion during the second quarter, an increase of about 11% from a year earlier and ahead of industry expectations. The improvement was driven by a series of major theatrical releases, including The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael and Toy Story 5, along with several unexpected box office successes. Based on that performance, the firm increased its forecast for the 2026 North American box office to $9.8 billion, about 13% higher than last year.

For AMC Entertainment, the world’s largest movie theater operator, stronger attendance translates directly into higher ticket sales, concession revenue and improved operating performance. As more seats are filled, theaters generate additional revenue while spreading fixed operating costs across more customers, improving profitability.

The improving industry outlook aligns with guidance previously provided by AMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Adam Aron. In recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company highlighted an upcoming release schedule that includes Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, Moana, Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey. AMC has said it believes the North American box office could exceed 2025 levels by between $500 million and $1 billion, supported by a stronger lineup of major theatrical releases.

Recent attendance trends have reinforced that optimism. AMC reported welcoming more than 5 million moviegoers over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, one of the strongest performances in the company’s recent history. The theater chain also pointed to an extended run of films generating opening weekends exceeding $75 million, providing consistent traffic across its locations.

The stronger business environment has also allowed AMC to improve its financial position. The company raised approximately $350 million through equity offerings this year, increasing liquidity and strengthening its balance sheet as the exhibition industry continues recovering from the disruption caused by the pandemic. While the capital raises diluted existing shareholders, the additional cash provides greater flexibility as AMC continues managing its debt obligations, with no significant maturities scheduled until 2029.

Beyond ticket sales, concession revenue continues to play an increasingly important role in theater profitability. AMC has expanded food offerings at many locations beyond traditional popcorn and soft drinks to include pizza, popcorn chicken, pretzel bites and other premium menu items. Those higher-margin food and beverage sales have become a growing source of revenue as consumers return to theaters.

Despite the improving outlook, challenges remain. The movie theater industry continues to depend on a steady flow of successful film releases, while competition from streaming platforms remains a long-term factor influencing consumer viewing habits. Industry analysts also note that theater operators continue carrying significant debt accumulated during the pandemic years.

Even so, the recent recovery represents the strongest momentum the exhibition business has experienced in several years. A healthy release schedule, stronger attendance and growing concession sales are providing renewed confidence that the theatrical movie business continues to recover as audiences return to cinemas for major blockbuster releases.

JBizNews Desk | Wall Street

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President Yitzchak Herzog used a speech Wednesday evening to respond to the storm surrounding Shin Bet chief David Zini, declaring that Israel’s security and law enforcement bodies “are not loyal to a person or to one camp or another, but to the sovereign — which is the people, to Israel’s body of law, and to the values of the Jewish and democratic state.”

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the National Security College, Herzog said that “in the face of the polarization spreading through society, we must cling to statesmanship.” He added that the institutions of the state, its laws and its directives, “belong to everyone and serve everyone.” Herzog also stressed that Israel rests on the commitment, in the words of the Declaration of Independence, to “complete equality of social and political rights for all its citizens, without distinction of religion, race or sex.” He said that universal and Jewish moral values, safeguarding human dignity and human rights, adherence to the international laws of war to which Israel is committed, and preserving law and justice “are the path.”

Herzog’s remarks came a day after Zini touched off a political storm when he said he agreed to take the job because he believed he was better than others at being loyal to the elected leadership, regardless of his own political views. “On this issue I felt I was very qualified, more than many others,” Zini said. “I have an agenda. I want to advance it. That is my responsibility. That is my role.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir quickly responded with a sharp statement attacking Herzog.

“Mr. President, the Labor Party has already closed. There is no need to continue leading it from the President’s Residence,” Ben Gvir said. “You defended Ronen Bar, yet you attack David Zini. The time has come for you to stop deepening divisions and serving as the mouthpiece of one side, and to start being the president of all the people of Israel. When it came to honoring ‘Brothers in Arms’ refusers, you acted quickly, but when it comes to justice and pardoning the prime minister, suddenly you have all the time in the world. Embarrassing and divisive.”

Also speaking at the ceremony was IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who reflected on the lessons of the war and said that October 7 and the 1,000 days of fighting since then are not only a wound but also the army’s operational compass. He said the war must remain a source of lessons, growth and improvement, while pushing back against what he called the “background noise and manipulations” of social media and public commentary.

Despite that noise, Zamir said, there is one “truth carved in stone” — that the IDF has achieved unprecedented operational successes on every front in which it has fought, struck the enemy hard, removed existential threats, and improved Israel’s security position. He added that even if a new phase opens, the campaign is continuing in a different form, with the IDF implementing a new security concept focused on striking the enemy, removing threats in advance, and creating demilitarized zones along Israel’s borders inside enemy territory.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli on Thursday warned in an interview  with Kan News that a scenario in which Turkey launches military action against Israel is “entirely possible.”

