The U.S. military launched a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Monday under orders from President Donald Trump, with American forces targeting military assets linked to Tehran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began at 4:45 p.m. ET.

“At 4:45 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM said. “These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

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The targets include Iranian coastal surveillance systems, as well as drone and missile capabilities.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the United States is working to eliminate Iran’s ability to threaten the strategic waterway.

“We’re attacking them tonight, and we’re taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the strait, with the Hormuz Strait, and I think in the end we will end up just controlling the whole thing,” Trump said.

Asked how long he expects the war to continue, Trump replied, “I think it’s going very fast. We’ve demolished their military.”

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Trump described the latest operation as a “military skirmish” rather than a prolonged war, while acknowledging that Iranian forces “are going to fight for a while.”

“We have to do what we’re doing,” Trump said. “We’ve cut down their capability very substantially, but they’re going to fight for a while.”

The president also downplayed the length of the conflict, noting, “We were in Vietnam for 19 years. We’re here for four months, so I think we’ve done a lot.”

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Trump said he still believes a negotiated settlement is possible but suggested an agreement is not imminent.

“You have to get people that want to make something,” he said. “We had a deal with them two days ago, and then they said, ‘Oh, we can’t make that deal. We have to negotiate it further.'”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Bethel Church Road – Scheduled Roadwork & Detours

Location: Bethel Church Road (from South New Prospect Road to the Howell Township border)

Effective Date: July 20, 2026

Construction is scheduled to begin on July 20, 2026 (weather permitting) as Jackson Township moves forward with important roadway and pedestrian safety improvements on Bethel Church Road.

Sidewalk construction and related improvements are expected to take approximately 6–8 weeks, weather permitting.

The contractor will begin at the east end of the project near the Howell Township border and progress west toward South New Prospect Road.

During this phase, motorists should expect the following traffic patterns:

Alternating Traffic

• From Claridge Drive to the Howell Township border.

Eastbound Traffic Detour

• From South New Prospect Road to Claridge Drive.
• Westbound traffic will be maintained.

Please Note: To minimize congestion and prevent backups at the South New Prospect Road intersection, these traffic patterns and detours are subject to change at the discretion of the Jackson Township Police Department Traffic Safety Unit.

Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes while work is underway. An enclosed map shows the detour route available for drivers wishing to avoid the construction area.

Roadway milling and repaving will follow in the fall. During that phase of the project, both directions of traffic will be detoured overnight to allow crews to work safely and efficiently while minimizing impacts to the traveling public. The Township will provide additional updates as that work approaches.

Please follow the Jackson Township Police Department for the latest traffic advisories, road closure notices, detour information, and construction updates.

Two residents of Bnei Brak were detained Monday after illegally entering the Palestinian city of Shechem (Nablus), which is designated as Area A and off-limits to Israeli citizens.

According to Israel Police, the two men were located by IDF forces as they were leaving the city. They were detained and transferred to the Ariel Police Station for questioning.

Police said the investigation revealed that this was not the first time the pair had entered Shechem in violation of the law.

Following the investigation, the two were brought before a court, which ordered their release under restrictive conditions. Their vehicle was also impounded for 60 days in accordance with Israeli law.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Wheat futures climbed again Friday as traders prepared for two closely watched U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports while continuing to monitor Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign targeting Russian energy and logistics infrastructure around the Black Sea.

In early Chicago trading, September soft red winter wheat rose about 13 cents to nearly $6.33 per bushel, while Kansas City hard red winter wheat gained roughly 16 cents, approaching $6.70 per bushel. The widening premium for hard wheat—a key ingredient in bread flour—highlighted growing concern over tightening supplies of higher-quality milling wheat.

Lowest U.S. Wheat Acreage in More Than a Century

The rally has been driven by both domestic and international developments.

The USDA’s June 30 Acreage Report estimated U.S. wheat plantings at 42.74 million acres, the smallest area recorded since the department began tracking the crop in 1919.

Markets are now awaiting Friday’s Crop Production Report and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE). According to a Wall Street Journal survey of analysts, U.S. wheat production is expected to total approximately 1.52 billion bushels, down from 1.56 billion bushels projected in June and potentially the smallest harvest since 1970.

Persistent drought across the Southern Plains has significantly reduced this year’s hard red winter wheat crop, tightening supplies of premium milling wheat.

Ukraine’s Drone Campaign Adds Global Risk

At the same time, geopolitical concerns continue supporting wheat prices.

Ukraine’s military reported additional long-range drone strikes overnight targeting Russian refineries and infrastructure connected to the Sea of Azov, extending attacks that have increasingly affected Russia’s energy sector.

Officials in Kyiv have estimated substantial disruptions to portions of Russia’s refining capacity, while Western officials have also noted growing impacts on fuel production and logistics.

Although the attacks have primarily targeted energy infrastructure, they have also increased concerns surrounding Russian Black Sea export operations.

Russia Remains the World’s Largest Wheat Exporter

One of the market’s biggest concerns centers on Novorossiysk, Russia’s largest grain export terminal.

The Black Sea port handles roughly 20% of Russia’s grain exports, including large volumes of wheat shipped to buyers across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Previous drone attacks near the port have prompted sharp market reactions even without confirmed disruptions to grain shipments.

Commodity traders note that perceived risks to Russian exports can quickly ripple through global wheat markets and, over time, influence the cost of flour, bread and other grain-based foods worldwide.

Large Global Harvest Limits the Rally

Despite rising geopolitical tensions, several factors continue limiting wheat’s upside.

Russian agricultural analysts continue projecting a large domestic harvest this season, with consultancy SovEcon recently increasing its Russian export forecast to 46.5 million metric tons.

Russia has already begun harvesting across multiple regions, with production running ahead of last year in several growing areas.

Australia is also expected to produce another strong wheat crop, helping offset tighter U.S. supplies.

Those large global harvests have repeatedly slowed wheat rallies as buyers remain confident adequate world supplies will remain available.

Volatility Likely to Continue

Analysts say wheat prices are currently balancing two competing forces: historically tight U.S. production and abundant export supplies from other major producers.

Much of this week’s advance also reflected short covering, as traders who had previously bet on lower prices bought back positions amid deteriorating U.S. crop prospects and rising geopolitical tensions.

For food manufacturers, grain processors, bakers and grocery retailers, the outlook points to continued volatility rather than a sustained one-directional trend.

Friday’s USDA reports are expected to provide the next major catalyst for grain markets, but developments surrounding the Black Sea conflict are likely to remain an important driver of global wheat prices throughout the summer shipping season.

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

Senator Lindsey Graham was a great American patriot. He was a freedom fighter. He was a throwback to an older Republican party that shunned isolationism and understood that America must never retreat from its friends, its allies, or the cause of freedom.

He was a great friend of Israel at a time when far too many in American politics are turning away from Israel. And even retreating to a hateful bigoted antisemitism, that is plaguing the socialist leaning Democratic party today, and even I say with regret, infiltrating some extreme elements in the GOP.

On this and most things regarding foreign policy, Graham knew the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. He passed away Saturday. But he would not have been happy with the events that transpired Sunday in the Middle East.

Here’s how President Trump, a dear friend of Lindsey Graham’s, reported to Fox & Friends this morning: “So something that nobody knows. Yesterday they had an 11-hour meeting. Everything’s 11 hours with these guys. You know, you can’t settle one sentence in one hour and one minute. It should be one minute. And everything was agreed to yesterday.” 

Mr. Trump added: “And they leave the room and they call back and they say we had to make a couple of changes. They got to make changes. We’re not going to make changes. Always changes. They just, you know, they’re professional negotiators. That’s all they are. I don’t even call them good at it. They haven’t gotten anything from me.”

If I understand the chronology here, yesterday meaning Sunday, according to Mr. Trump, there was an 11-hour meeting with Iran of course, and everything was agreed to. Presumably that means opening up the Hormuz Strait, and denuclearizing Iran, and moving the enriched Uranium out of that country. Then, the Iranians walk out of the room shortly after, call back and say we have to make some changes.

The next thing you know — we’re still on yesterday, Sunday — the Iranians hit an oil tanker in the Strait, and then proceeded to bomb Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Six of our Gulf allies.

Presumably these decisions were made within an hour or two, after this 11-hour meeting agreement that turned out to be a complete lie. Which of course that’s what the Iranians do, they lie. It’s the nature of their immoral, gruesome, barbaric, Nazi-like regime.

Now, in response to that, as I understand the chronology here, reported by Mr. Trump, the commander-in-chief has decided the United States will become the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz, and restore the naval blockade on Iranian ports for Iranian ships. And later today, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that he will be making a Speech to the Nation on Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern. Somehow it seems that the American response to Iran’s warfare escalation should be greater. Now we may hear about that Thursday evening, but not tonight.

And by the way, in addition to Iran’s repeated violation of the ceasefire, and the memorandum of understanding, by bombing oil tankers and our Gulf state allies and American military bases, our satellite pictures have discovered that Iran appears to be using the roughly $5 billion worth of oil sales given to them prematurely, to rebuild their nuclear installations at Pickaxe and Parchin Mountains.

To be sure, we bombed them heavily in recent days. And that’s important. And to be sure when you cross a red line with Mr. Trump, you will pay for it. Yet I would think the late Senator Graham would want even bigger strikes at Iran right now, this evening.

And perhaps those bigger strikes are in fact coming. I hope so. I knew Lindsey down through the years. I loved his wickedly hilarious sense of humor. And the good work he did as the budget chairman on one, big, beautiful bill last year. 

By the way Senator Ron Johnson, a free market supply-sider, may well become the next Senate budget chairman. Wouldn’t that be something. Graham also defended Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his September 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. He was not really an economic guy, and I never agreed with him and his gang of eight bipartisan attempts to solve immigration, or climate change, or other domestic matters. Yet when it came to defending America, and our allies, and the freedom that has made this the greatest country in the history of history, my hat’s off to the late senator, Lindsey Graham.

Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been selected to temporarily fill his U.S. Senate seat, with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announcing Monday that she will serve until the current term expires in January.

Speaking at a Statehouse news conference, McMaster said Nordone would complete the remainder of her brother’s term. A source familiar with the appointment, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said she is expected to be sworn into office on Wednesday. Her appointment will make her the first woman ever to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

“It is such an honor,” Nordone said. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”

Graham, who died over the weekend at the age of 71, never married and had no children. Throughout his political career, however, Nordone remained one of his closest confidantes, frequently accompanying him to major campaign events and even appearing in campaign advertisements.

The siblings shared an especially close bond dating back to their youth. After the death of their parents, Graham assumed responsibility for raising his younger sister and later became her legal guardian. Earlier this year, she stood beside him—joined by her children and grandchildren—as he officially filed paperwork for what would have been his reelection campaign.

Voters will head to the polls next month to choose the Republican nominee for the special election to fill Graham’s seat. Before his death, Graham had been seeking a fifth term in the Senate.

The unexpected vacancy has immediately set off intense maneuvering among South Carolina Republicans, with several high-profile conservatives now considering bids for the coveted Senate seat.

The race comes just after Republicans concluded a hard-fought gubernatorial primary. State Attorney General Alan Wilson emerged as the nominee after defeating a crowded field that included Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace, and Rep. Ralph Norman. In the wake of Graham’s death, several of those same figures are now weighing Senate campaigns.

Under South Carolina law, candidates will have one week to file for the special Republican primary beginning on July 21, the second Tuesday following Graham’s death.

The special primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a runoff, if necessary, slated for Aug. 25.

Whoever captures the nomination will then have just over two months to campaign before the Nov. 3 general election.

The accelerated election calendar could create legal complications because federal law requires military and overseas absentee ballots to be distributed at least 45 days before a federal election. For the special primary, that deadline would already have passed on June 27. Federal election officials did not immediately clarify how that conflict would be addressed.

Graham died Saturday evening. According to a preliminary report from the medical examiner, the cause of death was an aortic dissection, a tear in the wall of the aorta.

Within hours of the announcement of his death, speculation was already swirling throughout South Carolina Republican circles over who might ultimately succeed him. Because the general election is so close, McMaster’s appointee could enjoy an advantage heading into the special primary, although it is also possible the governor intended the appointment simply as a temporary caretaker.

One frequently mentioned possibility had been Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who has served alongside McMaster for nearly eight years and received his endorsement in this year’s gubernatorial race before losing the June 23 runoff to Alan Wilson.

A source familiar with Evette’s thinking said she has been encouraged by supporters across the state and believes she would be a strong contender in the special primary.

Political observers believe it is unlikely that a sitting member of the U.S. House would be appointed to finish Graham’s current term because Republicans hold only a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Joe Wilson, whose name surfaced as a possible replacement, said he assured President Trump on Sunday that “my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!”

That does not rule out House members seeking the full Senate term. A person familiar with Rep. Nancy Mace’s deliberations said she is seriously considering entering the race. Mace is not seeking another term in the House.

Another Republican whose name has surfaced is Rep. Russell Fry, a two-term congressman representing the rapidly growing Myrtle Beach region who has become one of President Trump’s strongest allies in Congress.

Businessman Mark Lynch, who unsuccessfully challenged Graham in the Republican primary, is also viewed as a potential candidate. In addition, sources close to former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said he is weighing whether to enter the race.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who lived in South Carolina before joining the Trump administration, has also received inquiries about the Senate seat. However, according to a person familiar with private discussions, Bessent has no interest in running and is content serving in the administration.

Although Democrats have struggled to win statewide races in South Carolina for decades, Republicans are treating the contest seriously despite the state’s strong GOP advantage. Graham won reelection in 2020 by defeating Democrat Jaime Harrison by 10 percentage points.

While history suggests Republicans remain favored to retain the seat, party leaders continue to assess what is shaping up to be a highly competitive primary.

On the Democratic side, Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews secured her party’s nomination last month. Federal campaign filings show she has raised more than $8 million and had nearly $3 million in cash available at the end of May. Graham’s campaign had raised approximately $6 million and held just over $4 million before his death.

In a statement issued Sunday, Andrews urged South Carolinians to join her “in setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude” to Graham for his years of public service.

Jaime Harrison, Graham’s Democratic opponent in 2020, also paid tribute, writing on social media that although he and Graham “had our share of political disagreements,” he “always appreciated that even in our fiercest political battles, we could still share a conversation, a laugh, and a mutual respect for South Carolina and the institutions we were both privileged to serve.”

Graham’s passing also leaves a significant leadership void in the Senate, where more than two decades of service had given him substantial influence over committees and legislative priorities.

South Carolina’s other senator, Tim Scott, has served since 2012, far less time than many of the state’s longtime Senate figures such as Fritz Hollings, who served 38 years, and Strom Thurmond, whose tenure lasted 47 years.

Scott, who co-chaired Graham’s reelection campaign, called his longtime colleague “irreplaceable.”

“America lost a statesman, but I lost a friend,” he told ABC’s “This Week.”

New Jersey has begun rolling out new chip-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards designed to reduce benefit theft, and Ocean County recipients can expect to begin receiving the more secure cards in about four weeks, as TLS first reported.

The state Department of Human Services announced today the first phase of the rollout will begin this summer in Cumberland, Essex and Mercer counties, where recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) will receive the new cards as part of a pilot program.

Following the roughly four-week pilot, the department plans to expand the rollout statewide, including to Ocean County.

However, under the rollout plan, any SNAP or WFNJ benefit recipient requesting a replacement EBT card will receive a chip-enabled card immediately upon request, regardless of which county they live in.

Hundreds of Lakewood families were among thousands across the state who had their benefits stolen from them in recent months.

Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha said New Jersey is among only a handful of states transitioning to chip-enabled EBT cards, a move aimed at curbing the growing problem of electronic benefit theft through card skimming.

“Under current federal law, electronically stolen benefits cannot be replaced, leaving families who experience this type of theft without recourse,” Cha said. “The new chip cards provide enhanced security to help prevent that kind of loss in the first place.”

The new cards include several updated security features, including an embedded chip, tap-to-pay capability, an expiration date and a three-digit security code. Officials said recipients should insert or tap the new cards when making purchases rather than swiping them whenever retailers have compatible payment terminals.

EBT skimming occurs when criminals install devices on payment terminals to capture card information and PIN numbers, allowing them to steal benefits from recipients’ accounts. While states were previously authorized to replace stolen SNAP benefits, that federal authority expired in December 2024.

Benefits will automatically transfer to the new cards, which recipients must activate within 90 days of receiving them. Existing cards will remain active for 60 days after the replacement cards are issued. Once activated, cardholders should destroy their old cards.

State officials are also encouraging recipients to continue locking their EBT cards when they are not in use through the ConnectEBT mobile app or the NJFamiliesFirst website, noting that chip technology adds another layer of protection but does not eliminate the need for other security measures.

Retailers that have not yet upgraded their payment terminals to accept chip-enabled EBT cards are being encouraged to contact their point-of-sale providers to update their systems before the statewide rollout is completed.

Electric-aircraft maker Beta Technologies said Friday, July 10, that it completed the first operational flights in the federal government’s electric air-taxi pilot program, using its all-electric plane to carry manufactured transplant organs between airports in Maryland and Virginia. The announcement came in a company release quoting founder and chief executive Kyle Clark, who framed the trips as proof that everyday medical deliveries can move by electric flight at far lower cost.

The flights, which totaled about 275 nautical miles, moved organs produced by United Therapeutics, a longtime Beta customer that has for years looked for faster ways to transport organs intended for human transplant. “Today’s successful missions set the stage for routine medical applications through electric flight at a much lower cost nationwide,” Clark said. The trips were flown with Beta’s ALIA aircraft, the conventional-takeoff model that lands like a regular plane rather than lifting off vertically.

The mission marks the real-world start of a program the industry has been waiting on since the spring. President Donald Trump created the effort through an executive order last year, and the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration announced the first project selections in March. The three-year initiative spans eight projects across 26 states and lets companies fly aircraft that have not yet earned full FAA certification, gathering the operational data regulators need to write permanent rules. Officials had said flights would begin this summer; Beta’s Friday missions are the first to actually get off the ground.

Beta is the most active participant by a wide margin, selected for seven of the eight projects — more than any competitor. That reach is central to the business case Clark has pitched to investors. When the selections were announced, he said the program would let Beta begin aircraft operations a full year earlier than planned, and the stock jumped nearly 12% that day. The company’s projects range from medical equipment runs across Vermont’s Lake Champlain to cargo and offshore energy flights along the Gulf Coast to a dozen operational concepts with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, including one based at a Manhattan heliport.

For the broader industry, the practical appeal is the chance to fly commercially useful missions before certification, which has proven slow and expensive to obtain. Beta’s own eVTOL aircraft — the vertical-takeoff model most people picture when they hear “flying taxi” — is not expected to be certified until 2028. Its conventional-takeoff plane is on track for 2027. The pilot program effectively lets the company build a track record and a customer base in the gap, moving cargo, medical supplies and eventually passengers while the paperwork catches up.

The financial backdrop is far less cheerful than the flight footage. Beta shares have lost roughly half their value since the company’s initial public offering in November, which raised about $1.1 billion. The pain is industry-wide: rivals Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are each down more than a third this year, and the United Kingdom’s Vertical Aerospace has shed 68% of its value. Appetite for the sector has cooled as investors wait for revenue to catch up with the promises, and some companies are tangled in court battles that have pushed timelines further out.

Revenue remains thin for now. Beta earned $35.6 million last year, with government contracts and United Therapeutics historically accounting for nearly all of it. The company has been working to broaden that base — selling its electric motors to other aircraft makers, including a roughly $1 billion motor deal with Eve Air Mobility, and installing charging stations at airports around the country. Customers such as UPS and Air New Zealand have placed firm orders for nearly 300 aircraft worth more than $1 billion, with options for hundreds more, but those deliveries depend on the same certification milestones still years away.

The organ-transport flights point to where the near-term money most likely sits: not glamorous downtown air taxis, but quiet, high-value cargo runs where speed and cost genuinely matter. Hospitals and organ networks operate on tight clocks, and a cheaper, cleaner way to move a transplant across a metro area is a concrete business, not a concept video. Whether that early revenue arrives fast enough to steady Beta’s share price — and the sector’s — is the open question. Friday’s flights answered a different one: after years of promises, the aircraft are finally carrying real cargo for real customers under a federal program built to get them there.

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

The Trump administration on Monday released guidance from several financial regulators reminding banks and credit unions about the credit risks posed by lending to borrowers who aren’t authorized to work in the U.S.

