RISHON LEZION, Israel (AP) — Marking the coordinates on a handheld GPS, an Israeli diver threw an anchor into the water as another quickly chucked an orange buoy beside it. Cramped on the boat’s bow, the first team assembled their gear, put on wet suits and tested oxygen tanks before jumping in.

But after hours of combing the Mediterranean seabed in search of yellow-painted mock mortar shells, the divers surfaced empty-handed.

It was the team’s fifth diving trip in the yearslong experiment to help prepare Israel to clear part of the sea from unexploded grenades and other munitions in order to return beach area to residents. But on this day in June, the divers couldn’t find the dummy mortar and artillery shells they’d planted months prior, foreshadowing the challenges that lie ahead.

“It’s really hard to find things in the sea,” said Roy Jaijel, a researcher in the marine geology and geophysics department at Israel’s National Institute of Oceanography, as he emerged from a dive.

Jaijel co-leads a project aimed at returning some 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of shoreline to people living in Israel’s central city of Rishon LeZion, an area that’s been used as a firing range for decades. The initiative, the first of its kind in Israel, coincides with a global push to better protect the world’s waters as demand increases for the use of seas and oceans for shipping, energy and recreation.

Experts say the clearance of underwater munitions has received more attention in recent years in part because of the boom in artificial intelligence, which requires millions of kilometers of underwater fiber-optic cables to allow for global connectivity.

Munitions can end up dumped into waters after wars, fall into seas during conflict or, in the case of Rishon LeZion, accumulate from firing practice. Erosion from seawater can lead toxic and explosive chemicals, along with heavy metals, to seep from the munitions, causing environmental contamination. There’s also the risk of objects exploding if people step on them or children play with them, thinking they’re toys.

Two years ago, Europe launched a project to better detect and clear non-military unexploded ordnance, such as from industrial or commercial sites. In a separate initiative in 2024, Germany piloted a program to recover and dispose of military waste from the North and Baltic seas, where some 1.6 million tonnes of unexploded munitions from two world wars lie, according to the German government.

Divers descend to place mock munitions on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Rishon LeZion, Israel, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Still, there’s been less focus on clearing waters in the Middle East, such as the Mediterranean, which historically hasn’t been the site of large dumps compared with Europe.

Leaders of the Israeli project say it’s one of the first to focus on clearing smaller munitions in complicated underwater terrain, which is why many countries have avoided it.

“It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,” said Israel Faintuch, head of the Maritime Division at Israel’s Ministry of Defense National Mine Action Authority as he checked his oxygen tank and suited up to go underwater.

Limited beach space in Israel is the driving force behind the clearing effort
The government says nearly half the country’s 194-kilometer (120-mile) coastline is off limits to civilians, used for commercial ports, power plants, desalination facilities, military bases and firing zones.

Since the country’s founding nearly 80 years ago, 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), nearly the entire length of Rishon LeZion’s shoreline, has been used as a firing range, launching grenades as well as small and large mortars, leaving hundreds of thousands of people crammed into a narrow strip of beach.

Launched last year, the joint research project funded by Rishon LeZion’s municipality is being led by Israel’s National Mine Action Authority and researchers from the National Institute of Oceanography. It aims to localize the most impacted areas, mapping the pattern of munitions to determine how far offshore and how deep to go before the clearance team steps in.

In order to gather data, divers place various sizes of fake munitions — some equipped with motion sensors — at depths of 5, 10 and 15 meters (16, 33 and 59 feet) and up to 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) offshore. After several months, they retrieve the munitions, analyze the data and plant new ones.

In June, Associated Press journalists accompanied the team underwater as they placed new munitions for the next round of tests and attempted to find ones they’d left in January. Divers descended using a string, or measuring tape, to navigate the seabed. Tapping each other under the water, they’d point in different directions to search, rubbing their hands over the seafloor.

“You have limited air supply when you go with the divers and you have limited time in the water,” said Dafna Eliahu, a graduate student at the University of Haifa working on the project. “So with actual live munition I expect it to be very difficult, very hard to locate and to actually be able to find them,” she said.

Divers load gear and mock munitions to be placed on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Rishon LeZion, Israel, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

While the information, including from the sensors, is still being processed, preliminary findings show that the munitions moved less than expected, which means there might be less area that needs clearing, she said.

Israel’s Defense Ministry wants to have enough data to start clearing by the end of next year and expand the shoreline by an initial 150 meters (492 feet) within a few months. Completing the project will take years and cost tens of millions of dollars. It’s already been delayed due to Israel’s multiple wars with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran as divers can’t work when missiles are falling and could land in the sea.

During the current war that the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran as well as the 12-day war last June between Israel and Iran, the army said missiles aimed at larger cities like Rishon LeZion fell into the sea but wouldn’t specify how many.

Israel says no one has been injured or killed by unexploded sea ordnance, but there have been about a dozen sightings of devices in the last 20 years where the police and army were called. Most have been found on or near shore.

What’s learned during the project could be useful beyond Israel
While the goal of the project is to expand parts of the shoreline, Israel also hopes its findings will yield new insights on clearing munitions from this part of the world, where there are threats but overall less is known.

According to the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, more than half of global incidents related to unexploded ordnance, such as sightings or drifting mines, were recorded in the Middle East between 2014 and 2023, with most occurring in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, largely a result of Yemen’s civil war.

Pedro Basto, research and innovation program manager with the group, said it is important to keep interest high in removing underwater explosives given the increasing dependence on the seas.

“Both renewable energies based on the sea (wind turbines and harnessing water currents) and the global connectivity that most of the world relies on every minute of every day, depend massively on underwater cable laying,” he said.

As Israel’s project advances, residents in Rishon LeZion say they’re looking forward to being able to use more land.

Moria Malka, head spokesperson for the city’s municipality, said the clearance will triple the area’s coastline and much of it will become a nature reserve as well as a residential area near the sea. For beachgoers like Mark Kostman, that is great news.

“Holidays and Saturdays, all of this place is completely crowded and too dense to even have fun,” said Kostman as he played volleyball with his children next to the firing zone. “Having it as public space for leisure and sport … it’s wonderful.”

Divers place mock munitions on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Rishon LeZion, Israel, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

NEW YORK (VINnews)-The STAR-K Kosher Certification agency has issued a fraud alert warning consumers about a Dunkin’ store in the Catskills displaying an unauthorized STAR-D certification letter.

The alert, dated July 10, 2026, states that a Dunkin’ location at 30 Catskill Commons in Catskills, New York — situated inside a Walmart — is showing a STAR-D letter. The store is not certified by STAR-K, the agency said. Corrective action is being taken.

STAR-K, one of the leading kosher certification organizations, urged the public to verify certifications through official channels. The agency maintains an alerts page at star-k.org/alerts and encourages users to download its app via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for the latest updates on kosher supervision.

The notice comes amid growing concerns in the Jewish community about fraudulent kosher claims, which can mislead consumers seeking to maintain kashrut standards.

A separate STAR-D supervision sign was recently documented at a certified Dunkin’ location in Baltimore, Maryland, under the National Council of Young Israel, illustrating the type of proper documentation used by authorized outlets. That location at 7002-A Reisterstown Road in the Colonial Village Shopping Center lists specific approved items and equipment protocols.

Consumers with questions about the Catskills store or other certifications are advised to contact STAR-K Certification, Inc. directly at its Baltimore headquarters.

Police Commissioner Danny Levy has sharply limited who inside the police force is allowed to view the organization’s internal October 7 investigations, after details from the first discussions were leaked to the media despite confidentiality commitments signed by participants.

In recent weeks, the police began presenting its internal reviews of the force’s conduct during the October 7 massacre to members of its command staff. Ahead of those discussions, those taking part were required to sign a confidentiality form, but according to an i24NEWS report, details from the early sessions still found their way into the press.

Following the leaks, Levy decided to exclude most of the police’s top brass from the process and establish a much smaller forum of only six senior officers. From now on, the report said, the internal investigations will be presented only to that limited group.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump said Friday he will not sign the biggest housing bill in decades, even as the measure heads toward becoming law at midnight without his signature.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was withholding his signature “in PROTEST” because the Senate has failed to pass the SAVE America Act, the voter-identification legislation he has repeatedly urged lawmakers to approve. He stopped short of issuing a veto, meaning the legislation will become law automatically under the Constitution if Congress remains in session and the president neither signs nor returns the bill within the required 10-day period.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed both chambers of Congress with broad bipartisan support in June and was formally delivered to the White House on June 29, starting the constitutional review period.

A Major Housing Overhaul

The legislation represents one of the most significant federal housing reforms in decades, aiming to increase the nation’s housing supply while improving affordability.

Among its major provisions, the law streamlines portions of the federal permitting process to accelerate residential construction, places new restrictions on large institutional investors purchasing single-family homes, and creates incentives for developers to convert vacant commercial and abandoned properties into residential housing.

Supporters argue the package addresses one of the country’s most pressing economic challenges—a shortage of available housing that has driven home prices to record levels.

Housing Affordability Remains a Major Challenge

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median price of an existing U.S. home reached $440,660 in June, an increase of 1.8% from a year earlier.

Industry groups have long argued that lengthy permitting requirements, limited land availability and increasing construction costs have slowed new housing development, contributing to the nation’s housing shortage.

The legislation seeks to address those issues while also responding to concerns that large corporate investors have purchased significant numbers of single-family homes, reducing inventory available to first-time homebuyers.

Politics Overshadow the Policy

While the housing legislation received bipartisan support, Trump’s decision not to sign it reflects his continued focus on election-related legislation.

The president has repeatedly urged Congress to approve the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and establish stricter voter-identification standards nationwide.

Trump has also encouraged Senate Republicans to reconsider the legislative filibuster in an effort to move the proposal forward.

House Speaker Mike Johnson previously indicated that Trump was unlikely to block the housing legislation, saying the president could either sign the measure or allow it to become law without his signature.

Industry Watches for Implementation

For builders, developers, lenders and local governments, the practical effect remains the same regardless of whether the president signs the legislation.

Attention now shifts toward implementation, with the housing industry closely watching how quickly the new permitting reforms, redevelopment incentives and investment restrictions translate into additional housing construction and improved affordability.

Whether the legislation meaningfully expands the nation’s housing supply will likely depend on how rapidly federal, state and local governments implement the new provisions over the coming months.

JBizNews Desk | Washington
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The Trump administration has urged Israel not to join ongoing U.S. military strikes against Iran at this stage, fearing that Israeli involvement could cause the conflict to spiral out of control and reignite a full-scale war, according to a report by CNN citing two Israeli sources.

The report comes amid a sharp escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, with Tehran threatening to collapse the ceasefire agreement. One of the Israeli sources told CNN that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is eager for Israel to take part in the American military campaign but acknowledged that “the U.S. does not want Israel to participate at this time.”

CNN reported that it sought comment from the White House, but no response had been issued as of publication.

Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said on Thursday that the IDF remains on high alert and is prepared to resume military operations against Iran, even if Israel must act independently. He said the military is ready to reestablish air superiority over Iran and carry out unilateral strikes if necessary to eliminate emerging threats.

Despite those preparations, one of the Israeli sources said the prevailing assessment in Israel is that President Donald Trump is not interested in returning to a broader regional war. According to that assessment, the most significant step Trump would likely authorize, if additional pressure on Iran becomes necessary, would be the reimposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

{Matzav.com}

A man who filmed himself accusing an Orthodox Jewish man of “killing babies” and threatening to break his jaw has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Shafiq Rahman, 48, of Slough, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault, using threatening words to provoke violence, and criminal damage over the April incident on Elliman Avenue. He was sentenced Friday at Reading Crown Court, with a district judge previously calling the attack “a pure hate crime.”

Video filmed by the victim, a man in his 20s identified only as Moshe, showed Rahman accusing him of “killing babies in Palestine,” threatening to break his jaw, and knocking a phone from his hand while repeatedly cursing and calling him a “dirty Jew.” Moshe, who was wearing a black kippah at the time, said he had been thinking only of survival during the confrontation.

“What were you thinking going out like this, in England, as a visible Jew?” he recalled asking himself afterward, adding that the incident left him feeling unsafe.

The case comes amid a string of recent antisemitic attacks across the UK, including the sentencing of two men who traveled to Clapton Common to film themselves abusing a Jewish man for TikTok content.

The IDF announced Friday that it has eliminated two Hamas commanders in separate precision airstrikes carried out in northern Gaza this week, targeting terrorists who played key roles in weapons production and planned attacks against Israeli forces.

In a strike conducted earlier this week on Wednesday, Israeli forces killed Khalil Jamal Khalil Manna, a commander in the Weapons Production Headquarters of Hamas’ military wing. According to the IDF, Manna oversaw rocket launcher manufacturing workshops throughout the war and directed the final stages of their production. He also held a senior leadership role within the weapons production headquarters, managing its operations and manufacturing efforts, and was involved in rebuilding the unit’s capabilities during the ceasefire.

In a second operation carried out Thursday in northern Gaza, the IDF eliminated Osama Walid Deeb Muhareb, a company commander in Hamas’ Nuseirat Battalion. The military said Muhareb had recently been responsible for storing explosive devices that were intended for use in attacks against IDF soldiers.

The IDF said both terrorists posed an immediate threat to troops operating in the area and were targeted in airstrikes to eliminate that danger.

Before carrying out the operations, the military said it implemented a series of measures designed to reduce the risk of civilian casualties, including the use of precision-guided munitions and continuous aerial surveillance.

The IDF added that troops serving under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue operating to eliminate any immediate threats.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — Last December, after Make America Healthy Again activists drew up a petition to get him fired, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin pledged to release a formal agenda of MAHA priorities that his agency would pursue, including protections against harmful chemicals and other health concerns.

But eight months after its first mention and after repeated promises it was being drafted, the so-called MAHA agenda is nowhere to be found. When asked for a status update this week, an EPA spokesperson said MAHA is an ongoing effort, not a single report.

The apparent reversal on release of a formal environmental health agenda is the latest in a cascade of disappointments for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA movement, who say they’ve lost faith that the Trump administration will take any significant action on pesticides, chemicals or other issues they view as key to address America’s chronic disease epidemic. It also reflects the EPA’s relentless rollback of environmental regulations even in the face of pressure from an important voting bloc that has supported President Donald Trump.

“I had really hoped that there would be specific steps that were taken through a MAHA agenda,” said activist Kelly Ryerson, whose social media account “Glyphosate Girl” focuses on nontoxic food systems. “We haven’t had any of the wins that we were requesting.”

Many in the diverse coalition of MAHA activists that Trump credits for helping him win back the White House say they plan to vote on issues over party in November’s congressional elections, raising the political stakes of their increasingly public tensions with the Republican administration.

“People are done with the profits of corporations being prioritized over public health,” said Alexandra Muñoz, a molecular toxicologist who collaborates with activists on certain issues. “And I think that will have an important role in the midterms.”

MAHA is frustrated with EPA’s actions
“Trump’s EPA,” as Zeldin frequently calls the agency, has vigorously pursued a deregulatory agenda. Earlier this year, Zeldin proposed overturning the landmark finding that climate change is a threat to human health. He moved to roll back dozens of environmental regulations in what he called “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen,” froze billions of dollars for clean energy and upended agency research.

Trump’s second-term EPA also has been working to loosen limits on pollution from smokestacks, tailpipes and producers of oil and gas.

At the same time, Zeldin has touted multiple “MAHA wins,” some of which activists say are anything but. For example, he said the agency intends to regulate some chemicals called phthalates for environmental and workplace risks, but didn’t address the thousands of consumer products that contain the ingredients.

This week, the EPA diverted from past assurances that the MAHA report was in its “final stages,” telling The Associated Press in an email that the EPA’s actions should speak for themselves.

“The notion that MAHA is a single document waiting to be unveiled fundamentally misrepresents how we operate,” an agency spokesperson said, adding that work on MAHA priorities is “active and expanding every day.”

Ryerson and other MAHA activists said they’ve engaged with agency officials about changes they’d like to see, and occasionally succeeded. For example, her network of farmers worked with the administration on a recent executive order to advance regenerative agriculture. But she said EPA then used the order to justify new proposed uses for various herbicides, a move she called a “slap in the face.”

The same week, the Supreme Court dealt another blow to the MAHA cause in siding with pesticide maker Bayer in a ruling related to its legal liability for alleged harm caused by its Roundup weedkiller. The Trump administration had backed the company in the case.

Environmental activists say the rise of Kennedy and his MAHA mission has rippled across the administration, raising the public’s awareness of pesticides — and expectations that Trump’s administration would act.

“If RFK and the MAHA movement hadn’t put that issue in the center of the public spotlight, no one would be scrutinizing this nearly as closely,” said Sarah Starman, a senior food and agriculture campaigner at the nonprofit Friends of the Earth.

EPA says getting microplastics out of drinking water is complicated
In a well-publicized gesture aimed in part at the MAHA movement, Zeldin in April included microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants that could be regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Activists had pressured Zeldin for months to crack down on microplastics and other environmental contaminants.

But in a reversal in late June, the EPA did not include microplastics or pharmaceuticals on a list of chemicals it plans to test for under a mandatory program used to collect information about concerning chemicals in drinking water that could be harming human health.

The move rendered the EPA’s earlier public health promises “functionally toothless,” said Betsy Southerland, a former senior official in EPA’s water office.

Zeldin said on social media that “the technology to test and treat for microplastics in drinking water is still in development.” The EPA said in a Federal Register notice that it was “not feasible to develop a drinking water analytical method within the statutory timeframe.”

Southerland called the situation a “classic Zeldin bait-and-switch.”

After making “a big splash in the press” on microplastics, “EPA has quietly stalled that momentum,” she said.

A White House Make America Healthy Again Report, released a few months into Trump’s second term, identified long-term exposure to environmental chemicals — including those widely found in plastics — as a leading cause of chronic disease in children.

Former industry lobbyists now have leading roles at EPA
Jeremy Symons, a senior adviser at the Environmental Protection Network, a group of former EPA employees and political appointees who are critical of the Trump administration, said Zeldin “pays lip service to MAHA, but sadly he is actually making Americans less safe from toxic chemicals.”

Alongside MAHA’s influence on the Trump administration, industry lobbyists have made inroads at the EPA.

Kyle Kunkler, a former lobbyist for the soybean industry, leads pesticide policy at the EPA. The agency recently allowed continued use of dicamba, a weedkiller that has been linked to increased risk for some cancers.

Zen Honeycutt, a MAHA activist and founding executive director of Moms Across America, said the move is “what happens when the EPA allows itself to be pressured by corporations and by business.”

EPA also employs other former industry insiders. Nancy Beck, a former executive at the chemical lobbying group the American Chemistry Council, is a top official in EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. Lynn Dekleva, another former chemistry council executive, serves as a Beck deputy.

The EPA said Kunkler and other political appointees have consulted with agency ethics officials to resolve any potential conflicts of interest. The MAHA movement has “driven this agency’s work since President Trump’s first day in office,” a spokesperson said in an email, citing various initiatives including $945 million in grants to help states and communities cut “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in drinking water and identifying 30 drinking water contaminants proposed for nationwide monitoring.

But for Ryerson and others, the lack of a promised MAHA agenda reads as a tactic to escape accountability.

“It absolves them of any failures, especially when it comes to midterms,” Ryerson said. “They won’t have to point to some list that they haven’t been able to achieve really anything on.”

The U.S. stock market has climbed to record highs in 2026 on the strength of corporate profits, and over the next several weeks investors will learn whether companies can continue delivering the earnings needed to justify those gains. Second-quarter earnings season officially begins the week of July 13, with JPMorgan Chase and several other major U.S. banks reporting results on July 14, launching what is expected to be one of the most closely watched reporting seasons in years.

According to LSEG IBES data, Wall Street analysts expect S&P 500 companies to deliver earnings growth of more than 20% compared with the same quarter a year ago. Those expectations reflect continued confidence in corporate America but also leave little room for companies to disappoint investors.

The optimism follows an exceptionally strong first quarter. Corporate earnings grew 29.4%, roughly double what analysts had projected before reporting season began and marking the strongest quarterly profit growth in more than four years. Much of that performance was fueled by continued investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, resilient consumer spending and stronger-than-expected economic activity. As a result, analysts have raised full-year earnings expectations to approximately 26.4% growth for 2026, which would represent the strongest annual expansion since 2021.

Higher expectations, however, also create greater risk. With stock prices already reflecting significant optimism, companies that merely meet expectations may find investors looking for more. Joe Mazzola, Head Trading and Derivatives Strategist at Charles Schwab, warned that steadily rising earnings estimates raise the likelihood of increased market volatility as investors react sharply to even modest disappointments. Bruce Zaro of Granite Wealth Management similarly noted that many technology and growth companies may need to significantly exceed forecasts to justify additional gains after such a strong rally.

Recent trading has already demonstrated that reality. Even companies reporting solid financial results have sometimes seen their shares decline as investors judged the performance against exceptionally high expectations. Strong earnings from Samsung Electronics, for example, were followed by weakness across portions of the semiconductor sector as investors questioned future growth rather than current results.

Technology remains the primary driver of expected earnings growth. LSEG projects technology-sector profits will rise roughly 65% during the second quarter, while energy companies are expected to benefit from higher oil prices, potentially doubling earnings from a year earlier. Materials companies are also forecast to post significant gains. That concentration means much of the broader market’s performance continues to depend on a relatively small group of large technology and energy companies, with Nvidia, one of the market’s most influential stocks, not scheduled to report until late August.

Investors are also confronting higher borrowing costs. Long-term Treasury yields have climbed sharply in recent weeks, with the 30-year Treasury bond trading near 5% and the 10-year Treasury note around 4.6%. Rising yields increase financing costs for businesses while also making bonds more attractive relative to equities. Combined with persistent inflation concerns and the Federal Reserve’s cautious approach toward interest-rate cuts, higher bond yields have become an increasingly important headwind for stock valuations.

