Weeks after a recall was issued for more than 1.5 million cartons of one dozen eggs due to the risk of salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has upgraded the recall to the highest risk level.

On Wednesday, the recall was moved up to a Class I, which signifies “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The upgrade comes as nearly 98 people have been sickened across 17 states, with 26 hospitalizations, according to a July 24 update from the FDA.

No deaths have been reported.

Officials said the recalled products were sold under several brands, including Kroger, Brookshire’s, Country Morning, Simple Truth, and Sunups, as well as various bulk Grade A and Grade AA eggs.

The eggs were distributed to retail and food service customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mississippi, as well as other smaller retail outlets, according to the FDA.

The vast majority of those sickened — 73 — were in Texas. 

Customers in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York and West Virginia, each reported a handful of cases.

The FDA said that distribution of recalled eggs “has been confirmed for states listed, but product could have been distributed further, reaching additional states.”

Midwest Poultry Services initiated the voluntary recall, affecting 1,589,577 dozen cartons of white shell eggs and brown cage-free shell eggs, in the last week of July.

The affected products were produced at two farms in Texas, according to the FDA.

Officials said the issue was discovered during routine environmental testing.

The salmonella scare comes amid a deadly outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce that causes explosive diarrhea.

Fox Business’ Bonny Chu contributed to this report.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Friday granted preliminary conditional approval for a national trust bank tied to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture partially owned by President Donald Trump‘s family.

The decision, announced in a letter posted on the OCC’s website, advances World Liberty Financial’s plans to establish a national trust bank focused in part on issuing and managing the USD1 stablecoin.

World Liberty Trust Company, National Association, would be based in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, and plans to issue and redeem USD1, maintain reserves backing the stablecoin and provide digital asset custody and related services to institutional customers.

In its letter, the OCC said it granted preliminary conditional approval to World Liberty Trust Company’s application for a national trust bank charter, which was submitted in January.

The firm welcomed the decision, calling it a “milestone” in its efforts to open the bank.

“A national trust bank brings USD1 issuance, custody and reserve management together under OCC supervision, examined on the same standards that have governed banks for generations,” World Liberty Trust President and Chairman Zach Witkoff said in a statement. 

“We welcome continuous scrutiny from federal regulators for many years to come.”

Witkoff is the son of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Zach Witkoff said in an X post that the proposed national trust bank would have a clear objective.

“Our ambition is clear: to build the most trusted and widely used digital dollar in the world while strengthening the role of the U.S. dollar across the global economy.”

The bank cannot begin operating yet and must satisfy a series of requirements before opening and receiving final approval from the OCC.

A significant portion of the OCC’s letter addressed objections raised by commenters over potential Trump family conflicts, foreign investment, stablecoin regulation, FDIC insurance and regulatory favoritism.

On its website, World Liberty Financial states that it is 38% owned by “an entity affiliated with Donald J. Trump and certain of his family members.”

The OCC rejected those objections as grounds for denying the charter and said staff reviewed the application under established procedures.

“Career OCC staff reviewed the application for consistency with the statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements and factors for approval of a de novo application,” the OCC wrote.

An OCC official emphasized the importance of de novo banks in a statement to FOX Business, saying a robust pipeline of new banks is crucial to a healthy financial system.

The official said new entrants bring new ideas, products and services that increase competition, drive innovation and expand consumer choice, contributing to a strong and diverse banking system that supports a modern economy.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has warned that government funding for Chareidi educational institutions will be conditioned on compliance with state-mandated core curriculum requirements, prompting a sharp response from MK Moshe Gafni, who demanded that secular schools be required to teach the 613 mitzvos if the state intends to dictate what Chareidi children must learn.

Baharav-Miara submitted the state’s response to the Supreme Court today in a case dealing with government funding for Chareidi educational networks. The response made clear that funding will not continue without stricter oversight to ensure that institutions are teaching the required curriculum and meeting the government’s core educational standards.

In presenting the state’s position, the Attorney General cited Education Ministry findings that allegedly identified substantial shortcomings in compliance by Chareidi schools.