The guidance said that borrowers who aren’t legally eligible to work in the U.S. pose an elevated credit risk because there’s greater uncertainty about their ability to generate income, maintain employment and remain financially stable.

It was issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration, with the agencies urging financial institutions to identify, measure, monitor and control these risks through safe underwriting practices that take it into account.

“President Trump has made restoring integrity to America’s financial system a priority, and Secretary Bessent has provided strong leadership in ensuring that federal financial policy reflects that objective,” Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould told FOX Business in an exclusive statement. “Americans expect their banking system to support lawful business, not facilitate money laundering, or risks associated with criminal illegal immigration.”

The comptroller added that the guidance is based on existing requirements that financial institutions must abide by in their dealings with customers and that a prospective borrower’s work authorization should be part of those considerations.

“Banks already have a responsibility to know their customers and appropriately manage risk. Our interagency guidance reinforces that obligation by making clear that institutions should account for the safety and soundness, compliance, and credit risks associated with serving individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States,” Gould explained.

The agencies’ announcement notes that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a guidance in June that informed financial institutions that they may consider a consumer’s ability to legally work and earn income in the U.S. when making lending decisions around things like mortgage and credit card applications.

CFPB’s guidance explained that the lack of legal authorization to work in the U.S. could lead to changes in a borrower’s income, citing an example in which a credit applicant may be subject to deportation.

It added that information can be derived from a direct inquiry or the consumer’s use of “atypical identification methods, such as an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), typically issued to taxpayers… who lack proof of legal residency.”

The guidance also follows the release of a working paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which the authors noted was a preliminary draft circulated for professional comment, which found that the influx of illegal immigrants between 2021 and 2024 significantly increased housing demand while boosting employment and having little measurable effect on wages.

The Fed economists estimated that unauthorized immigrant worker flows accounted for about 30% of employment growth, roughly 30% of home-price growth and about 20% of rent growth in the average metro area between March 2021 and March 2024.

However, they emphasized that the estimates apply to the average metro area studied and don’t suggest immigration was the sole driver of rising housing costs nationwide.

FOX Business’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — The motorist killed by ICE officers in a Maine shooting Monday was not the target of the warrant the officers were executing, Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Mullin told him.

It’s the second time in a week that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have used deadly force and at least the ninth since President Donald Trump began his immigration crackdown.

Immigrant rights groups identified the man who was killed as a 26-year-old native of Colombia.

King said Mullin told him the officer opened fire after the man tried to use his vehicle as a weapon against officers who were pursuing him in Biddeford, a coastal city roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

“He was in a vehicle — pulled out in the vehicle, and the term the secretary used was ‘weaponized’ the vehicle and was shot by an ICE agent,” King said.

The Maine attorney general’s office, which is investigating along with the FBI and other agencies, said initial statements suggest the motorist was trying to flee in the direction of the agent. The office had said the man was the target of a deportation operation, and the agent who killed him has been placed on leave.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Messages seeking comment were left for ICE and the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Daniel Boucher said he looked out his third-floor window after hearing a “pop, pop, pop” sound and saw a small car “turned 90 degrees to the curb” with an SUV behind it. The driver was wounded and the car started moving down the street until the SUV hit it again, Boucher said.

“His face was bloody. His head was bloody,” Boucher said, getting choked up. “I clearly heard the victim say, ‘I tried to stop’ — clearly heard him say that.”

Boucher said he saw an ICE officer bring a medical bag to where the man was lying before an ambulance and fire truck arrived. At one point, Boucher said, the agent who shot the man walked close to him.

“I was emotional and I just let him have it, and he looked at me and said, ‘He tried to run me over,’ or something to that effect,” Boucher said. “I don’t remember his exact words.”

The man was authorized to work in the US, advocates say
Two advocacy groups, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente!, said the man who was killed was authorized to work in the U.S. and had a Social Security number.

After the shooting, his family contacted the Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, but they aren’t ready to speak publicly about the shooting, said the group’s executive director, Mufalo Chitam.

Mary Hayes, who lives close to where the shooting happened, said the man lived nearby with his wife and daughter.

“I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband’s dead body on the ground,” Hayes told the AP as she held a piece of cardboard with “No ICE Stop ICE” written on it. “I watched a little girl crying with a little pink backpack on because she’s never going to see her father again.”

The Colombian Embassy said it is in contact with U.S. authorities and “working to formally confirm the individual’s identity and nationality.”

Security video but no body-worn camera footage
Cory Poulin, whose family runs a laundromat near the scene, told the AP that security cameras at the business captured footage of the man’s car rolling into the intersection after shots were fired. Other images from the scene showed the car going in circles and bullet holes in its windshield.

He said Maine State Police asked that he not release the footage publicly.

The agents involved in the shooting didn’t have body-worn cameras, King said.

“The question is, what did he do with his vehicle,” King said. “Were officers threatened? Were the threats rising to the level that justified deadly force?

“That’s what this investigation is all about and I certainly intend to stay after it to do everything I can to be sure the investigation is as transparent and thorough as possible.”

Anti-ICE protesters gather near the scene
Dozens of demonstrators critical of ICE and President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown gathered in Biddeford within hours of the shooting.

Amy Goodman, who is from nearby Wells, arrived with a sign that said “Stop Killing Us” and directed it toward police working at the scene.

“Sadly, it’s something we’re seeing a whole lot more often lately, and I’m mad about it,” said Goodman, who was wearing a shirt that said “ICE is best when crushed.”

Police blocked access to the shooting scene, which is in a neighborhood of mostly multifamily homes, churches and businesses. Several protesters stood nearby, with some holding signs condemning ICE’s presence in the community and state.

“We are grieving, we are furious, and we will not allow his death to be treated as routine or inevitable,” Chitam said. “How much more harm must our communities endure before those with the power to act acknowledge that this has gone too far?”

A recent uptick in Trump’s immigration crackdown
On July 7, an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Salgado Araujo, of Houston, after federal agents driving unmarked vehicles pursued him while he was taking his construction crew to a job site.

The shootings come amid a Trump administration push to carry out its mass deportations agenda. During the five-day period at the end of June, ICE arrested more than 10,000 people.

The figures indicate that while the administration is no longer cracking down on individual cities, the arrests are surging. The administration’s enforcement efforts were widely condemned last winter after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota.

“More than anything else, I want to know, ‘Why are you in Maine?’” Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said in a video on social media.

Hundreds of Maine ICE arrests since Trump’s return
ICE had a significant presence in Maine earlier this year, which prompted several protests.

The Homeland Security Department named the operation “Catch of the Day,” an apparent play on Maine’s seafood industry, like it did for “Metro Surge” in Minnesota and “Midway Blitz” in Chicago.

Immigration officials said in late January that they had ceased “enhanced operations” in Maine after hundreds of arrests.

A Homeland Security spokesperson said at the time that some Maine arrests were of people “convicted of horrific crimes” including aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.”

Court records show that while some had felony convictions, others had unresolved immigration proceedings or had been arrested but never convicted of a crime.

ICE arrested 546 people in Maine between the start of Trump’s second term and March 11, 2026, the most recent data available, according to ICE arrest data provided to the University of California, Berkeley Deportation Data Project and analyzed by the AP.

About 45% of those arrested had criminal backgrounds. During the equivalent 416-day period before Trump took office, roughly 69% of those arrested had criminal backgrounds, the data show.

Dozens of Russian intelligence officers expelled from Western countries following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have resurfaced in Japan under diplomatic and commercial cover, turning the country into a key hub for acquiring sensitive technology for Moscow’s war machine, according to a New York Times investigation.

At the center of the network is a covert unit of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, known as the 20th Directorate. Current and former officials from five Western intelligence agencies told the newspaper that officers from the unit pose as diplomats and businessmen, purchasing or stealing sensitive technology for battlefield use and transferring it to Russia through shipping companies and third countries.

According to the officials, the unit existed before the war in Ukraine but became a central part of the Kremlin’s procurement effort after the invasion, seeking microchips, transmitters, weapons-manufacturing machinery, and advanced components whose export to Russia has been banned.

The operation in Tokyo is reportedly led by Maksim Vladimirovich Pilchenkov, a 49-year-old GRU officer officially employed by Russia’s state-owned airline Aeroflot. His office is located on the 22nd floor of a tower in central Tokyo, about a 10-minute walk from Japan’s National Police Agency headquarters. Pilchenkov arrived in Japan in February 2024, after previously serving there, and allegedly used his experience to establish relationships with shipping companies transporting goods from Japan to Russia.

The investigation states that GRU officers have used Aeroflot positions as intelligence cover for decades. Although Aeroflot has largely ceased operating flights to Japan because of difficulties obtaining spare parts and services, its local partners continue shipping cargo through countries where Aeroflot still operates, including Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan, before the goods are forwarded to Russia.

One of those partners is Japanese logistics company Proco Air, which describes itself as a “bridge between Japan and Russia.” According to Western intelligence officials, such shipping arrangements are essential to the 20th Directorate because the equipment only needs to reach a third country willing to resell or transfer it to Russia.

The report says Japan is the world’s largest exporter of some of the sensitive dual-use technologies Russia is seeking. It adds that Vietnam has become the largest destination for sensitive Japanese technology while simultaneously becoming the largest exporter of those same types of products to Russia.

Takehiko Miki, owner of Proco Air, said he met Pilchenkov in 2018 but only began working closely with him after his return to Tokyo in 2024. Miki denied knowingly assisting Russian intelligence and said his company ships only permitted goods, primarily medical equipment and cosmetics. However, a shipping document he provided to the newspaper showed medical equipment sent to Russia via Sri Lanka in March, and an unsuccessful attempt to conceal the recipient’s name revealed it was Russian pharmaceutical company R-Pharm.

While R-Pharm itself is not under sanctions, its founder, Alexey Repik, has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia because of his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his support for Russia’s war effort. Proco Air has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and Miki said Japanese authorities have never contacted him regarding the shipments.

According to estimates by the Ukrainian government cited in the investigation, about 90% of the Russian missiles and drones examined contained Japanese-made components. After a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck a residential building in Kyiv in May, killing at least 24 people, investigators found that its guidance system contained a Japanese computer module despite export restrictions.

Ukraine has repeatedly provided Japan with evidence that Japanese components are being used in Russian weapons. In April 2025 alone, at least eight diplomatic letters were sent to Japan’s Foreign Ministry containing photographs and lists of electronic circuits, transmitters, and microchips recovered from Russian missiles and military equipment. At least eight additional letters were sent later that year.

The documents identified components made by Panasonic, Toshiba, and NEC. However, investigators found no evidence that the companies knowingly supplied products to Russia. The companies denied violating export restrictions, while NEC said the components identified were older models that had not been sold by the company for years.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said it has warned companies about attempts to circumvent sanctions and has blacklisted dozens of foreign firms. Western governments have also shared intelligence with Tokyo regarding Russian procurement networks and companies suspected of helping transfer prohibited technology.

Despite those efforts, Japanese authorities have taken no action against Pilchenkov. According to the investigation, Japan has long been regarded as a “paradise for spies” because of weak espionage laws and restrictions placed on its intelligence services after World War II. The report also notes that Japan does not have an independent foreign intelligence agency.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has begun expanding Japan’s intelligence capabilities and export controls. In January, Tokyo police exposed a Russian intelligence officer posing as a Ukrainian who allegedly attempted to steal trade secrets from a Japanese employee. Because Japan lacks a comprehensive espionage law, the Japanese employee was prosecuted under competition laws while the Russian operative had already left the country.

Pilchenkov declined repeated requests for comment from The New York Times. Reporters visited Aeroflot’s Tokyo office on three occasions, but each time were told he was either unavailable or unwilling to speak.

The investigation concludes that although Western countries expelled hundreds of Russian intelligence officers from Europe, Moscow did not abandon their operations. Instead, it relocated many of them to countries with weaker oversight and industries capable of supplying the technology needed to sustain Russia’s war effort.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Netflix is considering one of its biggest strategic shifts since pioneering video streaming, exploring the addition of always-on live channels and subscription bundles with competing streaming services as it looks to increase viewer engagement and strengthen its advertising business.

According to reports from people familiar with internal discussions, Netflix executives are evaluating several initiatives designed to keep subscribers watching longer as competition across the streaming industry intensifies.

Engagement Matters More Than Subscribers

Although Netflix continues to maintain one of the industry’s lowest cancellation rates, executives are increasingly focused on viewer engagement—how much time subscribers spend watching content.

Higher engagement not only reduces customer churn but also increases advertising opportunities on Netflix’s rapidly growing ad-supported subscription tier.

According to Nielsen, Netflix accounted for approximately 7.8% of all U.S. television viewing in April, but executives are reportedly concerned about declining engagement between seasons of original programming and growing competition for consumers’ attention.

A Return to Live Television?

One proposal under consideration would introduce live streaming channels organized by categories such as comedy, drama, documentaries and family programming.

Unlike Netflix’s traditional on-demand model, these channels would continuously broadcast scheduled programming, resembling traditional cable television while giving viewers something to watch immediately without searching through menus.

The format would also create additional opportunities for live advertising and sponsored programming.

Bundling Rival Streaming Services

Netflix is also reportedly evaluating whether to offer subscriptions to competing streaming platforms directly through its own application.

Companies including NBCUniversal’s Peacock have reportedly been discussed as potential partners.

Such a move would represent a major philosophical shift for Netflix, which historically positioned itself as an alternative to traditional television rather than a distributor for competitors.

The approach would resemble strategies already used by Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, both of which sell subscriptions to third-party streaming services through their own platforms.

Building a Broader Entertainment Platform

Netflix has already expanded well beyond movies and television series.

Over the past several years, the company has introduced live sports programming, gaming, short-form video, live comedy events, and partnerships with digital content creators.

The latest discussions suggest Netflix increasingly views itself as a comprehensive entertainment platform rather than simply a streaming service.

Advertising Drives the Strategy

Industry analysts say the initiatives are closely tied to Netflix’s expanding advertising business.

The longer viewers remain inside the Netflix ecosystem, the more advertising inventory the company can sell and the more valuable its ad-supported subscription tier becomes.

As streaming competition continues to intensify, executives appear increasingly willing to rethink long-standing business models in order to maintain growth.

Whether live channels and bundled subscriptions ultimately become permanent features remains uncertain, but the discussions underscore how even the world’s largest streaming platform continues adapting to changing consumer viewing habits.

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

Homebuyers searching for a bargain have made a Pennsylvania port city one of the hottest housing markets in the country.

Erie, Pennsylvania, is situated on Lake Erie and is the home of Pennsylvania’s only Great Lakes port and the community’s affordability and quality of life have helped vault it up the rankings of Realtor.com’s hottest housing markets.

The June edition of the hottest housing markets report ranked Erie second in the country, trailing only Hartford, Connecticut, which topped the list for the second consecutive month. The report gauges demand based on unique views per property on the Realtor.com platform, along with the pace of the market based on the number of days a listing remains active online.

In June, Erie attracted 3.3 times the national average number of viewers per property, while the average listing was sold in just 29 days – the same as Hartford and six days faster than a year ago. By contrast, the median U.S. home was on the market for 53 days before being sold in June.

“The hotness in Erie is largely fueled by significant inventory scarcity,” said Realtor.com senior economist Hannah Jones.

“While other markets have seen some progress in inventory availability, Erie continues to see falling levels of for-sale listings. As a result, the market continues to heat up relative to the rest of the country,” she said.

Erie, which has a population of about 91,000, has a median listing price of $239,000 – a level that’s about $200,000 lower than the national median and is roughly half of Hartford’s.

That made Erie the second most affordable city in the country among the 20 hottest housing markets, behind only Binghamton, New York, which had a median home price of $227,000 last month.

“For buyers looking to be in the Great Lakes region, Erie may be top of the list with appealing quality-of-life amenities and widespread affordability.”

Realtor’s report noted that the Northeast and Midwest continue to dominate the top 20 hottest housing market rankings, with 16 of the high-demand communities being located in the Northeast.

Nationally, median list prices declined 2.5% year over year in June, and pending home sales moved higher for the seventh straight month.

“That combination of falling prices and rising contract signings signals that sellers are meeting buyers where they are,” Jones said. “Sellers who are pricing realistically are being rewarded with engagement.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a pointed response after President Donald Trump declared that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that Iran has repeatedly failed to honor its international agreements.

Trump announced that “Iran systematically violates every agreement it reaches, and therefore the US is taking control of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Responding in a post on X, Araghchi wrote, “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service.”

He added, “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.”

Araghchi ended his remarks with an apparent reference to compensation for securing the vital shipping route, writing, “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

{Matzav.com}

Two Israeli right-wing activists affiliated with the “Halutzei HaBashan” movement crossed into Syrian territory overnight and remained for hours near the outskirts of the Druze town of Khader, according to Hebrew media reports.

The activists are part of a movement advocating for renewed Jewish settlement in areas of southern Syria currently under Israeli military control. The group says it is attempting to establish “facts on the ground” in what it views as a future area for civilian Jewish communities.

The incident comes just one week after another group of activists from the movement spent the night in the Mount Hermon area beyond the international border, also declaring their intention to promote renewed Jewish settlement in the Bashan region.

Founded in April 2025, the movement has repeatedly challenged Israeli authorities by crossing into Syrian territory and calling for permanent Israeli civilian communities in areas captured by the IDF. Similar incidents have included activists occupying a building near Khader on Israel’s Independence Day and other unauthorized crossings into Syrian villages.

A separate movement, known as “Uri Tzafon,” has promoted similar efforts in southern Lebanon, arguing that civilian settlements—not just military buffer zones—are necessary to ensure long-term security for northern Israel.

Israeli security officials have repeatedly condemned the border crossings, stressing that entering the security zone inside Syria is illegal and poses a serious danger. Military officials warn that such actions endanger both the civilians involved and the IDF forces that may be required to rescue them, diverting resources from operational security missions.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Saudi Arabia has conveyed messages to senior U.S. officials in recent weeks indicating it is prepared to resume discussions about joining the Abraham Accords, but only under conditions that are unlikely to be accepted by Israel’s current government, according to a report by *Israel Hayom*.

Citing three sources familiar with the matter, the report says Saudi officials have been holding diplomatic contacts with the White House, State Department, and members of Congress.

According to one of the sources, representatives of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman outlined two key conditions: that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu no longer serve as Israel’s prime minister following the next elections, and that policies advanced by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich in Yehuda and Shomron in recent years be reversed.

The sources said Saudi Arabia believes the two issues are linked, arguing that as long as Netanyahu remains in office, he is expected to continue supporting Smotrich’s policies, making a normalization agreement unlikely.

During the war, Saudi Arabia reportedly explored the possibility of recognizing Israel in exchange for major Israeli concessions on the Palestinian issue, including a declaration by Netanyahu supporting the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu rejected those demands, and the talks did not advance.

The report also states that the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham had been involved in efforts over recent years to promote closer ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Sources familiar with the discussions said many of Saudi Arabia’s demands are intended to advance a broader diplomatic process and may not necessarily represent immediate preconditions for an agreement.

The report further claims Saudi Arabia frustrated President Trump during the conflict with Iran by opposing military plans related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and by refusing to allow the United States to use American bases on Saudi soil for operations against Iran.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic outreach is intended to reinforce its importance as a strategic U.S. partner while promoting a regional diplomatic process aimed at preventing renewed conflict between the United States and Iran.

The Saudi Embassy did not respond to requests for comment.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Meta announced Monday that it is massively expanding its artificial intelligence data center campus in rural Louisiana, a project the company says will become one of the largest AI facilities ever constructed anywhere in the world.

The expanded campus, located in Richland Parish in northeastern Louisiana’s Delta region, represents a major step in Meta’s effort to build the computing infrastructure needed to power the next generation of artificial intelligence technologies.

Once completed, the site will deliver 5 gigawatts of computing capacity and bring Meta’s total investment in Louisiana to more than $50 billion.

The expansion was unveiled Monday in Baton Rouge alongside Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. Company officials said the project is expected to generate more than 1,000 permanent jobs while dramatically reshaping the economy of Richland Parish, a rural area with about 20,000 residents.

The announcement highlights Meta’s aggressive push to build out AI infrastructure as competition intensifies across the technology industry.

Led by Meta President Dina Powell, who has directed the company’s AI expansion efforts, Meta has pledged tens of billions of dollars to rapidly increase the computing power required for advanced AI models, generative AI applications, and future artificial intelligence services across its platforms.

The Richland Parish campus has emerged as one of the company’s flagship AI developments, reflecting a broader trend of major technology investments moving beyond traditional innovation centers and into rural communities across America.