Chikli’s warning follows statements by US President Donald Trump that he is considering allowing Turkey to purchase F-35 aircraft after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.

“From our perspective, Trump’s close friendship with Erdoğan is very problematic, as is NATO’s relationship with him,” Chikli said.

“We’ve learned that it’s very important to pay attention to what world leaders—and Israel’s enemies—are saying,” he added. “When Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Israel is a burden on humanity and that humanity can no longer tolerate it, that is an extremely serious statement.”

Chikli stressed that Turkey’s harsh rhetoric toward Israel is not new, but has reached unprecedented levels. “I’ve been closely following the statements made over the past several months, and what we’re seeing is unlike anything before. I’ve never heard Turkish officials say, ‘We intend to liberate Jerusalem,’ or ‘We’ll do in Israel what we did in Syria’—until these past few months.”

However, Chikli added that Israel views Trump’s remarks as a diplomatic achievement. “There was no declaration that he would provide Turkey with F-35 fighter jets, and that is to a large extent a significant achievement of the Prime Minister, who did not hide his position, and also of Greece and Cyprus, which applied very strong pressure,” he said.

While the NATO summit was taking place in Ankara, Netanyahu spoke against Turkey in interviews with US media outlets, telling CNN that Ankara is “a regime that’s infected with the Muslim Brotherhood, which hates the US.”

“He’s not exactly a model ally of the United States,” Netanyahu asserted. “He threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state.”

“This is not a force for peace and stability. When you give them that power, you’re going to see aggression in its wake,” Netanyahu added.

Chikli has warned in the past about the danger Turkey poses, calling it “the most serious danger to the State of Israel today.”

Journalist Amit Segal has also warned about the danger posed by Turkey, calling it “Iran 2.0: The Greatest Threat Of All That Israel Still Hasn’t Recognized.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Thursday morning responded to President Donald Trump’s statement in Ankara on Wednesday that he believes Israel will withdraw its forces from Lebanon as part of the Israel-Lebanon agreement signed in Washington.

“We did not ask any party for permission to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” Katz said.

“It is our right and our duty to protect the residents of the Galil and Israeli citizens from threats posed by the Hezbollah jihadist terrorist organization, which seeks to destroy the State of Israel,” Katz asserted. “As Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and I have made clear, we will continue to remain in the security zone in Lebanon and operate from there as long as necessary until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threat to the residents of the north is removed.”

“We promised security to the residents of the north, and that is what we have delivered and will continue to deliver,” Katz concluded.

Trump was asked yesterday on the sidelines of the NATO summit whether he believes Israel should withdraw IDF troops from southern Lebanon. He replied: “I talked to Bibi about that. I think they want to. They’re getting along with Lebanon. They’re signing agreements with Lebanon for the first time ever.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added: “We have an agreement. That’s ultimately the goal. Of course, Israel is concerned about its security, but the President has done a tremendous job bringing these two countries closer together.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Every so often you run into unique individuals who you take an instant liking to because they are so genuine.  Reb Kalman Mendlowitz was just such a man.  He was a person with an extraordinary sense of ahavah and achrayus to Klal Yisroel – something we can all learn from.

Kohanim serve Klal Yisroel, once with the avodah in the Beis HaMikdash and now with Birkas Kohanim. Reb Kalman served Klal Yisroel by ensuring that they would be able to have simchas without breaking the bank.  Whether it was in his takana simcha hall, or the restaurant he ran that one could hold a sheva brachos or a Shabbos Aufruf or a pidyon haBen – he made it possible to be done affordably and without having to stress over it.

He was a partner of mine, so to speak, where he had supplied much of the food for many a yesomah, a giores, the daughter of a single mom or a single dad, and so much more.  We would plan together and things would work or just fall into place. Together we did close to 200 weddings and simchas. His food was wholesome and delicious too.

Reb Kalman was a remarkable anav as well.  His family did not fully realize the breadth and scope of the chessed that he had accomplished throughout his life career of Chessed, ahavas Yisroel, and achrayus.  He was a ba’al achrayus and they are always the quietest; they redeem, they rescue and then they step back and let the simcha shine.

He had a special ko’ach and energy and a sense of yashrus wherein he always did what was right. He also had a special “can-do” attitude where if things didn’t work one way, they would work another way – and it always did.  He was both an out-of-towner in his b’saiver panim yafos and an in-towner – where he knew how to get things done.

I last spoke to Reb Kalman some three weeks ago.  We had planned a simcha together for a struggling couple that faced extraordinary difficulties.  He embraced the opportunity to help and suggested innovative ways in doing so.  