“Ministry of Education data indicate significant gaps in the networks’ institutions meeting their obligation to teach the full core curriculum, as well as failures in the ability to monitor compliance with these obligations and enforce them”.

Based on those findings, the state said that funding provided to the institutions under the “all children in Israel” framework will no longer be transferred automatically. Instead, continued government support through the program will depend upon individual institutions fulfilling their obligations regarding core studies.

The tougher conditions are slated to begin during the current school year. Among other requirements, institutions will be expected to teach the entire state-prescribed core curriculum, employ appropriately trained teachers, participate fully in government measurement and evaluation programs, cooperate with state monitoring and enforcement procedures, and fulfill all mandated reporting requirements.

Gafni blasted the Attorney General’s position, arguing that the government should not dictate the educational priorities of the Chareidi community while continuing to fund secular schools whose curricula do not include fundamental Torah teachings.

“If she decides what Chareidi students should study, I demand that all Israeli children study the 613 commandments; otherwise, they should not receive funding.”

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-The United States is asking NATO allies to detail not only their defense spending but also their public support for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy as part of a broader review of the American military presence in Europe, according to a Bloomberg News report.

A questionnaire recently circulated to alliance members and seen by Bloomberg seeks information on whether governments have been “publicly supportive” of U.S. foreign policy, imposed restrictions on U.S. military use of their bases, purchased equipment from American defense contractors, or opposed European “preference” rules that favor local firms over U.S. ones.

The document specifically references restrictions some allies placed on U.S. operations in the Middle East, including limits on the use of bases for strikes related to the conflict with Iran, and asks whether those restrictions could be reduced or eliminated. It also inquires about alignment with the Trump administration’s approach, described by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as “strong, clear, and quiet.”

The questionnaire forms part of a six-month U.S. review of its forces and wartime capabilities in Europe that is expected to conclude by December. Allies are bracing for possible significant reductions in American troops and equipment earmarked for NATO contingencies.

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that some allies view the questions as an effort to link continued U.S. security guarantees to political loyalty. That approach, they said, would mark a departure from the traditional NATO model in which collective defense has been maintained despite political differences among members.

A NATO official confirmed the United States is coordinating with allies on the review but declined to comment on the questionnaire itself. The document was first shared with countries in Washington before circulating this week at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where further discussions on the review are planned later this month.

The review comes after earlier U.S. moves that included plans to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany and reductions in certain combat units and wartime reinforcement assets in Europe. At the same time, the Trump administration has pledged additional forces to Poland following the election of a preferred candidate there.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has described regular reviews of the alliance’s force posture as “wise,” citing rising European and Canadian defense spending. Alliance defense expenditures have grown substantially in recent years, with Europe and Canada accounting for a larger share relative to the United States.

The questionnaire also probes compliance with higher defense-spending targets and whether allies are willing to speak against “made-in-Europe” procurement policies that limit contracts with American companies.

Reporting is based on a Bloomberg News account of the U.S. document circulated to NATO members.

The prices businesses pay for their goods stopped rising last month. That is the number that eventually decides what you pay, and for the first time in a while it moved in the right direction.

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which measures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 4.7% in July from a year earlier, down from a much larger 5.5% increase in June. Month to month, wholesale prices were unchanged, after ticking down 0.1% in June. Stripping out food and energy, the core measure rose 4.2% over the year, easing from 4.7%, with a monthly increase of 0.2%, down from 0.4%.

Put it in dollars. A year ago, the goods a store bought for $100 were costing about $105.50 twelve months later. Now that same $100 of goods costs about $104.70. Still going up — but a bit less steeply, and the gap between those two numbers is what eventually shows up as a smaller price sticker.

The main reason for the improvement was gasoline, which gave back some of the spike it took during the Iran war, along with cooling in other costs.

The wholesale number matters because it runs ahead of the one people actually feel. A grocer, a restaurant or a hardware store pays a wholesale price first, then sets the shelf price weeks or months later. When wholesale costs cool, shelf prices usually follow — not immediately, and not evenly, but they follow.