Meta said the project has already produced substantial economic gains since construction began in December 2024.

Businesses throughout Louisiana have already secured more than $1.6 billion in contracts related to the development. In addition, Meta plans to spend another $1 billion on roads, water infrastructure, wastewater systems, and other improvements that will benefit the surrounding community.

The project’s financial impact has been especially evident in the local school system. Increased tax revenue generated by the development allowed teachers in Richland Parish to receive annual bonuses of more than $50,000 this year—roughly four times the amount distributed the previous year.

“Last year, our teachers received a $10,000 bonus; this year, that check was over $50,000,” said Richland Parish Superintendent Sheldon Jones.

“It’s life-altering for our teachers and their families, and it’s transforming our schools,” he added.

Beyond tax revenue, Meta has contributed funding to every public school in the parish through direct donations as well as its Data Center Community Action Grants program.

To help build a skilled local workforce, the company is donating $5 million to Louisiana Delta Community College to create scholarships supporting data center workforce training programs.

Starting with the Class of 2026, every Richland Parish high school graduate will qualify for a full scholarship covering any technical course or trade certificate related to data center careers.

The project’s influence is also being felt among local business owners. Tim and Lindsey Allen said they opened their restaurant, Holy Tacos, after Meta revealed plans for the development. Meanwhile, coffee shop owners TJ and Kaycie Weed said their business has grown from a single location serving about 40 customers each day into a three-location operation, with a fourth store scheduled to open this fall.

Meta also announced a new energy agreement tied to the expansion that it says will save Entergy Louisiana customers more than $2 billion over the next 20 years. Those savings come in addition to approximately $650 million already expected under a previous agreement.

The company emphasized that it covers all costs associated with the facility’s electricity, water usage, and related infrastructure, ensuring those expenses are not passed on to utility customers.

As demand for AI computing power continues to soar, Meta’s enormous Louisiana investment illustrates the escalating race among major technology companies to build massive AI infrastructure while showing how projects of this scale can dramatically reshape local economies far from Silicon Valley.

{Matzav.com}

Wall Street closed lower on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he was reinstating a naval blockade on Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a move he laid out in a post on Truth Social that sent crude oil prices sharply higher and drove investors out of technology stocks. Trump said the United States would from now on be known as “The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and would collect a 20% fee on cargo moving through the waterway, reigniting fears of a wider supply shock more than four months into the U.S.-Iran conflict that began in late February.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 138.37 points, or 0.26%, to close at 52,498.64. The S&P 500 dropped 0.79% to 7,515.34, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite sank 1.55% to 25,873.18. Semiconductors led the retreat, while energy shares drew buyers as oil rallied — a continuation of the rotation out of high-flying tech names that has run through much of the summer.

The geopolitical backdrop dominated trading. U.S. Central Command said it carried out its fourth strike in a week against Iran on Sunday, retaliation for an Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship, while Tehran declared the strait closed “until further notice” — a claim Washington rejected. Iran struck back at U.S. allies across the region, including reported attacks on Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar. At the terms Trump laid out, a 20% transit fee would run roughly $32 million for a single supertanker, far above the up-to-$2 million charges Iran had previously imposed. OPEC, meanwhile, trimmed its 2026 oil demand growth forecast to 800,000 barrels a day.

Market movers

Chip stocks set the tone. Shares of SK Hynix tumbled about 9% after a brokerage report suggested the memory maker could fall short of its quarterly profit estimates — a sharp reversal from last week, when the stock soared following its debut on U.S. exchanges. The selling spread to Micron Technology, Seagate Technology, and Sandisk, and reached European names including ASML, Infineon Technologies, and STMicroelectronics. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics slid 10.7%.

Not every call was bearish. Citi raised its price target on Apple to $365 from $315, with analyst Asiya Merchant writing that the company’s pricing power and loyal customer base should offset margin pressure and limit any demand weakness. The new target implies about 16% upside, and Merchant pointed to the iPhone 18 launch in September as a potential catalyst. Apple, which reports earnings July 30, has gained 18% this year. Biogen rose about 5% after Truist upgraded the stock, citing optimism over the drugmaker’s Alzheimer’s pipeline.

On the earnings season ahead, Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research, said second-quarter S&P 500 earnings per share are expected to climb 20.9% from a year earlier, well above the 11.6% average quarterly gain since 2009. He noted the index’s forward price-to-earnings ratio stood at 21.3 times at the end of June, a premium to its 10-year average that leaves little room for disappointment.

Commodities and volatility

Crude was the day’s biggest story. West Texas Intermediate jumped more than 8% to around $77 a barrel, its highest in about a month, while Brent crude climbed toward $79. Tanker traffic through Hormuz — a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil — remained sharply reduced, with maritime trackers reporting only a handful of crossings in recent days. Gold slipped, falling about 1.8% to roughly $4,015 an ounce as the dollar firmed, and the 10-year Treasury yield held near 4.60%. Airlines and other fuel-sensitive shares came under renewed pressure as investors weighed the risk that higher energy costs feed back into inflation.

Attention now turns to key inflation data due later this week and the opening wave of second-quarter corporate results, which will test whether earnings can justify valuations that have climbed alongside this year’s AI-driven rally. Under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, the central bank has held a hawkish line, and traders are watching for any signal on rates as oil’s renewed climb complicates the inflation picture heading into the back half of 2026.

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

GUNNISON, Colo. (AP) — A helicopter helping fight a Colorado wildfire has crashed into a reservoir, killing the pilot, authorities said.

The aircraft was reported down Sunday in the Silver Jack Reservoir and the pilot’s body was recovered by divers. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office identified the pilot as 56-year-old Nicholas Dale of Sooke, British Columbia.

A procession of law enforcement vehicles carried Dale’s body from Gunnison to Grand Junction on Monday. The convoy was greeted by residents who wanted to show their support for the pilot and the thousands of firefighters assigned to blazes burning across the West.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said state flags will fly at half-staff when a memorial service is scheduled for Dale, a contract pilot.

“We are committed to supporting our brave firefighters and their families, and the state stands ready to support any investigation into this tragic incident,” Polis said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft was a Kaman Aerospace K-1200 helicopter that “crashed under unknown circumstances, becoming inverted,” according to its preliminary report. Federal registration data shows the helicopter was owned by Georgia-based Helicopter Express.

The pilot, the only person on board, was assisting firefighters with the 2-week-old Gold Mountain Fire, which has grown to about 57 square miles (148 square kilometers) in southwestern Colorado. It was 11% contained as of early Monday.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, the FAA said in a statement.

Last week, wildland firefighters in Colorado gathered to pay tribute to three of their own who died after they were trapped by flames on the Colorado-Utah border.

Many large fires are still going strong across the West. They are scattered around Colorado, Utah and New Mexico while there are wildfires in eight other states — from Alaska to Arizona.

Prolonged hot and dry conditions this week will bring fire weather concerns, the National Weather Service said.

Many TLS readers have been wondering what JCP&L is doing at the substation on New Hampshire Avenue in Lakewood.

Officials tell TLS the tree clearing is to clean up some storm damage and make some upgrades to the mobile substation that is there.

The full upgrade – which is expected to boost reliability around Lakewood – is still in the planning stages, official said.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Knesset’s plenum passed on Monday the controversial legislation advanced by the charedi parties that will enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in the country’s Basic Law. The bill passed in its final readings with 63 lawmakers in favor and 52 against.

Its passage comes after weeks of threats from haredi party leaders to boycott coalition voting and disrupt the legislative agenda in an attempt to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to rapidly advance a series of charedi-backed bills.

The bill states that “Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.” Israel does not have a constitution. Instead, it has a series of Knesset-legislated basic laws on various subjects that hold a high legal status.

As part of a compromise, the bill was significantly narrowed before being brought to the plenum. Rather than including broader provisions contained in the original draft, the revised version is limited to declaring that Torah study is a fundamental value of the State of Israel, but not explicitly equated to military service.

Despite the changes, legal officials have argued that the bill’s practical impact remains largely unchanged. During committee discussions, the deputy Attorney General said the legislation could still broaden the interpretive tools available to courts in future legal proceedings, even without the provision that was removed.

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman called it “a law that betrays IDF soldiers.” He added, “In the next government, we will repeal this law, strengthen the IDF, and take care of those who serve, not those who evade service.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri welcomed the approval: “For the first time, the Jewish state recognizes the supreme value of the holy Torah and the status of those who study it.”

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel has filed a petition with the Supreme Court against the law, claiming that the law is intended to enshrine military service exemptions in a Basic Law and undermine the principle of equal burden-sharing.

The movement stated that it will work to have the law overturned and to ensure equal enforcement of the Defense Service Law.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid and a group of other opposition party leaders signed a letter ahead of the vote calling on coalition Knesset members to “act responsibly and not vote in favor of legislation that would severely harm the IDF during wartime, in defiance of the dramatic warning issued by the IDF chief of staff.”

“The shameful role of those who support the draft-evasion law will remain forever before the eyes of the citizens of Israel who serve in the military and participate in the workforce,” the letter said.

An undercover operation by Israel Police led to the dismantling of an illegal paid transportation network operating in eastern Jerusalem, with five suspects taken in for questioning.

The investigation, conducted by detectives from the Jerusalem District Traffic Division, focused on the Shuafat Crossing area, where authorities said private drivers had been illegally transporting passengers for payment without the licenses or permits required by law.

As part of the operation, an undercover police officer posed as a passenger seeking a ride and secretly documented drivers accepting cash fares. Investigators said the evidence confirmed the suspects were operating unauthorized transportation services, leaving passengers without the insurance coverage required for licensed commercial transportation.

Once the covert phase concluded, police moved in and detained five drivers, all residents of eastern Jerusalem, for questioning.

Police said they will continue targeting illegal transportation operations, warning that beyond violating the law, unlicensed paid transportation can place passengers at significant risk due to the lack of proper insurance coverage.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Federal student loan borrowers who sign up for the government’s new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) stand to lose two of its most valuable protections the moment they miss a due date, even by a single day, according to loan specialists and U.S. Department of Education rules that took effect this month. Higher-education expert Mark Kantrowitz warned this weekend that a payment even one day late under the plan “will cost you” in benefits that otherwise save borrowers money.

RAP, which became available on July 1, is the newest income-driven repayment option created under the FY2025 reconciliation law signed a year ago. Monthly payments range from 1% to 10% of a borrower’s adjusted gross income, rising with earnings, and any remaining balance is forgiven after 30 years. Nearly 46,000 borrowers have already applied, according to Nicholas Kent, a senior U.S. Department of Education official, who announced the figure on X earlier this month.

The appeal of the plan rests on two features designed to stop loan balances from growing, and both depend on making payments on time. The first is an interest waiver that erases any monthly interest not covered by a borrower’s payment, preventing balances from increasing. The second is a matching principal benefit. If an on-time payment reduces principal by less than $50, the government contributes enough to bring that reduction up to $50. Rich Williams, a former deputy assistant secretary at the department and now an executive at loan-guidance firm Summer, said both benefits disappear for any month a payment arrives late.

What makes RAP particularly strict is how quickly the penalty applies. Kantrowitz noted that older income-driven repayment plans generally include a grace period before a payment is officially considered late, but RAP offers no such cushion. A late payment also does not count toward loan forgiveness under either RAP’s 30-year forgiveness schedule or the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which cancels eligible debt after 120 qualifying payments. Borrowers still receive the plan’s $50 monthly credit per dependent, even if a payment is late, but they lose both the interest waiver and the principal-matching benefit.

There is another potential pitfall. Williams cautioned that borrowers who pay more than the required monthly amount could unintentionally place their loans into “pay ahead” status. That designation may also prevent them from receiving the interest waiver and matching principal benefit. His recommendation is simple: pay exactly the amount due and make sure it arrives on time.

To help borrowers avoid missing payments, the department is encouraging automatic payments by offering an incentive. Enrolling in autopay reduces a borrower’s interest rate by 1 percentage point through June 30, 2028. Borrowers whose income declines are also encouraged to contact their loan servicer promptly so monthly payments can be recalculated before financial hardship leads to missed payments.

The issue reaches beyond individual borrowers. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that nearly 10% of federal student loan balances were 90 days or more delinquent at the end of 2025. Rising delinquencies can damage credit scores and increase borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.

RAP also replaces a far more generous repayment structure for many borrowers. Unlike the previous SAVE plan, RAP requires a minimum monthly payment of $10, with no option for a $0 payment. Consumer advocates, including the Institute for College Access and Success, argue the new system requires borrowers to pay more over a longer period while eliminating several hardship protections. The administration has defended the approach, arguing that even modest monthly payments help borrowers stay engaged with their loan servicers and reduce the likelihood of long-term default.

For the roughly 40 million Americans with federal student loans, the lesson from financial experts is straightforward: under RAP, paying on time is no longer just important—it is essential. Missing a due date by even a single day can eliminate benefits designed to reduce balances and accelerate repayment.

Borrowers considering the switch are encouraged to compare available repayment options through the federal student aid website before enrolling, as repayment history earned under RAP cannot later be transferred to another plan to shorten the path toward loan forgiveness.

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

PARIS (VINnews) – Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s National Rally, has become the favorite to win the country’s next presidential election after a Paris appeals court reduced her ban on holding public office, clearing her path to run in 2027, betting markets and polls indicate.

The ruling, issued July 7, upheld Le Pen’s conviction for misusing European Parliament funds but shortened penalties in a way that made her eligible for the April 2027 vote. Le Pen promptly announced her candidacy and said she would appeal the decision to France’s highest court.

The appeals court reduced Le Pen’s ban on holding public office from five years to 45 months, with much of it suspended and backdated, meaning the effective period had already been served. She was sentenced to three years in prison — two suspended — with the remaining year to be served under house arrest with an electronic ankle tag, along with a 100,000-euro fine. Le Pen has said the appeal suspends the tag requirement, allowing her to campaign freely.

Le Pen, 57, who has run for president three times without success, is now leading or surging in opinion polls. A recent Ifop survey showed her at 36% in the first round, ahead of potential rivals, with projections of victory in a runoff. Polymarket betting odds also shifted sharply in her favor following the court decision.

The development marks a significant boost for the right-wing National Rally, which has gained traction on issues including immigration and national identity. A Le Pen victory would represent a major political shift in France and Europe.

President Trump previously drew parallels between Le Pen’s legal troubles and cases against him, describing actions taken against her as similar to efforts targeting him in America.

Le Pen has denied wrongdoing in the embezzlement case, which involved allegations of diverting EU funds intended for parliamentary assistants to pay party staff. She has vowed to continue fighting the conviction while pressing forward with her campaign.

The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for April 18, 2027, with a potential runoff on May 2. Much could change in the coming months, but Le Pen’s position has strengthened considerably in the wake of the court’s decision.

At 12:01 p.m. Beijing time on July 6, 2026, a Chinese strategic nuclear-powered submarine launched a long-range ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead toward designated international waters in the South Pacific.

According to China’s official account, the missile landed accurately within the designated maritime area. Beijing described the launch as a routine element of its annual military training, conducted safely and in accordance with international law. Yet the precise launch location, flight path, impact coordinates, range, missile type, and submarine class were not publicly disclosed.

Those omissions are important. They are also part of the story.

The United States said it received only a few hours’ notice and insufficient technical information before the launch. Washington argued that the notification fell considerably short of the standards observed by the other recognized nuclear-weapon states. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan also expressed concern about the launch, its limited transparency and its potential effect on regional stability.

The missile carried a dummy rather than a nuclear warhead. Nevertheless, the platform and the capability being demonstrated were inherently strategic. Analysts believe the launch may have involved a Type 094 ballistic-missile submarine and either a JL-2 or the more advanced JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile.

The exact configuration has not been officially confirmed. If it was a JL-3, its estimated range of up to approximately 10,000 kilometers would represent a major increase in China’s ability to hold distant targets at risk while operating closer to protected Chinese waters.

The political timing was equally striking. On the same day, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance in Suva. The agreement established Fiji’s first formal mutual-defense alliance and committed Australia and Fiji to assist one another if either were attacked.

There is no publicly established evidence that China timed the missile test as a direct response to the agreement. Still, the concurrence of the two events captured the changing strategic character of the Pacific: China demonstrating a survivable, sea-based strategic capability while American partners were strengthening their regional network of formal security commitments.

The launch was therefore far more than another weapons test. It was a visible marker of the transition from an international system in which American military predominance was largely assumed to an era of sustained strategic competition between the United States and China.

No longer just about land

That competition is not limited to ships, missiles, or territorial disputes. It extends across the foundations of 21st-century power: artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, computing infrastructure, space systems, energy, autonomous platforms, industrial capacity, and secure supply chains.

For decades after the Cold War, the United States possessed a combination of advantages unmatched by any competitor: the world’s most capable military, a global network of bases, leading technology companies, deep capital markets, a powerful research ecosystem, and an extraordinary ability to project force across continents and oceans.

China has spent more than two decades constructing a long-term strategy to narrow those gaps and, in several fields, to change the terms of competition altogether.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy is now the world’s largest navy by number of battle-force ships. The Pentagon projected that it would reach approximately 395 ships by 2025 and 435 by 2030, not including dozens of smaller missile-armed patrol craft. 

The significance lies not only in fleet size but also in the industrial system behind it: China possesses enormous commercial and military shipbuilding capacity and can construct naval platforms at a scale that the United States and many of its allies currently struggle to match.

China has also developed a dense network of land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, anti-ship systems, hypersonic weapons, space-based sensors, cyber capabilities, electronic warfare systems, and increasingly sophisticated unmanned platforms.

The objective is not simply to replicate the American force structure.

It is to constrain it.

Rather than competing only platform against platform, Beijing has developed an integrated military architecture designed to threaten forward bases, complicate carrier operations, disrupt command networks, and limit an adversary’s freedom of action across the Western Pacific. 

This approach is commonly associated with anti-access and area-denial. But its contemporary form is broader: it combines long-range precision strike, surveillance, space, cyber, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence into a single operational problem for the United States and its allies.

Principal testing ground

The Indo-Pacific has become the principal testing ground for this emerging balance.

China has intensified military activity around Taiwan, including large-scale air and naval exercises, simulated blockade operations and increasingly frequent crossings of previously observed informal boundaries. It has expanded coast guard and maritime militia operations in the South China Sea, pressured the Philippines and other regional claimants, operated carrier groups beyond the First Island Chain and increased naval cooperation and joint patrols with Russia.

The July 6 submarine launch added a nuclear dimension to this pattern.

For decades, the strategic deterrence of the major nuclear powers has rested on the Nuclear Triad: land-based missiles, strategic bombers, and ballistic-missile submarines. Each component serves a different function, but the sea-based element is especially important because of its survivability.

A ballistic-missile submarine hidden beneath the ocean is difficult to locate and destroy. It can preserve a country’s ability to retaliate even if its land-based forces and command infrastructure are attacked. That credible second-strike capability is one of the foundations of stable nuclear deterrence.

China has historically maintained a smaller nuclear force than either the United States or Russia and formally retains a no-first-use policy. However, the scale and sophistication of its nuclear modernization are changing rapidly. The Pentagon assessed that China had more than 600 operational nuclear warheads by mid-2024 and remained on track to exceed 1,000 by 2030.

China is simultaneously expanding its land-based missile silos, mobile launchers, bomber capabilities, and sea-based forces. The July 6 launch should therefore be understood as part of the maturation of a more credible and survivable Chinese Nuclear Triad, not merely as the test of an isolated missile.

Yet the larger strategic lesson extends beyond nuclear weapons and beyond China.

National power in the emerging era will not be measured only by the number or sophistication of military platforms available on the first day of a conflict. It will also be measured by a country’s capacity to absorb shocks, protect critical infrastructure, replenish inventories, secure supply chains, update software, learn from operational experience, and produce improved capabilities throughout a prolonged confrontation.

Strategic resilience

The war in Ukraine exposed this reality with unusual clarity. Precision-guided weapons, artillery ammunition, air-defense interceptors, drones, sensors, and electronic-warfare systems have been consumed at rates that challenged assumptions built during decades of limited wars. Systems that took years to develop and stockpile could be depleted in weeks or months.

The relevant question is therefore no longer only which side possesses the superior weapon at the beginning of a conflict.

The more consequential question is which side can learn, adapt, and manufacture faster by day 100, day 500, and beyond.

This is the essence of strategic resilience.

It also leads to a concept that should become increasingly central to Western security policy: Joint Resilience.