Market valuations themselves remain elevated. The widely followed Shiller CAPE ratio continues to rank among the highest levels on record, suggesting investors are paying historically expensive prices for future earnings. While elevated valuations alone do not guarantee a market correction, they reduce the margin for error if corporate results fail to meet expectations.

For businesses, earnings season offers far more than insight into quarterly profits. Company guidance on hiring, capital spending, consumer demand, artificial intelligence investment and tariff costs often provides one of the clearest real-time snapshots of the broader economy. Investors will be paying close attention not only to what companies earned during the second quarter but also to what executives expect for the remainder of the year.

For millions of Americans whose retirement savings are invested in stock market indexes, the coming weeks could determine whether this year’s rally continues or begins to cool. Corporate America enters earnings season from a position of strength, but expectations have rarely been higher. With profits, valuations and interest rates all elevated simultaneously, even small disappointments could trigger outsized market reactions.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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Questions are mounting over the defensive capabilities of President Donald Trump’s newly commissioned Air Force One after reports revealed the aircraft lacks some of the advanced protection systems found on the older presidential jet it is temporarily replacing.

The aircraft, a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and placed into service earlier this year, reportedly does not carry all of the sophisticated defensive technology installed on the long-serving Air Force One fleet. The reported differences have fueled scrutiny as the United States remains on heightened alert over threats from Iran, according to The New York Times.

The New York Times and CBS News both reported that, after the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, the Secret Service recommended that Trump return to the United States aboard the older Air Force One rather than the newly modified aircraft.

According to the reports, officials made the recommendation out of an abundance of caution, citing the older aircraft’s superior communications equipment and more extensive defensive capabilities while tensions with Iran remain elevated.

Trump had initially traveled to Turkey aboard the newer presidential aircraft before transferring to the older Air Force One for the flight home.

After landing in the United Kingdom, Trump later resumed traveling aboard the newer jet.

The White House dismissed any suggestion that the president had been exposed to unnecessary danger.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.

The Air Force also defended the decision, saying “no risk was taken in security, safety, or mission communications,” while acknowledging that the interim aircraft does not yet possess every capability intended for the future permanent presidential fleet.

According to The New York Times, officials involved with the aircraft’s modifications said the donated plane is missing some of the highly advanced countermeasure systems installed on the current Air Force One, including sophisticated missile-defense technology.

CBS News reported that the older presidential aircraft is equipped with laser-based defenses and additional systems capable of countering incoming missile threats. However, officials declined to confirm whether those same technologies had been added to the Qatari aircraft.

Frank Kendall, who previously served as Air Force secretary, told The New York Times that he was surprised the aircraft entered international service so quickly, saying there likely was not enough time to complete all of the extensive upgrades typically required for an Air Force One aircraft.

“With the Iran situation, this could be of concern,” Kendall said.

The renewed focus on presidential security comes as U.S. officials continue to warn that Iran has long viewed Trump as a target following the 2020 operation that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. However, current intelligence reportedly has not uncovered any specific assassination plot connected to Trump’s overseas travel.

Trump himself addressed those concerns during the NATO summit, telling reporters Iran considers him “their number one target.”

Democratic lawmakers have pointed to the reports as evidence that the administration may have placed the aircraft into service before all of its planned upgrades were completed.

The White House has firmly rejected that criticism, insisting the aircraft is fully equipped to transport the president safely while Boeing continues work on the long-delayed next generation of permanent Air Force One aircraft.

{Matzav.com}

Walmart has agreed to pay more than $13 million to settle a Texas investigation into whether the retailer misled the gig workers who deliver its groceries about how much they would earn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday. The settlement resolves allegations that Walmart gave drivers in its Spark Driver program inaccurate information about tips, base pay and bonus opportunities, while requiring the company to change how it presents driver compensation going forward.

Roughly half of the settlement—about $6.69 million—has already been paid directly to affected Texas drivers as restitution, according to the attorney general’s office. An equal amount will go to the state to cover civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and investigation costs, bringing the total settlement to more than $13.3 million. The agreement, filed June 19 in Collin County District Court as an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, does not require Walmart to admit wrongdoing.

Walmart’s Spark Driver platform, launched in 2018, connects independent contractors with grocery and retail deliveries from local Walmart stores and fulfillment centers. Drivers accept delivery offers through a mobile app and are paid per trip. According to court filings, Texas alleged that since at least 2021, Walmart represented that drivers would receive the full amount of customer tips even though some tips were allegedly split among multiple drivers or not paid in full. The state also alleged Walmart reduced base pay on modified delivery offers without adequate disclosure and provided misleading information regarding incentive bonuses.

Beyond the financial settlement, Walmart agreed to implement significant operational changes. The company must establish an earnings verification system designed to ensure drivers receive the compensation shown when they accepted delivery offers. Walmart must also improve transparency regarding driver pay, bonuses and incentives. The Texas Attorney General’s Office said it will continue monitoring the company’s records and compensation practices to ensure ongoing compliance.

Attorney General Ken Paxton called the settlement a victory for Texas workers, saying it ensures drivers receive the wages and tips they were promised while reinforcing that large corporations must honor the compensation they advertise. Walmart responded that it values its Spark drivers, has already issued remediation payments to eligible drivers and continues working to improve its compensation systems to promote fairness and transparency.

The settlement highlights growing regulatory attention on the rapidly expanding gig economy. As retailers compete to offer faster home delivery, millions of independent contractors increasingly rely on app-based platforms where earnings can be difficult to verify. Rather than challenging the independent contractor model itself, Texas focused on the accuracy and transparency of compensation disclosures—an approach that other states could potentially adopt.

For Walmart, the financial cost is relatively small compared with its overall size, but the operational requirements could have broader implications across the delivery industry. If earnings verification and greater compensation transparency become industry standards, competing delivery platforms may also face pressure to modify how they present pay offers to drivers.

As same-day delivery becomes an increasingly important part of modern retail, regulators appear increasingly focused on ensuring that gig workers receive exactly what they are promised. The Texas settlement may ultimately serve as an early blueprint for how states oversee pay transparency throughout the rapidly growing app-based delivery economy.

JBizNews Desk | Bentonville

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Hamas has reportedly moved its primary organizational operations from Qatar to Turkey, according to a report by the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. The report says the terror group recently held internal elections for its political bureau leadership in Ankara, reflecting the shift in its regional base of operations.

Sources within Hamas told the newspaper that meetings previously held in Doha are now taking place in Istanbul, with senior members of the group’s political bureau and Shura Council participating.

Despite the relocation, Hamas officials insisted relations with Qatar remain strong. According to the report, the move is intended to reduce pressure on Doha from the United States and Israel, both of which have demanded that Qatar expel Hamas leaders. Turkey is also reportedly viewed by the terror group as a safer location from potential Israeli strikes.

The report also says Hamas is working to rebuild ties with Syria after years of strained relations. In recent months, the terror group issued statements condemning attacks in Damascus and expressing solidarity with what it called “sister Syria” and the country’s new leadership.

Hamas officials described the outreach to Syria as a natural step for what they called a national liberation movement seeking relations with governments across the region. While no official Hamas delegation is expected to visit Syria in the immediate future, the group reportedly believes such a visit could take place once Syria’s new government becomes more established.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The investigation into the murder of Rav Amos Guetta zt”l in Netanya continues to unfold, with police actively pursuing multiple lines of inquiry as they work to determine both the circumstances surrounding the killing and the motive behind it. Investigators are also examining aspects of the suspect’s background and his activities in the period leading up to the attack.

According to veteran chareidi journalist Yair Levy, the suspect was raised in a chareidi family in London and later studied in yeshivos in France before eventually becoming affiliated with the Chabad movement.

One of the theories being examined is whether the suspect harbored resentment over the fact that some people referred to Rav Guetta as “Moshiach,” and whether that may have played a role in the crime. Police are reviewing that possibility as part of the broader investigation, although authorities have not concluded that it was the motive for the murder.

Detectives are also exploring another theory—that a third party may have taken advantage of the suspect’s condition and possibly influenced or directed him to carry out the killing. Investigators are continuing to examine that possibility, but no evidence has yet been released confirming or disproving the hypothesis.

Another aspect of the investigation that has drawn attention involves several security-door keys found in the suspect’s pocket at the time of his arrest. According to the report, the suspect did not have a permanent residence, raising questions about why he was carrying the keys. Police are attempting to determine which apartment or property the keys belong to and whether they have any connection to the murder.

Police were asked to comment on the reported details of the investigation. As of publication, no official response had been issued.

{Matzav.com}

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A series of unclaimed airstrikes that hit Iran after the U.S. said it finished its attacks have again raised questions of who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic.

The strikes Thursday, just as Iran prepared to bury the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hit areas across southern Iran. The country’s theocracy hasn’t directly blamed anyone for the strikes, though one lawmaker issued a warning to the United Arab Emirates over allegedly providing support to the United States in its campaign against Iran.

Gulf Arab states, which repeatedly have been targeted by Iran since the war began Feb. 28, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday over the strikes. The attacks come as they and the U.S. insist the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for world energy markets, must be open and free to ships.

Iran says the strait must now be under its sole control and that vessels should begin to pay fees to Tehran — even though the world for decades has considered it an international waterway. About a fifth of all oil and natural gas transited the strait before the war began.

Iran’s grip on the strait during the conflict led to an global energy crisis, though oil prices have sharply dropped since wartime highs of $120 a barrel.

Israel, which took part in the Iran war, also has not claimed any recent attacks on Iran.

Unclaimed strikes came after US ended its attacks
The U.S. military’s Central Command said Thursday around 6:30 a.m. local Iran time that it had concluded a round of strikes that saw some 90 targets hit. Shortly after that, Iranian news outlets and state media reported a series of airstrikes and explosions targeting the country’s Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, the cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar and other areas.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details of the American military campaign, said there had been no new U.S. strikes since the last round ended Thursday morning.

Iran responded to the strikes Thursday by launching a wider volley of attacks across the Mideast, targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. Missile alert sirens sounded in the four countries, sending people to seek shelter. One person was reportedly hurt in Kuwait as air defense systems targeted the incoming fire across the region.

The leader of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, traveled to Kuwait immediately after the Iranian attack for a meeting with the small, oil-rich nation’s ruling emir. Gulf Arab countries also held calls with Qatar’s foreign minister, who has been deeply involved along with Pakistan in mediating talks between Iran and the U.S. over the interim deal now in place to halt the return of open warfare.

During the Iran war, there also were a series of unclaimed airstrikes. Officials later said both Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched airstrikes on Iran, after Tehran struck energy sites in their countries. Having a Gulf country again strike Iran likely could be an effort to deter Tehran from targeting the Gulf states again.

Israel, which under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has engaged in an intense campaign against Iran, has not attacked the Islamic Republic since June. In most cases, Israel immediately claims its attacks on Iran.

Israel’s government said Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday night, with Trump updating Netanyahu “on American moves in the Gulf.”

Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, also renewed threats that his nation stood ready to confront Iran if needed.

The Israeli military “is on alert and ready to renew the campaign, to reestablish aerial superiority, and to carry out a blue-white (Israeli) strike in Iran to remove threats, even for a third time,” Katz told a military ceremony. “If we will have to return, we will return with even greater force.”

Iran keeps up its threats
On Friday, Iranian state media quoted Esmail Kousari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee and a former commander in the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, as warning the UAE would “pay the price for its cooperation with the United States.” He accused the Emirates of having a “behind-the-scenes” role in the recent U.S. attacks.

Iran repeatedly accused Gulf Arab states of actively supporting the U.S. war effort, something they denied during the war. The U.S. since the 1991 Gulf War has maintained a broad footprint of military bases across the Gulf Arab states, including in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters.

Meanwhile, Iran insists it must be the sole controller of the Strait of Hormuz. But the U.S. is continuing to urge mariners to travel on a southern route through Oman’s territorial waters to avoid Iran.

The Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy, issued a new advisory Friday urging ships to travel that route. A similar message for ships to use that route sparked an Iranian attack on Tuesday that saw three vessels hit.

“Notwithstanding recent unprovoked attacks on merchant vessels, mariners are reminded that the southern route of the (strait) has been expanded and remains available for all traffic,” the maritime center said.

“PSA, anyone going to Trader Joe’s before Shabbos, the refrigerators are down and super limited flower supply.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Kia America has issued a new recall for nearly 463,000 of its Telluride SUVs, urging owners to again park their vehicles outside and away from buildings after several customers reported fires following previous repairs.

The recall, announced this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, replaces a prior one Kia initiated in 2024. Certain Tellurides from the 2020-2024 model years are affected, with the NHTSA warning that the front power seat motor of these vehicles may overheat due to a stuck slide knob.

That could result in a fire while the car is parked or being driven. And even after Kia rolled out a remedy in 2024, recall documents note several customers filed complaints of alleged fires underneath the passenger seat. The automaker investigated other vehicles that had received the prior repair and identified “sporadic dealer workmanship issues” — later deciding to initiate a new recall.

Between October 2024 and April 2026, Kia North America’s safety office identified 18 incidents involving either localized seat fires or melting of the seat motor, per recall documents. No associated injuries or crashes have been reported.

To address the hazard, Kia’s new fix will be for dealers to install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge — aimed at preventing ongoing operation of the seat motor if its switch becomes dislodged or otherwise damaged. That remedy will be available in early August, according to an advanced dealer notice published by the NHTSA. And owner notification letters are set to be mailed starting Aug. 13.

In the meantime, the NHTSA is warning owners to “park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.”

Press contacts for Irvine, California-based Kia America — a subsidiary of the larger South Korean automaker — did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for further comments on Friday.

Drivers can also confirm if their specific vehicle is included in this recall and find more information using the NHTSA site and/or Kia’s recall lookup platform.

The recall covers 462,869 model year 2020-2024 Tellurides that were manufactured between Jan. 9, 2019 and May 29, 2024. Kia America estimates that 1% have the defect.

(AP) – A Mexican man living in the U.S. who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was not the person federal authorities had been targeting in a Houston operation, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia said Thursday.

The Democratic congresswoman, whose district includes the Houston neighborhood where the shooting occurred, said acting ICE Director David Venturella told her the agency has confirmed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo “was not a target.”

Salgado Araujo was a homebuilder who had lived in the U.S. for more than 35 years, had no criminal record and was close to finishing the long process of obtaining legal status when he was killed early Tuesday morning, according to his family.

“We’ve got to do something. This is just one more death too many,” Garcia said in an interview with MS Now. “And if we’ve got to bring outside, independent folks to come in and look at it, we should do that.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return an email seeking comment late Thursday.

DHS, which oversees ICE, previously said that federal officers were conducting a targeted operation to arrest a person in the country without legal status when they attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Salgado Araujo. The agency has said Salgado Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle and that a federal officer fired a weapon in self-defense.

Asked whether ICE agents had been specifically targeting Salgado Araujo, DHS said earlier Thursday that officers had been surveilling a property where they had previously observed two white vans.

Ronaldo Salgado and Lorenzo Jr., sons of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, hold a photograph of their father during a news conference Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

“On July 7, officers were almost at the target’s address when they observed a white van with an individual who resembled the target. Officers then initiated the vehicle stop,” the department said.

The federal agents weren’t wearing body-worn cameras, DHS said, and few photos or videos surrounding the shooting have emerged publicly in the days since the encounter, unlike other deaths involving federal immigration officers.

In a statement, DHS said the agents at the scene in Houston had not yet been issued body cameras, which it blamed on Democrats and a record government shutdown that was fueled by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, a Democrat who also represents Houston, said if the agents didn’t have the devices, it was because Trump and Republican lawmakers did not want them to be carrying them.

“Houston is done accepting excuses from an agency that has more money than it knows what to do with and still can’t manage basic accountability,” he said in a statement.

The Harris County District Attorney’s office said it would conduct an investigation into the shooting. The office is consulting with local prosecutors in Minneapolis, where federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, to learn how they have navigated investigations into federal immigration agents, spokesperson Rafael Lemaitre said.

“Although access to key evidence remains under federal control, we are pursuing investigative avenues available to us and will conduct a review of any information we collect within our reach,” Lemaitre said in an emailed statement.

Three men, including Salgado Araujo’s brother, were detained by ICE during the fatal traffic stop, according to Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, who has been communicating with their families.

A woman holds up a sign during a vigil for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national fatally shot by a federal immigration agent a day prior, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Mark Felix)

LULAC has yet to obtain video footage that clearly shows what happened during the moments of the shooting and has offered a reward of $5,000 for information from witnesses, Proaño told The Associated Press. The position of Salgado Araujo’s van and ICE vehicles has obstructed security camera footage LULAC has reviewed, he added.

“It’s going to make it even more difficult to find the truth in all this,” he said.

DHS said the ICE agents involved in the incident were expected to receive body-worn cameras in the next 60 days.

In the aftermath of the fatal Minneapolis shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Democrats had refused to fund ICE and the Border Patrol without changes to those operations designed to increase accountability and transparency. Republicans in Congress eventually passed legislation funding just ICE and CBP for three years.

The National Coffee Association told the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday, July 8, that Brazilian coffee should stay out of a new round of import taxes, warning that fresh duties would push already-steep grocery prices higher for the tens of millions of Americans who drink coffee every day.

William Murray, president and chief executive of the National Coffee Association, made the case in testimony at a public hearing in Washington tied to the government’s review of trade with Brazil. He asked officials to protect green, unroasted coffee that is already exempt and to add unflavored instant coffee to the tax-free list, calling both essential to keeping coffee affordable and U.S. coffee companies competitive.

The economic stakes are substantial. Murray told the panel that protecting coffee matters for more than 176 million daily American coffee drinkers and a domestic coffee economy he valued at about $343 billion. Instant coffee alone, he said, is consumed by nearly 30 million adults each day and serves as a base for cold brew, flavorings, extracts and the fast-growing category of canned, ready-to-drink coffee.

The hearing is part of a Section 301 investigation run by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative into Brazil’s trade practices, spanning complaints from digital-commerce rules to illegal deforestation. Out of that review, the government could place a 25% tariff on a list of Brazilian goods. A separate measure has already added a 12.5% charge on products from more than 60 countries, instant coffee among them.

Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer and supplies about a third of what the United States drinks, which makes any tax on its beans hard to dodge at the register. Last year, Washington imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports that threw the U.S. coffee trade into turmoil before officials carved out green coffee. Instant coffee stayed taxed at 50% until the Supreme Court struck down most of the administration’s blanket tariffs; it now carries a 10% global rate.

Murray said the earlier duties fed what he called “highly visible price inflation on popular products,” squeezing the companies that turn beans into everyday goods. His core argument to regulators was practical: the country cannot grow its way out of a coffee tax. Farms in Hawaii and Puerto Rico cover only a sliver of demand, and the United States produces less than 6% of the instant coffee it uses.

The pain would not stop at the supermarket shelf. Higher bean costs ripple through corner coffee shops, diners and national restaurant chains that price a cup on thin margins, through grocery retailers that lean on coffee to draw shoppers, and through the food manufacturers that fold coffee into syrups, creamers, ice cream and bottled drinks. The National Coffee Association notes that roughly 99% of U.S. coffee is imported, so there is no domestic supply to cushion the blow.

Brazilian producers pressed the same point from the other side of the table. Representatives of Abics, the Brazilian Soluble Coffee Industry Association, and the exporter group Cecafe appeared at the Washington hearings alongside the American association. Aguinaldo José de Lima, executive director of Abics, said more than 90% of Brazil’s instant coffee is bound for the U.S. market — about 15,500 metric tons a year — and that no other supplier can match that volume at a similar price. The first hit from any new tariff, he said, would land on companies and jobs before reaching shoppers.

Relief at the register looks distant regardless of the ruling. In a London interview reported by Bloomberg, Giuseppe Lavazza, chairman of the Italian roaster Lavazza, said retail coffee prices are unlikely to fall for at least two years, citing tight global supply, weather damage to crops in Brazil and Vietnam, and speculation that has driven futures to record levels. He described the market’s instability as “the new constant.”

Coffee has become a recurring flashpoint in the tariff fight precisely because almost none of it grows on American soil. Lawmakers in both parties, including Representative Don Bacon and Representative Ro Khanna, have pushed the White House to leave the drink alone, arguing that taxing a product the country cannot realistically produce simply raises costs for households.

For now the decision sits with trade officials weighing the Section 301 findings. Murray asked them to extend the existing exemptions rather than reopen them, telling the panel that keeping coffee tariff-free would benefit both the broader economy and the millions of Americans who start each day with a cup. A ruling is expected in the weeks ahead.

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

EATONTOWN, N.J. — As businesses across every industry race to improve productivity and prepare their workforce for a rapidly evolving workplace, the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce and the Parnassah Network Foundation will host the JBIZ Leadership Multi-Platform AI Summit this Monday and Tuesday, July 13–14, at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel in Eatontown, New Jersey.

The two-day executive program is designed for business owners, executives, managers, employees, entrepreneurs and individuals entering the workforce, providing practical, hands-on training in the business platforms that are increasingly becoming essential in today’s workplace.

Just as Word, Excel, Outlook and Email Became Workplace Essentials…

Twenty years ago, knowing how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and email separated job candidates from the competition. Today, those programs are standard requirements in virtually every workplace.

Organizers say the workplace is experiencing another transformation.

Today’s leading business platforms—including ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Grok, Perplexity, Meta AI and Mistral—are quickly becoming the next generation of must-have workplace skills. Just as previous generations were expected to master Word and Excel, today’s professionals are increasingly expected to understand how and when to use these platforms effectively.

Knowing how to use these platforms has become as essential as knowing Word, Excel and email. Employees who can use them independently complete tasks faster, improve accuracy, reduce administrative work and free up valuable time for higher-level responsibilities. 

Why Businesses Are Investing in These Skills

Research continues to demonstrate measurable returns from integrating these platforms into everyday business operations.

According to the London School of Economics, professionals save an average of 7.5 hours per week through effective use of these workplace platforms.

The GoTo 2025 AI in Business Report found employees save an average of 2.3 hours per day, enabling organizations to improve productivity while reducing repetitive administrative work.

The PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, which analyzed more than one billion job postings worldwide, found that positions requiring AI-related skills command an average 72% earnings premium, reflecting the growing demand for professionals who know how to use these technologies effectively.

Meanwhile, FOX Business reported that survey data suggests as many as 70% of laid-off workers were not actively using artificial intelligence tools, highlighting the growing importance many employers are placing on technology adoption and workforce readiness.

Whether You’re a Business Owner, Executive, Manager, Employee or Entering the Workforce—This Summit Is for You

The summit is designed to deliver practical value for professionals across every stage of their careers.

Business owners will learn how to increase productivity, reduce operating costs, improve customer service and grow revenue by empowering their workforce with today’s leading business platforms.

Executives and managers will discover how to streamline operations, delegate repetitive work more efficiently and build higher-performing teams.

Employees will learn how to draft professional emails, prepare reports and presentations, analyze spreadsheets, review contracts, conduct research, summarize documents and automate repetitive office tasks—allowing them to focus on work that creates greater value.

Individuals entering the workforce or returning from seminary will gain practical skills that employers increasingly expect, helping them stand out in today’s competitive job market. 

Built on Nearly Two Decades of Business Leadership

The JBIZ Leadership Multi-Platform AI Summit is built on the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s nearly 20 years of empowering businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals.

Over that time, the Chamber has presented more than 1,000 workshops, conferences and executive education programs, becoming a recognized leader in workforce development, business growth and economic stimulation.

Developed over months by industry professionals, the summit teaches attendees which platform to use, when to use it and how to apply it across writing, research, marketing, sales, spreadsheets, presentations, document analysis, customer service and everyday office operations. Every participant will receive a Certificate of Completion. 

Event Information

The JBIZ Leadership Multi-Platform AI Summit will be held Monday and Tuesday, July 13–14, at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel, 6 Industrial Way East, Eatontown, New Jersey.

Click To Register

Information: [email protected]
Phone: (212) 659-5270 ext. 104 

www.OJChamber.com

JBizNews Desk | Eatontown, New Jersey
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved

A new public opinion poll released Thursday indicates that Israel’s right-wing bloc would secure a parliamentary majority if elections were held today, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has widened his lead as the public’s preferred choice for prime minister.

According to the survey, the right-wing bloc would win 63 seats in the 120-member Knesset, enough to form a governing coalition. The left-wing bloc would receive 47 seats, while the Arab parties would capture the remaining 10 seats.

The Likud Party remains the largest faction, polling at 33 seats. It is followed by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar Party with 21 seats, an increase of one seat compared to the previous poll. Shas is projected to win 10 seats, tying the Democrats with the same total.

Further down the standings, the Beyachad Party, led jointly by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, is projected to receive 8 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu is also forecast to win 8 mandates, as is United Torah Judaism. Otzma Yehudit would secure 7 seats, while the Religious Zionism Party is projected to win 5. Among the Arab parties, both the Joint List and Ra’am are expected to receive 5 seats each.

Several parties would fail to cross the electoral threshold under the current polling. Those projected to remain outside the Knesset include Blue and White, Moshe Feiglin’s Zehut Party, and Yesodot Yisrael, led by Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser.

The poll also found Netanyahu maintaining a commanding advantage in the race for prime minister. According to the results, 55% of respondents said Netanyahu is the most suitable candidate for the position, marking an improvement from the previous week’s survey. Eisenkot ranked second with 31%, followed by Naftali Bennett at 9%, Avigdor Lieberman at 4%, and Benny Gantz with just 1%.

The survey was conducted by NEXT DATA on July 9, 2026, among a representative sample of 752 adult Israelis. The data was analyzed by Shlomo Filber. As with all public opinion polls, the findings reflect respondents’ views at the time the survey was conducted and are not necessarily predictive of the outcome of a future election.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. State Department reportedly intervened to block a planned meeting between New York City Commissioner for International Affairs Ana Maria Archila and Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, according to a report by the New York Post.

The meeting had been scheduled for July 7 but was canceled after State Department officials learned of the plans. According to sources cited by the Post, the initiative was undertaken without coordination or approval from the appropriate federal authorities, prompting immediate concern given heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.

The cancellation came amid renewed hostilities in the Persian Gulf, following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s announcement that a temporary ceasefire with Iran had ended.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reportedly said he was unaware of Archila’s plans. Nevertheless, the incident has drawn criticism from political opponents, who argue it reflects poor judgment and inexperience within the mayor’s administration.

Archila, a progressive activist and former candidate for New York lieutenant governor, has faced scrutiny since her appointment. According to the report, City Hall retained former International Affairs Commissioner Aissata M.B. Camara alongside Archila in an unusual dual leadership arrangement, reportedly due to concerns over Archila’s diplomatic experience.

The Mayor’s Office of International Affairs is responsible for maintaining relationships with foreign governments and diplomatic missions based in New York City, home to the United Nations. Critics argue that any effort by city officials to independently engage with representatives of hostile foreign governments without federal coordination exceeds the office’s proper role.

The episode is expected to intensify criticism of the Mamdani administration, with opponents pointing to the canceled meeting as another example of what they describe as a lack of experience in handling sensitive diplomatic matters.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — President Donald Trump on Friday denied reports that Israel had uncovered a new Iranian plot to assassinate him, saying Tehran has targeted him for years but there is no new intelligence.

Speaking to the New York Post, Trump dismissed reports that Israel had recently warned Washington of a fresh threat, saying, “Israel came up with nothing.”

Trump said Iran has considered him its “No. 1” target since the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and warned that he has “left instructions” for a severe military response if an assassination attempt were ever successful.

Iran has repeatedly threatened retaliation against Trump over Soleimani’s killing, and U.S. officials have previously acknowledged ongoing Iranian threats against the president.

NEW YORK (AP) — When two steel columns buckled this week inside the former Pfizer headquarters in midtown Manhattan, the scare prompted evacuations and halted work on one of the nation’s largest office-to-apartment conversions.

It also highlighted the complex engineering behind adaptive reuse projects, which have become increasingly popular as officials try to tackle a nationwide housing shortage by transforming offices that have sat underused since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plans call for turning two office buildings — one built in 1909, the other in the 1960s — into about 1,600 apartments by adding more than a dozen stories atop the older structure and redesigning and expanding the other. The buckling occurred on the 21st floor of the newer structure, and crews have installed temporary supports as officials investigate.

Engineering experts said the conversion project is complex and poses many challenges, which include making sure older buildings can safely support new loads and carving up office floors to accommodate residential living.

But none said the high-profile setback should make people doubt the ability of engineers to complete such projects.

“I don’t think it really brings into question our understanding of how to do something like this,” said Ben Schafer, a structural engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University.

How do you build a new tower on top of an old one?
On its website highlighting the midtown project, adaptive reuse firm Collaborative Construction Management says the nine-story building from 1909 will be “threaded through” with a new addition of about 30 stories of poured concrete.

Schafer, who is not involved with the undertaking, said the likely approach is to have the century-old building continue to carry its own weight while building a new structural system to support additions.

“My interpretation would be that they’re going to leave that building carrying its own load, and they’re just going to poke holes in it so that they can take the load from the building that they’ve put above it and bring it all the way down to the foundation,” Schafer said.

Schafer said construction on the other tower presents a different challenge: punching holes in the existing floor plate to bring light into apartments, while also ensuring that the steel frame can support the newly added loads.

City officials have not determined what caused the columns to buckle. But both Schafer and Emily Guglielmo, a San Francisco-based structural engineer, believe the failure likely resulted from the added load.

Spokespersons for MetroLoft, the project developer, didn’t respond to requests for comment Thursday. But Nathan Berman, the firm’s founder, acknowledged in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the added weight from widening the top 15 or so floors of the building likely caused the damage.

Guglielmo thinks that either the original design assumptions were misunderstood, something went wrong during the design or construction process, or construction crews overloaded or weakened the structure.

Adding stories to existing buildings is common in dense urban areas where land is scarce, she said, but it requires reviewing original construction documents and inspecting the building before determining how additional floors will affect the structure.

“In cities and towns that don’t have that available geography, you’re going to see a lot more of this type of a design where there’s an adaptive reuse to an existing building,” Guglielmo said.

Why not just create a new building from scratch?
To many structural engineers, demolition should occur only as a last resort.

“Tearing buildings down is a terrible waste,” Schafer said, pointing out that buildings and the construction sector are responsible for about 40% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions. “From a sustainability standpoint, that’s a disaster.”

Beyond the environmental costs, demolishing and hauling away the remnants of huge buildings is especially expensive in dense cities such as New York.

If an existing structure can safely be reused, engineers generally prefer that.

James LaFave, a structural engineering professor at the University of Illinois, said a steel-framed building from the 1960s, like the former Pfizer structure, would typically be a “very good” starting point for a conversion.

Does the scare in New York call into question other adaptive reuse projects?
In recent years, officials across the country have embraced office-to-housing conversions as a potential lifeline for downtown business districts that have struggled since the pandemic.

New York, especially, has embraced this push, as officials have made zoning changes and enacted tax incentives to spur housing production. A report from the New York City comptroller’s office last year noted there are 44 adaptive reuse projects in the city that, as of early 2025, had either been completed, were underway or could move forward.

Pfizer moved out of the building in 2023 after opening a new office near Penn Station, leaving the property vacant. Construction on the property began in 2024.

Joshua Harris, director of Fordham University’s Real Estate Institute, said office-to-residential conversions are a key part of solving the housing shortages in New York and other cities, even if they come with risk.

“In a certain sense, it’s not terribly surprising that this happened, and we should have a little bit of grace,” he said. “These are very, very complicated surgical procedures being done to very old buildings.”

“This is part of the reality of fixing the housing crisis,” Harris continued. “Things like this can happen. It doesn’t look as complex as putting a rocket into space, but, in a real estate sense, construction in an environment like Manhattan on 42nd Street and Second Avenue is very complex.”

Guglielmo, the California engineer, said a combination of building codes, inspections and experienced construction crews makes failures like this rare.

“We’re very fortunate here in the United States that we are not seeing these types of failures on a day-to-day basis,” she said. “We’re privileged to have really robust building codes that explain to us as engineers how to do our designs in a way that’s safe.”

Still, Harris said it is likely a gut check for the industry, as office conversions transform once sleepy business districts across the city into 24/7 neighborhoods, like parts of Wall Street in recent years.

“If this building has a problem, all the other projects that have been sort of greenlit, they’re going to want to review to make sure that it’s not something similar,” Harris said.

Let me ask you something. How much time do you spend in your car each week?

If you’re like most real estate agents, the answer is a lot. Showings, appointments, closings, more appointments — this business keeps you moving. Here’s what I want you to consider: that drive time is either working for you or it’s being wasted. Right now, for most agents, it’s being wasted.

Here’s the math. Even a modest 30 minutes each way adds up to roughly five hours a week. Over a year? We’re talking several full work weeks. Can you imagine knowingly throwing several weeks of your career out the window? Of course not. But that’s exactly what’s happening when you treat your windshield time as nothing more than getting from Point A to Point B.

So, what do you do with it instead?

Feed your mind something that builds you. Load up a training program, an audiobook on negotiation, a coaching session. Put something in your ears that makes you sharper. In this business, nobody is handing you continuing education after you get your license. That gap between the agent who keeps growing and the one who plateaus? A lot of it comes down to self-directed learning. Your car is a rolling classroom. Start treating it like one.

Focus on the positive. I’ve always said, be informed, not infected. There’s a real performance cost to spending your most focused hours absorbing stress that isn’t even yours. Stay aware of what’s happening, absolutely. But don’t let your drive become an hour of other people’s negativity draining the life right out of you.

Use the quiet for actual thinking. Turn everything off and be present with yourself. Think through your pipeline, your clients, where you want to take your business. The car is one of the rare places where nobody can interrupt you — no inbox, no ringing phone. That’s gold.

Dictate while the ideas are hot. When a great thought hits you, grab your phone and talk it out. Have a client email you’ve been putting off? A campaign idea bouncing around in your head? Dictate it. When you get back to your desk, hand it to an AI and clean it up into a polished draft. You did the hard part — the thinking — in time that would’ve evaporated otherwise.

Make it stick

Here’s the thing about good intentions: they fade without structure. Decide in advance what each type of trip is for. Queue up your training material. Check in with yourself periodically — what did you actually learn this week? What did you capture?

The goal is to turn a passive habit into an active system. Because the time is already being spent either way. The only question is whether it’s working for you.

I’ll leave you with this: two real estate professionals can log the exact same miles every week, serve similar markets, and look identical on paper. But over a few years, one of them emerges sharper, better prepared, and more current — and the other is right where they started. The difference often comes down to what happened inside that car.

The time is already yours. Cash it in.

Darryl Davis, CSP, is a real estate coach, speaker, and bestselling author with more than 40 years in the industry. Through his POWER AGENT® Coaching Program, he helps real estate professionals build careers and lives worth smiling about. Learn more at DarrylSpeaks.com.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners.

To contact the editor responsible for this piece: [email protected]

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The first “pilot zone” in southern Lebanon from which Israeli forces are expected to withdraw could be launched within days under the U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework, according to American officials cited in multiple reports, as Washington presses both sides toward the implementation phase of the agreement.

Axios and i24NEWS reported that U.S. officials expect the initial pilot zone to move forward shortly, with CENTCOM coordinating implementation alongside Israel and Lebanon. The reports said additional pilot zones are already being mapped out and planned as part of the broader framework, with the upcoming talks in Rome expected to focus on launching the implementation stage.

At the same time, Lebanese officials are making clear that Beirut wants to see movement on the ground before returning to the table. CNN reported, citing a diplomatic source, that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has tied Lebanon’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of an Israeli military withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon. A U.S. official also told Axios that the Lebanese government is refusing to attend another round of talks in Rome next week until Israel begins its initial withdrawal.

According to CNN, the current U.S.-brokered framework envisions Israel withdrawing from two areas along the Yellow Line before the Lebanese Army takes over security there, though there has been no indication that such a withdrawal has begun. Aoun also called for pressure on Israel to halt its military operations in Lebanon, while Defense Minister Yisroel Katz rejected the idea of a broader withdrawal and said Israel does not need permission to remain in Lebanon.

Channel 12 reported that the Lebanese Army has already begun extensive planning for the pilot phase, under which it is expected to enter two areas in southern Lebanon that the IDF is set to evacuate. According to that report, the Lebanese Army is determining force requirements, deployment plans and entry points for both areas, with the current plan calling for both zones to be entered simultaneously rather than in stages. No agreed timeline has yet been set, and the issue is expected to be discussed during next week’s talks.

The American side is also looking beyond the initial withdrawal phase. According to the reports, once negotiations resume, technical teams are expected to take over the implementation process, while the United States plans to bring in international partners to help Lebanon restore effective sovereignty in the affected areas and eventually across the country.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As oil prices react to the latest back-and-forth between the United States and Iran, fingers are being pointed as to why gas prices remain closer to $4 a gallon than $3 a gallon.

The price of a barrel of oil influences the price of gas. Within the cost of a gallon, oil producers sell the oil to a refinery that in turn sells the gas to a station. Also, in the price consumers pay are state and local taxes, environmental maintenance for the station, and a credit card transaction fee.

White House executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council, Jarrod Agen, says the administration sees more room for gas stations to lower costs. He says President Donald Trump personally watches the national price of gas very closely.

“The margins on gas at the pump have increased significantly ever since COVID,” Agen said. “And so, they’ve kind of gotten out of control at this point. Traditionally, it is a very low margin area. But I think they’ve used the Iran war as a way to grow that margin.” 

He offered the example of the Freedom Fuel Network, which owns 25 stations around Philadelphia and New Jersey. The company deeply discounted the gas it sells, saying it reduced profit margin. Agen adds company executives told him, “We can sell it wholesale plus some of our cost and still save consumers about 50 cents per gallon, which is, that’s real savings, and you know once one person does it, then kind of the rest of the market will follow.” 

Aged said Freedom Fuel stations make up in volume what they are shrinking in profit margin.

In a FOX Business exclusive, a White House official said the network of gas stations saw fuel volumes increase 51.3% in July at the launch of their discount on July 3. The move forced 320 gas stations within a 40-mile radius to cut gas prices by 10 cents a gallon, according to the official who has seen the company data. 

The White House official said 600 stations reduced prices in a ripple effect related to the competition benefiting drivers in the areas around Philadelphia and New Jersey.

National groups representing smaller gas stations pushed back on the growing profit margin narrative. Vice President of the National Association of Convenience Stores Jeff Lenard blamed some of the loss in profit margins on credit card companies.

“Approximately 90% of the cost of a gallon of gas is determined before the retailer takes possession of the fuel, and after expenses — especially credit card fees — retailers typically make about 5% profit (before taxes) on the fuel that they sell,” Lenard said in a statement to FOX Business.

He added that, historically, the margin of profit before taxes has not changed. The president of the Energy Marketers of America, Rob Underwood, backed that up. 

“Fuel marketers are small businesses operating on thin margins in a transparent, fiercely competitive market where crude oil prices are set globally, but pump prices are set locally on the street corner,” Underwood added in a statement. “Regardless of market conditions, credit card companies profit on every gallon through percentage-based interchange fees — often collecting more per gallon than the retailer nets — while bearing none of the fuel costs, environmental compliance burdens, or competitive pressure to reduce their take.”

Senior White House officials believe Trump policies have reduced oil prices from where they could be. Those officials point to temporarily waiving the Jones Act, invoking the Defense Production Act for some industry moves, allowing California to produce its own oil and granting EPA waivers as working together to subdue price increases. 

Agen believes when we see a dip in oil prices, gas prices should quickly follow.

“There’s no reason why it spikes up so fast but then it comes down very slowly,” he said. “We want to come down just as fast as it went up.”

Underwood, running the Energy Marketers of America, believes the system is to blame for the slower fall in gas prices. “Retail prices are already declining in response to lower crude oil prices, though a typical two-to-three-week lag occurs as retailers sell off higher-cost inventory; competition then forces these savings to consumers as stock turns over.”

Gas prices have dropped more than 6% since a month ago, according to AAA.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shmuel Yehuda Kohan z”l, one of the senior and most respected members of the Belzer community, who passed away at the age of 94.

Renowned for his lifelong devotion to Torah, chesed, and taharah, he played a pivotal role in helping establish the Belzer World Center in Yerushalayim and was instrumental in building dozens of mikvaos throughout Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Shmuel Yehuda was born in Sivan 5692 (1932) in Budapest, Hungary, to Rav Yaakov Chaim z”l and Mrs. Leah a”h. Before his parents married, his father sought the guidance of Rav Yeshaya of Kerestir zt”l regarding a proposed match. Although two suitable suggestions had already been presented, the tzaddik, through his ruach hakodesh, instructed him to wait for another proposal. The following day, the Kerestirer Rebbe was nistalek, and shortly thereafter the match that ultimately led to the birth of Rav Shmuel Yehuda was arranged.

During the Holocaust, while the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Aharon of Belz zt”l, was in Budapest, Rav Shmuel Yehuda’s father obtained hadasim for the Rebbe to fulfill the mitzvos of Sukkos. In appreciation, the Rebbe honored him with a dance during the sixth hakafah on Simchas Torah. Before departing the city, the Rebbe distributed protective coins to every member of the Kohan family. Rav Shmuel Yehuda, then a 14-year-old boy, survived the horrors of the Holocaust together with his family in what they regarded as miraculous circumstances.

As the war raged, the Kohan family was relocated to so-called “protected houses” in Budapest, but safety remained elusive. Rav Yaakov Chaim was deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, while his wife and children found refuge at the Swiss Consulate, where nearly 2,000 Jews were crammed together under unbearable conditions. At one point, the Nazis marched them to the banks of the Danube River with the intention of executing them, but in a stunning turn of events they were spared at the last moment and returned to the consulate. Nine months after the war ended, Rav Yaakov Chaim returned to Budapest broken in body but alive, thanks in part to the efforts of Rav Yitzchok Shlomo Ungar zt”l, the rav of the Chug Chasam Sofer community.

Following the war, Rav Shmuel Yehuda studied in the yeshiva of the Rav of Chust before continuing his learning under Rav Shimon Yisrael Pozen zt”l of Shopron. He remained deeply devoted to his rebbe throughout his life and hosted a monthly Mishnayos shiur in his home on every Rosh Chodesh in his memory.

As Communist rule tightened its grip on Hungary in 1948, the family received permission to immigrate to Australia. On their way, they stopped in the United States, where relatives urged them to remain. They sought the guidance of the Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn zt”l, who instructed them that their mission was to continue on to Australia and spread Yiddishkeit there.

Their arrival in Australia became a source of widespread admiration. Landing in Sydney just minutes before Shabbos, the family left all of their belongings at the airport and walked seven miles with six young children to reach their hotel rather than violate the sanctity of Shabbos. The remarkable display of commitment generated significant publicity in the local press and created a tremendous Kiddush Hashem. The family later settled in Melbourne, where they were among the pioneers who established the city’s first minyan and laid the groundwork for its Jewish community.

In 1960, Rav Shmuel Yehuda married the daughter of Rav Moshe Friedman z”l of Melbourne, who maintained close ties with the courts of Belz, Sanz, and Stropkov. Rav Shmuel Yehuda himself enjoyed close relationships with many of Melbourne’s leading rabbonim, including Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Neiman, Rav Betzalel Stern, and Rav Elimelech Ashkenazi.

Eleven years later, in 1971, he fulfilled his dream of settling in Eretz Yisroel, making his home in Bnei Brak. His residence became known as a welcoming destination for anyone in need. He was recognized for his heartfelt tefillos, rose before dawn each day to immerse in the mikvah, and spent hours learning in the Chug Chasam Sofer bais medrash before Shacharis.

He maintained a close relationship with Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, visiting the Rosh Yeshiva together with his brother, Rav Meir, before every Rosh Hashanah and Purim to receive a brocha.

