China sold far more goods abroad than expected last month — including a sharp jump in shipments to the United States — even with American tariffs still in place.

According to data released Tuesday, June 9, by China’s General Administration of Customs, exports rose 19.4% in May from a year earlier in dollar terms, accelerating from April’s 14.1% gain and easily beating economists’ expectations of roughly 15% growth.

The number attracting the most attention was the one tied to the United States.

China’s exports to the U.S. surged 35.4% in May compared with a year earlier, the strongest increase in five years. The jump marks a dramatic reversal from much of last year, when shipments to America were falling sharply under the weight of tariffs and slowing demand.

For many readers, the obvious question is simple: if tariffs are supposed to discourage imports, why are Chinese exports to the United States rising so quickly?

Why Tariffs Aren’t Stopping Trade

A tariff raises the price of imported goods, but it does not automatically eliminate demand.

Many American businesses still depend on Chinese-made products because there are few alternatives available at comparable prices or scale. As a result, imports can continue growing even when tariffs remain in place.

Part of the recent surge also appears to be about timing.

Companies around the world rushed to place orders ahead of rising energy and shipping costs linked to the conflict in the Persian Gulf. When businesses expect transportation costs to increase, they often stock up early, temporarily boosting trade figures.

That front-loading effect appears to have contributed to May’s export surge.

The AI Boom Is Driving Demand

The larger force may be technology.

China’s exports of computer chips, known as integrated circuits, jumped 110% in value from a year earlier, while exports of high-tech products overall rose 50%.

The global race to build artificial intelligence systems is fueling demand for semiconductors, electronics, servers, networking equipment, and other technology products. China remains a major supplier in many of those categories.

As companies worldwide invest billions of dollars into AI infrastructure, demand for Chinese-made technology products has remained strong.

Tariffs Are Lower Than Before

The trade environment has also become less restrictive.

U.S. tariffs on many Chinese goods now stand at roughly 10% after the Supreme Court struck down a series of tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed using emergency powers.

Trade relations also improved somewhat after Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping during an APEC summit in South Korea last October.

Lower duties make it easier for Chinese goods to remain competitive in American markets, helping explain why exports have rebounded so strongly.

Economists See More Growth Ahead

Several economists believe the momentum could continue.

Sheana Yue, a senior economist at Oxford Economics, said demand for green-energy products such as electric vehicles, batteries, and solar equipment remains strong, while AI-related technology exports continue to expand.

Tianchen Xu, a senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, noted that China’s tariff disadvantage relative to some Southeast Asian manufacturing hubs has narrowed, improving the competitiveness of Chinese exports.

Those trends are helping offset weakness in other parts of the Chinese economy.

What It Means for Consumers and Businesses

For American consumers, the data suggests that lower-cost Chinese goods continue to arrive in large quantities.

That includes electronics, household appliances, industrial equipment, and components used by manufacturers across the United States.

Continued imports can help limit price increases for some products, even as inflation pressures remain elevated elsewhere in the economy.

For American businesses, the figures reinforce how deeply integrated global supply chains remain despite years of political tensions and tariff disputes.

For Trump, the numbers present a challenge to one of the core goals of his tariff strategy: reducing America’s dependence on Chinese imports.

And for China, the report highlights how important exports have become as a source of growth while the country continues to struggle with a prolonged real-estate downturn and weaker domestic demand.

The Bottom Line

Tariffs may dominate the political conversation, but they are not the only force shaping trade.

A combination of early ordering, booming demand for AI-related technology, and a more favorable tariff environment helped drive Chinese exports sharply higher in May.

The result: China’s exports are growing faster than expected, and American buyers remain a major part of that story.

JBizNews Desk — Asia

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

DETROIT (VINnews) — Federal authorities arrested seven people Wednesday on a 10-count indictment alleging they carried out a coordinated campaign of threats and vandalism targeting University of Michigan officials and businesses because of their ties to Israel.

According to the indictment, the suspects, described as college-aged adults, engaged in a series of criminal acts beginning in March 2024 and continuing through April 2025. Prosecutors allege the group sought to pressure university leaders and other institutions to sever relationships with Israel.

🚨 Early this morning, @FBI and partners arrested 7 individuals on a 10 count indictment for allegedly targeting University of Michigan leaders and businesses in the Eastern Michigan region with violent threats and attacks.

The indictment alleges that after the October 7, 2023…

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 10, 2026

Authorities said the defendants allegedly vandalized homes and property, spray-painted messages including “Intifada” and “Free Palestine,” left threatening notes, and damaged residences. In some cases, investigators allege chemical-filled jars were thrown through windows of occupied homes.

Federal officials said several incidents occurred on Oct. 7, 2024, the first anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. Prosecutors allege one suspect targeted the Jewish Federation in Bloomfield Township, while another allegedly vandalized the home of the University of Michigan president.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrests, crediting investigators from the FBI’s Detroit field office and other law enforcement partners for conducting a lengthy investigation.

The defendants have been charged with conspiracy and transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce. Court proceedings are ongoing.

Tensions are rising ahead of anticipated demonstrations by Peleg Yerushalmi supporters, as organizers prepare for renewed protests surrounding the military trial of yeshivah bochur Dovid Petrov, the son of Rav Eliezer Petrov, rosh yeshivah of Maalos HaTorah and a prominent figure within the movement.

As preparations intensify, an audio message distributed through the movement’s emergency hotlines reveals unusual concern among organizers and includes a series of strict instructions aimed at maintaining control of the demonstrations.

A central theme of the message is a forceful effort to distance the movement from last week’s incident in which protesters blocked railway tracks near the Ganot Junction area.

In the recording, organizers stress that entering the tracks was not an organized action and warn participants in the strongest possible terms against repeating such behavior.

“Anyone who thinks it is permissible to go down and block Israel Railways tracks should know that this is certain death. Under no circumstances should anyone go onto the tracks.”

Organizers also reportedly instructed participants not to film or circulate footage of similar incidents, expressing concern that such material could cause significant damage to the protest movement.

The emergency directives come amid heightened scrutiny following several controversial incidents in recent weeks, including the break-in at the home of Deputy Supreme Court President Justice Noam Sohlberg, which drew widespread condemnation, including from chareidi political leaders.

‘Golden Rules’ for Demonstrators

Beyond the warning regarding railway tracks, organizers distributed what they described as a series of “golden rules” for those planning to participate in upcoming protests.

Participants were instructed not to attend demonstrations alone and instead to arrive in organized groups.

The guidelines also urged protesters to avoid confrontations or provocations involving police officers or civilians and encouraged participants to carry recording devices and cameras.

“Our strength is in our unity,” organizers declared in the concluding message, while emphasizing that demonstrators should follow only the directives issued by the Vaad LeHatzalas Olam HaTorah.

The instructions appear aimed at preserving discipline within the demonstrations and preventing incidents that could escalate into uncontrolled violence while police closely monitor developments.

In recent weeks, Peleg Yerushalmi supporters have held a series of protests over the arrest and imprisonment of yeshivah students in military facilities. Demonstrations have included gatherings outside Prison 10 and protests at major intersections across the country, some of which ended in clashes with security forces.

Focus Turns to Petrov Trial

The immediate catalyst for the expected demonstrations is Wednesday’s military court hearing involving Dovid Petrov, who is facing proceedings on charges related to draft evasion.

Many observers view the case as another flashpoint in the ongoing tensions between the Torah world and the defense establishment, raising concerns that additional protests could follow the court’s decision.

Several high-profile incidents have already occurred in recent days. Authorities arrested three suspects in connection with a break-in at a police station in Beit Shemesh, while a chareidi avreich was recently detained at the Tunnels Checkpoint on suspicion of involvement in demonstrations outside Justice Sohlberg’s home.

Police officials have repeatedly stated that they will not tolerate attacks on state institutions or symbols of government authority.

At the same time, leaders of the Vaad LeHatzalas Olam HaTorah have made clear that the protest campaign will continue until what they describe as the persecution of lomdei Torah comes to an end.

Nevertheless, the unusually detailed instructions issued to demonstrators suggest that organizers are increasingly concerned that uncontrolled incidents could undermine the broader protest effort.

With police on heightened alert and the Petrov ruling expected Wednesday, attention is now focused on whether the coming days will bring a wider wave of demonstrations or a more restrained and carefully managed response.

{Matzav.com}

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched airstrikes Wednesday against Iran, and President Donald Trump said more were coming, as Tehran fired back at countries in the region. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, with Trump warning that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations.

Trump’s warnings at the White House and on social media came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire. It was the second time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire. On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.

“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters at the White House hours after U.S.. Central Command said it struck Iranian military sites.

Shortly after Trump spoke, the U.S. military said it had fired on an oil tanker trying to transport oil from Iran in violation of its blockage on Iranian ports. It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled in the waters off Iran, U.S. Central Command announced in a social media post Wednesday.

Trump wouldn’t say if he planned to follow through on threats he made earlier in the war to attack bridges and utility plants in Iran. He urged Iran to sign a deal with the U.S.

“We were really close to a deal but they keep tapping us along,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments underlined the American leader’s whipsaw approach to the war. He suggested on Monday that a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days.

Iran, meanwhile, has proved resilient despite having faced weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for the world’s oil and natural gas — gives it a strong bargaining chip.

Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. That will make compromise much harder.

Strikes by the US and Iran shake the Mideast
Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world, and made food and other basics more expensive. The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $92 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war.

In the latest strikes, U.S. fighter jets targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites,” the military’s Central Command said.

Iran said U.S. strikes hit two water reservoirs in its southern city of Sirik, cutting off water to thousands of people. Iran’s state media published video of what it said was a damaged reservoir, though the Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage.

U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iran’s top diplomat vowed that there would be a response, and Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted an airbase the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. The base has hosted American F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft. Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency reported there were no injuries.

Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire, without elaborating.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty in calls with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia “and emphasized the inherent right of self-defense, including reciprocal action,” according to a post on his office’s Telegram channel.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in televised comments Wednesday that, following the new attacks, Iran would review its stance on negotiations to end the war.

Efforts to mediate a deal continued. Following consultations with the U.S., a delegation from Qatar arrived in Tehran for talks on Wednesday, according to an official with knowledge of the visit who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

The exchanges of fire came a day after a U.S. Army attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. It wasn’t clear whether the collision was intentional.

A drone boat rescued both of the helicopter’s crew, and Trump said they were uninjured.

Trump says a deal is close, then says it’s taking too long
Before he accused Iran of downing the U.S. helicopter, Trump expressed renewed optimism over negotiations with Iran, though he didn’t say why there was reason for hope.

While Trump, wary of high gas prices in the run-up to congressional elections in November, seems to be looking for a quick win, he is also making demands that will be tough for Iran to swallow.

The U.S. wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, that uranium is a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.

Iran is refusing to give up the uranium and demanding relief from sanctions. It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something Trump rejected.

It’s not clear how those differences can be bridged — and Trump has repeatedly threatened to walk away from the talks. His Truth Social post Wednesday accused Iran of taking “too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”

Meanwhile, Iran has continued to insist that any deal to end the war must also end fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel. Instead, Israel has intensified its military campaign against the militant group.

An airstrike on a village east of Tyre killed at least six people, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. It said two others were killed by an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern city of Sidon.

Smash Course

The ABC’s of Food Delivery

With recent reports of kosher consumers accidentally receiving food from non-kosher establishments, awareness of proper food-delivery procedures has never been more important. Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger speaks with Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Kashrus Administrator at the cRc and Executive Director of AKO, about the halachos of chasimos, delivery services, and protecting the integrity of kosher food from restaurant to doorstep. Whether you order through an app or pick up takeout yourself, this episode contains practical guidance every consumer should know.

 View it in its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/smash-course

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Transcription

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let’s Talk Kashrus, presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project in conjunction with the cRc of Chicago. Today I am privileged to be joined by Rabbi Sholem Yehuda Fishbane, Kashrus Administrator at the cRc of Chicago. Rabbi Fishbane, how are you?

R’ Sholem Fishbane: Baruch Hashem, thanks for having me.

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: It’s always a pleasure to have you here.

Today we’re here to discuss a very, very important topic, something we’ll call a davar ha’omed al haperek, something of practical relevance now because of various stories that have made it to the news, specifically people who have ordered food from what they thought were kosher establishments and it ended up being non-kosher establishments, whether they confused the name, location, whatever it might have been, unfortunately people ordered treif and it came to their house, they didn’t realize, they ate it, they consumed it, terrible stories. These are stories that rightfully make headlines and draw people’s attention and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here for Kashrus awareness so we’d like to address this topic today and get your input and insight into what people could do to be better informed and know what to do in certain circumstances. So let’s start with what people should know, the aleph beis of receiving food deliveries. If you’re ordering food from an establishment and are there protective measures that should be taken? Give us some guidance.

R’ Sholem Fishbane: So that’s a great point about protective because Chazal made siyagim, they made protective and Chazal were concerned with hachlafa, with switching around and they gave us halachos to protect the integrity of the Kashrus of the food and I think you’re 100 percent right, these are terrible stories and for every one we hear there’s a few that we don’t hear about. And really it starts and stops with the halachos of chosamos, of seals, of protecting the food that you when you get it and this goes for whether it’s not just the delivery services that you’re referring to, even if you order straight up from a kosher restaurant but the person they’re sending with, the halacha is if he’s not a shomer Shabbos, whether even if he’s not a goy, but even if he’s a Yid but he’s not a shomer Shabbos, he loses ne’emanus, you need to have a seal before you’re allowed to eat it. That’s the halacha, it’s very clear.

If you go to a store and the entire store’s not under hashgacha, maybe one part is, this part is, that part is, and you buy something off the shelf, the halacha is it needs a _chasima_before you’re allowed to take it out. You go at work where there’s a public refrigerator, you can’t just leave your stuff there, there’s a halacha.

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: It’s a great example. You send out the office secretary who’s not a shomer Shabbos to pick up something, right away there’s a halacha about this.

R’ Sholem Fishbane: There’s situations all of these are scenarios over and over and as you said…

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: And to clarify before you go further, this is a meforash halacha in Shulchan Aruch, right?

R’ Sholem Fishbane: Meforash halacha in Shulchan Aruch. This is not a minhag, it’s not a new found custom. It’s not a new found and that’s exactly the point of Kashrus awareness is we’re so used to, baruch Hashem, Klal Yisrael’s growing and we’re eating and everything’s kosher, but whoa, whoa, whoa, Chazal knew what they were talking about when they said these are the halachos.

So exactly I think today we’ll go through some of the very practical halachos and ways to make sure and that’s the halacha you’re allowed to eat beforehand. It’s funny, I saw somewhere where in places where there’s kosher restaurants, there are people that are not even Jewish that will davka order kosher food because if it comes in right, it comes in sealed. Why? Because they know that and there’s been studies on this, 30 percent of the Uber drivers or the drivers are noshing on the fries as they come in. Right.

So they like their food protected as well. So this is a real thing. So it’s important to understand that these halachos and therefore let’s start with how many chosamos, how many seals do you need? So it’s actually a machlokes Rishonim of what are the reasons. Is it because you go with a more expensive item like Rashi says where you need two chosamos or you go it’s more de’oraisa de’rabbanan which is the Rambam and that’s how the Shulchan Aruch paskens de’oraisa versus…

The d’oraisas therefore would be fish without skin, meat, if you’re in the techeiles business, you know, that would be need two chasimos, d’rabbanan‘s like bread and cheese and pizza and cake. These things would need one chasima. In Shulchan Aruch it talks about what about non-mevushal wine, which be’etzem is a d’oraisa but the Taz says today it’s it’s switched over to d’rabbanan. These are various things, but let’s go with how Shulchan Aruch calls it, you know, d’oraisa versus d’rabbanan, needing two versus one.

Okay. So so what qualifies as a siman, right? So what qualifies as a siman is it it takes significant effort to duplicate it and it’s difficult to open the package without breaking or tearing the closure, the tape, the packaging. It looks like it’s like it’s broken. So for example, I went to the store and I bought this potato salad, okay? The potato salad as you see, this is d’rabbanan, okay? And it had a nice CRC tape around it and I wanted to see what would happen if I tried to open it, and as you can see I ate it and it was very good, and I tried to see if I could open without breaking it, and look on the bottom.

So you can see right away how it was, so the tape is still there but you see that somebody did something to it. It got squeezed, something’s off, something’s off. So the driver or whoever it is that might also want to will say, “Okay, you know, I’m not going to bother with this.” This is what _Chazal_had in mind. It’s very…

so let’s let’s talk about some of these things. There could be zip ties, there could be staples, you can staple a thing where you can take… this is, this is a one valid chasima. Here’s the, here’s a receipt, okay, of of the guy’s name and what I ordered and all of that, and what they’ll do in a kosher restaurant is they’ll they’ll staple it on.

So that’s one chasima, right? And then what the what the mashgiach will tend to do is you’ll see there’ll be tape, they’ll put tape, that would be a second chasima. Right. So that’s a very good thing. Or they’ll or they’ll just do one with with the bill inside.

That would be another way of doing it. Another way is you can do an atypical knot, obviously kosher tape, Hebrew writing. Sometimes we’ll be run out of tape so we can write on a piece of paper, we can put a piece of regular masking tape, and we’ll write our name in Hebrew, our names across it, so that if you if you try to open it, it will it will go through. Right.

Holograms. You know, there is a concept called a simanmuvhak. A siman muvhak is like to, even though it’s one, but be’etzem like it’s halachically like two seals. So for example, you know, if you go buy a cryovac pack of chicken from the shlachthouse.

If you look at it, there’s really just one one covering, even though it says kosher in two different places. That’s called a siman muvhak, because most people that are delivering don’t have cryovac machines on their belt to redo that. That’s a siman muvhak. Pre-printed tape with kosher tape in it, that’s voiding.

In other words, if you peel it off, it will like rip. That would be also siman muvhak. So here, I brought two pizza boxes. Typical pizza box, right? It needs for sure one chasima.

So if it just has the the company name on it without anything on it, that’s not a chasima. Right. You can’t accept that necessarily. If it has something like this, look at this.

So easy, so easy to open. The way it’s supposed to come is, you can see the tape is wrapped around once. For me to, for someone to try to open it, they would ruin the they would ruin the box, exactly. Now there are many times you’ll find a product, all it will have is the company name on top of it.

Lechiora, this doesn’t mean anything because, you know, anyone could open it, you know, same over here, you know, Miriam’s cookies, you know, this this doesn’t do much. Now the proper way therefore to to do, let’s say you’re buying something like a meat sandwich, it needs like a crisscross. You need to have, this is considered two, that’s considered a double chasima. A double chasima.

So these are the many many examples of how how these things come out and and really it’s it’s critical for us to teach our children, for the schools to teach the students, what qualifies as a chasima, what doesn’t qualify, and therefore there’s no such thing as, “Oh, I only have to worry about it like when I order something on online,” but it’s anytime you go shopping, let’s educate the consumers of what’s considered a good chasima, what’s not, and which products need two and which products need one.

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Right. So we mentioned two chasimos, let’s say meat, poultry, fish, things like that would need two chasimos. What are some of the items that would need one chasima? Would it be baked goods?

R’ Sholem Fishbane: Baked goods, yeah, anything from a bakery. bread or anything like that, anything with cheese, which is, you know, d’rabbonon, milk, you know, I don’t know if you order something from a Dunkin’ Donuts, the kosher one versus the non-kosher, and it’s a coffee, you know, that would be one chosimah or a Starbucks or, you know, that type of thing. Almost everything that doesn’t have in it meat, fish, poultry, and those types of things, _d’Oraisa_s, then that would need one chosimah.

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: What happens in a scenario where someone does their due diligence, they order from a place that they know is certified, it comes, the order comes, they look at the bag, they look at the package and they see there’s something off, either it’s missing the seal or the seal seems tampered? What do they do? Is there any way to salvage the food at that point?

R’ Sholem Fishbane: So that’s a great question, and we get this all the time where someone will call our office and say, I’m downtown, I ordered from one of the establishments and it didn’t come with a… you know, I want to tell you something interesting.

I asked the kosher restaurants, why don’t you make it a policy every single time that anyone comes for a takeout food, it has to be chosum automatically? Right. They said, ’cause they get upset with us. Most people that walk in want to make sure we have enough ketchup packets and forks and knives. Don’t seal it over.

I need to see what you put in there. Was it the right order? Oh, that’s a very interesting point. Very interesting point. So therefore we don’t do it, and you know, unless we know for sure that it’s…

you know, we try, but when there’s pressure at a restaurant, lunch hour, forget it. Oh, forget it. Sure. So what do…

so we get this call all the time. So there is a concept in_halacha_ called tviyas ayin. So tviyas ayin means that if a ne’eman kashrus can tell you, I can give a shvua this is… that that food is kosher, that is acceptable.

So we do this, you know, the guys downtown, he’s starving, there’s a convention, three-day convention, he finally got something kosher. We’ll have him take a picture of the food and or maybe even a livestream to the mashgiach in the restaurant who will look around and say, I can identify that is exactly what we sent out. Aha. That’s called tviyas ayin.

And tviyas ayin works across the board. Even in your own home. You go out and there’s someone working in your home, you know, in the kitchen or in the home that’s not Jewish or not shomer Shabbos, that’s the halachos basar she-nisalammin ha-ayin. So if you have a tviyas ayin on the food, that works as well.