Traditional alliances have often been measured through treaties, troop deployments, military bases, and weapons sales. These remain essential, but they are no longer sufficient. Future alliances must also be capable of creating shared strategic depth before a crisis begins.

Joint resilience means trusted and diversified supply chains, interoperable digital architectures, shared research and development, co-production of critical systems, distributed manufacturing, common data standards, resilient communications, cyber cooperation, and the rapid integration of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

It means moving from a relationship based primarily on transferring completed products to one based on jointly creating, producing, maintaining, and continually improving capabilities.

This is where alliances become a distinctive strategic advantage for the United States.

China possesses immense scale, industrial discipline, and a rapidly modernizing military. But the United States possesses something that cannot be measured solely in ships, missiles, or factories: an extensive network of allies and partners across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East.

The strategic value of that network is not automatic. It must be activated, modernized, and connected. Allies must become more than diplomatic supporters or customers. They should contribute to a resilient, distributed ecosystem of technology, production, intelligence, and operational learning.

Back to Israel

This brings us to Israel.

During the 23 years in which I had the privilege of participating in the development of defense capabilities for the State of Israel, I repeatedly learned that lasting military advantage is never created by technology alone.

It is created by people, trust, shared responsibility, and the ability to build enduring partnerships.

Many of Israel’s most important capabilities were strengthened through deep cooperation with the United States. That relationship has never been based solely on transactions or immediate operational requirements. At its strongest, it has rested on shared values, mutual confidence, and a genuine understanding that each country contributes to the security and resilience of the other.

Israel is geographically small, but its security environment has produced a distinctive innovation model. Operational users, engineers, researchers, defense organizations, and private companies operate within unusually short feedback loops. Battlefield needs can be translated into technological requirements, prototypes, and operational systems with exceptional speed.

Israeli innovation was not born from comfort. It was born from necessity.

In an era in which adaptation speed is becoming a defining measure of national power, that experience is a strategic asset not only for Israel, but for the broader alliance system of the free world.

The United States brings unmatched global reach, industrial depth, resources, research capacity, and scale. Israel brings operational urgency, agility, technological creativity, and the ability to transform emerging problems into deployable solutions.

The next stage of the US-Israel relationship should therefore extend beyond traditional security assistance, procurement, and bilateral development programs. It should become a model of joint resilience: shared development, reciprocal production capacity, protected supply chains, common technological infrastructure, and the ability to accelerate solutions across both defense ecosystems.

China’s submarine-launched missile test in the Pacific was a reminder that the future strategic order is already taking shape.

It will not be determined solely by which country builds the largest fleet, the longest-range missile, or the most advanced individual platform.

It will be determined by which nations can combine technological superiority with industrial endurance, which can learn and adapt under pressure, and which can transform networks of trusted partners into real strategic power.

In this new era, alliances are not merely relationships between nations.

They are a fundamental pillar of deterrence.

This post was originally published on here.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth sharply criticized IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday, questioning the timing of the chief’s letter opposing the temporary order that would freeze criminal proceedings against bnei Torah engaged in Torah study.

Bismuth argued that the chief of staff’s letter was sent to Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu only Sunday night—after the committee had already completed its deliberations and approved the proposed legislation. He noted that the IDF had possessed the draft of the temporary order for approximately three weeks and that military representatives had participated throughout the committee’s discussions on the measure.

Bismuth stressed that the final version of the legislation was formulated in full coordination with officials from the Defense Ministry and even incorporated revisions made at their request. He said the committee took the unusual step of allowing the Defense Ministry to submit two objections after the official deadline had passed, and both were accepted and incorporated into the final draft.

According to Bismuth, the timing of the chief of staff’s letter raises serious questions.

“It is fair to ask why the letter was sent only after the committee had completed its discussions and vote, and why it was published specifically on the very day the bill is expected to come before the Knesset plenum,” he said. “If the goal was to improve the wording of the legislation, the IDF had ample opportunity to do so over the past several weeks.”

Bismuth also maintained that throughout the committee’s hearings, IDF representatives were unable to present a single case in which the arrest of a Torah student ultimately resulted in that individual being drafted into military service. He argued that this reality only strengthens the case for the temporary order approved by the committee.

Israel’s Education Ministry is examining whether to halt millions of shekels in funding to the Secondary School Teachers Association over suspicions that the organization falsely registered approximately 2,000 teachers who were not actually members in order to receive funding for them, Kan News reported.

The review comes amid a public dispute between Education Minister Yoav Kisch and the association’s chairman, Ran Erez. Kisch’s office maintains that the examination began several months ago, while the teachers association claims it is retaliation for its campaign against the minister.

“Ran Erez is once again choosing the path of threats, intimidation and political campaigns on the backs of teachers, while wasting millions of shekels of their money,” the Education Ministry said in response.

“The education minister is committed first and foremost to the teachers, the students and the education system, and will not allow them to be harmed. The school year will open as scheduled,” the ministry added.

The Secondary School Teachers Association said it was unaware of any investigation of any kind and argued that, had such an examination existed, the organization would have been informed before the media.

“It is not surprising that instead of confronting a major campaign over his failed performance and improving his work, the education minister is attempting to misuse his governmental power and seek refuge in false accusations and smears, in the form of an ‘investigation’ that suddenly appears with perfect timing following the campaign, in an attempt to silence the teachers,” the association said.

“The Secondary School Teachers Association operates lawfully, under the constant supervision and oversight of the Education Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Registrar of Associations. There has never been any problem with its reports, which have always received confirmation of proper reporting and sound management,” it added.

Last week, Erez threatened to shut down the high-school education system during the coming school year unless teachers are paid for the June 8 workday during what has been dubbed the “17-hour war” with Iran. The phrase refers to the brief round of fighting with Iran that lasted roughly one day; schools were ordered closed that day, including for remote learning, and the Finance Ministry later instructed that teachers not be paid for it.

At a press conference, Erez sharply criticized Kisch, saying: “It would have been better had he done nothing, because then he would not have caused damage. We are heading to a bad place. There are no teachers, and there is no teacher training. The education minister is engaged in politics and headlines alone. He is the first minister who did not consult with us or speak with us.”

Kisch’s office responded at the time: “After more than 30 years of Ran Erez heading the Secondary School Teachers Association, it is difficult to point to a single significant achievement he secured for teachers. His main legacy is threats, recycled headlines and strikes.”

“Instead of strengthening the status of teachers, he repeatedly chooses low-level discourse, personal smears and unrestrained attacks against every education minister who has served, while turning Israel’s students into hostages in his personal battles and severely harming the continuity of their studies and the education system as a whole,” the minister’s office said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that it plans to engage with the Federal Reserve as the U.S. central bank reviews how it communicates monetary policy, a process that could significantly reshape how financial markets interpret future interest-rate decisions.

Speaking during a media briefing, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said forward guidance has been an effective policy tool, particularly when interest rates were near zero, but added that it is appropriate for central banks to reassess their communication strategies as economic conditions evolve.

Her comments followed remarks made a day earlier by Petya Koeva Brooks, Deputy Director of the IMF’s Research Department, who said the organization is closely monitoring the Federal Reserve’s review and expects to engage with policymakers over the coming months. Brooks emphasized that clear communication remains essential for helping markets understand how central banks evaluate economic developments and respond to changing conditions.

At the center of the discussion is Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, who has moved quickly since taking office in May to reduce the Federal Reserve’s reliance on detailed forward guidance. During his first policy meeting, Warsh supported a shorter post-meeting statement that removed several references to the likely direction of future interest rates. Speaking last week at the European Central Bank’s annual conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warsh argued that central banks should respond to actual economic conditions rather than making commitments based on forecasts that may quickly become outdated.

Warsh’s position reflects a broader shift among global central bankers. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem all expressed reservations about extensive forward guidance during the same conference. Former IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas has also argued that central banks should move away from rigid policy commitments that limit their ability to respond to rapidly changing economic conditions.

The debate extends well beyond central banking circles because forward guidance has become one of the most influential tools shaping financial markets. By signaling likely future interest-rate decisions, the Federal Reserve influences everything from mortgage rates and business borrowing costs to corporate investment decisions and stock valuations. Less guidance means investors, lenders and businesses must rely more heavily on incoming economic data rather than central bank projections.

For businesses, the shift presents both opportunities and challenges. Greater flexibility allows policymakers to respond more quickly when economic conditions change unexpectedly. At the same time, reduced predictability can make long-term planning more difficult for companies making major investments, financing expansion projects or evaluating hiring decisions.

The IMF’s decision to closely follow the Federal Reserve’s review highlights the global significance of the discussion. Changes in how the world’s most influential central bank communicates policy could ultimately influence communication strategies adopted by other central banks around the world, affecting financial markets far beyond the United States.

As inflation, interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty continue shaping the global economy, investors will be watching closely to see whether the Federal Reserve fundamentally changes how it communicates monetary policy—and how markets adapt if the era of detailed forward guidance begins to fade.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

WASHINGTON — July 13, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a sweeping national initiative to accelerate artificial intelligence innovation for Lyme disease, Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), Long COVID, and other invisible illnesses, committing up to $2.5 million across multiple innovation challenges and a nationwide call to action designed to speed diagnosis, improve care, and transform federal open data into real-world healthcare solutions for millions of Americans.

At the center of the initiative is the TOPx HHS Tech Sprint for AI and Invisible Illness, a national innovation challenge offering up to $2 million in cash prizes, including a $1 million grand prize, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the LymeX Innovation Accelerator, and the Federal CDO Council. Team Mobilization (Phase 1) submissions are due July 15, 2026.

As part of the initiative, HHS has appointed Duvi Honig, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, to serve on the competition’s evaluation panel, joining leaders from government, healthcare, technology, academia, research, and innovation to help evaluate submissions and advance the next generation of AI-powered healthcare solutions.

“It is an extraordinary honor to be appointed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve on the evaluation panel for this groundbreaking national initiative,” Honig said. “I look forward to working closely with Secretary Kennedy, HHS, NIH and leaders across government, academia, healthcare and technology to help usher in a new era of AI-driven innovation for American healthcare. Together, we have an opportunity to help shape the future of health technology in the United States, modernize our healthcare system, and advance innovations that improve patient outcomes across the Department of Health and Human Services. This includes accelerating earlier diagnoses, improving care for Lyme disease and other invisible illnesses, and developing solutions that will improve—and save—lives for generations to come.”

A National Call to Innovate

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a sweeping plan to combat Lyme disease and advance treatment for millions of Americans living with Lyme disease, Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS, the “meat allergy”), Long COVID, and other complex chronic conditions that are often invisible illnesses.

As part of this effort, HHS launched up to $2.5 million across three TOPx and LymeX innovation challenges and a national call to action. Together, these digital innovation efforts will accelerate diagnosis, improve care, and transform federal open data into real-world solutions that improve health outcomes.

The TOPx Challenge

The TOPx HHS Tech Sprint for AI and Invisible Illness is a national innovation challenge and prize competition offering up to $2,000,000 in cash prizes, conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the LymeX Innovation Accelerator, and the Federal CDO Council.

Challenge Question

How might we use U.S. Open Data and AI to turn fragmented signals into trusted insights, so people living with Lyme disease, Long COVID, and other complex chronic conditions are believed earlier, diagnosed faster, and supported with care that works?

How It Works

Inspired by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Opportunity Project (TOP) model, TOPx is a fast-paced technology sprint that brings together government, industry, academia, nonprofits, and the public to build digital-first solutions using open data and artificial intelligence.

The effort advances the President’s Management Agenda priority to deliver secure, digital-first services built for real people while eliminating data silos across government and advancing HHS priorities.

Participants will compete for up to $2,000,000 in prizes by using U.S. Open Data and AI to develop tools and insights that address the following focus areas.

TOPx Focus Areas

Lyme Innovation

No one should suffer years of uncertainty from a preventable tick-borne infection. How might we use U.S. Open Data and AI to detect Lyme disease earlier, diagnose faster, coordinate care, and improve patient outcomes?

Invisible Illness

What we don’t measure, we don’t treat—and women are disproportionately affected. How might we use U.S. Open Data and AI to make invisible illness visible, accelerate diagnosis, improve care, and create meaningful real-world impact?

Cost of Illness

Patients and families carry the burden in silence. How might we use U.S. Open Data and AI to quantify the full healthcare, economic, workplace, and family impact of chronic illness, making those costs visible, measurable, and impossible to ignore?

Who Should Participate

The competition is open to eligible U.S.-based:

• AI developers
• Software engineers
• Researchers
• Designers
• Physicians and clinicians
• Entrepreneurs
• Students
• Universities
• Patient advocates
• Innovators across the public and private sectors

Team Mobilization (Phase 1) submissions are due July 15, 2026.

Expected Impact

HHS expects the sprint to catalyze dozens of practical tools, prototypes, and AI-enabled solutions within months—not years.

Participants may develop solutions that:

• Improve recognition of invisible illnesses, including Long COVID and other infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses (IACCIs).
• Detect Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases earlier.
• Support faster diagnosis, improved care coordination, and more informed clinical decision-making.
• Make the human and economic burden of chronic illness more visible, measurable, and actionable.

Learn More and Participate

Enter the Challenge:
https://invisibleillness.crowdicity.com/hubbub/communitypage/23464

HHS Evaluation Panel Appointees:
https://invisibleillness.crowdicity.com/hubbub/communitypage/23498

Official HHS Announcement:
https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-unveils-plan-to-combat-lyme-disease.html

The TOPx HHS Tech Sprint is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, the LymeX Innovation Accelerator, and the Federal CDO Council’s Data-Driven Government Working Group.

For additional information about the challenge, contact:

[email protected]

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) – President Trump will deliver a speech to the nation Thursday evening at 9 p.m. Eastern, the White House announced, hours after U.S. Central Command said it plans to resume a naval blockade on Iran.

The timing of the address, with its topic still unknown, has drawn widespread attention amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf. Officials announced the speech shortly after CENTCOM signaled renewed enforcement actions against Iran, set to begin Wednesday at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Trump posted on Truth Social earlier Monday about reinstating the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing U.S. commitment to keeping the vital waterway open while targeting Iranian shipping. He described the U.S. as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and indicated that a 20% toll on cargo could help offset security costs.

The developments come against the backdrop of fragile cease-fire efforts following months of conflict. Earlier this year, the U.S. had imposed and later lifted a blockade as part of interim agreements, but recent exchanges of strikes and Iranian actions in the strait prompted the reversal.

The nation will be watching closely as the president speaks from an undisclosed location. White House officials have not provided further details on the expected content of the address.

This story is developing. VINnews will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is set to introduce legislation Monday that would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants and foreign nationals who enter the United States for so-called birth tourism, arguing that such individuals qualify as “invaders” under federal law.

The proposal comes after last month’s Supreme Court decision dealing a setback to President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship. Trump has since urged Senate Republicans to move more aggressively on his legislative priorities, including changes to birthright citizenship, saying they were “not fighting hard enough,” Banks recalled in an interview with Human Events on June 30.

Banks told Fox News Digital that he plans to introduce the Citizenship Act shortly after the Senate convenes Monday afternoon. He said the legislation was crafted in light of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion in last month’s Trump v. Barbara decision.

Although Kavanaugh agreed with the Court’s judgment in part, he wrote that while Trump’s executive order conflicted with existing federal birthright citizenship law, Congress has the authority to amend that statute and establish additional exceptions.

The Citizenship Act would classify children of individuals deemed statutory “invaders” as ineligible for automatic U.S. citizenship at birth. It would also codify portions of President Trump’s 2025 executive order that characterized illegal immigration as an invasion.

According to the bill’s summary, “any person who enters the United States without authorization or for the purpose of engaging in birth tourism is considered an invader…” It would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny birthright citizenship to the children of such “invaders.”

Banks bases that terminology on Trump’s executive order describing illegal immigration across the southern border as an “invasion.” He argues that the Supreme Court’s Barbara ruling left open the possibility for Congress to address the issue legislatively.

Rather than pursuing a constitutional amendment or attempting to overturn Supreme Court precedent, the legislation seeks to revise federal law by incorporating Trump’s declaration of an invasion while relying on exceptions recognized in existing birthright citizenship jurisprudence to deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants and birth tourists.

In his opinion, Kavanaugh concluded that Trump’s executive order did not violate the 14th Amendment itself but conflicted with a federal statute governing birthright citizenship. He suggested that Congress could revise that statute, noting that the law was originally enacted in the spirit of the 14th Amendment, which many conservatives argue was intended primarily to protect formerly enslaved people and their descendants.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, relied heavily on the Supreme Court’s 1898 decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which he said “guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power.” Banks’ legislation, however, seeks to rely on exceptions discussed in that same decision to argue against extending birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and birth tourists.

In the Wong Kim Ark ruling, Justice Horace Gray wrote that exceptions included the children of diplomats, “enemies within” and those engaged in hostile occupation of U.S. territory who are not “bound to render obedience to the sovereign [U.S. government] whose domains are being invaded.”

Banks contends that because the Court reaffirmed the Wong Kim Ark precedent while acknowledging those exceptions, Congress can use the same framework to redefine who qualifies for automatic citizenship.

“The Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship decision was an unprecedented assault on American sovereignty, and we must do whatever it takes to save our country,” Banks told Fox News Digital.

“I’m leading the Citizenship Act to reverse the effects of this consequential ruling and ensure the millions of illegal aliens that invaded our country can’t continue to exploit our immigration system.”

Banks also points to the Court’s decision in U.S. v. CASA, another 2025 case involving the Trump administration. In a separate opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “children born of alien enemies in hostile occupation” are not entitled to birthright citizenship, although she did not classify illegal immigrants as the type of “invaders” referenced in the earlier precedent.

The legislation further argues that the Constitution supports congressional authority in this area. Banks notes that Article IV obligates the federal government to “protect each [state] against invasion,” while Article I grants Congress the authority to “establish a uniform rule of naturalization.”

The bill also cites James Madison’s writings from 1788, in which he argued that the Constitution vested the power over naturalization in Congress through a single national standard rather than leaving the issue to individual states.

Banks additionally argues that some Mexican nationals have viewed migration into the United States as a means of reclaiming territory ceded to the U.S. under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War.

The legislation also cites Chinese birth tourism, alleging that the practice has been encouraged by the Chinese Communist Party. Banks argues these examples demonstrate that birthright citizenship has become intertwined with broader issues of national sovereignty, illegal immigration, and foreign influence.

{Matzav.com}

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness has opened applications today for the New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which offers state security grants aimed at helping nonprofit organizations strengthen protections against potential terrorist threats.

Eligible nonprofit organizations may apply for funding from from one of two programs starting today, now through 11:59 p.m. on September 11.

The competitive program offers two types of grants. The Security Personnel program provides up to $20,000 to help organizations hire additional active law enforcement officers or registered security officers, while the Target Hardening Equipment program offers up to $100,000 for approved security improvements such as cameras, access controls, fencing and other physical security enhancements.

Shlomo Schorr, director of legislative affairs for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey Office, welcomed the opening of the application period, saying the grants have become an important resource for faith-based and other nonprofit organizations facing heightened security concerns.

“We are grateful that the NSGP application process is now open and that this vital program was prioritized by Governor Mikie Sherrill in her Fiscal Year 2027 budget,” Shlomo Schorr, Legislative Director of Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, stated to TLS.

“At a time when nonprofit institutions are confronting heightened threats, these grants play an essential role in safeguarding our shuls, schools, and other community organizations. Security at our institutions is not optional — it is a necessity.”

The state program is separate from the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Organizations may be eligible to apply for both programs, although each has its own funding priorities, eligibility requirements and application process.

To qualify, organizations must submit a completed application, a current vulnerability risk assessment identifying security weaknesses at their facilities, and documentation of their tax-exempt status, where applicable. The vulnerability assessment must include current photographs of the property and the locations where security improvements are proposed.

Since the program began, the state has awarded more than $38 million to more than 700 nonprofit organizations statewide. More than 500 organizations have applied during each of the past several grant cycles, reflecting growing demand for security funding.

Eligible organizations may apply for both grant categories each year, but may receive funding from only one state program per fiscal year. Preference will be given to applicants that have not received a federal or state target hardening grant during the previous two grant cycles.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of security experts, which will evaluate each proposal based on the applicant’s demonstrated threat level, identified vulnerabilities and the potential consequences of a terrorist attack.

Small businesses can now access up to $10 million in government-backed financing after the U.S. Small Business Administration changed its lending rules to allow qualified borrowers to combine its two flagship loan programs for the first time at their full limits.