Rav Shmuel Yehuda was deeply attached to the great tzaddikim of his generation, particularly the Bohusher Rebbe zt”l, whom he served with complete devotion, and, yibadel l’chaim, the Belzer Rebbe. He dedicated enormous energy to strengthening the cause of taharah, overseeing the construction of numerous mikvaos throughout Eretz Yisroel. His crowning achievement was the magnificent mikvah built as part of the Belzer World Center in Kiryat Belz, Yerushalayim. He invested extraordinary financial resources and personal sacrifice into the project and stood at the Belzer Rebbe’s side throughout its development. The first office established to oversee construction of the Belzer bais medrash operated out of the building where his brother and partner in the undertaking, Rav Meir, lived. Together, the two brothers traveled extensively overseas to raise the funds necessary to bring the vision to fruition.

At the dedication of the mikvah during Chol Hamoed Sukkos in 1991, the Belzer Rebbe delivered special remarks praising the Kohan brothers, describing them as renowned for their relentless pursuit of tzedakah and chesed. The Rebbe noted that they had built dozens of mikvaos across Eretz Yisroel and blessed them with long life and many good years.

In his later years, Rav Shmuel Yehuda retired from business and devoted himself entirely to Torah. Together with his brother, he established an evening kollel for working men at the Chug Chasam Sofer bais medrash, where participants eventually completed Shas. Six years ago he suffered the loss of his beloved brother, with whom he shared an exceptionally close bond, and four years later his wife passed away. Even during his final years, as his health declined, those around him marveled at his extraordinary nobility, graciousness, and constant expressions of gratitude toward everyone who assisted him.

The levayah departed from his home on Baal Shem Tov Street in Bnei Brak before stopping at the Chug Chasam Sofer shul, where the community’s rav, Rav Moshe Benedikt, delivered brief words of farewell. The procession then continued to the Bohusher bais medrash. In accordance with the niftar’s request, the levayah paused at the gravesite of the Bohusher Rebbe zt”l in Nachalas Yitzchok Cemetery in Givatayim before continuing to Segulah Cemetery in Petach Tikvah, where he was laid to rest.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spent the past several days in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he participated in the exclusive Allen & Company conference, one of the world’s most prestigious annual gatherings of business, technology, media, and political leaders.

Bennett took part in a closed-door panel on the Middle East alongside Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, and Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United States. According to Jewish Insider, citing Puck News, the off-the-record discussion was held before a select audience, and no details of the conversation have been released.

According to Israeli reports, Bennett was the only Israeli invited to this year’s conference. His appearance comes as questions have been raised in Israel over his recent absence from the public eye during an increasingly active political period.

The annual Sun Valley conference, organized by Allen & Company, is known for bringing together many of the world’s most influential business executives, investors, media leaders, and public figures. Among those reportedly attending this year’s gathering were Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Sam Altman, Reed Hastings, Lachlan Murdoch, Anderson Cooper, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and numerous other technology and media executives.

The conference is conducted under strict security and confidentiality, with no public schedule and little access for the media. It has long been known as a venue where major business deals are discussed and where influential figures privately exchange ideas on global affairs, technology, artificial intelligence, and international policy.

Bennett’s participation also comes at a politically sensitive time in Israel, as polls have shown declining support for his political alliance. Nevertheless, his invitation to participate alongside senior American and Gulf figures involved in the Abraham Accords underscores his continued international profile and connections in diplomatic and strategic circles.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Jewish adults feel unsafe in the United States, a new AP-NORC poll finds, with a majority saying they feel less safe than they did before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research points to how Jewish adults’ attitudes toward their own personal safety have changed over a relatively short period as more Americans became critical of the United States’ close alliance with Israel. The war in Gaza sparked U.S. protests over Israel’s military actions against the Palestinians in Gaza, and coincided with an increase in violent attacks against U.S. Jewish communities.

The findings highlight the vulnerability that many Jewish adults in the U.S. feel as bipartisan support for Israel erodes and significant divides emerge within the Jewish community about what constitutes antisemitism — particularly when it comes to protesting Israel.

A significant share of Jewish adults, about 3 in 10, say they or someone in their household has experienced physical assault, verbal abuse, online harassment or damaged property because of their Jewish background over the last year, according to the survey.

Hal Guberman, a 30-year-old in New Jersey, wears a kippah with some trepidation ever since a stranger in a passing car yelled a slur at him when he was walking down the street last year.

“That person, they don’t know anything about me. They don’t know my politics. They don’t know my beliefs. They don’t know my viewpoints,” Guberman said. “But they saw me being visibly Jewish, and they made an opinion about me.”

Jewish adults see prejudice against Jews as a serious problem, and many feel unsafe
About 6 in 10 Jewish adults say that prejudice against Jewish people is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the United States today, a view that is heightened among Jewish adults who say they are “extremely” or “very” emotionally attached to Israel.

About one-third of Jewish adults say they feel “very” or “somewhat” safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. today, while about one-third feel “very” or “somewhat” unsafe. The remaining roughly 3 in 10 say they feel neither safe nor unsafe. Those with a close connection to Israel or who identify as Jewish by religion — instead of saying they are religiously unaffiliated with a cultural, ethnic or family connection to Judaism — are more likely to feel threatened in the current environment.

About 6 in 10 Jewish adults say they feel “less safe” as a Jewish person in the U.S. than they did before Hamas’ 2023 attack, including about 7 in 10 of those who are religiously Jewish. About one-third of Jewish adults say they feel “about as safe” and very few feel safer.

Erin Baskin, a 36-year-old in Pennsylvania, said the Oct. 7 attacks didn’t change how safe she feels because she had her own experiences with prejudice before then.

“I’ve always grown up with antisemitism,” she said. “Among the rural community I’m in, they conflate Judaism with Zionism all the time. Unfortunately, that’s kind of been my experience. It’s nothing new.”

Some Jewish adults have grown wary of outwardly identifying themselves as Jewish following the Oct. 7 attacks, the survey found.

About 4 in 10 Jewish adults say they are “less likely” to wear, carry or display things that might identify them as a Jewish person than they were before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. About half say they are “about as likely” and about 1 in 10 say they are “more likely.”

Caitlin Rosendorn, a 24-year-old in Illinois, said she used to wear a Star of David necklace, but she worries now that wearing it could give people the incorrect impression that she supports Israel’s attacks against the Palestinian people.

“I don’t want to wear a Star of David to work if that’s going to alienate somebody who sees the Star of David as a symbol of Israel as opposed to a symbol of Judaism,” she said. “I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about my views.”

Many Jews report physical assault, property damage or harassment
About 1 in 10 Jewish adults say that in the past year, they or someone in their household has been physically assaulted. A similar share had property damaged or destroyed specifically because of their Jewish background.

About 2 in 10 Jewish adults say they or someone in their household has been called a slur, threatened, verbally harassed or verbally abused. Similarly, about 2 in 10 say they experienced online harassment or cyberbullying. Overall, about 3 in 10 of Jewish adults say that they or someone in their household has experienced at least one of these incidents because of their Jewish background.

Jewish adults who attend religious services at least once a month are much likelier than Jewish adults overall to say they or someone in their household has experienced attacks or harassment over their Jewish background — a finding that comes as there have been several targeted attacks on Jewish religious spaces in recent years.

Slightly less than half of Jewish adults who frequently attend religious services say they or someone in their household has faced verbal harassment. A similar share experienced online harassment, and about one-quarter have dealt with physical attacks or property damage.

Jon Kessler, 38, of California, who grew up in the Conservative tradition of Judaism, believes non-Jews might be surprised at the extent to which Jewish adults have to consider security at community events.

“Most people when they go to church don’t have armed security, but every synagogue has an armed security guard,” Kessler said. “My son’s Jewish daycare has an armed security guard.”

Jews are divided over whether protesting Israel is a form of antisemitism
Protests surrounding speakers tied to Israel — whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanahyu’s address to Congress or college speakers seen as either too supportive or too critical of the country — became more common following the backlash over Israel’s war in Gaza.

Jewish adults, in particular, are divided over whether protesting an event related to Israel is an act of prejudice against Jewish people generally. About half of Jewish adults say anti-Israel protests are not a form of antisemitism, but roughly 4 in 10 say they are.

Many anti-Israel protests have been tied to criticism of Israel’s military action in Gaza. More than 73,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since Israel retaliated against Hamas’ attack in 2023, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant deaths.

About two-thirds of Jewish adults say criticizing Israel for its military actions is not a form of antisemitism, but Jewish adults with a close emotional connection to Israel are more likely to say that criticism of Israel’s military actions is antisemitic. That said, relatively few Jewish adults say it’s antisemitic just to criticize Israel for “any reason.”

Americans overall are less likely to say it’s antisemitic to protest an event that is supportive of Israel, or to criticize Israel’s military actions — but they are also much less likely to have an opinion.

Jewish adults are more unified in deeming some actions as definitively antisemitic. The overwhelming majority say vandalizing synagogues or Jewish-owned businesses because of Israel’s actions is antisemitism. The same goes for denying the reality or scope of the Holocaust, putting responsibility for Israel’s actions on Jewish people in the United States, saying Israel shouldn’t exist as a Jewish state or claiming American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the U.S.

There is less consensus among non-Jewish U.S. adults on whether some of these actions constitute antisemitism, with many saying they’re not sure.

Amanda Goldsmith, 53, who lives in Chicago, believes people have become too comfortable expressing antisemitic views online — something that she previously thought only existed in extremist spaces.

“Now, it seems like there was an undercurrent, and it’s a free-for-all, and everyone is free to say what they want,” she said. “The freedom with which people say horrible things about Jewish people is appalling.”

___

The AP-NORC poll of 3,040 adults was conducted June 11-17 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The poll included interviews with 1,022 Jewish adults. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points and the margin of sampling error for Jewish adults is plus or minus 5.0 percentage points.

President Vladimir Putin is rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv, three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters, with Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russia’s oil refineries and ports strengthening his resolve to keep fighting for now.

Two of the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Putin was instead likely to escalate the conflict, now well into its fifth year. One of them, who meets regularly with the president, described a “high probability” of escalation in the coming months.

The comments come after US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Putin wanted the war to end and that a resolution was “closer than people realize.” Trump held separate phone calls with Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky last week. He met Zelensky at the NATO summit on Wednesday, where the Ukrainian president said they discussed “ideas to bring peace closer.”

One of the people familiar with Putin’s thinking said he had “dug in his heels” to achieve the key objective of capturing the remainder of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, where Russian advances have slowed this year. The same source said Putin recently rebuked a group of advisers suggesting a compromise based on a ceasefire along the current front lines. The second source said Putin believes Russia will soon capture the Donbas.

The Russian president publicly rebuffed a call by Zelensky in June for a meeting and a ceasefire.

Putin ‘dug in heels,’ heightened tensions with NATO

“Russia is ready for a peaceful resolution but has enough capability to act independently and continue the special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to a request for comment for this story.

In response to a request for comment to Zelensky’s office, a senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv’s intelligence reports in recent months reflected that Putin was preparing for further steps in the war rather than for peace, including new operations in Ukraine or a possible attack on another European country.

Some Western military analysts believe Russia would need a mandatory draft of fighting-age men to achieve the goal of taking the Donbas. The draft is a politically unpopular move Putin has been reluctant to make since early in the war.

Russian military experts have increasingly discussed escalation in public, including the possibility of hitting European targets such as NATO bases in Baltic countries.

Such a step would risk drawing Russia into direct confrontation with the US-led alliance, testing the NATO commitment that an attack on one member nation constitutes an attack on all.

Russia could seek to sow tensions within NATO with isolated attacks, comparable to a recent Russian drone strike on Romania, according to Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a defense and security think tank in London.

“The Russians would not be aiming for a war with NATO. But it could be used to divide NATO over how to respond,” Watling said. He added that heightened tensions with NATO could help give Putin a political justification within Russia for military conscription.

Strikes on refineries, ports, infrastructure create devastating shortages

Repeated strikes on oil refineries, ports and storage depots in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine have caused severe fuel shortages, bringing the impact of the war home to millions of Russians. Putin’s approval rating remains high but recently hit its lowest point since the war started in 2022, a poll showed.

Ukraine’s allies have seized on what they call a momentum shift in the war. Some call for additional economic sanctions to force Putin to end the conflict.

Ukraine’s recent successes, however, have made Putin angrier and more determined to give a tough response, according to the person who meets Putin regularly.

Russian forces have launched two major drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in the last week, including the capital Kyiv, killing dozens of civilians. Moscow said the assaults had struck military targets.

Speaking to generals last week in televised comments, Putin said Ukraine’s strikes on energy infrastructure meant Russia would seek to capture more Ukrainian land along the border, beyond Donbas, as a “security zone.”

A former Russian defense ministry official, Andrei Ilnitsky, said in a June 29 column for Kommersant newspaper that escalation in the conflict could start with the destruction of 30 major industrial sites in Ukraine, including a steel plant and Odesa port.

Russia has already caused widespread damage to commercial enterprises and ports across Ukraine. Production and exports have also been impacted by Russia’s repeated strikes on power facilities.

Ilnitsky added that the next phase could be strikes on NATO bases in the Baltic states and Romania as well as facilities in the European Union producing long-range drones and missiles for Ukraine.

Asked about Ilnitsky’s column, Kremlin spokesman Peskov told reporters this week that Russia should strengthen its own security and cannot “close its eyes” to the militarization of Europe.

A grinding ground war in Donbas, millions dead

The talk of Russian escalation comes as its slower progress on the battlefield has raised the prospect that considerable time and casualties will be needed to take Donbas.

To date, about two million soldiers have been killed, wounded, or missing since the full-scale invasion in early 2022, 1.4 million of them Russian, according to a recent estimate by the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Neither side releases military casualty data.

Russia’s troops have struggled to advance this year along the 1,200-km (745-mile) front line as Ukraine’s drones counter Russia’s numerical advantage in troops. In recent weeks, Russia has been grinding into the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, one of several towns in Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt,’ a critical defensive front in the Donetsk region.

On July 3, Putin said Russian forces had seized Kostiantynivka. Ukraine denied it.

A day later, during a call with Trump, Putin sought to convince him that Russia would take the remaining fifth of the Donetsk region of Donbas that Ukraine still controls.

Putin, the source who meets him regularly said, considers winning control of the region a matter of principle, saying the Russian president “needs some kind of victory.”

This post was originally published on here.

Asked by media figure Andrew Ross Sorkin on Wednesday whether he would back Secretary of State Marco Rubio or Vice President JD Vance in a 2028 Republican presidential primary contest, multibillionaire Ken Griffin indicated that he had backed Rubio in the past and would be predisposed to do so again, Axios reported.

The exchange occurred during an interview at the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, according to the outlet, which noted that Griffin did not state what he would do to assist Rubio.

Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt noted in the article that in his 2025 book, “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power,” he reported that Griffin urged then-former President Donald Trump not to pick Vance as his 2024 running mate.

Griffin supported Rubio when Rubio unsuccessfully sought the GOP presidential nod about a decade ago. 

During the last White House election cycle, Griffin shelled out $5 million in donations to a super PAC supporting GOP presidential primary candidate former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Griffin’s spokesperson noted, The Associated Press reported.

Griffin said after the general election in 2024 that he voted for Trump.

Rubio has indicated that he will not challenge Vance if the vice president throws his hat into the ring for the upcoming presidential race.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio said, according to a 2025 Vanity Fair report.

The founder and CEO of the hedge fund Citadel, Griffin is worth more than $51 billion, according to Forbes.

FOX Business reached out to Citadel on Thursday.

Fox News Digital’s Eric Revell contributed to this report

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Western leaders came to Turkey to discuss security in an increasingly perilous world. They each left with a revolver and six rounds.

The unconventional gift from the host of this week’s NATO summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was meant to showcase his country’s growing defense industry.

But it left officials across the alliance scratching their heads. Some were forced to leave their gifts behind due to gun laws in their countries, while others donated theirs to museums.

“It struck me that my gift of maple syrup kind of undermatched,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters, adding that the firearm was now in police possession. “I would like to reassure Canadians, they keep guns away from me.”

The revolvers were engraved with leaders’ names
“An unusual gift from President @RTErdogan at the NATO Summit: a Magnum revolver with ammunition, engraved with my name,” Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on X, posting a photograph of a display box containing the revolver and six cartridges.

It was not immediately clear what he did with the gift.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union commission president, thanked Erdogan for the gift, which will be decommissioned and donated to a military museum, her spokesperson said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters that the gift bag included a note waiving export controls. Still, he left his behind to be decommissioned, because it would be illegal to import it into Britain.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed his revolver to airport police upon arrival. The revolvers gifted to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten were left at their countries’ embassies in Ankara and would also be taken out of service, officials said.

In Italy, the gun was logged as a gift at Palazzo Chigi — the official seat of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an official said. In Greece, officials said the firearm would be donated to the War Museum.

Croatian President Zoran Milanović said he only found out after his return from the summit that Erdogan had given him a gun. His office said it would probably be handed over to a police museum.

“I didn’t take it. I shoot from different weapons,” Milanovic said, referring to his political style.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about Erdogan’s gift to the leaders.

On a visit to New Zealand last year, FBI Director Kash Patel gave the country’s police and spy bosses gifts of inoperable pistols that were illegal to possess under local gun laws and had to be destroyed.

The gift was aimed at highlighting Turkey’s growing defense prowess
Erdogan’s office has not commented on the gift. Turkish media reports identified the revolvers as the Gumusay .357 Magnum, a vintage six‑shot revolver produced by the Turkish state arms manufacturer, MKE.

Reports said the gun aimed to highlight Turkey’s defense industry, which in recent decades has transformed from a major importer into an increasingly self‑reliant producer of advanced military systems, including drones and warships. It is in the process of developing its own next‑generation fighter jet.

Gun culture is deeply rooted in Turkey, and the gift hardly triggered any reaction in the country. Umut Vakfi, a foundation campaigning for gun control, says incidents of armed violence have reached alarming levels, reporting more than 2,700 last year in the country of 86 million people.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said participants at the summit were also given a more conventional gift: a copy of Erdogan’s biography, titled: “The politics of courage: Erdogan and the rise of Türkiye.”

(AP) – SK Hynix, one of the world’s largest makers of memory chips, is hitting the U.S. stock market at a time when demand for its chips is outpacing its ability to make them thanks to the frenzy over artificial intelligence.

The company is already one of the largest in South Korea, along with Samsung Electronics, and is traded publicly on Seoul’s Kospi index. Even with a recent pullback, the Kospi is up 77% so far this year and SK Hynix shares have more than tripled.

SK Hynix priced its American depositary receipts, or ADRs, at $149 each Thursday. At that price, the offering of 177.9 million ADRs raised proceeds of $26.5 billion, making it the biggest-ever initial share sale in the U.S. by a foreign company. The ADRs are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq later Friday.

The company has a dominant position globally for high bandwidth memory, which is essential for the development of advanced AI technology. SK Hynix recently entered a partnership with Wall Street’s most valuable company, Nvidia, for advanced memory chips as AI infrastructure expands globally.

Increasing demand for AI has been driving a surge in profits for chipmakers. Memory chips have become more expensive as demand outpaces supply along with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology. Technology giant Apple recently announced an increase in prices for Macs and iPads because of the jump in price for memory chips.

The U.S. is the SK Hynix’s largest market, accounting for 68.8% of its revenue last year. It is planning an expansion that includes building its first U.S. production facility, located in Indiana. Overall, the company had revenue of just under $65 billion in 2025. That helped profits double to about $28 billion.

The company recently joined with Samsung and the government in announcing plans to invest a combined 800 trillion won ($518 billion) in building a new computer chipmaking hub in South Korea’s southwest region, part of national efforts to expand investment beyond the greater Seoul metropolitan area, the country’s economic center and heart of its semiconductor sector.

The promise of growing profits has catapulted stock prices within the tech sector, particularly for chipmakers. Micron Technology’s stock value more than tripled in 2025 and is on pace to more than triple again in 2026. Nvidia’s stock had similar growth several years ago and notched more relatively modest gains in 2025.

Big chipmakers have become the most valuable and influential companies on Wall Street. Their high stock values give them outsized influence over Wall Street and major indexes have been setting records mostly because of the tech sector.

Shares in SK Hynix traded in Seoul slipped 0.3% on Friday.

(AP) – President Donald Trump has ousted members of a bipartisan federal election commission that resisted his efforts to require would-be voters to document their U.S. citizenship before registering.

The White House on Friday confirmed the executive action against members of the Election Assistance Commission, which distributes federal grants to states, oversees the testing of voting systems and maintains the national voter registration forms.

It’s the latest move in the Republican president’s effort to expand White House influence over how U.S. elections are conducted and comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave the president new personnel authority to fire members of independent agency boards.

“The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted. The Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so,” said a White House statement to AP.

The president removed the commission’s two Democratic members, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland. The panel’s Republican member, Christy McCormick resigned. Former Republican commissioner Donald Palmer already had left his post voluntarily earlier this year.

The changes were first reported by VoteBeat, a news outlet that covers elections and voting across the U.S.

While the White House statement did not offer a specific reason for Trump’s action, the commission has previously declined to change the national voter registration form to require documentation of an applicant’s U.S. citizenship, as Trump’s urged in a sweeping March 2025 executive order on U.S. elections. A federal judge blocked the order, ruling it exceeds the president’s authority since the U.S. Constitution grants authority over elections management and oversight to Congress and the states. The administration has indicated it will appeal.

It was not clear whether Trump planned to nominate new members immediately or leave the positions vacant — a move that, months ahead of midterm elections, could prevent the agency from distributing new grants to state or local elections offices and, at the least, complicate its role in overseeing testing and certification of voting systems around the country.

“The Administration from the start has been working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse, and investing in a strong infrastructure to sustain that mission especially in the midterm elections,” the White House said.

Congress created the four-member commission as part of the Help America Vote Act, a bipartisan law signed by Republican President George W. Bush in 2002. The act requires the commission to include two Democrats and two Republicans, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Hicks and McCormick were appointed by President Barack Obama. Trump appointed Hovland during his first presidency.

According to VoteBeat, Hicks and Hovland were notified of their removal by an email signed by Morgan DeWitt Snow, the deputy director of presidential personnel in the Executive Office of the President.

