Nigel Farage announced Tuesday that he is resigning from Parliament and will immediately seek a new mandate from voters, casting the upcoming by-election as a showdown between ordinary Britons and the political establishment amid growing scrutiny over his finances.

The Reform UK leader, whose party surged to a landmark victory in local elections earlier this year, said he will once again stand for election in the eastern England constituency of Clacton. He portrayed the contest as a defining battle between the public and an entrenched political class determined to stop his movement.

Farage’s announcement comes after a report published Sunday by The Times of London alleged that convicted criminal George Cottrell provided financial support for Farage’s staffing and security expenses before he entered Parliament.

Responding forcefully to the allegations, Farage insisted the attacks against him are politically motivated.

“It seems to me that the establishment have now decided that they can’t beat us fairly, so they’ve chosen to use foul means,” Farage said.

He went on to reject any suggestion of wrongdoing.

“Let me be absolutely clear, after the furor and the media pile-on, well, not just the media, the other political parties too – let me be absolutely clear – I have done nothing wrong.

“I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money, and you know, for the first two years of being an MP, my personal MP expenses are zero, not of course that you’ll read about that in mainstream media.”

Speaking during an emotional appearance in London, the 62-year-old politician said he wants voters—not political opponents or the media—to decide his future.

“I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions,” he said.

“And that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election. I will fight to win.”

Farage is also under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog over a reported $6.7 million gift from Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.

Addressing that matter, Farage argued that the substantial personal gift, which he says was intended to cover security costs and was received before he became an MP, was comparable to unexpectedly winning the lottery. He added that he had been left with limited financial resources following the 2016 Brexit referendum, in which Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Under British parliamentary rules, newly elected lawmakers are required to disclose all financial interests received during the 12 months before taking office. Farage won the Clacton seat in July 2024.

Had he remained in Parliament and ultimately been found to have violated the rules in the ongoing investigation, he could have faced suspension from the House of Commons.

Despite the controversies, Reform UK continues to enjoy strong political momentum. According to Politico’s poll of polls, the party currently leads national voting intentions with 25% support, placing it ahead of the governing Labour Party, which stands at 20%.

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Kathy Hochul pushed back Monday against criticism from Republican gubernatorial challenger Bruce Blakeman during appearances on Long Island, as a new poll suggests the race for New York governor may be tightening.

Speaking in Nassau and Suffolk counties while announcing a new $100 million law enforcement technology grant program, Hochul dismissed a Blakeman campaign mailer that blamed her and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for high taxes, rising utility bills, and increasing crime.

“That’s interesting — because it’s not based on fact,” Hochul said.

Instead, Hochul blamed Republicans in Washington, including President Donald Trump, for rising costs, citing tariffs, the conflict with Iran, and what she described as politically motivated efforts to withhold federal disaster aid following February’s blizzards.

A new poll conducted by co/efficient for the Coalition to Protect Nassau Taxpayers found Hochul leading Blakeman by just six percentage points, 47% to 41%, with 12% of voters undecided.

The polling firm accurately projected the close 2022 gubernatorial race between Hochul and former Rep. Lee Zeldin, when other public polls showed Hochul with a much larger advantage.

The latest survey also found that 55% of likely voters are concerned about socialism, compared with 45% who said they are not.

Responding to those concerns, Hochul said, “We are not becoming a socialist state because of an election of a number of individuals in New York City.”

While other recent public polls have shown Hochul with significantly larger leads, the new survey suggests the race could become increasingly competitive as the campaign intensifies.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

More Americans are choosing road trips, regional getaways and day excursions over expensive long-distance vacations this summer, creating an unexpected boost for local restaurants, retailers, attractions and small businesses. The trend, highlighted in a new Associated Press report published July 3, comes as higher travel costs encourage families to vacation closer to home while still spending on leisure activities.

According to AAA, a record 72.2 million Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles during the extended Independence Day holiday period, making it one of the busiest summer travel seasons on record. Nearly 85% of those travelers were expected to drive rather than fly, keeping more tourism dollars within local communities.

For many small businesses, that shift is translating into stronger sales.

Tourist towns, regional attractions and locally owned restaurants report that families are replacing overseas vacations and cross-country trips with shorter drives that still allow them to enjoy time away while keeping costs under control.

In Asheville, North Carolina, river tubing operator Zen Tubing expanded seasonal hiring after seeing reservations rebound. Visitors are increasingly arriving from nearby states for day trips, spending money not only on outdoor activities but also at local restaurants, breweries and retail shops before returning home.

The same pattern is emerging in cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In Kansas City, retailers and restaurants have benefited from thousands of soccer fans traveling for matches and fan events. Local business owners say the city’s relatively affordable hotels, dining and entertainment have attracted visitors looking for lower-cost alternatives to larger metropolitan destinations.

Consumers remain cautious, however.

Higher prices for airfare, hotels, food and gasoline continue to influence travel decisions. Rather than eliminating vacations altogether, many households are shortening trips, staying closer to home and focusing spending on experiences that fit tighter budgets.

Economists say that trend may actually benefit many small businesses.

Instead of tourism dollars flowing overseas or to major destination resorts, more spending is staying within regional economies. Restaurants, gift shops, family attractions, hotels, campgrounds, wineries, roadside businesses and entertainment venues are seeing increased traffic from travelers taking shorter trips.

The shift also comes during a busy year for domestic tourism. Along with the FIFA World Cup, communities across the country are preparing events leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, creating additional opportunities for local businesses to capture visitor spending.

For small business owners, the summer could provide an important economic lift following several years of inflation, higher operating costs and cautious consumer spending. Businesses located within a few hours’ drive of major population centers appear especially well positioned to benefit.

For consumers, the trend demonstrates that meaningful vacations do not necessarily require expensive flights or international travel. Many families are discovering that nearby destinations can deliver memorable experiences while helping stretch household budgets.

As Americans continue balancing higher living costs with a desire to travel, one clear winner is emerging: local businesses that depend on regional tourism.

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

Dear everyone,

As I’ve been reflecting and missing my husband, R’ Chaim, I’ve realized how much I treasure hearing the stories and memories others have of him.

If you have a favorite memory, a meaningful interaction, a funny story, or something he said or did that stayed with you, whether as your rabbi or simply as a friend, I would be so grateful if you’d share it with me. Big or small, every memory helps me see another piece of the impact he had on the people around him, and it means more than I can express.
~ Mrs. Fraidy Abadi

https://www.ravchaimabadi.com/story

A major security scandal has erupted within the IDF after eight soldiers from the Bedouin Reconnaissance Battalion were accused of participating in multiple smuggling operations that allegedly funneled goods into the Gaza Strip in exchange for enormous profits. The alleged operation included cigarettes, motorcycles, and other contraband, with investigators estimating that the network generated tens of millions of shekels.

According to a report by journalist Avishai Grinzaig on i24NEWS, the eight soldiers—who served at various levels throughout the battalion’s chain of command—have been implicated in several separate smuggling cases. Investigators believe that, in many instances, the suspects operated independently and were unaware that other soldiers in the battalion were carrying out similar schemes.

Authorities say the investigations involve multiple smuggling operations conducted over an extended period. In one case, an entire motorcycle was allegedly smuggled into Gaza. The soldiers are suspected of working with traders and truck drivers operating near the Gaza border to facilitate the illegal transfers.

Among the most striking allegations is that, in one smuggling operation, soldiers received approximately 1,000 shekels in cash for every cigarette they smuggled into Gaza. Investigators also uncovered what they described as a price list used by two of the suspects, under which a single cigarette was sold for 1,000 shekels, while a pack of 20 cigarettes was priced at approximately 10,000 shekels. The transactions were allegedly carried out with individuals inside Gaza and along the border area.

According to investigators, the soldiers purchased cigarette packs for roughly 30 shekels each at supermarkets in the Eshkol region before transporting them toward Gaza, where they were allegedly resold at dramatically inflated prices. Authorities estimate that two of the suspects alone earned approximately 1.5 million shekels, while the combined proceeds from all of the alleged smuggling operations totaled tens of millions of shekels.

The investigation remains ongoing as security officials continue examining the full scope of the operation, including the extent of each suspect’s involvement and whether additional soldiers or commanders were implicated. Investigators believe most of the suspects were unaware that others within the battalion were conducting similar smuggling operations.

Authorities are also examining the financial aspects of the scheme, including the total profits generated and possible connections to civilian accomplices who may have assisted in facilitating the smuggling network.

In response to the revelations, the IDF said it views smuggling into the Gaza Strip with the utmost severity, particularly when active-duty or reserve soldiers are involved.

“Following these incidents, significant lessons have been learned,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement. “The IDF views the phenomenon of smuggling into the Gaza Strip as a serious threat to the security of the State of Israel, and even more so when IDF personnel serving in regular or reserve duty are involved. All law enforcement bodies within the IDF—the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division and the Military Advocate General, together with the other security agencies and law enforcement authorities—will continue investigating incidents of this kind and bringing those responsible to justice.”

The military added that Battalion 585 is currently undergoing a broad strengthening process that includes reinforcing command standards, expanding values-based education, and improving operational readiness at every level.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Lakewood Scoop Readers,

I am a parent of 3 young children who was quite excited to be able to take them to a beautiful fireworks show, just as I did 2 years ago (the last time there was one, as you can see in the pic above.)

When they “postponed” this years show they said it will be done at a later date. As far as I know there has been no such announcement. Did anyone hear about when its reschedule for? when I drove by today I noticed the temporary fencing was already taken down.

Does anyone else wonder A) Do they even book a vendor anymore? B) If they do book a vendor does he get paid regardless? And C) If you’re not planning on providing the fireworks in the first place then just pull it from the budget!

As a side note, I think what’s more bothersome than just the fact that my children were very excited, especially this year that they “officially” added a drone show, is the lack of foresight. This is probably the only time (other than the night of safety) the Township can showcase a beautiful display of working side by side with and being there for the people by providing an enjoyable night out in honor of July 4th and our countries independence.

Why then are they so quick to turn around and not provide it and by doing so accomplishing the exact opposite by getting people upset?

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

Israel’s Defense Ministry has completed the establishment of the Eastern Region Directorate, a new body tasked with coordinating the efforts of government ministries and public agencies to strengthen security along Israel’s eastern border (with Jordan), the country’s longest land border and what officials say is Israel’s most vulnerable front.

The announcement was made during a forum of directors-general attended by senior officials from government ministries, the defense establishment, the Israel Electric Corporation, the Israel Water Authority, and other agencies, where the national plan to strengthen the region was presented.

Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram said the eastern border has emerged as a significant security vulnerability after years of receiving little national attention. He explained that alongside the construction of advanced defensive systems, a broad civilian initiative is needed that includes infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, agriculture, industry, and residential development.

The head of the Eastern Region Directorate, Brig. Gen. (res.) Mordechai Benita, presented the security settlement plan, under which approximately 40 new yishuvim are currently being established along the eastern border, from Tzemach Junction in the north to the Eilot region in the south. The communities will be populated, in part, by armed civilians as part of efforts to strengthen the region’s defensive capabilities.

According to Defense Ministry officials, the threat of an incursion or cross-border raid from the east requires a broad, coordinated response involving all branches of government along with efforts to encourage tens of thousands of Israelis to settle along the border.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

BOSTON (AP) — When it comes to losing weight, it turns out the simple math of counting calories doesn’t always add up.

Fad diets come and go, but the underlying message almost always follows a simple equation. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, the weight will melt away.

In principle, it’s true. And counting calories can be a useful tool for managing weight. But it only works if you know what numbers you’re counting. And what’s been billed as basic math can sometimes look more like Einstein’s theory of relativity.

That’s because a complex web of factors influences how or even if our bodies process calories. And it turns out diet quality is just as important as quantity, and possibly more.

“Different foods have very different effects on the brain, liver, fat cells, muscle function, pancreas and all organs related to metabolism and body weight,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University.

Counting calories could burn you
A calorie is the unit of energy used to count what the body can get from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. That sounds simple, but the complexity of counting calories went mainstream recently, when a lawsuit accused the maker of David protein bars of affixing labels that misrepresent how many calories and how much fat the products contain. The lawsuit has since been dropped.

The allegations were based on an analysis of the bars using bomb calorimetry, which measures calories by burning food and calculating the amount of heat released, a method that counts every potential calorie. But our bodies aren’t combustion chambers and don’t treat all calories the same. The company’s numbers, like many food labels, are based only on the calories our bodies can actually use. Technically, both are correct, but only the latter matters for diet.

“You could put sawdust into a bomb calorimeter and you would get basically 4 calories per gram,” said Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital. “If you’re a termite, yes, you’ll get calories from it. But humans won’t.”

The calorie counts on most nutrition labels reflect the total our bodies are likely to metabolize, not their burn rate. But they still can be misleading. Because of permitted rounding, the tallies can be off by as much as 20%. Additionally, the digestibility of an ingredient, whether and how it is cooked, to what extent it was processed, variations in processing, even quirks in our own DNA — all of these things influence whether and how our bodies use the calories we eat. Even that is just the start of the complications.

Calories are simple. How your body uses them is not
Our bodies determine how to process calories — either burning them or storing them — depending in part on our energy needs. But the quality of the calories matters, too. High-glycemic foods, such as white breads, pastas and sugars, are easily converted to usable energy and trigger our bodies to store calories, Ludwig said.

Foods containing resistant starches, including some beans, whole grains and seeds, resist easy conversion into usable energy and don’t trigger that same storage response. They also are more difficult to process, so we absorb fewer of the total calories contained in them.

“Having a snack of 8 ounces of sugary beverage, 100 calories, should be better for your weight than 1 ounce of nuts at 200 calories, right?” Ludwig said. “That’s the opposite of what actually happens because those 100 calories, even if they’re fewer at that moment, they shift your body toward storing fat and leave you hungrier sooner.”

Which of course triggers you to eat more, well, calories.

Even cooking and ripeness influence the equation. The calories in cooked foods are more easily absorbed than from raw ingredients, while the calories in unripe produce, such as bananas, are less easily absorbed. This means the number of calories you get from eating a medium banana, which is listed at 105 calories, can depend on how ripe it is.

As for processing, including something as simple as grinding a food, can change caloric impact.

“One classic example is that the calories in whole almonds are absorbed substantially less well than the calories in almond butter,” Ludwig said. “Just processing the almonds into almond butter causes a change in how much they will be absorbed.”

Ultra-processed foods introduce another challenge. Diets high in such foods have been found to decrease the number of calories we burn at rest, Mozaffarian said. That means a higher proportion of those calories will stick to your ribs.

Then there’s just plain old variation between people. Genetics lead our bodies to treat calories differently, said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, a Harvard Medical School obesity specialist. Even something as simple as a bad night’s sleep can change how the body processes calories. So you might absorb more or fewer calories from the same food on different days.

Should you even bother to count calories?
So what’s a weight watcher to do? Calorie counts can be a rough guideline; many people otherwise struggle to make healthy choices or determine appropriate portions, Ludwig said.

But the evidence indicates people should focus on diet quality, not just calorie quantity. Avoid ultra-processed foods, particularly refined starches, and build your diet around whole, minimally processed foods with an emphasis on plant-based ingredients rich in fiber.

“We need to think about calories in a much more sophisticated fashion than the number on the package,” Ludwig said. “The number on the package can do more harm than good by misleading people into thinking that it’s simply an accounting problem.”

BRUSSELS (AP) — Dozens of European lawmakers are gathering support to launch an investigation in the European Parliament of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino over his involvement in the decision to permit U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play despite an earlier red card.

Balogun was shown a red card during the U.S. victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1, which normally would make him ineligible to play in team’s next game, but FIFA lifted his suspension for a match on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened with Infantino on behalf of the 25-year-old striker.

European Parliament lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said in a joint statement that FIFAs decision to “change the rule on red card suspensions mid-tournament is a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”

“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement said.

The lawmakers are asking the national football associations of the EU countries to spur the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino and whether pressure from the Trump administration was a factor in the lifting of the suspension, as well as “other potential breaches of political neutrality” like awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

FIFA has said the lifting of the suspension was a decision of a disciplinary committee

The lawmakers said that 35 colleagues have so far signed the letter.

“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window,” they said.

Nearly a month after footage emerged showing police officers beating and ripping the pants of protesters during a Chareidi protest on Route 4 near Bnei Brak, promises by the Chareidi parties to address the incident have yet to materialize, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

UTJ MK Uri Maklev’s proposal to establish a parliamentary commission of inquiry was removed from the Knesset plenum’s agenda just hours before it was scheduled for debate, with no public explanation provided.

Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur had submitted a separate parliamentary motion called: “Disturbing Footage of Severe Violence by Uniformed Officers Against Protesters, Some Already Subdued.” Unlike Maklev’s proposal, Ben Tzur’s motion was approved by the Knesset plenum and referred to the National Security Committee. However, committee chairman Otzma Yehudit MK Tzvika Fogel has yet to convene a discussion on the matter, and no date has been scheduled.

Meanwhile, however, the committee has continued to hold hearings on other issues, including a proposal regarding treatment for post-traumatic stress among Israel Police officers, a motion that was approved after Ben Tzur’s proposal. On Monday, the committee held a special session on “Selective Enforcement, Lenient Sentencing, And Support For Terrorism By Institutions Of The Israel Bar Association.”

Sources familiar with the political system told Kikar H’Shabbat they were puzzled by the continued delay.

According to those sources, with elections approaching and Otzma Yehudit seeking to attract votes from Chareidi voters dissatisfied with the Chareidi parties, questions are being raised as to whether Fogel is reluctant to hold a public hearing in which allegations of selective enforcement and police violence against Chareidim could be aired, potentially harming his party.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

KRAKOW, Poland (JNS) — The minibus carrying a group of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from New York pulled up to the site of the demolished Jewish cemetery turned Nazi labor and concentration camp in the southern Polish city of Krakow in June, seeking out a blonde Polish tour guide.

Janina Naskalska-Babik, 42, who was dressed for summer and had not expected such a religious group, quickly put on a jacket from her bag out of respect.

“In other circumstances, we would likely have never spoken to each other,” Naskalska-Babik told JNS, noting the unusual encounter between the men in black hats and sidelocks and a shiksa, the Yiddish term for a non-Jewish woman.

But the unlikely tour guide had something they wanted: information about their ancestry and relatives buried at the site in Plaszów, on the outskirts of Krakow, before the Nazis destroyed it during the Holocaust—records she had painstakingly researched and digitized.

Naskalska-Babik accompanied them to the barren hill, where only one intact Jewish gravestone remains from the cemetery where thousands were buried, and guided them to the likely burial site of their relatives so they could recite the Jewish mourner’s prayer, Kaddish—the purpose of their visit.

“It gave me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction to do something for others who are so different from yourself,” she said.

Studying a hidden history

It was a decade and a half earlier that the tour guide first became interested in Jewish history after studying to become a licensed city guide.

She was stunned to learn, almost in passing, that Krakow had been one-quarter Jewish before World War II, with nearly its entire Jewish population decimated in the Holocaust.

“It came as a shock to me that there was so much history I wasn’t told about,” she said, noting that Jewish history was not part of Poland’s educational curriculum at the time.

She enrolled in courses at the Jewish Historical Institute, then became determined to visit the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem and learn Hebrew.

After returning home, and while stuck at home during the COVID pandemic with two young children, she pursued an online master’s degree in Jewish studies at Krakow’s Jagiellonian University and set out to write a meaningful thesis.

She began guiding small groups around the mostly barren site of the Nazi camp at Plaszów—which since the Communist era has been used as a public park, although a museum is scheduled to open there next year—where officials told her they had extensive archival material on the two Jewish cemeteries that had existed there before the war but no one to focus on the research.

The camp, immortalized in the 1993 Academy Award-winning film Schindler’s List, was built in 1942 on the grounds of two former Jewish cemeteries that the Nazis forced imprisoned Jews from the Krakow Ghetto to demolish.