The change, announced by SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler and effective July 4, allows eligible businesses to obtain up to $5 million through the SBA’s 7(a) Loan Program and another $5 million through the 504 Loan Program, doubling the previous combined financing limit.

The policy change represents the largest financing expansion in the agency’s history and is designed to help growing businesses invest in facilities, equipment, working capital and expansion projects.

Under previous SBA rules, businesses were generally limited to $5 million in total borrowing across both programs.

For example, a company with an existing $3 million 7(a) loan could borrow only an additional $2 million through the 504 program.

The new policy removes that combined cap.

Qualified borrowers may now use the full financing available under each program simultaneously, creating access to as much as $10 million in total SBA-backed capital.

Although both loans remain separate and subject to individual underwriting requirements, the expanded flexibility allows businesses to finance larger growth projects while maintaining favorable government-backed lending terms.

Each program serves a different purpose.

The 7(a) Loan Program provides flexible financing that businesses can use for working capital, inventory, equipment purchases, real estate acquisitions, refinancing and general business expansion.

The 504 Loan Program, by contrast, focuses specifically on long-term investments such as owner-occupied commercial real estate, manufacturing facilities and major equipment purchases through Certified Development Companies.

Using both programs together allows businesses to finance real estate and fixed assets while preserving working capital for payroll, inventory and day-to-day operations.

Administrator Kelly Loeffler said SBA loan limits had remained unchanged for more than a decade despite significant increases in construction costs, equipment prices and business expansion needs.

She said the higher financing limits will help entrepreneurs create jobs, expand production and strengthen American manufacturing.

Manufacturers receive additional advantages under the revised policy.

Businesses in the manufacturing sector remain eligible for multiple 504 loans tied to separate expansion projects while also qualifying for the new $5 million 7(a) financing limit.

The SBA also announced temporary fee reductions through September 30 for certain manufacturing loans, including waived guaranty fees on qualifying 7(a) loans and reduced fees on eligible 504 financing.

The policy is expected to benefit capital-intensive industries including manufacturing, construction, logistics, food production and energy, where expansion projects often require significant investments in both facilities and operating capital.

Banks and Certified Development Companies are also expected to benefit from increased lending opportunities as more businesses qualify for larger government-backed financing packages.

Because SBA guarantees reduce lender risk, borrowers often receive more favorable interest rates and repayment terms than comparable conventional commercial loans.

Business owners should note that qualifying for the maximum financing remains subject to SBA eligibility requirements, lender underwriting standards, project qualifications and repayment capacity.

The new limits do not guarantee approval but significantly expand the financing available to eligible businesses.

For companies planning major expansion projects, the policy creates substantially greater access to affordable capital while allowing owners to keep more cash available for daily operations.

As interest rates remain elevated and commercial borrowing costs continue challenging many businesses, the expanded SBA lending authority provides entrepreneurs with one of the largest increases in federally backed financing opportunities in the agency’s history.

JBizNews Desk | Washington
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or Distribution without Written Permission is Prohibited.

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According to an internal memo sent to employees, Volkswagen’s management warns that the auto industry’s leaders may need to reduce an additional 50 000 work to compete with rivals.

CEO Oliver Blume stated in a letter released by Reuters that further cuts are necessary because Volkswagen is operating at a 20 % cost risk in comparison to its rivals and the carmaker recently announced plans to cut 50, 000 work across the business, including at its subsidiaries Porsche and Audi.

That circumstance, according to the memo, would result in a” conceptual deduction” of another 50, 000 work across Volkswagen’s global footprint, properly refuting earlier claims that Ford was weighing up to 100, 000 work cuts.

According to Reuters, Blume stated in the memo that” we are presently evaluating across all brands, companies, and locations how many changes are actually necessary and feasible.”

Ford RECALLS AN ABOVE 50 000 Automobiles FOR SERIOUS ENGINE FIRE RISK FROM FAULTY WIRING.

Ford, the largest manufacturer in Europe, has experienced lower profits as a result of higher price prices, fierce competition in China, and increased costs for European factories that are under pressure to improve.

Blume recently suggested that neglected factories could be used for the security industry or to create Chinese Ford models in Europe. In the memo, he stated that he favors “intelligent solutions” over the closure of facilities.

UBER PARTNERS WITH Foreign TECH GIANT TO DRIVE OUT DRIVERLESS VEHICLES OVER MANY GLOBAL Areas

He stated in the letter that Emden, Hanover, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm’s aggressive use cases are still unable to be confirmed for the company’s tenets in the 2030s.

Employees have enraged the company’s management to clarify its reform plans, which Blume presented to the agency’s leaders on Thursday.

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According to sources with knowledge of the situation, work representatives on the committee reportedly blocked proposals that included work cuts and the potential shutdown of four factories.

Volkswagen’s statement following the meeting with stakeholders did not address work cuts or plant closures, but rather that it had plans to gradually decrease production and reduce its lineup.

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In his message to employees, Blume stated that it is natural that some problems still need to be discussed and evaluated because not everything has been planned out down to the last detail. There will undoubtedly be more discussions where we will work hard to find the best alternatives.

This report was written by Reuters.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli (Likud) on Monday morning responded to Gadi Eisenkot’s rise in the polls, saying: “He is a worthy political rival, but he is a leftist l’Mehadrin—clearly and completely.”

Speaking in an interview with Kan News, Chikli added that Eisenkot “just said at the INSS conference that he sees al-Julani, the al-Qaeda man who seized control of Syria through extreme brutality, as an opportunity. How exactly do you see al-Julani as an opportunity? How is he already talking about withdrawing from the Yellow Line in Gaza and Lebanon? Just imagine him speaking at the U.N. General Assembly. Imagine him in diplomatic meetings. What experience does he have? Zero diplomatic experience. And what law has he ever passed?”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made similar comments about Eisenkot in an interview last week, saying: “Eisenkot supported Brothers in Arms, which supported refusal to serve in the IDF. He said we don’t need to attack Iran, we don’t need to eliminate Khamenei, we don’t need to enter Lebanon. It’s all documented and recorded. It’s his right to be a leftist, but it’s not honest to hide it.”

Netanyahu was far more blunt in his criticism of Eisenkot last month, when he slammed the former IDF chief of staff’s security positions as being dangerous for Israel. Asked during a press conference about Eisenkot’s criticism of his government’s handling of Lebanon. Netanyahu responded that Eisenkot is weak on security, saying during the war with Gaza and Hezbollah, Eisenkot opposed the IDF’s entry into Rafah and the seizure of the Philadelphi Corridor as well as the expansion of the war in Lebanon.

“I remember what Gadi Eisenkot and others said when we were still in Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “They said we should stop while we were still in Khan Younis —not enter Rafah, not take control of the Philadelphi Corridor. They said we should simply make a deal, bring out the hostages, and leave Gaza – leave all of Gaza. And then, two or three years later, we could come back to it.”

Netanyahu asserted that if the IDF had acted according to Eisenkot’s views, the Hamas terror group, including its leaders eliminated by Israel during the war, would still be alive and in control of Gaza, and Hezbollah would remain in full power.

“It also means that we wouldn’t have entered Lebanon at all,” Netanyahu continued. “We wouldn’t have carried out the beeper operation in 2024. We wouldn’t have eliminated Nasrallah. We wouldn’t have destroyed 90 percent of Hezbollah’s missile stockpile. We would have left all of Radwan Force’s terror tunnels right here on the border, and we wouldn’t have expanded the security zone in southern Lebanon.”

“So in the view of Gadi Eisenkot and his colleagues, they essentially wanted us to end up with nothing,” he asserted. “Today, we control nearly 70 percent of the Gaza Strip. We are placing constant pressure on Hamas. And we are holding this strong security zone in Lebanon.”

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzchak Brik spoke even more harshly about Eisenkot, saying on Galey Yisrael that “if you read officers’ testimonies about Eisenkot, you would be horrified.”

Journalist Doron Cohen asked Brik: “I look today at the relationship between Eisenkot and the media, and I ask you: Who is controlling whom? Is he controlling them, or are they controlling him?”

Brik responded: “Neither is controlling the other. They are together, alongside one another. I think the [left-wing] media today is serving Gadi Eisenkot’s needs, willing to throw sand in the public’s eyes and hide the truth. It is essentially conveying what it is told to convey because they believe it will serve Gadi Eisenkot.”

“I currently have all the testimonies in the IDF archives. I published a booklet based on the testimonies of hundreds of officers—brigadier generals, colonels, and lieutenant colonels—with whom I spoke during Gadi Eisenkot’s tenure about how they felt in the army. If you were to read those testimonies, you would simply be horrified by what they say about what happened in the army during Gadi Eisenkot’s tenure.”

Brik continued his criticism: “Gadi Eisenkot is now saying, in his own words, while he is already running for prime minister, that everyone who was involved in the terrible events of October 7 must leave the public stage.”

“And I say to Eisenkot: How can you demand that they leave the public stage while ignoring everything that you yourself did?”

“You bear direct responsibility for what happened in the Gaza border region. Had you acted on the report I submitted to you in 2018, five years before the attack, and ensured that it was passed on to your successors, it wouldn’t have happened. The army would have prepared, expanded its forces, stopped making cuts, and developed defensive and offensive plans.”

“But you didn’t do that. You ignored the report, walked away from it, and tried to conceal it. So you are among those who bear the greatest responsibility. They should leave the public stage—but you want to be prime minister?”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette is offering a fresh account of the 2011 raid that killed al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden, disputing several long-standing claims about the operation and describing how the elite assault team methodically carried out one of the most famous military missions in American history, Fox News reports.

Bin Laden was killed in May 2011 during a high-risk nighttime raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, carried out by members of the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6, who were flown into the country aboard helicopters operated by the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

The operation brought justice to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and to the countless American servicemen and women who fought in the years of war that followed.

Although numerous books, documentaries, and media reports have attempted to reconstruct the mission, many aspects of the raid have remained classified or disputed, leaving room for competing accounts of what actually happened inside bin Laden’s compound.

Bissonnette, who participated in the operation, discussed the mission during a newly released interview with podcaster and former DEVGRU operator Andy Stumpf, sharing his perspective on several of the raid’s most controversial moments.

Among the issues he addressed was the widespread claim that bin Laden’s face was destroyed by gunfire. Bissonnette rejected that characterization, arguing that the available evidence would quickly settle the debate if the government ever released the photographs.

“The photos, if they ever got released, I don’t know, I think that would help clear some stuff up. I think you’d also see very quickly it’s high forehead shots. His face is not all [messed] up. You can very clearly see his bridge of his nose, whole face, mouth, mouth structure. Easily identifiable. The idea that there were extra shots or any of this that his face was distorted. Release the photos. High forehead shots,” Bissonnette said.

The former member of Red Squadron also revisited another hotly debated question surrounding the raid: exactly what happened when the lead operator reached the third floor of the compound and confronted bin Laden.

According to Bissonnette’s recollection, the point man—whose identity has never been publicly disclosed and is commonly referred to as “Red”—fired at bin Laden after seeing him appear in a doorway. Bissonnette said the operator then did what every SEAL is trained to do: advance toward the threat he had just engaged rather than abandon it.

Explaining why he rejects alternate versions of the story, Bissonnette told Stumpf:

“The shot that the pointman took, what SEAL out there is not going to follow his shots? Tactically, that is what we’re taught. Your threat matrix, what is your biggest threat out there? Unknown male…Everybody knew bin Laden most likely lived on the third floor. [The pointman] had just eliminated Khalid [bin Laden] on the second in the landing with a gun. You have to assume, right, the guy in the third floor is armed, right? So, he takes a shot. Enough within the rules of engagement to shoot that head, and he decides to stay in the hallway? He decides to come off the known threat that he just shot at and chase women and kids? What team guy is doing that? Why? Where? And then where are the women and kids? I’ve heard 38 different version from other people of where the women were. The women were in the room, right? That’s where the chick [Amal bin Laden] was wounded in the leg. Women were in the room. Not out of the room…You can pull up the sketches and layout of the third floor. Right up the set of stairs, open door on the right. Shots go, right? Point man follows his shots to the doorway. He doesn’t say in the hallway. He doesn’t come off of where he just shot at an adult male head in bin Laden’s compound in the third floor. Who is all of a sudden going to be like, ‘Okay, shoot. Okay, I’m going to go check this way.’ There’s nobody that does that. There’s not a team guy out there that does that. You follow your shots, and that’s exactly what he did. He entered the room.”

Bissonnette also spoke about the tactics employed throughout the operation, describing an approach that differed sharply from the fast-paced action sequences often portrayed in movies.

Rather than racing recklessly through the compound, he said the SEALs advanced deliberately while remaining alert for the possibility of suicide bombers, explosives, or other hidden dangers.

“The only sense of urgency was, okay, do they have [suicide vests]? Is the house rigged to blow? And are they prepping something? That’s still not dictating our tactics to just sprint upstairs. So, it was slow and methodical,” the former SEAL explained.

The interview comes as Bissonnette prepares to release his new book, No Easy Way, in which he further recounts his experiences in special operations and offers additional insight into the mission that ended the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist.

{Matzav.com}

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As of July 1, California police finally have a way to hold driverless cars accountable when they break traffic laws, closing a loophole that had left officers staring into empty driver’s seats with no one to ticket. Under Assembly Bill 1777, authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting and backed by a sweeping set of California Department of Motor Vehicles regulations, officers can now issue “notices of noncompliance” to the companies that operate autonomous vehicles, rather than to a human driver who isn’t there. The manufacturer must then report each notice to the DMV. It is the most concrete answer yet to a problem that has embarrassed and frustrated law enforcement across the country: how do you enforce the rules of the road on a car with no one behind the wheel?

The absurdity of the old system was on full display last year in San Bruno, California, where officers pulled over a Waymo for an illegal U-turn only to find no driver to cite. The department joked on social media that its citation books “don’t have a box for ‘robot.’” But other incidents have been far from funny. A Waymo ran a red light in front of an officer in Phoenix. Another failed to stop for a school bus in Atlanta. In January, a Waymo struck a child near a Santa Monica elementary school during morning drop-off, prompting a federal investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And during a blackout in San Francisco before Christmas, stalled Waymo vehicles clogged city streets and blocked first responders.

For police and fire departments, the operational headache went beyond tickets. Officers had no clear way to move a driverless car parked in the middle of an active emergency, and no person to give an order to. The new DMV rules try to fix that. Companies must now respond to first-responder calls within 30 seconds. Local officials can draw a digital “geofence” around a disaster or crime scene, and once that order is sent, the operator is legally required to make the vehicle detour or leave within two minutes. Remote operators, the people who monitor and sometimes steer these cars from afar, must now be licensed and permitted. Companies also have to report far more data on immobilizations, hard-braking events, and collisions.

The business stakes for the autonomous-vehicle industry are real. Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, runs roughly 1,000 driverless vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area alone and is among the companies most exposed to the new framework. The cars have already piled up about $65,000 in parking tickets, a bill that will grow now that moving violations are on the table. More significant than the fines is the enforcement leverage: the DMV can restrict a company’s fleet size, speed, and operating territory, or suspend and revoke permits outright, if a manufacturer racks up violations or ignores emergency directives. For a business racing to expand city by city, that regulatory power is a direct threat to the growth story investors are counting on.

The companies are pushing back on parts of the plan. In comments on an earlier draft, Waymo objected to publicly disclosing the noncompliance notices it receives, saying it wanted to protect confidential business information. That tension, between public accountability and corporate secrecy, is likely to define the next phase of the fight as regulators in other states watch California for a model. The law also leaves a notable gap: while it spells out how citations are issued, it does not set specific fines or criminal penalties for companies that pile up repeated notices, leaving the ultimate financial consequences unclear.

Public wariness gives the crackdown its political fuel. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that only 5% of Americans have ever ridden in a driverless car, while 71% said they would feel uncomfortable doing so and just 7% called themselves very comfortable with the idea. Fresh controversies keep the technology in the spotlight. This week, police in San Mateo, California, detained two teenagers after a Waymo disabled itself and alerted authorities to suspected trouble inside, reigniting a separate debate over how much these camera-covered vehicles surveil the people around them.

For now, California has handed police a tool they lacked, and handed the robotaxi industry a new set of costs and constraints to manage. Whether a notice mailed to a corporate office carries the same weight as a ticket handed to a driver is the question the next year of enforcement will answer. As more cities welcome driverless fleets, the pressure to make the machines follow the same rules as everyone else is only going to build.

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

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hundreds of economists say in an open letter that institutions “must act now” to address how artificial intelligence could transform the economy and could put many people out of work.

The statement released Monday was signed by top economists, along with computer scientists and some executives at tech companies including Anthropic, Google and OpenAI.

“AI may become radically more powerful over the next 10 years,” says the letter organized by Stanford University’s digital economy lab. “This could drive an unprecedented transformation of our economy, larger than the Industrial Revolution, but unfolding over a vastly shorter time frame. It could bring risks, including large-scale job displacement, as well as opportunities such as major gains in living standards.”

The letter, which has only four sentences, says leaders must “build the incentives, guardrails, and institutions needed to steer AI in a direction that complements humans and benefits society.”

The Stanford lab says the letter has so far been signed by more than 200 economists and AI researchers, including 16 winners of a Nobel Prize.

Computer scientist and AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio was among the signatories and said in a separate statement that based on the trajectory of AI development, “it is highly plausible that AI will drastically transform our economies.”

“We must be intentional and make collective, democratic choices, rather than letting market forces play out and risking leaving most citizens behind,” wrote Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal.

The Trump administration is launching a new diplomatic campaign aimed at isolating the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the court poses a threat to U.S. sovereignty and has no authority to prosecute American citizens or service members.

According to a senior State Department official, the administration is considering a wide range of measures against the court, including travel bans, visa revocations, expanded sanctions targeting ICC officials and affiliated organizations, and a coordinated effort to persuade other countries to withdraw from or reject the court’s authority.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior U.S. officials are leading the effort, urging countries that partner with the United States, host American military personnel, or rely on U.S. security assistance to diplomatically isolate the ICC. The official warned that nations benefiting from U.S. assistance while refusing to reject the court’s claimed authority over Americans could face increased scrutiny.

The ICC, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, claims jurisdiction only when national authorities are unable or unwilling to prosecute such crimes. The United States has never been a member of the court.

President Trump’s opposition to the ICC dates back to his first term and intensified after the court indicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in November 2024. Last month, three ICC judges sued the Trump administration, arguing that sanctions imposed on them last year were unlawful.

The administration maintains that the ICC should not have jurisdiction over U.S. officials or service members and says it will continue pressing allies to reject the court’s authority.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A federal judge on Monday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax returns, ruling that the case was brought for an improper reason, referring one of Trump’s attorneys for possible disciplinary action, and portraying the $10 billion lawsuit as an effort that improperly advanced the president’s own interests.

In a strongly worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams concluded that Trump improperly used the judicial system by suing a federal agency that ultimately answered to his own administration. According to the ruling, the lawsuit sidestepped the basic legal requirement that opposing parties have genuinely adverse interests, ultimately leading to a proposed settlement last spring that would have shielded Trump from future tax audits while establishing a compensation fund for allies who claimed they had been unfairly targeted.

Although the practical consequences of the ruling may be limited because the administration has already announced that the proposed $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund is no longer being pursued, the decision nonetheless delivers a forceful rebuke of the Trump administration. It also revives scrutiny surrounding Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche just days before his scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Explaining her decision, Williams wrote, “The nature of the suit itself and the conduct of the Parties and counsel from its filing make plain that this was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law.”

She further stated, “The President may be the functional “dominus litus” of the Executive Branch, but as a party to a civil suit, he, as well as all the parties and lawyers before a court, are bound by the rules. Ensuring that our courts are used only for the express purpose created by the Constitution is the obligation of every judge and an obligation that this Court must discharge in light of the matter before it.”

Williams also pointed to testimony Blanche gave before Congress in early June, during which he disclosed that the proposed anti-weaponization fund was no longer moving forward following significant bipartisan criticism. Although no formal filing reflecting that change had been submitted to the court, the judge noted that Blanche nevertheless testified as though he possessed the authority to speak on behalf of both sides in the litigation.

Addressing that issue directly, Williams wrote, “Acting Attorney General Blanche’s apparent capacity to speak for both Plaintiffs and Defendants, sign a ‘settlement’ document on behalf of all Parties to this action, and then repudiate part of that agreement, demonstrates that there was only one party whose interests were being represented throughout this case.”