Some of that has already started. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year earlier, down from 3.5% in June, and just 0.1% from June to July. That is the second straight decline after higher gas prices pushed inflation to 4.2% in May, a three-year high. It is still well above the 2.4% rate that prevailed before the war.

Now the part that explains why none of this feels like good news at the register. Consumer prices have been rising faster than wages for four straight months. That is the whole problem in one line. Inflation slowing down does not mean prices are falling — it means they are climbing more slowly than before. If your paycheck is climbing slower still, you lose ground every month even as the headlines improve. When that gap persists, households cut back on everything that isn’t rent, utilities and groceries, which is how a squeeze on families turns into a slowdown for the whole economy.

Two things are worth watching from here.

The first is gasoline, which is the wild card. Fuel prices fell earlier in July, then turned higher late in the month and into early August. That could complicate the August inflation report when it lands next month — a reminder that energy can reverse a good trend in a matter of weeks.

The second is that relief is arriving unevenly, depending on who sets the price. Where retailers compete head to head, prices are coming down fast: Walmart cut a 24-pack of Coca-Cola to $9.97 from $14.97 and a pound of ground beef to $5.94 from $6.74. Target lowered prices on some foods in March. But where the cost comes from a policy or a supply problem, prices keep climbing regardless of what the wholesale index says. Tomatoes are up about a fifth from a year ago behind a 17% import duty, and lettuce is up 32%. Sherwin-Williams is raising paint prices 8% on Sept. 1.

For the Federal Reserve, the softer wholesale figures buy some breathing room — the central bank has been weighing whether it needs to raise interest rates to force inflation down further, and a cooler reading makes that less urgent. For anyone with a mortgage application in progress, that matters. The average 30-year mortgage rate slipped to 6.67% this week from 6.69%, its first drop in six weeks.

The honest summary: costs are easing at the front of the pipeline, they will take months to reach the checkout line, and until paychecks start outrunning prices again, most families won’t feel it.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.

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

A New Jersey man has admitted in federal court to orchestrating a massive $47 million investment fraud that victimized dozens of investors, most of them members of the chareidi community. Prosecutors said the scheme promised extraordinary returns but instead financed gambling debts, home renovations, and other personal expenses. Sentencing is scheduled for December.

The suspect pleaded guilty in federal court in Trenton to operating the multimillion-dollar investment fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2026.

According to court filings, between June 2019 and June 2023, the suspect raised approximately $47 million from 97 investors through his company, Capital Funding ASAP. Authorities said nearly all of the victims were members of the frum community. Investors were told their money would be used exclusively to finance short-term business loans and would generate annual returns ranging from 9% to 53%.

Instead, prosecutors said that the suspect operated a Ponzi scheme, using funds from new investors to pay earlier participants while diverting roughly $11 million for his own personal use. Investigators said the stolen money paid for gambling losses, home renovations, mortgage payments, and automobile loans.

U.S. Attorney Robert Fraser said that the suspect exploited the trust of the chareidi community to carry out the fraud. “The defendant turned the trust of the Orthodox Jewish community into a tool for fraud, using personal relationships to fuel a massive Ponzi scheme,” Fraser said. “Thanks to the combined efforts of our partners and federal law enforcement agencies, he has been brought to justice. Our office will continue to uncover financial fraud, protect investors, and hold accountable those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain.”

Stephanie Roddy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, said investment scams can leave victims financially devastated and permanently alter their lives.

“Investment fraud can drain people’s bank accounts and change their lives. Dozens of victims placed their trust in the promises made by [the suspect], who admitted using their money to fund his gambling habit, among other things,” Roddy said. “The FBI Newark will pursue anyone who breaks the law to exploit victims, and we will do everything in our power to bring justice to every victim harmed by fraud.”