Today, two monuments honoring the camp’s 6,000 Holocaust victims, the lone surviving prewar Jewish gravestone, fragments of others, a restored monument marking the grave of Bais Yaakov founder Sarah Schenirer, who was buried there in 1935, the original building of the Jewish Burial Society (Chevra Kadisha), and the house where notorious S.S. commandant Amon Göth lived dot the green landscape.

Discovering the lost past

Getting to work, the tour guide used local death records to compile a list of 9,100 Jews buried in the cemeteries before the war and digitized the information in both a book and an online database, where the New York Hasidim who sought her out last month found details about their relatives.

“The research was a little melancholy,” she confessed, “but I felt as if I was with them.”

Her family was convinced that her interest in Jewish history was “a short-term fascination” that would eventually pass.

(“Are you still counting the Jews?” her young daughter once asked while watching her work through the database.)

But it did not.

She is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Jewish studies, and in addition to her city tours, leads specialized tours focusing on Jewish women and Krakow’s mezuzah trail, tracing the small decorative cases affixed to the doorposts of Jewish homes.

“When you uncover these names, it’s like meeting these figures, and it gives you the energy to go on,” she said.

“These people didn’t know what happened to their ancestors, and this is another stone I can add to their story.”

Dozens of shuls in Tel Aviv won a significant legal victory after a court rejected the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality’s attempt to require them to sign a new agreement as a condition for continuing to use municipal properties. In a sharply worded ruling, the court criticized the municipality’s conduct, opening its decision with the words, “This shall not be done in our midst,” and ordered the city to pay legal costs, according to a report by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.

The dispute centered on the municipality’s demand that nonprofit organizations operating shuls sign a revised agreement before they could continue occupying city-owned buildings. Among the provisions was a requirement that religious services be provided “without distinction based on age, gender, or faith.”

Shuls that refused to sign the new agreement were instructed to vacate the premises, and in several cases the municipality filed eviction lawsuits against them.

During the legal proceedings, representatives of the shuls argued that the requirement went far beyond a technical contractual matter and could force them to operate in ways that conflict with halachah. Attorney David Shov, who represented the shuls on a volunteer basis, argued that the disputed clause would undermine the independence of the shuls and their ability to maintain traditional tefillah practices.

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, for its part, maintained throughout the case that the provision was simply a standard anti-discrimination clause used in other public institutions across the city and would not alter the religious character or practices of the shuls.

The dispute has been unfolding for more than a year. One of the earliest cases involved the Shul in Memory of the Kedoshim of Antopol, which faced eviction proceedings after refusing to sign the agreement. In a separate case, the Rabbinical Court declared the Tiferes Tzvi Shul to be a religious trust in an effort to prevent its eviction, prompting the municipality to petition Israel’s Supreme Court against that ruling.

The controversy also sparked widespread public debate and drew criticism from cabinet ministers and members of Knesset, who argued that the municipality’s policy threatened the religious character and autonomy of the city’s shuls.

The latest ruling represents a major legal victory for the shuls and a significant setback for the municipality. The court’s decision to open its opinion with the words, “This shall not be done in our midst,” has been widely viewed as an unusually strong rebuke of the municipality’s handling of the dispute.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) – New York City health officials are investigating a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in two Upper East Side neighborhoods. As of July 6, there have been 23 cases, 17 hospitalizations and no deaths.

The likely source of the bacteria causing this pneumonia is a cooling tower or towers in the area, officials said. These are water systems usually found on the top of buildings that control the temperature of systems such as refrigeration. The city health department is testing all such towers in the area. The affected areas are Carnegie Hill and Yorkville — ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075.

Because it’s not caused by an issue with any building’s plumbing system, officials said, residents can continue drinking tap water, bathing, showering, cooking and using air conditioners, which don’t use water to cool the air. People can’t get the bacteria from each other.

Officials urged residents or recent visitors to the area with flu-like symptoms to contact a health care provider as soon as possible.

Here’s what to know:

What is Legionnaires’ disease?
It’s a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread in building water systems. They can be found in places such as showerheads, hot tubs and cooling towers.

People often get it by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water. Highly susceptible patients in hospitals can also get it through contaminated water or ice, and babies can be exposed during water births, health officials said.

Symptoms usually develop two days to two weeks after exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People are at an increased risk for Legionnaires’ disease if they are age 50 or older, smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or have a weakened immune system.

The name comes from an outbreak that hit attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976.

Is Legionnaires’ disease fatal?
It can be. The CDC says one in 10 people who get sick will die of complications from Legionnaires’ disease.

That’s why it’s important to be diagnosed quickly and treated with the appropriate antibiotics, health officials said.

If untreated, Legionnaires’ disease usually worsens during the first week, the World Health Organization said. Complications can include respiratory failure, shock and kidney or multiorgan failure.

How can Legionnaires’ disease be prevented?
People responsible for the safety of buildings and water systems can reduce the threat by taking steps to minimize the growth of the bacteria, the WHO said. For example, they should regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers, maintain adequate chlorine levels in spa pools, and flush unused taps in buildings weekly.

There are also steps people can take to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease at home. New York health officials suggest draining garden hoses; following manufacturers’ instructions for cleaning and replacing water filters; checking chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs regularly; and flushing hot water heaters twice a year.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A Google executive told an inquiry on Tuesday that a YouTube video that falsely claimed a wounded survivor of an antisemitic massacre in Sydney was a crisis actor blooded with makeup had met the platform’s standards and would remain online.

Google Australia manager Rachel Lord was testifying at a government inquiry into the spread of antisemitism in Australia including an attack by two gunmen on a Sydney Hanukkah celebration in December that left 15 dead.

Lord was questioned about a complaint made by survivor Arsen Ostrovsky about a video posted on YouTube. Ostrovsky was attacked online after an image showing blood streaming from a wound in his head was posted on X two hours after he was shot.

Lord said the decision to allow the video to remain on YouTube had been reviewed at “quite senior levels.”

“We have spent a lot of time thinking about where we draw the line and we continue to re-evaluate where we are doing that,” Lord said.

Richard Lancaster, the lawyer leading the inquiry’s evidence, referred to a transcript of the video to avoid showing the images in public.

Four men appear on split screen saying Ostrovsky’s bleeding head appeared “very crisis actor-ish” and mentioned “makeup.” They also describe him as an “intelligence asset” who had a “degree in theater.”

The video also describes Ostrovsky as a Zionist and claims the massacre was a “false flag operation.” Police allege father and son shooters Sajid and Naveed Akram were inspired by the Islamic State group.

Lancaster told Lord the video remaining online demonstrated a “really serious deficiency” in YouTube’s hate speech guidelines.

Lord replied that she appreciated Lancaster’s “feedback.”

YouTube told Australia’s online safety regulator three days after the massacre that the platform was “focused on ensuring Australians and all users around the world have access to high quality information about the tragic events,” Lord said.

Ostrovsky told the inquiry last month that he had been targeted by online hate, abuse, vilification and AI manipulation since he suffered the minor head wound on Dec. 14.

The inquiry was then shown an AI-generated image of Ostrovsky apparently laughing as someone applied fake blood to his head.

US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday about the ongoing negotiations with Iran, at an event marking the launch of Trump Accounts, saying, “We’re going to make a deal, or we’re going to finish the job.”

The president said, “We freed up the blockade because we’re close to maybe making a deal – I don’t know, look – we’re going to win one way or the other.”

He then went on to say, “It won’t be tough to finish the job. I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour; we can knock out their energy supply, all of those big plants that they built – big, beautiful, modern plants; they had a lot of money.

“They don’t have any money now. We haven’t given them any money, but we can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants, I would say in the small part of an afternoon. Every plant will be gone, and they know that.”

.@POTUS: “Oil is now at a level that, I think it’s even lower, on a barrel basis, than it was before we started. We’ve gotten concessions, and they have to hold those concessions, but there’ll be no nuclear weapon. We’re going to be getting the, as I call it, dust; the… pic.twitter.com/4t9GWOqy5S

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 6, 2026

Trump on war goals: nuclear deterrence, regime change 

“Oil is now at a level that, I think it’s even lower, on a barrel basis, than it was before we started. We’ve gotten concessions, and they have to hold those concessions, but there’ll be no nuclear weapon. We’re going to be getting the, as I call it, dust; the enriched material,” the president said.

“I went in for one reason – very strongly – that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’m not looking for regime change, although this is regime change. The first regime is gone, the second regime is gone, and I think the third regime is more reasonable, but we’ll find out.”

Secret mission kept oil prices low

Trump then went on to say, “We’ve destroyed – completely destroyed – they had 159 ships, every single ship is at the bottom of the sea. We’ve completely destroyed – they don’t have one airplane – they don’t have radar.”

He went on to describe previously classified operations that snuck ships out of the Strait of Hormuz during the blockade.

“A lot of people said oil can go to $300-350 a barrel. One of the reasons our prediction wasn’t right is because we were taking out an average of 10 [oil tankers], sometimes less, sometimes more, three weeks ago we had 22 ships [come] out of the Strait – the famous Strait of Hormuz [that] nobody ever heard of – but that is some big money machine, I’ll tell you what, when you look at the numbers… that makes everything look small,” he said.

“We took out so much oil that people didn’t know. And it only took a month and a half.”

President Trump continued, saying, “They finally found out; they had no radar because their radar was destroyed, so we took them out late at night with no lights, with no nothing, and our great Navy, which did the greatest blockade anyone has seen, not one ship got through in two months.”

The president claimed in June that the United States secured the passage of more than 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, via at least 200 commercial vessels. 

This post was originally published on here.

A wave of sorrow has swept through the Chareidi community in Kiryat Gat following the petirah of Harav HaChassid R’ Yaakov HaKohen Levin z”l, a prominent member of the Gerrer Chassidus in the city, who was niftar Tuesday morning after a difficult illness. He was just 40 years old.

R’ Yaakov was widely admired as an ehrliche yungerman known for his yiras Shamayim, humility, and devotion to helping others.

For many years, he managed the neighborhood Mishnas Yosef chessed food distribution center in Kiryat Gat’s Chareidi neighborhood, where he worked tirelessly to ensure local families received their needs with dignity and care. He davened regularly at the Gerrer shtiebel on Gaon HaYarden Street, where he was considered one of the beloved figures of the beis medrash.

During his illness, R’ Yaakov maintained close contact with Harav Elimelech Biderman, who regularly called to encourage and strengthen him. About a month ago, Reb Elimelech visited his home and spent an extended period speaking with him privately.

He leaves behind seven young yesomim.

The levayah will begin Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. from his home on Shenir Street in Kiryat Gat and will pass the Gerrer shtiebel on Gaon HaYarden Street. It will then continue to Yerushalayim, where it is scheduled to arrive at 4:00 p.m. at the Gerrer beis medrash on Yirmiyahu Street before proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

(AP) – Ozgur Ozel said Trump would be the only visiting U.S. president not to pay his respects at the mausoleum of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

He said every visiting U.S. president since Eisenhower in 1959 had gone to the monument to honor Ataturk, who remains a revered figure in Turkey.

Talking about Trump’s welcome, Ozel said the president should be greeted by children “holding pictures of the 165 girls killed in Iran” – a reference to an airstrike on a school at the start of the Iran war.

Ozel was removed as head of the Republican People’s Party by court order last May. However, many believe the ruling was politically motivated and still consider him the de facto opposition leader.

Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden did not visit Turkey but he did lay a wreath at Ataturk’s tomb as vice-president in 2011.

Indian authorities have launched an investigation after a Jewish family filed a complaint alleging that ancient Jewish graves were desecrated at the only Jewish cemetery in the city of Jabalpur. Members of the remaining Jewish community claim that the local “land mafia” is attempting to take control of the historic burial ground by damaging gravestones and erasing evidence of its Jewish heritage.

The cemetery, which is more than 100 years old, was established during the British colonial era to serve the Jewish community that once lived in the region. At the time, approximately 200 Jewish families resided in Jabalpur, and the British administration allocated land for the cemetery. Around 100 people are buried there, including Jewish soldiers who fought alongside British forces.

According to the Jewish families who still live in the area, real estate agents—described by Indian media as the “land mafia”—have recently sought to seize the property by claiming it is privately owned. They allege that several gravestones have been damaged or destroyed in an effort to eliminate the site’s historical significance.

The dispute was first heard in a lower court and later in the district court, with both courts ruling in favor of the Jewish community. Despite those rulings, the developers have announced plans to appeal to India’s Supreme Court, arguing that the land is privately owned.

Attorney Manish Verma, who represents the Jewish families, told local media, “The people are trying to grab the cemetery land. They have also damaged the tombstones erected over several graves to erase the historical marks. The court has ruled that the Jewish families will have possession of the land, but despite that, an appeal has been filed before the Supreme Court claiming it is private property.”

Most of Jabalpur’s Jewish community emigrated over the years to Israel and other countries. Today, only three or four Jewish families remain in the area, continuing their efforts to preserve the community’s heritage and protect the historic cemetery.

At the same time, Indian citizens and civic organizations have called on authorities to safeguard the cemetery and designate it as a protected historical heritage site. Local residents have also spoken out against the attempted takeover, arguing that the cemetery is an integral part of the city’s history and cultural heritage.

{Matzav.com}

A young Chareidi real estate entrepreneur from Boro Park is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Israeli airline Arkia in what could become one of the more unusual business deals to emerge from the heimishe world in recent years.

The man said to be behind the move is R’ Ezra Ungar, a 36-year-old Chassidishe yungerman who has built a major real estate business in New York and is now being linked to a possible takeover of one of Israel’s veteran airlines.

Those close to Ungar say the motivation behind the move goes beyond business and is tied in large part to the issue of Chilul Shabbos in Israel’s aviation industry. According to the report, Ungar has been deeply pained by the widespread public Chilul Shabbos connected to airline operations in Eretz Yisroel and sees the deal as an opportunity to create a fully Shabbos-observant alternative.

Ungar’s background makes the story all the more striking. He reportedly spent his early years after marriage in Yerushalayim, where he learned in kollel and sold baked goods to help support his family before moving into brokerage and eventually building a successful real estate empire in New York.

Details of the reported Arkia negotiations, including the value of the deal and what the airline would look like under new ownership, have not been made public, and Arkia declined to comment on the reported talks.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rahm Emanuel, a potential Democratic presidential candidate and longtime defender of Israel, will denounce Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv this week and deliver a bracing message that the country’s relationship with the United States is “at a crossroads.”

“It cannot stand or survive as it has been,” Emanuel will say at Tel Aviv University on Wednesday, according to remarks obtained by The Associated Press. “To maintain the strength of our ties, we need significant changes and a new direction.”

The speech, coming from a stalwart of Democrats’ centrist wing, is another demonstration of how far their party has shifted away from its historic support of Israel.

About 58% of Democrats say the U.S. is “too supportive” of the Israelis, according to a new survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, up from 45% in January 2024. Roughly half of Democrats believe that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation that’s been leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the U.S. government.

Emanuel’s proposals will include sanctions on Israelis who attack Palestinian civilians and property along with companies and banks that support settlements considered illegal by most of the international community. He also wants to end U.S. subsidies to Israel’s defense budget, arguing the country “should be able to buy American arms under the same financial terms, the same restrictions, and the same requirements as every other trusted ally that abides by our laws.”

In addition, Emanuel will blame Netanyahu for driving Israel to a “dead end,” emboldened by poor decisions from American leaders.

“For too long, American policy toward Israel operated under the assumption that the best thing Washington could do for Jerusalem was to blindly and silently stand behind your government, without conditions, without demands, and without consequences when we disagreed,” he will say. “That has been our mistake. Unconditional support has produced a prime minister who has presumed that his strategic interests would incur no cost if he ignored America’s concerns.”

There’s little precedent for an American with presidential ambitions to travel to another country, much less one as fraught as Israel, to deliver such a stinging rebuke of its political leadership. Centrist figures like Emanuel have been more reluctant than Democrats’ progressive base to question longtime U.S. support for Israel in recent years.

How will Netanyahu react?
His remarks could prompt a similarly fiery response from Netanyahu, who famously once called Emanuel, who had ambitions of being the first Jewish speaker of the U.S. House, a “self-hating Jew.” Netanyahu faces his own battle for reelection in October, and the veteran leader may try to use a confrontation with Emanuel for political gain by appearing to stand strong in the face of international criticism.

But for possible Democratic presidential contenders gauging how to address the fallout from Israel’s war in Gaza and Netanyahu’s perceived tilt toward the Republican Party, led by President Donald Trump, the speech represents an especially frontal strategy. The war has disrupted political coalitions in both major political parties in the U.S., with younger voters recoiling at Israel’s approach to the conflict pressing American leaders to take a tougher stand. The issue has roiled some Democratic congressional primaries this year and could continue to be a dividing line in the contest for the party’s presidential nomination in 2028.

Castigating Netanyahu for doing little to advance diplomatic efforts to end the war, Emanuel will note that “support for Israel is plummeting around the world.”

“You’ve lost Europe,” he will say. “Your scientists face exclusion from international research networks. Your artists and academics are shut out of exhibits and conferences.”

Support for Israel wanes
While Netanyahu has forged generally strong ties with Trump and the Republican Party, Israel’s support among Democrats has slipped in recent years. But in portraying Israel as increasingly isolated, Emanuel’s comments have echoes of recent remarks from Vice President JD Vance, a sign of how criticism of the country is taking hold in both parties. Speaking recently from the White House briefing room as the U.S. worked to close a deal to end the war with Iran, Vance said Trump was “the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.”

For all his tough words, Emanuel, who is Jewish and whose father was born in Jerusalem, will offer notes of sympathy and understanding. He acknowledged the toll of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in which Hamas-led militants launched air and ground strikes on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. He noted disappointments from previous rounds of peace talks with Palestinian leaders.

“But even while acknowledging that history, the path forward cannot be held hostage to a past defined exclusively by recriminations,” he will say.

He will call the two-state solution “discredited” and instead push for a “23-state solution” that includes Israel, the Palestinians and the 21 other members of the Arab League in a peace deal.

“The 21 Arab nations that have exploited Palestinian rights as a slogan for decades now need to roll up their sleeves and stand up a governing authority capable of accepting the historic Jewish connection to this land,” he will say.

While no prominent Democrat has formally entered the 2028 contest, that could change soon after the November midterms with a field that could ultimately swell into the dozens. Few have been as open about their intentions as Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, congressman, Chicago mayor and U.S. ambassador who has spent much of the past three decades holding one public office or another. Absent such a post now, he’s gained attention by releasing a string of policy proposals, biking through the early voting state of New Hampshire, appearing on podcasts and stepping up his social media presence.

Six Flags Great Adventure has unveiled Shoreline Pier, a new Jersey Shore-inspired section of the park designed to attract more families and encourage visitors to spend more time—and money—at New Jersey’s largest theme park. The new attraction officially opened over the holiday weekend at the Jackson, New Jersey, resort.

The expansion recreates the sights and atmosphere of a classic Jersey Shore boardwalk, complete with family rides, midway games, entertainment, shopping and boardwalk-style food.

The centerpiece is Hypno Twister, a spinning thrill ride that reaches speeds of nearly 35 mph, sending riders forward and backward while simulating the motion of ocean waves. Other new attractions include Barrels O’ Fun, a family spinning coaster, Flying Scooters, Wave Swinger, and Super Roundup, giving visitors five attractions designed for both children and adults.

Unlike major roller coaster additions aimed primarily at thrill seekers, Shoreline Pier focuses on families looking to experience attractions together, a strategy Six Flags believes will increase repeat visits and broaden its customer base.

“We wanted to create an experience where families can enjoy rides together while capturing the nostalgia of the Jersey Shore,” park officials said during the opening.