{Matzav.com}

Editor’s note: See last week’s response from Verizon.

Middle-income Americans who buy their own health insurance are unlikely to catch a break next year, according to a new analysis released Wednesday by health policy nonprofit KFF, which found that insurers are proposing a second consecutive year of double-digit premium increases. Across the 77 Affordable Care Act insurers that have filed public rate requests in 16 states and Washington, D.C., the median proposed premium increase for 2027 is 14%, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

The proposed increase comes on top of already steep increases this year. Median premium requests for 2026 reached 20%, meaning marketplace premiums could rise by more than one-third between 2025 and 2027 if regulators approve the latest filings. Cynthia Cox, Director of KFF’s Affordable Care Act Program, described the situation as a triple hit for consumers who have already faced higher premiums and reduced federal tax credits.

Insurers cited several factors driving the proposed increases. The largest remains the rising cost and use of healthcare services, including hospital care, physician visits and prescription drugs. Growing demand for GLP-1 weight-loss medications has also added significant pressure to insurers’ medical costs. More broadly, inflation continues pushing higher labor costs and provider expenses throughout the healthcare system.

Another important factor stems from changes to federal subsidies. According to KFF, roughly four percentage points of the proposed increases are tied to the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies that lapsed at the end of 2025. The organization estimates that change alone contributed to a 58% average increase in out-of-pocket premiums during 2026, while increasing deductibles by roughly $1,000 per person.

Some insurers also pointed to regulatory changes affecting enrollment and eligibility, along with higher medical claims resulting from patients requiring more intensive care. Several companies noted that healthcare providers are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools to identify billing codes that maximize reimbursements, contributing to higher claims costs.

Most marketplace enrollees will continue receiving some level of financial assistance that shields them from the full premium increases. However, households earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level—approximately $62,600 annually for an individual—generally no longer qualify for premium assistance and therefore face the full cost of rising insurance prices. Stacey Pogue of Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, whose independent research reached similar conclusions, said those consumers will experience the greatest financial impact.

The effects extend well beyond individuals purchasing coverage through Affordable Care Act exchanges. The same medical inflation affecting marketplace plans is also increasing the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance. PwC projects that healthcare costs for employer-sponsored plans will rise another 9% during 2027, placing additional pressure on businesses already coping with higher labor and operating expenses. Small employers, in particular, may face difficult decisions involving employee benefits, hiring and compensation.

Affordable Care Act enrollment has already declined by approximately 3 million people compared with a year earlier as higher costs have caused some consumers to leave the marketplace. While insurers still have until July 15 to submit final filings and regulators may reduce some requested increases before approval, the early data point toward another challenging enrollment season when consumers begin shopping for 2027 coverage later this year.

For households, employers and insurers alike, the underlying trend remains the same: healthcare costs continue climbing faster than overall inflation. Unless medical spending moderates or new policy changes provide relief, Americans shopping for individual health coverage should prepare for another year of higher premiums and rising out-of-pocket costs.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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President Donald Trump said Monday that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s only real misstep during their long friendship came in the immediate aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, recalling that the South Carolina Republican quickly regretted publicly breaking with him.

Speaking during a phone interview on “Fox & Friends,” Trump said Graham’s criticism following the Capitol attack was an isolated incident in an otherwise strong relationship.

“He had one bad moment, and that was on the Jan. 6 thing when he stood up [and said], ‘All right, now I’ve had it. That’s it. I can’t do it anymore,’” Trump said.

According to the president, Graham reached out shortly afterward to express regret over what he had said.

“Then he called me like about 40 minutes later, and he said, ‘Did I really say that? I can’t believe it.’ And he took it back.”

Graham, 71, died suddenly from an apparent aortic dissection related to cardiovascular disease. In the hours following the January 6 riot, he appeared to distance himself from Trump after the violence temporarily halted Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.

Addressing the Senate after order had been restored, Graham said, “Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president,” before adding, “All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”

That split proved to be short-lived. By May 2021, Graham had once again become one of Trump’s strongest Republican allies, telling reporters, “Can [Republicans] move forward without President Trump? The answer is no. I’ve determined we can’t grow without him.”

Trump also reflected on the evolution of their relationship, noting that Graham had once been one of his fiercest critics during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

While campaigning for the GOP nomination, Graham warned that if Republicans chose Trump as their nominee, “we will get destroyed … and we will deserve it.”

Despite those early attacks, Trump said their relationship changed dramatically after Graham ended his presidential campaign.

“Once that ended, he’d left the race, and once that ended, I became really good friends with him,” Trump recalled, adding with a touch of humor that Graham’s post-January 6 comments meant “I give him a 99 instead of a 100.”

{Matzav.com}

The Likud Constitution Committee on Monday approved, by a majority vote, a proposal by Minister Haim Katz granting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu eight reserved spots on the party’s Knesset list through the 31st slot.

Under the proposal, Netanyahu would receive reserved placements at Nos. 3, 5, 9, 11, 15, 18, 26, and 31. The committee also approved an option authorizing the prime minister, if necessary, to adjust electoral districts and the reserved slots accordingly between positions 29 and 33.

It also appears that Likud will hold party primaries, although they are expected to be postponed until August 17. A vote on postponing the primary date is scheduled for Thursday, July 16.

The developments follow internal debate within Likud over the scope of Netanyahu’s reserved slots. According to party officials, committee members were presented with two alternatives: establishing a selection committee to determine the party’s list, or holding primaries while granting Netanyahu reserved slots. The second option was considered both the preferred and more realistic approach.

The central dispute focused on the number of reserved slots. According to those officials, the minimum under discussion was eight, while the maximum was eleven. Even the lower figure was described by senior Likud officials as unprecedented during Netanyahu’s tenure. One Likud source said, “Eight reserved slots through the 40th place is a lot — there has never been anything like it, but you can more or less live with it; that’s roughly two reserved slots in every group of four. But if it’s eight reserved slots through the 30th place, that dramatically changes the list.”

The same sources argued that Netanyahu negotiated strategically. “His smart move was opening the discussion by demanding 11 reserved slots. Now that they’re talking about eight, it sounds like a reasonable compromise — even though eight is still an enormous number,” one source said. Other party officials also criticized changing the list itself, saying, “In effect, we’ve surrendered to our rivals’ narrative that the Likud list isn’t good. Instead of standing behind the list and presenting its achievements, we’ve adopted the assumption that it needs to be fixed. That’s an unnecessary surrender.”

MK Tally Gotliv welcomed the decision, writing on X: “There will be primaries, with G-d’s help! I’m happy to tell you that although I fought this battle completely alone, it was clear to me that the prime minister would not cancel the primaries or show contempt for Likud’s loyal voters. Despite all the briefings about a selection committee, there will be primaries because Likud is a democratic party that counts its voters. The prime minister will have reserved slots, and the rest of the candidates will, as usual, compete in the primaries.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

China pulled off its first recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster on Friday, a milestone that places it in a two-nation club with the United States and takes direct aim at the commercial launch business SpaceX has dominated for a decade. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the state-owned contractor behind the flight, called it a historic breakthrough after its Long March 10B rocket lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan island and its first stage returned vertically to a net-rigged platform at sea, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The catch itself was the point. About six minutes after separating from the upper stage, the booster descended under engine power and was snagged by hooks and a net on an offshore platform, a lighter approach than the four landing legs SpaceX uses to set its Falcon 9 boosters down on land and on drone ships. The rocket, built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a unit of CASC, uses a five-meter first stage and also delivered a satellite to orbit on the same flight.

Reusability is not a stunt. It is the single biggest reason launch has gotten cheaper. When a company can fly a booster, recover it, and fly it again, it spreads the cost of the most expensive part of the rocket across many missions. That lowers the price of reaching orbit, shortens the wait between launches, and makes it affordable to loft the thousands of satellites needed for space-based internet. CASC said it plans to fly this same booster again by the end of the year.

That is where the commercial stakes come in. CALT has said it wants the Long March 10B to launch broadband-internet satellites, China’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink, along with larger commercial payloads. Beijing is racing to build its own megaconstellations, and without cheap, repeatable launches, the math does not work. The booster recovered on Friday is a step toward the low-cost cadence that made Starlink possible in the first place.

For now, the gap remains wide. SpaceX landed its first Falcon 9 in December 2015 and flew roughly 165 orbital missions in 2025, close to one every other day and nearly twice the output of China’s entire space program. The Long March 10B can carry about 16 tons to low-Earth orbit, short of the Falcon 9‘s 22 tons, and China has yet to prove it can turn a recovered booster around quickly or cheaply. Friday’s success also followed a string of failures, including a December flight by private Chinese firm LandSpace, whose Zhuque-3 rocket reached orbit but exploded trying to land.

The United States is not standing still, and it is no longer a one-company field. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, landed the first stage of its New Glenn rocket for the first time last November, giving American industry a second reusable heavy-lift option. That competition has kept US launch prices under pressure and US launch capacity ahead of the rest of the world.

China’s answer has been to open the field at home. Alongside the state-run effort, Beijing has encouraged a commercial space sector and eased rules so startups developing reusable rockets can raise money through public listings. The result is a scramble among state-backed and private firms to crack the same technology, with CASC and CALT now the first among them to land it.

The race carries weight beyond commerce. Space has become tightly linked to defense, communications, and surveillance, and the ability to launch often and cheaply feeds all three. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said recently that the United States is “very much in a space race” with China, telling CBS that Chinese astronauts will reach the moon. CASC is developing the broader Long March 10 family for crewed lunar missions before 2030.

For American companies, Friday’s landing is a signal rather than an upset. SpaceX still owns the global launch market, and Blue Origin is climbing. But China has now shown it can do the one thing that made that dominance possible, and it is assembling the financing, the launch sites, and the satellite ambitions to turn a single successful catch into a lasting competitor. The contest that has been largely American for a decade just gained a serious second front.

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

Fourteen years ago today, the Torah world lost Hagaon Harav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, widely regarded as the Posek Hador for the Litvishe Torah world.

Born in Lithuania in 1910, Rav Elyashiv immigrated to Eretz Yisrael together with his parents and grandparents in 1922, settling in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood. He received his early Torah education from his father and his grandfather, the Ba’al HaLeshem, and later learned under Harav Zalman Reuven Bengis zt”l of the Edah Charedis and Harav Shimshon Aharon Polonsky zt”l, the Tepliker Rav. He went on to marry Rebbetzin Sheina Chaya, daughter of Harav Aryeh Levin zt”l, the famed “father of the prisoners.” The Rebbetzin was niftar in 1994.

Rav Elyashiv began his rabbinic career around 1948 as rav of Ramleh. Two years later, he was appointed a dayan on Yerushalayim’s District Court, and later served on the Chief Rabbinical Court, stepping down from that post in 1972. In 1989, at the request of Hagaon Harav Elazar Shach zt”l, he joined the leadership of Degel HaTorah. Following the petirah of Hagaon Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l in 1995, Rav Elyashiv became the address for psak throughout the Litvishe world, and in 2001, after Rav Shach’s own petirah, he took on the leadership of the litvishe community at large.

Among his 12 children was a daughter, Batsheva a”h, who married Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l.

Rav Elyashiv was niftar in 2012 at the age of 102. More than 250,000 Yidden from around the world attended his levaya in Yerushalayim.

Paramount CEO David Ellison is reportedly being pressured to move his business out of California as the state tries to interfere with a planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Ellison’s Paramount is seeking to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $111 billion deal expected to close during the third quarter of this year. But the mega-merger has irked critics who fear combining two major Hollywood studios would hurt the industry while giving too much power to Ellison.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday led a group of 12 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the merger, claiming it would “lead to higher prices, lower quality, and less content for film and television, harming movie theaters, basic cable distributors, and ultimately, audiences on every sofa and movie theater seat in the U.S.” 

As a result, “Ellison’s friends and advisers have been pushing the media executive to consider shifting his business out of the state,” according to Semafor. 

“Ellison’s confidantes have pushed him to consider moving its corporate headquarters and reallocating much of its $30 billion in planned spending outside the state if California Attorney General Rob Bonta were to sue to stop the merger,” Semafor reported, citing “people familiar with the discussions.”

“No decisions have been made, these people said, and the considerations may just be a show of brinkmanship, given so much of the industry’s production takes place outside of Hollywood already,” Semafor continued. “Under the current deal, Paramount has committed to keeping both companies’ lots operational if it remains in California.”

Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The report added that Ellison “remains wary of the idea of leaving California” despite companies such as Oracle and Tesla previously fleeing amid issues with state regulators. 

Paramount told the Times it was prepared to address “legitimate antitrust issues,” but that the Warner Bros. Discovery deal “raises no such concerns.” 

Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, took control of Paramount last year when Skydance Media and Paramount Global completed an $8 billion merger. Adding WBD to his portfolio would make the younger Ellison one of Hollywood’s most powerful people.

The Justice Department (DOJ) on Friday announced it has closed its antitrust investigation into Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of WBD, concluding the transaction is not likely to harm competition or American consumers.

The Antitrust Division said its eight-month review examined more than two million documents and found the deal could strengthen competition across the media and entertainment industry, including in streaming video, traditional television and theatrical film distribution.

However, state attorneys general retain independent authority under antitrust laws, and the DOJ’s decision does not itself prevent additional legal challenges to the proposed transaction.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District for the Northern District of California, claims that the merger violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which holds that mergers that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly are illegal. 

Bonta’s group has asked Warner Bros. and Paramount not to close the merger until after the judicial process concludes, and if they do not agree, the attorneys general plan to file a temporary restraining order. 

“California’s film and entertainment industry touches the lives of Americans daily — it comes into the living rooms of families, has a starring role in many young people’s first dates, and is a point of immense pride and employment for Californians up and down our state. Consolidation here not only leads to higher prices — it also leads to fewer opportunities for important stories to come to life, and fewer ways for audiences to encounter stories, ideas, and perspectives beyond their own experiences. In this country, no one is above the law. With this lawsuit, California and our sister states are fighting for free and fair markets, not rigged markets. America has no kings in government or our economy,” Bonta said in a statement. 

Fox Business’ Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

A report published by The New York Times alleges that former Mossad director David Barnea secretly cultivated ties with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, viewing him as a possible successor to Iran’s ruling clerical regime.

According to the report, Barnea and Ahmadinejad held covert meetings in Hungary during 2024, using a climate conference at Ludovika University of Public Service as cover for the undisclosed discussions.

The report states that Ahmadinejad’s own security personnel became suspicious after he reportedly disappeared on at least two occasions during the conference for extended periods. When questioned about his whereabouts, he reportedly told them he had been meeting with university professors.

The New York Times, citing former U.S. officials, reported that Barnea personally traveled to Budapest for the meetings. According to the report, Mossad later informed the CIA that contact with Ahmadinejad had been established. The report further claims that Israeli intelligence helped finance portions of Ahmadinejad’s travel and housing expenses and continued meeting with him outside Iran in the years that followed.

The report also alleges that when the war with Iran began, Israel carried out an operation to extract Ahmadinejad and move him to a secure location inside Iran. According to the report, Ahmadinejad was deeply unsettled by the rescue mission and became disillusioned after learning of what was described as an Israeli plan to return him to power. It says he eventually departed the safe house under circumstances that remain unknown.

The report concludes by claiming that Ahmadinejad is now under house arrest by the intelligence arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after Iranian authorities allegedly uncovered much of his reported contact with Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Yisroel R.

Tehillim is being requested for noted askan Reb Naftali Hersh Zahler, who suffered a serious heart attack this morning and was rushed to the hospital.

Reb Naftali Hersh is widely known for his extensive chesed work, particularly on behalf of the descendants of Reb Shayele Kerestirer, zt”l. Each year, he raises hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist families among the tzaddik’s descendants with wedding expenses and other needs.

He is also involved in numerous other important and notable causes, and has helped hundreds of individuals and families over the years.

Reb Naftali Hersh is undergoing a complicated heart procedure this afternoon, as Klal Yisroel continues to hope for a full and speedy recovery.

The public is asked to daven for Reb Naftali Tzvi ben Rachel Leah for a refuah sheleimah b’soch sha’ar cholei Yisroel.

Yisroel R.

More than 90 trees were damaged in Prospect Park during the recent storms, leaving fallen branches, blocked entrances, and debris throughout parts of the park.

Crews from the Prospect Park Alliance and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation quickly began clearing entrances and removing fallen branches following the storms.

Visitors may still find some trails closed and certain sections of the park blocked off while cleanup work continues. Park officials are asking visitors to remain patient and stay away from restricted areas.

Staff members and volunteers are continuing to remove debris and address the widespread damage throughout the park.

To the Editor,

As bein hazmanim approaches once again, I want to raise an issue that deserves more attention from our community: the need for greater awareness and preparation around safety during this break.

For so many bochurim and yungeleit, bein hazmanim is a welcome change of pace after months of intensive sedorim. But that same shift — less structure, more travel, later nights, unfamiliar activities — is exactly what makes this period higher-risk. Every year we hear of tragedies during bein hazmanim: car accidents on long trips and drowning incidents at pools and lakes.

Sadly, this is not theoretical. Past years have brought real tragedies during bein hazmanim — losses that shook entire communities and that many of us still think about. We owe it to those neshamos, and to our own families, to do everything we can to avoid a repeat this year.

I’d like to see more organizations, rabbanim, and parents treat bein hazmanim safety as seriously as we treat safety during the zman itself. A few concrete ideas:

• Parents and Roshei Yeshiva should know where their bochurim are going — which trips, which chevra, which destinations — rather than leaving it vague. A simple conversation before bein hazmanim starts can make all the difference if something goes wrong and someone needs to be reached quickly.

• Ask what activities are actually planned. Are they doing anything higher-risk, like ATVing, off-roading, or other extreme sports? These activities have caused serious injuries and worse in past years, and too often parents only find out afterward. A little bit of upfront knowledge lets parents raise concerns or set ground rules before, not after.

• • **For younger bochurim especially, I would suggest that the Rosh Yeshiva arrange for an older bochur to supervise the trip.**Someone with a bit more experience and maturity along for the ride can make judgment calls, keep an eye on the group, and step in before a risky situation turns into a tragedy. It doesn’t need to be complicated — just one responsible presence can change the whole dynamic of a trip.
  • Safe driving reminders before bochurim hit the road for camps, trips, or visits home — especially around fatigue and late-night driving.
  • Water safety awareness, since drowning remains one of the most preventable yet recurring causes of tragedy over the summer months.

  None of this is meant to cast a shadow over what should be a refreshing and meaningful break. But a few honest conversations and some basic precautions before the zman ends could prevent heartbreak. We’ve seen what happens when we don’t take these steps seriously.

  Let’s make this bein hazmanim great again — full of simcha, achdus, and, above all, safety.

• a concerned yid

Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is warning that governments around the world are running out of time to address soaring public debt, arguing that today’s fiscal challenges are becoming one of the greatest long-term risks facing the global economy.

In an opinion article published Thursday, July 9, Bloomberg said advanced economies have allowed government borrowing to climb to levels not seen since the aftermath of World War II, leaving fewer options to respond to future financial crises.

His central argument is that governments rescued the private sector during the 2008 financial crisis and again during the COVID-19 pandemic, but may no longer have the financial capacity to provide similar support if another major economic shock occurs.

“The next crisis could be different,” Bloomberg argued, warning that governments themselves have become increasingly overleveraged.

According to Bloomberg, government debt across advanced economies has risen from roughly 70% of gross domestic product in 2007 to approximately 110% of GDP in 2025, driven by years of deficit spending that accelerated during the pandemic.

Higher interest rates have made the situation even more challenging by increasing the cost of servicing that debt.

The concerns extend well beyond a single country.

Many developed economies continue running substantial annual deficits despite relatively strong labor markets and economic growth, reducing their financial flexibility before the next recession arrives.

Bloomberg argues that delaying difficult fiscal decisions only makes future adjustments more painful.

He called for governments to gradually reduce spending growth, improve tax collections where appropriate and strengthen financial safeguards while economic conditions remain relatively stable rather than waiting until markets force more dramatic action.

His warning echoes concerns raised by several independent fiscal organizations.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that U.S. federal debt will continue climbing over the coming decades if current spending and revenue policies remain unchanged.

Some bipartisan lawmakers have proposed limiting annual budget deficits to approximately 3% of GDP, arguing that such a target could stabilize the nation’s long-term debt burden.

Economists generally agree that sustained increases in government borrowing eventually place upward pressure on interest rates as governments compete with businesses and consumers for available capital.

