More than a dozen Jews, including one believed to have fled to Israel, are among 30 people charged in an alleged decade-long insider trading scheme run out of major law firms, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Two unsealed complaints accuse the group of reaping tens of millions of dollars by using confidential information on mergers and acquisition deals obtained through law firms, where scheme leaders were employed. Conspirators allegedly passed information on to business associates, friends and relatives for trading purposes.

The network used burner phones, coded language and falsified research documents, prosecutors allege. The group also allegedly used “going to Israel tomorrow” and phrases about flight departures as code to share timelines related to illegal activities.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged some of the 30, 19 of whom were arrested, the Justice Department said.

“With today’s arrests, the FBI has dismantled a large-scale, decade-long, international organized criminal network of corporate attorneys and financial professionals, who are accused of stealing and trading on material, nonpublic information from several of our nation’s leading law firms,” stated Ted Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division.

“Everyone charged today is accused of scoring significant profits from expected market moves and making out like bandits,” Docks stated. “That’s not merely gaming the system. It’s a federal crime.”

The Justice Department said that one of those charged fled to Israel.

A tech entrepreneur who, more than a decade ago, served as executive director of the U.S.-Israel Business Council and as associate for policy and planning at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is alleged to have traded on inside information and then provided kickbacks to the head of the operation and college friend.

A corporate attorney who had worked at several large law firms and a New York lawyer are accused of being at the center of the scheme.

The two allegedly recruited lawyers and others as inside information sources in return for large sums of cash, with tips from the two passed on to traders, the department alleges.

“The trading on unannounced financial news alleged here not only violated the securities laws, but it also took advantage of the special access and ethical duties that come with a law license,” stated Leah Foley, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

“If the American people believe that trading is only for the connected, they will keep their investment and retirement savings out of the markets, which will hurt our economy,” she stated. JNS

{Matzav.com}

it is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Necha Weiss a”h, beloved wife of Rav Gershon Weiss zt”l, longtime menahel ruchni at Yeshiva of Staten Island and rov of Bais Medrash Ateres Binyomin in Lakewood.

Rebbetzin Weiss was niftar at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital after being hospitalized there in recent days.

For decades, Rebbetzin Weiss stood quietly but powerfully alongside her husband as he helped shape generations of talmidim through his more than 50 years as the revered menahel ruchni at Yeshiva of Staten Island under the leadership of Rav Reuven Feinstein.

Following Rav Gershon’s petirah five years ago, she continued to serve as the beloved matriarch of an exceptional Torah family, embodying dignity, warmth, humility, and unwavering devotion to her family and to all who entered her home.

Known for her refined character and extraordinary kindness, Rebbetzin Weiss exemplified the ideals of an aishes chayil in every sense. Her home was a place of Torah, chesed, and compassion, where guests and family members alike were greeted with sincerity, generosity, and genuine care. Those who knew her speak of a woman who radiated goodness, who gave endlessly of herself to others, and who carried herself with grace and quiet strength.

Friends and relatives recall her as someone whose entire life revolved around supporting Torah and nurturing her family. Whether assisting her husband in his many communal responsibilities, encouraging her children and grandchildren in their growth, or helping others in need without seeking recognition, Rebbetzin Weiss devoted herself fully to the people around her. Her kindness was constant, her warmth was legendary, and her concern for others knew no bounds.

Rebbetzin Weiss is survived by a beautiful family of children and grandchildren who continue the legacy of Torah and chesed that she and her husband built together. Her children are R’ Dovid Weiss, R’ Chaim Yitzchok Weiss, R’ Yossi Weiss, and R’ Mordechai Weiss, as well as the wives of R’ Eliyahu Meir Levin, R’ Leiby Zeilberger, R’ Binyomin Schulgasser, R’ Avigdor Buckwald, R’ Moshe Lieberson, R’ Yehoshua Forchheimer, R’ Yechezkel Ulman, R’ Yitzchok David, R’ Uri Meir Kanarek, R’ Shmuel Pepper, and R’ Avigdor Speiser.

Levayah details will be posted once they are finalized.

The family will be sitting shivah at 125 Glen Avenue South in Lakewood.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has scheduled a July 15 trial for former FBI Director James Comey on newly filed charges accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump.

Louise Flanagan, who will preside over the case, also ruled that Comey does not need to appear in her North Carolina courtroom on Monday to enter a formal not guilty plea. That step will instead take place closer to the start of the trial.

Prosecutors have brought two criminal counts tied to a social media post Comey shared last May showing seashells arranged to read “86 47.” Authorities argue the message constituted a threat against Trump’s life. The number “86” is often used as slang meaning to get rid of someone or something, while Trump is the 47th president.

Comey has rejected the allegations, describing the case as politically motivated. Earlier charges against him were dismissed, and his legal team has indicated it plans to challenge the new indictment, arguing it amounts to selective and vindictive prosecution.

Judge Flanagan directed Comey’s attorneys to submit their motions, along with any other pretrial filings, by June 5, and indicated that additional hearings could be scheduled to address those arguments.

Comey is currently expected to appear in court on June 30 for arraignment, at which time he will formally enter his not guilty plea roughly two weeks before the trial begins.

Flanagan, who was appointed by George W. Bush, serves on the federal bench in New Bern, North Carolina.

The judge agreed to delay Monday’s arraignment at the request of both the defense and prosecutors. Comey had sought the postponement because he had already made an initial court appearance in Virginia, where he resides, shortly after being charged.

{Matzav.com}

Tyler Oliveira is a wannabee documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist who dives into what he calls “controversial” communities. He recently published a “documentary” titled “I Exposed New Jersey’s Jewish Invasion.” Now, he appeared on the program of Tucker Carlson, the formerly conservative commentator who is now anti-Israel and has gone off the rails. Perfect shidduch. Haters unite.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Apple Inc is reportedly moving closer to launching a new version of AirPods equipped with built-in cameras, as the company reaches an advanced testing phase for the product.

The device, which has circulated in reports for some time, is part of Apple’s broader effort to develop hardware centered around artificial intelligence. That initiative also includes plans for smart glasses designed to compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban collaboration. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new AirPods could become Apple’s first wearable focused primarily on AI capabilities.

Sources say each earbud will include a camera, though the feature is not intended for taking photos or recording video like Meta’s glasses. Instead, the cameras will function as visual input for Siri, allowing the assistant to analyze surroundings and respond to user questions about what it “sees.”

For instance, a user could point the AirPods toward ingredients on a table, and Siri would suggest possible meals. Gurman likened the concept to the way users upload images to tools like Gemini or ChatGPT for analysis.

The concept first surfaced in 2024, and the product is now reportedly undergoing design validation testing internally. The next step would be production validation testing, which typically signals the start of early manufacturing. Early prototypes resemble the AirPods Pro 3, though they are said to have slightly extended stems to accommodate the camera components.

At the same time, Apple faces a major hurdle in refining Siri, which is central to the product’s functionality. The company has struggled to roll out a more advanced version of the assistant, and delays recently led to a $250 million settlement tied to related claims.

To bridge the gap, Apple entered into an agreement with Google to incorporate Gemini AI models into its ecosystem. After integrating those models, the company reportedly rebuilt Siri’s underlying framework and is now preparing for a possible release of the upgraded assistant in September.

More details could emerge during Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote scheduled for June 8. The delayed Siri upgrade has also reportedly held back updates to other products, including the Apple TV 4K and HomePod. If the revamped assistant performs as expected, additional product announcements may follow later in the year.

As for the camera-enabled AirPods themselves, no official release window has been announced. However, Gurman reports that development is further along than other experimental AI devices Apple has been exploring, such as smart glasses and wearable pendants, which are believed to be targeting a 2027 timeframe.

{Matzav.com}

A massive philanthropic contribution from Jan Koum is poised to dramatically expand Shaare Zedek Medical Center, with a $200 million donation expected to significantly increase its capacity and mark the largest single gift ever made to Israel’s healthcare system.

The funding, provided through the Koum Family Foundation, will be used to construct a new inpatient tower that will also include residential accommodations for hospital staff. The expansion is projected to effectively triple the hospital’s size, which currently operates with roughly 1,000 beds. According to a source within the healthcare system, the necessary zoning approvals are moving swiftly through Jerusalem’s planning authorities.

This contribution edges past a major donation made last year by Anat and Shmuel Harlap to Beilinson Hospital, part of the Clalit network, which totaled $180 million. The Harlaps directed their funding toward the construction of the “Tower of Hope,” scheduled to open in early 2027. Once operational, the new facility is expected to enable the hospital to significantly expand the capacity of departments currently housed in the Gur Shasha hospitalization tower.

Another significant gift to Israel’s healthcare sector came last year from Sylvan Adams, who contributed $100 million toward building the Tkuma Building at Soroka Medical Center. The Israeli government matched that amount. The donation followed an additional $100 million contribution Adams made to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev after the October 7 attack, part of his broader effort to bolster development in southern Israel.

Taken together, these contributions reflect a broader trend in which private funding—largely from American Jewish donors—is playing an increasingly central role in expanding hospital infrastructure, often stepping in where government investment has lagged.

For Shaare Zedek, which operates independently and is not affiliated with one of Israel’s health funds, philanthropic support has long been a key driver of growth. A donation of this scale underscores the growing divide between institutions capable of attracting major private contributions and those that rely primarily on state funding.

{Matzav.com}

Three people were struck by vehicles in three separate accidents in Boro Park within a span of approximately 25 minutes on erev Shabbos, leaving all three critically injured, Belaaz has learned.

Two of the victims are 13-year-old boys from the Boro Park Jewish community. The third victim was also critically injured. All three were transported to the hospital and are on respirators. Physicians have identified brain bleeds in all three cases.

The accidents involved three different drivers on three different streets. Hatzolah responded to the scenes. There is no known connection between the incidents.

The tzibur is asked to daven for:
Yaakov Tzvi Hirsch ben Chana Yettel
Chaim ben Feiga Rivka for a refuah shleimah b’soch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to pause fighting for three days, marking a notable diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing war.

The temporary ceasefire is set to run from May 9 through May 11, aligning with Victory Day observances. During that period, both sides are expected to halt military activity and carry out a large-scale humanitarian exchange involving 1,000 prisoners from each country.

The announcement came in a post on Truth Social, where Trump said the agreement was reached following his direct involvement and thanked both sides for their cooperation.

“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine. The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II,” Trump wrote.

He went on to outline the details of the arrangement, emphasizing that the ceasefire was initiated at his request.

“This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country. This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” he added.

Officials at the White House view the short-term truce as a possible first step toward a more lasting resolution to the conflict, which has gripped Eastern Europe since 2022. Trump characterized the current talks as part of a broader effort to bring an end to the most significant war in Europe in decades.

“Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War. Talks are continuing on ending this Major Conflict, the biggest since World War II, and we are getting closer and closer every day,” the statement concluded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed the ceasefire and the planned exchange of prisoners, while Russia has not yet issued an official public response.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market rose to records Friday following the latest sign that the nation’s job market is doing better than economists expected.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% to an all-time high after a report said U.S. employers added 115,000 more jobs than they cut last month, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty for everyone. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up by 12 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1.7% to its own record.

While hiring slowed from March’s level, it was still nearly double what economists expected. And it helped the S&P 500 close out a sixth straight winning week, its longest such streak since 2024. The U.S. stock market has been blasting higher since late March, in part on hopes that the war will not mean a worst-case scenario for the global economy and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again.

It’s still to be determined if those hopes are warranted or just wishful. U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers on Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. It’s the latest flare-up in fighting to raise doubts about the tenuous month-old ceasefire that the United States has insisted is still in effect.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 1.2% to settle at $101.29 following the latest volleys of fire. That’s below its heights above $119 during the war, but it’s still much more expensive than its roughly $70 level from late February before the fighting began.

One big factor helping to support the U.S. stock market despite the war’s uncertainties is the strong profits that companies have been reporting for the start of 2026.

Monster Beverage jumped 13.6% after the energy drink maker joined the parade of companies topping analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue for the latest quarter. It benefited from strong growth outside the United States, and total net sales from there made up about 45% of its total, the highest percentage ever for the company.

Akamai Technologies leaped even more, 26.6%, after its results squeaked past expectations. It announced a $1.8 billion deal to provide cloud infrastructure services to an unnamed client over seven years. The cybersecurity and cloud computing company is benefiting from the surge in investment in artificial-intelligence technology.

Voracious demand for AI helped CoreWeave report revenue for the latest quarter that was more than double what it was a year earlier, but its net loss was worse than analysts expected. It also gave a forecasted range for revenue in the current quarter whose midpoint fell below analysts’ expectations. The stock of the company, which offers AI computing power to customers over the cloud, fell 11.4%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 61.82 points to 7,398.93. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 12.19 to 49,609.16, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 440.88 to 26,247.08.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe and Asia. Germany’s DAX lost 1.3%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.9% for two of the bigger losses.

South Korea’s Kospi was an exception, and it inched up 0.1% to another all-time high.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased and remained lower after a preliminary report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is stuck near its lowest level since 2022. Consumers told the survey from the University of Michigan they’re concerned about both high gasoline prices and tariffs, though their expectations for inflation in the coming year softened by a bit.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.36% from 4.41% late Thursday and from 4.45% early this week.

Lower yields can bring down rates for mortgages and other kinds of loans going to U.S. households and businesses, which in turn can give the economy a boost. Lower yields also tend to push upward on prices for stocks and other kinds of investments.

The 10-year Treasury yield, though, remains well above its 3.97% level from just before the war.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers on Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, reported another Iranian missile and drone attack.

The attacks cast more doubt on a tenuous month-old ceasefire that the United States has insisted is still in effect. Washington is awaiting an Iranian response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait and roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he hopes to receive “a serious offer” from Iran later Friday.

The U.S. military said Friday that its forces had disabled two Iranian tankers that were trying to breach an American blockade of Iran’s ports. Hours earlier, the military said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in the strait.

Iran has mostly blocked the critical waterway for global energy since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, causing a global spike in fuel prices and rattling world markets. The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iran’s ports.

The UAE’s Defense Ministry meanwhile said three people were wounded after air defenses engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones launched by Iran. It was not clear if all were successfully intercepted.

US says it responded to an attack in the strait
The U.S. military posted video of the two Iranian tankers as their smokestacks were struck by an American fighter jet on Friday. Earlier in the week, an American military jet shot out the rudder of a tanker the U.S. military said was attempting to breach its blockade.

Late Thursday, the U.S. military said it thwarted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and struck Iranian military facilities in response. It said no American ships were hit.

“They threaten Americans, they are going to be blown up,” Rubio told reporters Friday.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called “hostile” U.S. military action, saying it violated the ceasefire. “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X.

A U.S. strike overnight killed at least one sailor and injured 10 others aboard a cargo vessel that caught fire, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s judiciary reported. It was not clear if the ship was one of the two tankers the U.S. acknowledged striking.

U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted the ceasefire is holding. He also has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn’t accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear program.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the U.S. and Iran “day and night” in an effort to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal.

Images show apparent oil slick off Iranian terminal
Satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press show what appears to be an oil slick in the Persian Gulf emanating from the western side of Kharg Island, Iran’s main crude export terminal.

Images taken Friday show the slick covering about 71 square kilometers (27 square miles) and appear to show oil still leaking from the terminal, said Ami Daniel, CEO of maritime intelligence firm Windward AI.

Daniel estimated the equivalent of roughly 80,000 oil barrels has spilled from Kharg Island since the slick was first detected by satellite images Tuesday. It’s unknown whether the spill was caused by a malfunction, an airstrike or something else.

“This is the risk of fighting in an oil-rich area,” said Daniel, adding that it’s unlikely any cleanup efforts will be launched in Gulf waters that have become an active war zone.

He said the spill appears to be spreading southwest and within the next two weeks could potentially reach the shores of the UAE, Qatar or Saudi Arabia.

Nina Noelle, an international crisis operations expert with Greenpeace Germany, said Friday recent images show the spill beginning to disperse and it appears unlikely that it will impact land, though it could still possibly affect some sensitive marine habitats.

“More likely, it will dissipate offshore under prevailing conditions,” Noelle said.

The Pentagon declined to comment on whether the U.S. military was tracking the spill or whether there had been recent strikes on the Iranian island. Based on the imagery taken earlier this week, the spill occurred before the most recent round of U.S. strikes.