But that would be the primary way to get it to fix up something that came in that didn’t have proper chosimos. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Would you say that a classic case of tviyasayin for a homeowner who’s not a kashrus expert, doesn’t necessarily know how the food is prepared is perhaps, I’m just asking as a suggestion, if someone always orders from the same place and they know the way the food is usually presented and now they got the same order that they usually order but it didn’t have the seal? Is that enough of a _tviyas ayin_because they know what it usually looks like?

R’ Sholem Fishbane: Yeah, the tviyas ayin can be on both sides of the aisle. It could be if you are, you know, fries are fries, and that’s easier. Or even a…

you can make the argument that a pie of pizza kind of will look… but if it’s a certain knish, a meat knish that you like getting, and the way it’s done, I recognize this from this the way they grill it, the way they… yeah, that would be tviyasayin as well. Obviously, as we said, let’s educate ourselves in chosimos that we don’t have to come onto what-ifs, but of course there are ways to salvage if something doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.

But again, we… I think it would go without saying, we would advise someone in any scenario if they have a _kashrus_professional they could consult, a rov, they should always do so if they can to be sure. Right. And if I could make a suggestion or a plea, as I said earlier, the schools should have some sort of education.

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Education, right. Of what’s called a chosimah so that everyone, no matter where they are, they could be in the most metropolitan frum area versus vacationing in who knows where, it’s the same halachos and therefore they should be educated. So we thank you for the education that you brought us and to the public, and continue to have hatzlacha in all you do. Thank you.

A group of 22 Western countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, condemned what they called Iran’s “malicious actions” targeting Jews, dissidents and journalists across several Western nations.

In a joint statement, the countries accused Iran of using criminal networks to carry out operations and specifically pointed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Quds Force, and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

The countries included Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Theg pointed to “the relationship between Iranian security services and international criminal groups.”

“We stand united in our determination to protect our countries and our peoples against these threats. Iran must stop these actions immediately,” the statement said.

The countries warned of ties between Iranian security services and international criminal groups, calling the alleged cooperation “deplorable.”

“Their use of these groups is deplorable. Likewise, we condemn the recent campaign of attacks across Europe against Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and American interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al Yamin al Islamiya (HAYI) and supported by its intermediaries,” they said.

The signatories added that “attempts to assassinate, kidnap, harass, intimidate, or otherwise attack individuals” in their countries violate national sovereignty and international norms.

“These actions must cease immediately,” they said.

The statement referenced an attack on a synagogue in London’s Golders Green neighborhood in April that was claimed by HAYI, an organization accused by German authorities of having links to an Iraqi Shiite network and operating across Europe.

The Trump family has earned at least $2.3 billion from a series of cryptocurrency ventures since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, while investors who bought into those projects collectively lost roughly the same amount, according to a Reuters investigation published Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

The report, based on blockchain records, corporate filings, public disclosures, and interviews with investors and industry experts, paints a picture of a highly profitable business model for the project’s promoters — even as many investors suffered steep losses.

The Numbers Behind the Report

Reuters found that four Trump-linked crypto ventures generated at least $2.3 billion for entities connected to the Trump family.

At the same time, more than one million investors collectively lost approximately $2.3 billion as the value of the assets declined.

According to the investigation, the Trump family’s role largely involved licensing its name and promoting the projects through public appearances, interviews, and social media rather than investing substantial amounts of its own capital.

Industry experts interviewed by Reuters said the ventures required relatively modest startup costs compared with the revenue they ultimately generated.

That meant the overwhelming majority of profits came from licensing fees, token sales, and revenue-sharing arrangements rather than from direct investment risk.

As Donald Trump himself told Reuters in a 2016 interview regarding licensing deals: “The licensing deals are the best of all deals because there’s no risk.”

The Four Crypto Ventures

The Reuters investigation focused on four Trump-affiliated crypto businesses:

• World Liberty Financial
• $TRUMP meme coin
• AI Financial Corp. (formerly ALT5 Sigma)
• American Bitcoin

The largest source of revenue was reportedly World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture co-founded by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.

According to Reuters, more than $1.4 billion flowed to Trump-controlled entities through governance-token sales and revenue-sharing arrangements.

The report states that investors who purchased those tokens later suffered losses estimated at approximately $674 million as the token’s value fell roughly 87% from its September 2025 peak.

The Meme Coin Boom and Bust

The investigation also highlighted the performance of the $TRUMP meme coin, one of the most recognizable politically branded cryptocurrencies.

Reuters estimates the project generated approximately $616 million for Trump-affiliated entities.

Investors, meanwhile, lost more than $700 million as the token’s value declined sharply.

According to the report, the coin has fallen approximately 97% from its all-time high, underscoring the extreme volatility that has become common among celebrity- and politically branded digital assets.

Other Trump-linked crypto-related stocks experienced similar declines.

Shares of ALT5 Sigma, now known as AI Financial Corp., reportedly fell from more than $9 per share to roughly 75 cents by April 2026.

Why Wall Street Is Paying Attention

Beyond the political implications, the findings highlight a growing trend in the digital-asset market.

Celebrity-backed and politically branded cryptocurrencies have become increasingly popular among retail investors, often generating large amounts of money for founders and promoters before prices experience dramatic declines.

The Reuters analysis raises broader questions about whether investors fully understand the risks associated with these products and whether existing disclosure standards adequately protect consumers.

The investigation also arrives as regulators continue debating how digital assets should be governed and marketed.

Ethics Questions Emerge

Reuters reported that eight government ethics experts described the arrangements as presenting potential conflicts of interest because they involve businesses linked to a sitting president.

Critics argue that political influence and financial interests can become intertwined when public officials or their families profit from ventures tied to public visibility.

Supporters counter that the projects are private-sector businesses operating under existing laws and disclosure requirements.

The White House Response

The White House strongly disputed suggestions of wrongdoing.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Reuters that President Trump’s actions and policies are made in the best interests of the American people and that neither the president nor his family has engaged in conflicts of interest.

Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment cited in the report.

The Trump family has previously defended its cryptocurrency ventures as lawful business activities that have been properly disclosed.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of political views, the Reuters investigation highlights a basic investment lesson.

The creators, promoters, and licensors of many crypto projects often earn money from fees, token sales, and branding agreements before investors ever see a return.

Investors, meanwhile, assume most of the market risk.

In the case of the Trump-linked ventures reviewed by Reuters, the promoters reportedly earned billions while investors absorbed comparable losses.

For retail investors, it serves as a reminder that a famous name may attract attention—but it does not guarantee long-term value.

JBizNews Desk — Markets & Cryptocurrency

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

A new report claims that elite American paratroopers were secretly deployed to Israel as part of U.S. contingency planning for a possible military operation against Iran.

According to independent American journalist Ken Klippenstein, internal U.S. Army deployment orders indicate that elements of the famed 82nd Airborne Division were sent to Israel earlier this year, despite Pentagon announcements only stating that the troops were being deployed to the broader Middle East region.

The report alleges that when the Pentagon announced the deployment of forces from the 82nd Airborne Division in March, it omitted a key detail: some of the troops were reportedly sent directly to Israel rather than to traditional American bases in the Gulf.

The 82nd Airborne Division is one of the U.S. military’s premier rapid-response units, trained for airborne assaults, deep penetration missions, and the rapid seizure of strategic territory in hostile environments.

According to Klippenstein, a military source familiar with operational planning claimed the deployment was linked to joint U.S.-Israeli contingency plans developed in recent months. Among the scenarios reportedly discussed were the possible seizure of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical hub for the country’s oil exports, and the establishment of a foothold along Iran’s coastline.

The report cites an April 7, 2026 deployment order directing personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment — known as the “Geronimo” Battalion — to deploy to Israel on temporary assignment.

To date, the Pentagon has not publicly acknowledged any deployment of U.S. combat troops to Israel. Official statements have only indicated that the forces were assigned to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations in the region.

According to the report, keeping Israel’s role confidential may have been intended to avoid public scrutiny of potential U.S. involvement in future military operations against Iran, while also sparing Gulf Arab allies from the political sensitivities associated with hosting such missions.

Military analysts note that positioning forces in Israel would provide Washington with greater operational flexibility by reducing reliance on regional partners for logistical approvals in the event of a crisis.

Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is considered one of Iran’s most strategically important economic assets, serving as a primary export terminal for Iranian oil. Any operation targeting the island would represent a major escalation and could significantly impact Iran’s economy.

The report does not claim that any ground operation against Iran is imminent. Rather, it suggests that Washington sought to preserve a broad range of military options during a period of heightened tensions with Tehran.

Neither the Pentagon nor Israeli officials have publicly commented on the claims.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones invoked her Fifth Amendment rights Wednesday rather than answer questions before Congress about allegations that the Democratic fundraising platform illegally processed foreign donations to federal campaigns.

“On the advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer this question pursuant to my Fifth Amendment rights under the Constitution,” Wallace-Jones said after being asked the opening question at the House hearing.

House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) said investigators had “significant concern that ActBlue may have allowed foreign donations on their platform, lied to Congress and withheld responsive documents from a congressional subpoena.”

“All three of those actions are illegal,” Steil declared.

The committee subpoenaed Wallace-Jones after ActBlue’s legal team indicated she would not answer questions voluntarily. Republican lawmakers investigating the platform have also accused her of misleading Congress about the effectiveness of ActBlue’s fraud prevention measures.

Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), the committee’s top Democrat, criticized the hearing as politically motivated and accused Republicans of failing to investigate similar concerns involving their party’s fundraising platform, WinRed.

In a video statement posted Wednesday, Wallace-Jones accused “President Trump and his allies” of “abusing their power to target ActBlue.”

“Invoking the Fifth Amendment is not an admission — or even an insinuation — of guilt,” she said.

“Last year, President Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate ActBlue, not based on facts, but dislike. Republican committee chairs wrote to Trump’s attorney general pledging to work collaboratively together,” Wallace-Jones added.

“These attacks did not start with ActBlue. And sadly, we know they are not stopping here. They are part of a much bigger trend of retaliation and retribution. It was universities. It was law firms. Then civil rights organizations.”

“We will not be intimidated.”

ActBlue, founded in 2004, has helped Democratic candidates and causes raise more than $19 billion. Nearly $2 billion of that funding went to Democrats during the 2024 election cycle, when internal records later obtained by The NY Post reported the platform had made its fraud standards “more lenient.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Younger students have regained ground academically after the pandemic’s disruptions while older students’ test scores continue to stagnate, according to the latest testing data released Wednesday by the federal government.

Nine-year-olds rebounded to pre-pandemic reading scores and saw some recovery in math, according to data from a test taken regularly in the United States since the 1970s. The same recovery has not emerged for 13-year-olds, whose average scores in math and reading remain below pre-pandemic averages. In fact, the latest reading scores, from teenagers who took the test in 2024, are essentially the same level as they were when the test started in 1971.

Since the pandemic, schools and state policymakers have focused on overhauling instruction for elementary students, especially in implementing the “science of reading,” which teaches kids to read by understanding how letters form sounds. But recent test scores show educators should also focus more intensely on adolescent learners and turning around academic outcomes in middle school, said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board.

Indeed, the 13-year-olds who took the national test experienced the pandemic’s disruption during formative elementary years of schooling. In a few years, they will have graduated — and they may still be behind.

“The 13-year-olds who took this assessment last year are headed to high school now or are already enrolled,” she said. “Schools won’t have them much longer. We can’t hesitate or wait if we’re going to turn these trends around.”

What the test measures
Typically given every four years, the long-term trends assessment offers a snapshot into the academic skills of American students at ages 9 and 13. Roughly 31,000 students in public and private schools sat for the test in the 2024-2025 school year. Unlike the main Nation’s Report Card test for fourth and eighth graders, which is updated regularly with new skills to reflect changing curricula, the long-term test has stayed largely the same since the 1970s.

American students’ academic achievement was already declining when the pandemic hit. Test scores peaked around 2012, then started to fall, said Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics.

“We can clearly see that this isn’t just a pandemic story,” Soldner said.

The test results show younger kids are improving foundational skills, such as identifying facts in a simple news article or understanding basic multiplication and division. Seventy-one percent of 9-year-olds reached the benchmark in reading, and 84% reached that level in math, a few percentage points higher than in 2022.

Teenagers are tested on more advanced skills, such as making generalizations from a reading passage and comparing information from charts and graphs. Only 58% met the benchmark skill level in reading and 70% in math, with no statistically significant improvement from 2023.

Fewer students are reading for fun
Compounding the issue of stagnant literacy rates: Fewer students than ever are reading for fun.

Students who took the test also completed a survey. Only 14% of 13-year-olds said they read for fun every day, down from 27% in 2012 and a peak of 37% in 1992. Among 9-year-olds, 37% said they read for fun every day, a significant decline from 53% in 2012. Researchers have noted the decline in time spent reading corresponds with the rise of social media use on cellphones.

Still, younger children have shown an “incredibly encouraging” recovery academically in recent years, Soldner said. “Almost 50 years of progress has been eliminated” for 13-year-olds, he said.

The 13-year-olds who took the most recent test would have been in second or third grade during the first year of the pandemic. They would have returned to in-person learning in fourth or fifth grade and taken this national test in their last year or two of middle school.

In contrast, the 9-year-old group would have been entering kindergarten or first grade as the pandemic’s most acute phase ended and schools reopened. Their second and third grade years would have been more reflective of typical in-person teaching.

Those experiences are dramatically different, Soldner said, as the older group would have missed foundational years in building literacy and computational skills in school.

While more recent declines in student outcomes are alarming, decades of test data show it’s possible to change children’s trajectories over time, said Mark Miller, an eighth grade math teacher and former member of the National Assessment Governing Board.

“We have made progress in the past, from the early ’70s to 2012,” Miller said. “Can it be done again? Absolutely.”

Millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid for health insurance are less than seven months away from a major eligibility change — and most have no idea it is coming.

A new survey from The Health Management Academy, an Arlington, Virginia-based research organization, found that 55% of Medicaid enrollees are completely unaware that work requirements will become a condition of eligibility beginning January 1, 2027. Another 27% said they had heard about the changes but did not understand the details.

The survey, conducted in April 2026, included 1,974 adults enrolled in Medicaid and highlights a growing concern among policymakers, hospitals, and insurers that millions of eligible Americans could lose coverage simply because they fail to complete new reporting requirements.

What the New Rules Require

Beginning in 2027, many adults covered through Medicaid expansion programs will be required to document at least 80 hours per month of qualifying activities.

Those activities can include:

• Employment
• Job training
• Education
• Community service
• Other approved activities

The requirement generally applies to adults ages 19 through 64 enrolled through Medicaid expansion programs.

Individuals who fail to meet the requirements — or fail to properly report them — could lose their health coverage.

The policy was included in last year’s federal budget legislation, often referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” and represents one of the most significant changes to Medicaid eligibility in years.

According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office, the legislation is expected to produce the largest reduction in federal Medicaid spending in the program’s history.

Most Enrollees Have Heard Little or Nothing

The survey suggests awareness remains extremely low.

Nearly 48% of respondents said they had heard “nothing at all” about recent Medicaid eligibility changes.

Another 32% said they had heard only “a little.”

The confusion extends beyond work requirements.

Approximately 85% of respondents said they were unaware that states will be required to verify Medicaid eligibility every six months under the new rules.

Awareness also varies significantly by geography and demographics.

In Oregon, about 78% of respondents said they knew about the upcoming work requirements. In Nebraska, where implementation began early in May, awareness was closer to half.

Among demographic groups, Black Medicaid enrollees reported the highest level of unawareness, with 62% saying they did not know about the coming requirements.

Policy experts warn that many people who already meet the standards could still lose coverage if they fail to complete paperwork or do not realize reporting will be required.

Why Hospitals Are Concerned

The issue extends well beyond individual patients.

Hospitals — particularly rural hospitals — depend heavily on Medicaid reimbursement.

If large numbers of patients lose coverage, hospitals could see a rise in uncompensated care while receiving less reimbursement revenue.

The survey found that 42% of respondents said they could not travel farther than they currently do for hospital care if their nearest hospital closed.

Among respondents with chronic medical conditions, about 25% said a local hospital closure would make managing their condition significantly more difficult.

Rural healthcare providers have repeatedly warned that reductions in Medicaid enrollment could place additional strain on facilities already operating on thin margins.

Medicaid Insurers Face New Financial Pressure

The changes could also affect the nation’s largest Medicaid managed-care insurers.

The five largest players in the market —

Centene, CVS Health/Aetna, Elevance Health, Molina Healthcare, and UnitedHealth Group —

collectively manage roughly half of all Medicaid managed-care enrollment nationwide.

According to Fitch Ratings, the new rules may create revenue pressure for insurers while increasing the overall cost of covering the remaining Medicaid population.

If healthier individuals lose coverage because they fail to complete reporting requirements, the remaining pool could become older and sicker on average, driving up healthcare costs.

That dynamic could force states to increase payments to insurers to maintain program stability.

Some executives have sought to reassure investors.

Molina Healthcare CEO Joe Zubretsky recently said the impact should be gradual, noting that roughly two-thirds of Molina’s 1.3 million Medicaid expansion members already work and many others may qualify for exemptions.

The Bottom Line

The survey highlights a fundamental challenge facing states, healthcare providers, and insurers: a major policy change is approaching, yet most Medicaid recipients remain unaware of it.

Whether the new requirements ultimately reduce enrollment dramatically or only modestly, the next several months will likely determine how many eligible Americans keep their coverage — and how many lose it because they never realized the rules had changed.

JBizNews Desk — Healthcare

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

SYDNEY (VINnews) — The man accused of carrying out a deadly attack at a Jewish festival near Bondi Beach has been charged with 19 additional offenses, Australian authorities confirmed.

Naveed Akram, 24, was already facing dozens of charges, including multiple counts of murder, attempted murder and terrorism-related offenses stemming from the December 2025 attack that left 15 people dead and dozens injured.

The newly added charges include allegations of attempted murder, firing a weapon while resisting arrest, and causing serious injuries with intent to kill.

During a court hearing Wednesday, prosecutors said investigators continue to review extensive evidence, including hundreds of thousands of surveillance images and digital materials linked to the case. Akram has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to return to court in August.

Authorities allege Akram and his father planned the attack for months before opening fire at a Jewish gathering. His father was killed by police during the incident, while Akram was wounded and taken into custody.

The attack, one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings in decades, prompted renewed debate over security, antisemitism and gun laws, and led to the establishment of a national inquiry into antisemitism.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States was received by a crowd of supporters and officials Wednesday as he arrived home in the capital of Mogadishu, where he said he plans to be at the next World Cup and urged Somali youth to be proud of their country.

Omar Artan was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.

He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement, without giving details of the concerns. FIFA subsequently cut him from the tournament’s referee list.

Artan was issued a visa to travel to the U.S. last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, which processed it. The U.S. is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada, and Artan was due to meet up with other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami.

He returned to a hero’s welcome in Mogadishu, where he thanked the Somali government and people as well as FIFA for their support for him.

“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved Somali flags. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”

Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre hosted Artan on Wednesday, writing on X that the referee “already won the hearts of millions and secured his place in history.”

“He devoted himself to ensuring that football was decided by merit, yet fate denied him the stage he so richly deserved,” Barre said.

The U.S.’s highly unusual move to deny a FIFA-appointed match official permission to enter a World Cup host country drew outrage across the world and raised questions among some fans about America’s capacity to host the competition.

Somalia is one of nearly 40 countries subject to new travel restrictions under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

On Wednesday, the United Nations’ top human rights official called for a “massive rethink” of immigration policies especially in the United States around the World Cup.

Hundreds of supporters, government officials and members of Somalia’s football community gathered hours before Artan arrived at Aden Adde International Airport.

As he disembarked, supporters waving Somali flags crowded around him before draping him in the flag.

He was then escorted by police officers to the airport’s VIP terminal, where he was welcomed by Somalia’s sports minister and other dignitaries, and spoke to journalists.

“It is up to all of us to defend the Somali name,” Artan said. “Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a bad state or a good state. That flag belongs to us, and that passport belongs to us.”

In a country where decades of war and the rise of the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group have limited the potential of many in Somalia, Artan’s denial brought disappointment but reminded people what is possible if they chase their dreams.

Artan’s expected milestone at this year’s World Cup “stands no matter what,” the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus — from neighboring Ethiopia — wrote Tuesday on X. “You reached the summit of your profession and inspired a generation back home just by getting there, and being kept off the pitch you earned doesn’t change that.”

NEW YORK (AP) — When SpaceX makes its debut on the U.S. stock market, it wants smaller-pocketed, mom-and-pop investors to play a big role in what may be the biggest IPO ever.

Elon Musk’s rocket company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is steering some of its initial public offering of stock directly to what are called “retail” investors. These are people who buy stocks in a brokerage account on their phone, not pension funds or other big “institutional” investors routing orders to their professional trading desks.

Here are some things to keep in mind as the IPO approaches:

A chunk of SpaceX stock will go to regular investors
Most IPOs offer only 5% to 10% of the total offering to retail investors, according to Fidelity. In this case, though, it could be up to 30%. SpaceX expects retail investors to participate in its IPO through Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, SoFi and E-Trade by Morgan Stanley.

At Fidelity, investors with as little as $2,000 in their accounts could potentially snag SpaceX shares in the IPO. That’s down from account minimums of $100,000 or even $500,000 that Fidelity has for other equity offerings.