Reb Kalman also demonstrated remarkable mentschlechkeit.   He treated everyone with kavod and respect – the wealthy and the not-so wealthy and the very-not-so-wealthy all alike.  It is hard to train kitchen staff and waiters, and yet he did it. He also did it with a mentchlichkeit.

He had the Ateres Shlomo Hall on New Utrecht Avenue and 77th Street, pioneering the ffordably priced simcha hall.  Together with his family, he also operated Sasson V’Simcha, halls that hosted everything.  Everyone remembers that remarkable story some 17 years ago, where authorities had shut down a wedding on the day it was scheduled to happen.  Un-flustered he made the arrangements to have it held elsewhere.  Waiters, food and all.

The levayah was held on Friday morning at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park, just a few hours before Shabbos.

Previously he was in a different career – dealing in diamonds.  But when you think about it – it was not a career shift at all.  He dealth in diamonds in what he did with his food.  The thousands of acts of chessed he did were diamonds as well. 

His late brother, Reb Shea Mendlowitz was renowned around the world for his beautiful musical compositions. But Reb Kalman also made his own different type of music – a music that gave nachas to the families of Klal Yisroel and Avinu sh’bashamayim in his unique sense of achrayus for Hashem’s children.

The family gets up from shiva tomorrow morning.  R’ Kalman is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mollie Mendlowitz; his siblings, Mrs. Frimi Frankel, Mr. Chaim Kopel, Mrs. Chaim Mendlowitz, and Mr. Shmuel Mendlowitz; his children, Ms. Shifra Mendlowitz, Mrs. Beila Steiner, Mrs. Miriam Reich, Mrs. Bracha Ickovitz, Mrs. Shaindy Hassan, and Mr. Yitzy Mendlowitz; and grandchildren.

Yehei zichro Boruch.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

NEW YORK, July 8 — Gold prices extended their decline Wednesday even as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran rattled global markets, signaling that investors are placing greater weight on rising interest-rate expectations than on gold’s traditional role as a safe-haven asset. Trading data from COMEX showed August gold futures settling near $4,157.40 an ounce after another volatile session.

Ordinarily, escalating geopolitical tensions send investors rushing into gold. Instead, the precious metal continued retreating from the record highs reached earlier this year, surprising many market participants. Analysts say the shift reflects changing expectations surrounding monetary policy rather than a reduced appreciation for gold as a defensive investment.

The biggest headwind has been the sharp rise in oil prices. With Brent crude climbing more than 5% Wednesday, investors increasingly believe higher energy costs could reignite inflation, forcing the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates elevated for longer or potentially consider additional tightening if price pressures worsen.

That matters because gold does not generate income. Unlike Treasury bonds or money-market investments, gold pays no interest or dividends. When interest rates rise, income-producing assets become more attractive, reducing demand for precious metals and putting downward pressure on gold prices.

The recent selloff also reflects investor positioning. Earlier this year, concerns surrounding the Middle East, persistent inflation and global economic uncertainty pushed gold to record highs as investors sought protection from market volatility. As those positions become crowded, many institutional investors have begun locking in profits, accelerating the decline.

The stronger U.S. dollar has added another layer of pressure. Since gold is priced globally in dollars, a stronger currency makes bullion more expensive for international buyers, often weighing on global demand and limiting price gains even during periods of geopolitical uncertainty.

For consumers, gold remains an important long-term store of value, but recent trading illustrates that the metal can experience significant short-term swings. Investors who purchased near this year’s highs have already seen notable paper losses, reinforcing that even traditional safe-haven assets carry meaningful market risk.

Jewelry retailers, precious-metal dealers and mining companies also watch gold prices closely. Lower bullion prices can affect retail demand, profit margins and investment activity across the broader precious-metals industry.

Looking ahead, gold’s direction will likely depend on two key factors: whether tensions in the Middle East escalate further and how the Federal Reserve responds to evolving inflation data. A significant deterioration in global security could quickly revive safe-haven buying, while persistently high interest rates may continue to weigh on the metal.

For Wall Street, Wednesday’s trading underscored a changing investment landscape. Rather than reacting solely to geopolitical headlines, investors are increasingly focusing on how those events influence inflation, interest rates and broader monetary policy—factors that now appear to be driving the direction of the gold market more than fear alone.

JBizNews Desk | Wall Street
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Demonstrators protesting construction of the Yerushalayim light rail once again disrupted service Wednesday night, blocking the tracks along Bar-Lev Boulevard before continuing their protest near Rechov Bar-Ilan. The demonstration temporarily halted rail operations and added to mounting delays and financial losses tied to the ongoing campaign against the project.