Rubio says `unacceptable’ for an Iranian agency to control strait
Rubio said Friday that it’s “unacceptable” for Iran to have a government agency that vets and taxes ships seeking passage through the strait.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a shipping data company, reported Thursday that Iran has created such an agency, known as the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial vessels bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea.

“Is the world going to accept that Iran now controls an international waterway?” Rubio said. “What is the world prepared to do about it?”

Iran has effectively closed the strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the U.S. is blockading Iranian ports.

A Chinese-crewed oil tanker was attacked near the strait. China has continued to import oil from Iran despite the effective closure of the waterway.

China’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern, saying the tanker was registered in the Marshall Islands with Chinese crew on board. There were no casualties reported.

An oil tanker that passed through the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April arrived off South Korea’s coast on Friday with 1 million barrels of crude. South Korea, which last year imported more than 60% of its crude through the strait, has capped prices of gasoline and other petroleum products.

Toronto police announced Friday that an 18-year-old suspect has been taken into custody and charged following two separate incidents in which members of the Jewish community were targeted with replica firearms.

Authorities identified the suspect as Ruslan Novruzov, who is facing four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Officials said the case was handled by specialized units within the department, including counter-terrorism and firearms investigators.

In one of the incidents, three individuals standing outside the Chasidei Bobov synagogue in North York were fired upon Thursday night with what police described as a replica weapon.

One of the victims was hit and suffered minor injuries, which police said were likely caused by a pellet fired from a passing vehicle.

Investigators also allege that Novruzov was involved in a separate drive-by attack the previous week, during which a gel pellet gun was used to target visibly Jewish residents in a northern section of the city known for its concentration of synagogues and Jewish schools.

Those victims also reported minor injuries, and police later circulated video footage of the suspected vehicle as part of the investigation.

A senior police official said Friday that the incidents appear to have been intended to instill fear within the Jewish community and emphasized that the use of imitation weapons does not diminish the seriousness of the crimes.

“We recognize that Jewish residents have been living with a heightened sense of fear due to repeated incidents targeting their community, and this only adds to that, which is unacceptable,” said acting Deputy Chief Joe Matthews. “While the weapons used were imitation firearms, the impacts are very real. These are criminal acts that we allege were meant to intimidate and cause fear.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the arrest, expressing support for law enforcement as the case moves forward.

“Law enforcement agencies have my full support as they investigate, and as they work to bring justice for the victims and the wider Jewish community,” Carney said.

{Matzav.com}

Iran sharply criticized the United States on Friday following American strikes on key sites near the Strait of Hormuz, with senior officials accusing Washington of undermining diplomacy and escalating tensions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi charged that the United States repeatedly turns to force instead of pursuing negotiations after military action targeted Iranian positions.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure. Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire?” Araghchi wrote.

“Whatever the causes, the outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure and diplomacy is always the victim,” he added.

Araghchi also dismissed a reported CIA analysis regarding Iran’s missile strength, asserting that the assessment significantly underestimated Tehran’s capabilities.

“Also, the CIA is wrong. Our missile inventory and launcher capacity are not at 75% compared to Feb 28. The correct figure is 120%,” he stated.

“As for our readiness to defend our people: 1,000%,” Araghchi added.

The comments followed U.S. military strikes carried out Thursday against Iranian targets at Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas.

A senior American official later told Fox News that an additional strike hit Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.

Iranian media reported that Iranian naval forces responded by launching missiles and drones at three U.S. destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz.

United States Central Command later said American forces successfully intercepted those attacks and responded with defensive strikes after U.S. Navy vessels passed through the strait en route to the Gulf of Oman.

According to CENTCOM, Iranian forces deployed missiles, drones, and small boats targeting the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason, though none of the American ships sustained damage.

The U.S. military said it retaliated by striking Iranian military infrastructure tied to the attacks, including missile and drone launch systems, as well as command centers and surveillance networks.

President Donald Trump characterized the U.S. strikes as a “love tap” and said the ceasefire between the sides remained in place.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the three U.S. destroyers moved through the Strait of Hormuz “very successfully” despite being fired upon, adding that Iranian attackers and small vessels were destroyed.

Separately, a confidential CIA analysis cited by the Washington Post found that Iran still retains significant ballistic missile capabilities even after sustained U.S. and Israeli strikes.

The report indicated that Iran continues to possess about 75 percent of its mobile missile launchers and roughly 70 percent of its overall missile stockpile.

It further concluded that Iran has regained access to most of its underground storage facilities, repaired certain damaged systems, and completed assembly of additional missiles that were close to readiness before the conflict began.

Trump said Wednesday that Iran’s missile arsenal had been “mostly decimated.”

{Matzav.com}

The Pentagon has started making public a new batch of documents related to UFO sightings, allowing Americans to review the material themselves and draw conclusions about so-called “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” including reports of unexplained objects seen in the sky.

In a statement posted Friday, the Defense Department said earlier administrations had attempted to dismiss or discourage public interest in such incidents, but President Donald Trump “is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files.” Officials added that additional disclosures will continue over time.

The initiative is being coordinated not only by the Pentagon but also by the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, NASA, and the FBI.

A newly launched online portal hosts the materials, featuring a stylized design with black-and-white images of aircraft and a typewriter-style presentation. The first wave includes 162 documents, ranging from State Department communications and FBI records to NASA transcripts from manned space missions.

Among the newly released material is an FBI report recounting an interview with a drone pilot who described a strange aerial sighting in September 2023. According to the document, the pilot observed a “linear object” emitting a powerful light that revealed visible bands.

“The object was visible for five to ten seconds and then the light went out and the object vanished,” according to the FBI interview.

Another file includes a photograph taken during the 1972 Apollo 17 mission, showing three objects arranged in a triangular pattern. The Pentagon noted alongside the image that “there is no consensus about the nature of the anomaly,” though a preliminary review suggested it could be a “physical object.”

President Trump, a Republican, had been hinting at the release since February. In the past, he authorized the disclosure of records tied to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr., which largely reaffirmed previously known information.

Efforts to declassify UFO-related material have been underway at the Pentagon for several years. In 2022, Congress established an office dedicated to reviewing and releasing such records. A report issued in 2024 cataloged hundreds of additional UAP encounters but concluded there was no confirmed evidence of alien technology in U.S. possession.

Lawmakers had directed the Pentagon in 2022 to begin making decades’ worth of UFO records public after military personnel described encounters with unidentified aircraft.

Some Republican members of Congress have continued to push for broader disclosure, arguing that certain materials remain withheld. In March, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called for the release of 46 UAP videos referenced by whistleblowers, and she said Friday that those recordings are expected to be included in a future batch.

Rep. Tim Burchett thanked Trump for “keeping his word” on transparency and disclosure.”

“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time,” Burchett said in a statement.

Specialists have urged the public to approach the newly released materials with care, noting that footage of UAPs is often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with advanced defense systems. The Pentagon reiterated in its 2024 report that it has found no proof that the U.S. government has obtained alien technology or verified the existence of extraterrestrial life.

{Matzav.com}

American forces stepped up enforcement of a sweeping maritime blockade on Friday, stopping multiple Iranian-flagged oil tankers from reaching port and intensifying pressure on Tehran’s oil network, according to United States Central Command.

Officials said two empty tankers—the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda—were prevented from docking at an Iranian port along the Gulf of Oman after being struck and disabled by a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS George H.W. Bush.

Earlier in the week, on May 6, U.S. forces similarly halted the Iranian-flagged M/T Hasna as it attempted to reach port in the same region. That vessel’s rudder was rendered inoperable when an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired multiple rounds from a 20mm cannon, leaving it unable to proceed. All three ships are no longer en route to Iran.

“U.S. forces in the Middle East remain committed to full enforcement of the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander said Friday.

“Our highly trained men and women in uniform are doing incredible work,” he added.

According to CENTCOM, the operation has already forced dozens of ships to change course, with more than 50 vessels redirected and several others disabled as part of the ongoing effort. U.S. forces are currently preventing more than 70 oil tankers from accessing Iranian ports.

In a Friday morning update on X, CENTCOM stated that the blocked vessels collectively could carry over 166 million barrels of Iranian oil, estimated to be worth more than $13 billion.

The large-scale mission is part of a broader effort to impose a full blockade on Iran’s oil exports, targeting a key source of revenue for the regime.

“Blockade remains fully in effect,” a CENTCOM graphic stated, adding that “no ships [are] allowed in or out of Iranian ports” as enforcement operations continue “across the Middle East and beyond.”

Military officials indicated that the campaign involves a substantial U.S. presence, including more than 15,000 service members, upwards of 200 aircraft, and at least 20 naval vessels.

CENTCOM reported that over 50 ships have already been diverted to ensure compliance with the restrictions, while 73 tankers remain unable to transport Iranian oil.

The operation draws on a wide range of military capabilities, including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, guided-missile destroyers, combat aircraft, surveillance platforms, drones, and aerial refueling assets.

The intensified crackdown comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise, driven by disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, proxy activity throughout the Middle East, and threats directed at U.S. allies.

The Trump administration has repeatedly pledged to restore “maximum pressure” on Iran and choke off the regime’s primary source of revenue: oil exports.

Iran depends heavily on oil sales to sustain its government operations and fund the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which U.S. officials have tied to backing terrorist groups and regional proxy forces.

Historically, U.S. sanctions have focused on preventing Iranian crude from reaching international buyers, particularly in Asian markets.

The blockade also highlights the growing American military presence in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters, a region critical to global commerce.

About one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moves through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the strategic importance of maintaining stability in the area.

Critics caution that such aggressive tactics could heighten the risk of direct confrontation with Iran, while supporters argue the move signals renewed U.S. strength and deterrence after years of regional instability.

CENTCOM’s latest update makes clear that Washington intends to sustain economic pressure on Iran while reinforcing its military posture across the Middle East.

“$13+ billion not benefitting Iran’s leadership,” the CENTCOM graphic emphasized, highlighting the financial impact of the blockade on the Iranian regime.

{Matzav.com}

A major fundraising mission on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah is set to depart this Motzoei Shabbos for South America, as gedolei Yisroel mobilize to secure critical funding for the olam haTorah. At the last moment, however, Slabodka rosh yeshiva Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch will not be joining the delegation due to pressing personal circumstances.

The trip comes at a time when the financial strain on lomdei Torah continues to intensify, with legal pressures mounting and the weakening dollar further complicating budgets that rely heavily on overseas support.

Leading the delegation will be prominent gedolim, including Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rav Avraham Salim, Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, Rav Shimon Galei, and Rav Yosef Chevroni.

The group will first travel to Brazil for a two-day visit, followed by a stop in Argentina, marking the first time a Keren Olam HaTorah delegation will visit that country. The gedolim are expected to return to Eretz Yisroel toward the end of next week.

Until the final hours, preparations had been underway for Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch to lead the mission personally. However, due to the medical condition of the Rebbetzin shetichyeh, who is currently hospitalized, he has remained in Eretz Yisroel to be at her side. Communities in Brazil and Argentina, together with Yidden around the world, have been davening for her refuah sheleimah. Leading negidim in South America conveyed to the Rosh Yeshiva that while they had eagerly anticipated his arrival, the Rebbetzin’s health takes precedence. They expressed their commitment to intensify their efforts and raise substantial funds for the olam haTorah, l’maan kavod haTorah and in the zechus of the Rebbetzin’s complete recovery.

{Matzav.com}

A major ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia on Friday handed Republicans a significant win, invalidating a Democratic-backed congressional map and reshaping expectations ahead of the midterm elections.

In a narrow 4-3 decision, the court ruled that the voter-approved map was improperly enacted, declaring it “null and void.” The outcome shifts momentum in the broader national battle over redistricting, giving Republicans an opening in a closely contested fight for control of the House.

Virginia’s current congressional delegation stands at six Democrats and five Republicans. The now-rejected map had been expected to heavily favor Democrats, potentially expanding their advantage to 10 of the state’s 11 seats.

“On the first day Democrats tried to enact this scheme, we said it was illegal and unconstitutional,” said Mike Young, president of Virginians for Fair Maps. “Here we are months later, and it’s illegal and unconstitutional.”

Political analysts had projected that the map—crafted by Democratic lawmakers and narrowly approved in an April 21 referendum—would deliver four additional seats to the party, strengthening its chances of reclaiming the House in November.

Dave Wasserman, a senior editor and redistricting specialist at the Cook Political Report, described the ruling as “a massive setback for Democrats” who will now need to pick up a net of “more like 10 seats to win control of the House, rather than just three.”

With Republican-led redistricting efforts advancing or already completed in states including Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Alabama, Wasserman now estimates the GOP “will pick up somewhere the six to seven-seat range from redistricting.”

Even so, he noted that Democrats remain favored to win back the House, though the ruling improves Republican prospects. “Republicans have a more realistic chance of holding their majority than they did prior to this ruling and the [Louisiana] Supreme Court decision,“ he said.

The legal battle in Virginia is part of a wider, back-and-forth struggle between the parties over congressional maps nationwide. The dispute has been tied to political planning efforts associated with James Blair, a former White House deputy chief of staff, aimed at strengthening President Trump’s agenda heading into the final stretch of his term.

At earlier stages, Republicans appeared to misjudge the evolving landscape, as California responded to redistricting moves in Texas by revising its own map, and Virginia seemed poised to tilt the balance toward Democrats.

“A lot of overpaid operatives in DC owe James Blair an apology right now,” a GOP consultant close to the White House told The Post regarding the Trump ally, who recently stepped back from his role to focus on election strategy.

President Donald Trump welcomed the court’s decision, posting on Truth Social: “Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia. The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.”

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters also praised the outcome. “Democrats just learned that when you try to rig elections, you lose,” he said.

“Today, the Virginia Supreme Court sided with the rule of law and struck down Democrats’ unconstitutional maps. The RNC led the charge in court against this blatant power grab, where Virginia Democrats poured more than $66 million into an effort to lock in control and silence voters. We took them to court, and we won”

Democratic leaders responded by emphasizing respect for the judicial process while signaling continued opposition. Don Scott, speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates, said in a statement: “We respect the court. But we will keep fighting for a democracy where voters — not politicians — have the final say. Because in Virginia, power still belongs to the people.”

Writing for the majority, Justice D. Arthur Kelsey explained that lawmakers advanced the constitutional amendment process “in an unprecedented manner.”

Because the state’s redistricting system was established through a prior constitutional amendment approved by voters, any changes required a new amendment. That process mandated passage in two separate legislative sessions, with an election in between, before appearing on the ballot.

The legislature first approved the amendment in October, during the early voting period but ahead of Election Day on Nov. 4.

A second approval came after the new legislative session convened in January. Lawmakers later passed an additional measure in February detailing the proposed districts, contingent on voter approval of the amendment.

At the center of the dispute was whether the October vote came too late, given that early voting had already begun.

Attorney Matthew Seligman, representing the legislature, argued that the “election” should be defined narrowly as Election Day, Nov. 4, meaning the initial approval occurred in time and complied with constitutional requirements.

Opposing counsel Thomas McCarthy contended that the term “election” encompasses the entire early voting period, which spans 45 days in Virginia. Under that interpretation, the legislature acted too late to meet constitutional standards.

The court sided with McCarthy’s argument. Kelsey wrote: “While the Commonwealth is free by its lights to do the right thing for the right reason, the Rule of Law requires that it be done the right way.”

“[V]oting in the general election for the House of Delegates began on September 19, 2025, and ended on Election Day, November 4, 2025. The General Assembly voted for the first time to propose the constitutional amendment to the electorate on October 31, 2025. By that date, over 1.3 million votes had been cast in the general election, which was approximately 40% of the total vote for that election cycle,” he added.

Kelsey concluded that by treating “election” as referring only to Election Day, lawmakers effectively “ended up denying over 1.3 million Virginians their constitutional right to have a voice in the debate over whether their Constitution should be amended.”

Israel’s Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich strongly pushed back against MK Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism following Gafni’s sharp criticism of Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer over the ongoing debate surrounding the gezeiras giyus.

Smotrich did not hold back, making it clear that the religious Zionist camp does not require validation from Gafni or his circle.