The investment comes as regional tourism remains strong. With many Americans choosing shorter vacations and road trips this summer, destinations within driving distance are benefiting from increased visitor traffic.

For Six Flags, the timing could not be better.

Higher airline fares and travel costs have encouraged more families to seek affordable entertainment closer to home, making regional theme parks an attractive option. Industry analysts say family-focused attractions generally generate higher spending on food, games, merchandise and repeat visits than standalone thrill rides.

Shoreline Pier also expands the park’s entertainment offerings beyond rides. The area includes nightly live performances, classic boardwalk games, expanded dining options and new retail shops designed to recreate the atmosphere of New Jersey’s famous seaside amusement piers.

The addition is part of Six Flags’ broader strategy to transform Great Adventure into a multi-day destination. Visitors can now combine the theme park with Hurricane Harbor, the Wild Safari, and overnight accommodations at the Savannah Sunset Resort, encouraging guests to extend their stay.

Tourism remains a major economic driver for New Jersey, supporting thousands of jobs across hospitality, retail and entertainment. Investments like Shoreline Pier help strengthen the state’s appeal as a destination for both residents and out-of-state visitors looking for affordable summer experiences.

For families planning a day trip this summer, Shoreline Pier delivers a familiar slice of the Jersey Shore—without the beach traffic.

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

Former Rishon L’Tzion Rav Yitzchak Yosef has instructed Shas chairman Aryeh Deri to support the coalition’s key legislative priorities—including Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s communications reform bill—in exchange for the advancement of the Basic Law protecting limud Torah and legislation strengthening kashrus, according to a letter released Tuesday.

In the letter, Rav Yosef made clear that the proposed agreement between Shas and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should move forward without delay. He directed that Shas support legislation deemed important to the coalition in return for the passage of the laws the party has been seeking.

As part of the effort to secure Rav Yosef’s backing, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi sent the Rav Yosef a detailed letter explaining the provisions of the communications bill.

Karhi wrote that, “An explicit clause has been added to the law stating that sporting events of public importance will not be broadcast through the application on Shabbos or Yom Tov, with a clear definition of the beginning and end times of Shabbos and the festivals.”

The minister also argued that the legislation would reduce chilul Shabbos rather than increase it.

“So too regarding technical services provided to the public,” Karhi wrote. “This is a unique and explicit provision that has never before appeared in similar legislation. Honorable Rabbi, the real question, in my humble opinion, is not whether the proposed arrangement is perfect, but whether it is better than the existing situation. To me, the answer is clear: the law reduces chilul Shabbos in government operations, decreases the need for human labor on Shabbos, adds restrictions that did not previously exist, and even limits the application to channels that existed before the law’s publication in order to prevent the expansion of inappropriate content. I would be honored to meet with the Rabbi at any time to present all of the facts and professional details and answer any questions so that these matters can be evaluated based on facts rather than biased reports.”

In his response to Deri, Rav Yosef stressed the urgency of securing passage of the Torah legislation.

“There is no room for delay, and under no circumstances should the passage of the Torah Study Law be endangered,” Rav Yosef wrote. “Regarding kashrus, we must save the Jewish people from consuming neveilos and treifos, and therefore the current version of the law should be supported. It is not sufficient merely to refrain from wrongdoing. Therefore, the matters that are important to the authorities should be allowed to pass, while urgently conditioning them on the advancement of the above-mentioned legislation.”

The letter follows an understanding reportedly reached between Netanyahu and the chareidi parties to advance a Basic Law protecting limud Torah, legislation preventing the arrest of bnei yeshivah who have not complied with military draft orders, and a comprehensive kashrus law.

In exchange, the chareidi parties agreed to support several coalition initiatives, including legislation splitting the role of the Attorney General. On Monday, they also voted in favor of the first reading of a bill establishing a political commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre.

Until now, however, Shas had announced that it could not support Karhi’s communications bill in its current form, arguing that changes demanded by its rabbinic leadership had not been incorporated into the final version. The party said those amendments were intended to safeguard religious values and declared that, without them, it would oppose the legislation.

Even so, Shas urged Karhi to divide the bill and hold a separate vote on the provisions easing regulatory restrictions for newer television stations, including Channel 14. The party indicated it would support such a measure and expressed hope that the proposal would be brought before the Knesset quickly.

Tuesday morning’s directive from Rav Yitzchak Yosef now appears to clear the way for Shas to support the broader communications legislation as part of the coalition agreement advancing the Torah Study Law and other measures important to the chareidi parties.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A 37-story building under construction in Manhattan was evacuated Tuesday after two structural support beams on the 21st floor began buckling, prompting a large emergency response and the evacuation of neighboring buildings as a precaution.

The incident was reported shortly after 8 a.m. at the former Pfizer global headquarters on East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues, which is being converted into a 1,500-unit luxury rental complex.

.@FDNY Activity: Expect traffic delays & emergency personnel near East 42nd Street & 2nd Avenue, Manhattan. Use alternate routes.

— NYCEM – Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) July 7, 2026

According to authorities, construction workers noticed the structural columns beginning to buckle. No injuries were reported.

Video shows two columns buckled inside a Midtown building under construction. Dozens were evacuated and multiple streets were closed at the height of rush hour. See the full story : https://t.co/lgH632z6TN pic.twitter.com/7eYIZtJNPI

— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) July 7, 2026

The Fire Department of the City of New York initially responded to reports of bricks falling from the building, while the New York City Police Department later received a 911 call reporting the structural issue.

Officials closed East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues to vehicles and pedestrians as emergency crews responded. The New York City Department of Buildings said inspectors were on site and confirmed the project has an active construction permit.

The cause of the structural problem remains under investigation.

BREAKING: Manhattan Skyscraper EVACUATED after 2 support columns BUCKLE. 5 Floors Reportedly Caved in. Streets CLOSED around the building.

Video by Kevin RC Wilson | Licensing @FreedomNTV [email protected] pic.twitter.com/jWeLOrMhm4

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) July 7, 2026

The building at 235 East 42nd Street is seen Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

People gather near East 42nd Street after buildings in the area were evacuated, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Firefighters stage at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and East 42nd Street after buildings in the area were evacuated, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

NYPD officers talk about buildings in the area that were evacuated, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Mark Zuckerberg believes the smartphone’s replacement is already sitting on people’s faces — and he says it works even at full throttle on the water.

In an interview with Complex published this week, the Meta Platforms chief executive said he has fielded business calls while riding a jet ski without the person on the other end realizing where he was. “I’ve taken business calls on a jet ski,” he said. “The other person could not tell that I was on it.” He credited a microphone built into Meta’s smart glasses, saying it captures clear audio even in extremely noisy conditions.

The story highlights Meta’s biggest consumer technology bet. Zuckerberg has become the company’s leading salesman for AI-powered smart glasses, arguing they will eventually replace smartphones as people’s primary way of interacting with technology. Meta sells several models through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban and Oakley eyewear. Prices range from the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 at $379 to the new Meta Ray-Ban Display at $799, which includes a built-in display inside the lens.

His reasoning is simple. About two billion people already wear prescription glasses, giving the company an enormous potential customer base. Zuckerberg compared today’s smart glasses to the early days of smartphones, saying that just as flip phones eventually disappeared, he expects AI-powered eyewear to become the next major computing platform. He envisions glasses that can see what users see, hear what they hear and provide real-time AI assistance without forcing people to constantly look down at a phone.

The business momentum is growing. During Meta’s January earnings call, Zuckerberg said sales of the company’s smart glasses tripled over the past year, making them one of the fastest-growing consumer electronics products the company has introduced.

The investment, however, remains extraordinarily expensive. Meta’s Reality Labs division lost approximately $19.2 billion in 2025, including a $6.02 billion operating loss during the fourth quarter on $955 million in revenue, according to the company’s annual report. Zuckerberg and Chief Financial Officer Susan Li told investors they expect similar losses in 2026 before the business begins improving.

The spending extends well beyond smart glasses. Meta forecasts 2026 capital expenditures of $115 billion to $135 billion, nearly doubling the $72.2 billion it spent in 2025 as the company rapidly expands artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers.

The technology has also sparked privacy concerns. Earlier this year, a Los Angeles judge threatened members of Zuckerberg’s entourage with contempt after recording-capable glasses were worn into a courtroom where recording devices are prohibited. Privacy advocates have likewise questioned how easily the devices can record people in public without their knowledge.

Despite the criticism, Zuckerberg said Meta has been developing the technology since 2014 and is already designing future generations, including products planned for 2028.

JBizNews Desk | Menlo Park, Calif.
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Tuesday that Hezbollah is “the source of the problems” in Lebanon and that both Israelis and Lebanese “suffer from its terrorism,” while reaffirming Germany’s support for the disarmament of Hamas and efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Speaking alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Jerusalem, Wadephul said the recently reached framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the United States offers “a glimmer of hope” for both sides of the border. He said Germany is prepared to support the process and stressed that Lebanon must establish a credible monopoly on the use of force while Israel receives clear security guarantees.

The two ministers also signed an agreement under which Germany will provide €5 million annually to Yad Vashem to support Holocaust research, documentation, education, and remembrance.

Sa’ar said Hamas is attempting to replicate Hezbollah’s model in Gaza by offering to step aside for a technocratic government while refusing to surrender its weapons. He reiterated that Israel remains committed to President Trump’s Gaza plan, which calls for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations in the Strip.

Wadephul echoed that position, saying Hamas must give up both its weapons and its control over Gaza, allowing Palestinians to live freely without the terrorist group’s rule. Addressing Iran, he said long-term regional stability depends on Tehran ending its destabilizing activities and ensuring unrestricted, toll-free passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasizing that Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ford is recalling more than 110,000 vehicles in the U.S. across two separate safety campaigns after federal regulators identified defects involving windshield wipers and a rear drivetrain component that could increase crash risks.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the automaker is recalling 110,626 vehicles in two separate actions affecting certain Mustang, Mustang GTD and Mustang Mach-E models.

The larger recall affects 67,842 Mustang and Mustang GTD vehicles. NHTSA said that under certain cold-weather conditions, the windshield wipers may operate only at the high-speed setting, while the windshield washer system may not function properly. The agency said the reduced visibility could increase the risk of a crash.

In a separate recall, Ford is recalling 42,784 Mustang Mach-E vehicles because the rear differential pinion shaft may fracture. 

According to NHTSA, the defect could result in a loss of drive power or unintended vehicle movement if the SUV is parked without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will repair or replace the affected components free of charge.

Ford shares were flat in early trading and are up more than 5% year to date.

FOX Business reached out to Ford for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has firmly rejected reports that he could meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his visit to Washington, declaring that he has no intention of holding talks with the Israeli leader and would immediately leave if the two were to find themselves in the same room.

In an interview with the longtime Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, Aoun dismissed speculation that a meeting with Netanyahu was being planned as part of diplomatic efforts in Washington.

“It is true that the issue of relations between Israel and Lebanon is on the agenda of the President of the United States, but the reports about a meeting between us are not true. I have no intention of doing so,” Aoun was quoted as saying.

The newspaper further quoted the Lebanese president as saying, “The meeting will not take place as long as Israeli attacks against Lebanese civilians and the Israeli occupation continue. If, by chance, we both end up in the same room, I intend to leave it immediately.”

During the interview, Aoun also outlined how Lebanon expects to implement the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Washington.

According to Aoun, a new oversight body known as MCG4L will be established, consisting of American, Lebanese, and Israeli representatives under the leadership of U.S. General Joseph Clifford. The committee will operate from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, though Aoun emphasized there will be no direct coordination between Lebanese and Israeli military officers.

He said the new trilateral committee will replace the previous ceasefire monitoring framework, commonly known as the “Mechanism Committee.”

Aoun also revealed that France will not have officers serving on the new oversight body. However, he said Paris will continue assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces in cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

Addressing the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons, Aoun said Lebanon will not establish a special military unit dedicated to disarming the terrorist organization. He explained that he does not distinguish between officers within the Lebanese army and expressed confidence in the military’s existing command structure.

“We have full confidence in all the officers and soldiers of the Lebanese Army,” he said.

Aoun reiterated that while the Memorandum of Understanding reached in Washington “is not ideal,” he believes it is “a realistic document that allows Lebanon to regain control of the territories occupied by the IDF in southern Lebanon.”

The Lebanese president also defended his government’s decision to send the country’s defense minister as Lebanon’s official representative to the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, despite criticism from some quarters.

“We continue to maintain normal diplomatic relations with Iran,” Aoun said. “If other Arab countries participated and sent their own delegations of condolences, why should Lebanon be expected to act differently?”

The Rebbe was known for his profound humility, unwavering faith, and heartfelt love for every Yid.

Many visit his Kever in Deans NJ to daven for Yeshuos, specifically those in Shidduchim.

His Kever is located at 104 Deans Rhode Hall Rd, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852

This link takes you directly to the Kever.

Wall Street opened Tuesday, July 7, with a split personality. The Dow Jones Industrial Average pushed to a fresh all-time high, up about 187 points, or 0.3%, shortly after the bell, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell around 0.6% and the S&P 500 slipped roughly 0.1%. Driving the caution was a jolt from the Middle East: the British maritime agency UKMTO said Tuesday that an “unknown projectile” struck an oil tanker and started a fire off the coast of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, on Monday — reviving fears about the world’s most important oil chokepoint just as tensions there had begun to ease.

The strike pushed crude higher. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 0.63% to $72.45 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 0.57% to $68.94. The move interrupted a stretch of falling oil prices and reminded traders that the U.S.-Iran conflict, and the shipping lane carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil, remain a live risk.

Beneath the surface, money kept rotating. For a second straight session, investors pulled out of the artificial-intelligence trade that has led the market all year and moved into steadier corners like healthcare, banks and the biggest technology names.

The moves built on a strong start to the week. On Monday, the Dow closed at a record 53,055.91, the S&P 500 finished at 7,537.43 and the Nasdaq ended at 26,121.16. The small-cap Russell 2000 was the early bright spot Tuesday, edging up about 0.4%.

Market movers

The pain was concentrated in chipmakers. Micron Technology dropped about 5%, and KLA, Marvell Technology, Broadcom and AMD all fell, dragging the VanEck Semiconductor ETF down more than 3%. On the other side, Eli Lilly climbed more than 2%, while JPMorgan Chase and Microsoft advanced as buyers favored steady earners.

Walmart rose about 1% after the retailer said it was cutting prices on staples including ground beef and Coca-Cola products — a welcome sign for shoppers watching grocery bills. Rivian Automotive sank more than 10% after announcing plans to sell 75 million new shares, a move that dilutes existing holders. Amazon ticked up after reports it is seeking to raise at least $25 billion through a bond sale. And SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company, officially joined the Nasdaq-100 on Tuesday, less than a month after its record-breaking June debut.

Analysts were busy. Goldman Sachs started coverage of SpaceX with a Buy rating and a $205 price target, while UBS and Stifel also launched with Buy calls at $210 and $190. JPMorgan reiterated its Overweight rating on Apple and lifted its target to $345 from $325. Deutsche Bank upgraded First Solar to Buy with a $272 target, and Scotiabank raised Cloudflare to Outperform, boosting its target to $300 from $225. Not every call was upbeat: Bank of America cut Adobe to Underperform with a $190 target, and Erste Group downgraded Broadcom to Hold.

Commodities and volatility

Oil was the standout, climbing on the Hormuz scare. Otherwise the mood stayed mostly calm. The Cboe Volatility Index, Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” had closed near a low 15.6 on Monday and ticked only modestly higher as stocks opened, suggesting traders saw the tanker strike as a worry to watch rather than a reason to flee.

The day ahead

There is fresh data to digest. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in May to $77.6 billion, from a revised $54.6 billion in April, as exports fell 3.2% and imports rose 3.3%. Investors are also looking to Wednesday, when the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its first meeting under new Chair Kevin Warsh — a document that could offer clues on when, or whether, interest rates will fall this year. Overseas, leaders are gathering for a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where President Donald Trump is pressing European allies to spend more on their own defense.

For now, the market’s message is one of rotation rather than retreat: as long as the economy holds up, investors seem willing to keep buying — just not the same stocks that carried them here.

JBiz Desk | Wall Street

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

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s Security Service on Tuesday said it found the body of Ukrainian national Anastasiia Berezovska, who had been wanted by authorities in Monaco in connection with the bombing targeting Ukrainian business tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev.

The security service, also known by its local abbreviation SBU, said an officer serving in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency confessed to killing Berezovska with the help of a former law enforcement officer. He claimed he acted on his own initiative and without informing his superiors, the statement said.

The attack on June 29 reportedly targeted Yermolaiev, who has links to Russia, and his family. Three people were injured, including a child. The incident shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix. Its head of state, Prince Albert II, described the blast as “an odious act” and said all public services were mobilized to ensure security.

Interpol had identified 39-year-old Berezovska as the main suspect. The police organization named her in a Red Notice seeking her arrest on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent and criminal conspiracy.

Interpol on Tuesday said it had no immediate comment and that the Red Notice on its website would remain until Monaco asked for its removal.

The SBU said investigators had focused on the two men after discovering they had repeatedly transferred cryptocurrency and money through bank accounts to Berezovska. During searches, authorities also found what the SBU described as a basement resembling a torture chamber at the former law enforcement officer’s home.

Investigators found Berezovska’s body during a reconstruction of the crime based on one suspect’s testimony. She had gunshot wounds to the head, and investigators recovered spent pistol casings at the scene, the SBU said.

Both men have been detained on suspicion of premeditated murder.

The SBU said it had shared all available information with Monaco’s investigators and was continuing to identify those who ordered and organized the attempted killing in Monaco.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City has completed new bus lane projects on Madison and Lexington avenues aimed at reducing travel times for more than 150,000 daily riders, city officials announced Monday.

The improvements include new double bus lanes on Madison Avenue between East 23rd and East 42nd streets, serving about 92,000 riders on 34 local and express bus routes. On Lexington Avenue, curbside bus lanes between East 52nd and East 60th streets have been replaced with offset bus lanes designed to reduce delays caused by parked and standing vehicles, benefiting about 71,000 daily riders.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the projects are intended to shorten commutes and improve reliability for bus passengers across the five boroughs.

City transportation officials said buses on parts of Madison Avenue had slowed to about 4.5 mph before the project, while buses on Lexington Avenue averaged about 5 mph during the day because vehicles frequently blocked curbside bus lanes.

The Madison Avenue redesign also includes updated traffic lane configurations and parking regulations. Officials said previous double bus lane installations on Fifth Avenue increased local bus speeds by up to 12% and express bus speeds by up to 20%.

The Lexington Avenue project expands on an earlier offset bus lane installation farther north, where the city said bus speeds increased by 26% and pedestrian injuries declined by 35%.

Transportation advocates and elected officials welcomed the projects, saying dedicated bus lanes can improve transit reliability, reduce congestion and enhance street safety.

The Monsey community continues to mourn the petirah of Hugh (Chaim) Jacobson Z”L, the longtime First Assistant Chief of the Monsey Fire Department’s Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1, who was niftar on Erev Shabbos after a lengthy illness at the age of 46. Following an emotional levayah in Monsey and a kevurah in Eretz Yisroel, family, friends, firefighters, emergency responders, elected officials, and community members are reflecting on the remarkable legacy of a man whose nearly three decades of selfless service touched countless lives.

Jacobson joined the Monsey Fire Department approximately 28 years ago, following in the footsteps of his late father, who also served as a longtime member of the department. Throughout his years of service, he rose through the ranks as Lieutenant, Captain, Chief, and later First Assistant Chief, the position he held until his petirah. In every role, he earned the admiration and respect of fellow firefighters and the community he faithfully served.

Known throughout the department by his radio designation “7-2,” Chief Jacobson was respected for his calm leadership, humility, and unwavering commitment to firefighter safety. Fellow firefighters recall a leader who never sought recognition, but instead focused on ensuring both the residents he served and the firefighters under his command returned home safely after every emergency call.