Former Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said the United States needs a new generation of political leadership, arguing in a newly released interview that elected officials over the age of 80 should no longer be serving in the nation’s highest offices.

Speaking with the Deseret News, Romney said he believes advanced age should disqualify candidates from leading the country.

“I basically think people who are 80 and above really should not be running the world or running the country,” he said.

Romney pointed to scientific research on aging, citing journalist Bill Bryson’s book The Body as support for his position.

“He points out that the human brain shrinks by 20 percent by the time you’re 80 years of age,” Romney said, referring to Bryson’s book.

The remarks came during a lighthearted exchange with McKay Coppins of The Atlantic, who hosts the “Deseret Views” podcast. After being asked jokingly whether he would consider another presidential campaign, Romney responded with humor.

“The reality is, sure, I’d love to do it again, and this time I might get it right, you know? Third time’s the charm,” he said, laughing.

Romney sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 before winning it in 2012, when he ultimately lost the general election.

Age became a central issue during the 2024 presidential campaign, with both President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden facing persistent questions about whether they were physically and mentally capable of handling the demands of the presidency.

On the Democratic side, concerns over Biden’s age intensified after a widely criticized debate performance, ultimately leading him to withdraw from the race and endorse then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was 60 years old, as his replacement.

President Trump became the oldest sitting president during his second term in office and marked his 80th birthday last month by attending a UFC event at the White House. He has also faced continued scrutiny over his health following visible swelling and multiple visits to Walter Reed Medical Center.

Following his annual medical examination in May, however, Trump declared that “everything checked out PERFECTLY!”

In addition to that examination, Trump traveled to Walter Reed in October for a physical and cognitive assessment and underwent his routine annual medical evaluations last April.

{Matzav.com}

Most of America’s Lower 48 states are about to swelter under an unusually large, strong and long-lasting heat dome that will spike temperatures in a way that the National Weather Service calls “significant and dangerous.”

The heat wave will start this weekend and last at least a week, with some areas feeling its effects until the end of the month, meteorologists said. Temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (8 to 14 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal in many areas, including at night, they said. Hotter nighttime temperatures are especially bad for both human health and efforts to tamp down an already active wildfire season.

“This upcoming heat wave does look pretty remarkable,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. “This is going to be a long duration, widespread and high-intensity heat event that’s going to affect millions of people for over a week.”

Trapping hot air, threatening records
A dome of high pressure — which traps hot air like a pot lid while blocking cooling winds and rain — will initially park over the Northern Plains, but it will be so big that it will trap sweltering temperatures across as much as two-thirds of the continental United States, three meteorologists told The Associated Press. While it will initially miss the East Coast, the heat dome will shift and wobble, maybe even spreading from coast-to-coast over the next 10 days or more, they said.

Forecasters are expecting record triple-digit highs this weekend in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The weather service is predicting more than 90 U.S. local temperature records will be tied or broken through Wednesday, with two-thirds being overnight heat records that can hinder how the human body recovers from broiling days.

“Nights can be just as dangerous as days. If you don’t get heat relief at night, that’s going to spill out into your daytime experience and become extremely dangerous,” said meteorologist Bob Henson with Yale Climate Connections. “Heat is not to be played with. It’s just as dangerous as a tornado or hurricane that can kill you just as easily, just in a quiet and different way.”

Heat wave will be bigger, longer-lasting and stronger than most
Swain said what makes this heat wave so different is how big a warm shadow it will cast and how long it will persist.

In the past couple of weeks, major heat waves have caused extensive suffering in Europe, the U.S. East Coast and most recently the U.S. Southeast. Now any place in the United States that escaped the earlier July heat waves will get this one, Swain said.

Rain is likely to sneak below the southern edge of the heat dome and douse the U.S. Southeast during the daytime, setting up something strange, Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkley said. Because of the added moisture and humidity, the Southeast could get record-shattering nighttime heat but below-normal daytime warmth, he said.

The weather service is predicting record nighttime heat in a number of locations from Texas to Florida to North Carolina on Saturday. Temperatures won’t drop below 80 degrees (27 degrees Celsius) at night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Miami; Tampa, Florida; Galveston, Texas; and Charleston, South Carolina, according to the forecast.

While heat domes are not unusual in the summer, Winkley said this one stands out because of how strong it is, likely to set records for the amount of high pressure that it will contain. It’s especially unusual for being so far north, he said.

It’s likely to persist so long because drought-stricken areas have less soil and air moisture that would normally slow the warming of the air, Swain said. The drier, hotter air then worsens the drought conditions and stokes more heat in a vicious cycle, he said.

This will add to wildfire risk, already bad because of the drought, he said.

Climate change is worsening the heat
The El Nino that recently formed is too young to have a pronounced impact on this heat wave, but climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas clearly does, the three meteorologists said.

“We know that heat waves are becoming more intense, they’re lasting longer, they’re covering larger areas than they used to because of human-caused climate change,” Swain said. “And so when we see an event like this, we know there is at least a partial contribution by the long-term warming trend.”

Climate Central uses 20 different computer models to compare what’s forecast to what would be expected in a world without greenhouse gas-caused warming as part of its Climate Shift Index. A 20,000-square-mile (52,000-square-kilometer) swath of the country from Southern California to northern Minnesota where 24 million people live this weekend will have warmth reaching the highest level on that index, meaning the heat is at least five times more likely because of climate change. Their analysis produced similar readings for the East Coast heat wave over the July 4 weekend and the recent Southeast heat wave.

“Using attribution science we know that those temperatures would be virtually impossible without the influence of climate change,” Winkley said.

MADRID (AP) — One of Spain’s deadliest wildfires on record killed 12 people overnight into Friday, authorities said, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country.

Several victims of the fire in the southern province of Almeria, a popular holiday destination, were found inside burnt-out vehicles and were thought to have died while trying to flee the flames.

Eight people have been injured and a further 23 are unaccounted for, Andalusia’s regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said. Some 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain’s military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which has consumed more than 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres) of forest and farmland.

Regional emergency authorities said four British nationals and other unspecified foreign nationals appeared to be among the dead.

Victims attempted to flee on foot and by car
The fire broke out in a hamlet in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains. Authorities have not confirmed the cause, but said people who called to report the fire said that a fallen power line had sparked a blaze that spread rapidly into a nearby forest.

Most of the victims died while attempting to flee and ignored shelter-in-place instructions, said Antonio Sanz, president of Andalusia’s emergency services. One group did so via a dry riverbed, which “turned into a death trap,” he said.

Seven people died while on foot after abandoning their cars, Sanz said, likely looking for a way out.

“The consequences have been terrible. Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the deceased … we are dealing for the most part, if not entirely, with foreign nationals,” Sanz said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences. “Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria,” he wrote on X.

Europe battles intense heat again
Spain has battled frequent and severe heat waves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40 C (104 F). Wind, high temperatures and little rainfall help small wildfires grow into unchecked blazes.

In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Parts of Western Europe are facing their third heat wave in six weeks. Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing several intense heat waves across Europe.

France is experiencing the peak of its third heat wave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 40 C (104 F) across western and central areas and around 37 C (98 F) in Paris.

French authorities have also warned of a very high wildfire risk, as large fires in the south have already scorched thousands of hectares this week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources.

The largest wildfire, which broke out in the eastern Pyrenees, near the Spanish border, has decreased in intensity, authorities said Friday.

It burned about 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearly villages, who have since been allowed to return home.

Last month was France’s hottest June on record, with deaths surging by nearly a third during the hottest week.

Scientists warn that climate change caused in part by the burning of fuels like gasoline, oil and coal is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making certain regions more vulnerable to wildfires.

Spain and Portugal have faced deadly fires before
Spain is no stranger to wildfires, with last year’s fire season burning more than 393,000 hectares (almost 1,520 square miles), according to the European Forest Fire Information System, an area twice as large as London. Four people died.

In 2017, a wildfire in neighboring Portugal left 66 people dead in Pedrogao Grande, located 200 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Lisbon.

In that blaze, 47 people died on one road while similarly attempting to flee in their cars.

The City-Wide Learning Program is returning for its 12th year, once again giving boys across Lakewood the opportunity to continue their Torah learning during the weeks between the end of school and the start of camp, as well as after camp concludes.

Organizers say more than 3,000 boys are expected to participate this summer, making it one of the community’s largest seasonal learning initiatives.

The program will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at dozens of participating shuls throughout Lakewood.

Before Camp Schedule

• Friday, July 10
• Sunday, July 12
• Monday, July 13
• Tuesday, July 14

After Camp Schedule

• Wednesday, August 12
• Thursday, August 13
• Friday, August 14
• Sunday, August 16
• Monday, August 17
• Tuesday, August 18

Participating locations include Albert Shul, Arlington Shul, Ateres Yeshaya, Bais Dovid, Bais Medrash D’Manchester, Bais Medrash Kol Yaakov, Bais Medrash of Kelmwoods, Bais Medrash of Woodlane, Bais Shabsi, Bais Medrash Pine Lake Park, Brookwood 3, Bunker Hill, Cedarwood Hills, Chanichei Hayeshivos, Chesterfield Commons, Eitz Chaim Brookwood 4, Elmwood Village, Harmony Farms, Hearthstone Shul, Heichal Yehuda Tzvi, Khal D’Brookwood, Khal Glen Arden, Lakewood Commons, Lutzk, Ohel Shulamit, Ohr Yaakov, Ohr Yoel Meir – Williams Street, Old Shul, Prospect Park, Prospect Vines Shul, Sterling Forest Shul, Tiferes Pinchos, Westgate Shul, Zichron Meir and Zichron Pinchas.

The program is open to boys entering 2nd through 9th grade. Boys entering 2nd through 4th grade are welcome to attend with a parent or other adult, while boys entering 5th through 9th grade should bring their chavrusa and seforim. Each location is supervised by a rebbe.

Participants will also have the chance to earn a variety of incentives throughout the program, including City-Wide basketballs, daily raffles and treats, Sky Zone tickets, and pizza vouchers for boys entering 5th through 9th grade.

For additional information or sponsorship opportunities, call or text 732-814-2591.

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines reported record second-quarter revenue on Friday, according to the company’s earnings release, as robust demand for premium travel, corporate bookings and loyalty programs helped the carrier deliver its strongest spring revenue ever despite significantly higher fuel costs. The Atlanta-based airline reaffirmed its full-year outlook, signaling confidence that travel demand remains resilient.

Delta reported $17.7 billion in adjusted operating revenue for the quarter, a 14% increase from a year earlier and the highest quarterly revenue in the company’s history. Adjusted net income totaled approximately $1.6 billion, down about 25% from the prior year as soaring fuel expenses weighed on profitability. Adjusted earnings came in at $1.56 per share, ahead of Wall Street expectations.

The airline’s biggest challenge remained fuel. Delta said it paid an average of $3.93 per gallon for jet fuel during the quarter, roughly 75% higher than the same period a year ago, making it the most expensive fuel quarter in company history. Although higher fares and strong passenger demand offset much of the increase, they were not enough to completely absorb the added costs.

“We delivered record revenue while navigating one of the most challenging fuel environments our industry has experienced,” Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said in the company’s earnings release. He said Delta remains confident in its strategy and expects strong customer demand to support continued earnings growth through the remainder of the year.

Premium travel continued to be one of Delta’s strongest growth drivers. Revenue from premium cabins, including first class and Delta One, reached $6.92 billion, surpassing main-cabin revenue for the quarter. Premium revenue increased 17% year over year, reflecting travelers’ continued willingness to pay for added comfort and flexibility.

The airline’s loyalty business also remained a major contributor. Revenue tied to Delta’s partnership with American Express climbed 16% to approximately $2.4 billion, while broader loyalty-related revenue rose 19%. Corporate travel continued improving as well, led by customers in the aerospace, defense, banking and automotive sectors, with premium corporate bookings posting particularly strong gains.

Speaking following the earnings release, Bastian said demand remains healthy across both leisure and business travel. He pointed to disciplined capacity growth across the airline industry and continued consumer willingness to purchase premium products as factors supporting fare stability despite easing fuel prices in recent weeks.

Chief Financial Officer Erik Snell also expressed confidence in the company’s booking trends, noting that a significant portion of third-quarter travel demand has already been booked. Strong international demand and higher-than-expected travel tied to the ongoing World Cup also contributed to the quarter’s performance.

Reflecting that confidence, Delta reinstated its full-year financial outlook after withdrawing guidance earlier this year amid heightened uncertainty in energy markets. The airline now expects adjusted earnings of $6.50 to $7.50 per share for 2026 and projects $3 billion to $4 billion in free cash flow. For the current quarter, Delta forecast adjusted earnings between $2.00 and $2.50 per share, generally in line with analysts’ expectations.

Delta continues to distinguish itself from many competitors. Several major U.S. airlines have reduced or suspended their financial outlooks this year as fluctuating fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty complicated forecasting. Delta’s decision to reaffirm guidance reflects management’s confidence that strong customer demand can continue offsetting higher operating costs.

Travelers may also notice continued changes to the airline’s fare offerings. Delta recently introduced its new Basic Business fare, providing customers with a lower-priced entry into premium cabins while removing certain benefits such as lounge access and refundable tickets. The move expands the airline’s pricing strategy while encouraging more customers to upgrade into higher-margin seating options.

For consumers, the earnings report suggests airfare pricing is likely to remain firm. Industry demand remains elevated, aircraft supply remains constrained, and airlines continue exercising discipline when adding capacity. Even if fuel prices moderate, carriers appear focused on protecting margins rather than aggressively discounting fares.

Investors will now watch whether Delta can maintain its pricing power through the second half of the year while keeping costs under control. Friday’s results demonstrated that customer demand remains exceptionally strong. The next question is whether continued premium travel and disciplined capacity can keep profits growing even if fuel markets remain volatile.

JBizNews Desk | Atlanta

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

In this episode, Rabbi Reinman discusses the establishment of the Hasmonean Dynasty and its descent into corruption, strife, betrayal and fratricide.

Shimon proved to be an astute leader. After winning independence for Judea with his diplomatic maneuvering, he sent an enormous gold medal to Rome as a gift to ensure Judea’s status as a protected Roman ally. He besieged the Akra fortress in Jerusalem until its Greek garrison was forced to leave, then he leveled it to the ground. He also captured the pagan stronghold of Gazara and destroyed all its idols. Internally, he broke the power of the Hellenized Jews and consolidated the hold of the Hasidim at all levels of the government.

At long last, the chaotic horrors of war receded into memory. Peace and harmony descended on the land of Judea. Old men once again sat together in the street and chatted about pleasant matters. All the people sat under their own vines and fig trees, and there was none to make them afraid. Fathers once again circumcised their sons, studied Torah with them as they grew older and saw them reach adulthood without being sent off to fight on the battlefields.

Shimon’s thoughts turned to improving the economy. He captured the port of Joppa, giving the land-locked Judea access to the sea, and he developed it into a harbor for international trade. This allowed Judean agricultural products to reach the Mediterranean markets and brought in foreign currency and consumer goods. He also increased internal security by clearing the bandits and highwaymen who had taken over the roads during the years of strife and chaos. Farmers could now tend to their crops instead of standing guard over their fields. The hallowed earth yielded its abundance, and the Jewish people became prosperous.

Furthermore, Shimon used the increased revenue to fortify the major population centers of Judea. He also undertook a major renovation of the Bais Hamikdash, which had been stripped of its valuables and battered by decades of war. Hundreds of craftsmen labored to repair the breaches and to replicate the golden Menorah, Shulchan and Mizbeiach Hazahav of the Heichal; the Aron had been secreted long before during the time of the First Bais Hamikdash. These massive projects also drove the economy and contributed greatly to the growing prosperity.

At this point, Shimon stood at a crossroads. According to Jewish law and tradition, dating back to Yaakov’s deathbed testament to his sons which blessed them and defined their roles, only descendants of the tribe of Yehudah could be anointed to serve as Jewish kings. “The royal scepter shall not depart from Yehudah.” Hashem had entrusted this scepter to Dovid Hamelech and his descendants forever. The Hasmoneans were Kohanim descended from the Shevet Levi and therefore disqualified …

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting criticism after his administration unveiled a map highlighting the city’s “immigrant enclaves” that excludes historic Jewish, Italian, and Irish neighborhoods—communities that played a central role in shaping the city’s identity over the past two centuries.

The map, released in May as part of a city initiative celebrating New York’s ethnic neighborhoods, is titled “New York City Immigrant Enclaves.” It identifies 30 communities representing a wide range of immigrant populations, including Yemeni, Pakistani, Egyptian, African, Palestinian, Chinese, Korean, Albanian, Colombian, Dominican, Ecuadoran, Indian, Haitian, Polish, and several others.

Critics, however, say the project overlooks some of New York’s most iconic immigrant communities. They point to the absence of neighborhoods such as Little Italy, as well as longstanding Irish and Jewish enclaves that helped build the city during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola sharply criticized the omission, telling the New York Post that the map suggests the mayor’s office does not view Jews, Italians, and Irish immigrants as worthy of recognition.

“They were able to get a Little Bhod-Tibet in there, but what about the original ‘Little neighborhood,’ Little Italy?” Ariola asked. “And what about areas like Woodlawn, in the Bronx, which are home to plenty of Irish immigrants? Do the Irish and Italians not count for the Mayor’s office?”

State Assemblyman Kalman Yeger also condemned the map, accusing Mamdani of deliberately excluding the Jewish community.

“Mr. Mamdani’s erasing Jews is an essential part of his brand. No surprise.”

Joseph Scelsa, founder of the Italian-American Museum on Mulberry Street, called the omission of Little Italy a serious error.

“Italian-Americans are still a major population in New York City. To not recognize where Italian-Americans came from and settled is a terrible mistake. I don’t understand why Little Italy isn’t included. I hope it’s an oversight,” Scelsa said.

Jewish author Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt also criticized the map in a post on X, writing, “The Mayor’s Office made a map of NYC’s immigrant enclaves: Little Africa, Little Poland, Little Palestine. But they just couldn’t figure out how to represent 11% of the city. Couldn’t decipher where the Jews are from.”

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo argued that the controversy fits a broader pattern, noting that Mamdani has previously advocated removing public recognition of Italian heritage.

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt likewise accused the mayor of engaging in “deliberate subversion” by excluding Jewish, Italian, and Irish neighborhoods from the map.

In response to the backlash, the mayor’s office defended the project, arguing that it focuses on immigrant communities rather than religious groups. A City Hall spokesperson said the map “does not highlight religious groups,” adding that the campaign “highlights neighborhoods in New York City that have substantial foreign-born populations from regions and countries around the world.”

The administration also emphasized that the map was designed as a tourism resource and noted that the “immigrant enclave series began during the [Eric] Adams administration.” Officials added that additional neighborhoods are expected to be incorporated into the project “in the upcoming months.”

Over the past few couple of weeks, there has been plenty of discussion on TLS about groceries, restaurants, and food options in Lakewood. While reading through the comments and conversations, one question kept coming to mind:

Are there simply too many eateries in Lakewood?

It seems that every other week another food establishment, or specialty food concept is opening its doors. Many of them are beautifully designed, professionally run, and offer quality food and consumers certainly enjoy having choices.

But at what point does a market become oversaturated?

Lakewood and the surrounding area already boast dozens upon dozens of eateries. Some cater to families, others to the upscale crowd, and many try to distinguish themselves with a unique menu item, décor, or theme. Yet when you look closely, many are variations of concepts that already exist.

It raises an important question for aspiring entrepreneurs: Does every new business need to be another food establishment?

Lakewood is a growing community with countless needs beyond dining. There are opportunities in services, entertainment, recreation, technology, healthcare support, home improvement, education, and many other fields. Perhaps some of the energy, investment, and creativity currently being directed toward opening the next restaurant could be used to fill gaps in other areas of community life.

Of course, the free market ultimately decides. If new eateries continue opening and succeeding, that suggests there is demand. If they struggle, the market will eventually correct itself. Nobody can fault someone for pursuing a business opportunity they believe in.

Still, it is fair to ask whether we have reached a point where entrepreneurs are increasingly competing for the same customers rather than identifying new needs and creating something different.

What do you think? Is Lakewood’s growing restaurant scene a sign of a thriving community with endless demand and choice? Or have we reached the stage where enough is enough, and future business owners should begin looking beyond food concepts for their next venture?

I would be interested in hearing the community’s thoughts.

A recently-relocated TR resident.

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, stated on Friday that any attacks on Iranian infrastructure will be met with retaliation, adding that “Israel will not be spared from the response,” according to Iranian state media.

His comments followed a statement from US President Donald Trump indicating that Washington is considering strikes on Iranian electrical manufacturing facilities, power plants, and desalination plants if tensions escalate. 

Zolghadr also referred to Trump as “the world’s most hated figure” and criticized remarks he claimed were directed at the Iranian people, according to an Iran International report.

Qatari negotiators in Iran for talks to de-escalate US-Iran tensions, source says

Qatari negotiators are in Iran to meet Iranian officials to de-escalate tensions and create conditions for broader negotiations to continue, a source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Friday, adding that the talks are being conducted in coordination with the United States.

The talks aim to address the implementation of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and the issues that triggered the recent escalation between Washington and Tehran, including disputes over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the source said.

This is a developing story.

This post was originally published on here.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, the third-largest shareholder in German automaker Volkswagen, is reportedly putting hundreds of additional jobs at the company’s German plants at risk. According to a report in the German newspaper Bild, Qatari representatives have vetoed an agreement for an alternative use of Volkswagen’s struggling plant in Osnabrück. The potential partner in the deal was Israeli defense company Rafael.

Initially, it appeared that a solution had been found to save the factory. At the end of April, Volkswagen signed a letter of intent with Rafael, which planned to manufacture components for the Iron Dome missile defense system at the plant. However, Volkswagen’s Qatari shareholders have now reportedly objected to the agreement due to the strained relations between Qatar and Israel.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the state-owned sovereign wealth fund, holds 17% of Volkswagen’s voting rights and 10.4% of the company’s total share capital, giving it significant influence over decisions made at Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg.

Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of the Qatar Investment Authority, along with two former Qatari government ministers, serves on Volkswagen’s supervisory board.

Qatar, which for years has been regarded as a major financial supporter of Hamas in Gaza, reportedly opposes an agreement to manufacture weapons components intended solely for Israel’s defense against rocket attacks.

Security expert Peter R. Neumann of King’s College London warned in an interview with Bild that while investment from Gulf states is welcome, “the same principle applies here as elsewhere: we must not become dependent on any one country.”

Neumann added that Germany should adopt “a more pragmatic approach” toward the region. Since Germany’s economy began slowing, Gulf states have sought to expand their strategic influence in the country.

Three housing organizations sent a letter this week to leaders at Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), regarding pending changes to condominium lending rules through the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs).

On July 8, the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA), the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) told federal housing officials that they have “significant concerns” about affordability, access and inventory as they relate to the GSEs’ condo policy changes announced in March.

The letter, dated July 8, was addressed to FHFA Director Bill Pulte, Fannie Mae acting CEO Peter Akwaboah and Freddie Mac CEO Kenny Smith.

The letter addressed the role of community associations in the housing market, stating that they aren’t a “niche segment.” The groups cited 2025 data from the Foundation for Community Association Research showing that roughly 35% of the nation’s housing is located in a community association — including planned communities, condo associations and co-ops. About 78 million people live in the 373,000 community associations in the U.S.

“For many first-time buyers, moderate-income households, seniors and buyers in higher-cost markets, condominiums remain one of the most attainable paths to homeownership,” the groups said.

Higher costs, lower participation

CHLA, CAI and NAMB wrote that while they support “thoughtful efforts” to build financial resilience across condo communities, they believe the “scope, pace and operational impact” of the changes could unintentionally raise costs for borrowers and associations alike. They could also disincentivize lender participate in GSE condo loan programs while limiting credit availability for “otherwise qualified purchasers and financially stable communities.”

The groups cited the pending elimination of limited reviews in favor of full reviews — a change that’s set to take effect Aug. 3. Historically, many condo projects have qualified for streamlined treatments. But full reviews across the board are likely to increase documentation requirements, third-party review costs and processing times, they said.

“These operational burdens will fall on lenders, community managers, volunteer boards and homeowners, and the added costs will ultimately be borne by consumers,” the groups wrote, estimating that some borrowers could pay more than $1,000 in additional costs for a full review.

The letter also argued that raising required condo project reserves from 10% to 15% — a change that goes into effect Jan. 4, 2027 — will push monthly association dues higher while creating the need for additional special assessments and increased insurance costs. The groups say that while “reserve adequacy is important,” across-the-board increases are excessive as they don’t account for different risk profiles among condo projects.

Similarly, the increase in required condominium project reserves from 10% to 15% will lead to higher HOA fees, additional special assessments and increased insurance costs. While reserve adequacy is important, a uniform increase applied across widely varying project types may reduce affordability for current owners and prospective purchasers without fully accounting for differing project risk profiles.

The letter went on to say there is “continuing ambiguity” tied to the definition and application of “critical repairs” for condo projects. “Lenders have reported instances where performing loans were subjected to repurchase demands involving relatively minor repair items that appeared unrelated to material safety or structural concerns. Greater clarity and consistency would improve lender confidence and reduce unnecessary costs while preserving prudent risk management,” the groups explained.

Lastly, the groups believe that smaller lenders will have a “competitive disadvantage” as limited access to condo project eligibility creates friction. “As full condo reviews become mandatory, broader access to project status information becomes increasingly important for efficient market functioning — otherwise key stakeholders are shut out of direct access to condo project eligibility status information,” they said.

Suggested improvements

The letter encouraged the FHFA and GSEs to consider multiple options that could “preserve affordability and access while maintaining strong safety and soundness standards.”

First, the agencies could offer temporary underwriting exceptions that would speed reviews on transactions with lower risk factors. These include mortgages with strong borrower credit profiles and lower loan-to-value ratios, as well as projects that have a demonstrated history of financial health.

The CHLA, CAI and NAMB also called for delaying the implementation of the new reserve study funding standards and related reserve funding requirements for at least a year beyond the current effective date of Jan. 4, 2027. That idea was also recently mentioned by Mat Ishbia, chairman and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) — the nation’s largest lender.

“Overall, the industry is saying, ‘We understand what you’re trying to do, but we’ve got to delay this because it’s going to cause a major disruption in the condo market,’” Ishbia said.

The groups want to “clarify and standardize” the definitions of critical repairs and thresholds for loan repurchases as they seek to ensure enforcement is commensurate with actual transaction risk. They also wish to reevaluate the need for a single underwriting standard across all types of condo projects. For example, they say that an oceanfront high-rise carries more risk than a garden-style property in the Midwest, but both are subject to the same underwriting burdens.

The letter seeks “greater alignment” between the GSEs and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to share condo project eligibility details. This would reduce duplicative reviews and inconsistencies while removing unnecessary costs from the process, the groups say.

“A one-year delay and collaborative review would avoid potential market disruption, allow time to develop more flexibilities with clearer implementation guidance and prevent the problems that would otherwise arise in market adjustment to the policies,” the groups concluded.

“We fully support policies that protect taxpayers, strengthen collateral quality and promote long-term market stability. We believe these objectives can be achieved while also preserving access to one of the nation’s most affordable forms of homeownership.”

This post was originally published on here.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, marking the latest effort to eliminate the twice-a-year clock changes that have long frustrated many Americans.

According to a notice released Thursday, lawmakers will consider the Sunshine Protection Act after the House Energy and Commerce Committee overwhelmingly approved the measure in May by a 48-1 vote. Although the Senate unanimously passed similar legislation in March 2022, the bill stalled in the House amid growing opposition.

The version of the legislation scheduled for a House vote would give individual states the option of opting out of permanent daylight saving time.

Most of the United States has observed daylight saving time since the 1960s, advancing clocks by one hour each spring before returning to standard time in the fall.

Backers of the legislation argue that eliminating the biannual time changes would improve public health and safety. They contend that switching clocks contributes to sleep disruption, increases workplace accidents, and leads to more traffic crashes. They also believe longer daylight hours in the evening during the winter months would encourage greater economic activity.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced support for ending the twice-yearly clock changes. In May, he declared that it was “time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production.”

Even if the bill clears the House, it would still require Senate approval before reaching Trump’s desk. The proposal faces opposition from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and several other lawmakers.

Cotton has argued that permanent daylight saving time would produce unusually late winter sunrises, forcing many children to travel to school before daylight for much of the year.

Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., who has introduced versions of the legislation nearly every year since 2018, once again sponsored the measure this session. The proposal has drawn strong support in his home state of Florida, where advocates say additional evening daylight would benefit golf courses, parks, and other recreational facilities.

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., also endorsed the legislation, saying permanent daylight saving time is “better for safety and will boost New Jersey’s tourism industry. Let’s stop changing the clocks twice a year.”

The United States previously adopted year-round daylight saving time during World War II and briefly reinstated it in 1974 as an energy-saving measure. However, the experiment proved unpopular with the public, prompting Congress to repeal the policy later that same year.

{Matzav.com}

Doppelt The three weeks - mourning or joy 26 f2

Donald Trump Jr. said Thursday that newly unsealed evidence presented during the preliminary hearing for the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk leaves little room for doubt about who carried out the killing, arguing that the disclosures should put lingering conspiracy theories to rest.

Trump Jr., who was a close friend of Kirk and has long appeared alongside him at Turning Point USA events, attended this week’s court proceedings in Provo, Utah, where prosecutors unveiled evidence against 23-year-old Tyler Robinson.

After observing the testimony firsthand, Trump Jr. told Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” “Based on everything that I saw in that courtroom, it’s very clear to me that Tyler Robinson did this.”

Robinson is charged with fatally shooting Kirk, 31, during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

The preliminary hearing, which began Monday, is intended to determine whether prosecutors have established sufficient probable cause for the case to proceed to trial on multiple criminal charges.

During Thursday’s proceedings, prosecutors introduced evidence alleging that Robinson admitted to the killing in text messages sent to his roommate shortly after the shooting, writing that he “had enough of his hatred.”

Reacting to the evidence, Trump Jr. said, “This stuff is very cut-and-dry at this point.”

He added, “The DNA evidence, the fact that… he turned himself in… to me, it puts so much of this at rest.”

While expressing confidence in the prosecution’s case, Trump Jr. raised concerns about the level of security provided at the Utah Valley University event where Kirk was killed.

“The biggest question in my mind at this point is not whether Tyler Robinson did this, or if it was some people from a foreign land, or another planet — it was, why were there only six police officers active at a major event on a university campus?” he asked.

Trump Jr. noted that Turning Point USA events on college campuses routinely attract large crowds and typically receive a much stronger law enforcement presence.

“These are big events,” he said. “I’ve done 100 of them with Charlie Kirk on college campuses all over the place… That there wasn’t an all-hands-on-deck kind of operation to prevent this very thing from happening is truly scary.”

He also said public opinion has shifted dramatically as more evidence has emerged. According to Trump Jr., what was once viewed as a “50–50” question regarding Robinson’s guilt has now become a “90–10” issue, with the overwhelming majority believing Robinson was responsible.

Although Trump Jr. dismissed the conspiracy theories that circulated following Kirk’s death, he said he understands why some people initially questioned the circumstances surrounding the assassination.

Prosecutors are expected to continue presenting evidence during Friday’s hearing. No trial date has yet been scheduled.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday that the nation’s commercial crude oil inventories rose by 3 million barrels in the week ended July 3, marking the first weekly build in 11 weeks, according to the agency’s Weekly Petroleum Status Report. The increase left commercial stockpiles, which exclude the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, at 411.4 million barrels, a level the EIA said remains about 6% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Ordinarily, an unexpected increase in crude supplies would put downward pressure on prices. Instead, oil has continued climbing. Brent crude, the global benchmark, surged above $80 a barrel after rising nearly 10% over two trading sessions as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran fueled fears of disruptions to Middle East energy supplies. The disconnect reflects a market focused less on current inventory levels and more on the growing geopolitical risks facing global oil flows.

According to Ole S. Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, U.S. crude inventories increased primarily because exports slowed to 3.3 million barrels per day, their lowest level since November. Crude that would normally have been shipped overseas instead remained in domestic storage. At the same time, U.S. production climbed to 13.86 million barrels per day, approaching last year’s record high and adding further to domestic supplies.

While crude inventories increased, refined fuel supplies continued tightening. The government withdrew another 6.2 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, reducing holdings to 319.5 million barrels, down from 403 million barrels a year ago and near the lowest level in four decades. Refiners operated at a robust 95.8% of capacity, yet fuel inventories still declined. Distillate inventories, which include diesel fuel, dropped 5 million barrels to a four-year low, while gasoline inventories fell 1.9 million barrels to their lowest seasonal level since 2012.

That combination carries significant implications for the broader economy. Diesel powers freight transportation, agriculture and construction, making it one of the most important fuels for the movement of goods. Tight diesel supplies can quickly translate into higher shipping costs that ultimately reach consumers through increased grocery, retail and manufacturing prices. Meanwhile, shrinking gasoline inventories during the height of the summer driving season leave motorists vulnerable to additional price spikes if geopolitical tensions worsen.

The export picture also highlights America’s increasingly important role in global energy markets. Hansen noted that U.S. refined-product exports climbed to a record 8.7 million barrels per day, lifting total oil and refined-product exports, including crude, to approximately 12 million barrels per day. American refiners continue supplying international markets even as domestic inventories of finished fuels become increasingly constrained, a balancing act that could become more challenging should global supply disruptions intensify.

The report also illustrated how volatile current market conditions have become. The American Petroleum Institute, whose industry survey is released one day before the government’s official report, estimated a modest crude draw of approximately 399,000 barrels for the same reporting week—moving in the opposite direction from the EIA’s reported build. Such differences often reflect tanker arrival schedules and shipment timing but can become more pronounced when geopolitical events disrupt normal trade flows, as they have around the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the inventory increase, traders continued pushing oil prices higher, viewing the risk of future supply disruptions as more significant than one week of rising U.S. stockpiles. Over the past four weeks, U.S. crude imports averaged roughly 5.4 million barrels per day, approximately 11.4% below the same period last year, suggesting the flow of foreign oil into the United States has already slowed.

The coming weeks will determine whether this inventory build proves temporary or signals a broader shift in supply. With diesel and gasoline inventories remaining tight, refiners operating near full capacity, and the Strait of Hormuz continuing to pose a significant geopolitical risk, markets appear focused on the possibility that today’s crude surplus could quickly disappear. If that happens, higher fuel costs could ripple through transportation, manufacturing and consumer prices across the economy.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

President Donald Trump’s ambitious proposal to construct a towering 250-foot arch in the nation’s capital moved one step closer to becoming reality Thursday after winning preliminary approval from a key federal planning commission, although officials postponed a decision on whether longstanding federal height restrictions apply to the project.

The National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve the initial site and design plans for the massive structure, which Trump wants built at the traffic circle on the Virginia side of Memorial Bridge entering Washington, D.C.

The vote marks another milestone for one of several high-profile projects Trump is pursuing as part of his effort to reshape the appearance of the nation’s capital.

Commission staff had recommended granting preliminary approval while requiring a number of design modifications to ensure compliance with the federal Height of Buildings Act. Among the proposed revisions were adjustments to the height distribution of the arch itself, the observation deck planned within the structure, and the statues that would sit atop the monument.

Instead, commissioners—led by Chairman Will Scharf—opted to delay deciding whether the Height of Buildings Act even governs the proposed project.

According to the commission’s staff report, the agency has historically applied the law when reviewing projects of this nature. Scharf, however, said the Interior Department, which submitted the application and oversees the federal land where the arch would be built, had provided a legal opinion making what he called a “compelling argument” that the law “is not binding on the federal government.”

“My view is that, today, we are just considering this project for preliminary approval and that, as a result, it’s not necessary for us to take up this broader issue of the applicability of the Height of Buildings Act to federal construction until our next meeting at the earliest,” Scharf said.

The preliminary approval passed with the support of eight of the commission’s 12 members, including Scharf and two other Trump appointees. One commissioner voted against the proposal, while the remaining three voted present.

“This is a complex project,” Scharf said before the vote. He added that commissioners could consider final approval as soon as their next scheduled meeting in September.

Before casting their votes, all 12 commissioners reviewed a summary of the staff’s recommendations and listened to testimony from dozens of members of the public who signed up to comment on the proposal.

The commission’s deliberations took place as work continued on another major Trump construction project at the White House, where crews are building a new $400 million ballroom while additional workers covered stone columns at the mansion’s north entrance as part of an ongoing restoration project involving the removal of old paint.

Several speakers urged the commission to reject the proposed arch, arguing that a celebratory monument should not be constructed so close to Arlington National Cemetery. Others suggested a location nearer the Capitol or Washington’s sports and entertainment district would be more appropriate.

Among those opposing the project was Michael Lemmon, one of three Vietnam veterans and an architectural historian who have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block construction at Memorial Circle. Lemmon argued that the monument would diminish the dignity of Arlington National Cemetery, while Trump has said the arch is intended to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

“As a combat veteran, I feel a duty to protect the memory and honor the sacrifice of my comrades and all those buried there,” Lemmon said. “This vainglorious monumental arch does neither.”

Other opponents pointed out that memorials honoring Vietnam veterans, World War II veterans, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. underwent years of public discussion before being approved, and they urged the commission to move more cautiously before advancing Trump’s proposal.

Critics also argued that the sheer size of the monument would disrupt the carefully planned visual corridor connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery—a view long intended to symbolize national reconciliation following the Civil War.

If completed, the arch would stand more than twice as tall as the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and rise to nearly half the height of the 555-foot Washington Monument.

During Thursday’s hearing, opponents also raised concerns about traffic congestion and pedestrian safety surrounding the proposed site, while others maintained that congressional approval should be required before construction can proceed—a position that Trump disputes.

The proposal has already received approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which signed off on the design in May. The National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees construction projects on federal property in Washington, first began reviewing the proposal in June.

{Matzav.com}

HaRav Asher Abramowitz, a Rosh Mesivta in a yeshiva in Jerusalem, spoke to Kol Chai after accompanying a talmid who was arrested, visiting him in military prison, and attending hearings at the military court. He said that although he does not usually give interviews, he chose to reveal the details because “the public simply is not aware of what is happening.”

The Rav said that what shook him most was seeing his talmid sitting behind a glass partition in the courtroom. “Instead of sitting in the Beis Medrash and learning, he was sitting in court like one of the criminals,” he said. He added that the main difficulty is not the physical conditions, but the humiliation the bnei yeshivos are subject to, including restrictions on phone calls with family members and degrading treatment by staff members.

The Rav also described the daily routine in prison: early wake-up, lengthy roll calls, prolonged standing in front of commanders, extended periods in closed rooms, and various restrictions. He said his talmid was even punished after learning for a few extra minutes after davening by being denied use of the phone for three days. He added that the bnei yeshivos also encounter difficulties in religious matters, including kashrus issues and the ability to learn Torah quietly.

At the end of the interview, he said the image that will remain with him is the sight of his broken talmid on the first day of detention. “He told me: ‘HaRav, it is impossible to survive here,'” he recalled.

The Rav concluded by asking the public to identify with the pain of the detainees and understand that “there is a bachur here who, instead of sitting in the Beis Medrash, was taken in handcuffs and humiliated.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Tensions are expected to remain high in Jerusalem this Shabbos as secular activists plan a counter-demonstration outside a café that intends to remain open, while Chareidim are preparing another protest against its Shabbos operations.

The café, “Basmata,” located in the Nachlaot neighborhood, became the focus of protests last week when hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside. According to Israeli media reports, chairs were overturned, windows were pounded, and patrons were spat at during the demonstration.

Ahead of this Shabbos, flyers distributed in Chareidi neighborhoods are calling on the public to march to the café and protest its continued operation on Shabbos.

At the same time, activists from the secular “Hitorerut Jerusalem” movement announced they will remain at the café from opening until closing in an effort to show support for the business and deter further disturbances.

Jerusalem Police said they have been gathering intelligence, holding discussions with all parties, and are preparing for the possibility that the demonstrations could escalate.

Despite the threats, café owner Yoel Ben David said he has no plans to close on Shabbos.

“Many people told me they will come, and I’m grateful for the support,” he said. “I spoke with the police, and they said they are preparing and will be there. I trust them to do their job, but I hope the Chareidim wake up tomorrow morning and decide not to come for their own reasons.”

He added, “I’d like my only concern to be whether I’ll have enough milk for the coffee. We’ll try to calm things down, and I hope people come, drink coffee, and everything stays peaceful.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iran’s regime is institutionalizing calls to avenge the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, announcing that prayers for revenge will now become a permanent part of Friday prayer services across the country.

According to Iranian media, Abolhassan Fatemi, the Friday prayer leader in Shahrekord, declared that worshippers will now hear calls for vengeance every week.

“From now on, every Friday, during Friday prayers, we will raise the call for revenge and blood vengeance,” Fatemi said. “Revenge against the oppressors must remain at the top of the Islamic Republic’s priorities.”

At the same time, senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi insisted that Khamenei’s death would not weaken what Tehran calls the “Axis of Resistance”—its network of terror proxies across the Middle East.

“The criminal leaders of America and all enemies of the Islamic Revolution and the Resistance Front should know that by assassinating this leader they will never be able to extinguish the light, weaken the will of the believing nations, or bring down the banner of resistance,” Vahidi said.

He added that Khamenei’s death has become “a flowing spring of awakening, honor, strength and unity for the Islamic nation,” and said the demand to punish those responsible for his killing will remain “absolute, legitimate, and unforgettable.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday, the latest sign that employers are holding onto workers even as hiring cools. Initial claims for state jobless benefits slipped by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 for the week ended July 4, according to the department, below the roughly 218,000 that economists polled by Reuters had expected. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 217,000.

The four-week moving average, which smooths out weekly swings, dropped by 3,750 to 218,750. Continuing claims, which track people still collecting benefits, edged up by 8,000 to 1.81 million for the week ended June 27—the highest since late March, but still low by historical standards.

The picture beneath the seasonally adjusted headline was a bit busier. Unadjusted filings actually rose by 9,967 to 224,583, with applications jumping by 8,467 in California, 5,872 in Missouri, and 4,401 in Michigan, likely as some automakers idled assembly lines for summer maintenance and retooling. General Motors and Ford Motor Company, however, have canceled summer shutdowns at many plants, which should limit those layoffs going forward. Claims filed by federal employees, watched closely amid the administration’s push to shrink the public workforce, fell by 40 to 404.

Economists treat weekly filings as the fastest read on the job market because they capture how many workers employers are actively letting go. The message this week was continuity: layoffs remain scarce. Analysts have taken to calling the current environment “low-hire, low-fire,” a labor market where companies are reluctant both to add staff and to cut jobs.

That reluctance matters because the hiring side has weakened sharply. The report follows a disappointing June jobs report in which employers added just 57,000 nonfarm positions, far below the 115,000 forecasters had projected. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2% from 4.3%, but much of that improvement came from people leaving the labor force rather than finding work, while revisions erased 74,000 jobs from the April and May totals.

For businesses, the steadiness in claims is a double-edged number. Low layoffs help keep household incomes and consumer spending—the engine of roughly two-thirds of the U.S. economy—intact, supporting everything from retail sales to loan repayment. But weak hiring reflects growing caution in corporate boardrooms as companies contend with uncertainty stemming from the conflict with Iran, higher oil prices and persistent inflation.

The data also feed directly into the debate at the Federal Reserve. A resilient labor market gives Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh and his colleagues room to keep interest rates elevated to combat inflation rather than cutting them to support employment. With jobless claims remaining near the low end of their recent range and inflation risks still elevated, the report does little to strengthen the case for near-term rate cuts and reinforces the view that the Fed remains more concerned about inflation than layoffs.