“Knesset Member Gafni, religious Zionism and its Torah world really don’t need your approval. Certainly not Minister Ofir Sofer, who has proven his dedication to the people of Israel with his body when he was severely wounded on the battlefield and received a medal.”

He went on to turn the focus back on Gafni, calling on him to take a more direct and consistent position. “Instead of attacking religious Zionist heroes, it’s best you put out a clear statement: whoever doesn’t study Torah should immediately enlist. It’s that simple,” Smotrich stated.

The argument erupted Thursday, when Minister Sofer addressed the chareidi Knesset members ahead of their meeting with gedolim to discuss the proposed draft law. Sofer urged them to reconsider their current approach and adopt a more practical path forward.

“Instead of talking to rabbis who will advance a bill that doesn’t have a majority, since I will oppose it together with other coalition Knesset members, ask them to call on those who don’t study to enlist and assist in the war,” Sofer said.

Gafni reacted sharply to those comments, expressing strong objection to Sofer’s remarks and his involvement in the issue. “Ofir Sofer has no idea about the importance of Torah study and its place in protecting the existence of the Jewish people for generations. He should focus on the matters of aliyah and integration he is charged with, and not intervene in matters which he does not understand.”

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is seeking to disqualify top Justice Department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro were attending the April 25 event at the Washington Hilton when Cole Tomas Allen allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer.

In a court filing late Thursday, Allen’s attorneys argued that it creates at least the appearance of a conflict of interest for Blanche and Pirro to be making any prosecutorial decisions in the case.

“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder — how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe wrote.

Ohm and Abe, who are assistant federal public defenders, suggested that the appointment of a special prosecutor might be warranted. They urged U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump nominee assigned to Allen’s case, to disqualify Pirro, Blanche and possibly other Justice Department officials from direct involvement in the investigation and prosecution.

“Both heard gunshots, which presumably forced them to duck below the tables with the rest of the occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Shortly thereafter, they learned that law enforcement believed the target was certain administration officials,” Ohm and Abe wrote.

Pirro said her office will respond to the defense lawyers’ arguments in its own court filing.

“We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” Pirro said in a statement.

Allen is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges in an indictment handed up Tuesday by a grand jury in Washington.

The charges include attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, who is a longtime friend of Pirro. Blanche served as a personal attorney for Trump before joining the Justice Department last year.

Blanche, through a spokesperson, referred a request for comment to Pirro’s office.

Allen also is charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of the attempted assassination charge alone.

The Secret Service officer who was shot once in a bullet-resistant vest fired his own weapon five times without hitting anybody. Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was injured but was not shot.

The Toronto Jewish community is on high alert following a frightening incident Thursday night in which three individuals were fired upon with a replica weapon outside a local shul. The Toronto Police Service has confirmed it is officially investigating the drive-by assault as a hate-motivated offense.

According to police reports, the three individuals were standing in front of the Bobover shul, located in the heart of the community near Bathurst Street and Highway 401, when a passing vehicle approached. An occupant of the vehicle then fired at the group using a replica firearm.

Authorities stated that one of the individuals was struck during the attack, sustaining minor injuries. Baruch Hashem, the victim did not require transport to a hospital. As the investigation continues, police have not yet released identifying information regarding the suspect vehicle or the specific type of replica weapon utilized in the assault.

The attack has deeply unsettled local residents and congregants. Raphael Goldberg, a member of the Chasidei Bobov shul, expressed the apprehension felt by many in the community. Speaking to local media, Goldberg noted, “Attacks like this one are frightening. Especially when they happen at places of worship.”
Reflecting on the broader climate in the area, he added, “I think there’s a hatred happening in the city and it’s scary.”

This latest assault is part of a deeply troubling and escalating pattern of violence directed at Jewish institutions in the region. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) issued a stark warning in response to Thursday night’s attack, noting that this is already the second such incident in just a single week, following three separate shootings that targeted Toronto synagogues in March.

“This is not normal, and it cannot become normalized,” CIJA declared in a statement. “Individuals were targeted outside a Jewish institution and subjected to intimidation and violence because of who they are and where they were.”

The organization emphasized the heavy toll these repeated attacks are taking on the local kehillah. “The cumulative impact on the Jewish community is profound. Families should not have to fear attending synagogue, gathering in community spaces, or simply standing outside Jewish institutions in Toronto.”

As the Toronto Police continue their investigation into the hate crime, CIJA issued an urgent call to action, demanding that “Governments, law enforcement, and civic leaders must treat these incidents with the seriousness they deserve and ensure those responsible are identified and held accountable.”

Tucker Carlson made waves on the Megyn Kelly Show Thursday by saying that Israel could not exist without support from the $1.5 trillion U.S. military.

This generated massive backlash, with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee slamming Carlson for what appeared to be his fabulist fib.

“Neither of these people are dumb,” he wrote on X. “I worked with them at Fox. They know how to Google basic facts. The U.S. provides $3.8 billion (NOT $1.5 trillion), but Israel spends many times over that on [the] U.S.”

“We get a huge ROI — are they too lazy to research or intentionally lying?” he wondered.

It appears, for once, that Carlson was in fact misunderstood. He did not actually say that the U.S. provides $1.5 trillion in aid to Israel. Instead, he characterized the U.S. military as a $1.5 trillion military that backs Israel.

“Israel could not sustain a blockade or defend itself for 24 hours without the $1.5 trillion U.S. military backstopping it and enforcing the long-standing defense guarantee,” were his exact words. “… If that were to go away, Israel would have two choices: Suffer elimination or use nuclear weapons.”

Of course, it’s a fantasy of Carlson’s that Israel would cease to exist without U.S. aid.

Still, Carlson doesn’t deserve too much benefit of the doubt. The master of manipulation surely knows that his clever phrasing will lead his Israel-hating fans to believe that the U.S. spends that outrageous amount on Israel — and that his detractors will melt down over the perceived lie.

For the record, the actual amount Israel receives in military aid is $3.8 billion, which Israel is required to use to buy weapons manufactured in the U.S. An added benefit for the U.S. is that Israel test drives its weapons and provides crucial feedback on their effectiveness, leading to greater improvements.

From where did Carlson get the gargantuan $1.5 trillion figure he cited? He did not pull it out of thin air. The Trump administration has proposed a 2027 defense budget to build what President Trump calls a “Dream Military” to support conflicts the government deems are in the best interest of the United States.

The current defense budget of the United States is below $1 trillion. The U.S. does not, in fact, have a $1.5 trillion army.

So don’t believe Tucker Carlson — he lies even when he’s not lying.

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted Friday that he will not resign after bruising elections that saw his governing Labour Party suffer big losses and the anti-immigration party Reform UK make major gains.

The local and regional elections are widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he led Labour to power less than two years ago.

Voters have grown impatient for economic growth and dramatic change after 14 years of Conservative government, and many Labour lawmakers have become despairing at the government’s failure to deliver.

Starmer said he took responsibility for the “very tough” results but would not quit.

“The voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved,” he said. “I was elected to meet those challenges, and I’m not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.”

Reform UK, led by the veteran nationalist politician Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England’s north such as Hartlepool that once were solid Labour turf, and also made gains from the Conservatives in areas like Havering on the eastern edge of London.

Farage said the results marked a “historic change in British politics.”

Reform took seats from both Labour and the Conservatives as results were tallied across England. Votes were also being counted in contests for semiautonomous parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

A Labour rout in the elections could trigger restive party lawmakers to call for the leader, who won a landslide victory in July 2024, to announce a timetable for his departure. Even if Starmer survives for now, many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election, which must be held by 2029.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying “you don’t change the pilot during the flight.”

Results reflect fragmentation of UK politics
Labour lost votes to Reform UK, running on an anti-establishment, anti-immigration message, and also to the Green Party, whose popularity has risen under self-described “eco populist” leader Zack Polanski. The Greens beat Labour to win the mayoral race in London’s Hackney borough and gained hundreds of council seats in urban centers, as in Manchester, and university towns, such as Cambridge.

The Conservative Party also lost ground, with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gains.

Tony Travers, professor of government at the London School of Economics, said the elections show established parties struggling “to respond to populists on the left and right who appear to provide painless and simple solutions to intractable political and economic problems.”

The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the Conservatives, and make the outcome of the country’s next national election hard to predict.

John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said Britain is entering a new political era where “none of the parties are very big.

“Even Reform are probably not quite at 30% of the vote, so the fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results,” he told the BBC.

Scotland and Wales go their own way
In Scotland and Wales, there were elections to their respective parliaments and for the first time, nationalist parties appear poised to come top in both.

In Scotland, the Scottish National Party, which has governed since 2007 and campaigned on a promise to hold another referendum on Scotland leaving the U.K., is on course to win the most seats in the Edinburgh legislature.

And in Wales, Plaid Cymru looks set for a historic breakthrough, bringing an end to Labour’s unbroken 27-year run in power in the Cardiff-based government.

The huge reverse for Labour in Wales, which saw its leader lose her seat and the party drop to third at best, is perhaps the party’s most striking reverse and the one that may hurt the most.

“Welsh Labour has today suffered a catastrophic result,” said outgoing Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan. “It ends a century of Labour winning in Wales and the party will have to take a really hard look at itself.”

As in England, Reform UK made eye-catching breakthroughs in both Scotland and Wales.

Starmer’s future is under threat
Starmer’s popularity has plunged after repeated missteps and U-turns on policies such as welfare reform. His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living — tasks made harder by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

The prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.

Poor election results could trigger a challenge from a high-profile rival such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Alternatively, Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contest.

“I don’t think Keir Starmer should survive these results,” said Labour lawmaker Jonathan Brash, who represents Hartlepool in Parliament. “We have to be bolder, and we have to go further. And quite frankly, we need new leadership in order to achieve that.”

New Jersey health officials are monitoring two state residents for possible exposure to hantavirus after contact with an infected traveler linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, though authorities emphasized Thursday that the risk to the public remains low.

The New Jersey Department of Health said it was notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the two residents may have been exposed during international air travel to a person later identified as infected with hantavirus.

The New Jersey residents were not passengers aboard the MV Hondius, according to the department, and neither individual has shown symptoms consistent with hantavirus infection.

State health officials said they are working with local agencies to monitor the travelers “out of an abundance of caution.” The department declined to release additional identifying information, citing patient privacy concerns.

Officials said no hantavirus cases have been identified in New Jersey, and the state has never recorded a confirmed case of the disease.

Hantaviruses found in the United States are typically spread by rodents and are not known to transmit from person to person. However, the strain connected to the MV Hondius outbreak — known as Andes virus — is found in South America and is the only hantavirus known to spread between humans, though such transmission is considered rare.

According to health officials, person-to-person spread generally requires prolonged close contact with an infected person or exposure to bodily fluids. The incubation period for the virus ranges from four to 42 days, and people without symptoms are not considered contagious.

Public health agencies in several other states are also monitoring returning travelers connected to the incident, officials said.

The New Jersey Department of Health said it will continue coordinating with federal, local and international health partners as more information becomes available.

A deeply moving story of chesed surfaced during a recent Israeli radio program hosted by Menachem Toker, when a listener shared a personal encounter that revealed a lesser-known side of singer Meidad Tasa.

The caller, identified as Dovid, recounted that several years ago, as a young yungerman shopping for Shabbos on a tight budget, he found himself short on funds at the checkout. “I got to the register and realized the total was more than what I had,” he said. Standing nearby at the time was Meidad Tasa.

According to Dovid, Tasa did not know him and did not wait to be asked for help. “He called me over to the side while the cashier was scanning the items and said to me, ‘I get tips at events,’” Dovid recalled. Moments later, Tasa quietly handed him money—almost exactly the amount he was missing. “He gave me 200 shekels; I was short 190-something,” he said, still emotional. The entire act was carried out with complete tznius, without drawing any attention. “He really did it humbly, quietly, from his jacket.”

Toker was visibly moved by the account and immediately tried to reach Tasa live on air. At first, the singer’s wife answered the phone and expressed surprise upon hearing the story. “About Meidad, who is a tzaddik, I can testify to that in every sense of the word,” she said. Shortly afterward, Tasa himself joined the broadcast, explaining that he had just woken up from a nap and was on his way to pick up his children from gan.

When Toker mentioned the supermarket incident, Tasa sounded both embarrassed and taken aback. “Wow, wow, wow, I can’t believe it,” he said. He then shared a personal story that sheds light on his approach to giving.

He described how, on the day of his wedding, as he was heading to the mikveh, he realized he had only two shekels in his pocket. “I said to Hashem, I’m a chosson and I only have two shekels in my pocket?” At that moment, he encountered a poor person and chose to give him the last coins he had. “I said: Ribono Shel Olam, I’m giving him these two shekels and You will take care of me.” Since then, he said, he has felt that he is constantly being taken care of from Shamayim.

During the conversation, Tasa also repeated a phrase he often attributes to his mother, which has become a guiding principle in his life: “Minus in the bank, plus in the home.” When asked what he meant, he explained, “A person shouldn’t worry too much about the bank… The main thing is that there should be a plus in the home.”

The story left a strong impression on listeners, as Tasa emphasized that for him, the ability to help another Yid is itself a privilege. “I feel it’s a great merit that I was even able to give to him. He did a chesed with me,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A widow of the Meron tragedy has come forward with a painful account of her experience traveling to the tziyun of Rav Shimon bar Yochai, describing what she calls a ten-hour ordeal marked by mistreatment and insensitivity at the hands of police, as she attempted to mark her husband’s yahrtzeit.

Racheli Goldberg, whose husband was among those killed in the Meron disaster five years ago, set out with her yesomim to visit the kever despite ongoing restrictions and the security situation. Armed with all the necessary legal permits, she expected a journey of hisorerus and tefillah. Instead, she says, it became a distressing experience of “mistreatment under the auspices of the Israeli police.”

According to Goldberg, the difficulties began early in the trip, at the Gush Halav junction, where they were left waiting for hours in the rain and cold. She recounted that a police officer at the scene refused to recognize their official permits. “I stood in the rain, I pleaded respectfully, and in response I received brutal treatment and a police officer who shined a flashlight into my eyes as if I were a criminal… The insensitivity reached its peak at the Safsufa junction. The officer saw the permits and still chose to violate the procedures and block us. When I told him it was illegal and that we had the right to enter, he simply shouted: ‘There is no entry, the hilula is over.’”

She said the most painful aspect of the experience was its impact on her children, who continue to carry deep trauma from the tragedy in which they lost their father. Goldberg described how the conduct of police on the scene triggered those emotions once again. “My children carry deep trauma from the first year after the Meron disaster, where the police also behaved with brutality and a lack of sensitivity. When they were forced to again see uniforms acting with aggression and shouting, the result was a severe anxiety attack in the middle of the road.”

Goldberg also expressed anguish over what she described as a glaring contradiction throughout the ordeal. While her family was being held back for hours in harsh conditions, she said they saw police vehicles freely entering and exiting the area, along with empty buses passing by without allowing them to board. “The absurdity cried out to the heavens the entire time,” she wrote. “While they blocked us and forced my children to stand in the rain and cold, we saw police vehicles going in and out constantly with no apparent purpose.”

She concluded her account with a demand for accountability from authorities, calling on the state and senior officials to answer for what took place. “The State of Israel sent me with a legal permit in hand, but officers on the ground decided they were above the law. We reached the tziyun after 10 exhausting and unnecessary hours, after the emotional damage to my children had already been done. I will not remain silent about this bizayon.”

{Matzav.com}

(AP) – Republicans have opened up an advantage in a national redistricting battle among states after a pair of court rulings that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities and invalidated a key Democratic redistricting effort.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Black-majority congressional district in Louisiana has provided grounds for Republicans in several Southern states to try to eliminate House districts with large minority populations that had been protected under the Voting Rights Act.

Meanwhile, a Virginia Supreme Court ruling invalidated a voter-approved congressional map that Democrats had been counting on to deliver as many as four additional U.S. House seats. The court said Democratic lawmakers had violated the state constitution when placing the proposal on the ballot.

Legislative voting districts typically are redrawn based on census data after the start of each decade. But an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting broke out after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans last year to reshape U.S. House districts to give the party an edge in the midterm elections. Democrats in California countered with their own political gerrymandering. More states followed.

So far, Republicans believe they could win up to 14 additional seats from new districts in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain up to six seats from new districts in California and Utah. But those tallies presume past voting patterns hold in November. Historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in the midterms.

Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to wrest control of the House from Republicans, which would give them greater power to oppose Trump.

Where new House districts are proposed
Lawmakers in several states are considering plans for new U.S. House maps.

Louisiana
Current map: two Democrats, four Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has postponed the May 16 congressional primary to allow lawmakers to revise U.S. House districts in response to an April 29 Supreme Court ruling striking down a majority Black congressional district.

Challenges: Several lawsuits have been filed in federal and state court asserting that Landry lacked authority to suspend the primary elections.

Alabama
Current map: two Democrats, five Republicans

New map: Republican state officials hope to revert to a U.S. House map passed in 2023 — but not previously used — that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: The current map was imposed under a court order and is supposed to be used until after the 2030 census. State officials have asked federal courts to set aside that order in light of its ruling in the Louisiana redistricting case.

South Carolina
Current map: one Democrat, six Republicans

New map: Republican state House members have proposed a new U.S. House map that could give the GOP a better chance at winning an additional seat.

Challenges: State lawmakers are to wrap up their regular work May 14. The House voted to allow redistricting to be considered after then, but the extension also would need a two-thirds vote from the Senate.

Where new House districts are in place
New U.S. House districts are in place in eight states. Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.

Texas
Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a revised House map into law last August that could help Republicans win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in December cleared the way for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It has since overturned a lower-court ruling that blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”

California
Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans

New map: Voters in November approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in February allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It denied an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, which claimed the districts impermissibly favor Hispanic voters.

Missouri
Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law last September that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A Cole County judge ruled the new map is in effect as election officials work to determine whether a referendum petition seeking a statewide vote complies with constitutional criteria and contains enough valid petition signatures. The Missouri Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit claiming mid-decade redistricting is illegal. It’s scheduled to hear arguments in May on claims the new districts violate compactness requirements and should be placed on hold pending the potential referendum.

North Carolina
Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A federal court panel in November denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.

Ohio
Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted in October to approve revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: None. The state constitution required new districts before the 2026 election, because Republicans had approved the prior map without sufficient Democratic support after the last census.

Utah
Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans

New map: A judge in November imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat. The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.

Challenges: A federal court panel and the state Supreme Court, in February, each rejected Republican challenges to the judicial map selection.

Florida
Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on May 4 that he had signed revised U.S. House districts that improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats.

Challenges: Court challenges contend the new map violates a state constitution provision prohibiting districts from being drawn with intent to favor or disfavor a political party.

Tennessee
Current map: one Democrat, eight Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed new U.S. House districts May 7 that improve the GOP’s chances of winning an additional seat by carving up the lone Democratic-held seat, a Black-majority district that includes Memphis.

Challenges: Court challenges are expected ahead of the primaries, which are scheduled for Aug. 6.

LONDON (VINnews) – A 48-year-old man became the ninth person arrested in connection with the early-morning arson attack that destroyed four Hatzolah ambulances in Golders Green, counter-terrorism police said Friday.

The suspect was taken into custody Thursday on Leytonstone High Road, Counter Terrorism Policing London announced. The ambulances were set ablaze in the early hours of March 23.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London, said the attack caused significant concern in the community and that investigators remain focused on holding all responsible parties accountable.

“The attack on the Hatzolah ambulances caused considerable community concern and we have been working continuously to investigate this incident,” Flanagan said in a statement. “Our aim is to arrest and charge all those responsible for the arson attacks and other incidents targeted at Jewish, Israeli and Iranian sites in recent weeks.”

Counter-terrorism officers are also coordinating with Metropolitan Police colleagues to provide protective security to affected organizations, venues and businesses, she added.

The announcement comes as Scotland Yard unveiled a new specialist Community Protection Team of about 100 officers dedicated to safeguarding London’s Jewish communities amid elevated hate crime and terror threats.

The unit combines neighborhood policing with counter-terrorism expertise for a more sustained, intelligence-led response rather than relying on short-term officer surges. It will focus initially on Jewish areas but is designed as a model that could expand to other communities facing heightened risks.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley welcomed the initiative.

“The creation of a new Community Protection Team of around 100 officers is an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing,” Rowley said. “It brings together experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence-led protection.”

Rowley noted that government funding of £18 million has supported additional patrols but called for longer-term investment to maintain the enhanced security.

Since the Hatzolah attack and related incidents, authorities have arrested 31 people as part of connected counter-terrorism investigations. Eight have been charged, including a 17-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to arson in a separate attack on a Kenton synagogue. A 19-year-old man arrested May 7 in Portsmouth on suspicion of attempted arson was bailed until July.

Police urged the public to report suspicious behavior, especially with the U.K. terror threat level now at “severe.”

“If you have concerns about someone behaving suspiciously, please report it to us,” Flanagan said. “Your information could help us save lives.”

The graduation took place this morning at GCU.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rebbetzin Meira Edelstein a”h, widow of the revered rov of Ramat HaSharon, Rav Yaakov Edelstein zt”l. She was 89.

The Rebbetzin was the devoted eizer kenegdo to Rav Yaakov Edelstein zt”l during the later years of his life, standing faithfully at his side as he led the community and received the many who came seeking brachah and eitzah.

Her life story was widely regarded as one of the most remarkable and moving teshuvah stories of recent generations.

In her earlier years, she was a well-known and respected figure in Israel’s cultural world, enjoying success and recognition at the highest levels.

In the year Tav Shin Mem Beis, at the height of her career, she began a profound journey of teshuvah. With unusual courage and unwavering determination, she chose to leave behind the world of acting entirely and dedicate herself fully to avodas Hashem. She changed her name first to Mira and later to Meira, and undertook a life marked by exceptional prishus and tznius.

In her second zivug, she married Rav Avraham Lewis zt”l, a talmid of the Chazon Ish and among the early talmidim of Yeshivas Kaminetz, known as a tzaddik and a parush. She stood by his side with complete devotion until his petirah in Tav Shin Ayin Beis.

Following his passing, she was introduced—through the efforts of the rov of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein—to her third zivug, Rav Yaakov Edelstein zt”l, rov of Ramat HaSharon.

Despite her advancing years, the Rebbetzin merited to serve Rav Yaakov with extraordinary dedication during his final years. She played a central role as his eizer k’negdo in guiding the kehillah and in welcoming the many thousands who came to their home seeking brachos and hadrachah.

Those who knew her spoke of a woman of rare refinement and greatness, whose entire life reflected unwavering emunah and bitachon. Members of the community said, “She was a living example that one can leave behind the hevel ha’olam hazeh and rise to true kedushah.”

She is survived by a son and descendants who continue to walk in the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim.

Tehei nishmasah tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

{Matzav.com}

In a major development in an ongoing defamation case, a court has instructed Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to submit his complete and updated medical records for the judge’s confidential review, as part of a legal battle over claims regarding his health.

The directive was issued Thursday by Judge Menachem Mizrachi, president of the Magistrate’s Court in Ramla, in connection with Netanyahu’s lawsuit against protest activist attorney Gonen Ben Yitzchak and journalist Uri Misgav, whom he accuses of publishing false reports about his medical condition.

Under the ruling, the medical file must be delivered in a sealed and secured envelope directly to the judge’s chambers for private examination. Judge Mizrachi specified that the submission must include a signed statement from Netanyahu’s personal physician, Dr. Tzvi Herman Berkowitz, confirming that the file represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of the prime minister’s health.

The central issue in dispute is the timing of the discovery of a cancerous finding in the prostate. Judge Mizrachi noted that although an official annual health report released by the Prime Minister’s Office stated that Netanyahu underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, it did not clearly indicate when the condition was first detected.

“This point is critical to the dispute at the center of the trial,” the judge wrote. About two weeks ago, the Prime Minister’s Office published a medical update stating that on December 29, 2024, Netanyahu underwent a procedure due to benign prostate enlargement, and that a later MRI scan revealed a small area with suspicious characteristics. The key legal question is whether the defendants’ claims were false or based on information that had not been made public.

The lawsuit was filed after attorney Gonen Ben Yitzchak posted allegations on social media claiming that Netanyahu was suffering from pancreatic cancer. “Following your visit last night to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, I received information that you were treated for pancreatic cancer,” he wrote in a post that sparked widespread attention. “I wish you good health, but it is appropriate that the person leading the system stand courageously before the public and reveal his true condition.”

Journalist Uri Misgav later echoed more general claims about Netanyahu’s health, asserting that his condition was impaired in a way that affected his functioning. These claims were strongly rejected by the Prime Minister’s Office, which described them as “absolute lies.”

In addition to requesting the medical file, the defendants asked the court to summon for testimony Prof. Aharon Popovtzer, head of the oncology department at Hadassah, and Dr. Berkowitz. At this stage, Judge Mizrahi declined to call them immediately in order to avoid unnecessary harm to medical privacy, though he left open the possibility for later.

“At the stage of presenting evidence, after the plaintiff’s testimony, the court will issue a further decision regarding the request to summon the two doctors,” the judge ruled. The decision reflects the careful balance between preserving medical confidentiality and establishing the truth in the legal process.

According to the court’s timetable, the medical documents are expected to be submitted by May 13. The judge’s review is expected to clarify the timeline of diagnoses and treatments and help determine whether the contested publications were false or based on undisclosed facts.

Sources close to the prime minister have consistently argued that the claims, including the allegation of pancreatic cancer, are entirely unfounded and were intended to damage Netanyahu’s reputation and public trust. With the medical file now set to be reviewed by the court, further clarity is expected.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s most expensive home is back in the spotlight, and even after a massive reported discount, the asking price still sits in another universe, $210 million, or about NIS 630 million. The property is Valery Kogan’s giant Caesarea estate, a palace-like Mediterranean compound built on roughly 11 dunams with about 6,850 square meters of built space. Kogan originally sought about $260 million, while the latest marketing is being handled by Davidson Real Estate and aimed mainly at buyers abroad. Past offers reportedly reached roughly half a billion shekels, but were rejected as too low.

This is not just another luxury villa. Kogan bought the land in 2008 and spent years building one of the most extravagant private homes Israel has ever seen. The mansion was largely designed by Italian architects, with Italian professionals brought in for the project, and includes Italian marble, 14-karat gold details, and a level of ornamentation that feels closer to a private palace than a normal coastal home. Construction was completed in 2015.

The current marketing materials describe a 73,700-square-foot estate called Bat Sheba’s Palace, with neo-Baroque and Rococo styling, marble, onyx, lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, malachite, gold leaf, painted ceilings, Corinthian columns, two professional kosher kitchens, multiple lounges, a billiards room, a game room, staff apartments, backup generator, security systems, smart-home infrastructure, indoor and outdoor pools, and a separate spa complex of nearly 10,000 square feet.

Israel has expensive homes, but almost nothing lives in this bracket. Even the homes tied to Roman Abramovich and the Adelson family in Herzliya Pituach reportedly reached around a third of the Caesarea asking price. In Israel’s officially recorded top luxury deals last year, a historic Talbiyeh villa sold for about NIS 78.9 million, a sea-front Caesarea villa sold for NIS 78 million, and even a reported full-floor deal in Tel Aviv’s Rothschild 10 tower came in around NIS 106 million before being officially recorded. Kogan’s ask is not merely higher. It is a different category entirely.

There is also a messy listing history behind the clean “$50 million discount” headline. The estate first drew attention around 2020 at roughly $259 million, making it by far the most expensive home on the Israeli market at the time. Later, it was publicly reported at $149.5 million after failing to find a buyer. Now, the latest Israeli reports put the ask back at $210 million. That means the current campaign is not just a discount. It is a renewed attempt to reprice the home as a global trophy asset, not a normal Israeli real estate comp.

Israel’s wider housing market has cooled under high interest rates, war pressure, a strong shekel, and a large supply of unsold new apartments. CBS-linked data shows average home prices have fallen 10 of the last 12 months, with a 1.7% yearly decline, while Tel Aviv prices fell 5.1% over the year and the central district dropped 3.1%. The Bank of Israel also kept its benchmark rate at 4%, citing higher inflation pressure and geopolitical uncertainty.

Yet the top end has not disappeared. It has become more selective. Foreign buyers are still active in Israel’s luxury market, and last year’s high-end activity showed Jerusalem, Herzliya Pituach, and Caesarea gaining ground while Tel Aviv lost some of its old dominance. That is the real context for Kogan’s villa: a country still attracting serious capital, but a buyer pool that is smaller, more careful, and less willing to pay unlimited premiums for size and spectacle alone.

The villa’s strongest asset may not be the gold, the marble, or the palace architecture. It is the land. Caesarea offers privacy, sea proximity, history, distance from Tel Aviv’s congestion, and one of Israel’s rare luxury environments where a buyer can still own a vast horizontal estate rather than another tower penthouse. For the right billionaire, that scarcity is the pitch. For everyone else, the price exposes the limit of even Israel’s strongest luxury market.

Kogan, a Russian-Israeli billionaire tied in past reporting to Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, built something almost impossible to replicate in today’s Israel, huge land, huge house, huge symbolism. The question is whether the next buyer sees it as a home, a collectible, a statement, or simply too much house at the wrong moment. At $210 million, the estate is not asking the Israeli market to prove what a villa is worth. It is asking the world’s richest buyers how badly they want a palace on Israel’s coast.

This coming Tuesday, the 25th of Iyar, marks the first Yahrtzeit of three Lakewood Bachurim tragically Niftar in a car accident.

Chaim Zelig Berl Z”L, Dovid Yitzchok Handler Z”L and Rafael Faham Z”L were involved in a fiery accident at the intersection of North Hope Chapel Road and New Central Avenue in Jackson.

A Sefer Torah is being written L’Ilui Nishmas Rafael Faham Z”L, as well as for Chaim Zelig Berl Z”L.

President Donald Trump is moving ahead with plans for a grand meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week, but uncertainty over the White House strategy for ending the Iran conflict along with tensions over Beijing’s support for Tehran suggest the two-month postponement of the summit did little to strengthen Washington’s hand.

Trump said that he and Xi would discuss the war in Beijing next week, praising the Chinese president as “very respectful.” The remarks came despite anger in the Chinese capital over sweeping U.S. sanctions targeting trade with Iran, culminating last week in the unusual step of Beijing ordering companies and ships to openly defy the measures.

Diplomatic dust-ups over the Iran war have injected uncertainty into preparations and overshadowed potential deliverables from the high-level summit, at which the two leaders are set to discuss a packed agenda on trade, Taiwan, fentanyl and artificial intelligence.

“It’s a huge distraction,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington. “The original date had to be postponed because Trump couldn’t handle two things at the same time, so the war obviously has already had an impact. But now, the question is, is the war going to critically affect the substance of the trip?”

Behind the scenes, U.S. and Chinese officials have been working to broker a deal that experts say is likely to include Chinese agricultural purchases, investment agreements, a consensus statement on AI guardrails and orders of U.S. commercial aircraft – a package of deliverables Trump could bring back to Washington as a foreign policy win. Analysts say Beijing, meanwhile, is hoping to extend a trade truce, ease sanctions and technology restrictions, and potentially secure assurances the United States will pull back on arms sales to Taiwan.

Those discussions will unfold amid rapid developments in the Iran conflict. On Tuesday, Trump abruptly paused an operation to escort trapped ships through the Strait of Hormuz less than two days after it began, citing ongoing peace negotiations – precisely the kind of high-intensity diplomatic management Trump had hoped to avoid when he postponed his original meeting with Xi in March.

Underscoring how deeply the Iran conflict is entwined with the summit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Wednesday, where the Iranian envoy briefed Wang on the Pakistan-mediated negotiations with Washington, according to the semiofficial Iranian Students’ News Agency.

“I think it’s a deliberate design that the Iranians are coming to tell the Chinese what is their bottom line position, what they think that China can help deliver and what China can do to massage Trump,” Sun said.

Beijing has avoided taking a strong public position on the war and has quietly urged Tehran to consider a U.S. peace deal. At the same time, it has maintained support for the regime, holding a number of official calls with Iranian officials in recent months while lashing out at what its Foreign Ministry has described as “dangerous” U.S. tactics in the strait.

In recent weeks, the U.S. has sharply escalated pressure on Beijing, imposing sweeping sanctions on dozens of entities and a major Chinese oil refinery tied to the shadow trade that funnels hundreds of millions of barrels of Iranian oil to the country each year, roughly 13 percent of its total imports.