Demand from investors may be so high in this IPO that not everyone indicating interest will actually get a share.

Trying for a short-term flip has risks
Given all the hype around SpaceX, temptation could be high to grab shares in the IPO and sell them quickly if a frenzy sends its price spiking. But brokerages have policies to block investors from future offerings if they dump shares bought in an IPO quickly, like within a couple weeks.

Big swings in price may be possible
Potentially high interest from retail investors following the IPO is one reason SpaceX is warning that its stock price could be volatile. These investors aren’t known for moving as meticulously as a pension fund, which is trying to build money for payments it must make years or decades in the future.

It’s retail investors, after all, who helped drive GameStop and other “meme stocks” to market-bending heights in 2021 that professional investors called irrational.

IPOs can see a big first-day bounce, but that may not last
The typical IPO has seen a 7% jump in its first day of trading, from 1980 through 2025, according to Jay Ritter, an IPO expert and a professor at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

But IPOs tend to lag similar-sized peers in the ensuing five years, not including their first day of trading. They do so by an average of 3.6% per year, according to Ritter.

SpaceX has debt and has been losing money
It’s very expensive to launch things out of the earth’s atmosphere and to construct huge AI data centers, and SpaceX has built up $29.1 billion in debt, as of the end of March.

The company also lost $4.9 billion last year and another $4.3 billion through the first three months of 2026. It acknowledges that it “may not achieve profitability in the future.”

Over the long term, a stock’s price tends to track with how much profit the company is making.

You don’t have to buy SpaceX to own it
You could end up owning some of SpaceX even if you never intended to. Consider the many people who own shares of the popular QQQ exchange-traded fund, which tracks the Nasdaq 100 index and has roughly $460 billion in total assets.

Historically, the Nasdaq 100 index would wait until each December to add new members in an annual reconstitution to make sure it includes the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq. But Nasdaq recently made changes to allow some big companies to enter the Nasdaq 100 index after just 15 trading days.

That means if SpaceX’s IPO is as successful as expected, it could quickly join both the Nasdaq 100 and QQQ fund, all while QQQ holders do nothing on their own.

The company behind the more popular S&P 500 index, though, is not making changes that would allow SpaceX faster entry.

Any shares bought would take a back seat to Musk’s in influence
In its IPO, SpaceX is offering 555.6 million shares of its “Class A” stock. Each of these shares gives an investor one vote on matters that shareholders decide. That includes such weighty things as who is on the board of directors overseeing the CEO.

This IPO is not offering what are called “Class B” shares, each of which give its holder 10 votes. Musk, meanwhile, owns so many of those shares that he by himself could control more than 82% of all the stock’s voting power following the IPO.

In filings with U.S. securities regulators, SpaceX acknowledges the potential for conflicts of interest between it and Musk, along with other companies he owns, such as Tesla.

Some big investors really disagree with the ownership structure
Officials from pension funds for firefighters, teachers and other workers in California and New York sent a letter to SpaceX last month decrying some of the provisions in its IPO, including “super voting shares,” mandatory arbitration of shareholder claims instead of the possibility of lawsuits and how much power Musk will hold over the company.

They said they could become owners of SpaceX stock because they hold index funds, which automatically buy stocks after they get included in certain indexes.

If Musk is able to control so much of the voting power on the board of directors, it would make him tremendously powerful atop SpaceX, “essentially making him unfireable without his own consent,” the CEO of California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the New York state comptroller and the New York City comptroller wrote in their letter.

“This level of insulation from accountability is virtually unheard of among any other large U.S. issuer whose governing documents foreclose accountability to public owners on these terms.”

Don’t confuse SpaceX with other companies with similar names
SpaceX plans to trade under the ticker symbol “SPCX.” That’s very close to “SPCE,” which is the symbol for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holdings.

Israeli police have completed their investigation into the murder of HaRav Yishai Por inside Bnei Brak’s Chazon Ish and have filed a prosecutor’s declaration against the suspect, Guy Echtlinger, clearing the way for a murder indictment to be filed in the coming days.

As YWN reported, the horrific attack occurred while Reb Yishai was learning with his only son, 13, who was born after many years of marriage. He was critically wounded in the stabbing and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

At the same time, questions continue to surround the suspect’s mental condition and the failure to carry out multiple court orders requiring a psychiatric evaluation.

According to reports, the court has issued three separate orders directing that Echtlinger undergo psychiatric observation in a hospital setting. None of those orders have yet been carried out.

On June 3, a judge ordered that the suspect be transferred for psychiatric evaluation. The district psychiatrist reportedly declined, arguing that a meaningful examination could not yet be conducted at that stage of the proceedings.

The following day, the court issued a second explicit order directing that the examination proceed and that the suspect be transferred before Shabbos. That order was also not implemented.

On June 7, the court again ordered that Echtlinger be transferred for psychiatric observation and requested an explanation from prison authorities regarding the failure to comply with the previous directives.

It was revealed Wednesday that this order, too, had not been carried out.

In response, the judge again ordered that the suspect be transferred for psychiatric examination as soon as possible, specifically noting that multiple prior court orders had gone unfulfilled.

The judge further stressed the need to comply with earlier rulings and noted that higher courts had already determined that a competency evaluation may begin at this stage of the legal process.

Until the psychiatric examination is completed, the court ordered that the suspect remain in custody under hospitalization conditions.

A formal murder indictment is expected to be filed in the coming days.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON — The summer driving season is underway, but many Americans are discovering that filling up the tank remains an expensive proposition.

According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline remains above $4 per gallon, significantly higher than levels seen a year ago and one of the most visible reminders of how global events continue affecting household budgets.

For many families, gasoline is one of the few expenses that cannot easily be avoided.

People may postpone vacations, delay major purchases, or reduce discretionary spending, but commuting to work, taking children to school, and running daily errands still require fuel.

That reality is making higher gas prices particularly painful.

The primary driver remains the disruption to global oil markets caused by ongoing tensions in the Middle East and restrictions affecting oil shipments through key transportation routes.

As crude oil prices climbed, refiners and fuel distributors passed those increases through to consumers.

The effects vary dramatically across the country.

Drivers in some Midwestern states continue paying among the lowest prices nationally, while motorists in California and several Western states face averages approaching or exceeding $5 per gallon.

Those regional differences stem from varying fuel taxes, environmental regulations, transportation costs, and refinery capacity.

The consequences extend far beyond the gas station.

Fuel is embedded in nearly every part of the economy. Trucks deliver groceries, manufacturers ship products, airlines transport passengers, and contractors operate fuel-powered equipment. When gasoline and diesel costs rise, businesses often pass those expenses along through higher prices.

That is one reason economists expect energy prices to play a major role in this week’s inflation report.

Small businesses are particularly vulnerable.

Delivery services, landscapers, contractors, food trucks, and transportation companies often operate on narrow profit margins and may struggle to absorb higher fuel costs without raising prices.

The timing could hardly be worse.

Summer typically brings increased travel demand, road trips, and higher fuel consumption. While demand generally rises during this period every year, elevated oil prices have magnified the financial burden on consumers.

There has been some modest relief.

Gasoline prices have retreated slightly from their recent peaks, but they remain substantially higher than many families were paying before the current disruptions in energy markets.

For drivers seeking ways to save money, experts continue recommending basic fuel-efficiency strategies, including proper tire inflation, reducing aggressive acceleration, combining errands into fewer trips, and comparing prices through mobile apps.

While those steps cannot solve the broader problem, they can help reduce costs at the margins.

For now, however, the broader outlook depends largely on developments in global energy markets.

Until oil supplies increase or geopolitical tensions ease, fuel prices are likely to remain a major source of pressure on household budgets.

As summer begins, the gas station continues serving as one of the clearest places where Americans experience the economic consequences of events happening thousands of miles away.

JBizNews Desk

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TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s military fired rockets in China’s direction from “shoot-and-scoot” mobile launchers on Wednesday in a demonstration of how it might try to repel a Chinese attack.

While the U.S.-supplied system known as HIMARS has been tested before, the latest live-fire exercise was the first time its rockets were fired into the waters of the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the self-governing island from China.

“Due to the current enemy threat, we will continue HIMARS training with unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation’s strongest force,” army Sgt. Wang Ming-hui said.

The military said it used reduced-range practice rockets that don’t fly very far from the coast before falling into the water.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province and says it must come under its control at some point in the future. It sends warships and planes into the skies and waters near the island almost every day and has held major military exercises in its vicinity in recent years. The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but it opposes any change to its status by force and is its main supplier of weaponry for its defense.

The HIMARS, which stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, is part of a U.S.-encouraged shift in strategy, toward an asymmetric approach designed to keep China at bay rather than trying to go head-to-head with big-ticket weapons purchases. The truck-mounted pod of rockets can be driven out from a hidden position to fire its missiles, then quickly taken to a new hiding place in what are called shoot-and-scoot tactics.

They were fired on the second day of exercises on Taiwan’s west coast, which faces China. The drills, which also included 155 mm howitzers, simulated a response to a Chinese invasion and were designed to test rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities.

The HIMARS was the centerpiece of the drill. After receiving a firing order, the vehicles maneuvered into position and launched their rockets with bright flashes within three minutes, demonstrating their mobility.

The U.S. announced plans in December to sell 82 more HIMARS systems to Taiwan as part of a major arms deal, but that package appears to have been put on hold after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.

A deeply emotional scene unfolded this week in Kibbutz Be’eri as demolition crews razed the final remaining house in the community’s Kerem neighborhood, the longtime home of the Sharabi and Askapa families.

The demolition marked another painful chapter in the ongoing effort to rebuild communities devastated by the October 7 massacre. Heavy machinery moved into the neighborhood on Sunday and brought down the last structure still standing in the area.

Before the Hamas attack, the neighborhood had been a peaceful and vibrant corner of the kibbutz, surrounded by greenery and family life. In the aftermath of the massacre, however, it became a landscape of destruction, with piles of broken concrete, twisted metal, and debris serving as reminders of the devastation left behind.

Among those present was Eli Sharabi, who has become a symbol of resilience and loss in the wake of the tragedy.

On October 7, Sharabi’s wife, Lianne, and their daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were murdered in their home during the Hamas assault. During the same attack, his brother, Yossi Sharabi, was kidnapped and taken to Gaza. After weeks in captivity, Yossi was ultimately murdered by Hamas terrorists.

Standing beside the ruins, Sharabi watched as bulldozers destroyed the last physical remnant of the home where his family had lived. It was a final farewell to the walls that had once held the memories, laughter, and warmth of his loved ones.

Photographer Yarden Rokach documented the emotional moments and later shared a series of powerful images from the demolition.

“On Sunday, they demolished the last house in the Kerem neighborhood of Be’eri — the home of the Sharabi family and the Askapa family. A green paradise that became ruins of broken concrete and dust. Memories filled with light mixed with profound darkness. It was a day when the air ran out of my lungs. And yet, as always, the one who gave all of us strength was the one and only Eli.”

The photographs quickly resonated across Israel, drawing an outpouring of emotion from people throughout the country.

Singer Hanan Ben Ari was among those who reacted to the images.

“Eli, your tears break my heart, and Yarden’s photographs capture these moments in an extraordinary way.”

Many others flooded social media with messages of support, encouragement, and prayer.

Commenters praised Sharabi’s strength and dignity despite the unimaginable losses he has endured, expressing hope that he will find comfort and healing in the years ahead.

Others voiced prayers that, from the ashes of destruction and heartbreak, Sharabi will be able to rebuild his life and experience renewed blessing, while the memory of his wife, daughters, and brother continues to accompany him always.

{Matzav.com}

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Graham Platner won the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, channeling voter frustration over the high cost of living and overcoming revelations about his past to set up a high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Speaking to supporters in the small town where he was born, Platner, an oyster farmer and combat veteran, stressed a message of redemption as he promised to oust Collins. Democrats see the race as a top opportunity to flip a GOP-held seat and a must-win as the party tries to claim control of the Senate in November.

Platner’s expected win in the primary came after days of questions about his past personal conduct, particularly his relationships with women, that threatened to undermine enthusiasm on the left over his candidacy.

“If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change,” Platner said during his acceptance speech in Blue Hill, a rural town where he was born, as the crowd cheered on. “And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it.”

Maine is the only state with a competitive Senate race where voters supported Democrat Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in 2024. Collins is the only Republican senator from New England.

Platner, a progressive who had early support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, has said he plans to focus on economic issues such as housing and healthcare. He’ll be facing one of the most powerful legislators in the Senate, and one of its few remaining moderate Republicans.

“Any of those who feel let down, or disappointed, or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith and support, and I will spend every day of this campaign, and if I have the privilege, every day in the United States Senate doing exactly that,” Platner said.

Maine voters also were choosing nominees for governor U.S. House. The Democratic and Republican primaries for governor and the 2nd Congressional District will be decided by ranked choice voting after no candidate won a majority Tuesday.

Platner blasts Collins as ‘spineless’
After thanking his supporters, Platner quickly pivoted to attacking Collins, who was unopposed in the GOP Maine primary.

“Susan Collins has never met a war she didn’t like, she’s been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager, and I know, I had to fight in two of them,” Platner, a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, said. “You and your friends profited, and my friends died.”

He also criticized Collins for voting alongside Trump, stressing she was a key vote in support of putting conservative judges on the U.S. Supreme Court.

“She has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves,” Platner said, noting that Collins once promised to only serve two terms.

First elected in 1996, Collins has said her experience and key position as chair of the powerful appropriations committee are two reasons to send her back to the Senate.

“While others talk about revolution and division, Susan Collins is delivering for Maine communities by funding rural hospitals, supporting our shipbuilders and fishermen, improving infrastructure, expanding broadband, and strengthening public safety,” said Collins’ spokesperson, Shawn Roderick. “Maine people are practical. They care about whether their communities are stronger and their families are better off. That’s exactly what Susan Collins is focused on every single day.”

Platner energized Democratic voters
Platner, 41, has focused his campaign on fighting the high costs he says hold down the middle class and said he got in the race to focus on income inequality. He had early support from progressive champions helping to boost his candidacy.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who backed out of the race earlier this year after citing trouble raising enough funds, has yet to endorse Platner. In a statement Tuesday, the governor thanked her supporters but did not mention Platner.

Platner’s background has repeatedly generated criticism from both the right and the left.

Old online comments made by Platner in which he appeared to endorse political violence, dismiss rape in the military and criticize police officers and rural America surfaced last year. Platner apologized for the comments and said he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression when he wrote them.

He’s also faced questions about a skull-and-crossbones tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner has repeatedly said he was unaware of the symbol’s association but has since had the tattoo covered with a different design. A former girlfriend told New York Times has since said that he did.

More recently, reports emerged that he previously exchanged sexually explicit text messages with several women while married. Platner hasn’t directly denied the texts and instead criticized the aide who talked to news outlets and accused the media of running gossip.

The New York Times last week reported about his relationships with previous girlfriends, one of whom said Platner twisted her arm during an argument and locked her in a room. Platner’s campaign disputed the allegation.

Voter Annette Babcock, from Sullivan, said she’s met him a few times and likes that he’s not an established politician. His recent controversies didn’t dissuade her from supporting him.

“The Republicans don’t have much moral high ground to stand on when they’re criticizing him for what he’s done when Trump is a convicted felon,” she said.

Governor and 2nd House District races to be decided by ranked choice
No candidate won a majority of the vote in either primary for governor or in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District, so the races will go to ranked runoffs. Those tabulations could take more than a week to determine winners.

Democrats are choosing gubernatorial candidates between Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Hannah Pingree; energy executive Angus King III; and former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.

In the 2nd Congressional District, former Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, state Sen. Joe Baldacci, former U.S. Senate candidate Jordan Wood and social worker Paige Loud are on the ballot for the Democrats. The winner will face former Gov. Paul LePage, a Trump ally.

On the Republican ballot for governor, voters are choosing between former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Bobby Charles; healthcare executive Jonathan Bush; former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason; University of Maine System trustee Owen McCarthy; former Paris, Maine, selectman Robert Wessels; and business owners David Jones and Ben Midgley.

Violent protests swept through Belfast, Northern Ireland, following the brutal stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie, who lost an eye when a Sudanese immigrant pinned him down and attempted to behead him before bystanders intervened. Gruesome video of the attack went viral and triggered a wave of anti-immigrant protests overnight.

Hundreds of masked protesters stormed immigrant neighborhoods and torched homes and vehicles, burning people out of their homes. Police said that many of those targeted were Black.

Hundreds of masked protesters swept through Belfast, targeting homes of immigrants.

The 30-year-old assailant crossed into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland in 2023, applied for asylum, and was granted a five-year stay. He appeared in court Wednesday, facing charges of attempted murder, threatening to kill a radiographer and possessing a knife. He refused the offer of legal representation via a translator.

“I’ve lived on my street for almost 10 years, I have a good relationship with my neighbors, but last night was a horrific one,” Anselme Shima, a Congolese immigrant who became a Belfast resident 10 years ago, told Reuters. “We don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Seeing this, I’m wondering if I’m next.”

Protesters torched homes in Belfast.

Top-ranking politicians slammed the actions of the protesters.

“Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” First Minister Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Fein declared.

“Taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong,” said Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the Democratic Unionist Party.

“The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote in a statement on X. “There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere. It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it.”

Police rescued immigrant families from burning homes.

Other politicians called for a review of the open-border policy between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, which is an independent country. The policy formed part of the peace process between the two entities that ended the conflict in Ireland known as “The Troubles,” which killed thousands of people.

The victim’s family called for calm in the wake of the horrific stabbing.

“We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, ​and peaceful protest is the only way forward,” the family said in a statement. “We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country … ​We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”

The Knesset plenum on Wednesday approved the Basic Law: Limmud Torah, in a preliminary reading, with 56 lawmakers voting in favor and 42 opposed.

The legislation formally recognizes Limmud Torah as a fundamental value of the State of Israel.

Under the proposal, Limmud Torah would be enshrined as a foundational national value, and Lomdei Torah would be recognized as making a significant contribution to the state, including with respect to the benefits and rights they receive.

Because the measure is a Basic Law, it will require the support of 61 MKs in its second and third readings.

UTJ MK Yisrael Eichler said, “The Basic Law: Limmud Torah that passed in the Knesset aroused violent opposition from the antisemites, enemies of the Torah and its students. In contrast, most of the elected representatives of the Jewish people stood up and supported it out of love for the Torah and its students.

“This is not just another bureaucratic law, but a law that expresses the cry of the entire Jewish people from one end of the world to the other. This is a law that demands an end to the cruel persecution against Lomdei Torah in the Holy Land. It is intended to restore the honor of Bnei Torah who were trampled in the Holy Land, under the boots of the dictatorial jurists who seized power.”

UTJ MK Meir Porush said: “The Jewish people do not need legislation to recognize that Limmud Torah study is a foundational value of the Jewish nation.”

“Unfortunately, due to the malicious conduct of the legal system and the systematic persecution of Torah scholars in recent years, we were forced to address this through the Basic Law: Limmud Torah.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri called the bill’s approval “a historic step toward recognizing the supreme value of the holy Torah and the tremendous contribution of Lomdei Torah to Am Yisrael.”

“The Torah is the secret of our existence, and it is what has preserved the Jewish people throughout the generations,” Deri said. “Shas will continue working resolutely until the legislation is completed and Torah and its scholars receive the honor they deserve.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A war of words erupted between Israel and Turkey on Wednesday after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that Ankara would respond forcefully if Turkish interests were harmed in the Middle East, prompting sharp criticism from Israeli leaders.

Speaking Wednesday, Erdoğan claimed that Israeli military actions in Syria and Lebanon have reached a point where they pose a threat to Turkey. He warned against what he described as Israeli initiatives in the eastern Mediterranean and said Turkey would react strongly if Turks or Turkish Cypriots were targeted.

Erdoğan also said Turkey’s security interests extend beyond its borders, citing cities including Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut, and pledged not to remain silent in the face of actions against neighboring countries. He further criticized discussions surrounding a so-called “Greater Israel,” saying Turkey would oppose such ambitions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with a blistering statement, accusing Erdoğan of supporting Hamas, repressing political opponents and lacking standing to criticize Israel.

“The State of Israel and the IDF will continue to act forcefully against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also condemned Erdoğan’s remarks, accusing the Turkish leader of hypocrisy and warning against any direct confrontation with Israel.

The exchange comes amid ongoing tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara over the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, as well as competing strategic interests in the eastern Mediterranean.

Erdoğan’s comments appeared to reference reports that Israel, Greece and Cyprus have discussed expanding security cooperation in the region, including the possibility of a joint military framework.

Separately, Turkish officials have continued to make statements regarding Jerusalem. Turkey’s interior minister recently declared at a ruling party gathering that he hopes to one day see the “liberation of Jerusalem,” remarks that drew criticism from Israeli officials.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated significantly since the outbreak of the Gaza war, with leaders in both countries frequently exchanging accusations over regional security and military operations.

A growing dispute has erupted between the Bnei Brak municipality and Israel Police over planned road closures surrounding the city during a series of major concerts by singer Omer Adam at nearby Ramat Gan Stadium.

City officials sent an urgent letter Tuesday to the commander of the Dan District Police, demanding that authorities find immediate transportation solutions rather than shutting down key access routes leading to the Soferim neighborhood.