Beyond responding to emergencies, Jacobson played a major role in helping shape the modern Monsey Fire Department. Working alongside fellow chiefs, firefighters, and Fire Commissioners, he helped strengthen training, improve safety standards, modernize operations, and ensure the department remained prepared to meet the needs of Monsey’s rapidly growing community.

A lifelong Monsey resident, Jacobson attended Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Suffern before graduating from the Torah Academy of Bergen County. Those who knew him describe a man of exceptional middos who viewed volunteer service as a true calling. He often spoke about the unique brotherhood within Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1 and took great pride in the unity among its members, where firefighters from all backgrounds worked together with one shared mission: protecting the community.

Hundreds gathered Friday afternoon at Kehillas Sha’ar HaShamayim in Wesley Hills for the levayah before accompanying the aron to the Grove Street firehouse, where Monsey firefighters rendered full departmental honors to their fallen chief. A final radio call, the traditional ringing of the fire bell, and an emotional farewell by fellow firefighters served as a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated much of his life to protecting others.

Following Shabbos, the aron was flown to Eretz Yisroel, where the kevurah took place, bringing to a close a final journey marked by extraordinary respect and appreciation from both the emergency services community and the public he faithfully served.

The overwhelming turnout throughout the levayah and procession underscored the profound impact Chief Jacobson had across Rockland County. Fire departments from throughout the region, together with Chaverim of Rockland, Spring Hill EMS, Faist EMS, Ramapo Police, New Square Hatzoloh, New Square Ershte Hilf, Kiryas Joel Fire Department, and numerous other emergency agencies stood shoulder to shoulder with family and friends to pay their final respects.

Chief Hugh (Chaim) Jacobson Z”L leaves behind far more than an impressive record of public service. He leaves behind a stronger fire department, a safer community, and a legacy of quiet leadership, humility, and mesirus nefesh that will continue to inspire firefighters, first responders, and community members for generations to come.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Druze MK Akram Hasson (New Hope) expressed unequivocal support for the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, arguing that the public discourse against the Chareidi community and religious figures is driven by political considerations rather than genuine concern for the country.

In an interview with Kan Moreshet on Tuesday, the Druze lawmaker criticized the incitement against the Chareidi community and expressed support for the status of Lomdei Torah.

“Religious leaders must not be targeted through boycotts or for political gain,” he asserted. “They are respected people in every community and everywhere in the world. Only here do people try to harm them and change them in order to win more votes.”

“The Torah is important to every Jew. Without the Torah, there is no state. In any place that religious leaders were belittled or faith was abandoned, destruction and problems followed. Religious leaders are a blessing.”

Hasson also disputed claims that the Chareidi community is an economic burden, saying the figures on government funding are presented misleadingly.

“When you divide the budgets among one and a half million people, it comes to about 4,000 shekels per person per year—not per month. At a time when giant corporations generate hundreds of billions, it is davka the Chareidim who are portrayed as harming the economy. It is simply not true.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The struggle over Jewish historical sites in Judea and Samaria continues, according to a Kol Hayehudi report. Following recent visits by members of Knesset and government ministers to the ancient Jewish site of Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem, the Palestinian Authority is reportedly planning to build a mosque at the site in an effort to reinforce its claim of sovereignty over the ancient Jewish historical site.

Jamil Rabaya, head of the village council of Artas, near Bethlehem, told the Arabic-language outlet Radio Alam: “The Council of Ministers is scheduled to visit Solomon’s Pools on Wednesday to lay the cornerstone for the construction of a mosque. Recently, Solomon’s Pools were officially recognized and registered in the Palestinian registry as an archaeological and historical site.”

An article by Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, published by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and Security (JCFA), claimed that Solomon’s Pools, an ancient water system that supplied water to Jerusalem and bears the name of King Solomon, have been neglected for decades under the administration of the Palestinian Authority.

According to Hirsch, while the Palestinian Authority “could have transformed Bethlehem, including Solomon’s Pools, into a major tourist destination and a significant source of income, it chose to ignore the site and allow it to deteriorate,” despite its historical, archaeological, and tourism importance.

Israeli Minister Orit Strock recently toured the site together with members of the Religious Zionism party. During the visit, she said: “We are at Solomon’s Pools, an ancient water system built by the Hasmoneans, the Hasmoneans who declared, ‘We did not take a foreign land.’

“This is our land. They built this water system, and they didn’t ask whether this area was Area A, B, or C. They knew it was the Land of Israel, our land, and neither will we ask such questions. Although the architects of the Oslo Accords designated this area as Area A, for us ‘Eretz Yisrael’ means the Land of Israel. We are here, the residents of Efrat are here, and there is no reason we should not be here. Mahmoud Abbas long ago erased the distinctions between Areas A, B, and C. This is our land.”

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich also spoke during the visit, saying: “There is no water system of this size and historical significance anywhere else. It is absurd to me that such an important site is in the hands of the Palestinian Authority. We will change that soon and ensure that this place once again becomes accessible to all the people of Israel.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned overnight that Tehran will not begin negotiations on a final nuclear agreement with the United States “if threats continue,” following President Donald Trump’s renewed warning that the U.S. could strike Iran’s critical infrastructure.

The warning came after Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that Iran must either reach an agreement or face overwhelming military action.

“We’re going to make a deal or we’re going to finish the job, okay. And it won’t be tough to finish the job. I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply. All of those big plants that they built, big, beautiful, modern plants,” Trump said.

In response, Araghchi wrote on X: “Para 13 of the MoU is clear: Negotiations on final Deal will not commence if threats continue. Honor your signature.”

The exchange marks the latest escalation in tensions as both sides continue to spar publicly over the future of negotiations on a permanent agreement.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

With Israel’s high-tech sector once again the main motor of the economy, a company has told The Jerusalem Post that many start-ups are scaling up their teams by hiring offshore personnel.

“One of the main concerns for start-ups when they are in their first stages is getting a strong team. And while artificial intelligence helps improve what each employee can do individually, many companies still need to contract people fast and know that they are capable of performing,” Ami Goren, Israel Offshore country manager for ONE Offshore, told the Post.

Goren works in the offshore division of One Technologies Group that specializes in connecting talented teams abroad with local companies looking to expand their workforce, and has been solving this.

This is reflected in the sector’s need for more employees: more than 400,000 Israelis (11% of the workforce) work in high-tech companies, according to the authority’s estimates.

ONE Offshore provides high-tech companies and startups with solutions to establish and expand development teams in Eastern Europe. And while reducing costs is one reason to push for this service, Goren explained that most companies seek outsourcing to expand their teams.

“For example, many companies hire people outside of Israel in order to continue work even on Fridays, something that most Israelis wouldn’t do. Of course, lower prices are a reason, but not the main one why companies contact us,” Goren said.

A solution to Israel’s exchange rate situation?

One of the key problems for startups nowadays is the strong shekel, as its rise against the dollar has caused many startups holding funds in foreign currencies to face liquidity problems.

The situation in Israel became critical in the last couple of months, with the dollar falling below NIS 3 for the first time in 30 years in April, followed by declines in May and June.

For companies that have funding or income in dollars, this was a direct hit. Israeli tech giant Wix announced in May that it would lay off 20% of its Israeli workforce, citing the dollar-shekel exchange rate as a contributing factor.

Elementor, an open-source website-building platform installed on 13% of websites worldwide, announced in June that it would reduce its operations by 30%.

And while outsourcing might be a temporary solution, as it stabilizes some of the salaries paid by startups by using the same currency for the funding and paying salaries, it’s not a permanent solution, as the devaluation of the dollar is happening worldwide.

“Even if they are paid in dollars, the American currency is devaluing worldwide. So the outsourced employees would eventually also ask for higher salaries in dollars, because it’s a problem that also affects them,” he said.

Maintaining the Israeli work culture

Another topic discussed with Goren during his interview with the Post was that the company offers Israeli firms the option to stop relying on Israeli employees, even though that is usually a selling point for many Israeli companies.

“If you have strong Israelis and can access more to hire, keep hiring them. That’s what I tell anyone who wants to outsource. We offer the possibility of getting employees fast, when that’s needed in order to keep working,” Goren said.

“That being said, we also work with people from Eastern Europe. Countries like Poland, Ukraine, or Moldova that have a similar work ethic to Israelis and are capable of adapting to the Israeli work culture really fast,” he added.

“People in these countries know how to improvise, how to adapt. They know how to be devoted to work. These aspects of personality are closer to those of Israelis than to those of other nations,” he concluded.

Regarding how the company operates, Goren explained that they manage the connection and the hiring process, while their clients only need to provide a detailed description of the role they are looking for.

“The division operates through international R&D centers and offers access to hundreds of developers and technology experts in the fields of software development, AI, DevOps, QA, Data, Cloud and Integration,” the company added in a statement.

This post was originally published on here.

ANKARA (VINnews) – President Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday as he arrived in Ankara, where the two leaders highlighted close U.S.-Turkey ties and discussed defense cooperation.

Erdoğan waited on a blue carpet beside Air Force One, shaking Trump’s hand as he stepped off the aircraft. Trump briefly squeezed Erdoğan’s shoulder before the two posed for photographs. Wearing sunglasses in the bright sun, Erdoğan later guided Trump by the arm as they walked together to inspect an honor guard of Turkish troops.

The leaders did not take questions during the arrival ceremony, though Trump was overheard speaking with Erdoğan and first lady Emine Erdoğan about the aircraft now serving as Air Force One.

Later, Trump praised Turkey’s military, calling it “a very powerful country militarily” under Erdoğan’s leadership and saying, “People don’t know how powerful they actually are. They have great soldiers.” Turkey has NATO’s second-largest standing military after the United States.

Trump also praised Ankara’s relationship with Washington, saying Turkey “has been very, very good” and “extraordinary in many ways” despite concerns raised by some over its ties with Israel. He added that Turkey “could’ve gotten into the fight on the other side” but did not elaborate.

Asked whether the United States would consider selling Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Turkey despite existing legal restrictions, Trump replied, “Why wouldn’t we do that? Turkey in many ways has been much more loyal than other countries than we think would be loyal. It’s certainly something we’d consider.”

Trump lavishes praise on Erdogan on Turkey: "I hear some people saying about their relationship with Israel. They could've gotten into the fight on the other side. They are a nation that's been very very good. They've been extraordinary in many ways which respect to our… pic.twitter.com/O0VI4C5Zp8

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 7, 2026

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) intensified his criticism of fellow Democrats on Monday, accusing party leaders of ignoring warning signs surrounding embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and calling on Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other prominent supporters to apologize for backing him after new allegations surfaced.

The latest controversy erupted after Politico published an interview Monday with Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who said she dated Platner several years ago.

In the wake of the report, a growing number of Democratic officials have withdrawn their endorsements of Platner, while speculation has mounted that he may exit the race. Although he secured the Democratic nomination in Maine’s primary election, state law still allows the party a brief window to replace him on the ballot.

Fetterman has repeatedly criticized Platner throughout the campaign as various controversies emerged and has frequently voiced those concerns during appearances on Fox News.

Appearing Monday night on The Ingraham Angle, Fetterman discussed the newest allegations with host Laura Ingraham.

Ingraham noted that Fetterman had become one of Platner’s most outspoken critics and asked how he viewed the latest developments.

Fetterman praised Racicot for coming forward, describing her as “courageous” and “very brave,” while adding that he was “so sorry for what she’s been through.”

Ingraham responded by saying, “Your party was willing — your party leaders, not you — was willing to look past all of these other allegations against him,” adding, “from the … tattoo, the Nazi tattoo, to all the other Reddit posts that had been dug up. So they were willing to overlook all of that because he was their star.”

“Yeah. I refuse to overlook that,” Fetterman replied. “But honestly, I would really call Bernie Sanders to apologize for pushing this kind of predator more than anyone he helped him elect. Now apologize to the victims…”

Fetterman continued, “So I don’t know why you want to keep pushing these kinds of people…”

Ingraham pointed out that Platner has denied the allegations and said he was “basically reviewing his opinions,” while predicting that he was “obviously gonna drop out, correct?”

Fetterman responded that “He was already a dead man walking politically,” noting that “the entire Democratic party in Maine,” along with Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, had publicly urged Platner to withdraw.

“I don’t know why he’s trying to pretend that he’s not done,” Fetterman continued. “Those Pod Save America people that pushed that dirt bag — they dismiss those things in The New York Times article — maybe they ought to apologize to the women that clearly they didn’t believe or they dismissed.”

He also criticized other Democrats for supporting Platner, saying, “I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and got all in on” former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and “were on the Platner train as well, too.” Fetterman added, “So maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirt bags, someone like Platner.”

During the interview, Ingraham played a portion of Racicot’s interview with Tapper, describing her account as “hard words to hear.”

Fetterman agreed, calling the allegations “terrible,” and faulting “so many Democrats” for previously dismissing earlier accusations by saying “it’s not a big deal or we don’t believe it or it’s politically motivated.”

When Ingraham asked whether he had any message for Platner, Fetterman did not hold back.

“I don’t have anything to say to that trash bag,” he replied, once again describing Platner as “a dead man walking politically.”

Fetterman concluded by expressing sympathy for “the poor women that have been brutalized by him,” and said he wanted to “salute the courage for the women to come forward.”

He also argued that Democrats who promoted Platner had placed the party’s chances of regaining a Senate majority at “serious risk” and should “maybe look in the mirror” and consider “the kind of person you were pushing.”

“Any normal person could have seen what was coming, the kind of person it is now,” Fetterman concluded, adding that he would “just call him out for what he is.”

In a video released ahead of tonight’s AiDapt event at Bell Works, Ephraim Arnstein, founder and president of Bitbean, speaks about why embracing AI is no longer optional for business owners.

What makes tonight especially noteworthy: this is believed to be the first time Arnstein is attending an event of this kind in person. He will be on hand at a special lounge shared by Bitbean and Schwai, where he will be available to answer questions directly from attendees.

The event itself has far exceeded expectations. Organizers originally set a goal of 300 attendees. As of this morning, registration has passed 450 tickets, with most of the surge coming in just the last few days.

“It’s an honor, and honestly a dream come true,” said Ira Zlotowitz, who will be moderating the main stage panel. “Eastern Union was Bitbean’s first client, and probably their largest ever. The Loan Tracker system they built became the foundation of Eastern Union and is still in use today. And when we rebuilt GoDaven l’zecher my father z”l together with Dr. Fishkin, it was Bitbean who redid it and maintains it to this day. Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight.”

AiDapt takes place tonight at Bell Works in Holmdel. Doors open at 4:30 PM, with the main stage panel beginning at 5:15 PM. A light buffet dinner will be served, and ladies are invited as well.

Last-minute tickets are still available at aidaptshow.com. Lakewood Scoop readers can enter code TLS at checkout for $50 off.

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wa-1783430018287-cw9f2p.mp4

[Press Release]

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz launched a sharp attack against Jewish voters in New York who support mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, comparing their political behavior to that of Jews in Germany who, through their support in 1932, helped pave the way for the rise of Nazism. Dershowitz made the remarks during the podcast “America’s Mayor Live,” hosted by Rudy Giuliani.

Dershowitz argued forcefully that American Jews, particularly those living in liberal neighborhoods of New York such as the Upper West Side, are “politically homeless.”

According to Dershowitz: “The foolish Jews in New York who vote for anti-Israel candidates remind me of the 7,000 Jews who voted for Hitler in 1932.”

He added with bitter sarcasm: “Of those 7,000 Jews who voted for him, probably 6,000 ended up in the gas chambers. You would think they would have learned the lesson, but no, they continue voting for candidates who are hostile to them.”

During his conversation with Giuliani, Dershowitz sharply criticized the Democratic Party, arguing that it no longer has room for Jews who support Israel. By contrast, he claimed that within the Republican Party, “anyone who expresses hatred toward Jews gets thrown out on their backside.”

As part of a broader discussion about the security situation, Dershowitz also addressed the U.S. administration’s policy toward Israel.

He said he shared the frustration expressed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who had criticized the U.S. president, claiming that he had “prevented Israel from eliminating Hezbollah.”

Giuliani echoed Dershowitz’s remarks, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s objective had been “to destroy Hezbollah as a proxy of the Iranian regime and see whether he could eliminate the threat once and for all.”

Dershowitz and Giuliani agreed that the prospect of New York electing leadership that they view as openly hostile to Israel and to Western values is both “absurd and dangerous.”

The two concluded that the resurgence of antisemitism around the world, coupled with what they described as political silence among liberal circles, should serve as a wake-up call for the Jewish community.

Summarizing the discussion, Giuliani said: “We are under attack by forces united in their hatred of America, Israel, the Jewish people, and Christianity.”

He urged Jewish voters to reexamine their political loyalties on the basis of principles and values rather than political habit or transactional considerations.

Thousands of Americans on Medicare have lost their prescription drug coverage this year after failing to pay premiums that, in some cases, were as little as $8. A new investigation by KFF Health News, published Monday, found many seniors were unaware they owed anything after plans that previously charged $0 monthly premiums quietly introduced small monthly fees for 2026.

The issue centers on Wellcare’s Value Script plan, the nation’s largest standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan with nearly 6 million members. In dozens of states, enrollees who paid no premium in 2025 suddenly owed small monthly payments this year. Many say they never realized the change until their prescription coverage had already been canceled.

Under current Medicare rules, insurers can terminate prescription drug coverage after members miss premium payments during a grace period. Even relatively small unpaid balances can result in cancellation.

One Nevada enrollee reportedly lost coverage after owing just $8.10 over three months. Another beneficiary lost coverage after missing less than $30 in premium payments.

For many seniors, the financial consequences extend far beyond the missed payments. Once coverage is terminated, most beneficiaries cannot enroll in another Medicare drug plan until the annual open enrollment period, with new coverage generally not beginning until January 1 of the following year. Those who go without qualifying prescription coverage for more than 63 days may also face a permanent Medicare late-enrollment penalty, increasing their prescription costs for life.

Many affected seniors believed their premiums were still being deducted automatically from their Social Security checks. However, because their plans charged $0 the previous year, automatic deductions had stopped. When premiums increased for 2026, many members needed to actively restart those deductions but were unaware of the requirement.

Wellcare said it notified affected members through mailed notices, emails, phone calls and text messages regarding the premium changes.

The situation highlights how even minor administrative changes can create significant financial and health risks for older Americans, particularly those living on fixed incomes who depend on uninterrupted access to medications for chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and respiratory illnesses.

The investigation also underscores the complexity of the Medicare Part D system. Although Medicare provides prescription drug coverage, the plans themselves are administered by private insurance companies that determine premiums, billing procedures and enrollment policies within federal guidelines.

Consumer advocates say beneficiaries should carefully review annual plan notices each fall, even if they expect their coverage to remain unchanged. A plan that carried no monthly premium one year may charge a premium the next, creating payment obligations that many retirees may overlook.

For Medicare beneficiaries, the lesson is simple but important: never assume a plan remains free from year to year. Confirm your monthly premium directly with your insurer, verify how payments are being made, and make sure automatic deductions remain active if applicable. Spending a few minutes reviewing your coverage could prevent the loss of prescription benefits and avoid permanent financial penalties.

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

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration initiative that drove widespread federal workforce reductions and spending cuts, officially concluded its operations on July 4, marking the end of a program that reshaped much of the federal government over the past year.

In a farewell message posted on social media, the department quoted President Theodore Roosevelt, writing, “‘Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’”

DOGE said its formal work may have ended, but insisted its broader objectives would remain in place. “While the formal mission of DOGE has come to an end, the mission to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse will continue,” DOGE added. “Good stewardship of taxpayer dollars and accountable government are not temporary initiatives. We hope those principles endure long into America’s next 250 years.”