Washington also took the unusual step of physically seizing two Chinese-linked vessels transporting Iranian goods – one of which Trump said was carrying “a gift from China” which “wasn’t very nice.” Beijing condemned the sanctions, calling them “illegal.”

With a week to go before the summit, senior U.S. officials expected to form part of the sizable delegation to Beijing have zeroed in on China’s role in the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday urged Beijing to use its meeting with Araghchi to help loosen Tehran’s chokehold on the strait.

“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told, and that is that what you are doing in the straits is causing you to be globally isolated,” Rubio said ahead of Wang’s meeting with Araghchi.

That request could soon be tested. Rubio on Tuesday urged China not to veto a U.S.-backed U.N. resolution calling on Iran to halt attacks and mine-laying operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The measure could go to a vote just days before Trump’s visit. Last month, Beijing vetoed a separate U.S.-backed resolution supporting a coordinated international effort to secure the strait.

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a key figure in preparations for the U.S.-China summit, accused Beijing of helping fund a “state sponsor of terrorism” through its support for the Iranian regime.

Analysts have downplayed expectations for major breakthroughs from the summit, saying both sides are likely to focus instead on stabilizing relations and extending a fragile trade truce.

“After all these years of ups and downs, China has significantly lowered its expectations,” said Ren Xiao, a former Chinese diplomat and director of the Center for Chinese Foreign Policy Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.

Since Trump first previewed the summit in February – saying he hoped it would be the “biggest display you’ve ever had in the history of China,” the agenda has been scaled back from three days to two. It is also unclear whether he will receive the lavish welcome he has anticipated. Beijing does not publicly confirm high-level meetings in advance, wary of last-minute hiccups, and preparations have been kept under wraps.

On the U.S. side, preparations have forged ahead amid continuing distractions in the Middle East and periodic clashes with Beijing over the war. This week, images appearing to show U.S. military C-17 transport planes landing at Beijing airport circulated widely on Chinese social media, fueling speculation about what advance equipment Washington may be sending ahead of the summit.

Such flights are a routine part of advance preparations for presidential travel, which typically involve transporting security personnel, communications systems and armored vehicles including the presidential limousine known as “The Beast.”

Trump in February spoke enthusiastically about wanting a grand display of parading Chinese uniformed guards, and said last month that Xi will give him a “big, fat hug” in Beijing following his efforts to reopen the strait.

China maintains a tiered system of welcome ceremonies for foreign leaders, including 21-gun salutes and elaborate receptions at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square or more muted meetings depending on expected outcomes and the standing of the guests in Beijing. Privately, Chinese officials are concerned that an overly extravagant welcome could send awkward signals that it Beijing is being too accommodating toward the U.S. amid the fracturing conflict, according to the official.

“We know that Trump loves grand ceremonies, but China also hates to be seen as fawning over him at this sensitive point, worried that a grander-than-2017 welcome would contradict China’s role as a peacemaker and friend of the Middle East,” said Wang Yiwei, a former Chinese diplomat who is now a council member in the state-affiliated Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Cate Cadell

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Countries around the world are preparing to deal with the 140 passengers and crew members on board a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands.

The vessel is expected to reach the Spanish island of Tenerife, off the coast of West Africa, early Sunday morning.

At least three passengers have died, and several other people have been infected.

Hantavirus is usually spread by the inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings. Symptoms usually show between one and eight weeks after exposure. The World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public from the outbreak is low, but the Andes virus implicated in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

Authorities and the cruise operator have been providing updates, but some key information is still lacking.

Here’s what we don’t know:

Where the outbreak originated
Argentine investigators suspect a Dutch couple may have first contracted the virus while on a bird-watching trip before they boarded the cruise ship in Argentina on April 1. But no organization has confirmed where or how they acquired the disease.

Argentina’s Health Ministry has zeroed in on the nation’s southernmost town, Ushuaia. Officials plan to travel there in the coming days according to a written statement to The Associated Press. No explanation was given for the delay.

What happens next to the remaining passengers
Spanish authorities are preparing to receive the remaining passengers and crew members on Tenerife. Officials said Friday that once the ship reaches Tenerife, passengers will be evacuated in small boats to buses only once their repatriation flights are ready to take them.

The United States has agreed to send a plane to the Canary Islands to pick up its citizens, as will the British government. Other countries have not yet made their plans public and it is not clear for how long passengers on the boat will have to wait for their flights.

Virginia Barcones, Spain’s head of emergency services, said on Friday the country had requested medically equipped planes for passengers experiencing symptoms but it wasn’t known if those would be available.

How many people may have been exposed
According to cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions, the MV Hondius departed Ushuaia on April 1 and made two stops before the outbreak occurred.

Six more passengers boarded at the remote island of Tristan da Cunha. The ship then made a stop at the island of St. Helena, where 30 passengers disembarked, including a Dutch woman and the body of her deceased husband. The nationalities of two of those 30 passengers are unknown. They are thought to be Chileans who boarded at Tristan da Cunha, according to the company.

Stephen Doughty, the U.K. minister of overseas territories, said on Friday that a resident of Tristan da Cunha has been hospitalized with symptoms of hantavirus. It is not clear if this person was a passenger on the ship.

Initial figures provided by Oceanwide Expeditions said the ship left Argentina with 114 passengers and an unknown number of crew members onboard. Later figures provided by Oceanwide Expeditions say the ship had 61 crew members from 12 countries, but it’s not known if any of the crew changed during the ship’s journey.

Oceanwide Expeditions was forced to update the number and nationalities of the passengers who disembarked on St. Helena after discovering a discrepancy in their initial figures. Their number is lower than the Dutch Foreign Ministry’s estimate, and the reason for the difference is unknown.

The whereabouts of all of the passengers
Many of the passengers who disembarked at St. Helena traveled on to other countries, including the Dutch woman whose husband died on board. She flew to Johannesburg then briefly boarded a plane preparing to fly to Amsterdam. She was removed because she was too ill to travel, and later died.

South African and Dutch authorities are trying to trace the whereabouts of anyone who had contact with the deceased woman during her travels. A flight attendant, who had contact with the woman, has tested negative for hantavirus after reporting symptoms.

Some governments, like the United Kingdom, have confirmed the whereabouts of their citizens who left the boat. According to U.K health officials, two are self-isolating at home, four remain on St. Helena, and one “has been traced outside of the U.K..” However, U.K. officials do not know or have not made public how many others they have come into contact with since.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (VINnews) — The collapse of Spirit Airlines has triggered a massive effort to repossess aircraft, liquidate assets and redistribute valuable airport space as the discount carrier formally winds down operations.

According to a report by NPR, dozens of Spirit’s signature yellow jets are already being ferried from airports across the country to long-term storage facilities in Arizona following the airline’s shutdown last weekend.

Industry officials told NPR that the airline ceased operations with more than 90 aircraft spread across airports nationwide, creating a logistical scramble for lessors, airport operators and aviation recovery firms. Most of Spirit’s fleet was leased rather than owned outright, leading aircraft owners to move quickly to reclaim planes before arranging new leases or parting them out for engines and components.

Aviation specialists said some aircraft may soon return to service under different carriers, while others could remain parked in desert storage facilities for months amid uncertainty in the airline industry.

Beyond aircraft, Spirit is also attempting to monetize a wide range of assets through bankruptcy proceedings and liquidation efforts. Those holdings reportedly include maintenance facilities, office properties in South Florida, spare engines, airport gates and valuable takeoff and landing slots at some of the nation’s most congested airports.

Analysts interviewed by NPR said Spirit’s airport access rights alone could prove highly attractive to competitors seeking to expand service in major markets. Gates tied to airports in cities including Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are expected to generate strong interest from rival airlines.

Particular attention is also being focused on Spirit’s coveted operating slots at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, where limited runway capacity makes landing rights especially valuable. Aviation experts told NPR that multiple airlines are likely to compete aggressively for those slots during the liquidation process.

The process of recovering aircraft has reportedly been far from smooth. Recovery crews and contract pilots have encountered confusion and resistance at airports while attempting to retrieve grounded jets. Some ferry pilots involved in the operations previously worked for Spirit and are now helping transport aircraft wearing casual clothing rather than airline uniforms, adding to the unusual scenes unfolding at airport gates around the country.

Industry analysts told NPR that broader economic pressures could complicate Spirit’s liquidation timeline. Rising jet fuel prices and financial strain across the airline sector have reduced demand for older or less fuel-efficient aircraft, potentially slowing asset sales and depressing values.

While experts expect buyers eventually to emerge for many of Spirit’s assets, they cautioned that the process could take months, leaving rows of grounded yellow aircraft sitting idle in Arizona’s desert storage yards as one of America’s most recognizable low-cost airlines disappears from the skies.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (VINnews) — A Brooklyn property dispute that attracted the backing of New York City elected officials and helped fuel calls by Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a stronger anti-deed-theft initiative is now increasingly appearing to center on allegations of misconduct by the very people claiming to be victims.

During a chaotic court hearing Thursday, Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Rachel Freier repeatedly cut through courtroom theatrics and demanded answers about the whereabouts of 84-year-old Allman Charrington, an Alzheimer’s patient under a Georgia conservatorship who was not produced in court despite prior promises.

the NY Post reported that Instead of bringing the elderly man, his daughter arrived with a loud group of supporters wearing anti-deed-theft slogans and disrupting proceedings. Several individuals were removed by court officers as tensions escalated inside the courtroom.

What had been publicly portrayed by activists and political allies as a straightforward case of alleged deed theft has taken a far murkier turn in court. Attorneys representing the Georgia conservatorship accused family members of defying court orders, concealing the elderly man’s whereabouts and improperly collecting his Social Security benefits.

Judge Freier repeatedly interrupted evasive answers from attorneys, signaling skepticism toward the narrative being pushed by supporters.

The case had previously gained political traction in New York, with demonstrations outside the contested Brooklyn property drawing attention from elected officials and activists. The controversy even helped intensify public pressure surrounding the city’s response to deed-theft complaints, an issue Mayor Mamdani later highlighted while announcing efforts to expand enforcement resources.

But according to statements referenced in court, investigators concluded the dispute was technically a family property conflict rather than a traditional deed-theft scheme.

As more details emerge, what was once framed publicly as a cause célèbre against alleged housing corruption is now increasingly being viewed by critics as a case where the loudest accusations may have been coming from individuals facing troubling allegations themselves.

A U.S. government watchdog has revealed four more staffers from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) who participated in the Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, including dozens of Americans, as well as the abduction and holding of hostages, 251 of whom were taken to Gaza, according to a New York Post report.

The USAID Office of Inspector General identified three of them as teachers and one as a social worker, teaching children and performing social services by day, killing children and abducting civilians by night.

The IG is conducting a criminal probe into about 100 UNRWA staffers suspected of working with Hamas, with these four now added to the total. Twenty-one so far have been confirmed to have ties to the terror group or to have participated in the Oct. 7 attack.

This video shows an UNRWA employee dragging a murdered Israeli’s body into the trunk of his car with an accomplice.

“The recent investigation by the USAID IG confirms that the U.N. is deficient in vetting its own staff for ties to terrorist organizations,” an unnamed source from the State Department told the outlet.

“As the U.N itself doesn’t consider Hamas a terrorist organization, both U.N. agencies and local NGOs may still hire Hamas-affiliated staff that place programs at high risk for diversion. This will not be tolerated.”

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 cutting aid to UNRWA, which received $1.5 billion in aid during the Biden administration, while $1 billion was diverted to Hamas, leading to a lawsuit that ended with a Manhattan federal judge ruling that the group has immunity from such claims as a U.N. organization.

The Department of Justice has moved to strip UNRWA of immunity and has also filed an appeal of the ruling.

StandWithUs reacted with a snide comment on X to the new revelations.

“ACT SURPRISED,” the Jewish advocacy group snarked. “Four former or current UNRWA employees have been found by USAID to have taken part in the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and/or to have ties to terror group Hamas.”

“UNRWA isn’t just complicit, it’s directly involved in Hamas’ terrorism,” the group added.

Responding to this post, Leo Terrell, senior counsel at the DOJ and head of the task force to combat antisemitism, posted a pithy rejoinder: “Jail them!”

photos: Hillel Las"h, Shloimy Schwartz

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijan this week marked the 34th anniversary of the death of Albert Agarunov, a Jewish tank commander widely regarded as one of the country’s national heroes following his death during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Memorial ceremonies took place at the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, where Agarunov is buried beneath both Azerbaijani and Israeli flags alongside other national figures. Rabbi Zamir Isayev joined students and members of the local Jewish community for prayers and commemorative events near the gravesite.

Community leaders described Agarunov as a symbol of courage, civic duty and loyalty to his country, noting that his legacy continues to resonate across Azerbaijani society decades after his death.

Agarunov was posthumously awarded the title “National Hero of Azerbaijan,” the nation’s highest honor. His funeral drew participation from both Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and was remembered as a display of interfaith respect.

Over the years, Azerbaijan has continued to commemorate Agarunov through memorials and public tributes, including naming a school after him and unveiling a monument in his honor in Baku.

He was killed on May 8, 1992, during fighting over the strategic city of Shusha. Azerbaijani accounts say Agarunov left his tank during combat in an effort to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers before being fatally shot by a sniper.

For many in Azerbaijan, Agarunov’s story represents both national patriotism and the long-standing presence of Jewish life in the country, where Jewish communities have lived for centuries.

More than three decades after his death, Agarunov remains one of Azerbaijan’s most recognized wartime figures and a lasting symbol of unity between the country’s Jewish and Muslim communities.

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israeli troops from the Negev Brigade have completed operations in the southern Gaza Strip, dismantling eight underground Hamas tunnel routes spanning more than 2.5 kilometers, the Israel Defense Forces said Friday.

Reserve troops operating under the Gaza Division cleared terrorist infrastructure in the area over several months. One of the tunnels was part of the eastern Rafah terror network, where Hamas operatives had been active in recent months. IDF forces struck and eliminated terrorists inside that tunnel during an engineering operation, the military said.

The Negev Brigade (12) concluded its seventh operational deployment since the start of the war. Paratroopers Brigade troops will replace them in the sector.

IDF units under Southern Command remain deployed in the area in line with the ceasefire framework and will continue to act against any immediate threats.

The military described the tunnels as part of Hamas’ underground infrastructure used by the terrorist organization.

As the summer session of the Knesset approaches and concerns grow over the ongoing gezeiros affecting the olam haTorah, members of Knesset from Degel HaTorah met last night with Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, at his residence.

The MKs spent approximately twenty minutes in a private audience with the rosh yeshiva, discussing the evolving legislation surrounding the draft law and the status of bnei yeshiva.

During the meeting, Rav Landau expressed appreciation to the representatives for their efforts and dedication in working to secure proper legal standing for lomdei Torah within the proposed law. He indicated that their hishtadlus until now was necessary and encouraged them not to be shaken by criticism from various quarters.

Regarding the advancement of the legislation through the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee ahead of a potential vote, Rav Landau said that he would issue his final position at the beginning of next week, with the opening of the summer session, after reviewing several additional factors.

{Matzav.com}

The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to [email protected].

Question:

We are looking into ways to alert individual neighborhoods advance notice of things like street cleaning

Thanks.

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

We are working with the state to get the timing on the lights adjusted. It is not unusual for problems like this to arise when a light goes live for the first time. I appreciate you bringing it to our attention so we can get it addressed

Stay safe

Ray

Question:

Dear Mayor,

First, I want to thank you for your many years of dedicated public service to the residents of Lakewood. Your efforts and leadership are sincerely appreciated, and we wish you continued success and good health.

I wanted to bring to your attention an ongoing issue in the Westgate area. There have been frequent violations of the one-way street designations, on the street called Lublin Terrace, with drivers regularly going the wrong way. This not only creates unnecessary traffic backups—undermining the purpose of the one-way system—but also poses a real safety risk for pedestrians and other drivers who are expecting traffic from only one direction. I am a pregnant woman with another two children in my car and I personally fear for the safety of myself and my children.

Would it be possible for the township to look into this and consider increased enforcement or signage in that area? It would go a long way toward improving both safety and traffic flow in the community.

Thank you for your time and continued dedication to Lakewood.

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

I asked the police department to pay additional attention over there. I have also asked them to work with public works to see if we can improve the signage.