The confrontation comes as tens of thousands of concertgoers are expected to arrive at the stadium each evening over the coming days. According to estimates, roughly 40,000 spectators are anticipated nightly, prompting police to implement extensive traffic-control measures throughout the area.

Under the traffic plan released by police, major roads surrounding the neighborhood will be subject to extensive closures during both the arrival and departure periods of the events.

According to the published guidelines, numerous thoroughfares will be closed between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., with additional restrictions imposed from 10:30 p.m. until midnight as crowds leave the stadium.

Among the roads expected to be affected are the Mivtza Kadesh Bridge, the Raul Wallenberg–Shitrit intersection, portions of Shitrit Street, the Em HaMoshavot corridor, and sections of Maccabim Street in Bnei Brak. Additional closures are planned at the Abuchatzira–Lehi intersection in Bnei Brak and along Ben-Gurion Boulevard in Ramat Gan.

Municipal officials argue that the closures would effectively sever the primary routes leading into the Soferim neighborhood, leaving hundreds of local families with severely limited access to their homes.

Residents have expressed particular frustration because the transportation difficulties come just days after the inauguration of a new bridge that was intended to prevent exactly this type of disruption.

The recently completed bridge, which connects Derech Em HaMoshavot with Rechov Lehi in Bnei Brak, was designed to provide a direct transportation link for the Soferim neighborhood and ease congestion during large events at the stadium.

However, despite the public dedication ceremony and official announcements surrounding the project, the bridge has not yet been opened for regular vehicular traffic due to unresolved issues involving outside agencies.

As a result, residents remain dependent on the older roads that are now scheduled to be closed, adding to growing frustration throughout the neighborhood.

Municipality: ‘We Stand Shoulder to Shoulder With Residents’

Bnei Brak officials issued a forceful statement backing the residents’ complaints and insisting that alternative arrangements must be found.

“The municipality stands shoulder to shoulder with the residents in their justified struggle,” city officials said.

“We are working intensively with all relevant authorities to bring about the full and immediate opening of the new bridge as quickly as possible, and we will not accept road closures that harm the quality of life of Bnei Brak residents and turn them into hostages.”

The dispute highlights the increasing tension between the logistical and security requirements involved in managing a massive public event and the needs of local residents seeking normal access to their homes.

Attention is now focused on whether police and transportation officials will develop an alternative traffic plan that can accommodate the large crowds expected at the concerts while minimizing disruption to residents of the Soferim neighborhood.

{Matzav.com}

Senior IDF officials are expressing concern over the implications of a High Court ruling mandating the integration of female soldiers into tank units in the wake of the decision by 12 Roshei Yeshivos Hesder to forbid their talmidim from serving in the Armored Corps beginning with the next draft cycle.

According to a Ynet report, a senior military official said that “the High Court has placed us in an impossible position.” He warned of the operational consequences of losing dozens of combat soldiers in every draft cycle in exchange for a few female tank soldiers a year.

The official said the Roshei Yeshivos’ decision to stop sending their talmidim to the Armored Corps—similar to a previous step regarding the Artillery Corps—creates a significant challenge for the military at a time when it is already facing a substantial shortage of combat soldiers.

“From an operational standpoint, the equation created by the High Court ruling is clear: a handful of female tank soldiers each year versus giving up dozens of combat soldiers in every draft cycle,” the official said.

“If the Rabbanim carry out their threat, it will not be possible to do both. We’ve already seen the consequences in the Artillery Corps, and we can’t afford a similar situation to develop in the Armored Corps while also meeting the requirements dictated by the High Court.”

The Armored Corps plays a key role in combat operations on multiple fronts.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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The Trump administration’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup did not influence President Donald Trump’s decisions on Iran or his push for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, Andrew Giuliani, the senior White House official overseeing the tournament, told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive interview.

Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, rejected the idea that the administration’s desire for a quiet tournament had shaped US national security policy.

“I can tell you that it did not,” Giuliani said when asked whether the World Cup affected Trump’s decision-making on Iran. “It did not influence any decision from a national security perspective.”

Giuliani said the White House wants the world to come to the United States for the tournament, while making clear that the administration will not compromise on security.

“We want the world to come here and enjoy the World Cup,” Giuliani said. “But we do not want terrorists. We do not want hostile actors. We are making sure we are doubling and tripling the intelligence work to ensure that does not happen.”

Iran moved training camps from US to Mexico due to conflicts

The Iranian angle is among the most sensitive issues facing the tournament. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage matches in the Los Angeles area, home to one of the largest Iranian communities outside Iran. Giuliani said the administration had already prepared for the Iranian team’s arrival.

“The president signed an order last year that allowed the players to enter,” Giuliani said. “All 31 players, 26 plus five alternates, received their visas.”

He said the players would be able to enter the US one day before the match.

Giuliani described the security arrangements around the Iranian team as a “very well-coordinated operation” involving US federal and local agencies.

“We have worked very closely with US Customs and Border Protection, with the Department of Homeland Security, with the FBI, and with local officials in Los Angeles to make sure this is being planned very carefully,” he said.

“We want everyone in Los Angeles to be safe. We want the Iranian national team to be safe. We want them to have the ability to compete.”

The administration is also preparing for Iranian-American fans expected to attend matches and related events.

“We also want all the Iranian-Americans who are excited to celebrate the World Cup and the fact that the team is here to be able to enjoy it,” Giuliani said. “I think Los Angeles has the largest Iranian population outside Tehran. These will be very special weeks for that community.”

Asked whether Iranian fans would be allowed to wave the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag, featuring the lion and sun symbol associated by many opponents of the Islamic Republic with a different Iranian identity, or hold protests outside stadiums, Giuliani said the federal government was approaching the issue primarily through a security lens.

“FIFA does what it does inside the stadiums regarding prohibited items,” he said. “We look at this from a security perspective. Outside the stadiums, people will be free to express their feelings. We want them to do that.”

“So long as they are not threatening law enforcement, not threatening Americans, or not threatening anyone else, they can express themselves,” Giuliani added. “That is one of the beautiful things we believe in here in the United States.”

Trump’s personal involvement in the tournament

Giuliani repeatedly tied the tournament to America’s 250th anniversary, which will be marked during the World Cup.

“This is an opportunity to host the largest sporting event this country has ever hosted and to do it in America’s 250th birthday year,” he said. “We expect more than two billion people to watch the final. There really is no bigger sporting event through which to showcase that.”

Trump himself, Giuliani said, has been personally involved in preparations for a long time.

“I have spoken with President Trump about this dozens of times, including this past weekend,” Giuliani said. “He is very excited that the tournament is about to begin, and he is excited that the rest of the world will be able to see American exceptionalism here.”

Giuliani noted that Trump was involved in the successful US bid to host the tournament during his first term.

“I remember working on this with the president,” he said. “I remember the evening when we were in the Oval Office after we knew the country had won the right to host the World Cup. He was very excited for the country.”

That evening, Giuliani said, had a “bittersweet” element for Trump, who at the time did not expect to be president when the tournament opened in 2026.

“And here we are again,” Giuliani said. “The 45th and 47th president of the United States gets to host the world.”

The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 national teams and the first to be hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Giuliani said the size of the tournament created enormous logistical and security challenges.

“The last time the United States hosted the World Cup, in 1994, there were 24 teams. Now it is double,” he said. “We have matches from Los Angeles to Boston, from Miami to Seattle, and really almost everywhere in between.”

More than 400 law enforcement bodies are involved in preparations, Giuliani said.

“We are in daily contact with those law enforcement organizations,” he said. “We are making sure the intelligence is very sharp, minute by minute, so we can help a police officer in Seattle who sees the same thing a police officer in Atlanta sees and connect the two.”

Drone threats and visa scrutiny both pose challenges

One of the issues worrying organizers is the threat posed by drones.

Giuliani said that last year, only five major security events in the US received counter-drone protection. During the World Cup, that protection will be expanded significantly.

“For 78 matches and one fan festival in each of the 11 US host cities throughout the tournament, we will be able to bring counter-drone protection to all those sites,” he said. “That is more than 150 event days in which we will be able to provide that coverage. It is an incredible effort that has taken more than a year by the federal government.”

The FBI, Justice Department, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, State Department, and National Security Council are all involved in the effort, Giuliani said.

“It is really amazing to see the work being done to protect the skies around this World Cup,” he said.

Visa issues have also become a flashpoint ahead of the tournament. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, one of FIFA’s prominent officials, was denied entry to the US. Iraqi star Aymen Hussein was reportedly detained and questioned for hours. Other participating countries have also faced visa difficulties involving fans and officials.

Giuliani said the administration views visas and national security as inseparable.

“Every visa decision is a national security decision. That is the first and most important thing to say,” he said.

At the same time, he said the administration had cut waiting times in major soccer countries.

“In Argentina, wait times were more than 300 days just a few years ago. Now the wait times in Buenos Aires are only a few days,” he said. “In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, they were around 700 days. Think about that, 700 days for a five-time world champion. Today we have cut B1/B2 visa wait times to less than two weeks.”

Giuliani stressed that the administration would not soften security checks.

“We are not going to allow people who are hostile actors to enter,” he said. “We are carrying out the screening process. We want to process people’s applications and give them the opportunity to get appointments, but we are not changing national security procedures. We want a safe and successful World Cup, to invite everyone who comes to enjoy it, and to keep all hostile actors out.”

A message to Israeli fans

Giuliani also sent a direct message to Israeli fans.

“We want you to come to the United States for the World Cup,” he said. “Please come here. Enjoy this amazing World Cup. Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with us. We truly value this relationship. I know President Trump greatly values that special relationship. I value it as well.”

“We very much want you to be part of our 250th birthday,” he added. “So please come to the United States. Enjoy the World Cup. Enjoy all the great events.”

Trump, Giuliani said, will not attend the US national team’s opening match, though he will send a senior delegation.

“The president is very excited that the tournament is beginning,” Giuliani said. “He will not be able to attend the opening match, but several cabinet secretaries will be there to represent him. I will also be there to represent him.”

Asked what would count as success for the administration, Giuliani said the answer was simple.

“If, at the end of the World Cup, we are talking about what happened on the field, then we as a federal government did our job,” he said. “That is really a central part of it. We want to make sure the real story is the game itself.”

Still, he did not hide his hope for American success.

“You can accuse me of being a bit of a homer, but I hope and expect that the US national team will make a nice, deep run in this World Cup,” he said. “Imagine what kind of story it would be if, in America’s 250th year, the US men’s national team makes a serious run in the tournament. That could captivate the entire nation.”

Messi, Ronaldo, Haaland and the American audience

Asked which players are most exciting to the American public, Giuliani began with Lionel Messi.

“Everyone is very excited. Obviously, Messi, since coming to Miami a few years ago, has also lifted American soccer,” he said.

He also mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo and his connection to Trump.

“We have seen Ronaldo here a few times at the White House with President Trump. That was very special. Being with President Trump and Messi in the Oval Office was also a lot of fun,” he said.

The player who seemed to excite him most was Erling Haaland.

“I think it will really be amazing to see Haaland here from Norway,” he said. “Amazing.”

Giuliani said it would also be exciting to see American stars “take center stage,” including Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie.

“Who knows who else will come out of the shadows and become the hero of this incredible 40-day run we are about to begin,” Giuliani said.

Giuliani, 40, is the son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. He played professional golf for several years before entering politics, ran in the 2022 Republican primary for governor of New York, and served in the White House during Trump’s first term as a special assistant to the president and a senior official in the Office of Public Liaison.

Today, he heads the White House task force responsible for the 2026 World Cup.

Asked at the end of the interview which player, coach, or world leader he was most excited to meet during the tournament, Giuliani chose a broader answer.

“I don’t know if there is one specific person,” he said. “What I am excited about is America’s opportunity to show its greatness. This is an opportunity to host the world.”

“People from all walks of life, all political views, and all religious backgrounds will come to the United States and see American hospitality and American exceptionalism,” he said.

“President Trump is always very clear. When he says America First, it means America First, but it does not mean America Only. We want the rest of the world to come here, enjoy the United States, and leave on July 20, saying, ‘That was an amazing 250th birthday celebration.’ We will have to do it again.”

A lighter moment came at the end of the interview, when Giuliani was asked whether he could be described as the Steve Witkoff of soccer.

Giuliani laughed, said he had played golf with Witkoff in the past, and replied: “I am going to tell him you said I am the Witkoff of soccer. I really want to see what his reaction will be.”

This post was originally published on here.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two building companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud over the city’s deadliest fire in decades.

The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po.

In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts including money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion.

The two companies charged are consultancy firm Will Power Architects Company, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the main contractor involved in a major renovation project at Wang Fuk Court that was taking place when the blaze happened.

The seven defendants played different roles in the renovation works, authorities said. They included the directors of the two companies and a registered inspector of Will Power.

The defendants told the court they understood the charges, and most appeared calm. Lists of victims’ names were read out from the charge sheets in court — the first such disclosure to the public. The hearing will resume in September.

Multiple alleged wrongdoings
Senior police superintendent Basil Tang told reporters that they found the people in charge of the renovation project and the relevant companies were seriously negligent in monitoring the materials used in the project and the procedures involved. Tang pointed to issues such as the use of non-fire-retardant scaffolding netting and foam boards.

“The above work arrangements are suspected of seriously affecting the building’s fire safety, causing the fire to spread rapidly, and also obstructing escape routes, resulting in massive casualties,” he said.

Hazel Law, principal investigator of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, said they would not rule out further law enforcement operations.

“We suspect that some people, for their own personal gain, not only failed to fulfill their professional responsibilities, but even used suspected corrupt practices, fraud and other illegal acts to achieve their purposes,” Law said.

Tang said Will Power directors Ng Yeuk and Wong Hap-yin, Prestige director Ho Kin-yip, alongside the two companies, were charged with manslaughter.

The companies and some of the defendants were also charged with conspiracy to defraud.

Authorities allege the conspiracy goes beyond the fire site
In one of the fraud allegations, authorities alleged that the two companies and some defendants conspired together to defraud the apartment owners of Wang Fuk Court by concealing previous litigation records of Prestige and inflating the score given to the firm in a tender analysis report.

That eventually led to Prestige being awarded the renovation project at a contract worth more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars (over $38 million), they said.

Their alleged wrongdoings went beyond the Wang Fuk Court. Authorities also alleged some of the accused conspired together to defraud the government by falsely claiming that the registered inspector of Will Power had carried out his duties in inspecting and supervising 86 building maintenance projects.

Tang on Wednesday said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption arrested 35 people when they looked into the cause of the fire and potential corruption issues involving the renovation project.

Note: If you’d like his email address, please reach out to TLS.

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

By Efraim Mendelson

I’ll get straight to the point. Our neighborhoods have become more dangerous. We are facing a public safety emergency. And no, this isn’t about crime, although that’s worrisome too.

Not long ago, being on the sidewalk didn’t require constant alertness for fast-moving vehicles whizzing by. But times have changed. Today, people of all ages are zooming down sidewalks and streets on electric scooters and bikes, many with little to no experience operating them.

Everyone understands why driving a car has a minimum age requirement and only comes after training, testing, and licensing. This ensures competent drivers, safe roads, and adherence to traffic laws. But when it comes to e-scooters, it’s the wild west. Though sidewalk use is prohibited under New York law, and there are official speed limits, the regulations are weakly enforced. This creates a menace to pedestrians and turns our walkways into danger zones.

Aside from frequently crashing into pedestrians on sidewalks, e-scooters pose other hazards as well. Bumps, potholes, and broken asphalt can all cause loss of control and falls. Even when using designated bike lanes (which are mostly one-way), riders sometimes travel against traffic. This can lead to collisions with pedestrians crossing the street who aren’t expecting bikes or scooters from the wrong direction. Others leave designated areas and weave through traffic, endangering both themselves and motorists. Sadly, many adults ride recklessly as well and also get into accidents, but the risk is greater among children, who are even less prepared to operate these vehicles safely.

Yes, the pressure is real. Your child may beg for that scooter, insisting that all of his or her friends have one. But would you give your toddler a knife or allow them to cross the street alone, even after repeated cries and pleas? This is no different. A parent’s first obligation is safety, which often requires tough love. Also, bear in mind that if a child on an e-scooter injures themselves or someone else (or worse, G-d forbid), the parent who purchased it or permitted its use bears the ultimate moral responsibility.

If your child already has one, you need to ask yourself some tough questions about their safety and your role in it. If you’re an adult who rides on sidewalks or disregards designated lanes and traffic rules, you need to take a hard look in the mirror. Pikuach nefesh comes before the entire Torah. Repeatedly jeopardizing one’s life and the lives of others, or allowing a child to do so, can lead to devastating consequences, and calls into question one’s entire frumkeit.

Don’t wait for a tragedy to start taking responsibility. Act now, before an accident leads to a lifetime of regret!

This post was originally published on this site.

BEIRUT (AP) — As Israeli warplanes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs last March and residents fled in panic, one man found his opportunity. Amid the chaos, he slipped out of his imprisonment in a Hezbollah cell and made his way to the green hills overlooking the Lebanese capital.

There, in the posh diplomatic quarter of Baabda, he disappeared inside the gates of the Ukrainian Embassy.

Where he is now is a mystery, tangled up in an ongoing spy game as Hezbollah attempts to root out Israeli intelligence operatives that have infiltrated the militant group.

The man identified by Lebanese officials as Khaled al-Aydi is said to be a Palestinian refugee from Syria who also holds Ukrainian citizenship. He had been detained by Hezbollah in the Beirut suburbs and accused by Lebanese officials of being part of a thwarted Israeli intelligence plot to carry out bombings and assassinations.

Details of al-Aydi’s escape and a Lebanese military court’s case against him were provided by three judicial officials and two senior security officials in Lebanon who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. A senior political official in Hezbollah also provided details.

Al-Aydi’s disappearance could have political implications for the Lebanese government, which has largely remained silent about the case.

If evidence were to emerge that al-Aydi escaped Lebanon with help from the government, it could inflame tensions with Hezbollah’s largely Shiite Muslim base. The government already faces scrutiny for directly negotiating with Israel, which has been engaged in fierce fighting with Hezbollah since the early days of the Iran war.

The Ukrainian Embassy asked Lebanese authorities in March to facilitate al-Aydi’s departure from the country after he escaped Hezbollah detention, according to a Lebanese government document obtained by The Associated Press. But Lebanon’s General Security agency refused, saying a judicial warrant for his arrest had been issued in September 2025, according to the document.

Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency declined to comment. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry also declined to comment.

A Ukrainian official with knowledge of the case said al-Aydi is not in the Ukrainian Embassy or its compound in Lebanon. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, would not say where al-Aydi is — and out of concern for the security of the embassy and its personnel, would not say whether al-Aydi was ever in the embassy, or whether Ukraine helped him escape.

Israel’s intelligence networks
Using human and high-tech surveillance, Israel has cultivated far-reaching intelligence networks in Lebanon. That has helped it carry out dramatic operations against Hezbollah.

In the most elaborate example, Israel infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain and sent the Iran-backed militant group thousands of booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies. Israel remotely detonated the devices in September 2024, killing at least 37 people. Days later, Israeli airstrikes killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, while he was hiding in a heavily fortified bunker.

Even before that, Israel’s intelligence within Hezbollah allowed it to hit the group’s senior leaders and field commanders “with relative ease,” said Nicholas Blanford, an expert on the militant group at the Atlantic Council.

Since the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war, Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities have cracked down on alleged spy networks. About 50 people have been convicted and are serving sentences, while others remain under investigation, the judicial officials said.

“We were successful in detecting many spy networks, and the state was also successful in this matter,” Hezbollah political official Wafiq Safa, said. But “the Israelis are always working to recruit young Lebanese people from all communities.”

Al-Aydi doesn’t fit the profile of other alleged spies
Many alleged spy networks have involved current or former Hezbollah members or individuals with family ties to the group.

Al-Aydi, in contrast, was an outsider. He had Ukrainian citizenship through his mother, according to the Lebanese government document AP obtained. It is not known how he was allegedly recruited by Israel.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians came to Lebanon for refuge during Syria’s 14-year civil war. But Al-Aydi entered the country in August 2025 on a flight from Ethiopia, one of the Lebanese security officials said.

While Hezbollah began in the 1980s as a small guerrilla operation fighting Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon, it greatly expanded after its 2006 war with Israel, making it “easier for the Israelis to penetrate,” Blanford said. The group’s entry into the Syrian civil war further exposed it, as recruitment standards were lowered, he said.

Lebanon’s economic crisis also aided Israel’s recruitment efforts, Blanford said.

Cases filed in Lebanon’s military court describe operatives being paid between $2,500 and $20,000 to provide intelligence on Hezbollah weapons depots and political offices. Many of the alleged agents were recruited by Israeli handlers through social media, judicial officials said.

One high-profile case was Mohammad Hadi Saleh, a singer and prominent religious performer within circles connected to Hezbollah. He was arrested in May 2025 and charged with providing the Mossad with maps and coordinates of key Hezbollah sites later struck in Israeli operations. He is in jail awaiting trial.

“It’s ironic that they (Hezbollah) were spending a lot of time accusing their opponents of being Israeli spies, and it turns out that the spies were actually from within the organization and its support base,” said Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.

Recruitment efforts continue. During the latest war, Israel has dropped leaflets over Lebanon with QR codes that, according to the Lebanese army, direct people to an Israeli military unit tasked with recruiting agents.