{Matzav.com}

Family getting up: Thursday (8/20/26)AM

Mrs. Libby Berger
Wife

Mrs. Judy Berger
Mother

R’ Moishe Berger
Son

Mrs. Tziri Kohn
Daughter

Habachur Meilich Berger
Son

Habachur Avrumi Berger
Son

Hayeled Chaim Berger
Son

Hayalda Chaya Gitty Berger
Daughter

Hayalda Tzippy Berger
Daughter

Mrs. Bayla Brody
Sister

from Sunday

Mrs. Ita Grunbaum
Sister

Mr. Chaim Berger
Brother

Terry Moran says his 2021 “Nightline” report was substantially altered after a copy of the script was allegedly sent to Dr. Anthony Fauci, leaving him “absolutely livid.”

Former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran is accusing his former employer of significantly changing a report he produced about the origins of COVID-19 after the network allegedly provided a copy of the script to Dr. Anthony Fauci for review.

During an interview released Friday on The Fifth Column podcast, Moran described the episode as an example of what he viewed at the time as the “heavy hand of censorship” within the Disney-owned network.

Moran said that in early 2021, he noticed “smart and serious” discussions online about the possibility that COVID-19 had originated through a laboratory leak. According to Moran, ABC’s Nightline subsequently gave him an opportunity to investigate the theory.

As part of his reporting, Moran said he interviewed scientists as well as officials from the Trump administration. He emphasized that his report did not reach a definitive conclusion about COVID’s origins but instead presented the competing evidence and arguments.

Moran said his reporting included information about funding connected to the laboratory in Wuhan. He recalled that his team reported that the facility had received funding from the Chinese military, despite statements from Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, sometimes referred to as the “Bat Lady,” denying that connection.

“We broke a little news that that lab had been funded by the Chinese military, despite the ‘Bat Lady’ [Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli] saying no, it hadn’t… And we kind of laid it out,” Moran said. “And at the end of the day, my own personal feeling was, you know, it’s probably a little bit more likely it’s natural. But if you told me it had leaked from the lab, fine. It’s probably not cooked up. It’s probably not a ‘Frankenvirus.’”

Moran said the situation changed dramatically on the day the segment was scheduled to broadcast. After the report went through the review process, he said the version returned to him was so heavily modified that he found it difficult to understand.

“And the day that it’s supposed to air, it gets reviewed, and it comes back to me, and it is incomprehensible,” Moran continued. “And I had never been angrier. I’m in the booth–”

Podcast co-host Michael Moynihan asked Moran whether lawyers were responsible for reviewing the report.

“Are these lawyers?” podcast co-host Michael Moynihan asked.

“Lawyers, standards and, I was told, Fauci,” Moran responded. “And I said, ‘I can’t do this.’ And they’re going to air and it’s a 15-minute piece or whatever. And I’m cursing and screaming in the booth.”

Moran said the changes were made on the very day the segment was scheduled to air, intensifying his frustration with the editorial process.

“And this is day of?” co-host Matt Welch followed.

“Day of air,” Moran said. “And I am just absolutely livid, beside myself. And I’m usually — I try to be a good colleague that way. It’s important to be respectful of somebody on the other end of that mic taking it in in New York and the editor… I have never watched that story and never want to, because it wasn’t mine, I didn’t think, and most importantly because it was incomprehensible. They had put so many caveats in there, and it was so legalized.”

Moran was then asked whether ABC had provided Fauci with the report before it was broadcast.

“So they took the story that you did and either sent a copy of the transcript or a copy of the video to Anthony Fauci?” Moynihan then asked.

Moran said he understood that the script, rather than the completed video, had been provided, although he acknowledged that he could not personally verify that account.

“It would’ve been the script, that’s what I was told. I don’t know if that’s true personally, but I was told that,” Moran answered.

The two-part Nightline report ultimately aired in June 2021 and examined competing arguments concerning the origins of COVID-19. Moran interviewed Jamie Metzl, a former member of the World Health Organization’s committee on human genome editing who had publicly raised questions about a potential laboratory leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

However, Metzl was one of several experts featured in the report, and other medical specialists interviewed by Moran rejected the laboratory-leak explanation. ABC News medical unit producer Sony Salzman and investigative reporter Sasha Pezenik also appeared in the segment and expressed skepticism toward the theory.