The department’s expiration had been planned from the outset. On his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order renaming the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service and directing every federal agency to “ensure” that DOGE officials received “full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.” The order specified that the initiative would conclude during America’s semiquincentennial celebration.

Amy Gleason served as DOGE’s acting administrator from February 2025 until the agency’s closure. According to her LinkedIn profile, she now serves as chief product officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. During the early months of Trump’s second administration, Elon Musk directed DOGE’s activities and became the public face of its cost-cutting efforts.

Musk, who contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, served as a special government employee for 130 days and reported directly to the president. After leaving government service, he and Trump publicly clashed over Musk’s opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump ultimately signed into law in July 2025.

During Musk’s tenure at DOGE, shares of Tesla fell sharply, and several incidents involving the burning of Tesla vehicles were reported.

By October, DOGE estimated that its initiatives had produced approximately $214 billion in savings through asset sales, canceled contracts, leases and grants, fraud prevention, reductions in improper payments, lower interest expenses, regulatory reforms, program changes, and workforce reductions. According to the department, that equated to roughly $1,329 per each of the nation’s approximately 161 million taxpayers and reduced the national debt by 0.54 percent, based on figures from a national debt tracking website.

The initiative also drew criticism over its costs. In December, Timothy White, executive director of the environmental advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), argued that the administration’s deferred resignation program cost taxpayers an estimated $10 billion during 2025.

“Ironically, this unreasonably costly mass idling of civil servants was done in the name of ‘government efficiency,’” PEER executive director Timothy White wrote in a letter to Shirley Jones, the managing associate general counsel at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Although DOGE has formally shut down, the administration requested an additional $35 million from Congress for fiscal year 2027 in reimbursable program funding connected to the initiative. The Hill reported that it sought comment from the White House regarding future cost-cutting efforts following DOGE’s closure.

Since President Trump returned to office, the federal workforce has shrunk by more than 272,000 employees through a combination of a hiring freeze, early retirement incentives, and reductions in force, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

OPM said nearly 140,000 federal workers accepted deferred resignation offers, allowing them to continue receiving full salary and benefits until officially leaving government service by Sept. 30, 2025.

The Departments of Defense, Treasury, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Interior recorded the largest number of departures through the program, including more than 48,000 employees at the Pentagon and over 23,000 workers at the Treasury Department.

Despite those reductions, hundreds of employees who had been laid off as part of DOGE initiatives were rehired during the fall, while court rulings allowed other federal workers to retain their positions.

Among DOGE’s earliest priorities was the Internal Revenue Service, where the department sought access to taxpayer return information for individuals and businesses, a move that sparked concerns among privacy advocates.

Several of DOGE’s top officials—including Musk, advisers Steve Davis and Katie Miller, the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and general counsel James Burnham—departed the federal government in May 2025.

Even with the department’s closure, many former DOGE officials remain in influential government roles. Gavin Kilger now serves as chief data officer at the Pentagon, while Sam Corcos is the Treasury Department’s chief information officer.

Edward Coristine, the programmer widely known by the nickname “Big Balls,” who survived an attempted carjacking in Washington last August, is currently employed at the National Design Studio.

Joe Gebbia, another former DOGE official, now leads the National Design Studio, an initiative established by President Trump to modernize and improve federal government websites.

The average new car payment rose to an all-time high in the first quarter as American households continued to face affordability challenges in the economy.

A new report by LendingTree citing data from Experian for the first quarter of 2026 found that the average monthly payment for a new vehicle rose 2.9% from a year ago to a record of $770.

Lease payments on new vehicles rose at a faster rate, rising 3.2% over the last year to $619 on average in the first quarter.

Used car payments saw a smaller increase over the last year, rising 1.5% to an average monthly payment of $531.

Among borrowers with varying tiers of credit scores, the borrowers making the highest average monthly payments on new vehicles were nonprime borrowers with scores in the 601 to 660 range, who paid $811, followed by subprime borrowers with scores between 501 and 600 who paid $792.

Super-prime borrowers with scores between 781 and 850 had the lowest monthly payment at $753 for a new vehicle, the data showed.

The average auto loan amount in the first quarter was $43,925 for new vehicles and $27,070 for used vehicles, according to Exerpian’s data. The new vehicle loan average rose from $43,582 in the prior quarter, while the average used vehicle loan declined from $27,528 in that period.

Borrowers in the prime credit tier, with scores from 661 to 780, took out the largest loans for new vehicles at an average of $46,244. Among buyers of used vehicles, borrowers in the super-prime tier had the largest loan amount at $29,599, per Experian.

Consumers’ loan balances have grown in part because of higher prices for vehicles. The most recent consumer price index (CPI) inflation data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the month of May showed new vehicle prices were up 0.2% year over year, whereas prices for used cars and trucks were down 2% from a year ago.

Nationwide, outstanding auto loan debt totaled $1.685 trillion in the first quarter of 2026 – which represented an increase of 57.3% from the first quarter of 2016 when the total was $1.071 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

While mortgages make up the largest share of U.S. consumer debt at 70.2%, auto loans accounted for 9% at a total of $1.685 trillion. Auto loans ranked as the second-largest category of consumer debt as they narrowly exceeded the $1.658 trillion in student loan debt.

The amount of auto loan originations was $182.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up slightly from $180.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 but below last year’s high of $187.9 billion in the second quarter.

The New York Fed’s data shows that the highest recorded total of auto loan originations was in the second quarter of 2021, which saw $201.9 billion in auto loans originated.

Americans in their 30s and 40s originated the most auto loan debt in the first quarter, totaling $38.6 billion and $40 billion respectively, narrowly topping borrowers in their 50s who originated $38.3 billion.

Consumers aged 18 to 29 originated $25.3 billion in auto loans, while those in their 60s also took out that amount of auto loans in the first quarter.

When I begin working with a new client, one of the first things I do is sit down with their books and work through them systematically. It is not just a technical exercise. The condition of a company’s financial records tells me a great deal about how the business is being run — and where the most important opportunities are.

I want to share what I look for, because understanding these things gives you a framework for evaluating your own financial health.

Are the Accounts Reconciled?

The first thing I check is whether the bank and credit card accounts have been reconciled regularly. Reconciliation is the process of confirming that what is in your books matches what is in your actual accounts, transaction by transaction.

When accounts have not been reconciled in months — or ever — it is a signal that the books cannot be trusted. There may be duplicate entries, missing transactions, or errors that have compounded over time. This is the most basic indicator of financial housekeeping, and when it is absent, everything else becomes suspect.

How Is the Chart of Accounts Organized?

A chart of accounts is the categorization structure that every financial transaction is coded to. When it is well-organized, financial statements are clean, meaningful, and easy to read. When it is poorly structured — with dozens of redundant categories, vague catch-all accounts, or expenses lumped together in ways that obscure useful information — the reports it produces are difficult to interpret and even harder to act on.

A bloated or disorganized chart of accounts often tells me that no one has thought critically about what the business owner actually needs to see in order to manage effectively.

Are There Unexplained Balances or Stale Items?

Old, unpaid invoices sitting in accounts receivable. Vendor bills that have not been paid in months. Negative balances where they should not exist. Undeposited funds piling up. Loans that do not reconcile to actual debt balances.

Each of these is a signal. Sometimes it indicates a process breakdown. Sometimes it reflects a one-time situation that was never cleaned up. Sometimes it reveals a more systemic issue with how transactions are being managed. I look for these items not to assign blame, but to understand what has been happening and what needs to be corrected.

What Do the Financial Statements Actually Tell Me?

Once I have a sense of the bookkeeping quality, I look at the financial statements themselves. Is the gross margin appropriate for this type of business? Are operating expenses trending in a way that makes sense? Is there a pattern to cash flow timing that reveals a risk or an opportunity?

What I am looking for is whether the numbers tell a coherent story — and whether the business owner has been using those numbers to make decisions, or operating largely on instinct and cash position.

What It All Means

Here is what I have found, consistently: the condition of a company’s books almost always reflects the degree to which the owner is engaged with their financial information. When the books are clean, current, and well-organized, the owner is typically making more informed decisions, responding to problems earlier, and running a more resilient business.

You do not need to be a financial expert to run your business well. But you do need financial information that is accurate, timely, and organized in a way that is useful. That is what good bookkeeping delivers — and it is the foundation that everything else is built on.

—

About the Author:

Joe Herskowitz, EA, is the President and CEO of Lionstone Bookkeeping+, where he helps small and medium-sized businesses take control of their finances with expert bookkeeping and financial insights. With years of experience in business finance, Joe is passionate about making numbers work for business owners—not against them.

Have a bookkeeping or business finance question?

Reach out to Joe at [email protected] or call/text 732-803-7793 (no WhatsApp).

SpaceX officially joins the Nasdaq-100 Index before Tuesday’s opening bell, triggering billions of dollars in automatic stock purchases as index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rebalance their portfolios to include the aerospace company.

The addition comes less than a month after Elon Musk’s company made its public market debut, making it one of the fastest companies ever added to the Nasdaq-100 following an initial public offering.

Because more than $800 billion is tied to the Nasdaq-100 through mutual funds and ETFs, fund managers tracking the index are required to purchase SpaceX shares regardless of valuation or market conditions.

Analysts estimate the inclusion could generate tens of billions of dollars in buying demand across passive investment funds, with the Invesco QQQ Trust alone expected to purchase billions of dollars’ worth of SpaceX stock.

Unlike active fund managers, index funds simply mirror the benchmark they follow. When a company joins the Nasdaq-100, those funds automatically buy the stock while slightly reducing holdings in every other company already in the index.

The timing makes SpaceX’s inclusion particularly noteworthy.

Only a small percentage of the company’s shares are currently available for public trading, meaning a large wave of mandatory buying is entering a relatively limited supply of stock. That imbalance between demand and available shares could contribute to increased price volatility in the short term.

SpaceX joins an index that already includes many of the world’s largest technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms.

The company’s rapid inclusion reflects both its enormous market capitalization and Nasdaq’s accelerated process for adding newly listed companies that quickly rank among the exchange’s largest businesses.

For investors who own Nasdaq-100 index funds through retirement accounts or brokerage portfolios, the change happens automatically. Millions of Americans will become indirect SpaceX shareholders without making any investment decisions themselves.

History, however, suggests that joining a major index does not guarantee future gains.

While some companies continue rising after inclusion, others experience temporary price spikes driven by forced buying before normal trading resumes. Investors will also be watching for insider share lockups to expire in the coming months, potentially increasing the number of shares available for sale.

Longer term, SpaceX’s valuation will depend less on index flows and more on the performance of its underlying businesses, including its launch services, Starlink satellite internet network, and future commercial space initiatives.

For Wall Street, Tuesday’s addition represents one of the largest index rebalancing events of the year and another milestone in the continued expansion of passive investing, where trillions of dollars automatically flow into the market based on index membership rather than individual stock selection.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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

In a landmark decision aimed at ending years of uncertainty and controversy, Israel’s Ministry of Education has issued new nationwide regulations requiring all state schools to allow students who wish to lay tefillin on school grounds. The new directive establishes, for the first time, a uniform national policy governing the practice throughout the public school system.

The move follows several well-publicized incidents in recent years in which students faced opposition or confrontation when attempting to lay tefillin at or near their schools. Seeking to prevent similar disputes in the future, the Ministry has now released an official directive setting forth clear procedures that every state school must follow.

Under the new guidelines, every school principal must permit students who choose to lay tefillin during the school day and establish a school policy explaining how the practice will be accommodated. Schools will be required to designate a respectful location for students to lay tefillin, schedule designated times during the school day—limited to recess periods—and include the policy in the school’s official regulations.

The directive also states that students are responsible for bringing their own tefillin and ensuring that participating in the mitzvah does not cause them to miss class or disrupt the school day. The Ministry stressed that the policy is designed to allow students to fulfill the mitzvah while preserving the regular educational schedule.

In addition, the Ministry recommended that school administrators work together with teachers, parent organizations, and student councils to implement the new policy through open dialogue and cooperation. Officials said the goal is to create a respectful educational environment and maintain a positive atmosphere for all students, whether or not they choose to lay tefillin.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch praised the new policy, saying, “Laying tefillin in the Jewish state is not a matter for controversy or local interpretation. It is a fundamental right, a basic Jewish tradition, and a source of national pride. The lack of a clear policy over the years created unnecessary friction and uncertainty that harmed students, parents, and school administrators. The directive we are issuing today brings order to the situation. It gives principals clear guidelines and ensures that every student who wishes to do so will be able to daven and lay tefillin in a respectful, organized, and natural manner. Today we are strengthening Jewish identity and connecting the younger generation to its deep roots and our heritage.”

The Ministry of Education said the new regulations were developed after an extensive internal review prompted by numerous inquiries from schools and parents, as well as several incidents that highlighted how the absence of a nationwide policy had led to confusion, inconsistent enforcement, and unnecessary disputes over students laying tefillin.

According to the Ministry, the purpose of the new directive is to establish clear and consistent standards throughout Israel’s public school system, provide principals with an orderly framework for implementation, and ensure that every student who wishes to fulfill the mitzvah of tefillin is able to do so in a respectful and dignified manner.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The left-wing organizations Peace Now and Kerem Navot have published a comprehensive 65-page report summarizing the Israeli government’s activities in Judea and Samaria between 2023 and 2025.

While the report’s authors sharply criticize the government, arguing that it accelerated what they describe as the “annexation” of the territory, the data presented in the report points to a broad expansion of Israeli settlement activity and infrastructure.

According to the report, 185 new settlement outposts were established over the past three years, approximately 130 of them agricultural farms and hilltop outposts.

The report also states that plans were advanced for the construction of 40,064 housing units in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Of those, 27,941 housing units were promoted in 2025 alone, which the report’s authors say is more than double the previous annual record.

In addition, the report says that 102 new communities and outposts were legalized or formally recognized.

The report further states that during this period Israel declared 25,959 dunams (approximately 6,400 acres or 26 square kilometers) as state land, nearly half of all land declared state land since the beginning of the Oslo Accords process.

It also reports that at least 223 kilometers (139 miles) of new roads were opened or paved, while Jewish residents in the area cultivated and expanded agricultural activity across at least 11,520 dunams (about 2,850 acres).

According to the report’s authors, the agricultural outposts now control more than one million dunams (approximately 247,000 acres or 1,000 square kilometers) of land.

The report identifies what it describes as the most significant structural change: the transfer of extensive civilian authority from the Civil Administration and the military chain of command to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Settlement Administration within the Ministry of Defense. Smotrich himself reportedly described the move as “changing the DNA of the system.”

The transferred powers include responsibility for planning and construction, land registration, infrastructure, roads, nature reserves, and law enforcement.

The report also notes that the requirement for the Defense Minister to approve every stage of settlement construction plans was eliminated, a move that, according to the report’s authors, significantly accelerated the planning and approval process.

The report also addresses the renewal of Israeli settlement activity in northern Samaria, following the repeal of the ban on Israeli entry into the areas of communities evacuated during Israel’s 2005 disengagement. According to the document, the government renewed development in Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim, while also advancing additional communities in the Jenin and Samaria regions and investing in infrastructure projects, roads, and heritage sites.

Finally, the report states that between 2023 and 2025, 118 Palestinian communities and shepherd encampments were displaced, primarily as a result of violence and restrictions on access to grazing land and water.

Overall, the report documents the scope of the government’s activities during its three-year term in the areas of settlement development, housing construction, infrastructure, land policy, and civilian administration, while presenting those developments within the report authors’ broader criticism of Israeli policy in Judea and Samaria.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The Syrian media reported on Tuesday morning that a series of explosions had occurred in Damascus near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron had been staying during a landmark visit to Syria. According to a report, Macron left the hotel about 15 minutes before the blasts and was not close to the scene of the blasts. A security source told Reuters that the explosions were caused by explosive devices.

Syrian reports said three people were killed in the explosions and several others were wounded. Among the wounded were members of the security forces loyal to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

According to the reports, the explosive devices were improvised, and security forces were searching for those involved. A source who spoke to AFP said that one device had been hidden in a trash bin, while the other exploded inside a vehicle.

Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday, becoming the first leader of a major Western power to visit Syria in many years, and the first since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011. His visit is also the first by such a leader since the Assad regime was ousted in late 2024 and Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly the leader of jihadist rebels, took power.

The visit is seen as the peak of a continuing effort by al-Sharaa to rehabilitate Syria’s international standing, even as Western suspicion remains around his leadership.
Macron is not the first foreign leader to visit Syria since al-Sharaa took power in December 2024, but is the most senior Western leader to make an official visit in Syria. Several Arab leaders have already visited, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Damascus in April. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also visited in January.

He had already become the first Western leader to welcome al-Sharaa, meeting him at the Élysée Palace in Paris in May 2025, about six months after Assad’s fall, when suspicion toward Syria’s new ruler remained especially high.

Al-Sharaa was previously affiliated with al-Qaeda and was known by the nom de guerre Mohammed al-Golani. He later broke away from the international terror group and led the separate jihadist rebel organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. In December 2024, he led the surprise offensive that rapidly toppled the Assad regime. Since then, al-Sharaa has appointed himself president without democratic presidential elections having yet been held. He is working to stabilize and rebuild Syria after 14 years of devastating civil war, including by attracting foreign investment and international aid.

As part of that effort, he has already secured significant relief from Western sanctions, partly through friendly ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has also hosted him at the White House and has frequently described him as a successful leader and even “young and attractive.”

Although al-Sharaa has achieved considerable success in branding himself as a moderate leader seeking to build a prosperous Syria that grants full rights to all minorities, Western mistrust remains. That suspicion has been fueled, among other things, by massacres of Alawites and Druze last year by regime forces or fighters loyal to him.

The French president was received Monday night at Damascus airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. The French delegation accompanying Macron includes senior business figures, among them CMA CGM CEO Rodolphe Saadé and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné. They were scheduled to hold discussions on rebuilding Syria and renewing investment there, even as French companies remain hesitant.

Sources close to Macron described his arrival in Syria to AFP as a “courageous” act, saying the French president was “taking a risk” by visiting Syria even “for an evening, a night and a day.” They said he did not intend to confine himself to “fortified” palaces, but wanted to “meet Syrians in all their political and religious diversity, and hear their aspirations.”

Shortly after Macron landed in Damascus, AFP reported that he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Umayyad Mosque, accompanied by al-Sharaa. According to the report, they arrived “in suits and ties” after a meal at a restaurant in the old city of Damascus. For security reasons, the full details of the visit were not disclosed.

Two trading teams at Millennium Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, generated an estimated $3.7 billion in profits during June, underscoring how a handful of specialized traders can produce enormous returns by capitalizing on stock market index changes.

According to a Bloomberg report published Monday, the teams—led by Glen Scheinberg in New York and Pratik Madhvani in Dubai—accounted for more than half of Millennium’s estimated $6.6 billion in pre-fee profits for the month.

Their success came from a strategy known as index rebalancing, one of Wall Street’s most lucrative but least understood trading opportunities.

Major indexes such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and Russell indexes periodically add and remove companies. Because trillions of dollars are invested in index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track those benchmarks, fund managers must buy newly added stocks and sell companies being removed.

Professional trading firms attempt to anticipate those transactions before they occur, profiting from the predictable buying and selling pressure created when index funds adjust their portfolios.

June proved especially profitable because several major index rebalancing events occurred almost simultaneously, creating unusually large trading volumes across global markets.

Millennium, which manages approximately $89 billion in assets through more than 330 independent trading teams, posted an estimated 4.1% return during June, bringing its gain for the year to roughly 10.5%, according to the Bloomberg report.

The results demonstrate the firm’s unique business model.

Rather than relying on a single investment strategy, Millennium allocates capital across hundreds of specialized portfolio managers who focus on everything from equities and bonds to commodities, currencies and quantitative trading. Strong performers receive additional capital, while underperforming teams often see assets reduced or are replaced.