Al-Aydi is thought to have fled the country
Lebanon’s General Security said in October it had broken up a network planning bombings and assassinations in Lebanon, including an operation meant to target events for the one-year commemoration of Nasrallah’s death. Authorities discovered a motorcycle rigged with explosives and a car modified to hold explosives, security and judicial officials said.

Al-Aydi and six others, all Lebanese, were charged. One of the six also escaped, and the others are in a Lebanese jail awaiting trial, the judicial officials said. Only al-Aydi was being held by Hezbollah, likely because he was seen as a high-value catch.

The military court alleges the operation was orchestrated by a Mossad handler living in Germany who communicated with others through encrypted applications. The court sent a summons to the Ukrainian Embassy that went unanswered.

Safa said there was an unsuccessful attempt to smuggle al-Aydi out of Lebanon to Syria. He did not elaborate.

The two senior Lebanese security officials said al-Aydi is believed to have left the country. It was not clear whether he crossed into Syria, where officials said they had no information about him.

Alleged spy’s disappearance raises political tensions
Relations between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah are at a low point. The government was angered by the militant group’s unilateral decision to enter another war with Israel, while Hezbollah is furious the government has chosen to negotiate a ceasefire and potentially wider security and political agreement directly with Israel.

Al-Aydi’s escape could exacerbate tensions and put the Lebanese state in a difficult situation.

If Lebanese authorities refused to let al-Aydi leave the country, the U.S. and Ukraine were “well-positioned to exert significant pressure” to secure his release, Hage Ali said. On the other hand, if the state is seen to have let al-Aydi escape, it would face “public anger, predominantly among Lebanese Shia” sympathetic to Hezbollah, which could use that emotion to inflame internal tensions, he said.

For working Americans with access to a 401(k), there’s perhaps no easier way to save for retirement. You tell your employer how much money you want to contribute per year or per pay period, and that money gets deducted from your paychecks accordingly.

Plus, if you’re lucky, you may not only have access to a 401(k) plan but also a workplace match. That’s free money you can invest alongside your own contributions.

But a lot of 401(k) savers overlook a big financial risk that could become a problem later on in retirement. And if you’re saving in a 401(k), it’s something you absolutely need to know about.

MOST 401(K) SAVERS MAY BE SHORT-CHANGING THEMSELVES, DATA SHOWS

One of the biggest risks of saving in a 401(k) is required minimum distributions (RMDs). Once you turn 73 or 75, depending on the year you were born, you’re forced to withdraw a certain amount from a 401(k) each year or otherwise risk a large penalty.

RMDs aren’t just annoying. They could push you into a higher tax bracket in retirement, cause you to get taxed on your Social Security benefits, and leave you paying surcharges on your Medicare premiums.

ARE YOU A NEW STOCK MARKET INVESTOR IN JUNE 2026? HERE’S WARREN BUFFETT’S ADVICE

Of course, the larger your 401(k) balance is once RMDs start, the larger those mandatory withdrawals are apt to be. But if you don’t need to withdraw all that money each year, it could create a huge headache.

And if you contribute steadily to a 401(k) over decades, all the while investing in the stock market, it’s conceivable that you could have a few million dollars sitting in that account by the time you reach the age when RMDs begin. That’s a good problem to have – but it’s a problem nonetheless.

While RMDs could become a big hassle for you if you have your retirement savings in a 401(k), there’s one way to make them less of a problem: Do Roth conversions before they begin.

HOW ETFS CAN BE EFFECTIVE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR RETIREES

With a Roth conversion, you move some (or all) of the money from your 401(k) into a Roth IRA. Roth IRA withdrawals are not taxable and are not subject to RMDs.

Another option is to carefully manage 401(k) withdrawals before RMDs begin. Taking larger withdrawals during lower-income years could reduce your future tax burden.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

For example, you may have a period when you retire from your job and only live on Social Security for a while. That could be a good time to do Roth conversions or strategically withdraw from your 401(k).

While 401(k)s make it easier for some people to accumulate retirement wealth, they have a huge potential drawback. It’s important to understand how RMDs might affect your taxes and overall financial situation in retirement so you can plan around them.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Stocks fell at Wednesday’s opening bell after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday, June 10, that consumer prices rose 4.2 percent over the past year in May — a three-year high — while overnight American airstrikes inside Iran shattered hopes for a quick end to the war. The Nasdaq Composite led the pullback, down 0.7 percent as Tuesday’s tech sell-off deepened, while the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average each fell about 0.5 percent as of just before 10 a.m. Eastern.

The inflation report set the tone. The 4.2 percent annual rise matched economists’ expectations, but the hot reading may boost bets that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates this year. Energy prices remained the biggest driver of inflation amid the protracted war with Iran. Headline prices rose 0.5 percent from April to May. Before the report landed, markets had priced in a 98.2 percent chance the Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged at its June meeting, according to the CME Group FedWatch tool. The 10-year Treasury yielded 4.53 percent, and the two-year stood at 4.14 percent.

The war escalated overnight. The U.S. launched a series of airstrikes within Iran on Tuesday, targeting air defense, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites, U.S. Central Command said. Iran acknowledged strikes around the city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island inside the Strait of Hormuz, but gave no details on the damage.

The strikes came after President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that while the two pilots involved in the shootdown of an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz were safe and uninjured, the United States must respond to the attack. Central Command called the strikes a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.

Trump turned up the pressure again Wednesday morning. He wrote on Truth Social that Iran has taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, and now they will have to pay the price. Brent crude rose nearly 2 percent to $93 per barrel after the post, while West Texas Intermediate hovered just below $90.

The supply damage keeps mounting. Rystad Energy said Wednesday that the shutdown of 11.8 million barrels a day of production across six Gulf producers has created the most severe oil supply disruption in modern history, with cumulative losses reaching 1 billion barrels. The consultancy warned each additional month of conflict could erase another 350 million barrels of output.

Global Markets

Asia sold off hard overnight. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.89 percent, while South Korea’s Kospi slumped 4.52 percent, leading regional losses amid a tech sell-off and Middle East tensions. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng traded 0.77 percent lower, and mainland China’s CSI 300 lost 1.11 percent.

SoftBank Group plunged 10 percent after its effort to secure at least $6 billion through a margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake hit a snag, according to Bloomberg News.

Europe held firmer. The pan-European Stoxx 600 rose 0.3 percent after its open, with London’s FTSE 100 up 0.2 percent, France’s CAC 40 adding 0.4 percent and Germany’s DAX rising 0.2 percent. Autos, insurance and healthcare led gains, while technology and banks lagged.

Movers and Shakers

Super Micro Computer fell 10 percent in premarket trading after the company announced a $7 billion financing package to fund its AI infrastructure order backlog.

Chip stocks stayed under pressure. Shares of Nvidia, Micron, Intel and Qualcomm pointed lower before the open after finishing Tuesday in the red.

Oracle reports earnings after Wednesday’s closing bell, with investors focused on details of its cloud business, which counts OpenAI as a customer, amid fluctuations in the AI trade.

Starbucks is exploring options for its business in Japan, including a stake sale, according to Bloomberg, which reported preliminary talks between the company and investment banks. Japan is one of the chain’s largest markets, with about 2,100 stores.

In housing, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded Toll Brothers to outperform from market perform, saying builders exposed to affluent buyers are better positioned to defend margins, while downgrading Lennar to underperform, citing its heavy entry-level exposure. Bank of America upgraded STMicroelectronics to Buy from Neutral.

What Comes Next

The week’s main event arrives Friday. SpaceX holds its initial public offering Friday, June 12, listing on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX at $135 per share, giving the company an initial market value of $1.77 trillion — the largest IPO on record.

Roughly $75 billion worth of shares must be allocated to underwriters and asset managers before trading begins Friday.

Until then, the market sits between two forces it cannot control: inflation climbing on war-driven energy costs, and a conflict in the Persian Gulf that shows no sign of ending.

JBizNews Desk

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

President Donald Trump’s long-promised effort to remove mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control is facing new questions after the official leading the project was handed a second, unrelated assignment running the nation’s intelligence agencies.

Trump announced on June 2 in a post on Truth Social that he was appointing Bill Pulte — director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — as acting Director of National Intelligence, while allowing him to retain his housing responsibilities.

Speaking aboard Air Force One last Friday, Trump signaled that any move to take Fannie and Freddie public is not imminent.

He said he has not ruled out pursuing an initial public offering but emphasized, “It’s not a rush.” A day earlier, Trump praised Pulte’s work overseeing the mortgage giants and noted that the intelligence position is “not a permanent position.” Requests from CNN last week for updated timelines from the White House, FHFA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac went unanswered.

To understand why this matters, it helps to know the role Fannie and Freddie play in the housing market.

The two government-sponsored enterprises do not issue mortgages directly. Instead, they purchase home loans from banks and lenders, package them into securities, and sell them to investors. That process replenishes lenders’ capital, allowing them to make new loans while helping keep mortgage rates lower and more widely available.

As a result, Fannie and Freddie sit beneath a substantial portion of the U.S. mortgage market and are deeply intertwined with how Americans finance home purchases.

The companies have remained under government conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis, when federal officials stepped in to prevent their collapse and stabilize the housing market. What was intended as a temporary measure has now lasted nearly two decades.

Susan Wachter, a professor of real estate and finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told CNN that few observers expected the arrangement to still be in place 18 years later.

Trump has long argued that the companies should eventually return to private ownership. During his first term, efforts to end conservatorship stalled, but supporters continue to argue that Fannie and Freddie are financially strong enough to operate independently and that a public offering could generate billions of dollars in value.

The challenge now may be execution.

Pulte, 38, whose grandfather founded one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, is now responsible for overseeing more than $10 trillion in mortgage exposure while simultaneously leading the sprawling U.S. intelligence apparatus, including agencies such as the CIA and the National Security Agency.

Housing experts note that restructuring and privatizing Fannie and Freddie is itself a highly complex undertaking requiring extensive regulatory, financial, and political coordination.

Wachter told CNN that the effort is effectively a full-time job and suggested that progress that once appeared to be moving forward may now be slowing.

The stakes are significant.

If the government mishandles an exit from conservatorship, it could unsettle the market for mortgage-backed securities that supports much of the U.S. housing finance system. If investors demand higher returns to compensate for increased uncertainty, mortgage rates could rise as a result.

That risk comes at a difficult time for prospective homebuyers, who are already confronting elevated home prices and mortgage rates that remain well above pre-pandemic levels.

Pulte’s growing portfolio of responsibilities has also attracted political scrutiny.

In his role overseeing housing finance, he has filed criminal referrals alleging mortgage fraud against several prominent political figures, including Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Those allegations have been denied by the individuals involved.

His appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence has also drawn criticism from Democrats and concern from some Republicans, who note that the position was created after the September 11 attacks with the expectation that its holder would possess substantial national security experience.

For homeowners and prospective buyers, the immediate takeaway is relatively simple.

A privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could eventually reshape how mortgage lending is funded in the United States. Whether that change ultimately lowers costs, raises them, or leaves the system largely unchanged remains a matter of debate.

What appears more certain today is that the process is unlikely to accelerate. With the official overseeing the effort now balancing responsibilities in both housing finance and national security, a slower and more cautious timetable looks increasingly likely.

That may provide some short-term stability. Financial markets generally prefer gradual transitions over rushed restructurings, particularly when trillions of dollars in mortgages are involved.

The larger question—whether the federal government will ultimately relinquish control of the two institutions that underpin much of America’s housing market—remains unresolved.

JBizNews Desk — Business

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

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-An Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip earlier this week killed a senior Hamas financial operative and his deputy, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency announced Sunday.

The strike eliminated Khader Jamasi, head of a funds transfer network for the Hamas terror group, along with his deputy, Muhammad Harazin, the military said. Both men served as key money transfer operatives for Hamas’s military wing in Gaza.

According to the IDF, the pair managed financial transfers worth tens of millions of dollars to Hamas terrorists during the ongoing war. They operated through a network of dozens of money exchangers in the Gaza Strip, enabling the group to pay salaries to its operatives and support terror attack planning against IDF troops and Israeli civilians.

“In recent months, the IDF has struck and killed several Hamas financial operatives in both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon,” the military added.

The announcement comes as Israel continues targeted operations against Hamas infrastructure and leadership figures funding the group’s activities.

The chairman of Israel’s Central Elections Committee, Deputy Supreme Court President Justice Noam Sohlberg, ruled Tuesday that a campaign video featuring Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu may no longer be distributed, finding that it improperly used a state-owned facility for political purposes.

The decision came after the committee accepted a petition filed by the organization Lawyers for Good Governance, which challenged the use of the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv as the backdrop for political campaign material.

At the center of the case was a video published on May 19, 2026, through the prime minister’s personal social media accounts. The footage was filmed inside the historic Ben-Gurion House, located within the heavily secured Kirya military compound.

The petitioners argued that the production violated Section 2A of Israel’s Election Propaganda Law, which prohibits candidates and political parties from using government or public property to gain a political advantage during an election campaign.

‘Attempt to Influence Voters’

Justice Sohlberg sided with the petitioners, determining that the content of the video clearly crossed the line into political campaign activity.

In his ruling, Sohlberg wrote that the video highlighted the prime minister’s achievements and performance in the diplomatic and security arenas in a manner designed to influence voters ahead of the election.

According to the decision, the message presented in the video was intended to showcase Netanyahu’s leadership and accomplishments for electoral purposes, placing it squarely within the category of prohibited campaign material.

Sohlberg further emphasized that Ben-Gurion House within the Kirya is a state-owned public asset that exists solely for the official duties of the prime minister.

As such, he ruled that neither the facility itself nor its historic symbolism may be used to advance a personal or party political campaign.

Exclusive Access Violated Principle of Equality

Another factor cited in the ruling was the unique location of the filming site.

The court noted that Ben-Gurion House is situated inside a closed military base that is inaccessible to other candidates and political parties.

Because only the sitting prime minister could gain access to the facility, Sohlberg concluded that the filming created an unfair advantage over competing candidates.

The ruling described the situation as an improper exploitation of exclusive access to a restricted military installation, undermining the principle of equality that is meant to govern election campaigns.

As a result of the decision, a temporary injunction previously issued in the case was converted into a permanent order.

Netanyahu and the Likud Party are now prohibited from continuing to publish or distribute the video on any media platform.

In addition, the prime minister and Likud were ordered to jointly pay 7,500 shekels in legal costs to the organization that filed the petition.

Diana Smith, the 45-year-old Black woman who assaulted a Jewish Orthodox woman on the C-train in Manhattan, appeared virtually for her court appearance from the psychiatric ward of Bellevue Hospital, wearing a purple hospital gown.

Smith, who pleaded not guilty to charges of felony assault, harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing as a hate crime, had been known to police before, having had six run-ins with law enforcement over disturbing behavior. Prosecutors requested $30,000 bail, but Smith’s defense attorney requested she be released on her own recognizance because she has no money for bail. The judge ultimately set the bail at $10,000.

Diana Smith (from a post on X)

The victim, who asked not to be identified, told The New York Post in an interview that she had only been on the train for one stop when Smith boarded and immediately began the confrontation.

“‘You could always see the reflection of a Jew,'” the victim quoted Smith as saying before turning toward the Montreal native and giving her a sinister smile.

“I decided in that moment I really did not want to show fear in the face of that, so I stared at her right back down, and I said, ‘So you see my reflection?'”

“And she said, ‘Yeah, and I smell it on you too,'” the victim said.

At that point, the woman, who now lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, began recording the incident.

The footage begins with Smith shouting inside a subway car full of commuters, “Jews are eating kids!”

She leans toward the victim with a creepy grin and says, “You’re a Jew; I can smell the kids,” as the woman repeatedly says, “Don’t touch me.” 

According to later reports, Smith knocked the 23-year-old nurse to the ground, beat her, choked her and pulled out a fistful of hair. Video footage shows other commuters pushing her back and shouting, “Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

“It’s okay for her to eat kids?” the woman yells. “But I can’t choke her down?”

“I was just assaulted,” the shocked victim says in a trembling voice.

Smith knocked the phone out of her hands at that point.

Subsequent photos show the woman’s red scalp and a missing tuft of hair.

The young woman exited at Canal Street and reported the attack to police. Passengers on the subway pressed the emergency button, alerting officers, who intervened and apprehended Smith.

Smith’s post-assault behavior was equally unhinged. Manhattan ADA Sarah Csanadi said in court Monday that Smith ranted to police, “I am sick of Jewish people eating kids and then playing in my face and acting like I don’t have my own rights on this land.”

“My father is a moor from Jamaica, West Indies, and he owns the land that we are on right now,” she added bizarrely and unhistorically.

In her weirdest and strangest statement yet, she added, “The disgusting part is that we are not eating the kids in our hamburger meat.”

Police have charged the assailant with hate crime assault, hate crime criminal obstruction of breathing and hate crime aggravated harassment. The victim was admitted to the hospital with minor injuries, including a concussion.

“When I had to identify her, a ton of people were like, ‘Oh, we saw what happened, are you OK?'” the victim said in the Post interview, explaining that commuters intervened only when it was too late. “And that was extremely triggering for me because of course I’m not OK. I kept just thinking, I’m not in Nazi Germany.”

“I don’t think New York is protecting Jews. I don’t think Mamdani not going to the Israel Day Parade is helping,” she added. The assault occurred the same day as the Israel Day Parade.

Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) plunge around $61,000 has pushed on-chain valuation metrics into undervalued territory, though the asset remains more expensive than at prior cycle bottoms.

“Is BTC Cheap Yet?“

Zach Pandl, head of research at Grayscale wrote on June 9 that a range of on-chain indicators suggests Bitcoin is trading below its long-term fair value after falling to a new cycle low.

A composite valuation model combining three separate on-chain measures indicates Bitcoin is now undervalued relative to historical averages.

However, the signal is not as extreme as levels seen during major market capitulation events, including the collapse of crypto exchange …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

(AP) – Honda is recalling more than 800,000 vehicles because rear suspension components may fail and cause drivers to lose control, increasing the chances of a crash or injury.

American Honda Motor Co. said the recall covers certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The recall includes 880,514 vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin.

The problem centers around the rear subframe, which can corrode at suspension mounting points and cause the rear suspension to fail. Honda estimates that just 1% of the vehicles listed have the defect.

Honda has had no warranty claims and no reports of an injury or death related to the problem.

As a remedy, Honda and Acura dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a reinforcement kit if necessary, or repair or replace the rear subframe components at no cost to vehicle owners.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign number for the recall is 26V367000. Honda’s numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers applicable to this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10.

Owners may contact Honda’s customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

An e-scooter rider was hospitalized following a collision with a vehicle in Lakewood this morning.

The accident occurred shortly before 9:00 a.m. on 2nd Street. According to eyewitnesses, the scooterist was traveling along the sidewalk when a vehicle pulled out of a parking lot and collided with the scooter.

Hatzolah and EMS treated the rider and then transported her to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood.

Police say the rider was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The District Court ordered on Wednesday the release under restrictive conditions of 49 of the suspects who were arrested after the rampage in the yard of the home of the Vice President of the Supreme Court, Justice Noam Solberg, in the settlement of Alon Shvut.

Among those who were released, 18 draft evaders and one deserter were not released to their homes, but were transferred by the Israel Prison Service to the Military Police for further handling.

At the same time, the police requested an extension of eight days for the detention of four additional suspects arrested in the incident, including one deserter. According to the police, this is due to a “significant development” in the investigation, and a “secret report” was submitted on the matter.

In addition, a minor arrested in the case will, at this stage, remain under house arrest conditions.

The District Court rejected on Monday the appeal filed by 51 of the suspects who were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the intrusion into the yard of the judge’s home and causing damage to plants, the house windows, and the family vehicle. According to the decision, they remained in custody until today.

As previously reported, last week extremist charedi protesters arrived at the home of Noam Solberg, broke windows in his house and smashed the windshield of his vehicle.

The rioters came to demonstrate against his order to intensify the arrest of draft evaders from yeshivas, and caused significant damage at the judge’s home. Around 60 of them were arrested.

The protesters arrived near Solberg’s home in protest over what they described as his directive to increase enforcement against draft dodgers. The local emergency response unit of Gush Etzion was mobilized to protect the judge’s home in the initial moments until police arrived.

Afterwards, the protesters boarded a bus and attempted to leave the scene. Large police forces that arrived in the area stopped the bus carrying the protesters and arrested them.

The public drama surrounding CBS News may be generating headlines, but industry analysts and executives close to the transaction say it is unlikely to stop Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal valued at approximately $110 billion including debt.

According to reporting confirmed Monday, June 8, by sources involved in the merger process, regulators reviewing the transaction are focused primarily on antitrust concerns rather than controversies involving newsroom management.

“Legally speaking, it doesn’t matter,” one executive involved in the deal told CNN, referring to the recent upheaval at CBS News. “But PR-wise, it might matter.”

That distinction is becoming increasingly important as Paramount Skydance works to complete one of the largest media mergers in recent years.

Under the agreement, Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison, would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $31 per share. The combination would bring together two of Hollywood’s largest entertainment companies, unite the streaming platforms Paramount+ and HBO Max, and place major news brands including CBS News and CNN under the same corporate umbrella.

Warner shareholders approved the transaction in April, and the companies continue to pursue regulatory approvals.