Thanks,

Ray

Question:

Good morning

In the name of the thousands of cars driving here daily , I’d like to bring to your attention about the condition of this stretch in the road. From the 9 until Squankum rd , the road is full of pot holes , cracks &uneven , driving on the road feels like it’s constantly under construction, besides for damaging the vehicles driving there it’s extremely unpleasant.

Would greatly appreciate if this road can be repaired as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

A neighbor

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

This is a county road. I forwarded your request to the county enginner.

Thanks,

Ray

—————–

Have a question for the Mayor? Send it to [email protected]

Have a question for the Chief? Send it to [email protected]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Washington is looking for an answer from Iran on potential negotiations and made clear that any move by Tehran to assert control over a major international shipping route would not be tolerated.

Speaking in Rome after meeting with Pope Leo, Rubio told reporters that the administration expected to hear from Iran shortly. “We should know something today. I mean, we’re expecting a response from them,” he said.

He indicated that the United States hopes Tehran’s reply will move the situation toward meaningful diplomacy. According to Rubio, the goal is for the response to “put us into a serious process of negotiation.”

Rubio also responded to reports that Iran may be working to create a body that would oversee maritime traffic through a strategic strait. He warned that such a step would raise serious concerns.

“That would be very problematic. That would actually be unacceptable,” Rubio said. “The normalizing of their controlling of international waterways is both illegal and it’s just something that’s unacceptable.”

He broadened the warning, urging the international community to consider how it would react if Iran moved ahead with such plans. “And the world has to start asking itself, what is it willing to do if Iran tries to normalize a control of an international waterway? I think that’s unacceptable,” he added.

While no official reply had yet been received, Rubio suggested that internal challenges within Iran could be delaying a response. “their system is still highly fractured and a bit dysfunctional as well, so that may be serving as an impediment,” he said.

Despite that, Rubio expressed hope that any proposal from Tehran would be substantive. “I hope it’s a serious offer. I really do,” he stated.

Turning to the situation in the Middle East, Rubio said additional discussions involving Israel and Lebanon are anticipated in the near future, though no specific date has been finalized.

“We expect talks. I don’t know if we’ve set the exact date yet, but we expect that there will be additional talks,” he said.

Rubio pointed to Italy as a country that could contribute meaningfully to stabilizing Lebanon and assisting its government.

He said Italy could play “a very productive role and a constructive role” in supporting the Lebanese government.

He emphasized that all sides ultimately seek stronger ties between Israel and Lebanon’s recognized leadership. “In the end, we all share the same goal, and by all I mean, including the Lebanese government and the Israeli government, that we want the relations between Israel and Lebanon, its legitimate government, to be very strong,” Rubio stated.

Rubio also addressed Hezbollah’s influence, describing the group as closely tied to Tehran and blaming it for ongoing unrest in Lebanon.

He called Hezbollah “an Iranian agent” and said the group was responsible for instability in Lebanon.

“The reason why Lebanon faces bombings, the reason why Lebanon faces violence, is because of Hezbollah. It is Hezbollah that’s imposing this on them,” Rubio said.

According to Rubio, the United States is aiming for a Lebanon governed solely by its official authorities, without interference from armed factions.

He said the objective is “a strong Lebanese government that doesn’t have an armed Hezbollah operating within its national territory imposing a threat to any of its neighbors.”

Rubio added that Italy could help curb the financial networks that sustain Hezbollah.

He noted that Italy could assist “in cutting off the illicit financing that supports Hezbollah and the danger they pose.”

Addressing whether resolving tensions with Iran is a prerequisite for progress in Lebanon, Rubio said Hezbollah’s existence is tied directly to Tehran.

“Hezbollah wouldn’t exist without Iran’s support,” he said.

Even so, Rubio maintained that diplomatic progress involving Lebanon remains achievable.

“I think Hezbollah has been both weakened, but still capable of inflicting damage and doing terroristic activities, as we’ve seen,” Rubio stated.

He stressed that the United States would not engage Iran in talks specifically centered on Hezbollah unless Tehran ends its backing of the group. “We’re not going to negotiate with Iran over Hezbollah, because Hezbollah is dangerous other than if they’re willing to stop funding them and supporting them,” he added.

Rubio concluded by underscoring that Lebanon’s sovereignty must be upheld by its own government, not undermined by armed groups operating within its borders.

He said Lebanon “should be governed by the Lebanese government” and not by “a terrorist group operating within its national territory that poses a threat both to its own people, including the Shia population, and to the government, and to Israel, and to its other neighbors.”

{Matzav.com}

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By BoroPark24 Staff

Three separate pedestrian-involved collisions were reported within approximately one hour Friday morning across Boro Park, raising renewed concerns about traffic safety in the neighborhood.

One of the incidents occurred on 15th Ave between 37th and 38th Streets, where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and suffered serious injuries. Multiple Hatzolah units responded, while NYPD officers shut down the area to conduct an investigation. Traffic quickly backed up in the surrounding streets as emergency crews worked at the scene.

 The street remains closed as the NYPD Highway Investigation Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Please say Tehilem for Yakov Tzvi Elimelech ben Chana Yitel

The other two pedestrian strikes reported this morning occurred at separate locations in Boro Park. The conditions of those victims were not immediately available.

MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism has appealed to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, asking the American administration to step in and influence Israeli policy regarding the detention of chareidim who avoid military service.

In a letter titled “Urgent Request for the Protection of Yeshiva students in Israel in Honor of ‘Jewish American Heritage Month,’” Porush expressed appreciation for the current U.S. leadership, including President Donald Trump, for what he described as consistent backing of Jewish values and tradition.

“Throughout the generations, the United States has proven itself to be a nation that can be defined as ‘Righteous Among the Nations,’” Porush wrote.

He continued by highlighting what he views as a favorable approach by the current administration, stating, “we see an administration that also honors the Torah of the Jewish people, cherishes its values, and works tirelessly for the security and prosperity of the Jewish people.”

Porush then drew a sharp comparison between the American stance and what he described as Israel’s treatment of yeshiva students who do not enlist.

“While in the US, the government goes out of its way to celebrate and honor the Jewish religion and heritage, in Israel, the military and judicial authorities act in ways of persecution and arrests against yeshiva students whose sole occupation is Torah study,” he wrote.

Expanding on this point, Porush argued that respect shown by American institutions should be mirrored in Israel.

“If the American government, through all its branches, finds it appropriate to honor the Jewish religion and respect its values, it is only fitting that the authorities in the State of Israel act with similar respect toward yeshiva students, who have been the guardians of our people’s eternal flame for thousands of years.”

He concluded by calling on Huckabee to use his position to influence Israeli authorities.

Porush urged that the U.S. should “exercise its moral influence and call upon the judicial authorities in Israel to immediately and completely cease the arrests of Torah scholars and yeshiva students.”

“There is no more fitting time than ‘Jewish Heritage Month’ to clarify that the protection of yeshiva students is a supreme Jewish and democratic value,” he wrote.

YS GOLD 

We regret to inform you of the passing of Reb Shaya Hershkowitz, a humble giant who is described as "a selfless individual who did not live for himself but for the Ribbono shel Olam." He was 89 years of age and lived a life of chessed. 

Reb Shaya was a legend in the Sfardishe Shul in Boro Park, and one of the heads of the Chevra Kaddisha of Bikur Cholim of Boro Park. In these capacities, he gave himself away for Yidden with his whole heart, devoting his days and nights to chessed. 

"He would run in middle of the night for chevra kaddisha calls," remembers one admirer. "He was one of the first in Shul every morning, beginning his day in the wee hours of the morning with shiurei Torah, many of which he helped organize." 

He was also in charge of the Sfardishe Shul's gemach, and helped organize many aspects of the shul's functioning with valiant devotion. 

He will be remembered for many years to come as a legend of chessed who devoted his life to Hashem and to his fellow Yidden. 

The levaya will take place this morning at 10:30 at Shomrei Hadas. To watch it live, click here.

Yehi zichro baruch.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California families welcoming newborns will soon receive hundreds of free diapers before leaving the hospital under a first-in-the-nation program being announced Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

During the program’s first year, it will be offered at about 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of births in the state and largely serve low-income patients, Newsom’s office said. The initiative will expand to more hospitals statewide though the governor’s office did not say how many.

Newsom said the plan builds on California’s effort to make living in the notoriously expensive state a little easier for families. He highlighted policies in recent years to provide students with free meals at school and make preschool free for all.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life — and that means making sure parents have the basics they need from day one,” the Democrat said in a statement.

The state set aside $7.4 million in last year’s budget to roll out the initiative, and this year’s budget proposal includes an additional $12.5 million to implement the program for the upcoming fiscal year ending in June 2027.

It will allow each infant to receive 400 diapers in sizes for newborns and babies up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms) when they are discharged from a hospital after birth. That will cover a little more than a month’s worth of diapers, since newborns on average require eight to 10 diapers a day. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby — a group focused on expanding children’s access to essential items — to manufacture the diapers for participating hospitals, Newsom’s office said.

The announcement comes two years after Tennessee and Delaware became the first U.S. states to offer free diapers to families enrolled in their Medicaid programs, which provide healthcare to low-income families. Under the Tennessee program, families can go to pharmacies to pick up 100 diapers per month for children under two. The Delaware program, which began as a pilot before the state extended it in 2024, provides individuals with up to 80 diapers and up to one pack of baby wipes per week in the first 12 weeks of life.

California’s Medicaid system doesn’t cover diapers for newborns, but it does cover the items for enrollees ages 5 and older if they have a medical need for them.

Diapers are a large, ongoing expense for many families. They typically spend about $100 a month on the items per child, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank. The cost burden can lead some parents to leave their child’s diapers on for too long or reuse disposable diapers, which can result in rashes and urinary tract infections, the center says.

California officials are touting the new effort as a way to ease that financial strain.

“The first days at home with a newborn should be focused on the love, connection, and joy of an expanded family, not stress about affording diapers,” said Kim Johnson, the state’s health secretary. “This program helps ensure families can begin that journey with greater stability and peace of mind.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers a delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs last month despite an economic shock from the Iran war.

Hiring was better than the 65,000 forecasters had expected, though it decelerated from the 185,000 jobs created in March. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%.

The Iran war has caused the biggest disruption of global oil supplies in history and sent average U.S. gasoline prices surging past $4.50 a gallon this week. But the conflict hasn’t done much damage to the American job market so far.

Healthcare added 37,000 jobs last month and retailers 22,000. However, manufacturers cut 2,000 jobs in April and have shed 66,000 jobs over the past year despite President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies aimed at creating factory jobs.

Labor Department revisions shaved 16,000 jobs from February and March payrolls.

Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% from March and 3.6% from April 2025, consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target.

Baby Boomer retirements and Trump’s immigration crackdown mean that fewer people are competing for work and that the economy doesn’t need to generate as many jobs as it used to.

Matthew Martin of Oxford Economics says the so-called break-even point — the number of new jobs required each month to keep the unemployment rate from rising — is now near zero. The jobless rate is expected, in fact, to have remained at a low 4.3% in April, according to FactSet.

After the U.S. and Israel launched their attacks Feb. 28, Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. The disruption has caused a painful increase in the price of energy and led many economists to downgrade their estimates for global and U.S. economic growth.

But the fallout isn’t showing up yet in the U.S. job market.

Payroll processor ADP reported Wednesday that private employers added a solid 109,000 jobs in April. The ADP figure isn’t a reliable guide to what the Labor Department will report Friday – but the pace of hiring it showed was the fastest since January 2025. And on Tuesday the Labor Department reported that a measure of gross hiring – before subtracting those who left or lost their jobs – was stronger in March than it had been in more than two years.

The economy is getting a boost from big tax refund checks this spring, arising from Trump’s tax cut legislation last year; the refunds allow consumers to spend more freely, giving companies an incentive to add workers in response to rising sales.

The job market is showing intermittent signs of recovery after a bleak 2025. Employers last year created just 9,700 jobs a month, fewest outside a recession year since 2002. High interest rates and uncertainty over Trump’s economic policies held back hiring.

There’s been progress this year, but it’s been uneven — strong growth (160,000 new jobs) in January, March (185,000) and April’s 115,000 and one bad month (employers cut 156,000 jobs in February).

U.S. hiring, though, has been dominated by one industry: Healthcare companies, catering to an aging American population, have added 456,000 jobs over the past year; other employers have combined to cut 205,000 over the 12 months that ended in April.

The strong hiring data lands as U.S. corporations post solid quarterly performances to start the year.

Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold a third round of talks next week, with military representatives from both sides joining the ambassadors for the first time. The United States had hoped to bring the heads of both states together, but Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, has flatly refused, saying such a meeting can occur only after reaching a security agreement and after Israel stops firing on Lebanon.

The first two talks established a framework whereby Israel withdraws from Lebanon, the Lebanese government disarms Hezbollah, and relations between the two countries are normalized for the first time since they have officially been at war since 1948.

Beirut had been hoping for an agreement with Jerusalem to announce a ceasefire, and just two days after the first talks on April 14, President Donald Trump announced one. Then he announced on April 23 a three-week extension of the ceasefire, which all parties declared was separate from the ceasefire with Iran. Initially, Iran had demanded that its ceasefire be coupled with a Hezbollah truce.

This video purports to show emergency vehicles rushing to the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, the first on the Lebanese capital since the April ceasefire. (From a post on X)

The Lebanese delegation will present a list of ambitious demands, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, the release of Lebanese prisoners, border agreements, the ability for evacuees to return home and reconstruction of areas devastated by the fighting, according to a Saudi-owned outlet citing unnamed Lebanese officials.

Meanwhile, since the ceasefire was implemented in mid-April, Hezbollah and the IDF have continued to exchange fire. The IDF has killed hundreds of terrorists since then, with the elimination of thousands between the beginning of the war in October 2023 and the April ceasefire.

It remains to be seen whether Beirut has the will and the power to exert control over Hezbollah, but Aoun is the first Lebanese leader in decades to unequivocally express his desire to be rid of what even many Lebanese consider a menace to their society. Aoun’s position is sensitive: Strong action could spark a civil war with the Shiite population, which makes up about one third of the total population.

The IDF continues to occupy a six-mile-deep buffer zone, which it says is necessary to protect northern communities from Hezbollah fire. While the civilian population has been evacuated, the IDF has been demolishing homes because of their dual use for military purposes, such as weapons storage, according to the Israeli military, which has accused Hezbollah of cynically exploiting the civilian population as human shields and thus imperiling their lives and property.

But the scenes of destruction mirror Gaza, igniting international outrage.

Since Hezbollah joined the war with Iran, nearly 2,700 people have died in Lebanon, of whom more than 1,900 were terrorists, according to the Israeli military.

[Video below.] Authorities on Thursday evening made public rare video footage from a raid conducted at a residence in the town of Yavne’el, after receiving information that a marriage involving a minor was taking place.

According to officials, when police entered the home, relatives present insisted that the gathering was only a vort, which is permitted under the law and does not constitute a violation.

Despite those claims, a search of the premises revealed items that appeared to contradict that version of events. Officers discovered a kesubah that they believe had been intentionally concealed, along with a glass designated for the customary breaking at a chasunah and a wedding ring.

The released footage shows the kallah, a 16-year-old girl, wearing a white gown, standing near what appeared to be a tefillah for the kallah. Outside the residence, police found a decorated vehicle prepared for the chosson and kallah.

Police said that the chosson is an adult man, and they suspect that the families involved attempted to present the gathering as a simple engagement while in reality conducting an unlawful marriage.

The release of the footage comes as tensions have been rising over a separate incident in the past day, in which a notice circulated announcing a vort between a man said to be around 30 years old and a minor. That situation sparked clashes in the area, as family members confronted local residents and activists who came to protest the planned event.

WATCH:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/whatsapp_video_20260507_at_21.56.24.mp4

They arrive in cheerful bottles with names that sound like promises – Daily Brain Boost, Brain Drive, Brain guard+. And Americans, in turn, spend billions of dollars each year chasing the idea of a sharper mind.

This is the logic of the moment: that the self is something to be tuned and upgraded, its limits negotiable through the right regimen of diets, workouts, injections, pills, powders and gummies. Cognitive health, once the domain of aging and illness, has become another frontier for optimization.