For investors, the story highlights the growing influence of passive investing.

Today, trillions of dollars flow automatically into index funds through retirement accounts, pension plans and ETFs. While these investments offer low costs and broad diversification for long-term investors, they also create predictable trading patterns that sophisticated hedge funds can exploit.

Some market experts argue that index arbitrage improves market efficiency by providing liquidity during large portfolio adjustments. Others contend it allows sophisticated firms to profit from predictable trades generated by passive investors.

Either way, June’s results demonstrate the enormous sums at stake.

Just two teams inside one hedge fund generated nearly $4 billion in a single month by identifying and trading around scheduled changes in major stock indexes.

For individual investors, the takeaway is not to chase these strategies but to recognize how modern financial markets operate. Behind the scenes, some of Wall Street’s largest firms use sophisticated technology, leverage and quantitative models to capitalize on market events that most investors never notice.

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

After years of bitter public attacks and legal battles, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, says he and the president have repaired their relationship, revealing that the two reconciled several months ago following a personal exchange of messages.

Speaking on the “Cats & Cosby Show” on 77 WABC with John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby, Cohen said the reconciliation took place about six months ago. He also claimed that, ironically, it was the actions of the “far left” that ultimately led to the restoration of his relationship with Trump.

“Out of nowhere, when I was sitting with my wife at a restaurant, my phone buzzed and it was a text from that friend who expressed to me the president’s genuine empathy for the h— that I was being dragged through … I deeply appreciated that text,” Cohen said. “I actually texted the president. I thanked him. Expressed my sincere hope that this long, exhausting feud between the two of us could finally end.”

According to Cohen, Trump responded almost immediately, telling him that it was “actually time for us to meet.”

Reflecting on the moment, Cohen said, “We both knew the cost of this war. In that moment the ice between us, it didn’t just melt, it broke.”

Cohen also said he believes he was embraced by political opponents of Trump only so long as he served their agenda.

“The left embraced me as their ultimate weapon against” Trump, he said, but after he “deviated from their script, the pack, they turned feral.”

During the interview, Cohen also addressed Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein, insisting that he never witnessed any improper connection between the two. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

“I never once witnessed, I never heard of, I never saw, I never communicated, never saw in the office Jeffrey Epstein,” he said. “Never saw him speak to him … Those two things shattered [the left’s] narrative. The far left, they literally went on this absolute warpath against me.”

Cohen’s relationship with Trump unraveled publicly after he acknowledged during the 2024 hush money case, claiming he acted at Trump’s direction.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and tax evasion. He later admitted to lying to Congress, receiving a prison sentence before being released in late 2021 after serving part of his sentence under house arrest.

He later became the prosecution’s central witness in the New York case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump and the Trump Organization, testifying that he had “reverse-engineered” Trump’s financial statements.

Trump was ultimately convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the criminal case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Last month, the president appealed both that conviction and the civil fraud judgment entered against him.

Cohen’s latest comments stand in sharp contrast to statements he made during the 2024 presidential campaign, when he insisted he would flee the United States if Trump returned to the White House.

“I’m out of here. I mean, I’m already working on a foreign passport with a completely different name,” Cohen told MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace. “I don’t know how it’s going to work, as far as dealing with my wife and my children. I certainly don’t want them moving to where I’m looking to go.”

Seven members of the OPEC+ alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed on Sunday, July 5, to increase oil production by another 188,000 barrels per day beginning in August, according to a statement released by OPEC. On the surface, it was the group’s fifth consecutive monthly production increase. Beneath that decision, however, is a growing battle over the future of the nearly 70-year-old oil cartel—one that could ultimately send crude prices sharply lower and deliver significant savings to consumers.

Only a few months ago, the world faced the opposite problem.

The conflict that erupted in late February involving the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Energy markets reacted immediately. Brent crude, the international benchmark, surged to $138 per barrel on April 7, its highest level since 2022, while fears of prolonged supply shortages sent fuel prices soaring around the globe.

Today, the picture has changed dramatically.

Commercial traffic has resumed through the Strait of Hormuz, production is returning, and crude prices have largely erased their wartime gains. On Monday, July 6, Brent crude traded near $71.70 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hovered around $68.40, almost exactly where both benchmarks stood before the conflict began.

Several energy analysts now believe prices may have further to fall.

The pressure is coming from inside OPEC itself.

During the conflict, Gulf producers with limited export routes—including Iraq, Kuwait and Iran—were forced to sharply reduce production after shipping through the Persian Gulf became constrained. Saudi Arabia was better positioned because it continued exporting significant volumes through its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing it to maintain a much larger share of production.

Now that exports have resumed, countries that lost months of revenue want to increase production aggressively.

Iraq has publicly indicated it wants authorization to pump as much as 5 million barrels per day, with a longer-term objective of reaching 7 million barrels daily. Iraqi officials have also suggested the country could reconsider its membership in OPEC if larger production quotas are not approved.

That threat highlights the organization’s growing dilemma.

To keep member nations satisfied, OPEC may need to permit significantly higher production, increasing global supply and driving oil prices lower. But limiting production to support higher prices risks encouraging frustrated members to leave the organization altogether, weakening the cartel’s influence over world energy markets.

It is a difficult balancing act.

Saudi Arabia remains OPEC’s dominant producer and effectively controls the group’s direction. Flooding the market too quickly could send prices sharply lower, reducing revenues for every member. Holding production back, however, risks internal divisions that could permanently weaken the alliance.

Signs of that pressure are already emerging.

State-owned Saudi Aramco recently reduced official selling prices for its flagship crude grades destined for Asian buyers, one of its most aggressive pricing moves in years. The reductions reflect increasing competition for market share as additional barrels begin returning to global markets.

Demand trends are adding another layer of uncertainty.

Higher oil prices earlier this year accelerated investment in electric vehicles, renewable energy and energy efficiency across many countries. Some analysts believe a portion of that lost oil demand may never fully return, even as prices moderate.

According to JPMorgan commodities strategist Natasha Kaneva, the market now faces the prospect of previously constrained oil supplies returning just as global consumption growth begins slowing—a combination that could create a significant supply surplus.

Several forecasters believe that scenario could push prices considerably lower over the next several years.

Capital Economics economist Kieran Tompkins has suggested oil could average around $60 per barrel next year, with prices potentially falling toward $50 later in the decade. Some market analysts have argued that if OPEC loses control of production discipline altogether, prices could temporarily decline to $40 per barrel.

For oil-producing nations, that would represent a painful financial blow.

Saudi Arabia is widely estimated to require oil prices near $91 per barrel to balance its national budget, while several other producing countries depend heavily on petroleum revenues to fund government spending and economic development.

For consumers, however, lower oil prices would be welcome news.

Cheaper crude typically leads to lower gasoline and diesel prices, reduced airline fuel costs, lower shipping expenses and slower inflation across much of the economy. Because transportation costs affect nearly every product consumers purchase, sustained declines in oil prices often ripple throughout supply chains and eventually reach household budgets.

The larger story extends beyond this month’s production increase.

For decades, OPEC has exercised enormous influence over global oil markets by carefully managing supply. Today, growing internal disagreements, shifting energy demand and changing geopolitical realities are testing that influence as never before.

Whether the organization preserves its unity or fractures under competing national interests could determine not only the future of global energy markets, but also what consumers pay at the gas pump for years to come.

JBizNews Desk

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

Foreign nationals hoping to obtain U.S. citizenship by marrying an American citizen are encountering increased scrutiny and lengthier processing times under immigration policies adopted by the Trump administration, according to NPR. Although marriage remains one of the most common avenues to permanent residency and eventual citizenship, attorneys say the process has become significantly more demanding.

Current U.S. immigration law continues to permit American citizens to sponsor their foreign-born spouses for green cards and, ultimately, naturalization. However, immigration lawyers and advocates say recent policy changes have expanded background investigations, increased the number of required interviews, and, in some cases, left applicants vulnerable to deportation proceedings while their applications are still pending.

Administration officials insist the changes are designed to improve enforcement and combat immigration fraud, not to change the legal standards governing marriage-based immigration.

“Our enhanced screening and vetting processes help identify fraud, public safety and national security concerns before immigration benefits are granted,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Zach Kahler said.

He added that “the filing or approval of an immigrant petition does not confer any immigration status or protect an alien from removal.”

The agency also emphasized that submitting or even receiving approval for a family-sponsored immigration petition does not shield an individual from immigration enforcement if that person is otherwise violating U.S. immigration laws.

For decades, marriage to a U.S. citizen has offered one of the quickest paths to lawful permanent residency because spouses are categorized as “immediate relatives,” allowing them to bypass the annual visa quotas that apply to many other family-sponsored immigration categories.

Once a green card is obtained, eligible spouses generally may seek U.S. citizenship after three years, provided they continue living with and remain married to their American spouse while also satisfying other legal requirements, including continuous residence, physical presence in the United States, English proficiency, and successfully completing the civics examination.

The process typically begins when the American citizen files the necessary paperwork to sponsor his or her spouse for lawful permanent resident status.

Applicants must also prove that their marriage is genuine and was not entered into solely for immigration benefits, often by providing documentation demonstrating a shared household, combined finances, and other evidence of a bona fide marital relationship.

Federal statistics indicate that approximately 343,000 individuals received lawful permanent resident status through marriage in 2024, representing roughly one-quarter of all green cards issued during that year.

Immigration attorneys say those applications now undergo more rigorous examination, including additional interviews, expanded background screenings, and more frequent requests for supporting documentation.

“Marriage used to be a glide path to citizenship. Now there are more speed bumps,” immigration attorney Charles Kuck said.

Another immigration attorney, Rosina Stambaugh, said the stricter enforcement environment has caused growing anxiety among many families considering the legal immigration process.

“People are afraid,” she said, adding that some couples have postponed or chosen not to file immigration applications because they fear the immigrant spouse could be detained before a decision is reached on the case.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews)  — Former hostage Yelena Trufanov gave an interview on Monday to Kan Reshet Bet, where she shared her emotions following the wedding of her son, former hostage Sasha Trufanov, to his fiancée, fellow former hostage Sapir Cohen.

Speaking on the program “Bahatzi Hayom” (“Midday”), Trufanov said: “It was an incredibly moving and joyful event. We prayed for this for such a long time. It felt like a beautiful dream. Everyone who stood by us during that difficult period came to celebrate with us. Everyone was dancing, and it was truly very emotional.”

During the interview, Yelena recounted a drawing that Emilia Aloni made for her while they were held together in Hamas captivity. The drawing depicted Sasha and Sapir’s future wedding—even before Yelena knew whether her son was still alive.

“It was very important to me to smuggle that drawing out of captivity and keep it because it gave me hope that this day would come,” Yelena revealed.

When asked how she managed to bring the drawing out despite the captors’ ban on keeping notes or papers, she replied:”I hid it underneath my shirt. I told myself, ‘Whatever happens, happens. I don’t care.'”

Yelena also spoke about the deeply personal decision she made after her release not to visit the grave of her husband, Vitaly Trufanov, who was murdered on October 7, until their son Sasha returned from captivity.

“I told myself: Either I will go there with our son, or I will go lie beside him. I didn’t want to go alone.”

She added that only after Sasha returned did they visit the grave together, accompanied by Vitaly’s mother and brother, to tell him about the wedding. “He was missing yesterday, but I’m certain he was watching us from above.”

Speaking about the changes her son underwent during his long and difficult captivity, Yelena said: “He came back a much more sensitive person, and also a believer. He was there for 498 days, 495 of them completely alone. He told me he had a great deal of time to think about life and to engage in deep self-reflection. He came back a better person.”

Sapir and Sasha on their engagement

According to Yelena, the newly married couple is now focused on building their future together. “They’re planning to build a home, and, with God’s help, I hope they’ll also have children. Right now, what’s most important to them is simply to grow and build their lives together.”

Starbucks shares fell more than 3% Monday after slipping below a key technical support level closely watched by Wall Street traders, signaling that the coffee giant’s recent rally may be losing momentum despite continued improvements in the company’s business.

The stock dropped below its 50-day moving average, a widely followed market indicator used to measure a stock’s intermediate trend. Technical analysts often view a move below that level as a bearish signal, suggesting sellers are beginning to gain control.

Starbucks traded near $102 after falling from recent highs around $109, although the stock remains well above where it traded late last year.

Despite Monday’s decline, the company’s fundamentals remain considerably stronger than its recent chart performance suggests.

During its latest quarterly earnings report, Starbucks reported $9.53 billion in revenue while adjusted earnings exceeded Wall Street expectations. Global comparable store sales also increased, with North America delivering its strongest customer traffic in several years.

CEO Brian Niccol has continued executing the company’s turnaround strategy, focusing on faster service, improved store operations and rebuilding customer loyalty.

Starbucks also recently addressed one of its biggest long-term uncertainties by restructuring its China business through a multibillion-dollar transaction designed to improve profitability while reducing operational risk.

Wall Street remains largely positive on the company.

Several analysts continue to rate Starbucks a Buy, with price targets above current trading levels, reflecting confidence that improving operations can support future earnings growth.

Still, investors face several challenges.

Coffee prices remain elevated, labor costs continue rising and inflation has pressured restaurant margins throughout the industry. At the same time, Starbucks faces growing competition from rapidly expanding specialty coffee chains and regional drive-thru operators targeting younger consumers.

Monday’s decline appears driven more by market trading patterns than by new company-specific developments.

Technical indicators currently suggest the stock may continue trading within a relatively narrow range until investors receive additional information, likely when Starbucks reports its next quarterly earnings later this month.

For long-term investors, Monday’s pullback serves as a reminder that even companies reporting improving financial results can experience short-term volatility as traders react to technical signals and broader market sentiment.

The next major catalyst for Starbucks shares will likely come when management updates investors on customer traffic, profit margins and the continued progress of its turnaround strategy.

JBizNews Desk | Seattle

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Wall Street investors have built a record number of bearish bets against Hertz Global Holdings after the rental car company’s stock lost nearly 60% of its value in just a few weeks, reflecting growing concerns about weakening profits, falling used-car prices and the company’s financial outlook.

New short-interest data released Monday showed bearish positions against Hertz reached an all-time high following the company’s June 24 announcement that sharply lowered its profit expectations and unveiled a new financing plan to strengthen its balance sheet.

Short selling is a strategy in which investors borrow shares and sell them, hoping to buy them back later at a lower price. A record level of short interest typically signals that professional investors expect further declines.

Hertz’s problems began after management warned that falling used-vehicle prices would significantly reduce the value of its rental fleet—a critical source of profits for rental car companies when vehicles are sold after leaving service.

The company also lowered its second-quarter earnings outlook, citing faster-than-expected vehicle depreciation and weaker-than-anticipated resale values across the used-car market.

To raise additional capital, Hertz announced plans to secure approximately $400 million through a combination of new debt and an equity offering.

As part of the financing, the company made millions of shares available for investors participating in the transaction, contributing to the surge in short-selling activity.

The market reacted swiftly.

Shares fell more than 40% immediately following the announcement and have continued sliding, making Hertz one of Wall Street’s worst-performing stocks over the past month.

Several analysts also reduced their price targets after the earnings warning, pointing to continued pressure on vehicle values, higher financing costs and uncertainty surrounding the company’s turnaround strategy.

The latest decline marks another dramatic swing for Hertz shareholders.

Earlier this year, the stock became one of Wall Street’s most volatile “meme” stocks after a short squeeze briefly sent shares sharply higher before the rally quickly reversed.

Despite the stock’s decline, Hertz continues operating normally through its Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty rental brands, serving millions of travelers worldwide.

For investors, however, the company illustrates the challenges facing the rental car industry.

Unlike most businesses, rental car companies rely heavily on the resale value of their vehicle fleets. When used-car prices fall, profits can deteriorate rapidly, even if rental demand remains relatively stable.

With record levels of investors now betting against Hertz, the company faces increasing pressure to stabilize earnings and restore investor confidence.

Whether management’s turnaround plan succeeds—or bearish investors prove correct—will likely depend on how quickly used-car prices recover and whether Hertz can improve profitability during the second half of the year.

JBizNews Desk | Estero, Florida
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Microsoft announced Monday that it will eliminate approximately 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, as the company accelerates its push into artificial intelligence while streamlining operations across several divisions. The deepest reductions will come from its Xbox gaming business, where executives acknowledged the unit has struggled with profitability amid rising hardware costs and slowing console demand.

The layoffs were confirmed in a memo to employees from Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, who said the cuts are part of a broader organizational restructuring rather than a direct replacement of workers with AI.

“The roles eliminated today are not being replaced by AI,” Coleman wrote, adding that employees will need to continue developing new skills as Microsoft’s business evolves.

The biggest impact falls on Xbox. In a separate memo, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told employees the gaming division is undergoing what she called its most significant restructuring ever. Approximately 1,600 positions are being eliminated immediately, with total reductions expected to reach 3,200 jobs by the end of Microsoft’s 2027 fiscal year—nearly one-fifth of the Xbox workforce.

Sharma said the gaming business has been operating with significantly lower profit margins than competing platforms and faces mounting pressure from sharply higher hardware costs. Memory chips used in gaming consoles have become more expensive as global demand for AI data centers continues to surge, squeezing margins throughout the gaming industry.

As part of the overhaul, Microsoft also plans to spin off four gaming studios into separate ownership while shifting more resources toward higher-growth software and AI businesses.

The reductions extend beyond Xbox. Sales, consulting and corporate operations are also being trimmed, including approximately 600 jobs in Washington state, home to Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters. Before the layoffs, Microsoft employed roughly 220,000 people worldwide.

The restructuring comes as Microsoft prepares one of the largest capital spending programs in corporate history. The company has told investors it expects to invest approximately $190 billion during 2026 to expand AI infrastructure, cloud computing capacity and data centers that power products including Copilot, Azure AI and enterprise AI services.

Microsoft has also launched new initiatives that embed thousands of engineers directly inside customer organizations to accelerate AI deployment, underscoring where future hiring and investment are being directed.

The announcement reflects a broader trend sweeping the technology sector. Rather than replacing workers directly with AI, many companies are shifting budgets away from traditional business units and toward artificial intelligence infrastructure, software development and cloud services.

Industrywide, more than 150,000 technology jobs have reportedly been eliminated during the first half of 2026 as companies including Amazon, Meta, Oracle and others continue restructuring while increasing AI investment.

Wall Street has largely rewarded companies that aggressively invest in AI, even as they reduce headcount elsewhere. Microsoft shares were little changed following the announcement, while investors continue watching whether the company’s enormous AI spending will generate stronger long-term revenue growth.

For businesses, Microsoft’s restructuring reinforces a growing reality across corporate America: companies are increasingly redirecting investment toward AI while demanding greater productivity from existing employees. The result is a workforce that must continually adapt as employers prioritize automation, cloud computing and AI-driven services.

The message extends well beyond Microsoft. Businesses across nearly every industry are evaluating staffing needs, retraining employees and investing heavily in AI tools designed to improve efficiency, reduce costs and remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

JBizNews Desk | Redmond, Washington
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HaRav Eliyahu Medina, the Sephardi Rav of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City, was hospitalized on Tuesday morning in critical condition at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center after suffering a severe head injury in a fall.

The incident occurred after the 82-year-old Rav davened at the Neitz minyan, as was his daily minhag, and was the last person to leave the shul. He lost his balance on the stairs, fell, and struck his head with great force.

Because the next Shacharis was not scheduled until later, the Rav remained lying on the stairs, unconscious, injured, and bleeding, for an extended period without anyone noticing. It was only when the shul’s gabbai arrived that he discovered the Rav, who by then had lost a significant amount of blood.

Emergency responders who were called to the scene provided life-saving treatment before evacuating him urgently to the hospital, where he was sedated and ventilated.