The merger, however, now faces an additional layer of public scrutiny because of developments inside CBS News.

Following Paramount’s acquisition last year, Ellison appointed Bari Weiss, founder of The Free Press, as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss, whose background is primarily in print and digital journalism, has overseen a series of controversial changes inside the network.

Last week, veteran “60 Minutes” journalists including Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega, and executive producer Tanya Simon departed amid a broader restructuring. Former technology journalist Nick Bilton was subsequently tapped to help lead the iconic newsmagazine program.

The situation intensified when longtime correspondent Scott Pelley, a 37-year CBS News veteran, publicly criticized management after his departure.

In an interview with The New York Times, Pelley described CBS News as being “on fire,” criticized current leadership, and alleged that management decisions were being influenced by political considerations.

CBS management disputed aspects of Pelley’s account, while Weiss told staff the separation reflected an inability to find a path forward.

The controversy has generated significant media attention at a sensitive moment for Paramount.

Critics of the merger have argued that ownership changes at CBS could foreshadow future editorial conflicts at CNN should the Warner acquisition proceed. Several media commentators have also questioned whether ongoing newsroom turmoil could complicate the regulatory review process.

Most analysts, however, believe the issues are largely separate.

Analysts at Raymond James said they continue to expect the merger to close, although they cautioned that Paramount’s target of completing the transaction during the third quarter of 2026 may prove ambitious.

The larger regulatory threat appears to come not from newsroom controversies but from antitrust concerns.

Several media outlets reported last week that a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, is preparing a legal challenge aimed at blocking the merger.

That challenge reportedly focuses on traditional antitrust arguments, including reduced competition, potential job losses, wage pressure, and increased concentration within the media industry.

Those issues carry substantially more legal weight in merger reviews than disputes involving editorial management.

Paramount strongly rejects those concerns.

A company spokesperson told CNN that the merger would increase competition, expand consumer choice, and create new opportunities for creators, employees, and audiences.

Supporters of the transaction argue that larger scale is necessary for traditional media companies to compete against technology giants and streaming competitors that increasingly dominate entertainment consumption.

The stakes extend far beyond the immediate controversy at CBS.

If completed, the merger would reshape the American media landscape by combining two major film studios, multiple television networks, two large streaming services, extensive sports rights, and two of the nation’s most recognizable news organizations.

For now, the CBS controversy remains primarily a reputational challenge for Paramount leadership.

The legal battle over the merger, however, will likely be decided on a different set of questions—competition, market concentration, employment, and consumer impact.

Those are the issues regulators and courts will ultimately weigh as they determine whether one of the largest media combinations in decades moves forward.

JBizNews Desk — Business

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

As Israel’s political system increasingly shifts into election mode, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is reportedly working behind the scenes to engineer a renewed partnership between Itamar Ben Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich, amid growing concern that Smotrich’s party may fail to clear the electoral threshold.

According to a report Tuesday evening by Channel 12 political analyst Amit Segal, Netanyahu fears that if Smotrich’s faction falls short of the minimum vote requirement, a significant number of right-wing votes could be lost, potentially costing the right-wing bloc its parliamentary majority and jeopardizing his ability to remain in power after the next election.

The report states that Netanyahu has been promoting a plan under which Ben Gvir and Smotrich would once again run together on a joint list, while receiving guaranteed spots for their representatives on the Likud slate.

According to Segal, Netanyahu has offered two reserved positions as part of the proposal, though the arrangement could come at the expense of places previously expected to be allocated to allies of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Under the reported plan, Sa’ar ally Ze’ev Elkin would have to compete for his place on the list rather than receive a guaranteed slot.

The proposal reportedly calls for what Netanyahu describes as a technical merger only, allowing Ben Gvir and Smotrich to campaign together in order to maximize right-wing votes while retaining the option of separating again after the election.

Under the framework being discussed, each party leader would receive a guaranteed placement within Likud’s broader electoral structure, while an additional representative from their camps would be included on the list of what is expected to remain the largest party in the right-wing bloc in the next Knesset.

The effort reflects mounting concern within the coalition over recent polling that has shown uncertainty regarding Smotrich’s ability to cross the electoral threshold on his own. Should his party fail to enter the Knesset, the loss of those votes could significantly damage the right-wing camp’s chances of forming the next government.

While neither Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, nor Smotrich has publicly confirmed the details of the reported proposal, the initiative highlights the increasingly intense political maneuvering taking place as parties begin positioning themselves for a potentially high-stakes election campaign.

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This story about the May 2026 CPI inflation report is developing and will be updated with more details.

Inflation ticked higher in May as American consumers continued to face elevated fuel prices amid the Iran war’s impact on the energy market and across the economy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said on Wednesday that the consumer price index (CPI) – a broad measure of how much everyday goods like gasoline, groceries and rent cost – rose 0.5% from a month ago and is 4.2% higher than a year ago. The annual figure is the highest since April 2023.

Both the 0.5% monthly increase and the 4.2% rise from a year ago were in line with the expectations of economists polled by LSEG.

So-called core prices, which exclude volatile measurements of gasoline and food to better assess price growth trends, were up 0.2% on a monthly basis and 2.9% from a year ago. The monthly figure was slightly cooler than the expected rise of 0.3%, while the annual core figure was in line with economists’ predictions.

INFLATION IS SQUEEZING AMERICAN CONSUMERS AND THE FED’S LATEST REPORT SHOWS IT’S GETTING WORSE

High inflation has created severe financial pressures in recent years for most U.S. households, which are forced to pay more for everyday necessities like food and rent. Price hikes are particularly difficult for lower-income Americans, because they tend to spend more of their already-stretched paychecks on necessities and have less flexibility to save.

Energy prices rose 3.9% in May amid the Iran war’s disruption of Middle Eastern oil supplies, with prices up 23.5% in the last year. The BLS noted that the energy index accounted for over 60% of the overall CPI increase in May.

Gasoline prices increased 7% on a monthly basis in May and are up 40.5% compared with a year ago. Electricity prices rose 0.6% last month and are up 5.9% from a year ago. Utility gas service prices fell 0.5% in May and are up 3% year over year.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a shocking incident which occurred last week in Jerusalem, teenagers harassed a bus driver in Jerusalem, and when he got up to confront them and asked them to stop, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died soon afterwards.

The bus driver, named Yosef Eliyahu Kakshur, was driving a bus in Jerusalem a few days ago when teenagers allegedly harassed him. According to the report, they opened the rear door using the emergency valve and engaged in additional disruptive behavior.

He got up angrily toward them and asked them to stop, and then suddenly collapsed from cardiac arrest. He was evacuated to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The family is shocked and is demanding justice. His daughter published a message in Jerusalem groups asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact her. The report says they will continue updating as they pursue “justice.”

The Trump administration has put more than 500 hospitals on notice: show patients what medical care actually costs or risk hefty financial penalties.

The warnings, revealed Tuesday after being obtained by The Associated Press, were sent beginning in April to hospitals that federal officials say are failing to comply with healthcare price-transparency rules. The administration argues that hidden pricing prevents patients, employers, and insurers from comparing costs and contributes to higher healthcare spending nationwide.

Hospitals that fail to comply could face penalties of up to $2 million per year.

The Goal: No More Surprise Bills

For many Americans, the issue is familiar. A patient receives a test, procedure, or hospital visit without knowing the price beforehand, only to receive a bill weeks later.

Federal officials say the transparency rules are intended to change that.

Under the requirements, hospitals must publicly post pricing information so consumers can compare costs before receiving treatment. That includes rates for common services such as blood tests, imaging scans, surgeries, and other medical procedures.

The administration says transparent pricing encourages competition and helps consumers make more informed healthcare decisions.

A senior administration official said President Donald Trump plans to intensify enforcement of transparency standards originally created under a 2019 executive order, signaling that additional hospitals are likely to receive warning letters in the months ahead.

Major Hospital Systems Receive Notices

The enforcement effort is not limited to smaller facilities.

Several of the nation’s largest and most recognizable hospitals received warnings.

Texas led the nation with 42 hospitals receiving notices. Among them were:

• Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio
• University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston

Ascension, one of the largest nonprofit hospital systems in the United States, had 13 hospitals across multiple states receive letters.

The issue spans both Republican- and Democratic-led states.

Indiana had 34 hospitals receiving notices, while California had 38. Other states with large numbers of hospitals receiving warnings include Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas.

Why Employers and Insurers Care

The push is drawing attention from employers who pay billions annually for employee healthcare coverage.

Business groups have long argued that healthcare remains one of the few major purchases where consumers often cannot determine the cost before receiving the service.

“Transparency is the foundation of a healthcare system that rewards competition based on cost and quality,” said Shawn Gremminger, Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

Employers contend that better pricing information could help lower healthcare costs by allowing consumers to compare providers and encouraging hospitals to compete more aggressively on price.

Hospitals Face Growing Pressure

For hospitals, the warnings create both compliance challenges and financial risks.

Many healthcare systems argue that pricing structures are complex because rates vary depending on insurance contracts, government reimbursement programs, and individual patient circumstances.

Federal officials, however, have increasingly taken the position that confusing or incomplete pricing disclosures are no longer sufficient.

The message from regulators is straightforward: hospitals must provide accessible pricing information or face escalating penalties.

The Political Dimension

The crackdown also aligns with the administration’s broader focus on affordability.

Healthcare costs remain one of the most significant expenses facing American families, and transparency efforts allow the administration to argue it is taking steps to help consumers better manage those costs.

At the same time, critics note that healthcare affordability remains a broader challenge, particularly following the expiration of certain insurance subsidies that had helped lower premiums for some Americans purchasing coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

What It Means for Patients

For consumers, the potential benefit is simple.

If hospitals fully comply, patients could increasingly be able to see and compare the costs of medical services before receiving treatment — much like comparing prices for other major purchases.

Whether greater transparency ultimately leads to lower healthcare costs remains an open question. But with more than 500 hospitals already receiving warnings and additional enforcement expected, federal officials are making clear that price transparency is moving from policy goal to regulatory requirement.

JBizNews Desk — Healthcare

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Israel’s Attorney General has reportedly authorized the Israel Tax Authority to conduct a covert investigation into UTJ chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf, who previously served as Minister of Housing, according to a report Tuesday evening by journalist Avishai Grinzeig of i24NEWS.

According to the report, a review conducted by the Tax Authority found that Goldknopf declared ownership of 13 real-estate properties as of 2022. However, investigators allegedly identified at least three additional properties that were not included in the reported holdings.

The report further claimed that the Tax Authority examined several unusual transactions involving Goldknopf and members of his family.

Among the transactions cited was the sale of a large apartment by a Bais Yaakov-affiliated nonprofit organization identified with Goldknopf to his granddaughter at a price allegedly below market value. According to the report, investigators are examining claims that the family relationship was not disclosed during the transaction. The report further alleged that the granddaughter later transferred ownership of the apartment to her parents as a gift.

Another transaction highlighted in the report dates back to 2015. According to the allegations, Yisrael Goldknopf, a son of Yitzchak Goldknopf, transferred half ownership of an apartment to his father as a gift. The report states that Goldknopf later sold the property.

The report also alleged that Tax Authority officials examined claims of unpaid taxes related to certain transactions, asserting that payment was allegedly made only after the matter was identified by authorities.

In addition, questions were reportedly raised regarding the sources of funding used to purchase some of the properties. However, according to the report, investigators did not reach a definitive conclusion on that issue.

Grinzeig further reported that intelligence information reviewed by authorities included allegations that, while serving as Housing Minister, Goldknopf raised issues during professional meetings with municipal officials concerning kindergartens operated by the educational network he previously founded and managed, and which is currently run by his son.

According to the report, those discussions may have conflicted with the terms of Goldknopf’s conflict-of-interest arrangement.

Despite the findings outlined in the report, it was stated that the Attorney General has not instructed authorities to question Goldknopf under caution at this stage.

Both the Israel Tax Authority and the Attorney General’s Office declined to comment on the report.

In response, the office of UTJ chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf said that several of the allegations had already been published and examined in the past, and that no wrongdoing had been found.

Goldknopf’s office further stated that the apartment in question belongs to his granddaughter and has no connection to him, while dismissing the allegations involving his son Yisrael as entirely baseless.

The statement also rejected claims that taxes were paid late, asserting that no inquiry had ever been received from tax authorities regarding the matter.

Regarding the financing of the properties, Goldknopf’s office said that all purchases and funding sources were fully documented and conducted in accordance with the law.

Addressing allegations related to discussions involving the Bais Yaakov network, Goldknopf’s office dismissed the claims outright, describing them as “complete nonsense.”

{Matzav.com}

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pushed back on President Donald Trump’s call for him to “immediately fire” Obama-era Senate parliamentarian appointee Elizabeth MacDonough, arguing that doing so would not pave the way for passage of the SAVE America Act because Republicans “don’t have the votes.”

“For me, it’s a function of math…” Thune told FOX Business on Wednesday.

“The issue with respect to the parliamentarian is one where, even under reconciliation, it has to be principally about budget and not policy, and SAVE America would not be at a 51-vote threshold. It would be at a 60-vote threshold under the rules, so she would just basically enforce the rules now.”

Thune pointed to a ruling that favored Republicans last week, when MacDonough determined that a Democratic-backed weaponization amendment would require 60 votes to pass rather than a simple majority.

FURY ERUPTS AS UNELECTED SENATE ‘SCOREKEEPER’ BLOCKS TRUMP’S AGENDA

“But [if] it had been a 51 [vote threshold] there would have been… an anti-weaponization amendment attached [to] that bill which would have jeopardized its passage in the House and probably jeopardize the president signing into law, so you win some you lose some with a parliamentarian,” he added.

President Trump called on Thune to remove MacDonough in a Truth Social post on Monday, writing that he “should immediately fire the parliamentarian, who treats Republicans and everything they stand for horribly!”

TED CRUZ SAYS THE DEM PARTY IS EMBROILED IN ‘CIVIL WAR’ AFTER ‘RADICAL LEFT’ TAKEOVER

“Just the other night, as an example, she ruled against us on a proposal that would have easily been approved, and should have been, by anyone else,” the president added, insisting Republicans reserve “every right” to change her to pave way for the SAVE Act.

The Trump-backed bill would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

The president has also called for nuking the Senate filibuster, another measure Thune mentioned during his discussion on “Mornings With Maria.”

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“[That’s something] we don’t have the vote to do and, on that issue, it’s not even close,” he said.

“[On] some of these issues, it is a close call, but there probably aren’t half of Senate Republicans who are in favor of doing that.”

Every year, thousands of aspiring real estate agents complete their pre-licensing education only to discover that earning course credit and passing the licensing exam are not the same thing. Industry estimates suggest that only about 50% to 60% of candidates pass the real estate licensing exam on their first attempt.

One reason so many candidates struggle is that the exam tests more than vocabulary. Knowing a definition is one thing; applying that knowledge in a scenario-based question is another. Success depends on understanding how concepts connect. That’s why practice exams, targeted review and personalized study plans have become some of the most effective tools for exam preparation.

Exam prep is also becoming more personalized. Today’s students have access to AI-powered study tools that can help pinpoint weak areas, generate targeted practice questions and tailor review sessions based on where they need the most support.

From your first pre-licensing lesson to the weeks leading up to exam day, the right study strategy can help you prepare more efficiently and improve your chances of passing on the first try.

Tip #1: Understand what you’re preparing for

Before creating a study plan, it’s important to understand how the real estate exam is organized.

Real estate licensing exams vary by state, including the number of questions, time limits and passing score requirements.

Most licensing exams include both a national and a state-specific portion. The national section covers foundational topics such as property ownership, contracts, financing, agency relationships, valuation and real estate math. The state portion focuses on local laws, regulations and licensing requirements.

Knowing how your state’s exam is organized can help you allocate study time appropriately and avoid focusing too heavily on one topic at the expense of another. AI-powered study tools can further support this process by generating practice questions tied to specific content areas, helping you reinforce concepts as you learn them.

Tip #2: Build a real estate study plan that works for you

The most effective exam prep doesn’t happen after you finish your coursework. It happens alongside it.

Rather than treating exam preparation as a separate phase, build review and practice into your study routine from the start. Revisiting material as you learn it can improve retention, reinforce key concepts and help you identify weak areas early.

Just as important, leave time for a final review period before your exam. The weeks leading up to test day should focus on practice exams, reinforcing knowledge and addressing weaker areas, not learning everything for the first time.

AI-powered learning tools can make it easier for you to stay on track by providing support whenever questions arise. Colibri Real Estate’s Rubi AI Tutor is built directly into the learning experience, allowing you to ask questions, get explanations for difficult concepts and generate practice questions based on the material you’re currently studying.

Tip #3: Prioritize real estate practice exams

If there is one study strategy that consistently separates successful candidates from unsuccessful ones, it’s practice testing.

Many students spend too much time reading and highlighting materials. While those activities may feel productive, they often create a false sense of confidence. Practice exams require you to recall information, apply concepts to realistic scenarios and think the way you’ll be expected to on test day.

A quality real estate practice test also helps candidates:

• Become familiar with exam wording
• Improve pacing and time management
• Identify areas that need additional review
• Build confidence through repetition

The most effective approach is to review every question after completing a practice exam, not just the ones you answered incorrectly. Understanding why an answer is correct is often just as valuable as understanding why another option is wrong.

AI-powered study tools can make this review process more effective by turning missed questions into learning opportunities, helping students explore the reasoning behind correct answers, clarify confusing concepts and deepen their understanding before moving on to the next topic.

Tip #4: Focus on the topics that matter most

Although every state has its own exam requirements, several subject areas consistently appear on licensing exams.

Pay particular attention to:

• Property ownership and land use
• Contracts and agency relationships
• Financing and settlement procedures
• Property valuation and market analysis
• Real estate mathematics
• State-specific laws and regulations

Many students spend too much time reviewing topics they’re already comfortable with. Concentrating on weaker areas often produces greater score improvements than repeatedly reviewing familiar material.

AI-powered learning tools can make this process more efficient. Instead of spending equal time on every topic, students can use AI to identify weaker areas, reinforce difficult concepts and generate targeted practice questions that focus on the subjects most likely to impact their exam performance.

Tip #5:  Get personalized support throughout the learning process

Traditional study guides provide the same experience for every learner. AI real estate exam study tools can help create a more personalized approach.

AI can help students spend less time guessing what to study next and more time focusing on the material that will have the greatest impact on exam readiness.

Ready to study smarter?

Passing the real estate exam takes preparation, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Candidates who create a structured study plan, prioritize practice testing, focus on high-value content areas and consistently monitor their progress give themselves the best opportunity for success.

Passing the real estate exam starts with the right foundation. Colibri Real Estate’s pre-licensing courses combine state-required education with exam prep resources and AI-powered support through Rubi AI Tutor, helping students build confidence from their first lesson through exam day.

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For much of this year, Wall Street’s debate centered on how many times the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates. Now, one major global bank is making the opposite bet.

BNP Paribas, France’s largest bank, says the Fed’s next move is likely to be a rate increase, not a cut. In a recent Markets 360 analysis, the bank reversed its prior expectation of steady policy and now forecasts that the Fed will begin unwinding the three rate cuts delivered in 2025 through a series of hikes starting in December 2026.

The forecast stands in sharp contrast to many economists and investors who continue to expect lower rates ahead.

Why BNP Thinks Rates Are Going Higher

The bank’s case rests largely on the strength of the U.S. labor market.

According to the latest employment report, nonfarm payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs last month, roughly double economists’ expectations of about 85,000. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%.

That resilience matters because the Fed’s three rate cuts in 2025 were intended to protect a labor market that policymakers feared was weakening. If hiring remains strong, BNP argues, the Fed may have less reason to support growth and more reason to focus on inflation.

Guneet Dhingra, Head of U.S. Rates Strategy at BNP Paribas, said the firm sees rising inflation risks combined with continued labor-market strength, a combination that could force policymakers to remove some of the stimulus added last year.

The bank also points to geopolitical risks, including the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, which has periodically driven energy prices higher and could add further inflationary pressure.

Looking Back to 1999

BNP Paribas says today’s environment resembles a period from more than two decades ago.

The bank believes the Fed could follow a pattern similar to 1999, when it reversed emergency rate cuts made during the financial turmoil surrounding the Long-Term Capital Management crisis in 1998.

In that case, the central bank cut rates to stabilize markets and then quickly reversed course once conditions improved.

BNP expects a similar sequence now, forecasting three consecutive rate hikes beginning in December and potentially earlier if inflation accelerates or labor-market conditions strengthen further.

The bank also projects unemployment could gradually decline toward 4% by year-end, giving policymakers additional room to prioritize inflation control.

Wall Street Isn’t Convinced

Not everyone agrees.

Citigroup continues to forecast three rate cuts, beginning in September, arguing that labor-market weakness could emerge later this year.

Goldman Sachs economists have also pushed back on the idea of rate hikes, saying stronger jobs data alone is unlikely to trigger a policy reversal.

The result is one of the widest disagreements among major Wall Street firms in years.

Investors, meanwhile, are becoming less certain that rate cuts are coming.

Prediction market Polymarket recently showed roughly a 52% probability that the Fed raises rates before year-end, while CME FedWatch data pointed to approximately a 43% chance of a hike by December.

What It Means for Consumers

If BNP Paribas is correct, Americans could face higher borrowing costs in 2027.