The coming weeks will reveal whether that stability continues. Seasonal auto-sector layoffs should ease as factory retooling concludes, but the sharp slowdown in hiring combined with workers leaving the labor force suggests the employment market rests on a narrower foundation than the low claims figures alone may indicate.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee joined a memorial ceremony Thursday at Moshav HaYogev in northern Israel, where a tree was dedicated in memory of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, as part of the “My Tree in Israel” initiative. The event served as a tribute to the family, whose fate became one of the defining tragedies of the October 7 Hamas massacre.

Yarden Bibas and his sister, Ofri, attended the ceremony alongside Huckabee. The ambassador offered his heartfelt condolences to Yarden, telling him that people around the world had prayed for the safe return of his family. Huckabee also stressed that the horrors of October 7 and the immense suffering endured by Israel must never be allowed to fade from memory.

The abduction of Shiri Bibas and her sons—4-year-old Ariel and 9-month-old Kfir—from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz became one of the most unforgettable images of the Hamas-led assault on October 7. Video of a terrified Shiri desperately holding her two red-haired children as Hamas terrorists forced them into Gaza stunned millions across the globe. As the youngest hostage taken during the attack, baby Kfir, together with his older brother Ariel, came to symbolize the innocence of the civilians targeted in the massacre and the anguish of the hostage crisis.

The ceremony also included an emotional meeting with Avi Harush, whose son, Reef Harush, was killed while serving as a commando in combat in the Gaza Strip in April 2024. Harush showed Huckabee and his wife the tree planted in his son’s memory, shared photographs, and spoke about his regular visits to the site, saying that he believes his son is “at peace.”

During his visit to the moshav, Huckabee toured a local olive oil press, where he observed the production process firsthand. He remarked that every year he purchases numerous bottles of Israeli olive oil to present to friends as holiday gifts.

Huckabee also revisited the olive tree he had previously adopted and updated its commemorative plaque, replacing the inscription “Governor Huckabee” with “Ambassador Huckabee.” He additionally adopted another olive tree in honor of his daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The “My Tree in Israel” initiative enables supporters of Israel around the world to back the country’s farmers by adopting olive trees, grapevines, or shares in whiskey casks. The program is designed to bolster Israel’s agricultural communities while providing direct support to the nation’s local economy.

{Matzav.com}

Four Arab Israeli citizens from the Bedouin town of Segev Shalom have been indicted after Israeli authorities uncovered what officials described as a Hamas-linked terror cell planning a mass-casualty attack at Beersheba’s central bus station, along with additional attacks targeting police and security forces.

According to a joint statement from the Israel Police and Shin Bet, the suspects were arrested during undercover Border Police operations in May and June 2026 following a joint investigation that exposed the terror network before it could carry out its plans.

Investigators said the group initially planned to carry out a stabbing attack at the Beersheba central station but later decided to obtain firearms and launch a mass shooting instead, believing knives would not be effective enough.

Authorities said the suspects also planned to open fire on the Segev Shalom police station, establish a local terror infrastructure, and target Israeli security personnel operating in the community. Their primary objective, investigators said, was to attack soldiers in public places.

According to prosecutors, the alleged leader of the cell began building the network following the 2021 Jewish-Arab riots. He allegedly created social media accounts that spread Hamas propaganda, jihadist content, footage from the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, praise for terrorists, and calls for armed struggle and martyrdom.

Through those online activities, prosecutors say he recruited the other members, assigning each a nickname, including referring to one suspect who downloaded bomb-making videos as the group’s “engineer.”

The indictment charges the four suspects with conspiracy to commit an act of terror and receiving terrorist training or instruction. The alleged leader also faces additional charges of incitement to terrorism and identifying with a terrorist organization.

Israeli authorities said one of the suspects was arrested while allegedly on his way to carry out an attack.

In a joint statement, the Israel Police and Shin Bet said, “This is a serious terrorist organization in which young Israeli citizens planned to carry out terrorist activity. This intention was thwarted in advance by the Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency before the suspects were able to take steps to carry out their plan.”

Officials added that they “view with the utmost severity any involvement of Israeli citizens in terrorist activity” and pledged to continue working “to thwart terrorist intentions and bring those involved in terrorism offenses to the fullest extent of the law.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ten people were injured Friday in a six-vehicle crash on Route 6 near the Kiryat Gat interchange, including two young children who suffered serious injuries.

Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah responded to the scene, where a 3-year-old girl was found unconscious with a severe head injury. She underwent resuscitation efforts at the scene before being airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in critical, unstable condition.

A 5-year-old boy also suffered a serious head injury and was transported to a hospital while semi-conscious.

Two men, ages 30 and 43, sustained moderate injuries, while six others—including several children—were treated for minor injuries and taken to hospitals for further evaluation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews)- Israel’s Foreign Ministry, in cooperation with the Center for Jewish Impact and philanthropist SASA Setton, is launching a new initiative to establish educational centers in children’s hospitals in two Ukrainian cities, aiming to support hospitalized children’s learning and emotional well-being amid the ongoing war.

The centers will be set up in Chernivtsi in southwest Ukraine and Bila Tserkva in central Ukraine. The program seeks to enable young patients to continue their education while receiving vital emotional support during hospitalization.

“Israel sees great importance in assisting Ukraine, not only in responding to the immediate challenges of the war, but also in strengthening the resilience of the younger generation,” Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine said in a statement.

The initiative reflects Israel’s broader commitment to Ukraine, extending beyond immediate wartime needs to long-term support for civilians, particularly children affected by the conflict. Details on the timeline for opening the centers and specific programming were not immediately available.

The Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with a regulatory overhaul to limit U.S. reliance on foreign drugs and cut red tape to allow American manufacturers to fill the space, FOX Business has learned.

The FDA is proposing a new rule Friday that aims to streamline processes for American drug manufacturers while toughening regulation for foreign ones.

The FDA is launching a new website to go along with the overhaul that details all the ways the agency can assist U.S. manufacturers. A major loophole the changes look to solve is foreign factories producing raw drug materials that stay completely invisible to the U.S. by routing the products through intermediate facilities overseas.

“The FDA is proposing changes to our establishment registration regulations that would reflect how distributed manufacturing actually works — as one single establishment,” Dr. Michael Davis, acting director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

“The proposed changes would make it easier for innovative manufacturers to operate efficiently, and give the FDA a clearer, more accurate picture of how and where drugs are being made,” he added.

“When an active ingredient in a medicine reaches an American patient, the FDA should be able to trace exactly where it came from,” said Davis. “Closing this registration gap for foreign establishments is a concrete step toward increasing the supply chain transparency that patients deserve.”

Officials say current regulations force American companies to register every single production unit as a completely separate factory. The new regulations will allow these to be streamlined into a single registration.

The website will also provide tracking on the progress of the FDA’s other anti-red tape programs, such as TrialBlazer, the PreCheck Pilot Program and others.

TrialBlazer seeks to boost the development of new drugs in the U.S. by relying more on computation during the development and approval process as well as allowing more flexible rules for clinical trials.

The pilot program seeks to help U.S. companies build manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes declined in June even as prices climbed to a record high, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday, underscoring how elevated borrowing costs continue to limit affordability during what is typically the busiest season for the housing market.

Existing-home sales fell 2.4% from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million, below economists’ expectations of approximately 4.21 million, according to FactSet. Despite the monthly decline, sales remained 2.8% higher than a year earlier.

At the same time, the median existing-home price reached a record $440,600 for the month of June, extending a long streak of annual price increases. The combination of slowing sales and record prices continues to challenge prospective buyers, many of whom remain priced out of the market despite modest improvements in housing inventory.

Dr. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, attributed much of the market’s weakness to mortgage affordability. He said monthly fluctuations in existing-home sales continue to track even modest changes in mortgage rates, demonstrating just how sensitive buyers remain to financing costs. While Yun pointed to continued job growth as a positive long-term factor supporting housing demand, he emphasized that affordability remains the industry’s biggest obstacle and reiterated the need for substantially more housing supply.

Mortgage rates remain central to the market’s direction. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage stood at 6.43% as of July 2, marking a seven-week low and down slightly from 6.49% the previous week and 6.67% one year earlier. Because existing-home sales are recorded at closing, June’s figures primarily reflect purchase contracts signed in April and May, when mortgage rates were moving higher.

Those borrowing costs continue to be influenced by Treasury yields, which have risen as investors respond to higher oil prices, persistent inflation concerns and renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. As long as long-term Treasury yields remain elevated, mortgage rates are likely to remain under pressure as well, limiting affordability for many prospective buyers.

The composition of homebuyers also reflected the affordability challenge. First-time buyers accounted for 33% of June transactions, up from 30% a year earlier but still well below the 40% share that the National Association of Realtors considers representative of a healthy housing market. Meanwhile, approximately 25% of all purchases were completed with cash, illustrating the continued advantage enjoyed by buyers less dependent on financing.

Housing inventory showed modest improvement. Roughly 1.56 million existing homes were available for sale at the end of June, about 1.3% higher than one year earlier. Even so, that represents only a 4.6-month supply, remaining below the level generally considered balanced between buyers and sellers.

The slowdown has now persisted for several years. Existing-home sales have remained near an annual pace of 4 million since 2023, well below the long-term historical average of roughly 5.2 million. Through the first half of 2026, total sales were only 0.7% above the same period a year earlier, reflecting a market that continues to struggle despite solid employment and resilient consumer demand.

The housing slowdown affects far more than homebuyers and real estate agents. Every home sale typically generates additional spending on furniture, appliances, home improvements, moving services, insurance, mortgage financing and numerous local businesses. When housing activity slows, those industries often experience weaker demand as well, reducing economic activity across a broad range of sectors.

Lawmakers continue debating measures designed to increase housing supply and improve affordability, but meaningful expansion of inventory will take time. In the meantime, economists generally expect mortgage rates to remain above historical norms, limiting affordability for many households.

With home prices at record highs, mortgage rates still above 6%, and inventory remaining relatively limited, June’s housing report suggests the market continues to face significant affordability pressures. Until either financing costs decline meaningfully or substantially more homes become available, many prospective buyers are likely to remain on the sidelines.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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American consumers hoping for a swift end to years of inflationary pressures are facing a harsh reality check.

While recent relief at the gas pump offered a temporary reprieve, corporate supply chain strains and the lingering effects of global trade and geopolitical shocks are expected to keep prices elevated for the foreseeable future. According to The Conference Board Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson, everyday Americans will continue to feel the squeeze at the grocery store, with the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target remaining out of reach until at least 2028.

“I think that consumers are going to continue to complain about elevated prices going forward because CEOs don’t really have much of a choice… Inflation, including the two big shocks of tariffs and the war, probably peaked in the second quarter of this year, and we’ll see inflation slowly decelerate over the course of this, but it’s still gonna be high,” Peterson told Fox News Digital.

“Headline [personal consumption expenditures] will probably peak in the third quarter of this year, again, as it’s going to reflect those pass-through prices from the shock from the war,” she added. “And of course, the [consumer price index] numbers are going to probably be higher because… they’re just different measures. But nonetheless, we’re not going to be anywhere close to 2% inflation by the end of this year, and probably not until sometime in 2028.”

The result, the economist said, is a significant shift in how Americans are spending their money.

“Consumers are spending less on expensive goods and services and more on cheaper options. They’re also shifting the composition of their spending to things that are more necessary rather than discretionary,” Peterson said. “Consumers are shying away from those big-ticket items.”

In June, The Conference Board’s Measure of CEO Confidence, conducted in collaboration with The Business Council, surveyed 141 CEOs and found the overall score fell to 47 in Q2 from 59 in Q1. Any reading below 50 means negative economic outlooks outnumber positive ones.

Only 15% of CEOs say the economy is better than six months ago, down from 39% in Q1, while 47% say it’s worse, up from 8%. Additionally, 40% of respondents expect economic conditions to worsen over the next six months, compared with 13% who felt that way last quarter.

“It certainly wasn’t surprising that CEO confidence fell because the survey took place in the span of May 4 through May 18, which was the height of the conflict in the Middle East,” Peterson said, adding that peace negotiations with Iran are underway and thus alleviate immediate worries.

“So I would imagine CEOs’ confidence would be materially better today, even if it’s still somewhat negative. And indeed, the industries that would probably be the most harmed are those who use inputs like fossil fuels, fertilizer, chemicals like ammonia and sulfur to produce derivative products like groceries, and also aluminum in terms of construction. But also, the services around those things like restaurants and retailers – who are basically going to be feeling the crunch – will need to pass those costs onto consumers.”

The recent survey also found that 31% of executives plan to reduce their workforce. Peterson said those planned cuts are heavily concentrated in industries investing in automation.

“Most of the layoffs are concentrated in industries that are actually creating new technologies like AI and quantum computing, the earlier adopters, and jobs that are easily automated. So those sectors definitely include tech… anything in finance,” she said. “I would also include transportation and warehousing industries because a lot of what they’re doing can be automated. And then finally, I would say retail businesses that have very large online footprints and can outsource a lot of the customer service are also letting people go.”

While post-pandemic wages are technically higher on paper than the historical averages seen between the 2008 financial crisis and 2020, structural costs like housing, insurance and healthcare have fundamentally altered consumers’ purchasing power, according to the economist.

“Many services are actually becoming more expensive like housing, utilities, healthcare and insurance. Prices are also rising due to these structural changes like aging populations, technological advancement, natural disasters, increasing demand for healthcare, and also a dearth of affordable housing coupled with elevated mortgage rates. So all of these pricing pressures are forcing consumers to make tough decisions.”

Despite the pessimism among C-suite executives and many consumers, Peterson said she does not expect the U.S. economy to enter a downturn within the next six months.

“Do I expect slower growth because of the inflation shocks? Sure, but the U.S. economy can grow anywhere from 1.5% to 2% and be just fine,” she said. “One-percent [GDP growth] is kind of stall speed, and it feels like a recession, and it also increases the likelihood that you do go into a recession. That’s not what I’m anticipating.”

Instead, Peterson advised consumers to look past Wall Street’s day-to-day market swings and monitor government labor market data instead.

“I would not look at the stock market because financial markets are financial markets. They are not the real economy,” she said. “I think an easy measure for most people is jobless claims… They’re basically the number of people who file for unemployment insurance every month. And so far, that number’s been very low, close to historical lows. So if you start seeing that number [in] the course of a month – or several months – start to rise precipitously, that’s a signal that something’s wrong.”

NEW YORK (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) Below, we find 14 things about Shabbos that every teen-age girl should know.  Of course, everyone should ask her own Rav about particulars.   If something is unclear, please go over it with a Rav or Talmid chochom for more clarification.

Just a quick reminder, however.  Shabbos is a badge of honor that we are very proud of – it shows the world that we believe in Hashem and that we believe those that do good and follow Hashem’s laws will be rewarded and that those who do not emulate Hashem and go against His Will will get punished.  Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l will be rewarded.  Lehavdil, ISIS terrorists will be severely punished.  We believe in this and observing Shabbos is the  badge of honor which declares this.  After there the terror incident of nine eleven there was one item that was entirely unavailable to purchase in the US for three entire months.  What was that item?  It was the American flag.  Everyone took enormous pride in that flag.  Shabbos is our flag. So even though these 13 things are strictly halacha – please take enormous pride in it.

TASTING

1. It is a Mitzvah to taste the Shabbos food before Shabbos begins. But do not overdo it.  This is because it is also a Mitzvah to go into Shabbos with an appetite.  It is also a Mitzvah on Shabbos to taste (at least) a little bit of all of the food that was made for the Shabbos evening meal.

CANDLE LIGHTING

2. Generally speaking, the mother lights the Shabbos candles and this covers the obligation of the daughters of the household as well. If the mother isn’t home, the father should be lighting.  If neither are at home, or if the father isn’t doing it, the oldest daughter should light.
3. If you are going to be away for Shabbos and are at a retreat or Shabbatone, someone should be lighting for everyone. This is also true for girls that go to sleepaway camp.
4. The Shabbos candles should be lit 18 minutes before sunset (and 40 minutes when in Yerushalayim). It is not kavod Shabbos to still be in the shower or to be blow-drying or curling your hair into the 18 minutes before Shkiya.
5. After reciting the bracha on the Shabbos lights – one may not do malacha! Even putting out the match is forbidden.

FRIDAY NIGHT KIDDUSH

6. After you have accepted Shabbos, you may not eat or drink until you have heard Friday night Kiddush.
7. Friday night kiddush is actually a D’oraisah – a Torah Mitzvah. This has implications.  What are they?  You need to have general intent to fulfill the Mitzvah and you also need to concentrate on it.  In other words, “DO NOT SPACE OUT.”
8. Another consequence of it being D’oraisah is that you need to hear it from either a bas Mitzvahed girl or a Bar Mitzvahed boy who is not what can be called a “BarelyBar.” A BarelyBar is not a candy bar, it means that the boy is barely bar Mitzvahed.  In other words, he has to have reached physical maturity as well.  Remember, it is a Torah prohibition of “Onaas Dvarim” to embarrass someone as well.  This, therefore, must be handled delicately.
9. The Kiddush cup must not be cracked or dented on the top. Even if it is unsteady, the cup may be invalid.  The cup must also contain a revi’is which is generally assumed to be 3.3 fluid ounces. Some opinions have it at 4.1 or even more.  The wine must be a “boreh pri hagafen” type of wine.  If uncooked wine is used – that is, wine that is not mevushal – one must ensure that the housekeeper is not able to access it. Wine that is uncovered overnight or that was directly drunk from –  is invalid for kiddush.

GENERAL SHABBOS OBSERVANCE

10. Makeup – Applying makeup on Shabbos is forbidden because of two malachos – smoothing (memarayach) and coloring (tzovaya). This is true of all liquid makeup and of all solid makeup that contains either oil or cream.  Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l did allow white talcum powder which does not last for a long time.  Some have taken this to allow powdered makeup.  Most Poskim and Gedolim do not understand Rav Moshe zt”lin this way.
11. Forbidden Smoothing: Chapstick, Lipstick, Solid deodorant, pressing wax onto braces – even Invisalign (a registered trademark) – [we are not even mentioning Play-Dough or Silly Putty because we are grown-ups here]. [Cutting it also forbidden because of mechataich].  To put wax on braces, cut and shape it before Shabbos – put it in a plastic bag and then one may re-apply on Shabbos.
12. Brushing teeth : Toothpaste – The overwhelming conclusion of Poskim is that it is forbidden to use toothpaste on Shabbos. Many Poskim hold that you can use water or mouthwash or a tooth washing liquid on Shabbos providing that:
    1. One avoids squeezing out between the toothbrush bristles
    2. One only puts the water or other liquid in the mouth and not on the brush.
    3. Many Poskim hold that you need a special toothbrush for Shabbos. Some are non-squeezable in their engineering. Others hold that it just has to be a different one than during the week.  Speak to your Rav for specific issues (such as the Sridei Aish’s opinion).
    4. Also, you may only rinse your toothbrush if you plan on using it again over Shabbos – but don’t squeeze it out.
13. Making Coffee:

The ideal way to make instant coffee is to first fill the cup with hot water from the hot water urn or samovar (SAT word). Then put the instant coffee into the cup.  What this does is that it makes putting the coffee into a kli sheini (a “second vessel”) situation. A Kli sheini cannot re-cook liquids that have already cooled off.  Some Poskim suggest doing this whole thing in a Kli Shlishi in other words the hot water goes in cup #1 and then cup #2.  This method also applies to sugar and artificial sweeteners.

14. Eating Before Kiddush

It is assur (forbidden) to eat or drink before hearing or reciting Friday night kiddush.  The prohibition begins as soon as one takes on Shabbos and certainly by sunset (shkiyah).   Shabbos morning is a bit more complicated, as it depends upon what a young unmarried girl does during the week.  What most people hold is that before davening one may drink coffee, tea or soda etc., without having first making kiddush.  But to find out more, read on.

NOT EATING BEFORE DAVENING

The source of the general halacha that forbids eating before davening even during the weekday is based upon a Gemorah in Brachos (10b).  It is considered haughty to take care of one’s own needs before tending to our obligations toward Hashem. The halacha is further codified in Shulchan Aruch (Orech Chaim 89:3).

DRINKING

A drink, of course, is permitted. Nowadays, it is even permitted to add sugar and milk to one’s coffee, but breakfast before davening, is forbidden unless one is weak or sick.  This halacha, according to Poskim, applies to women as well (See Minchas Yitzchok Vol. IV #28).

DVEIKUS IS THE GOAL

The goal of life is to develop a relationship – a strong relationship with Hashem and to emulate Him in all that we do. Dveikus is the highest level of this relationship where we cleave to Him. One method or path to this relationship is through Tefilah.

DEBATE AMONG RISHONIM

There is a fascinating debate among the Rishonim, however, as to the exact nature of this path. There is also, according to this author’s understanding, a difference in understanding between Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l and Rav Avrohom Pam zt”l as to how to understand the Chofetz Chaim’s view in his Mishna Brurah on the final ruling of the matter.

THE RAMBAM’S VIEW – BIBLICAL

The Rambam (Hilchos Tefillah 1:1) writes that the obligation to pray is from the Torah. The Pasuk in Shma (Dvarim 11:13) states: ul’avdo bechol levavchem – and to serve Him with all your heart.” The Gemorah in Taanis (2a) asks: “What kind of avodah involves the heart? It must be that this is Tefilah.”

The Rambam learns, therefore, that the obligation for prayer is biblical – it is just the wording and the exact times for it that are of Rabbinic origin. At a minimum, the obligation is to include shevach, bakasha, and hoda’ah – praise of Hashem, requests of Hashem, and thanks to Hashem (See Rambam Hilchos Tefilah 1:2).

A KEY MOGAIN AVROHOM

The Mogain Avrohom (OC 106:2) writes that it is possible that the Chachomim did not obligate women further than the Torah obligation. The obligation is thus limited to an expression of praise, thanks, and a request. These three minimum requirements can be accomplished with the morning brachos – a minimum of Tefillah.