His family and close associates have asked the public to recite Tehillim and daven for rachamei Shamayim.

Due to his critical state, the name Rafael has been added to his name.

Please daven for Rav Eliyahu Rafael ben Sa’ada (אליהו רפאל בן סעדה) b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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A woman who previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly assaulted her, according to a Politico report released Monday, leading prominent supporters to pull their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil.

Platner denied the allegation, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.

“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” he said in a video released on social media.

Platner is an anti-Israel progressive candidate who has faced scrutiny over a Nazi Totenkopf tattoo and past abuse allegations, but nevertheless won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine.

For years, Platner boasted a chest tattoo depicting a Totenkopf — a skull symbol associated with Nazi SS units — which he only covered up with a new tattoo after announcing his Senate run. He claimed he didn’t know about the symbol’s Nazi associations.

In a since-deleted Reddit post commenting on a deadly 2014 Hamas raid on Israeli soldiers, Platner praised the US-designated terror group, “Looks like an all-around well-executed and successful small unit raid to me.” When another user criticized the Hamas “execution” of Israeli soldiers, Platner replied: “Pragmatically I have little problem with killing an enemy combatant who you attempt to capture but for whatever reason cannot. From a strictly professional standpoint, this was a damn fine looking and successful raid against a superior opponent.”

Platner has also repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called for blocking all U.S. aid to the Jewish state. Separately, he admitted to posting a string of hateful slurs on Reddit, calling the comments “indefensible.”

Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response, but she said in a CNN interview on Monday evening that she opted not to fight back for fear of Platner, a former Marine, becoming more violent.

Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to an email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

“Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” Platner said in his video.

Platner won the Democratic nomination last month, setting himself up to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has beaten back previous attempts to dislodge her from the seat that she’s held for nearly three decades.

Although Platner has long been controversial, the assault allegation sparked a flight away from the candidate, who canceled a handful of town hall events. The main campaign arm of Senate Democrats called on Platner to drop out and said it would spend no money on the race, which is considered critical to control of the chamber, if he is the nominee.

“Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins,” Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said in a joint statement.

The Democratic National Committee sent out an email soliciting money for Senate races hours after the Politico report posted, but Maine was not one of them. Ken Martin, the party chair, said, “Maine Democrats should select a new nominee.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who stood by Platner even as the candidate faced previous controversies, said Monday’s allegation was enough. “I’ve been very clear that assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced they were pulling their endorsements and called on Platner to drop out. The Democratic leaders of Maine’s legislature and top officials at the state Democratic Party did the same.

“This Senate race comes at a pivotal moment in the struggle against a government, supported by Senator Collins, that serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary Maine people. It is essential that we refocus this campaign on that struggle,” party chair Charlie Dingman, vice chair Imke Schessler and executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a joint statement.

Collins issued only a brief statement.

“These allegations are appalling,” she said. “Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate.”

State law allows Platner to be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by July 13. The replacement candidate must be named by July 27.

The Associated Press generally does not name victims of assault, but in this case Racicot spoke in an interview with Politico.

Platner had never before held elected office, and Democratic leaders in Washington preferred Gov. Janet Mills in the primary. However, Mills, 78, dropped out as Platner, 41, consolidated support with help from progressive leaders at a time when Democratic voters have grown disenchanted with the party establishment.

While some Democrats came around to support him after his commanding primary win, Platner’s controversial history had already left others openly despairing of their chances of winning the race. A veteran who also worked for a private security contractor, Platner has a chest tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol, reportedly exchanged questionable messages with other women shortly after getting married and had a history of inflammatory comments on social media.

The New York Times also reported that Platner had volatile relationships with previous girlfriends, one of whom said an argument became physical. Platner denied the allegation.

Hasan Piker, a leftist commentator and streamer who backed Platner, seemed to reverse himself Monday following the Politico report.

“If new evidence presents itself, I’m going to change my perspective — it’s that simple,” Piker said during a livestream on Twitch, adding: “This is a clear-cut instance of verifiable assault allegations. It’s completely irredeemable.”

Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, said Platner should withdraw because the allegations “are too serious to treat as a distraction from the campaign or the issues.”

It also hinted at the potential battle over who would replace Platner.

“Whoever leads this movement forward must be someone who has actually lived the fight Graham Platner ran on: a record with working people, with unions, against corporate money, already tested and trusted by the same base that delivered this result,” said a statement from Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution.

Platner had pitched himself as a blue-collar oysterman and veteran who could reach disaffected voters. But as controversies mounted, some state Democrats had heartburn, embodied by Mills’ refusal to endorse Platner after she dropped out of the primary. Chatter circulated about possible replacements, including former state senator and logger Troy Jackson and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

“I’ve known this has been coming,” said Marie Follayttar, a Democrat and community organizer in Maine, talking the growing whispers inside the state’s small population that had been bracing for yet another revelation surrounding Platner. “I’ve been scared and I’ve been sick waiting.”

Mike Connelly, a business owner and Democrat in Brunswick, Maine, said in an interview that he wants Platner to drop out after the latest allegations. But Connelly said he’d vote for him if he stays in.

“I would vote for a comatose Democrat before I would vote for Susan Collins,” Connelly said.

(AP & YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Alibaba has ordered employees to stop using Anthropic’s Claude artificial intelligence tools, placing Claude Code on an internal list of restricted software and directing engineers to switch to Alibaba’s own coding assistant, Qoder, beginning July 10. The move, first reported by the South China Morning Post, marks a significant escalation in the growing competition between two of the world’s leading AI developers.

According to people familiar with the directive, Alibaba classified Claude Code as a “high-risk” application because of what it described as potential security and “back-door” concerns. Employees who previously relied on Anthropic’s software for programming assistance have been instructed to transition to Qoder, Alibaba’s internally developed AI coding platform.

The decision follows weeks of rising tensions between the two companies.

In June, Anthropic submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, alleging that operators connected to Alibaba’s Qwen artificial intelligence division carried out what it described as the largest known AI model distillation attack against Claude.

Anthropic claimed approximately 25,000 accounts generated nearly 28.8 million conversations with Claude over several weeks in an effort to reproduce the model’s capabilities. Alibaba has denied the allegations.

At the center of the dispute is a rapidly emerging issue within artificial intelligence known as model distillation.

The technique allows developers to train smaller AI systems by studying responses produced by more advanced models. Supporters argue it can improve efficiency and reduce computing costs, while critics contend unauthorized large-scale use may improperly copy years of expensive research and development.

Anthropic maintains that using Claude in this manner violates its terms of service and infringes on its intellectual property.

The conflict intensified further after users reported discovering code inside Claude Code that appeared designed to identify whether certain users were located in China or connected to Chinese AI laboratories.

The discovery, widely discussed on online developer forums, prompted renewed scrutiny of Anthropic’s software.

Anthropic acknowledged the experimental feature and said it had already decided to remove it in a future software update. Company representatives described the functionality as part of an effort to detect unauthorized account resellers and misuse of the platform rather than to monitor ordinary users.

Neither company has publicly expanded on the dispute beyond previously issued statements.

The internal policy represents a sharp shift for Alibaba.

Earlier this year, the company actively encouraged employees to experiment with leading AI assistants, reimbursing developers for subscriptions to outside platforms including Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Many engineers reportedly relied heavily on Claude Code because of its strong reputation for software development and debugging.

Under the new policy, employees are expected to migrate to Alibaba’s own AI ecosystem.

The dispute also reflects a broader geopolitical divide emerging across the artificial intelligence industry.

Anthropic has reportedly briefed U.S. policymakers on concerns involving foreign access to advanced AI systems while tightening access restrictions for users in mainland China and other regions. Those measures include expanded identity verification requirements and additional safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized commercial use of Claude.

For businesses, the implications extend beyond one corporate disagreement.

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly intertwined with national security, trade policy and technology competition between the United States and China. Companies operating internationally may soon face growing restrictions over which AI platforms employees are permitted to use, depending on corporate ownership, regulatory requirements and geopolitical considerations.

For software developers, the dispute highlights how quickly the AI landscape is changing. Tools that only months ago were viewed simply as productivity software are increasingly becoming strategic assets at the center of global technology competition.

The battle between Alibaba and Anthropic illustrates a broader shift now unfolding across the AI industry: competition is no longer focused solely on building the most capable models, but also on controlling access to them.

JBizNews Desk

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High Court justices Yitzchak Amit, Alex Stein, and Ruth Ronen on Tuesday morning responded to the government’s declaration that it would not comply with their ruling regarding the Second Authority for Television and Radio.

Among other remarks, the judges warned government ministers that anyone who fails to obey their decision could bear civil liability and be exposed to lawsuits.

The judges wrote that “the duty to obey and respect court rulings is among the fundamental conditions upon which the rule of law in a democratic state is founded. Without compliance with court rulings, the principle of the rule of law and justice is undermined, and social order falls apart. Everyone will do as they like, and the distance between the rule of law and anarchy is razor-thin.”

“A citizen’s failure to comply with a court ruling is a serious violation of the rule of law,” they added. “Far more serious is the failure of a government authority to comply with a court ruling. A state in which a government authority takes the law into its own hands—complying with a judicial order issued against it when it chooses and ignoring it when it chooses—is a state in which the seeds of calamity and anarchy are sown, and a dangerous culture of the rule of force and arbitrariness develops.”

The judges added that these principles apply to both elected officials and public servants, warning that “When public servants act contrary to judicial decisions, it may, in appropriate cases, result in the personal immunity normally granted against civil lawsuits no longer applying.”

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich launched a fierce attack on the justices in response, saying: “The judicial mafia has moved on to extortion. That’s exactly how a threatening message sounds, reminiscent of a protection racket collector.”

“What’s the next step? Envelopes with bullets sent to government offices? A horse’s head in someone’s bed? A bottle of gasoline thrown on the vehicles of elected officials? Extortion is a criminal offense that requires a police investigation. No one is above the law—not even Yitzchak Amit and Gali Baharav-Miara. We will defeat this protection racket as well—at the ballot box.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin also slammed the judges, calling them “dictators.” Levin compared a statement by former High Court President Aharon Barak—”We judges have neither a sword nor a purse; all we have is the public’s trust”—with the judges’ warning, writing: “The gap between these two statements reflects the depths to which the High Court has sunk. Like the last of the dictators who have lost the public’s trust, they are threatening to use force to suppress those who demand justice. They will not succeed.”

He added, “It is time for the judges to examine how they reached such a low point. Respect for the law and respect for democratic decisions are the duty of every citizen—even if that citizen is a High Court justice.”

Likud MK Avichai Buaron wrote: “In response to the mafia-style threat issued by the court this morning, a few points need to be clarified:

1. 1. There is no such thing as the “rule of the judiciary.” There is only the rule of law.
   2. The law is determined solely and exclusively by the public and its representatives—the Knesset of Israel, acting as both the legislative and constituent authority.
   3. Everyone is subject to the law enacted by the Knesset—the Knesset itself, the government, and the courts alike.
   4. Court orders that contradict the law are null and void from the outset. If the court were to decide that all redheads… or issue any ruling that undermines the foundations of democracy in Israel, we could not honor such a decision. The court is not above the law.
   5. When the law explicitly states that the Second Authority Council may not convene with fewer than two-thirds of its members—that is, fewer than ten members—and the court instructs it to convene even though the council has fewer than ten members, it is the court that is acting in complete violation of the law and placing itself above the law. That is precisely what Justices Stein, Amit, and Ronen themselves described: “A government authority that takes the law into its own hands.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is unlawful.
   6. Finally, for the sake of accuracy, the government decided last night that it “will act using all legal means at its disposal to overturn the decision…” From there to actually refusing to comply with the court order is still a long way off.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote: “This morning I stand with the dedicated public servants in the face of the mafia-style threats sent to them by Yitzchak Amit and his colleagues. The message to the justices this morning is very clear: In a democracy, public servants are subordinate to the elected officials, in accordance with the law. My colleagues in the government and I have no intention of being intimidated by them. If the High Court justices are unhappy with our policy, they are welcome to run in the elections. Only the people decide.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Shares of Hanwha Ocean tumbled about 23% on Tuesday, July 7, after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) had been selected as the preferred supplier for Canada’s next-generation submarine fleet, handing South Korea one of its biggest defense-export disappointments in years.

The announcement came Monday during a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before Carney departed for the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey. Investors reacted immediately when trading opened in Seoul, wiping billions of dollars from Hanwha Ocean’s market value as hopes for one of the world’s largest naval contracts disappeared.

The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project calls for replacing Canada’s aging Victoria-class submarines with up to 12 modern diesel-electric submarines over the coming decades. Industry estimates place the total value of the program at as much as $100 billion, making it one of the largest military procurement projects currently underway anywhere in the world.

For Hanwha Ocean, winning the contract would have represented the largest overseas defense export in the company’s history and a major breakthrough into the NATO defense market.

“This was a difficult, close decision between two highly qualified suppliers,” Carney said, noting that both Germany and South Korea submitted proposals capable of meeting the Royal Canadian Navy’s operational requirements. He said Canada ultimately selected the proposal that best aligned with the country’s strategic, security and economic priorities.

Industry analysts believe several factors helped Germany secure the victory.

ThyssenKrupp’s Type 212CD submarine is already being jointly developed for Germany and Norway, both NATO members, giving Canada confidence in its long-term interoperability with allied naval forces. Equally important, Germany pledged substantial economic investment inside Canada, including commitments covering manufacturing, research, defense technology, critical minerals and domestic industrial development.

Those economic commitments increasingly influence major defense contracts around the world.

Rather than simply purchasing military equipment, governments now evaluate how procurement projects will generate local jobs, manufacturing capacity and long-term investment.

A setback for South Korea’s defense ambitions

Hanwha Ocean entered the competition with an aggressive proposal centered on its KSS-III submarine, already operating with the Republic of Korea Navy. The company pledged accelerated delivery schedules and assembled a network of more than 80 Canadian industry partners in an effort to maximize domestic economic benefits.

An independent KPMG analysis prepared during the bidding process estimated Hanwha’s proposal could have supported approximately 25,000 Canadian jobs annually while contributing more than 120 billion Canadian dollars to Canada’s economy through 2044.

The South Korean government strongly backed the campaign.

Senior government officials traveled repeatedly to Canada during the selection process, viewing the submarine competition as strategically important for expanding South Korea’s rapidly growing defense export industry. The country has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing arms exporters, securing major contracts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged the disappointment following the announcement but emphasized that South Korea would continue pursuing opportunities in the global defense market.

The setback also marks the second major submarine competition in which Hanwha Ocean has lost to ThyssenKrupp, highlighting the continued challenges of competing for large NATO naval programs where long-standing military relationships often influence procurement decisions alongside technical performance.

Negotiations are still ahead

Despite selecting Germany as the preferred bidder, Canada has not yet signed a final contract.

Government officials confirmed negotiations with TKMS will continue over the coming months, with a definitive agreement expected around 2028. Canadian officials also indicated they retain the flexibility to reopen discussions with Hanwha Ocean should negotiations fail to produce a final agreement.

That leaves South Korea technically still in contention, although industry observers view Germany as the overwhelming favorite to complete the transaction.

For investors, Tuesday’s sharp decline illustrates how heavily defense companies depend on major government procurement decisions. A single contract can determine years of future revenue, manufacturing activity and shareholder value.

The broader lesson extends beyond one company.

Modern defense contracts increasingly resemble long-term economic development partnerships rather than traditional military purchases. Governments are evaluating not only technology and cost, but also domestic investment, supply-chain development, employment and geopolitical relationships.

For Hanwha Ocean, the loss is significant but unlikely to slow South Korea’s broader ambitions to become one of the world’s leading defense exporters. For shareholders, however, Tuesday served as a reminder that billion-dollar defense opportunities can disappear with a single government announcement.

JBizNews Desk | Seoul, South Korea

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Four states are seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties from Meta over claims that the social media giant designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and withheld information from the public about the harms the apps pose to young users, Meta said in a court filing on Monday.

The case is being brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. Meta disclosed the trillion-dollar figure in its response to the attorneys general filings on how penalties should be calculated if the states win at the trial set to begin next month in Oakland, California. 

The company said the number, which is near Meta’s market capitalization of around $1.5 trillion, was not supported by the evidence.

“A sanction of that size has no analog in the history of consumer protection enforcement,” the company said in the filing.

Fox Business reached out to Meta for further comment.

The states’ filings are sealed, but they said during a hearing last month that they were calculating the penalties by multiplying the number of violations by fine amounts established by state law. They said the number of violations is based on the estimated number of young users impacted by Meta’s social media platforms.

Nearly 30 states have sued Meta in federal court, with most of them claiming the company violated the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data from children without proper parental consent.

The trial will address all claims brought under that law, as well as the four states’ allegations that the tech giant violated their state laws aimed at protecting consumers by misleading the public about the safety of their platforms.

Meta has denied the allegations, saying the attorneys general lack ‌evidence that it ⁠misled the public about its platforms’ alleged addictiveness since social media addiction is not an established psychiatric condition.

The company has also pushed back on accusations that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act because it marketed Facebook and Instagram to a wider audience and not only children under 13.

Another 14 states have brought claims under their own laws, which will be heard at a separate trial next year.

Late last month, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected Meta’s bid to dismiss the case, saying factual disputes remained over whether its social media platforms were addictive, whether ​the company falsely denied it designed them that way and whether it “partially” marketed the platforms ​towards children.

“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement to Fox Business at the time.

Meta, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok are facing thousands of lawsuits in both federal and state court over allegations they knowingly designed their platforms to be addictive to young users, contributing to a mental health crisis.

New Mexico was the first state to go to trial, with a jury awarding it $375 million in March after finding Meta had misled consumers in the state.

A judge in New Mexico is also weighing the second portion of the state’s case, which asks for additional damages and a court order instructing the company to make changes to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Reuters contributed to this report.

LG Electronics reported record preliminary second-quarter results on Tuesday, July 7, saying operating profit surged approximately 147% from a year earlier to 1.57 trillion Korean won ($1.02 billion), according to the company’s regulatory filing. Quarterly revenue climbed 14.9% to 23.82 trillion won, also a record for the April-to-June period, highlighting a remarkable turnaround after last year’s tariff-driven slowdown.

The South Korean electronics giant said strong demand for its premium home appliances, televisions and automotive components fueled the record performance.

Sales of high-end refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances remained strong, while overseas demand for air conditioners increased during the summer cooling season. LG also cited continued growth in its vehicle-components division, which has become an increasingly important contributor to earnings as automakers expand their use of advanced electronics.

The momentum extended well beyond one quarter.

For the first six months of 2026, LG generated a record 47.56 trillion won in revenue and 3.25 trillion won in operating profit, already surpassing the company’s total operating profit for all of 2025.

The dramatic improvement reflects both stronger business conditions and an easier comparison with last year.

During the second quarter of 2025, LG’s operating profit fell sharply to roughly 639 billion won as higher U.S. tariffs, softer consumer demand and rising manufacturing costs squeezed margins across its appliance business.

This year, those pressures have eased considerably.

LG has indicated it is recovering certain U.S. import duties through tariff-refund programs after determining some previously paid tariffs qualified for reimbursement. Those recoveries provided an additional boost to earnings while reversing costs that weighed heavily on last year’s results.

At the same time, the company spent the past year restructuring portions of its global manufacturing network, improving supply-chain efficiency and shifting production to better manage future tariff exposure.

Chief Executive Jae-cheol Ryu has also accelerated LG’s transformation away from relying primarily on highly competitive consumer electronics toward higher-margin businesses capable of generating steadier profits.

Those include subscription services for home appliances, software platforms built into LG televisions, automotive electronics and advanced cooling systems used in artificial intelligence data centers.

That strategy is helping reduce the company’s dependence on traditional television and appliance sales while creating recurring revenue streams that investors generally value more highly.