Protesters gathered along the route of the light rail on Bar-Lev Boulevard, preventing trains from passing and disrupting service for commuters.

Officers from the Yerushalayim District Police, along with Border Police personnel, responded to the scene. A police commander declared the gathering an unlawful disturbance and instructed demonstrators to clear the tracks. When they refused, security forces moved in to disperse the crowd, eventually reopening the route.

At the same time, a separate protest continued near Bar-Ilan, where demonstrators gathered along another section of the light rail construction zone. Police remained at the scene as the protest continued.

As a result of the demonstration, the Yerushalayim Light Rail announced that train service between the Yekutiel Adam Station and the Central Bus Station had been suspended. Approximately 30 minutes later, limited service resumed, operating only between Hadassah Ein Kerem and Givat HaMivtar Station in both directions.

Wednesday night’s protest was the latest in a series of recurring demonstrations targeting the light rail construction near Bar-Ilan Street. The area has repeatedly seen road blockages, confrontations with police, and damage to infrastructure and construction equipment.

The economic impact of the sustained protests has become increasingly significant. According to published estimates, vandalism, construction delays, and repeated disruptions have caused approximately 400 million shekels in losses to the Green Line project.

Those delays have also forced officials to revise the project’s timetable. Sections of the line where construction proceeded without disruption are expected to open later this year, while the Bar-Ilan Street segment has reportedly been pushed back by at least a year, with completion now projected for the end of 2027.

Despite the mounting financial losses and repeated delays, the nightly demonstrations have continued, and Wednesday’s protest once again succeeded in disrupting light rail service in Yerushalayim.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump said Wednesday night that Iran has reached out to the United States seeking a deal, but questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to honor any agreement as American forces continued a second straight night of military strikes against Iranian targets.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Turkey, Trump said Iranian officials had recently contacted him in hopes of restarting negotiations.

“Iran called a while ago. They want to make a deal so badly,” said the President, who added, “I just don’t know if they are worthy. I don’t know if they are going to honor the deal. That’s the problem.”

Trump on Iran:

Iran called a while ago. They want to make a deal so badly.

I just don't know if they are worthy. I don't know if they are going to honor the deal. That's the problem. pic.twitter.com/yE63e3lfVP

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 8, 2026

Trump’s remarks came after the U.S. military carried out another wave of attacks inside Iran, marking the second consecutive night of American strikes.

Discussing the latest operation, Trump vowed that the United States would continue responding forcefully to any Iranian aggression.

“We just hit them very hard. We hit them 20 to 1. Every time they hit us, we are going to hit them 20.”

When asked whether he had received intelligence about specific threats from Iran, Trump acknowledged that he remains a primary target.

“I hear threats all the time. I am number one on their list.”

Earlier Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces had begun launching additional military operations against Iranian targets.

The announcement followed reports of explosions in several locations across Iran, including Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Kharg Island.

“At the direction of the Commander in Chief, US Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” said CENTCOM.

“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” it added.

Trump also addressed the military action in a post on Truth Social, framing the strikes as retaliation for Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping.

“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” he wrote.

At the same time, a U.S. official told CNN that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran “has at least temporarily ceased”.

The official said the situation remains highly fluid and warned that additional military action could follow beyond the strikes already announced. According to the official, U.S. forces are closely monitoring developments, while the latest attacks were directed at Iranian missiles and drones that could threaten American military assets, including aircraft carriers.

The newest round of strikes followed a large-scale operation the previous night, when CENTCOM said it attacked more than 80 targets across Iran using precision-guided munitions in what it described as “as an immediate response to Iran’s latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”

{Matzav.com}

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday, just days before a key ballot deadline, after mounting controversies and allegations of “assault” led top Democratic leaders to call for him to withdraw.

Platner, who had defeated establishment-backed opponents in Maine’s Democratic primary and was set to challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, announced he was suspending campaign operations, saying continuing his candidacy would hurt the broader movement.

“For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said in a video posted to social media.

Platner denied the allegations against him, calling them “false” and insisting they did not happen.

“This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real,” he said.

His withdrawal comes before Maine’s July 13 deadline, allowing the state Democratic Party to select a replacement nominee for the November election.

The campaign had already been engulfed in controversy over a Nazi tattoo.

In recent days, numerous prominent Democrats withdrew their support, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ruben Gallego, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who publicly urged Platner to step aside.

Following Platner’s announcement, Schumer wrote on social media that Democrats remain committed to defeating Sen. Susan Collins and winning the Maine Senate seat.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also pledged to support the party’s eventual replacement nominee.

Republicans quickly seized on the developments, arguing the controversy reflects poorly on Maine Democrats as they prepare to nominate a new candidate.

The Maine Democratic Party is expected to choose a replacement nominee later this month.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)