Higher borrowing costs can affect nearly every part of the economy, including mortgage rates, corporate financing, consumer loans and business investment.

For companies, persistent government borrowing may also reduce access to private capital as investors allocate more money toward government debt securities.

Bloomberg acknowledged that addressing large budget deficits is politically difficult because it often requires either reducing government spending, increasing taxes or some combination of both.

Those choices have historically proven unpopular regardless of which political party controls government.

Nevertheless, he argued that acting sooner allows policymakers to make gradual adjustments rather than being forced into severe spending cuts or tax increases during an economic emergency.

Financial markets have increasingly focused on long-term fiscal sustainability as government borrowing continues expanding across many developed nations.

Investors closely monitor debt levels because they influence inflation expectations, interest rates, currency values and sovereign credit ratings.

Bloomberg’s warning also comes as governments worldwide continue making significant investments in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, defense, energy security and industrial policy, increasing pressure on already strained public finances.

Although he stopped short of predicting an imminent debt crisis, Bloomberg argued that governments should use today’s relatively stable economic conditions to strengthen their fiscal positions before another major downturn arrives.

For businesses, the message is straightforward: government debt is no longer simply a public policy issue. Rising deficits increasingly influence borrowing costs, investment decisions, financial markets and long-term economic growth.

Bloomberg concluded that the opportunity for gradual reform remains available—but that window is steadily narrowing.

JBizNews Desk | New York
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or Distribution without Written Permission is Prohibited.

A newly disclosed handwritten document by slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reveals that he believed Israel might respond to a massive Hamas assault with a nuclear strike on Gaza—yet he nevertheless pressed ahead with planning the October 7, 2023, massacre.

The document, dated August 2022, was obtained by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, with portions published Sunday by Israel’s Channel 12. While another Sinwar document surfaced last year, the newly released material contains significant details that had not previously been made public.

According to the report, Sinwar meticulously outlined an ambitious battle plan that envisioned an invasion on a far greater scale than what ultimately took place. His blueprint called for 25 simultaneous breaches of the Israel-Gaza security fence, with each breach carried out by a “well-trained” force of 100 terrorists tasked with seizing 25 key junctions along the border.

The plan also assigned 2,210 terrorists to attack 221 smaller communities throughout southern Israel, while another 1,600 were designated to assault eight larger population centers. Sinwar further allocated 1,200 terrorists to strike Israeli cities and another 2,000 to attack military installations. Altogether, his envisioned invasion force totaled roughly 10,000 terrorists, though he wrote that no individual participant would know the operation’s full scope.

In reality, the October 7 invasion involved far fewer attackers. According to Israel Defense Forces estimates, approximately 5,600 terrorists crossed into Israel that day, including roughly 3,500 Hamas operatives, about 580 members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and another 1,400 armed Gazans.

Among Sinwar’s written instructions was a chilling directive targeting Israeli civilians. “The goal is to expel the settlers with their vehicles,” he wrote, referring to residents of southern Israel. He instructed that “priority” should be given to children and women, while ordering that “the men aged 17-50 are to be taken hostage” and that “all phones must be taken, along with any additional documents they are carrying on their person.”

Channel 12 reported that the documents demonstrate Sinwar fully understood the enormous risks associated with launching such an attack. According to the report, he acknowledged that there was no guarantee Iran—or its regional terror proxies, including Hezbollah—would join Hamas in the war, despite Hamas’s apparent expectation that they would.

The memo also shows that Sinwar anticipated an overwhelming Israeli response. He wrote that Israel would “not hesitate to use all means and weapons at its disposal” following the massacre, adding, “They may even use an atomic bomb, no less.”

Even so, Sinwar believed Hamas could exploit the initial shock of the assault. “But first, it will be surprised by the attack and enter into chaos,” he wrote, describing the invasion as “a campaign of life or death,” while calling for “a popular operation of returning to the villages and recapturing them symbolically.”

Although Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, it has never officially acknowledged having such an arsenal and remains outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The newly released excerpts follow another Hamas document made public by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in October 2025. That earlier document, also written by Sinwar, detailed plans to deliberately create “horrifying images” during the October 7 massacre and broadcast the atrocities live to maximize psychological impact.

(JNS) – Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday spotlighted a report describing a pandemic of antisemitic behavior by Australian healthcare workers against Jewish patients. It called the investigation by The Australian a “deeply troubling picture and should serve as a wake-up call.”

“We call upon The Australian government to confront antisemitism forcefully,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted to social media. “No Jew should ever feel compelled to hide their identity to receive medical care in an Australian hospital.”

The ministry included a link to The Wentworth Report, which quoted large sections of an article by Megan Goldin in The Australian detailing numerous examples of antisemitic behavior by staff toward Jewish patients in Australia’s medical facilities.

The article interviewed 30 doctors, nurses, midwives and health professionals who said that since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, anti-Israel activist healthcare workers were “turning hospitals and medical clinics into ideological war zones instead of safe spaces.”

Those interviewed by The Australian cited the case of Elon Glassberg, former surgeon general of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), whose scheduled appearance at a medical conference in Perth last year was canceled after anti-Israel doctors and nurses groups threatened to protest. They said it was just one high-profile example.

“Anti-Israel activism began almost immediately after the Oct. 7 massacre when the protests that unfolded in Australian cities spilled into the wards and staff rooms of hospitals in Melbourne, Sydney and other capital cities,” Goldin reported.

Medical staff wore protest symbols to work right after the attack. They covered bathroom stalls and hallways with stickers, including a Star of David with a red line through it.

“At the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, which has received tens of millions of dollars from Jewish philanthropists, such stickers were stuck to the bedside wall of an elderly Jewish patient in the hours before he died,” she reported.

They also spouted antisemitism and support for terror groups online.

“Doctors and nurses were posting Nazi symbols and little caricatures of Jewish people but using the word ‘Zionist’ instead of ‘Jews’,” Jewish pediatric neurologist Carly Debinski told The Australian. “They were so virtuous and obsessive about vilifying Jewish people.”

Debinski has since moved to Israel.

Nearly three years later, the online hate continues. Jewish members of Facebook groups are ejected or vilified if they speak about Israeli hostages or the horrors perpetrated by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At a Melbourne hospital, a Jewish intensive care unit nurse, who requested to remain anonymous, resigned despite more than 10 years on the job because management refused to address the staff’s online hate speech.

“If these people are willing to share these things on social media, imagine how they treat a [Jewish] patient face-to-face,” she said.

Double standards

A Jewish healthcare worker at a Melbourne teaching hospital was physically accosted by a colleague from Ireland, demanding she apologize for the Gaza war. When a complaint was made, the hospital’s human resources department refused to take action. That same HR department had weeks earlier transferred a staff member in the same unit for mimicking a foreign accent.

No action was taken in a complaint against a doctor who described Jews as “loathed slime” online and posted a Hitler quote. Complaints about numerous other doctors who posted antisemitic, pro-Hamas content were also closed.

“That pattern was repeated across the country as hospitals and healthcare regulators tolerated conduct against Jews that would have triggered disciplinary action if the conduct had targeted any other minority group, say numerous medical professionals who experienced this double standard,” The Australian reported.

Midwife Sharon Stoliar told The Australian that the same Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) staff, which ignored complaints about blatantly antisemitic and pro-terror posts by pro-Palestinian healthcare workers, acted against Jewish staff targeted by “baseless complaints.”

Painful IV insertions

Charlotte Frajman, 64, daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, said that a Muslim nurse lost his kind demeanor when he saw on her hospital records that she was Jewish.

“When it came to putting in the cannula [IV], he took four attempts. It was incredibly painful,” Frajman said. “I was bruised for weeks. You would have thought he was a trainee nurse, not the senior nurse in charge.”

When the same nurse again took four attempts to insert cannulas during subsequent visits, Frajman didn’t know what to think. “Then the Bankstown nurses thing came out, and my husband and I looked at each other and we said: ‘Oh my God.’ ”

Frajman referred to a Feb. 2025 incident in which two Muslim nurses who worked at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in Sydney were arrested after threatening Israeli patients in an antisemitic rant online. Charges were brought against them but in June, the judge ruled the video inadmissible, making a conviction unlikely.

“If I can’t have my Jewish religion on my medical records then it’s time to leave Australia because we are no longer safe here,” said Frajman.

“The needles, it is a story that keeps repeating,” says Nurit Hadad, a New South Wales-based mental health nurse counseling victims of antisemitism. “This is the easiest way to hurt people. They say: ‘I’ve done my best but I just couldn’t find a vein.’”

Orit Brand pleaded with a hijab-wearing radiographer to stop after failing eight times to insert an IV into her vein at a Melbourne hospital. Another staff member who was called inserted the IV at the first attempt “with no pain and no bruising.”

While malice is difficult to prove, in the case of Brand and Frajman, hospital protocol called for a maximum of two attempts by the same staffer.

Jewish medical students describe being ostracized by fellow students. Many of those interviewed withheld their names because they worried about their safety and future job prospects.

Mental health is the medical field with the most antisemitism, The Australian reported. A Queensland-based psychotherapist called on Israelis to kill themselves in one post. A psychiatry department academic at a Australian university compared lines at food distribution centers in Gaza to Holocaust gas chambers.

Mental health nurse Hadad panicked when a colleague draped a keffiyeh over an adjacent desk after Oct. 7.

“If someone is coming with a keffiyeh to a workplace, Australian people who have nothing to do with Middle Eastern culture … it’s a statement of violence,” said Hadad. “It represents the people trying to kill me.”

Hadad asked her managers to ban protest symbols in the workplace. After months of feeling unsafe at work, she quit her job.

The British government has officially designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, making it illegal for the group to operate in the United Kingdom.

In a written statement to Parliament, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the decision follows evidence of IRGC-linked activity in Britain, including threats to life and intimidation on UK soil. The government also designated another Iran-linked group, known as the Islamic Movement, as a terrorist organization following a wave of attacks targeting the British Jewish community.

Under the new law, it is now a criminal offense to support either organization, express views in their favor, assist their activities, or provide them with material benefit. Violators face penalties of up to 14 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

The move follows the British government’s efforts to strengthen national security laws aimed at countering hostile state threats. Officials said the new designation is intended to prevent individuals and organizations from advancing the interests of dangerous foreign entities operating in the UK.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Vice President JD Vance is facing growing criticism from some pro-Israel Republican donors and activists over his defense of the Iran ceasefire and his increasingly sharp criticism of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government, according to a POLITICO report.

Several prominent Republican supporters told POLITICO that Vance’s recent comments have fueled unease within pro-Israel circles ahead of a potential 2028 presidential campaign. One major Jewish GOP donor described “overwhelming unease” among pro-Israel Republicans, while others questioned whether Vance is moving the party away from its traditionally strong support for Israel.

The criticism has been amplified by conservative figures including Mark Levin, former Auburn University basketball coach Bruce Pearl, and Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce founder and CEO Duvi Honig, who have all publicly challenged Vance’s recent positions on Israel and Iran.

Despite the backlash, Vance continues to enjoy the support of several influential Republican donors. Hudson Bay Capital CEO Sander Gerber said his confidence in Vance “has not changed,” while Republican megadonor Y. David Scharf praised the vice president as a “masterful” Republican fundraiser who has repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to Israel’s security. Another major GOP donor told POLITICO, “The guy is pro-Israel. He’s on our side on all these issues.”

In a recent interview, Vance defended his approach, saying criticism of the Israeli government should not automatically be labeled antisemitic. “They’re a good partner in the same way the United Kingdom or France are good partners. That doesn’t mean that we’re always going to have aligned interests,” Vance said. He added that “there’s a danger in conflating criticism of a particular government with Jew hatred.”

The White House rejected suggestions of a rift, with spokeswoman Olivia Wales stating that President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance “are on the same page,” adding that “there has been no greater friend to Israel and a fighter for peace than President Trump.”

The debate comes as Vance is widely viewed as the leading contender to succeed Trump as the Republican presidential nominee in 2028, making his standing among pro-Israel Republicans an issue that could shape the party’s next presidential primary.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday struck in the southern Gaza Strip and eliminated a terrorist who was attempting to smuggle military equipment into the territory in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The IDF said it targeted Mustafa Oweisi, who had been active throughout the ongoing war smuggling weapons into Gaza. More recently, Oweisi tried to bring additional military equipment intended to help rebuild Hamas’ military wing, according to the military.

The equipment was designated for use by Hamas in both maritime and aerial operations, the IDF said.

Oweisi posed an immediate threat to IDF troops operating in the area, prompting an aerial strike to neutralize the danger, the military added.

IDF forces under Southern Command remain deployed in the region in line with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to act against any imminent threats, the statement said.

No further details on the strike’s location or additional casualties were immediately released.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — With the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Ukraine lost a close ally in President Donald Trump’s orbit, leaving its leaders grappling with the implications for their war-torn country.

Graham had been in Ukraine two days prior, standing in Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Square, flanked by the golden domes of the monastery and the burned-out remains of Russian military equipment.

There, he offered Ukrainians reason to be optimistic, telling reporters that sweeping new hard-hitting economic sanctions against Russia, legislation he had spent years pushing with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, were finally within reach. He would be heading back to Washington to meet with bipartisan leaders to advance the proposal.

Two days later, on Sunday, the world learned of his sudden death.

Ukrainian officials and lawmakers were devastated by the news. For years, Graham had been one of Kyiv’s closest allies in Washington and a trusted intermediary with Trump, who had a strained relationship with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Now, officials fear that without Graham, Ukraine’s ability to influence the White House could be diminished across a broad range of issues, not just the fate of the Russia sanctions bill.

“Huge and absolutely unexpected loss,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy’s party. “He was truly indispensable. I even don’t know who might be as important for us now in Trump’s entourage.”

“He was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump,” he added. “Our position in Trump’s entourage might be weaker.”

Zelenskyy said he had ‘constant dialogue’ with Graham
Condolences poured in from senior Ukrainian officials including Zelenskyy, who remembered Graham as one of Ukraine’s staunchest champions in Washington and someone who was in constant contact with Kyiv.

Zelenskyy said he was “deeply saddened” by the senator’s sudden death, noting that Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since Russia’s full-scale invasion and had been with Ukrainians “when it was most needed.”

“We were in constant dialogue and will miss that greatly,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, recalling that the two had met twice last week, at the NATO summit and again during Graham’s visit to Kyiv.

Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk described Graham as a “steadfast friend of Ukraine” whose support was “principled and resolute.” He said he would always remember their “meaningful, sincere, and warmly personal meetings,” adding that he believed Graham’s efforts to impose tougher sanctions on Russia would be carried forward despite his death.

With Trump’s return to the White House after the Biden administration, Ukrainian officials moved swiftly to cultivate relationships with Republicans close to him amid growing uncertainty over future U.S. backing. Graham became a central figure in those efforts, lawmakers said at the time.

Oleksandr Kraiev, a political analyst at the think tank Ukrainian Prism, said Graham was an unusually prominent figure in Ukraine.

“Graham is even more well-known and more popular among Ukrainians than many Ukrainian politicians,” Kraiev said.

Without Graham, Ukraine could lose an influential advocate with direct access to Trump, Kraiev said.

“I don’t see anyone else who will take the lead in helping Ukraine maintain those necessary connections,” he said.

In a break from many Trump supporters, Graham stayed focused on Ukraine
Graham was a political phenomenon now rare in a Republican Party where Trump has absolute control.

The senator steadfastly held onto more traditional conservative foreign policy values that included staunchly opposing Russia, being especially hawkish on Iran and pushing the White House to even more fully embrace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Graham also was a vocal supporter of traditional U.S. allies in Europe at a time when Trump threatened to pull American troops off the continent and denigrated NATO with increasing zeal.

The senator maintained those views despite them often putting him at odds with many vocal supporters of the isolationism and “America First” approach of the president’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

Although Trump frequently ridicules Republican members of Congress he perceives as not sufficiently loyal, he remained close to Graham and listened to him, especially on foreign policy matters.

A powerful voice in the Senate, even Democrats noticed Graham’s independent streak with much of the rest of his party.

“He marched to his own drummer,” Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said in a statement. “He could be strong-minded, fiercely driven, and sometimes unpredictable, but also deeply compassionate and sympathetic when he saw suffering and injustice.”

Graham’s support of Ukraine bumped up against Trump’s complaints that the U.S. was spending too much money to help the besieged country.

Still, Graham thought he was close to advancing legislation bolstering economic sanctions against Russia. Blumenthal said he’d spoken to Graham over the weekend and that the South Carolinian was “exulted” about the prospect of moving such a package forward.

Blumenthal added that the bill should now be passed as a “fitting tribute” to Graham.

New York City’s new tax on luxury second homes drew a wave of criticism from real estate attorneys and brokers at a Department of Finance hearing on Thursday, just days after the levy took effect, with critics arguing that property owners are being asked to comply with rules that remain unclear. Attorneys and industry professionals told city officials the guidance released ahead of implementation leaves major questions unanswered, raising concerns that confusion and legal challenges could follow.

The so-called pied-à-terre tax was included in New York State’s 2026–2027 budget, approved by the New York State Legislature in late May, and officially took effect on July 1. The measure grew out of Governor Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal supporting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s effort to generate additional revenue for the city.

Who Pays the Tax?

The surcharge applies to non-primary residences meeting certain value thresholds.

For condominiums and cooperative apartments assessed at $1 million or more, owners face a tax beginning at 4%, increasing to 5.25% for properties valued between $3 million and $5 million, and 6.5% for those above $5 million.

Separate rates apply to one-, two- and three-family homes valued at $5 million or more, with taxes ranging from 0.8% to 1.3%.

City officials estimate the measure could generate approximately $500 million annually, while estimates from the New York City Comptroller’s Office project annual revenue closer to $340 million to $380 million, affecting roughly 10,000 properties.

Lawyers Say Questions Outnumber Answers

Much of Thursday’s hearing focused less on the tax itself than on how it will actually be administered.

Under the current schedule, the Department of Finance must notify property owners by August 30 if they are subject to the tax. Owners will then have just 30 days to challenge the determination by providing documentation demonstrating that the property qualifies as a primary residence.

Attorneys argued that the timeline leaves little room to resolve disputes while guidance remains incomplete.

Co-op Buildings Face Unique Challenges

Real estate lawyers said cooperative apartment buildings could face some of the greatest uncertainty.

Unlike condominiums, where taxes are billed directly to individual owners, the law requires cooperative corporations to receive a combined tax bill for all affected units. Boards would then be responsible for collecting the appropriate amounts from individual shareholders.

Attorneys questioned how boards should proceed if shareholders cannot be located, dispute the assessment or fail to pay, warning that the statute offers little direction on those situations.

Law firms also raised concerns that the law’s valuation methodology may not accurately reflect how cooperative ownership is structured, potentially creating additional legal disputes.

Potential Court Challenges Ahead

Lawyers also pointed to questions surrounding ownership through trusts, limited liability companies and other entities, arguing that several provisions remain open to interpretation. Under the law, penalties for inaccurate filings can reach 50% of the tax owed.

Many attorneys expect litigation over residency qualifications, valuation disputes and implementation procedures as property owners seek greater clarity.

Luxury Market Remains Resilient

Despite criticism surrounding the rollout, New York City’s luxury housing market has shown little immediate impact.

According to Jonathan Miller, president and chief executive of appraisal firm Miller Samuel, luxury inventory has declined approximately 40% from a year ago, reaching its lowest level since 2004. Brokers say demand for high-end Manhattan properties has remained strong despite predictions that wealthy buyers would relocate to lower-tax states.

Whether the new tax ultimately changes purchasing behavior remains uncertain. For now, attorneys say the immediate concern is ensuring property owners understand how the law will be applied before the first tax bills arrive.

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

The United Nations has issued a rare public condemnation of Hamas after armed terrorists reportedly stormed a humanitarian aid distribution site in Jabalia, halted food deliveries, and assaulted truck drivers transporting humanitarian supplies.

In a statement, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov strongly condemned what he described as the disruption of humanitarian operations in Gaza by the territory’s “de facto authorities,” referring to Hamas. He said the incident endangered aid workers, intimidated personnel delivering life-saving assistance, and interfered with critical humanitarian efforts.

According to the UN, the attack occurred on Saturday when Hamas terrorists forcibly entered the Abu Rashid aid distribution site in northern Gaza, stopping food distribution. The armed terrorists also entered a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and assaulted two truck drivers delivering humanitarian aid.