Federal Reserve rate increases typically push up the cost of:

• Mortgages
• Auto loans
• Credit cards
• Business borrowing

At the same time, higher rates generally benefit savers by increasing yields on savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money-market funds.

For households planning to purchase a home or finance a vehicle, the difference between rate cuts and rate hikes could translate into thousands of dollars over the life of a loan.

The Bottom Line

The next major test comes at the Federal Reserve’s June 16–17 meeting, the first under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh.

Virtually no one expects a rate increase this month. The real debate is what comes next.

For now, strong job growth, stubborn inflation concerns, and geopolitical uncertainty are forcing investors to reconsider an assumption that dominated markets for much of the past year: that the Fed’s next move would automatically be lower rates.

BNP Paribas is betting the opposite.

JBizNews Desk — Markets

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

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith launched a sharp attack on President Trump Tuesday, criticizing the extensive security measures and traffic disruptions surrounding Trump’s appearance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden and mocking the president over videos that appeared to show him dozing off during the game.

Trump attended the highly anticipated matchup at MSG, where he was seated in a luxury suite alongside Knicks owner James Dolan. Footage that circulated on social media appeared to show the president sitting with his eyes closed during portions of the contest.

Addressing the videos on ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith ridiculed the president’s appearance and questioned why he attended the game if he was not actively watching it.

“And guess what he was doing during the game, ladies and gentlemen. Go online, look at the videos,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I’m not going to accuse him of snoring because I wasn’t in earshot. The brother wasn’t awake.”

Smith then compared the images to Trump’s long-running criticism of President Joe Biden, arguing that the president opened himself up to the same kind of ridicule.

He pressed on, saying that if it was so important for the president “to be there, why did you look like you were asleep? Didn’t you call out former President Joe Biden, ‘Sleepy Joe’? Well, what should we call you. Because you weren’t awake.”

The veteran broadcaster also jokingly blamed Trump for interfering with the Knicks’ pursuit of their first NBA championship since 1973, noting that the president, a lifelong New Yorker from Queens, understands how much such a title would mean to the city.

“He knows exactly what New Yorkers have been through and he didn’t care,” Smith continued.

Smith also focused on the logistical headaches caused by the presidential visit, describing widespread complaints from fans and residents who encountered road closures and heightened security around the arena.

The New York Police Department had announced enhanced security measures before the game because of Trump’s attendance.

“From 6th Avenue to 9th Avenue, you had people complaining about how hectic it was, because this barricade, this blockage, this wall that was being built by folks for the garden because of the climate that existed,” he said. “Somehow, some way, it was there to protect him.”

The remarks came one day after Trump responded to Smith during a postgame exchange with reporters. Trump was asked about Smith’s earlier joking claim that he would blame the president if the Knicks lost the game.

While describing Smith as a “nice guy,” Trump suggested the commentator lacked the intellectual credentials necessary for a presidential campaign and argued that Smith did not possess a “high IQ.”

Smith responded forcefully on Tuesday, challenging Trump’s assessment and accusing the president of avoiding a direct conversation with him.

“You wanna talk about IQ,” Smith said the following day. “I could put my IQ against yours. I got something even better — I could ask you why you been running from me for the past year since I asked you to talk to me. I could ask you to debate me since you think you’re that dude. We could go a myriad of ways.”

Despite his criticism, Smith acknowledged Trump’s earlier compliment and suggested that the president’s comments had crossed a line.

He added that he appreciated Trump calling him a “nice guy, till you tug at me a little bit, then after that I’ve got to show my other side.”

Trump also encountered a mixed reception from the Madison Square Garden crowd. During the playing of the National Anthem, some fans could be heard booing as the president appeared on arena screens.

Later, speaking with reporters, Trump brushed off the reaction and offered praise for the league despite acknowledging its political leanings.

He said he considers the NBA “a little left-wing,” but added that it remains “great entertainment.”

Meanwhile, the Knicks will have little time to dwell on their Game 3 defeat, as they are scheduled to host the Spurs once again Wednesday night in a crucial NBA Finals rematch in New York.

{Matzav.com}

Campbell’s Company warned investors Monday, June 8, that inflationary pressures on food production remain elevated and are expected to stay that way through at least the first half of its next fiscal year, signaling that relief on grocery prices may not arrive anytime soon.

Speaking on the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Todd Cunfer said Campbell’s is planning for significantly higher costs ahead, noting that many of those expenses are already locked into the company’s supply chain.

“The one thing becoming clearer every day is that first-half inflation will be pretty high,” Cunfer told analysts.

The biggest drivers are rising energy, transportation, and raw material costs.

According to Campbell’s executives, elevated oil prices continue to ripple through the economy, increasing the cost of fertilizer, packaging materials, freight transportation, and aluminum used in food cans. The company said disruptions tied to ongoing tensions in the Middle East have contributed to higher commodity prices and logistics costs.

Executives cautioned that even if geopolitical tensions eased immediately, it would take time for energy markets, shipping networks, and industrial supply chains to normalize.

Campbell’s now expects inflation of approximately 5% to 6% during fiscal 2027, up from prior expectations of roughly 3% before recent increases in commodity and transportation costs.

For consumers, the warning matters because Campbell’s products appear in millions of American households.

The company owns major brands including Campbell’s Soup, Progresso, Goldfish, Prego, Rao’s, Chunky Soup, Pace, and several other pantry staples. Rising costs across such a broad portfolio often serve as an early indicator of pricing pressures throughout grocery stores.

So far, Campbell’s says it is attempting to offset those expenses internally rather than passing them directly to consumers.

Chief Executive Officer Mick Beekhuizen said management plans to focus first on productivity improvements and cost reductions before considering what he described as “surgical pricing,” targeted increases on select products where necessary.

The company is pursuing approximately $100 million in overhead and administrative cost reductions, including an early retirement program and broader efficiency initiatives.

Management says the objective is to preserve profitability while minimizing the impact on shoppers.

The inflation warning came alongside mixed quarterly results.

Campbell’s reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that slightly exceeded Wall Street expectations, although analysts had already lowered forecasts ahead of the release.

The company continues to face challenges in its snacks division, where consumer demand has softened.

Beekhuizen said Campbell’s is simplifying its snack portfolio and concentrating resources on its strongest brands, particularly Goldfish crackers, which remain one of the company’s fastest-growing products.

A growing challenge is competition from lower-priced store brands.

Private-label products have gained market share as consumers seek ways to manage higher living costs. Generic soups, sauces, crackers, and other pantry items often sell at meaningful discounts compared with national brands, making it more difficult for companies like Campbell’s to raise prices without losing customers.

That reality helps explain management’s reluctance to broadly increase prices despite higher operating costs.

Executives also pointed to a trend that may reflect broader economic pressures on households.

Campbell’s said consumers appear to be preparing more meals at home and reducing restaurant spending. For a company that sells soups, sauces, and shelf-stable food products, increased home cooking can support sales.

However, economists often view the shift as a sign that families are becoming more cautious with discretionary spending.

Despite the cost pressures, Campbell’s reaffirmed its full-year financial outlook and highlighted its long history of returning cash to shareholders.

The company has paid a dividend for 56 consecutive years, a track record that remains important to many long-term investors.

The broader message from management was clear: food manufacturers continue to face inflation that is proving more persistent than many expected.

For consumers, that means grocery prices in categories such as soup, pasta sauce, crackers, and other pantry staples may remain under pressure even if headline inflation moderates elsewhere.

Campbell’s says it intends to absorb as much of the increase as possible through cost-cutting and operational efficiencies. But if inflation remains elevated for an extended period, some of those higher costs could eventually find their way onto grocery shelves.

JBizNews Desk — Business

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Michoel Petrov, a talmid of the Maalos HaTorah yeshivah, was sentenced on Wednesday by the military court to 40 days in prison.

Petrov is the son of HaRav Yosef Petrov, the Rosh Yeshiva of Maalos HaTorah and one of the leaders of Peleg Yerushalmi.

The ruling was issued due to Petrov’s refusal to report to the military induction office and discontinue his yeshivah studies, as well as the fact that he had been classified as a draft evader for five years.

The sentence was harsher than usual because Petrov had been a draft evader for five years. Peleg Yerushalmi denounced the sentence, saying that “he was arrested for the crime of Limmud Torah.”

Peleg Yerushalmi is expected to hold large-scale protests, possibly on Thursday. Protests had originally been planned for this past Monday but were postponed due to missile launches from Iran.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Canada is preparing to join a growing list of countries moving to restrict social media access for minors, with the federal government expected to introduce legislation in the coming days that would prohibit many children under the age of 16 from using major online platforms.

The proposed measure, which is expected to be presented in the House of Commons this week, would place Canada among a number of nations tightening regulations on youth access to social media amid mounting concerns over mental health, online safety, and harmful digital content.

According to a government official who spoke anonymously to the National Post, the Canadian approach is expected to be somewhat more flexible than the model adopted by Australia, which has emerged as a leading advocate of strict age-based social media restrictions.

The official said the legislation will “include provisions that allow platforms to seek exemptions should they demonstrate an ability to keep the youngest Canadians safe while using their products online.”

Unlike some recent proposals aimed at emerging technologies, the forthcoming legislation is not expected to impose a similar prohibition on artificial intelligence chatbots.

“The legislation is not expected to include the same type of ban for AI chatbots, but will establish a set of responsibilities platforms need to meet,” the National Post added.

Reports indicate that the bill would also establish the framework for a new oversight body tasked with enforcing the restrictions and addressing various forms of harmful online content.

When asked Tuesday about the proposal, Culture Minister Marc Miller declined to discuss specific details but confirmed that stronger online regulations remain under serious consideration by the government.

“It’s clear that a ban or a moratorium on social media by kids, who we do need to protect. It can be an important element, but it can’t be the only one,” he said.

Miller acknowledged that age-based social media restrictions have gained significant public support in many countries. However, he cautioned that Australia’s experience has shown mixed results, with many young users finding ways to circumvent verification systems designed to enforce the ban.

According to Miller, such restrictions appear to be “perhaps 50 percent or more effective.”

Similar concerns were raised by Kaitlynn Mendes, a professor at Western University, who argued that policymakers should focus more heavily on changing how social media platforms operate rather than relying primarily on enforcement efforts directed at young users.

She suggested that governments should encourage companies to “change their design,” rather than assigning regulators to “regulate and monitor young people, and try to chase them off these platforms, which we know doesn’t work.”

Mendes also advocated for increased corporate transparency and greater scrutiny of platform features that may expose children to harmful material or encourage unhealthy behavior patterns, including functions such as automatic video playback.

Canada previously attempted to address online safety concerns for minors in early 2025 during the administration of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. That legislation stopped short of banning social media access for children and instead required technology companies to implement safety measures and regularly report their progress to government officials.

The proposal ultimately failed to advance through Parliament before the legislative session ended.

Since then, two developments have significantly altered the debate. The first was Australia’s decision to begin enforcing its social media restrictions in December 2025, followed by a number of other countries announcing similar policies throughout 2026.

The second was growing concern over online content and artificial intelligence following a mass shooting in British Columbia in February carried out by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.

Relatives of the eight victims later accused OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of failing to implement adequate safeguards within ChatGPT to prevent dangerous interactions with troubled users.

Reports indicated that ChatGPT’s safety team identified Van Rootselaar’s fixation on violence and murder and eventually terminated his account. However, he reportedly created a new account and continued using the chatbot while planning the attack.

The issue has fueled renewed calls for stricter oversight of digital platforms throughout Canada.

Last week, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced support for restrictions targeting both social media platforms and AI chatbots for younger users.

“These are highly addictive tools that are monetizing the attention of our children and causing mental health harms in the process,” he said.

Similar concerns have been voiced in Ontario. In April, Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra suggested that provincial officials should consider additional limits on cellphone and social media use within schools.

“I think the evidence is becoming more and more clear that cellphone use in our schools, elementary and our secondary schools, anywhere on site, has become a problem,” he said.

Momentum for a nationwide policy increased further in April when Canada’s governing Liberal Party approved a non-binding resolution supporting a countrywide ban on social media access for children under 16.

The proposal, however, generated opposition from some younger delegates attending the party’s convention, who complained that they were not given an adequate opportunity to voice concerns about the measure.

Among the objections raised were worries about personal privacy, data collection, and the possibility that age-verification systems could expose sensitive information to security breaches.

{Matzav.com}

The roughly 2,000 cooks, bartenders, servers, and dishwashers working at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, have reached a tentative labor agreement that appears to avert a strike just days before the venue hosts its first FIFA World Cup match.

The agreement was announced Tuesday, June 9, by UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents the workers employed by stadium food-service operator Legends Global. Union Co-President Kurt Petersen called it the strongest contract ever negotiated at a National Football League stadium and said it includes what he described as “massive raises.”

The timing was critical.

Just last week, workers voted 96% in favor of authorizing a strike after negotiations stalled. Had a walkout occurred, fans attending Friday’s opening match between the United States and Paraguay could have faced long concession lines, reduced food and beverage service, and potential disruptions during one of the tournament’s first marquee events.

Under the proposed agreement, most workers will earn more than $40 per hour within about two years, placing many of the stadium’s concession employees among the highest-paid hospitality workers in the country. Tipped employees are expected to receive pay increases of at least 30%.

The contract also includes premium compensation for major events, including the World Cup and next year’s Super Bowl, contributions to a housing fund for hospitality workers, and protections designed to limit subcontracting and guard against job losses from automation.

One of the most unusual provisions centers on immigration concerns.

According to union leaders, workers sought protections allowing them to leave the workplace if federal immigration enforcement activities threaten their safety during tournament operations. Petersen said the language is believed to be the first provision of its kind in a stadium labor contract.

The concern stems from FIFA’s accreditation requirements, which require workers to submit personal information including Social Security numbers and fingerprints. Union officials expressed concern that the data could potentially be accessed by federal immigration authorities.

Those concerns intensified after Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency would play a role in World Cup security operations.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has filed a complaint with state regulators and urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta to examine whether the accreditation process could expose immigrant workers to unnecessary risk.

At the same time, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the Department of Homeland Security assured local officials that federal personnel assigned to World Cup venues would focus on security responsibilities and not conduct civil immigration enforcement actions at matches.

For the business side of the tournament, the agreement removes a potentially costly problem.

Legends Global, which manages food and beverage operations at major venues around the world, said it was pleased to reach the tentative agreement and looked forward to serving fans during the tournament. A labor dispute during one of the most-watched sporting events on the planet would have created operational challenges not only for the company but also for FIFA, which is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue from the competition.

The contract carries significance beyond this summer’s tournament.

The agreement runs through April 30, 2028, placing its expiration alongside more than 100 stadium, hotel, airport, and concession contracts scheduled to expire shortly before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Labor leaders view that alignment as a strategic opportunity to strengthen bargaining power ahead of another global sporting event.

The stadium, known commercially as SoFi Stadium, opened in 2020 and seats approximately 70,000 spectators. It serves as the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. For the World Cup, the venue is operating under the temporary name Los Angeles Stadium because FIFA tournament rules restrict certain commercial sponsorship branding.

The stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, beginning Friday with the United States-Paraguay opener. The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will run for 39 days and is expected to attract millions of attendees and billions of television viewers worldwide.

The deal is not final. Union members are expected to vote Wednesday on whether to ratify the agreement.

If approved, one of the biggest potential labor disruptions facing the World Cup will be resolved before the first fans arrive at the concession stands.

JBizNews Desk — Los Angeles

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New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) “Mah rabu maasecha Hashem, kulam b’chochmah asisa” — How great are Your works, Hashem; You made them all with wisdom (Tehillim 104:24).

David HaMelech said these words long ago. But a new discovery about a simple tree shows just how true they are. Scientists have found something so clever, so perfectly designed, that it is hard to believe it happened by accident.

The Problem the Oak Tree Faces

Every spring, forests come back to life. Trees grow new leaves, and at the same time, insects hatch. One of these insects is the caterpillar.

Caterpillars are an enormous  problem for trees. They hatch in the spring at exactly the precise moment — just when the new leaves are young, soft, and full of food. The baby caterpillars come out hungry, and a feast of fresh leaves is waiting for them. They eat and eat, and they can do serious damage to the tree.

The tree clearly has an enemy. But what can it do about it?

The Oak Tree’s Amazing Trick

Scientists that have been studying oak trees have discovered something incredible. When an oak tree gets attacked by a lot of caterpillars one year, it remembers. The next spring, the tree does something different. Instead of growing its leaves on time, it waits. It holds back its leaves for three extra days.

Three days does not sound significant. But for the baby caterpillars, it is a disastrous.

How so?  They hatch expecting to find soft leaves to eat. Instead, the leaves are still sealed inside their buds, leaving them with nothing to eat. With no food, many of the caterpillars die.

The repercussions of the three-day delay? The damage to the tree drops by about 55 percent. By waiting just three days, the oak tree cuts the harm almost in half.

The lead scientist, Dr. Soumen Mallick of the University of Würzburg in Germany, pointed out that this waiting trick actually works better for the tree than fighting the caterpillars with poison. Many trees defend themselves by filling their leaves with bitter chemicals called tannins. But making more tannins costs the tree a huge amount of energy. Simply changing the timing of its leaves is cheaper and smarter. The tree wins the battle without firing a shot.

How Scientists Discovered This

To find this out, an international team of researchers watched a huge area of forest in northern Bavaria, Germany — about 1000 square kilometers — using special radar satellites in space. These radar satellites can see changes in the forest even through thick clouds. The scientists studied 137,500 observations over five years, from 2017 to 2021, and published their findings in a respected science journal called Nature Ecology & Evolution.

In the year 2019, there was a big outbreak of caterpillars from a moth called Lymantria (the spongy moth). The satellites recorded exactly which trees were stripped bare — and exactly how those same trees reacted the following year.

Why This Could Not Have Happened by Accident

Some might explain a discovery like this through evolution. But this oak tree behavior is very hard to explain that way.  There are a number of reasons for this.

First, the tree remembers. The oak tree somehow keeps a record of how badly it was attacked one year. It holds onto that information for almost a whole year. Then, the next spring, it acts on it. A chemical that stores information and acts on it at the right time is exactly like a machine following instructions. A thermostat in your house also has a “mechanism” that stores a setting and acts on it. Nobody believes a thermostat built itself. The question is not how the tree stores the message. The question is: who wrote the instructions that tell the tree what the message means and what to do about it?

Second, the timing is just right. Why three days? Not two, not ten — three. If the tree waited too few days, the caterpillars would still find food. If it waited too many days, the tree would lose precious sunlight and hurt itself. Three days it seems is the perfect balance.

Third — the tree only uses this trick when it needs to. The oak waits longer only after it has actually been attacked. In a quiet year, it grows its leaves on time. The scientists found that the delay was strongest exactly where it would help the most, which points to a real, built-in defense.

If the tree waited late every single year, the caterpillars would simply learn to hatch later too, and the trick would stop working. But because the tree waits late only sometimes, the caterpillars can never adjust. The tree keeps the enemy guessing. That is not just a fixed habit — it is a flexible strategy, switched on and off depending upon the situation. This is the behavior and thinking of a clever general, not a plant with no brain.

The wisdom we see in the oak tree did not come from the tree itself. It came from the One who made the tree. This tree with neither brain, nor eyes,  nor the ability to think has a battle plan so sophisticated and smart that it can outsmart its enemy and keep it guessing.

Where does that cleverness come from?

The answer lies in the Chovos Halevavos.  Almost a thousand years ago, Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda wrote a famous sefer called Chovos HaLevavos, “Duties of the Heart.” One whole section of it is called Shaar HaBechina — the Gate of Reflection.

In that section, Rabbeinu Bachya teaches that one of our duties is to stop and look carefully at the world Hashem made. He explains that examining the wisdom built into creation is one of the clearest ways to recognize that there is a Creator. Every created thing, from the largest mountain to the smallest insect, is packed with countless clever details that point back to Hashem who designed it.

Rabbeinu Bachya told us nine hundred years ago to do exactly what these scientists just did — look closely at nature and notice the wisdom inside it. The closer we look, the more wisdom we find.

This is exactly what David HaMelech meant: “Mah rabu maasecha Hashem, kulam b’chochmah asisa.” How great are Your works, Hashem — You made them all with wisdom. The wisdom is not an accident. The wisdom belongs to Hashem.

So the next time we walk through a forest in the spring and notice one oak tree turning green a few days behind the others, let us be me’ayen in what we are really seeing. We are looking at the Etzbah Elokim – the fingerprint of the Creator of the world, written right there in the leaves and the buds, telling everyone who is willing to listen: there is wisdom here, and it did not come from nothing.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

The State Department is preparing to roll out a new premium visa service that will allow certain foreign travelers to secure visa interview appointments at participating U.S. embassies and consulates within days rather than months—for a substantial additional fee.

Under the new initiative, business and tourist visa applicants will be able to pay an extra $750 to gain access to expedited interview scheduling at selected diplomatic posts overseas. The fee will be charged in addition to the standard $185 visa application cost.

According to a notice expected to appear in the Federal Register this week, applicants who opt into the program will be eligible to schedule an interview within 10 days of making the payment. The Associated Press first reported details of the upcoming program.

The State Department plans to launch the pilot initiative on July 1, with the trial scheduled to continue through Dec. 31. Officials could extend the program beyond that date if demand proves strong.