For consumers, the results carry mixed implications.

Strong sales of premium products suggest buyers continue spending on higher-end appliances despite broader economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, lower tariff-related costs could help reduce some pricing pressure across selected product lines, although manufacturers continue facing higher labor, logistics and component expenses.

The results also demonstrate how significantly U.S. trade policy can influence multinational manufacturers.

Just one year ago, tariffs substantially reduced LG’s profitability. Today, a combination of stronger sales, operational improvements and tariff recoveries has helped produce the strongest quarterly performance in company history.

For investors, the next milestone comes later this month when LG releases its complete earnings report, including business-segment performance and net income. Analysts will closely examine how much of the record profit came from sustainable operating improvements versus one-time tariff recoveries.

The broader takeaway is clear: LG’s strategy of emphasizing premium products, expanding higher-margin businesses and improving operational efficiency is delivering results at a time when global consumer demand remains uneven.

JBizNews Desk | Seoul, South Korea

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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) fired at least two missiles at commercial ships off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz overnight Monday, Axios reported, quoting a US official.

The ships suffered significant damage, but no casualties were reported.

According to The Wall Street Journal, one of the ships that was struck was the Al Rekayyat, a Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker. The ship was struck on its port side near the upper section of the engine room.

“The engine room is filled with fire and smoke,” crew members said. “The extent of the damage cannot yet be assessed. All crew members are safe and in good condition.”

Iran had previously warned that it would target vessels passing through the strait without prior coordination.

Iran later confirmed it had carried out the attacks, stating that it had targeted at least one tanker transporting liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state television claimed the vessel was attacked after it “ignored warnings.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin said Monday that neighborhoods displaying large numbers of American flags make her feel “unsafe,” arguing that the Stars and Stripes has been appropriated by people she associates with racism and white supremacy.

Speaking during Monday’s broadcast, Hostin explained that seeing numerous American flags in a neighborhood causes her unease because, in her view, some individuals have transformed the flag into a symbol of racial extremism.

“There are times when I walk into a community and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe, because there’s a section of this country that has co-opted the American flag and they equate being an American or an American flag with White supremacy and that should never be the symbol of White supremacy. But they have weaponized [the flag].”

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin responded by emphasizing that the American flag represents every citizen, saying, “It belongs to all of us.” Hostin agreed with her, replying, “it does belong to all of us.”

Hostin noted that she had expressed similar concerns about the American flag several years ago on the program, indicating that her views have remained unchanged in 2026.

Her remarks followed comments from actress and guest co-host Michelle Buteau, who questioned the significance of celebrating America’s 250th anniversary over the Independence Day weekend.

“When you say this is the best nation — the best nation for who?” Buteau asked.

Hostin echoed the sentiment, responding, “Yeah, the best nation for who?”

Buteau then continued, “If we are celebrating 250 years — what are we exactly celebrating is what I want to know.”

The discussion arose during a segment focusing on a group of self-described neo-Nazis who were photographed riding a Washington, D.C., Metro train on the Fourth of July.

Speculation over the condition of Sen. Mitch McConnell erupted across social media Monday after conservative commentator Laura Loomer and journalist Desiree Townsend each claimed, citing unnamed sources, that the Kentucky Republican had been declared brain dead. McConnell’s office, however, firmly rejected the reports, saying the senator remains hospitalized and continues to recover.

Responding to the claims, a spokesperson for McConnell said the senator’s health is improving and that he remains actively involved with his staff despite being away from Washington.

“Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” the spokesperson told Breitbart News.

Before the statement from McConnell’s office, Loomer posted on X that a senior source she described as being close to the White House had informed her the senator had been declared brain dead and would not recover.

“High level source close to the White House tells me Mitch McConnell is officially brain dead. He’s not coming back,” Loomer posted.

Townsend later echoed the allegation, saying her own sources had conveyed the same information. She also asserted that McConnell’s Capitol Police protective detail remained stationed at the hospital.

“I have heard the same thing from my sources for days,” Townsend wrote. “At this point, I am at the hospital for when they eventually decide to move cut him off of life support and move his body. His Capitol police detail is still here as of 3:39pm ET.”

McConnell was admitted to a hospital on June 14, although his office has not revealed why he was hospitalized or provided specific information about his medical condition. At 84 years old, McConnell is the longest-serving Senate leader in American history and is currently serving the final term of his Senate career, which concludes in January.

Three days after McConnell entered the hospital, his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, traveled to Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials. During her visit, she met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who urged the United States and China to deepen cooperation and continue efforts to build what he described as a more stable relationship between the two nations.

{Matzav.com}

Samsung Electronics reported record quarterly earnings on Tuesday, July 7, forecasting operating profit of approximately 89.4 trillion Korean won ($58.4 billion) for the April-to-June quarter, according to the company’s official earnings guidance. The figure represents roughly 19 times the profit reported a year earlier and marks the largest quarterly operating profit in Samsung’s history, underscoring the extraordinary demand for artificial intelligence-related semiconductor chips.

Despite the historic results, investors reacted cautiously.

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index opened sharply lower, falling about 1.6%, while Samsung shares dropped nearly 5% in early trading. The market’s response reflected growing investor concern that much of the AI-driven optimism has already been priced into technology stocks after an exceptional rally this year.

The company continues benefiting from surging demand for advanced memory chips used in artificial intelligence servers and high-performance computing. Samsung’s high-bandwidth memory business has become one of the biggest beneficiaries of the global AI boom as cloud providers and technology companies continue investing billions of dollars in new data centers.

Samsung’s projected operating profit exceeded analyst expectations of roughly 84 trillion won, while quarterly revenue reached approximately 171 trillion won, representing another significant increase from a year earlier.

The results confirm that demand for AI infrastructure remains exceptionally strong.

Memory chips have become one of the most valuable components inside AI systems, and Samsung remains one of the world’s largest producers alongside fellow South Korean manufacturer SK Hynix. Strong pricing for advanced memory products has helped offset weakness in several of Samsung’s traditional consumer electronics businesses.

Market movers

Analysts say Tuesday’s market reaction was driven less by Samsung’s earnings and more by investor expectations.

After semiconductor stocks posted enormous gains throughout 2026, many investors chose to lock in profits following the earnings announcement. The classic “sell the news” reaction has become increasingly common after major technology companies report results that, while impressive, may not significantly exceed already elevated expectations.

Several market strategists noted that Samsung’s earnings could still provide broader support for South Korea’s technology sector if investors regain confidence that AI-related spending remains sustainable.

Elsewhere in South Korea, shares of Hanwha Ocean fell sharply after Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems was selected as the preferred bidder for Canada’s next submarine program, disappointing investors who had anticipated a major contract for the Korean shipbuilder.

Japan’s markets were more resilient.

The Nikkei 225 remained relatively stable while the broader Topix continued trading near record levels, supported by a weaker Japanese yen that continues benefiting the country’s exporters.

Wall Street also provided a positive backdrop.

On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 53,000 for the first time, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also finished higher as semiconductor shares extended recent gains. Strong performances from major U.S. chip companies helped reinforce optimism surrounding continued AI investment.

Commodities and volatility

Energy markets remained relatively calm despite ongoing geopolitical concerns.

Brent crude traded near $71.70 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hovered around $68.40, close to pre-conflict levels. Lower oil prices continue easing inflation concerns for many Asian economies that rely heavily on imported energy.

Meanwhile, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) remained subdued, indicating investors continue viewing broader market risks as relatively contained.

What’s next

Investors now turn their attention to several major developments later this week.

SK Hynix is preparing for its planned Nasdaq listing, one of the year’s most closely watched semiconductor offerings, while markets also await the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting under Chair Kevin Warsh.

Those developments could influence global technology stocks, interest-rate expectations and investment flows into Asian markets.

For businesses and investors alike, Samsung’s record profit highlights the enormous economic impact artificial intelligence continues having across the semiconductor industry. At the same time, Tuesday’s market reaction serves as a reminder that extraordinary earnings alone may no longer be enough to sustain the sector’s remarkable rally.

JBizNews Desk | Seoul, South Korea

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

MK Yaakov Asher of United Torah Judaism delivered a forceful speech in the Knesset plenum, arguing that Israel’s continued existence depends on its commitment to Torah and Jewish tradition and warning that the growing embrace of secularism poses a greater long-term danger than external enemies.

During his remarks, Asher questioned why the Jewish people chose to settle in a region marked by such complex geopolitical challenges, answering that the nation’s presence in the Land of Israel is rooted in Hashem’s promise to the Jewish people.

“Our deed to this land is the Torah,” Asher declared, adding that the Jewish people’s right to the land is accompanied by an obligation to observe the Torah’s commandments and laws.

Asher also criticized what he described as increasing hostility toward Israel’s religious and chareidi communities, arguing that there is widespread incitement and disrespect directed at those who observe Torah and mitzvos. He pointed to expressions that have been used against chareidim, including references to “mezuzah kissers and grave worshippers,” saying such rhetoric reflects contempt for matters of holiness.

He went on to compare the public discourse in Israel with that of leaders in other countries, asserting that many world leaders openly speak about faith in G-d, while some Israeli public officials have avoided doing so for years.

Concluding his address, Asher recounted what he described as a lengthy conversation with an Iranian intellectual, who claimed that Israel’s enemies view the country as lacking sufficient faith.

“That is the real danger facing the State of Israel,” Asher said. “When people stand at this podium and belittle the Torah, halachah, and the mitzvos, that is the true existential threat to the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Monday pointed to new price reductions at Walmart as evidence that his administration is making headway in lowering the cost of everyday essentials, a central economic priority as critics continue to fault the White House over the high cost of living.

According to Business Insider, Trump said Walmart agreed to cut prices on a variety of products, including ground beef, after his administration encouraged major retailers to help make household necessities more affordable as part of events commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

Trump called on other large retailers to adopt similar measures, saying lower prices at the nation’s biggest retailer would provide meaningful relief to millions of Americans.

The White House said Walmart’s decision followed a request from the administration and was part of a broader initiative tied to the country’s 250th anniversary celebration aimed at reducing costs for consumers.

Reuters later reported that Walmart confirmed it would be lowering prices on a number of products sold in its stores, including meat, fresh produce, beverages, and other consumer staples. Ground beef was among the items that will see a price reduction.

The announcement comes as Trump continues to face attacks from Democrats and other political opponents, who argue that Americans are still struggling with elevated prices and contend that some administration policies have made affordability more difficult.

Critics have cited inflation, tariffs, and the administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran as factors they believe have contributed to higher costs for consumers.

They have also argued that the fighting involving Iran has injected uncertainty into global energy markets, raising concerns that disruptions to oil production and shipping lanes could drive up the price of gasoline, transportation, and a wide range of consumer goods.

Energy experts have noted that instability in key oil-producing regions has the potential to push crude oil prices higher while increasing broader economic risks through rising fuel and shipping costs.

The White House has rejected those claims, maintaining that Trump’s agenda is centered on lowering prices, increasing domestic energy production, strengthening the U.S. economy, and safeguarding America’s national security by preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Trump has repeatedly maintained that he inherited an economy burdened by inflation and says his economic agenda is designed to restore the purchasing power of working Americans.

The debate over affordability has emerged as one of the defining political issues confronting the administration, with grocery prices serving as one of the clearest indicators voters use to judge the health of the economy.

Food prices remain particularly important because grocery shopping is one of the most frequent and visible expenses faced by American households.

Newsweek reported that Trump has personally urged Walmart and other major retailers to lower prices as the administration seeks to demonstrate measurable progress in reducing everyday costs.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that many retailers have cautioned that tariffs could place additional pressure on prices by increasing costs associated with imported products and global supply chains.

Trump’s latest effort involving Walmart underscores the growing role major retailers are playing in the national debate over the economy, with the president insisting his policies are bringing prices down while critics argue that tariffs, international conflicts, and other administration decisions could continue to strain household budgets.

A major energy milestone was reached Monday for Judea and Samaria after the head of Central Command signed an order establishing the legal and regulatory framework needed to connect the region to Israel’s natural gas network.

The move, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Energy Minister Eli Cohen, brings to a close a years-long process and is expected to pave the way for natural gas infrastructure projects throughout Judea and Samaria. For the first time, the order creates a full regulatory framework for the sector in the area, including licensing conditions, approval procedures, professional requirements, and the mechanisms needed to establish and operate natural gas infrastructure.

Officials said the measure is expected to reduce energy costs, connect residents and industry to the natural gas network, and strengthen the local economy. Smotrich called it “a tremendous development for settlement and industry” that will lower energy costs, boost economic growth, and help close longstanding infrastructure gaps in Judea and Samaria.

Energy Minister Eli Cohen said the move effectively places Judea and Samaria “on the map” in the fields of energy and infrastructure, while improving residents’ quality of life, strengthening energy security, and accelerating economic development in the region. He said the rollout of natural gas infrastructure is part of a broader plan for large-scale infrastructure expansion aimed at supporting continued growth in Judea and Samaria.

The order also regulates the transmission and distribution of natural gas in the region, establishes licensing, oversight, and enforcement mechanisms, and provides the legal basis for building gas facilities, laying pipelines, and developing a regional supply network while safeguarding public and security interests.

Defense Minister Israel Katz also praised the move, calling it a strategic step that will strengthen settlement and improve quality of life in the area. He said the order would launch an “energy and security revolution” by removing regulatory barriers, promoting economic and industrial development, strengthening civilian resilience, and incorporating significant security components into the region’s infrastructure.

The measure was advanced through a broad interagency effort involving the Defense Ministry, Energy Ministry, Central Command, the Civil Administration, legal advisers in the defense establishment, and other government and professional bodies as part of a wider push to expand infrastructure and development in Judea and Samaria.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Two minors from Bnei Brak have been indicted in connection with a series of break-ins across the city, including the theft of approximately 100,000 shekels (about $30,000) worth of silver items from the private room of the Chernobyler Rebbe at the Chernobyler beis medrash on Rechov Aharonovitch.

According to police, the suspects—ages 14 and 16—are accused of carrying out three separate burglaries in recent months, targeting the Chernobyler beis medrash, a residential facility, and a supermarket in Bnei Brak. Following the investigation, prosecutors filed indictments against both youths and requested that they remain under house arrest until the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Police launched the investigation after receiving three burglary complaints from locations throughout the city.

Investigators say that in June, the two suspects entered the Chernobyler beis medrash, made their way into the Rebbe’s private room, forced open a safe, and stole silver items valued at approximately 100,000 shekels.

The stolen silver was ultimately recovered and returned to the beis medrash. According to local reports, however, the items were not located by police. Instead, they were discovered in the yard of a home on Rechov Harav Rozovsky in Bnei Brak by a civilian, who turned them over to police. Investigators then processed the silver for fingerprints before returning it to the gabbai of the beis medrash.

Police also allege that in May, the suspects broke into a residential facility on HaYarden Street by smashing a window and stealing cash and a checkbook from the administration office.

In April, the pair allegedly broke into a supermarket on Rechov Aharonovitch, making off with snacks and soft drinks.

Following the collection of evidence, investigators identified and arrested the two Bnei Brak teenagers.

The Tel Aviv District Police Juvenile Prosecution Unit has charged them with burglary of a house of worship and residence, theft committed jointly, breaking into a non-residential building with intent to steal, malicious property damage, and criminal trespassing committed jointly. Prosecutors have also requested that both minors remain under house arrest pending the completion of the court proceedings.

SEATTLE (AP) — The United States’ hopes for a deep World Cup run at home ended when Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and assisted on another goal, helping Belgium expose the Americans’ defensive liabilities in a 4-1 win Monday night that earned a quarterfinal berth.

While the U.S. was boosted by the presence of star forward Folarin Balogun, whose one-game red-card suspension was controversially lifted by FIFA, American defenders were at fault in a pair of first-half goals and goalkeeper Matt Freese’s gaffe gave the Red Devils a third early in the second half.

Second-half substitute Romelu Lukaku added Belgium’s final goal in the third minute of stoppage time.

Seeking its first World Cup title, Belgium knocked the U.S. out in the round of 16 for the second time in 12 years and extended its unbeaten streak to 18 games. The Red Devils play 2010 champion Spain on Friday at Inglewood, California, for a semifinal berth against France or Morocco.

Malik Tillman tied the score 1-1 midway through the first half with his second free kick goal of the tournament, but the Americans conceded just 61 seconds after the ensuing kickoff. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino showed his frustration by kicking a rack in front of the bench, sending four water bottles flying.

American star Christian Pulisic could only watch from the bench after injuring his right foot when he hit a boot of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans on a 52nd-minute shot attempt. Pulisic favored his foot after that and was replaced seven minutes later.

After winning three games in a World Cup for the first time in this expanded 48-nation tournament, the U.S. failed in its quest to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 and lost to Belgium for the seventh straight time since a victory at the initial tournament in 1930. The Americans have dropped 11 of their last 12 games against European opponents, winning only their round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A heralded generation led by Pulisic, Westin McKennie and Tyler Adams only partially accomplished their goal of lifting soccer’s stature closer to that of the NFL, MLB and the NBA.

De Ketelaere put Belgium ahead in the eighth minute, the first time in this year’s World Cup the U.S. conceded first.

Tillman’s goal in the 31st minute energized a largely red-white-and-blue crowd of 66,925 at Lumen Field, but De Ketelaere damped that and assisted on Hans Vanaken’s 57th-minute goal after Freese lost control of the ball in front of his net.

All six CONCACAF nations have been eliminated, with the co-hosts U.S., Mexico and Canada all falling in the round of 16. All quarterfinalists will all come from Europe, South America and Africa, reinforcing the weakness of CONCACAF and Asia.

Belgium, which left stars Jérémy Doku and Kevin DeBruyne on the bench, pressed from the start and exposed a defense that was regarded as the Americans’ weak spot.

Dodi Lukébakio made a long diagonal pass to the opposite corner, leading to the opening goal. Leandro Troussard controlled the ball and his cross was blocked by Alex Freeman and popped into the air.

Freeman headed the ball into the penalty area and Timothy Castagne charged after it and hooked a centering pass around Chris Richards. De Ketelaere split Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson and with his right foot redirected the ball into an open net.

Pochettino held out his arms, as if to ask: What was going on?

Tillman scored after Brandon Mechele knocked down Balogun about 25 yards from goal. Tillman’s kick deflected off Vanaken’s head and deflected to the left of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had dived right.

Troussard got around Sergiño Dest for a cross and De Ketelaere outjumped Ream and headed the ball past Freese in the 33rd minute for his eighth international goal.

Belgium built a two-goal lead when Mechele lofted a long ball that Freese chested after two hops. Freese hesitated with a touch, then scrambled and kicked the ball off De Ketelaere. Vanaken one-timed a shot from 35 yards that deflected in off Ream, who tried for an off-balance clearance.

Lukaku entered in the 67th minute and scored after Belgium stripped the ball from Richards.

President Donald Trump pardoned 11 people on Friday, July 3, 2026, among them a staffing-company executive once tied to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and nine men the White House said were prosecuted for helping drivers strip federal emissions controls off their vehicles, according to a list released Friday evening by a White House official.

The best-known name is Adam Kidan, a former business partner of the disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Kidan pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy tied to the purchase of a fleet of SunCruz gambling boats and was sentenced in 2006 to nearly six years in prison. The case grew out of the early-2000s influence scandal that reached Capitol Hill, the Interior Department, and officials in President George W. Bush’s administration.

What the White House chose to emphasize, however, was Kidan’s second act in business. After his 2009 release, he took a job at a staffing agency, founded Chartwell Staffing Solutions, and now serves as president of Empire Workforce Solutions. The White House credited his firms with placing more than 250,000 people in entry-level jobs. Kidan, a Republican donor, was also among the hosts of a March fundraiser at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for a Long Island congressional candidate, according to Newsday. A message left with his business was not returned Friday.