“Is this all real or is it all marketing hype? It’s a combination I think,” said Gary Small, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and former director of the UCLA Longevity Center, now at Hackensack Meridian Health. “The science is changing so fast it’s hard for even experts to sort it out.”

About 1 in 5 adults over age 50 use vitamins or supplements specifically to try to boost brain functions like memory, attention or focus, according to a 2021 AARP survey, the most recent update. The global market for nutritional supplements was estimated at $517.1 billion in 2025 and projected to be $862.5 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.

Supplements occupy a distinctly permissive corner of American medicine – one where products can be sold without the kind of large, rigorous, double-blind trials federal authorities require for pharmaceuticals, which often involve thousands of people. The Food and Drug Administration provides limited oversight of dietary supplements only after they are on store shelves, largely leaving it to manufacturers to ensure their products are safe and accurately labeled.

Many brain health products are built on how the brain changes in disease – stress that can lead to cell damage, inflammation linked to cognitive decline, amyloid buildup tied to Alzheimer’s.

But showing an effect on those pathways in a lab involving a Petri dish or on animals – or even on patients with illness – doesn’t translate cleanly to improvement in otherwise healthy people’s memory or focus. The industry often blurs that line, marketing disease-adjacent science as everyday enhancement, said Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Cohen says the words “brain health” basically mean you “use your imagination and the benefits can be anything you want. … There’s no process by which these claims are vetted, so the consumer can’t rely on anything that is said by the companies or the label itself.”

Jason Wachob, founder and co-CEO of Mindbodygreen, which sells Brain guard+, said skepticism about the supplement category is fair: “The market is noisy and not all products are created equal.”

He asserts his company is built on patented ingredients, clinical doses, and rigorous testing for purity and potency in laboratories certified by the International Organization for Standardization; the company lists relevant studies supporting claims on the product site.

“Our product development starts and ends with science,” Wachob said.

Midi Health Chief Medical Officer Kathleen Jordan said the company selects “our supplements very carefully and only choose to get behind ones we believe in and are the most science supported – and ones we often use ourselves.” Momentous, maker of Brain Drive, declined to comment.

As more interest and money flow into the space, more serious human research is beginning to take shape. The findings, however, remain modest and uneven.

There is some concern that the placebo effect may be doing more of the work in some cases than the pills, powders or gummies. Some research on cognition-enhancing drugs known as nootropics and over-the-counter brain supplements suggests that perceived improvements often track closely with expectation rather than measurable changes. The benefit, in other words, may come from belief, routine or increased self-monitoring rather than the ingredient list.

Even some promising research results have not panned out. In 1997, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that high doses of vitamin E – 2,000 units – delayed functional deterioration in moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease patients. The findings were compelling enough that many physicians began recommending this dose, but enthusiasm waned after later findings raised concerns about increased bleeding risk.

Mónika Fekete, an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at Semmelweis University in Budapest, led a review of nutritional supplements’ impact on cognitive function in the journal Nutrients. Fekete and her colleagues found that vitamins B, C, D and E each contribute uniquely to brain health, but studies about dietary supplements more generally are frequently limited by differences in methods, small sample sizes and a lack of clear goals.

“The strongest and most consistent evidence regarding brain health and prevention of chronic diseases does not support the widespread use of isolated dietary supplements,” she said.

Researchers say the most reliable ways to protect brain health remain decidedly unglamorous: exercise, sleep and social connection.

What supplements does one expert take and avoid?

Here’s how Small, 74, thinks about supplements in his own life:

1. Curcumin A number of years ago, Small came across epidemiological studies noting lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease in parts of Asia where diets are rich in turmeric, the golden-yellow root long used in cooking. Around the same time, laboratory research began to suggest that curcumin, one of turmeric’s active compounds, had anti-inflammatory properties and might reduce tau and amyloid beta – proteins closely associated with neurodegeneration. Intrigued, Small helped conduct a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 40 adults and reported improvements in memory and attention in the group that took curcumin.

The study was never expanded, but he found the results suggestive enough to begin taking the supplement himself. He remains uncertain about its effects on the brain, he said, but is comfortable with the possibility that it may offer broader anti-inflammatory benefits.

A 2024 review of published studies on curcumin found a “statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance,” while cautioning about potential gastrointestinal side effects. There have been recent concerns about whether it could cause liver damage as well.

2. Coenzyme Q10 There have been a few studies that suggest Coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring compound that helps cells produce energy and helps protect them from damage, could aid the brain. But Small mostly takes it because he takes a statin for cholesterol and his doctor told him there is some evidence CoQ10 lowers the risk for side effects such as muscle aches and fatigue.

3. Multivitamin One of the more convincing findings to date about supplements comes from the cognitive substudies of the Harvard-led COSMOS trial, which involved over 2,200 participants followed over roughly two to three years. A paper published in 2024 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adults over 60 who took a daily multivitamin scored modestly better on tests of episodic memory than those given a placebo – a gap researchers say amounts to about two years of cognitive aging.

What he doesn’t take:

1. Vitamin D “Vitamin D is good for the body, definitely, and there are some suggestive evidence it may help with cognitive health,” he said. But Small said he gets plenty of it by being outdoors and does not believe in supplementing unless a person is deficient.

2. B12 Low vitamin B12 levels can lead to “fatigue, numbness, tingling and memory loss,” Small said. “But if your levels are normal, I think the evidence it’s going to help you much is pretty flimsy.”

3. Omega-3 When it comes to taking omega-3 in supplements, Small said, “When benefits are seen, they are small, inconsistent and often not clinically meaningful.” On the other hand, observational studies have consistently shown that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia. “Randomized trials haven’t confirmed a causal effect, but sushi, sashimi, branzino, salmon and other fish are some of my favorite foods, so I enjoy a fish dish twice a week,” he said.

4. Creatine A number of Small’s patients are taking creatine for their physical health, and some randomized controlled trials link it to better working memory and processing speed. Although he doesn’t take it himself, Small said it falls into the category of “if somebody feels very strongly, I won’t argue – as long as I don’t think there are side effects.” He said older adults, as well as athletes, may benefit from creatine supplementation, though some people may experience side effects.

5. Phosphatidylserine This is part of the brain cell membranes and is believed to support cognitive function, memory and nerve health. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition in 2010 of 78 older people in Japan who complained of memory issues found that phosphatidylserine derived from soybean given for six months resulted in improved memory function, especially delayed recall and the ability to remember information after a period of time has passed. But Small is not convinced enough to take it himself, and it can be found naturally in fish, soybeans and eggs.

6. Nicotinamide riboside A form of vitamin B3, this ingredient has been getting a fair amount of attention recently as a popular antiaging supplement. A 2025 clinical study of people with long covid published in eClinicalMedicine found high doses were associated with positive changes in cognition, fatigue and mood. But the research is still in the very early stages.

Tips for evaluating supplements

Ask your doctor. Bring the bottles and canisters of everything you are taking to your doctor to evaluate, because there’s often overlap between different brands and formulations. “You may be wasting money or, at worst, creating a situation of drug interactions you’re not aware of,” Small said.

Vet the companies. There are two main issues with supplements: whether they work or might cause harm, and whether they contain what’s advertised or include dangerous contaminants. Research whether a manufacturer is a reputable company and if there any lawsuits or complaints against it.

Be skeptical. Instead of taking the claims on a label for granted, assume the pills or powders don’t do anything until you’ve done your own research. “With social media and the Internet, supplement marketing is on steroids,” Small said. “Whoever has the loudest voice in the room seems to prevail.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Ariana Eunjung Cha

Billionaires Ken Griffin and Marc Rowan are relocating thousands of jobs out of New York City, citing Mayor Mamdani’s “tax the rich” agenda as the catalyst for what executives warn could be a larger Wall Street exodus.

Griffin told CNBC on Tuesday that a social media video Mamdani posted featuring his $238 million penthouse to promote a luxury second-home tax prompted him to expand Citadel’s Miami hub significantly. “We will add far more jobs in Miami over the next decade as an immediate and direct consequence of the mayor’s poor decision,” Griffin said, describing the video as “creepy.”

The hedge fund magnate had previously threatened to scrap a $6 billion Park Avenue development for Citadel if the tax proposal advanced.

Apollo Global Management, a $900 billion asset manager, is preparing to open a new hub in Florida or Texas with 1,000 employees—matching its New York headcount—amid concerns about Mamdani’s anti-business stance.

The threatened departures align with warnings from Gov. Hochul and other city leaders that aggressive taxation could trigger capital flight. A pro-business group, Partnership for New York City, estimates potential losses of 2,700 financial-sector jobs and $168 million in annual state and city tax revenue. Apollo paid roughly $1.28 billion in city and state taxes in 2025; Citadel executives say Griffin and firm principals paid $2.3 billion over five years.

Griffin’s move parallels his 2022 relocation of Citadel from Chicago to Miami over crime concerns and dissatisfaction with local leadership. “Looking at what Mamdani just did to me is triggering the trauma I went through in Chicago,” Griffin said.

When asked about the threat Wednesday, Mamdani said he wants “all New Yorkers to succeed” but defended his tax reform agenda, saying the system rewards “extreme wealth while working people are pushed to the brink.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Americans can now earn accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees entirely on their mobile phones, according to Cornerstone University, as higher education continues moving further away from the traditional classroom model.

The university’s SOAR program allows students to complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in strategic business management, or a master’s degree in organizational leadership. Cornerstone University President Gerson Moreno-Riaño told Fox Business, “We developed the nation’s first mobile platform to deliver an accredited undergraduate degree and a master’s degree as well, all via your mobile phone.”

The program launched in August and has about 250 students enrolled, according to the university. Moreno-Riaño said some transfer students with prior credits are expected to become the program’s first graduates this year.

The bachelor’s degree costs $24,000 from start to finish, while the master’s degree costs $12,000. The university said more than half of current students are paying no tuition because of scholarships and grants, and said the program has a 91% month-to-month persistence rate.

Cornerstone described the program as an answer for non-traditional students who cannot, or do not want to, return to a standard college model. “We see this as an opportunity to address a gap in our country now when it comes to education, and frankly, we’re convinced that the current American higher ed infrastructure cannot address this challenge,” Moreno-Riaño said.

Instead of moving a standard college course onto Zoom, Cornerstone says it rebuilt the program for a phone screen. The app uses self-paced microlearning modules, with short videos, podcasts, audiobooks, interviews and instant assessments instead of fixed class times. New classes begin every two weeks, and students can move through lessons while commuting, traveling or doing chores, according to the university.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of choosing “reckless military adventure” whenever diplomacy is possible, suggesting that “a spoiler” may once again be pushing POTUS toward another Middle East conflict.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” Araghchi said.

He added: “Iranians never bow to pressure and diplomacy is always the victim.”

Araghchi also pushed back against reported CIA assessments regarding Iran’s missile capabilities, claiming Iran’s missile inventory and launcher capacity are not at 75% of February levels as allegedly reported, but rather “120%.”

“Exercise is good for you” is about as groundbreaking as florals for spring. But the flip side of that somewhat obvious health advice is also true: Spending too much time sitting isn’t great for you.

We’ve all read the headlines claiming that “sitting is the new smoking” even if you exercise. It seems as if there’s a regular cadence of research coming out to suggest that anyone with a sedentary lifestyle or occupation is doomed.

So how bad is it, really, to sit all day? And how can you combat the effects – considering that you may not feel like you have much of an alternative if your job requires it of you most days?

We dug into the research and asked experts to explain what sitting all day does to your body and what you can do to counteract the effects.

The health risks of sitting too much
A lot of sedentary time really is bad for you. We’ve known this for more than a decade. “I started talking about this 10 years ago, and it’s only gotten worse,” said Keith Diaz, the Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, who has researched the health effects of sitting too much.

Over the years, various studies have linked too much sitting with shorter lifespans, including higher rates of death from heart disease and from any cause. How much sitting is “too much” can vary by study, but generally it looks like more than eight to 10 hours per day.

Sitting for 10 hours a day once in a while isn’t the end of the world. Rather, researchers look at sedentary behavior over the course of years. When sitting all day becomes a regular habit, it’s also tied to a higher risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and cognitive impairment.

A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) of nearly 6,000 older women found that those who spent more than 11 hours sitting per day had a 57 percent higher risk of death from any cause during the 10-year study period and a 78 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease compared with women who sat for fewer than nine hours per day. Women who sat the most during the day and had the longest bouts of uninterrupted sitting had the highest chances of dying.

This study and others point to two main hypotheses underlying this association between sitting and negative health outcomes.

The first is that “when we sit, our muscles are not working and are not taking up glucose, and that can negatively affect our metabolism,” said Steve Nguyen, assistant professor in residence at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California at San Diego and lead author of the JAHA study.

“What we’re learning is that our muscles are really important for regulating blood sugar and triglycerides, or fats in our blood,” Diaz added. “For muscles to do that well, they need regular contraction,” which they don’t get when you’re sedentary.

The second has to do with blood vessels. When we sit, the bend in our legs is like a kink in a hose that can affect blood flow, Diaz said. Over time, that can contribute to blood vessels becoming stiffer, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, Nguyen said.

People who sit a lot are also more likely to report having back and neck pain. While more research is needed, this could be due to how sedentary time affects posture. “Sitting results in muscle inactivation, and that could lead to lower muscle strength,” Nyugen said. Lower muscle strength makes us more likely to slouch, which can, over time, contribute to musculoskeletal imbalances and pain.

The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” is attributed to a Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and the inventor of the treadmill desk. But that’s not actually true.

When one meta-analysis tried to quantify just how bad sitting is compared with smoking, smoking was still worse. Per 100,000 people, 190 might die each year because of the health effects of sitting, while 2,000 would die because of heavy smoking.

How to combat the effects of sitting
So what can you do if you sit too much? The answer is simple in theory and harder in practice for the vast majority of U.S. adults: If you have healthy joints and muscles and no reason you can’t move more, then just don’t sit all day.

Here are some practical tips for incorporating a bit more movement into your life.

If your job is sedentary, make sure your weekend isn’t
Some sitting is probably unavoidable, especially if your work requires it. So look for opportunities to move more when you’re not at your job. That means no matter how tempting it is to spend a lot of your weekend scrolling on social media, try not to spend all of your downtime being sedentary, too.

Start exercising regularly if you don’t already
Exercise alone doesn’t seem to completely negate the harmful effects of sitting, but it can help. “Even if you exercise, how much sitting you do can still influence your disease risk,” Diaz said. “But if you didn’t exercise, you’d be far worse off.”

And a little bit goes a long way. Swapping 30 minutes of sitting for 30 minutes of light activity was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of death in a 2019 study of adults over age 45 that Diaz co-authored. And if those 30 minutes of activity were moderate to vigorous, risk of death decreased by 35 percent.

Change your position frequently
The fix for sitting all day isn’t necessarily standing all day. Standing too long can lead to back pain and still cause blood to pool in your legs, but it can be a helpful way to interrupt longer periods of sitting, Diaz said.

“The goal here is: Don’t sit all day, don’t stand all day, don’t move all day,” Diaz said. “It’s really just about doing everything in moderation and avoiding doing one thing for long periods of time.”

If it’s available and appropriate for you, consider an adjustable standing desk that allows you to sit or stand while you work. These devices reduce sedentary time and have also been linked to improvements in back and neck pain, productivity and feelings of engagement at work, according to a 2021 study. Treadmill and pedaling desks are other options, Nguyen added.

Schedule regular movement breaks
You should also break for movement regularly. In a small 2023 study Diaz co-authored, taking a five-minute activity break every 30 minutes that you’re sitting resulted in improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar management compared with people who didn’t get up and move at all.

Even taking less-frequent breaks is still a good idea. “What we were reassured with is that if you move every hour for five minutes, it didn’t help as much with blood sugar, but it helped with blood pressure, and it helped with people’s mood and their feelings of fatigue, which are two of the hidden costs of our sedentary lives,” Diaz said.

So whenever you can, take a quick walk around your office, do simple exercises like calf raises or squats, climb some stairs or even just march in place until you have to sit again.

To make this easier to actually do, think about where you can add in movement throughout your day tied to habits you already have, Diaz said – a popular concept known as habit-stacking. This might look like taking a short walk after every time you finish a work call, instead of diving into another project or checking your email, he said. You can also try scheduling movement in your calendar, setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to move more, or wearing a fitness tracker that regularly nudges you.