The list of embassies and consulates participating in the expedited service is expected to be released before the program begins.

Officials believe the new option could help ease lengthy backlogs for visa interviews, which have persisted as the Trump administration has implemented broader changes to visa vetting and enforcement procedures.

In recent years, federal authorities have expanded screening requirements for foreign applicants. Among the measures introduced are visa bonds of up to $15,000 for applicants from certain countries with high visa-overstay rates, as well as expanded disclosure requirements covering years of personal information, including social media activity.

Those enhanced screening procedures have contributed to longer processing times in many parts of the world, leaving some applicants waiting months for interview appointments.

While payment of the new fee will not increase an applicant’s chances of obtaining a visa, it is expected to significantly shorten the wait for an interview, particularly for travelers from countries that do not participate in the Visa Waiver Program, where appointment delays can stretch for several months or longer.

The State Department has emphasized that the premium service affects only the speed at which an interview can be scheduled and does not alter the standards used to determine whether a visa is ultimately approved.

{Matzav.com}

Meta Platforms announced Monday, June 8, the launch of a nationwide workforce initiative that will provide free training for skilled trades and guarantee employment for graduates working on the infrastructure powering artificial intelligence.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the program, called America’s Workforce Academy, in a post on Threads, saying the United States will need hundreds of thousands of skilled workers to build the data centers required for America to remain a leader in AI.

“We’re going to need hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople to build the infrastructure needed for the U.S. to lead in AI,” Zuckerberg wrote. “People need access to the education and opportunity to land those jobs.”

Meta is committing an initial $115 million during the program’s first year and says the effort represents the largest private-sector investment in skilled-trades training with a job guarantee in U.S. history.

The concept is straightforward.

Participants receive free training in high-demand trades connected to data-center construction and operations. Upon completion, graduates earn an industry-recognized credential from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) along with an America’s Workforce Certificate. Graduates are then guaranteed employment with contractor partners working on Meta’s data-center projects.

The academy launches with pilot programs in Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas.

Meta is partnering with the National Urban League, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), CBRE, and local chambers of commerce to deliver the training and place graduates into jobs.

The initiative reflects the enormous labor demand being created by the AI boom.

Artificial intelligence requires vast amounts of computing power, which in turn requires massive data centers packed with servers, cooling systems, electrical infrastructure, and fiber-optic networks. Building those facilities requires thousands of electricians, welders, mechanics, fiber technicians, and other skilled workers.

Rachel Peterson, Meta’s Vice President of Data Centers, said the company’s expanding AI infrastructure requires a workforce on an unprecedented scale.

“America needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople,” Peterson said. “This academy creates clear and accessible pathways into those careers.”

The program builds on earlier workforce efforts.

Meta recently partnered with CBRE to launch the LevelUp Fiber Technician Pathway, a free four-week training course designed to prepare workers for fiber-optic technician jobs. According to Meta, that program attracted more than 35,000 applications within its first week, highlighting strong demand for careers that do not require a four-year college degree.

The urgency reflects Meta’s rapidly expanding infrastructure footprint.

The company says it currently operates or is developing 27 data centers across the United States. Those facilities form the backbone of Meta’s AI strategy as it competes with rivals including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and OpenAI.

Dina Powell McCormick, Meta’s President and Vice Chairman, described the initiative as part of a broader effort to ensure Americans benefit from AI-driven growth.

“The AI revolution is creating historic opportunity,” McCormick said.

The workforce academy represents only a small portion of Meta’s larger commitment to spend approximately $600 billion on U.S. infrastructure and jobs over the next three years as the company accelerates investment in artificial intelligence.

Questions remain about the program’s long-term scale.

While Meta guarantees employment for graduates, the company has not disclosed exactly how many positions will be available annually. The jobs are expected to be full-time roles with contractors working on Meta projects, though the company has not specified how many positions will be union jobs.

Associated Builders and Contractors said it expects the program to train thousands of workers over time.

For many Americans, the appeal is obvious.

Skilled-trades careers often provide strong wages, long-term job security, and opportunities for advancement without requiring student loans or a traditional college degree. Employers across the country have struggled for years to find enough qualified electricians, mechanics, and construction workers.

Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation and a longtime advocate for skilled trades, praised the initiative, arguing that America’s labor shortage can only be addressed by expanding opportunities and modernizing workforce training.

The broader significance extends beyond Meta itself.

Much of the public conversation surrounding artificial intelligence has focused on jobs that could disappear as automation expands. Meta is making a different case: that the AI economy will also create large numbers of well-paying, hands-on jobs for workers who build and maintain the infrastructure behind the technology.

Whether the academy ultimately delivers on its promise at national scale—and how many permanent careers emerge from the effort—will determine whether Meta’s workforce bet becomes a model for the broader AI industry.

JBizNews Desk — Business

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NORTH MIAMI BEACH (VINnews) – after making history as the first kosher restaurant owner to earn a Michelin Star, chef Raz Shabtai chose to celebrate not in the kitchen, but with tefillin.

Shabtai, the owner and chef of Mutra in North Miami Beach, was joined by Miami Beach shliach Rabbi Zev Katz, who helped him put on tefillin following the announcement of the prestigious culinary honor.

A video of the moment captured Shabtai expressing gratitude for reaching a milestone that many chefs spend their entire careers pursuing. The Michelin Star is widely considered one of the highest distinctions in the restaurant industry.

For Shabtai, however, the achievement was also an opportunity for spiritual reflection.

The chef has often spoken about the influence of his grandmother, after whom the restaurant is named. He credits her not only with teaching him how to cook, but also with shaping his values and outlook on life.

Shabtai said his goal has always been to create food that provides guests with a sense of warmth, comfort and connection. Through Mutra’s Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, he strives to bring people together regardless of their background or beliefs.

Rabbi Katz said the tefillin ceremony was a meaningful way to acknowledge the blessing of the restaurant’s success and the historic recognition it received.

The Michelin Star marks a breakthrough for kosher dining, placing a kosher restaurant among the world’s most celebrated culinary destinations and demonstrating that kosher cuisine can compete at the highest levels of fine dining.

As Mutra prepares to introduce a new seasonal menu, Shabtai’s Michelin achievement is already being viewed as a landmark moment for the kosher food industry.

Delegation of Baltimore Rabbanim embark on a historic four day visit to Eretz Yisroel, meeting with Rabbanim, mechanchim, and municipal officials to gain firsthand insight into life in Eretz Yisroel.

As growing numbers of frum families explore the possibility of building their futures in Eretz Yisroel, a distinguished delegation of Rabbanim from Baltimore embarked this past week on a four-day leadership mission to Eretz Yisroel organized by Naava Kodesh.

Leaving behind families, kehillos, and many daily responsibilities, the Rabbanim traveled to Eretz Yisroel to see firsthand and gain a better understanding of the realities, new opportunities, and solutions to successfully deal with the challenges facing families considering Aliyah and settling long-term in Eretz Yisroel.

The visit reflects a growing trend in frum communities in North America of families exploring the possibility of relocating to Eretz Yisroel. The visit offered the Rabbanim a firsthand, close-up look at the many Anglo-friendly mosdos, communities, support systems, and practical resources available to those considering the move.

The mission began in Yerushalayim, where the Rabbanim met with Harav Yitzchok Berkowitz Shlit”a and Harav Asher Weiss Shlit”a to discuss the various components that go into moving to Eretz Yisroel and how to best prepare a family for a successful move both beruchniyus uvegashmiyus.

The delegation also participated in roundtable discussions with public officials and organizations actively involved in helping Olim navigate life in Israel, including MK Yitzchok Pindrus and R’ Nechemyah Malinowitz, Executive Director of Eretz HaKodesh, as well as an in-depth discussion about the financial aspects of Aliyah with the team of financial counselors at Mesila headquarters.

The Rabbanim also met with Chaim V’Chesed founder and director, R’ Pesach Friedman, at the Chaim V’Chesed headquarters in Yerushalayim to hear how the Anglo community is navigating bureaucracy and day to day life in Eretz Yisroel.

On subsequent days, the delegation traveled extensively throughout Ramat Beit Shemesh, touring the many Anglo-friendly mosdos, chadarim, Bais Yaakovs, and high schools that make up the Ramat Beit Shemesh landscape, discussing with mechanchim how challenges in chinuch  are successfully being addressed and how to best guide and prepare the families that are moving.

The delegation was also hosted for a special luncheon at the home of R’ Avrohom Leventhal, International Director of Lema’an Achai. Joining the gathering were a number of prominent mechanchim and community leaders who shared their perspectives on the chinuch landscape in Ramat Beit Shemesh and discussed the opportunities and challenges facing families making Aliyah today. 

Meetings also took place with local Rabbanim in Ramat Beit Shemesh, including Harav Yaakov Haber Shlita, Harav Elimelech Kornfeld Shlita, and Harav Dovid Gottlieb Shlita.

Particular attention was given to the areas most relevant for families considering Aliyah: chinuch, parnassah, community integration, housing, and navigating day-to-day life in Eretz Yisroel.

The mission also included discussions with municipal leaders, including Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg and local Klitah Director Yonah Kaufman, providing participants with insight into the support structures available to new Olim.

‘’This was a truly high-level and impactful mission that gave participants a firsthand look at the realities, opportunities, and growth taking place in Eretz Yisroel’’, shared Yonah Kaufman Director of the Klita dep. In Bet Shemesh,  ‘’particularly in Ramat Beit Shemesh. The insights gained will undoubtedly help the Rabbanim provide informed guidance and support to the growing number of Baltimore families considering Aliyah.” 

Founder and Executive Director of Naava Kodesh, R’ Tzvi Arnstein noted, ‘’It was very moving to see the group of Rabbanim come and see firsthand how a family can practically make the move and be matzliach. The question was not whether Eretz Yisroel can work for english speaking families; rather, it was how the move can be done successfully.’’

Beyond the established communities of Yerushalayim and Ramat Beit Shemesh, the delegation explored emerging communities throughout Israel, including Rechovot and Afula, which offer more affordable housing options. These conversations highlighted the expanding range of opportunities available to families seeking affordable housing, strong Torah infrastructure, and vibrant community life throughout the country.

Also accompanying the delegation was R’ Dovid Paige, Director of Naava Kodesh’s Baltimore Division, who shared his amazement at the many Anglo-friendly mosdos, institutions, and resources available to families considering Aliyah. 

 “I was amazed by the tremendous כוח being invested by so many people whose sole motivation is to be מרבה כבוד שמים, all working to make ארץ ישראל a place where every Yid can thrive and truly call home.”

As the first of what is intended to be many such missions, the trip provided the Rabbanim with a unique opportunity to gain an on-the-ground, close-up perspective of the communities, schools, organizations, and support systems available in Israel. Meeting directly with mechanchim, Rabbanim, municipal leaders, and families who have successfully made the transition offered a clearer understanding of the opportunities, resources, and realities available to families seeking to successfully make the move to Eretz Yisroel.

About Naava Kodesh

Naava Kodesh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping English-speaking families build successful, lasting Torah lives in Eretz Yisrael. Through personalized guidance on community and school placement, fully coordinated pilot trips, and a vast network of volunteer mentors across the country, Naava Kodesh has helped countless families navigate their Aliyah journey with clarity and confidence.

The federal government is preparing for one of the largest expansions of immigration enforcement in modern American history after the House of Representatives approved a nearly $70 billion funding package that now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The legislation passed the House on Tuesday, June 9, by a narrow 214-212 vote after already clearing the Senate. Supporters say the measure will strengthen border security and immigration enforcement operations, while critics argue it dramatically expands federal power with limited oversight.

The package allocates approximately $38 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), $26 billion to the U.S. Border Patrol, and roughly $5 billion for unexpected operational expenses.

Unlike many federal spending measures that require annual renewal, this legislation funds the agencies through the remainder of Trump’s current term, providing a multi-year commitment of resources.

The business implications extend well beyond Washington.

Federal immigration enforcement depends heavily on private-sector contractors. Companies provide detention facilities, transportation services, monitoring systems, surveillance technology, software platforms, communications equipment, and staffing support.

For those firms, the legislation could create years of predictable government demand and billions of dollars in contract opportunities.

The funding could also affect labor markets across the country.

Industries including agriculture, construction, hospitality, food processing, landscaping, manufacturing, and home healthcare rely heavily on immigrant labor. Business groups have long warned that increased enforcement can reduce workforce availability, increase labor costs, and contribute to higher prices for consumers.

Supporters of stricter enforcement argue that tighter labor markets can boost wages for American workers. Critics counter that labor shortages can slow economic activity and increase costs throughout the supply chain.

The debate highlights the increasingly close relationship between immigration policy and economic policy.

Employers in labor-intensive industries are watching closely because workforce availability directly affects project timelines, production levels, and operating expenses. Even modest shifts in labor supply can have significant effects across regional economies.

Democrats sought amendments requiring agents to display identification and obtain judicial warrants before entering private property. Those proposals were rejected before final passage.

With congressional approval secured, attention now turns to implementation and how agencies deploy the funding.

The bottom line: the nearly $70 billion package represents a major victory for supporters of expanded immigration enforcement. It is also poised to create substantial opportunities for government contractors while raising new questions for industries that depend on immigrant labor.

JBizNews Desk — Washington

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WATCH:

A new study from Columbia Business School is raising concerns about one of Wall Street’s fastest-growing markets, arguing that the ratings used to judge many private-credit loans may be making risky investments appear safer than they actually are.

The research, reported Monday, June 8, examined the rapidly expanding $1.8 trillion private-credit industry and found evidence that many of the ratings supporting these loans systematically understate risk. The paper has been posted publicly but has not yet undergone peer review.

Private credit refers to loans made directly by investment firms rather than traditional banks. The market has exploded in recent years as investors searched for higher returns than those available from government bonds and other conventional fixed-income investments.

A major source of that money is the insurance industry.

Life insurance companies have increasingly invested policyholder premiums and annuity assets into private-credit loans because they typically offer higher yields. Those investments ultimately back products that millions of Americans rely on for retirement income and long-term financial security.

The controversy centers on the ratings assigned to those loans.

Before insurers can hold many of these investments, the loans typically receive a credit rating that determines how much capital insurers must reserve against potential losses. Higher ratings require smaller capital cushions, making investments more attractive to both lenders and insurers.

According to the Columbia researchers, that system may be creating incentives for ratings that are too generous.

The study’s findings echo concerns previously raised by regulators.

In 2024, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reviewed a sample of 109 privately rated securities and found that 106 received higher ratings from outside firms than the NAIC believed they deserved. In 17 cases, loans that NAIC analysts viewed as speculative or junk-grade had been rated investment-grade by private rating providers.

Some ratings differed by as many as six notches.

Although the NAIC later withdrew the report, citing limitations in the available data, its findings have continued to influence discussions among regulators and industry observers.

Questions about rating quality have also attracted international attention.

In an October 2025 report, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) noted that many private-credit ratings are issued by smaller firms rather than the large agencies that dominate public bond markets. The BIS warned that these firms may face commercial pressures that encourage more favorable ratings in order to win and retain business.

Critics argue that the arrangement creates an inherent conflict: companies seeking financing benefit from higher ratings, investors benefit from lower capital requirements, and rating firms benefit from repeat customers.

The timing of the debate is becoming more important as loan performance deteriorates.

According to Fitch Ratings, the U.S. private-credit default rate reached a record 6.0% in April 2026. Fitch also reported that private-credit-backed corporate borrowers experienced a 9.2% default rate during 2025, suggesting that financial stress is rising across parts of the market.

Those figures have intensified concerns that ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks investors face.

Washington is paying attention as well.

In July 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the Treasury Department and federal financial regulators to conduct stress tests on institutions heavily exposed to private credit. Warren also questioned rating agencies about their methodologies after reports of inflated ratings within the sector.

Regulators have already begun tightening oversight.

Beginning in 2026, the NAIC gained authority to challenge certain private ratings that differ significantly from its own internal assessments. If a rating exceeds the NAIC’s evaluation by three or more notches, regulators can require insurers to use the more conservative measure when determining capital reserves.

For consumers, the issue may sound technical, but the implications are straightforward.

The assets backing life insurance policies and retirement annuities are expected to remain secure for decades. If those investments carry more risk than their ratings suggest, insurers could be maintaining smaller safety cushions than regulators intended.

In a severe economic downturn, that mismatch could force institutions to sell assets at depressed prices, potentially amplifying losses throughout the financial system.

At the same time, many researchers caution against assuming the market faces an imminent crisis. Other academic studies have argued that private-credit funds often maintain substantial equity buffers and may be less vulnerable to systemic shocks than traditional banks.

The debate therefore is not necessarily about whether private credit will trigger the next financial crisis. Rather, it is about whether the ratings that investors, insurers, and regulators rely upon accurately reflect the risks embedded within a market that continues to grow at a rapid pace.

As trillions of dollars move from traditional banking channels into private lending, that question is likely to remain at the center of regulatory scrutiny for years to come.

JBizNews Desk — Business

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President Donald Trump met on Tuesday at the White House with former Hamas hostage Rom Braslavski, who credited the U.S. president with helping secure his release after 738 days in captivity.

Photos from the meeting show Braslavski wearing a shirt emblazoned with the Hebrew words, “Thank you very much, Trump.”

According to Israel Hayom, this was Braslavski’s first meeting with Trump. He was unable to join a delegation of former hostages and family members that met with the president in November 2025 due to mental health challenges following his ordeal in captivity. Reports at the time indicated that Braslavski was suffering from PTSD and was concerned that the trip would be too difficult.

Following the White House meeting, Braslavski shared an emotional message on Instagram directed at the president.

“Mr. President Donald Trump – you are the man who got me out from the hell of 738 days of captivity,” he wrote. “You are my hero, may God bless you, may God bless America.”

Braslavski was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival. He remained in captivity for more than two years before being freed in October 2025.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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As 51 Chareidim remain in custody a week after the protest outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Solhberg in Alon Shvut, Attorney Natan Rosenblatt accused law enforcement authorities of carrying out an unprecedented wave of arrests despite the lack of evidence against the majority of the detainees.

Speaking on Kol Chai, Rosenblatt said that 65 protesters were initially arrested and appeared before multiple judges who reached completely different conclusions regarding their cases.

“Some judges ordered immediate release, while others extended the detentions by four, five, and even six days,” he said.

According to Rosenblatt, out of the 65 detainees, there is no evidence that 64 of them committed any offense. He emphasized that even if acts of vandalism occurred during the protest, that does not justify the mass arrest of all participants. “Never in the history of the State of Israel has an entire group of protesters been arrested because of the actions of one individual,” he said.

He revealed that during the hearings in the Magistrate’s Court, the police struggled to present any evidentiary basis justifying continued detention.

“The judge asked on what basis these people were being held, and the police had no answer,” he said.

He added that the lower court initially ordered the detainees released, but that decision was later delayed following an appeal to the district court.

Rosenblat explained that after appeals were filed by both the police and the detainees’ attorneys, it was decided that most of the detainees would remain in custody until Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Meanwhile, all minors were released, as well as several additional detainees, due to medical grounds. However, new suspects were arrested in other cases connected to the protests, including the brutal arrest of a Chareidi photographer.

“There is no real reason for these arrests other than an attempt to silence the Chareidi public,” he said.

Concluding the interview, Rosenblatt warned of the broader implications for the entire Chareidi sector, saying that the mass arrests are actually increasing solidarity with the protesters rather than weakening it.

“You’re turning everyone into Peleg Yerushalmi,” he said, referring to the police’s conduct.

In a separate report, Kol Chai correspondent Nati Kalish addressed the legal developments regarding the protesters, saying: “This is complete absurdity. Buses of protesters arrived to legally demonstrate, and among them were only a handful—maybe three to five people—who acted violently, broke a window, and damaged plants in the yard. The police are now holding 51 people in custody without any individual evidence, purely as political revenge. The judges handling these detention extensions are in a clear conflict of interest. Where was this collective punishment when it came to the Kaplan activists?”

Kalish described what happened on Sunday, when police brutally arrested a Chareidi man who had filmed the incident: “The police are trying to use his footage to fish for suspects because they have no other investigative material. Why wasn’t the Channel 13 cameraman, who had the exact same footage, arrested with the same brutality? The cameraman came to do his job, and I hope he stays strong. If he’s not obligated to hand over the material, he shouldn’t do so.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The terrorist who infiltrated Israel from Lebanon on Tuesday was discovered hiding in an abandoned IDF guard post near the moshav of Margaliot, Kan News reported.

According to the report, the armed terrorist managed to reach an area just a few hundred meters from the homes on the moshav before taking cover inside the guard post.

Security defense officials believe that he intended to continue toward one of the nearby yishuvim.

A series of unusual circumstances led to his discovery. Shortly before the incident, an IDF logistics soldier had been dispatched to the area following a report of a brush fire. While searching the area, he spotted the terrorist running toward the guard post and immediately reported the sighting. IDF soldiers quickly arrived at the scene and were met by gunfire. They returned fire at the terrorist and killed him.

The terrorist was wearing a Hezbollah-style camouflage uniform and Crocs and was carrying a pistol and a knife.

Following the incident, IDF commando forces launched extensive searches in the area amid concerns that additional terrorists had infiltrated the area.

The incident is now under investigation by Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, who is seeking to determine how the terrorist was able to cross into Israel and approach a civilian community without being detected until he was discovered by “chance.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)