Alakbarov said the incident reflects a growing pattern of intimidation, violence, interference with aid operations, and abuse of humanitarian workers. He called for an immediate end to all interference in humanitarian activities and urged that aid workers be protected and humanitarian assistance allowed to move safely and without obstruction.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wa-1783957242471-pnn9t3.mp4

(AP) – Support for Israel is a key component of the religious identity of many Jewish adults ages 45 and older in the United States, but younger Jewish adults are more likely to prioritize other forms of connection, like celebrating Jewish holidays, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

That suggests the generational divide on Israel’s actions since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war in Gaza extends beyond politics to religious identity.

“I pray for people in the land of Israel. I don’t need to pray for the state,” said Cameron Bernstein, a 27-year-old medical student in New Orleans. She was raised with strong ties to Israel, where she celebrated her bat mitzvah, but said that now “it doesn’t play a role in my life, more than another country with people I love.”

The survey of 1,022 Jewish adults from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that this split on support for Israel is particularly apparent among adults like her who identify as religiously Jewish. Jewish adults who are religiously unaffiliated but identify as Jewish in other ways tend to have less of an emotional connection to Israel in general.

Among the religiously Jewish adults — who make up 68% of Jewish adults overall — about 6 in 10 say that being Jewish is “extremely” or “very” important in their life, regardless of their age.

But about half of older religious Jewish adults say that supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important for their Jewish identity, similar to the percentage who say that about celebrating Jewish holidays. By contrast, only about 4 in 10 younger religious Jewish adults emphasize support for Israel, while about 7 in 10 say celebrating Jewish holidays is highly important.

Susan Boyer, 72, from Southern California, equates supporting Israel with supporting the right of the Jewish people to have a homeland in the Middle East.

Like many other Jewish Americans, the retiree believes Israel is an essential refuge against the possible repetition of large-scale massacres of Jewish people, like the Holocaust, especially as concern about antisemitism rises among Jewish adults.

“I’ve been defending myself as a Jew since I was a child … getting mugged by girls in my classes for being a Jew,” Boyer said. “It’s invasive into your daily living that you have to constantly, constantly be defending yourself as a Jew, constantly making sure that nobody is redefining you or nobody is like insulting your land.”

To Ari Pollack, a 30-year-old arts fundraiser in Wisconsin, Israel’s military operations — especially in the last few years — provide fodder for antisemitism and thus make everywhere less safe for Jews.

“I’m personally pretty opposed to basically everything Israel’s doing these days,” said Pollack, who grew up attending religious school. “A source of a lot of frustration that I have for the Jewish establishment is that sort of dogmatic teaching of pro-Israel ideas that I’ve had to unlearn as an adult. And it’s part of what’s kept me away from, you know, attending regular synagogue services.”

Like about 3 in 10 religious Jewish adults under 45, Pollack says that Israel has committed genocide during the war in Gaza, a charge that Israel has vehemently denied. That’s compared with about 2 in 10 Jewish adults ages 45 and older.

The poll suggests that other elements of Judaism remain important to many younger Jewish adults. Americans under 45 who identify as religiously Jewish are more likely than older Jewish adults to say that marking or celebrating Shabbat or avoiding certain foods, like pork or shellfish, are highly important to their Jewish identity.

Phoebe Wapnitsky, a 32-year-old in Connecticut, also strongly opposes Israel’s military actions, which she perceives as unaligned with Jewish values.

“Standing against oppression, promoting social justice — those are the roles that Judaism plays in my life,” she said, adding that she felt disconnected from Israel even before the Oct. 7 attack.

Brian Ebarb, a 47-year-old attorney in Louisiana, also says his Jewish identity was about “action and community” — but those include supporting Israel.

“When the government makes mistakes, it should be criticized,” he said, but added that shouldn’t become an excuse for attacking an entire people. “The existence of the state of Israel is so precarious that we have to be careful and not allow criticism of Israel to become criticism of Jews worldwide.”

Israeli police arrested six illegal aliens during an operation in the Galilee, including a resident of Khan Younis in Gaza, along with residents of Hebron, Jenin, and Qalqilya who were found in Israel without valid entry permits.

The arrests were made on July 6 during a Northern District police operation targeting wanted suspects involved in shootings and other criminal activity. Officers in the Arab city of Arraba spotted several suspicious individuals attempting to flee and apprehended them after a brief pursuit.

Police said all six were taken into custody for questioning before investigators located the home where they had been staying. Authorities also arrested the 48-year-old homeowner, who is accused of knowingly harboring the illegal aliens.

Prosecutors have since filed indictments against the homeowner and all six illegal aliens in the Acre Magistrate’s Court, along with a request to keep them in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The White House removed all three sitting members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, leaving the federal agency without a quorum just months before the November midterm elections.

According to individuals familiar with the decision and a White House official, Democratic commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland were dismissed by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, while Republican Commissioner Christy McCormick was asked to resign. The White House confirmed all three commissioners would be replaced.

The termination notices informed the commissioners that their appointments were ending effective immediately. Hovland later said he learned of his dismissal while returning from an official visit to a Missouri election office.

Commission Left Without Leadership

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is an independent federal agency created to help states administer elections. The commission is structured as a bipartisan four-member panel, with commissioners confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Its fourth seat had already become vacant earlier this year following the resignation of Republican Commissioner Donald Palmer.

With all remaining commissioners now gone, the agency currently lacks the quorum required to conduct official business until new nominees are confirmed by the Senate.

Election Operations Could Be Affected

The EAC oversees several key election-related responsibilities, including accrediting laboratories that test voting equipment, certifying voting systems used by state and local governments, administering federal election grants and maintaining the national voter registration form.

Without commissioners in place, approvals for voting equipment and other agency actions may be delayed until a new commission is confirmed.

Election officials and manufacturers of voting equipment are now watching closely to determine how quickly replacements can be nominated and approved.

Supreme Court Decision Changed the Landscape

The dismissals follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter, issued in late June, which held that the president has broader authority to remove officials serving at certain independent federal agencies.

The administration cited that ruling in defending Thursday’s actions.

Political Debate Intensifies

The removals come amid continued debate over federal election policy.

Following Congress’s failure to approve the SAVE America Act, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the commission to pursue additional voter registration and election administration changes, including proof-of-citizenship requirements and updated voting system standards.

With no commissioners currently serving, questions remain about how those initiatives will proceed until the agency is reconstituted.

The decision immediately drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers and several state election officials, who argued the timing creates uncertainty ahead of the November elections. Supporters of the administration contend the president has the constitutional authority to appoint leadership that reflects his policy priorities.

Business and Government Impact

Beyond election administration, the leadership vacuum also affects companies that manufacture and certify voting equipment, along with state and local governments that rely on federal certification standards and grant funding.

Until new commissioners receive Senate confirmation, the agency’s ability to approve voting systems and carry out certain statutory responsibilities remains limited, shifting greater responsibility to state election officials during one of the busiest election cycles of the year.

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

Israeli authorities on Sunday granted city status to the Yerushalayim suburb of Givat Ze’ev, officially making it the fifth Jewish city in Judea and Samaria.

The declaration, signed by Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, head of the Israel Defense Forces’ Central Command, came after initial approvals by the Defense Ministry’s Settlement Administration and the Interior Ministry, Arutz 7 reported.

Givat Ze’ev, located in Samaria some three miles northwest of Yerushalayim, has more than 35,000 residents, and the new municipal status is intended to allow for further growth.

Mayor Yossi Asraf called the move “a historic moment” for Givat Ze’ev, saying city status would help strengthen municipal services and manage the community’s expansion plans.

“Turning Givat Ze’ev into a city is first and foremost a major growth engine,” Asraf said in a statement cited by Arutz 7. He added that despite the new status, the municipality would seek to preserve the community’s “warm and rural atmosphere.”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a second minister in the Defense Ministry tasked with civilian affairs in Judea and Samaria, welcomed the decision.

“The declaration of Givat Ze’ev as a city is part of a broader policy we have been leading in recent years to reinforce and strengthen settlement through the establishment of dozens of new communities, the legalization of farms, declarations of state land and now a new city—Givat Ze’ev,” Smotrich stated.

Yisrael Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, the umbrella organization representing Judea and Samaria residents, noted that Givat Ze’ev had become the fifth city in the region, after Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit and Ma’ale Adumim in Judea, and Ariel in Samaria.

“Thousands of families have chosen to build their homes in Givat Ze’ev over the years, and it has grown into a thriving city of more than 35,000 residents,” Ganz said.

“We will continue to strengthen the settlement not through words but through actions, and ensure continued development and construction throughout Judea and Samaria,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s government has led an unprecedented drive to expand Israel’s control of Judea and Samaria, having approved tens of thousands of homes and dozens of new communities in the past three-and-a-half years. JNS

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-An Israeli Navy delegation led by Rear Adm. Guy Levy, the Israeli Navy’s deputy commander in chief and chief of staff, has concluded an official visit to the United States as part of events commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The delegation, which also included the Israeli Navy attaché to the U.S., Capt. R., participated in official events and represented the State of Israel and its navy.

During the visit, the group held meetings with the U.S. Navy’s chief of naval operations, the secretary of the Navy, and other senior U.S. Navy officials. They also met with senior naval leaders from multiple countries, including Germany, Cyprus, India, Greece, Argentina, Sweden, Denmark, South Korea, Morocco, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Norway and Finland.

The discussions focused on building and advancing operational dialogue, deepening professional exchanges and strengthening partnerships between the navies.

The delegation also visited the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where they met with Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte of Naval Support Activity Annapolis and Provost Dr. Samara Firebaugh. The visit aimed to promote the navies’ cadet exchange program.

The trip highlighted the deep and longstanding partnership between the Israeli and U.S. navies, rooted in shared values, professional cooperation and a joint commitment to maritime security and regional stability. It also helped strengthen ties between the Israeli Navy and other international naval forces.

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By Y.M. Lowy

Following the house fire shared on BoroPark24 yesterday, more details have been released about the blaze at the home on 51st Street between 15th and 16th Avenues.

The two-alarm fire brought a heavy FDNY response, with dozens of firefighters and EMS personnel rushing to the scene. Ladder trucks surrounded the building as firefighters poured water onto the upper floors and broke windows to vent the thick smoke.

The fire was brought under control by 2:16 p.m. One firefighter was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

After the fire was extinguished, firefighters remained on scene checking for hot spots while inspectors evaluated the building. A full vacate order was issued for the three-story structure due to damage to the roof, structural concerns, and extensive water damage.

Several nearby streets remained closed for hours as emergency crews completed their work.

WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers — and the Federal Reserve — are being hit with another high-cost headache.

The gusher of investment in data centers — likely topping $700 billion this year — to power artificial intelligence has made memory chips, computer processors, and other equipment, as well as electricity more expensive, and economists expect it will continue to push up inflation at least through the end of this year.

While it won’t be as large a spike as occurred in 2021-2023, when inflation peaked at 9.1%, massive AI spending is likely to keep prices rising more quickly than the Federal Reserve would like. Such increases could lead the central bank to lift its key interest rate later this year to cool spending and bring down inflation. Higher rates from the Fed often boost borrowing costs for auto loans, mortgages, and business loans.

Fed officials will closely watch June’s inflation report, to be released Tuesday, for further signs of AI’s impact on prices. Inflation last month likely cooled as gasoline prices have fallen after a cease-fire was reached between the U.S. and Iran, though whether that trend continues is now unclear as the U.S. and Iran have resumed fighting.

AI spending is lifting prices for consumer electronics
Just four large tech companies — Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft — are expected to invest $720 billion this year, mostly on data centers.

Those data centers use a lot of semiconductors, and chip supplies have run low. As a result, economists at JPMorgan Chase estimate that the cost of some computer memory chips will have soared by as much as 400% between 2024 and the end of this year.

Americans are already seeing higher prices for a range of consumer electronics, including laptops, smartphones, video game consoles, and computers. Electricity prices are also jumping as data centers absorb a growing share of new electrical capacity.

In a high-profile announcement last month, Apple announced it was boosting prices for laptops and iPads by about 15% to 25%. A topline MacBook will now cost $1,999, up from $1,699.

Many analysts expect price hikes will come for iPhones next.

“The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage,” Apple said in a statement. “We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.”

On the same day, Microsoft announced that the price of its XBox video game console will increase $100 by Aug. 1, citing higher prices for memory chips. Sony is also charging more for the Playstation, while Dell Computer and HP have raised prices for their laptops.

A “wave of AI-related cost pressures spilling over into consumer prices is still in the early stages of building,” analysts at investment bank Evercore ISI recently wrote.

It’s the latest in a series of waves that have boosted inflation
The impact on broader measures of inflation may be relatively modest, with many economists forecasting that AI investment will boost core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy, by roughly a half-percentage point by the end of this year.

Still, that could be enough to offset declining prices elsewhere, as the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs continues to fade and as rental costs cool. Core inflation, according to the Fed’s preferred measure, was 3.4% in May and some economists now expect it may decline only slightly by the end of the year, remaining well above the Fed’s 2% target.

The boost from AI may prove temporary, but it follows previous waves of higher prices stemming from tariffs and the gas price spike resulting from the Iran war. The Fed typically “looks through,” or ignores, temporary price increases, rather than boosting rates to fight them, but an ongoing series of temporary price shocks could threaten to create more sustained inflation, which has already been above the Fed’s target for more than five years.

“In isolation one or two such shocks is perhaps transitory, something they’re willing to live with,” said Abiel Reinhart, an economist at J.P. Morgan. “A sustained series of shocks, or a wider range of shocks, becomes more concerning to them.”

Federal Reserve officials have increasingly focused on AI
Fed policymakers are increasingly focused on AI’s inflationary impact. Kevin Warsh, who took over as chair May 22, has said he believes that over time AI will make the U.S. economy more efficient, which should reduce inflation even as growth accelerates.

He acknowledged in remarks July 1, however, that AI investment is now boosting demand, but declined to speculate on how inflationary the impact would be.

Yet many Fed officials worry that demand for AI-related gear will continue to outstrip available supply, a recipe for persistent price increases.

“If this creates a sustained impulse to demand relative to supply in inflation, I do think that’s the kind of situation where you don’t look through this,” John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said Thursday. Williams is also vice chair of the Fed’s rate-setting committee. Williams has supported keeping rates unchanged, but his comment suggests that under some scenarios he could support a hike.

According to the minutes of the Fed’s June 16-17 policy meeting, released Wednesday, many other officials share Williams’ concerns.

Another channel through which AI could raise inflation is through its huge demand for electricity, which has caused many utilities to raise prices. Power companies throughout the U.S. are adding more capacity, an expensive step that can also boost electricity costs.

According to the government’s consumer price index, electricity prices rose 5.9% in May compared with a year earlier, a bigger increase than overall inflation, which was 4.2%. After a pandemic spike, electricity price gains had dropped back to about 2% annually in early 2025.

While prices for computer chips could peak this year and then decline, experts expect electricity demand from AI will push up utility costs into 2028 or even beyond. In February, economists at Goldman Sachs forecast that electricity prices will rise 6% this year and next, and an above-average 3% in 2028.

“We do know what effect AI is having on inflation now, and it is inflationary, not deflationary,” Dario Perkins, an economist at TSLombard, wrote this week.

A new report warns that stronger safeguards against fraud are needed in the Obamacare exchanges to prevent bad actors who serve as agents and brokers in the federal marketplace from making unauthorized plan enrollments and changes to get compensation from health insurance providers.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Monday released a report showing that the number of consumer complaints about unauthorized plan enrollments and changes grew more than fourfold from 2023 to 2025, rising from a combined 66,548 to 299,604 in that period. 

The review found that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which maintains the federal Obamacare exchange, had insufficient controls to protect consumers from unauthorized activity by unscrupulous agents and brokers. 

Among the issues it identified were weak processes to ensure consumer consent for agent or broker actions, a lack of restrictions ensuring that only the agent or broker associated with a consumer’s enrollment can access the consumer’s exchange records, and CMS not informing consumers of all actions taken by agents and brokers.

The federal government’s push to run its own deportation airline is well behind schedule. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in mid-May that the Department of Homeland Security expected to fold its new fleet into removal flights “in the coming weeks,” yet the roughly 10 aircraft the department bought early this year had spent much of 2026 parked at a maintenance facility in Louisiana, according to a person familiar with the matter and public flight-tracking data cited by CNN. None had carried a single deportee.

The plan began under Mullin’s predecessor, Kristi Noem. For decades, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency inside DHS that handles removals, had leaned on charter operators to fly people out of the country. Noem’s team wanted to own the planes instead, a shift meant to help deliver President Donald Trump‘s goal of deporting 1 million people a year. DHS signed a contract worth nearly $140 million with Daedalus Aviation to buy up to six Boeing 737s, funded from the roughly $170 billion Congress approved over four years for immigration enforcement in last year’s tax-and-spending law.

A Fleet Waiting to Fly

The fleet grew to eight 737s and two Gulfstream jets. William Walters, chief executive of Daedalus Aviation, told CNN the aircraft were sold at cost plus overhead, including the expense of converting passenger aircraft for deportation operations. Neither Walters nor DHS disclosed a detailed cost breakdown.

When Markwayne Mullin became Homeland Security secretary, he ordered a review of contracts executed under the prior administration. DHS said the aircraft have been undergoing maintenance, safety inspections and operational modifications before entering service. Several of the planes were also used during evacuation missions tied to the conflict involving Iran, though they have not yet been deployed for deportation flights.

The Real Cost Comes After the Purchase

Industry experts say purchasing aircraft is only the first step.

Operating an airline requires ongoing spending for pilots, maintenance, insurance, fuel, flight crews and regulatory compliance. Former ICE officials told CNN that sustaining a government-owned fleet presents significant long-term operational challenges beyond the initial acquisition cost.

At least initially, DHS plans to rely on commercial operators to fly the aircraft, but charter companies must still receive regulatory approvals and train crews to operate the newly acquired Boeing 737 fleet before regular operations can begin.

Can It Save Taxpayers Money?

DHS has argued that operating its own fleet could eventually reduce deportation costs by as much as $280 million through more efficient scheduling and reduced reliance on outside charter companies.

According to ICE figures, charter deportation flights currently cost between approximately $7,000 and $27,000 per flight hour, depending on aircraft type and mission requirements. Officials argue that eliminating multiple layers of subcontracting could reduce long-term operating expenses.

For now, however, deportation flights continue to rely largely on private charter operators while the government-owned fleet awaits full deployment.

Removal Flights Continue to Increase

Despite delays involving the government fleet, deportation activity continues to rise.

Human Rights First, which tracks removal flights, reported 245 deportation flights during one recent month—the highest monthly total since the organization began monitoring flights in 2020.

Whether DHS ultimately achieves the projected savings will depend on how efficiently the government can operate and maintain its own aircraft over the long term. Until the fleet begins regular operations, the anticipated financial benefits remain projections rather than demonstrated results.

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

American families are increasingly being pushed past their financial limits at the grocery checkout counter, turning to credit card debt just to keep food on the table, according to a new study.

Data released Monday from the Urban Institute found that a cumulative 32% increase in food costs over the last five years has pushed more than one in four working-age Americans into credit card debt just to cover their regular grocery bills.

“Groceries are one of the largest household budget items for families. Over the past five years, food costs have increased substantially,” the report said. “This means that families today face persistently higher prices when they go to the grocery store, and food affordability remains a key concern for many.”

The report also found, “Between 2023 and 2025, the share of working-age adults who paid for groceries with a credit card and did not make the minimum payment increased, signaling worsening financial distress among families.”

While recent relief at the gas pump offered a temporary inflation 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, The Conference Board Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson recently told Fox News Digital. She predicted everyday Americans will continue to feel the squeeze at the grocery store, with the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal remaining out of reach until at least 2028.

Though June’s inflation data via the consumer price index (CPI) will be released this Tuesday, April’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index rose 0.4% on a monthly basis and is up 3.8% from a year ago.

The Urban Institute findings underscore current price pressures, noting 63.2% of working-age Americans ages 18-64 charged their grocery purchases to credit cards last year. More than one-quarter of those individuals then encountered repayment struggles.

Additionally, the share of individuals who failed to make the minimum payment on credit cards used for grocery purchases increased from 7.1% in 2023 to 8.7% in 2025.

“Buy now, pay later” installment plans were used by 8.9% of adults to secure food, but more than a third (34.8%) of those users failed to make an installment payment on time.

Those hit hardest by the food costs are middle-income earners, the data shows, with middle-class families earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level seeing missed minimum credit card payments on food jump from 9.3% in 2023 to 12.3% in 2025.