Think about ways in which you can permanently change sedentary habits, too. For example, maybe you make your weekly check-in meeting with your direct report a walking meeting or go for a stroll during your monthly phone call with your long-distance friend. These small changes can add up to decreased total sitting time.

“While it’s very important to move around throughout the day, movement and exercise are not a free pass,” Nguyen said. “We should still work on reducing our sitting where we reasonably can.”

(c) The Washington Post · Sarah Klein

A man in his 50s was arrested in London on Thursday after allegedly shouting Nazi abuse and threatening Jewish passengers on a bus in Hackney, police said.

The incident happened at about 3:45 p.m. on a Route 254 bus near the Stamford Hill area, home to one of Britain’s largest Jewish communities. According to Shomrim, the Jewish neighborhood watch group, the suspect shouted at Jewish passengers, “It’s a shame Hitler didn’t kill you” and “You should all go to the gas chambers.”

He also allegedly threatened to kill Jewish children and claimed he had a knife. The bus driver stopped the vehicle and activated the emergency alarm, while Shomrim volunteers and members of the public intervened. Volunteers detained the suspect until police arrived.

The Metropolitan Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and public order offenses. Police said the incident is being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime. Officers searched the suspect and said no weapon was found.

Transport for London condemned the incident. “No-one should ever have to fear or experience abuse when using our network,” said Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director of security, policing and enforcement. The London arrest came after a separate incident Wednesday night in Salford, near Manchester’s Jewish community, where a man in his 60s was arrested over alleged antisemitic threats.

The arrest came as London police moved to create a new 100-officer Jewish protection team, combining neighborhood officers with counterterrorism specialists, after a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents. The Met said around 50 people had been arrested for antisemitic hate crimes in the previous four weeks.

Hamas terrorists are conducting military training in Turkey, according to Israel’s KAN News, in what marks another instance of the terrorist group’s operational footprint in the country.

The operatives, dressed in civilian clothes, regularly train at public shooting clubs on small arms and tactics, and have received official Turkish licenses to operate drones, the broadcaster reported Thursday. Israeli officials say the training is designed to prepare fighters before they’re deployed to Lebanon, Jordan, and the West Bank for future operations against Israel.

The revelation adds to a pattern of Hamas activity in Turkey. Last December, Israel’s military and security services exposed a money laundering network run by Hamas in the country, financed by Iran. According to the IDF, Gazans based in Turkey manage the operation through local financial institutions, moving hundreds of millions of dollars connected to senior Iranian officials and Hamas leadership.

The disclosed network represents one of the most significant examples of Iran-Hamas coordination in recent months, underscoring Tehran’s continued financial support for the militant group despite Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

After more than two weeks of relentless increases, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States edged down slightly on Friday, falling just over one cent to $4.55 per gallon, according to AAA data.

The tiny decline comes after 15 consecutive days of increases that sent prices sharply higher nationwide. During that stretch, gas prices climbed by an average of nearly 4 cents per day, including several single-day jumps ranging from 7 to 9 cents.

Despite the modest drop, experts say drivers should not expect significant relief anytime soon. Based on previous fuel price spikes, it could take weeks for national averages to fall back below $4 per gallon.

A prior two-week decline in prices earlier this year reduced the national average by only 14 cents before the latest surge began, briefly bringing prices down to $4.02 per gallon.

Returning to pre-war levels may take considerably longer. Before the war with Iran began, average gas prices nationwide were below $3 per gallon. Analysts now believe it could take months for prices to return anywhere near those levels.

Only one state in the country — Oklahoma — currently has an average gas price below $4, at $3.98 per gallon.

California continues to have the highest average gasoline prices in the nation, with drivers there paying an average of $6.16 per gallon.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. DOGE Service did not have the authority to cancel National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which made up more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said DOGE selected grants for termination last year in ways that violated the First Amendment and the equal-protection component of the Fifth Amendment, calling the case “a textbook example of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.”

Citing depositions of two members of DOGE who had directed the grant cuts, McMahon wrote that the cost-cutting group had used ChatGPT to decide which grants would promote diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, but did not tell the AI chatbot how it defined the term.

The decision comes after more than a year of litigation over the grant cuts, which revealed new information about DOGE’s inner workings and influence over key decisions.

Humanities organizations – made up of the American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association and Modern Language Association of America – argued the grant cuts were arbitrary and capricious because the funding was terminated en masse without considering the specifics of each grant. In depositions, the DOGE members, Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh, testified they were focused on eliminating grants they viewed as promoting DEI and other grants they believed contributed to debt. (State humanities councils, which receive funding from the NEH, have also sued over the cuts.)

In depositions and government documents made available through discovery, it was revealed Fox and Cavanaugh had directed the NEH’s acting chairman Michael McDonald in the grant cutting. McDonald’s signature appeared on the letter that canceled grants, but it was placed there by DOGE.

The grants DOGE chose to cancel included funding to provide educational programming about the Holocaust at Seton Hall University, a virtual reality demonstration of Indigenous culture at the Mesa Verde National Park and Wupatki National Monument and a book about HIV in prisons.

McMahon said Congress had conferred no authority on DOGE to cut funding it appropriated, and it was President Donald Trump’s “duty to execute the laws Congress has enacted.”

“DOGE had no statutory authority to terminate NEH grants,” McMahon wrote. “And on the undisputed evidence, DOGE – not the NEH Chairperson or anyone else at NEH – effectuated the terminations at issue here.”

Plaintiffs called the decision a “complete victory.”

“We are gratified that justice was done, grateful to our amazing legal team at Fairmark Partners, and we will be watching closely to make sure every one of these grants is restored,” said Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger in a statement.

The White House and NEH did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the decision.

The judge ordered the government to rescind its termination letters to grantees but said the order does not require the government to immediately pay grant funds.

McMahon also highlighted Fox and Cavanaugh’s lack of understanding about the grants and experience in government. The two had come from tech backgrounds and were recruited through Elon Musk’s allies to join DOGE at the beginning of the administration.

They relied heavily on AI to sort the grants into spreadsheets, asking ChatGPT: “Does the following relate at all to DEI? Respond factually in less than 120 characters. Begin with ‘Yes.’ or ‘No.’ followed by a brief explanation.”

While the government suggested that it was ChatGPT’s determinations of what DEI was and not the government’s, McMahon did not accept that reasoning.

“That argument brings to mind, for someone of my generation, the great comedian Flip Wilson, whose character ‘Geraldine Jones’ would excuse her behavior by saying, ‘The devil made me do it,’” McMahon wrote. “That excuse did not work for Geraldine Jones, and it does not work for the Government.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Meryl Kornfield

Three IDF soldiers were wounded on Thursday — including one seriously — in multiple Hezbollah explosive drone attacks near the Lebanon border, according to the military.

In one incident that occurred a short while ago, a Hezbollah explosive drone crossed into Israeli territory and detonated near troops operating close to the border. The IDF said one soldier sustained serious injuries while another was moderately wounded in the blast.

Earlier in the day, several additional explosive drones struck near Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon. The military said a third soldier was moderately injured in that attack.

All of the wounded troops were evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment, and their families have been notified.

The attacks came amid continued Hezbollah fire throughout the day. The IDF said several rockets and mortars were launched at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, with one projectile intercepted by Israeli air defenses. No additional injuries were reported from the rocket fire.

The latest incidents mark another escalation in Hezbollah’s ongoing drone campaign targeting Israeli troops operating near and inside southern Lebanon.

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Earlier this week, an Israeli entrepreneur and peace activist who attempted to show empathy to Arab migrants from Gaza at a demonstration in Venice was beset by a mob when they discovered he was Israeli.

Eyal Waldman lost his daughter and her fiancée at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023, but he still forged ahead with his idealistic vision to create bridges of peace between Israelis and Arabs in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. To that end, he hired 20 Arabs from Gaza, donated $360,000 to a Gaza hospital and worked for years to develop partnerships between the two peoples.

During a visit to Italy, he attended an anti-Israel demonstration in Venice, which took place at the Venice Biennale, an international exhibition of art and architecture, with the express purpose of talking to the migrants there and expressing empathy and understanding.

As soon as he revealed his origins, the mob turned aggressive, screaming and telling him to leave. For his own safety, he had to be escorted away by security.

(JNS) – A federal judge ordered Texas chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Tuesday to turn over donor lists and travel records in a discovery dispute tied to a lawsuit challenging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s designation of CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization.
U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright granted in part motions to compel filed by Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

The ruling requires the CAIR Foundation to produce records identifying certain foreign donors and recipients of funds, as well as communications related to foreign funding.

Albright also ordered the production of records related to travel by CAIR co-founder and executive director Nihad Awad to Egypt, Gaza, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates between 2019 and 2023.

Amy Mek of the RAIR Foundation, which investigates and combats “threats from Islamic supremacists, radical leftists and their allies,” called the ruling “a massive victory for transparency and national security.”

Brandon Hall, a Republican member of the Texas State Board of Education, praised the ruling.

“Your days of masquerading as a ‘Muslim civil rights organization’ are over, CAIR,” he stated. “We will never stop until we push your terrorist organization out of Texas.”

(JNS) – The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board issued a cease-and-desist letter on Wednesday to an entity calling itself Texas American Muslim University at Dallas, alleging it is operating illegally without state authorization.

According to the board, the organization, also known as “TexAM,” has advertised STEM degree programs and student admissions despite lacking the certificate of authority required under Texas law for institutions offering to grant degrees.

The board ordered the Richardson-based entity to immediately stop advertising, enrolling students and using protected terms such as “university,” warning that continued operations could lead to criminal penalties, civil fines and enforcement under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The letter, signed by Associate Commissioner Daniel R. Perez, demanded that the TexAM confirm by May 8 that it had permanently ceased offering or advertising degree programs in Texas or “this matter may also be referred to local district attorneys and the Texas Attorney General for further action.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he directed the board to issue the cease-and-desist order, describing TexAM as “an unauthorized Islamic educational institution operating illegally.”

“If they refuse to comply, legal action will follow,” he stated. “Texas will not allow illegal educational institutions to operate in our state.” (JNS sought comment from TexAM.)

The action came days after Richardson Mayor Amir Omar publicly supported the initiative and said he helped the organization secure a location. Omar, the city’s first Muslim mayor, was born in Richardson to Palestinian and Iranian parents.

TexAM shares an address on Campbell Road with the Dallas Diyanet Mosque and the Islamic Seminary of America. The organization also promoted what it described as a “special initiative allowing Pakistani students to earn a TexAM Bachelor’s degree without applying for a U.S. student visa or traveling to the United States.”

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JERUSALEM – Israel’s Health Minister Haim Katz, together with Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov, visited United Hatzalah’s national headquarters in Jerusalem on Thursday for a working visit focused on emergency medical response and cooperation with the Health Ministry.
The delegation was welcomed by United Hatzalah’s founder and President Eli Beer, CEO Ehud Davidson and Deputy CEO Eli Pollak, and members of the organization’s executive leadership, United Hatzalah said in a statement.

Katz and Bar Siman Tov toured the organization’s National Dispatch and Command Center and received briefings on its emergency response operations, technological systems, volunteer network, Drone Unit, Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, and fleet of emergency vehicles.

The visit also included discussions on strengthening coordination between the Ministry of Health and United Hatzalah during both routine operations and national emergencies, according to United Hatzalah.

During the visit, the minister said, “Today, I met people who leave behind their families, workplaces and daily routines in order to save lives entirely on a volunteer basis, driven by a true sense of purpose and mission to save lives.

“United Hatzalah is a significant part of Israel’s emergency medical response system, with the ability to reach anyone, anywhere, within minutes. The cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the organization is important during both routine times and emergencies, and we will continue working to remove barriers and provide volunteers with the tools they need so they can continue doing what they do every day: saving lives,” Katz said

Beer was cited in the statement as highlighting the growing partnership between the organization and the ministry.

“United Hatzalah operates as a civilian operational arm supporting the national healthcare system, ensuring that every individual in need receives assistance within minutes,” he said.

“The combination of the ministry’s policy and regulatory framework with the operational strength of our thousands of volunteers in the field significantly enhances our collective ability to save lives every day. We thank the minister and director-general for their strong support, for recognizing the indispensable role of our volunteers as an integral part of Israel’s national resilience, and for addressing critical bureaucratic challenges that will help save lives across the country.”

(JNS) – A city-owned water park in Grand Prairie has canceled a “Muslims only” day after the Texas Public Safety Office sent a letter on Wednesday threatening to pull approximately $530,000 in grants from the city for “discriminating based on religion.”

Epic Waters Indoor Water Park, operated by American Resort Management, LLC, had advertised the event as closed to the public and open only to Muslims, as part of a June 1 Eid celebration.

“An event at a city-owned pool that was publicly and indiscriminately advertised as ‘whites only’ would surely violate the Constitution,” Andrew Friedrichs, executive director of the state PSO, wrote. “The same must be true here.”

Friedrichs pointed to five PSO grants active in the city, and said Grand Prairie was “in breach with respect to all grant agreements” unless it confirmed in writing that the event would not take place on city property and committed to “never allowing a ‘Muslim only’ event to occur in property owned or operated by the city.”

On Tuesday, the city released a statement that it had been in contact with the park’s management team “to ensure all policies and procedures have been followed,” adding that individuals and organizations can rent the park “like other city-owned facilities.”

“After further review and in the best interest of the City of Grand Prairie, the June 1 Eid event at Epic Indoor Waterpark has been canceled,” the city stated the next day.

The event’s organizer, Aminah Knight, said promotional materials for the annual event had been updated to be more inclusive of other faiths.

“In response to feedback, we have updated our materials to clearly reflect that this is a modest dress-only event, centered around a respectful and family-friendly environment,” she said. “So if you are a friend of a different faith who wants to celebrate the Eid holiday with us and adhere to the modest dress code, this event is for you too.”

A political storm is brewing after comments attributed to Ateres Shlomo Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, with a sitting member of Knesset calling for financial repercussions against the yeshiva he leads.

MK Vladimir Beliak of the Yesh Atid party sent an urgent letter on Thursday to Tax Authority Director Attorney Shay Aharonovitch, urging him to revoke the Section 46 tax-deductible status granted to donations made to Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo in Eretz Yisroel.

The request follows sharp remarks made by the rosh yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, during a recent gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim in the south addressing the issue of drafting bnei yeshiva into chareidi army frameworks.

In his letter, Beliak pointed to statements attributed to Rav Feinstein and cited in Channel 12 News, in which the rosh yeshiva said: “We must understand what we are facing — this is a terrible war, the enemy is not playing games.”

Earlier this week, a major gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from southern communities took place, at which Rav Feinstein delivered a powerful and uncompromising address warning of the dangers posed by enlistment initiatives targeting the chareidi public. His words generated significant reaction and were widely reported across the general media.

Letters of support for the gathering were also sent by leading gedolei Yisroel, including HaGaon Rav Dov Landau, HaGaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

Senior figures within the chareidi political parties strongly pushed back against the move, declaring: “The attempt to use economic terrorism to silence the cry of Torah emanating from the mouths of gedolei Torah will not succeed. These are Soviet-style tactics imported from the exile, and the gedolei Yisroel will continue to proclaim the daas Torah clearly and without fear.” They added that there had even been “a disgraceful attempt to silence voices” by inserting a provision into proposed draft legislation that would make a yeshiva’s eligibility for arrangements contingent on preventing roshei yeshiva from speaking out against the draft.

{Matzav.com}

As President Donald Trump drove through the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial to see the progress of the paint job he had ordered — changing it from the gray stone color, which he said was “never good,” to a color he calls “American flag blue” — a sniper from the Secret Service could be seen on a roof guarding the president.

After Trump was driven across the new coat of paint, he emerged from his vehicle to address reporters who had gathered to await his arrival.

Trump said the cost of the project added up to nearly $2 million. “It never had the color people wanted, but now it’s going to have the great color,” he declared.

Trump apparently doesn’t like the color gray. He submitted a request for the gray exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House to be covered with white paint, a proposal that two federal agencies are currently reviewing.

Trump also said that “we have a beautiful plan” to improve the actual memorial to President Abraham Lincoln but did not disclose any details.

The president also took the time to talk to workers at the site, shaking their hands and thanking them in person for their work.