THE RAMBAN AND RASHI

According to the Ramban, however, in Sefer HaMitzvos #5 and Rashi (“v’chayavin b’tefilah” Brachos 20b), the obligation of prayer is only Rabbinic in nature.  If one is experiencing tzaar – stress or other pain or difficulties, then the obligation is a biblical one.  Otherwise, it is strictly a Rabbinic obligation.

However, according to the view of the Ramban and Rashi, even when not in tzaar  – the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah who established both this obligation of prayer and the wording of the Shmoneh Esreh  – obligated women as well. Even though it is a time-bound Mitzvah, since it is a request for mercy, Chazal obligated women as well in Shacharis and Mincha.

TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS

We thus have two very different views in the Rishonim:

• The Rambam holds that Tefillah is Biblical, but one can fulfill it with very few lines of prayer. The Mogain Avrohom holds that women were not commanded in the Rabbinic Mitzvah – but may do so if they wish.
• On the other hand, the Ramban and Rashi both hold that tefillah is Rabbinic [unless it is a time of tzarah] and that women are fully obligated in it.

HOW DO WE RULE?

The Mishna Brurah (106:4), as well as other Poskim, rule in accordance with the Ramban. In fact, there are other indications that women are fully obligated in the two Shmoneh Esrehs of Shacharis and Mincha.

CHANA

The Yalkut Shimoni (Shmuel, Remez 80) writes explicitly that women are obligated in Shmoneh Esreh and that is why Chana was praying 18 brachos. The problem with this is that Chana actually preceded the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah. Thus, the Mogain Avrohom and the Rambam would understand this Yalkut Shimoni as being a type of asmachta – an allusion to a future rabbinic enactment.

THE CHOFETZ CHAIM’S WIFE

Notwithstanding the ruling of the Mishna Brurah, the Chofetz Chaim’s son, Reb Aryeh Leib Kagan Poupko (1861-1938) writes in his “Sichos HaChofetz Chaim” (Vol. I #27) that his mother, while she was raising the children, almost never davened Shmoneh Esreh and told her son that their father had said that she was exempt.

DEBATE BETWEEN RAV YAAKOV zt”l AND RAV PAM zt”l

It seems to this author that there are two different ways to understand the apparent contradiction between what the Chofetz Chaim writes in his Mishna Brurah, and how his wife conducted herself – according to his son.

RAV YAAKOV’S EXPLANATION

Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l (1891 – 1986) explained that since the mother is engaged in another Mitzvah of raising the children, she is exempt for another reason.  She falls under the concept of “Osaik b’Mitzvah patur min haMitzvah  – One who is involved in a Mitzvah is exempt from another Mitzvah”  (as cited in Ko somar l’Bais Yaakov page 30).  This concept is stated by Rabbi Yossi HaGalili in Sukkah (26a) in regard to travelers of a Mitzvah being exempt from the Mitzvah of Sukkah.  So, according to Rav Yaakov, she is still relying on the view of the Ramban, in accordance with the ruling of the Mishna Brurah, but she is exempt from davening because she is involved in another Mitzvah.

RAV PAM’S EXPLANATION

Rav Avrohom Pam zt”l, on the other hand, had another understanding. He understood that there are times in a woman’s life when she can rely on the ruling of the Rambam rather than rule like the Ramban. During the period of a woman’s life when she is raising children, she can rely on the view and reading of the Rambam that allows her to just recite a very minimum davening – in other words, no Shmoneh Esreh.

This is how this author heard Rav Pam explain the words of the Chofetz Chaim’s son. It can be analogous perhaps to keeping two different Sefirah periods from year to year.

BACK TO THE QUESTION

So, how is it that high school girls eat at home first and then wait to daven in school? True, before they eat at home they often say brachos – fulfilling the minimum requirements of the Rambam, but the Mishna Brurah rules like the Ramban – and not like the Rambam!

Also, how does it even fit according to the Rambam?  Do brachos fulfill the three requirements?  Many Poskim hold that the word Boruch – also contains a request for bracha in that it is stating, Hashem, You are the source of all blessing [and thus grant me blessing too].  But does everyone who relies on the Rambam know this?  If not, perhaps they should.

We could, of course, make an exception for someone who is not feeling well or is weak, to rule like the Rambam –  but how can we be doing this across the board to all high school girls?

RAV PAM

According to Rav Pam zt”l, perhaps this is one of those times that we can rely on the Rambam instead of the Ramban, because this way, at least they will be learning how to daven properly in front of their mechanchos and teachers.

RAV YAAKOV

According to Rav Yaakov zt”l, it would be more problematic because there is no “osaik bamitzvah patur min haMitzvah” here.  But even according to the view of Rav Pam zt”l – aren’t many high school girls really independent enough here that the don’t really need to daven in front of teachers?  If so, then how is it allowed?

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION

I would like to possibly suggest an alternative explanation.  There is much to be gained in spirituality for girls to be performing Mitzvos – including davening, altogether.  This may reason enough, perhaps, to be bdi’avad, relying on the Rambam.  Since it is impractical for girls’ schools to have a breakfast session, the benefit outweighs the loss.  So, we could be relying on the secondary view because of other factors – but the halacha is still like the Ramban.

The situation might be analogous to the halacha of leining from a posul Sefer Torah.  Regarding someone that was called up to the Torah before any invalidity in the Torah was discovered, we rely on the Rambam’s view that, when there is only an invalid Sefer Torah, we may read from it.  We do not call up someone else from a second Sefer Torah for that aliyah.  However, for the next Aliyah, we cannot call someone to read from the invalid Sefer Torah.

SHABBOS MORNING

All this brings up another very pertinent issue. There is another critical difference between Rav Pam’s approach and Rav Yaakov’s approach in regard to Shabbos morning, and in regard to the Rambam versus the Ramban.

THE PROHIBITION OF EATING BEFORE KIDDUSH

If one is following the view of the Rambam during the week, then merely saying brachos in the morning creates a prohibition of eating before Kiddush. The prohibition begins immediately after one has davened. The prohibition means that one cannot even taste water until one has made or heard Kiddush. According to the Ramban – then it is not a problem. A woman or girl may drink until she has davened her Shmoneh Esreh.  According to our third explanation, if it is correct, we are not temporarily setting aside the view of the Ramban to accommodate these high school girls.  We still maintain it, but we are allowing it so that the girls will gain the benefit of davening together in a group.

WHO TO FOLLOW ON SHABBOS MORNING?

So which view should a woman or young lady follow? Should she follow Rav Yaakov’s explanation or Rav Pam’s? Or perhaps is this third view the one she should be following.  The answer, of course, is to ask her own Rav or Posaik as to how she is reconciling her weekday conduct and her Shabbos conduct.

Oh, and a 15th for Chabad girls:  Light Shabbos candles.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1818-Seiver-Part-18-Let-Down.mp3

​​For more info, email [email protected].

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Tefila4Life-Shiur-1107-Real-Tefila-Vayevarech-Dovid.mp3

New York (VINNEWS) Robert Gilman, the United States Marine Corps veteran serving a long prison sentence in Russia, has been taken from his cell to a hospital, according to a report this week in the Russian business daily Kommersant. His lawyer, quoted by the newspaper, said Gilman was receiving treatment but that it was too early to speak of a diagnosis. Because of the unspecified illness, a court in the southern city of Voronezh postponed a hearing on a prosecutor’s appeal against his latest sentence.

The United States State Department confirmed that it is aware of the situation. A spokesperson said the Department knows that an American, Robert Gilman, is detained in Voronezh, that it is providing appropriate consular assistance, and that it continues to track his case closely. For a family that has watched from an ocean away as his fate has spiraled further from their grasp with each passing year, the report of an unnamed illness in a Russian hospital carries its own particular dread. What is he suffering from? Is he being properly cared for? These are the questions that keep a mother and father awake, and to which distance and diplomacy provide no quick answers.

There is a cruel symmetry in this latest news. As will be seen, Robert’s entire ordeal began when illness was met not with a doctor but with a jail cell. Now, years later, he lies ill again, still in custody, his condition undisclosed. To understand why that symmetry is so bitter, one must go back to the beginning.

A Life of Learning and Service

Robert Gilman, who turned thirty-two in March, grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was not a drifter or an adventurer courting trouble. He was born into a family that prized service. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, he went to Europe and built a life around teaching, founding an English-instruction business in Poland to help students adapt to new environments and pursuing a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity. His students adored him so much that they nicknamed him ‘Captain America.’ His older sister, herself an English instructor, speaks fondly of how her younger brother always cast himself as her protector. The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, the nation’s foremost advocate for Americans held abroad, classifies Robert Gilman as a wrongful detainee.

How It Began

In November of 2021, Robert was on his way to a new teaching position in Moldova, building on the business he had already established in Poland. While transiting through Moscow, he became ill and had to pause his journey to recover. It was during that unplanned stay that he discovered his luggage and passport had been tampered with, and he found himself needing to replace missing passport pages before he could continue on his way.

Rather than let the setback defeat him, Robert made the best of it, using the delay as a chance to visit extended family outside Moscow. Then, on January 17, 2022, as he traveled back toward the city to have his passport repaired at the United States Embassy, he became violently ill once again and was accosted by a policeman at a rail station. What a sick man needs at such a moment is help. What Robert received instead was a police baton.

According to the account maintained by his supporters, the police struck him and hauled him to a station rather than to a doctor. He was vomiting and falling, most likely, they say, from a concussion. As officers tried to restrain the disoriented and gravely ill man, his leg accidentally struck one officer’s shin. That single involuntary contact, from a man who could barely stand, became the seed of everything that followed. Prosecutors took him into custody and began to build against him a series of vague and escalating charges.

He was ultimately sentenced to four and a half years, and this despite the fact that the unharmed officer himself has stated Robert should not be charged for the kick. It is worth pausing on the sheer injustice of that fact: the very person supposedly assaulted has said there should be no case, and yet the case not only proceeded but became the foundation for years of imprisonment.

A Sentence That Would Not Stop Growing

Had the matter ended with that first questionable conviction, it would already have been a hard fate. It did not end there. Since his detention began in 2022, Robert’s sentence has been extended again and again through fresh convictions for alleged assaults on prison officials, bringing his total to ten years.

His advocates describe the mechanism plainly: in prison, Robert was goaded into new confrontations through provocations, forced drugging, and outright torture, including forced exercise for sixteen hours and six months in an extreme punishment cell. Each engineered incident became the pretext for a new charge, and each new charge became the justification for keeping him locked away longer. The cell becomes a trap that manufactures its own extensions. This is a recognized tactic: draw an American into the system, then pile on unfounded charges to keep him there.

An Eerie Familiarity

Those who have followed the fate of Americans in Russian custody will feel an unsettling sense of recognition. The profile of Robert’s case bears a striking resemblance to that of Trevor Reed, another former Marine who unexpectedly blacked out and was then charged with striking a police officer, a case that many came to believe had been staged from the beginning. Reed was eventually brought home in a prisoner exchange.

The pattern, once seen, is difficult to unsee. A foreign government acquires custody of an American, escalates the charges through provocations inside the prison walls, and thereby converts an ordinary person into a valuable chip, to be cashed in at a moment of Moscow’s choosing. His advocates fear he is being sentenced toward a point where his only path out will be inclusion in some future swap between Washington and the Kremlin.

The Real Story of Americans in Russia

To understand Robert’s case, one has to understand the larger pattern into which it fits. For years, Russia has practiced what analysts openly call hostage diplomacy. The mechanism is grimly simple: Russian authorities find an American and make an arrest, and the basis for that arrest hardly matters. The names of others caught in the same machinery are by now familiar to many Americans, among them Brittney Griner, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Ksenia Karelina, and Trevor Reed. Once a person is inside the Russian system, Moscow can add charges at will, lengthen the sentence at will, and hold the prisoner as leverage for an eventual trade with Washington.

That is precisely what has happened to Robert. The torture and the endless provocations he has endured are not random cruelties; they are the instruments by which his sentence is extended, engineered so that the only way he goes home is through a trade.

The Shadow of the Ukraine War

Two further facts about Robert’s case deserve to be understood together. The first is a matter of timing. He was arrested in January 2022, in the very weeks leading up to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which tracks wrongful detentions around the world, has reported an uptick in exactly this kind of arrest in Russia beginning in late 2021 and early 2022, on the eve of the invasion. Robert appears to have been swept up in that surge.

The second fact is a matter of grim comparison. Robert is the third former Marine to be arrested in Russia. Trevor Reed was held for 985 days before his release in April 2022. Paul Whelan was held for 2,043 days before his release in August 2024. Robert has now been held for more than 1,600 days, with no end in sight.

His family’s engagements with the State Department and the National Security Council have left them with the understanding that officials on both the Russian and American sides are prepared to make an exchange, but are waiting on progress toward peace in Ukraine. In the meantime, Robert waits too. His Massachusetts congressional delegation, Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Seth Moulton and Lori Trahan, wrote on his behalf first to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and more recently to Secretary Marco Rubio. And still the family waits.

On this fourth anniversary of Robert’s arrest, the Gilman family’s plea is that President Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff not make Robert’s freedom hostage to the pace of the Ukraine negotiations. As the President himself has declared, the freedom of Americans held in Russia must be a national priority. For Robert Gilman, sick and far from home, that priority cannot come a day too soon.

A Call for Compassion

Whatever one concludes about the tangled proceedings against him, the human being at the center of this story deserves to be seen as more than the sum of his charge sheet. He was a Marine, a teacher, a protector to his sister, ‘Captain America’ to the students who adored him. He has now spent years in conditions that would test the composure of any human being, watching his sentence grow rather than shrink, becoming both a prisoner and a pawn.

As the diplomatic machinery grinds on and the appeals wind through Russian courtrooms, one hopes that those with the power to bring him home will not lose sight of the person waiting at the end of all these proceedings: a sick man in a hospital bed, far from home, far from everyone who loves him, whose plight deserves not our judgment but our compassion. The Gilman family remains hopeful that Robert will not be left behind again. That hope deserves to be shared, and to be answered.

South Korea is preparing to create a new national investment fund using tax revenue generated by the country’s booming semiconductor industry, with the goal of helping younger generations afford housing, create businesses and find jobs while strengthening the nation’s artificial intelligence leadership.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik outlined the proposal during a high-level government policy meeting, saying the extraordinary tax revenue generated by South Korea’s world-leading chip industry should be invested in the country’s future rather than absorbed into routine government spending.

“We must not spend this money carelessly,” Kang said while describing what officials have called a Future Response Fund.

The proposal would direct additional tax revenue generated by record profits at semiconductor leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix into long-term national investments.

Government officials said the fund would help finance artificial intelligence development, semiconductor infrastructure, startup financing, youth employment initiatives and housing programs targeted at younger South Koreans.

The plan remains under development, with details expected to be reviewed during upcoming fiscal strategy meetings before legislation is introduced.

South Korea’s semiconductor industry has experienced unprecedented growth as worldwide demand for artificial intelligence hardware continues accelerating.

Memory chips produced by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have become essential components inside AI servers and advanced data centers, producing record earnings and significantly increasing corporate tax revenue.

Officials have not announced the final size of the proposed fund.

However, Korean media estimates suggest the additional semiconductor-related tax revenue could total 50 trillion to 70 trillion won, creating one of the country’s largest long-term investment vehicles.

The proposal accompanies an even broader national strategy to strengthen South Korea’s semiconductor leadership.

The government recently unveiled plans supporting hundreds of billions of dollars in semiconductor investment, including expanded manufacturing capacity, advanced research and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Officials have also discussed funding additional purchases of high-performance graphics processors needed for AI development while encouraging greater investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

The proposal reflects growing concern that the benefits of South Korea’s technology boom have not been shared equally across society.

Although the country’s semiconductor companies have generated enormous profits, younger workers continue facing high housing prices, slower wage growth and a competitive employment market.

Government leaders argue that reinvesting part of today’s semiconductor windfall into education, entrepreneurship and affordable housing could help spread the industry’s long-term economic benefits more broadly.

Not everyone agrees on the best approach.

Some policymakers favor creating a broader sovereign wealth fund that would invest across multiple industries, while others have proposed direct payments to citizens or expanded support for rural communities and startup businesses.

Economists also caution that semiconductor profits remain cyclical.

Global memory-chip prices have historically fluctuated sharply, meaning government revenue generated during today’s AI boom may not remain at current levels indefinitely.

That makes long-term fund management particularly important if policymakers hope to sustain future investments during weaker market cycles.

For businesses, the proposal demonstrates how governments increasingly view artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing as strategic national assets rather than simply private industries.

Countries around the world are expanding public investment to strengthen domestic chip production, secure AI supply chains and improve long-term competitiveness.

South Korea’s proposal seeks to accomplish both goals simultaneously—supporting future economic growth while helping younger generations participate more fully in the country’s expanding technology economy.

If approved, the fund would become one of the most significant examples yet of a government using AI-driven corporate tax revenue to finance long-term national development.

JBizNews Desk | Seoul
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Asian stock markets were trading sharply higher on Friday, July 10, after Micron Technology said it would lift spending on new U.S. plants to $250 billion to meet demand from the artificial-intelligence boom, and as South Korea’s SK Hynix prepared for its U.S. market debut. South Korea’s Kospi had climbed about 3.5% to 7,545.51 by 11:20 a.m. in Seoul, according to Korea Exchange data, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose roughly 1.7% to trade near 68,900. Both markets were still open as this was written.

The move marked a second straight winning session for the two markets and a sharp recovery for Seoul, which had tumbled nearly 8% on Thursday when fears over stretched AI valuations sparked heavy foreign selling. The rebound followed Wall Street’s overnight gains, where the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.3%, the S&P 500 added 0.81% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 139 points.

Semiconductors are doing the heavy lifting. Micron’s commitment to a quarter-trillion dollars of U.S. capacity handed the whole memory-chip complex a lift, and traders across the region are watching SK Hynix’s U.S. listing, which priced at $149 a share and was reported more than seven times oversubscribed — one of the largest first-time foreign offerings on record. In Seoul, Samsung Electronics rose about 3.8% and parts affiliate Samsung Electro-Mechanics jumped 6.4%. In Tokyo, memory maker Kioxia advanced more than 4% and technology investor SoftBank Group surged close to 7%, pushing past the 60,000-yen mark.

The other tailwind is easing geopolitical risk. A U.S. official said late Thursday that Washington remains committed to a resolution with Iran, with technical talks continuing and regional mediators pushing to revive a nuclear deal. That cooled the war premium that had gripped markets this week, kept oil in a narrow range, and reassured investors that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would keep moving despite the recent exchange of strikes. With the immediate energy-shock fear receding, money rotated back into risk assets.

Japan’s session carried a second storyline in bonds and currencies. The yen firmed and the 10-year Japanese government bond yield pulled back from a three-decade high after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tokyo would explore steps to encourage the country’s giant public pension fund, the GPIF, to hold more domestic assets. Adding to the backdrop, Japan reported that June producer prices rose 7.1% from a year earlier, the fastest pace since 2023 and above forecasts, keeping the Bank of Japan on track toward another rate increase.

Market movers: SoftBank Group was the standout in Tokyo, up nearly 7%, while Kioxia and SK Hynix both gained on the memory-demand story. On the downside, chip-equipment supplier Tokyo Electron slipped, a reminder that the rally is concentrated in memory names rather than the whole sector. On the calls, Goldman Sachs told clients that Nvidia looks compelling at about 21.7 times forward earnings after a product-delay scare faded, and Citigroup kept a $75 base-case forecast for Brent crude in the third quarter, betting on a U.S.-Iran deal and a reopened Hormuz.

Commodities and volatility: Crude held steady in Asian hours, with Brent hovering in the high $70s after this week’s spike, as the absence of fresh escalation calmed nerves. Gold traded near $4,133 an ounce and silver around $59 after a soft stretch earlier in the week, pressured by expectations that the Federal Reserve may keep rates high. Wall Street’s fear gauge, the VIX, closed near 16 on Thursday, well below the level that signals real stress, pointing to a market that is watchful but not panicked.

The near-term test comes when SK Hynix actually begins trading in New York. A strong debut could extend the semiconductor rally across Asia into the back half of the year; a weak one would revive the valuation worries that hammered Seoul just a day earlier. Investors are also looking ahead to the Fed’s rate meeting late this month, where sticky inflation and higher energy costs have put at least one more increase back on the table. For now, with chips leading and the Iran risk fading, Asia is ending its week on the front foot.

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

Palm Beach, Florida, officially renamed its airport after US President Donald Trump on Thursday, becoming the latest in a series of institutions, buildings, government programs, warships, and money to adopt the Republican’s identity.

The renaming of Palm Beach International Airport to President Donald J. Trump International Airport was a high-profile nod to the Republican leader’s support in his adopted state of Florida, home to his ornate Mar-a-Lago resort.

“I don’t think there’s anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump in maybe all of Florida,” Trump’s son Eric Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

Trump’s name widely used

Since he took office for a second White House term last year, Trump’s name has been imprinted on a planned ‌class ⁠of Navy warships, a visa program for wealthy foreigners, a government-run prescription drug website and federal savings accounts for children.

He has also pursued an ambitious remaking of Washington. While the Trump name was added ⁠to the United States Institute of Peace building, courts have rejected an attempt to affix it to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March to rename the southeast Florida city’s airport after Trump.

The Federal Aviation Administration three-letter identifier code for the airport was changed from PBI to DJT on Thursday. But passengers will need to use PBI to book flights until August 18, the airport said on its website, when it will be reflected on baggage tags, tickets and airline reservation systems.

The airport said the name change cost $5.5 million.

Eric Trump and his family were aboard the first flight to land at the newly named airport in the pre-dawn hours on a private plane.

“There’s no way in hell I was letting UPS be the first plane to land,” Eric Trump said in an interview with “Fox & Friends.”

JetBlue Airways is the largest carrier in Palm Beach and, along with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines operates about two-thirds of flights.

Other US airports have been named for politicians, including Little Rock, Arkansas’s airport after former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but it retained the LIT airport code.

Other airports have been renamed after former lawmakers, including in Las Vegas and San Jose, California. 

This post was originally published on here.