Moran, who left ABC News in 2025, has also pushed back against what he considers excessive criticism of Fauci. Although he described his experience with the report as deeply frustrating, Moran said the “demonization” of Fauci was inappropriate and characterized him as a public servant who was trying to do his best.

Neither Moran, Fauci nor ABC News responded to requests for comment regarding Moran’s allegations. An inquiry was also sent to the White House.

Fauci has returned to the center of public attention following the release of diary material by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. The material has drawn renewed scrutiny to Fauci’s private reflections about the pandemic and how they compared with statements and guidance he issued publicly.

The diary material also highlighted Fauci’s relationships with several prominent media personalities, including CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.

Earlier this month, Senate Republicans on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a hearing the previous month. Fauci accused Paul of pursuing a campaign to have him imprisoned, while a criminal referral was subsequently sent to the Department of Justice.

The debate over COVID-19’s origins has continued to evolve since the early months of the pandemic. Several U.S. government agencies, including the CIA, FBI and Department of Energy, have in recent years assessed a laboratory-related origin as the most likely explanation. At the same time, numerous scientists continue to support a natural-origin explanation, leaving the question unresolved and subject to ongoing debate.

Latin Americans have had it with socialism.

Over the past decade, more than half of Latin America’s nations have voted socialists out. From large countries like Argentina to tiny ones like El Salvador, socialists have been replaced with conservative leaders who’ve made significant progress turning their economies around.

That list could grow as Cuba and Nicaragua are on the cusp of collapse after their oil lifelines from Venezuela were cut after the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

The real incentive for dumping socialism is voter recognition that it just hasn’t worked. What is working are policies based on market solutions.

In Argentina, monthly inflation has tumbled from 25% to just 2%. Massive cuts in government have led to fiscal surpluses, and Moody’s upgraded its investment outlook to positive.

“We’re here to tell you that collectivist experiments are never the solution to the problems that afflict the citizens of the world. Rather, they are the root cause,” Argentine President Javier Milei said in a 2024 speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

After the ouster of a socialist government in Ecuador, economic conditions there improved, with the GDP rebounding 3.7% in 2025 and the nation returning to international bond markets this year.

In Costa Rica, voters’ rejection of the ruling leftist party coincided with an estimated 20% relative decline in poverty from 2021 to 2024.

And those are just a few examples of the progress being made. Latin America has had many course changes over the years, and all this could turn around again. But probably not while memories of many socialist failures are so fresh and painful.

Latin America’s growing rejection of socialism also coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s cancellation of 83% of USAID programs, which he claims were doing more harm than good.

Family getting up: Thursday (8/20/26)AM

Dr. Martin Katzenstein
Brother

Dr. Katzenstein will be sitting motzei shabbos in Riverdale, at 5225 Arlington Avenue.

Mrs. Sandra Wachspress
Sister

Mrs. Wachspress will be sitting motzei shabbos in Riverdale, at 5225 Arlington Avenue.

Mrs. Sara Herzberg
Daughter

Dr. Michael Goldman
Son

Dr. Goldman will be sitting motsei shabbos at 431 Daub Avenue, Hewlett, NY

Mrs. Rina Schlanger
Daughter

Mrs. Yehudis/Jennifer Azrak
Daughter

Mrs. Azrak will be sitting motsei shabbos at 583 Trysting Pl, Cedarhurst, NY, from 9:30 until 11 pm.

Mr. Avi Goldman
Son

Wherever LeBron James goes this season, it will be the hottest ticket in town.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer announced last month that he will play his unprecedented 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers, automatically reigniting some key Eastern Conference rivalries.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver admitted he was holding off on announcing each team’s schedule because he had no idea where James was going. But when James’ decision was announced, Silver went to work, and it’s now paying dividends.

The Sixers will open the 2026-27 season at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks will hang their first championship banner in 53 years. And while those ticket prices likely won’t reach the five-figure average of the NBA Finals, it will still be a must-see.

StubHub said Friday that the Oct. 20 game is the site’s most in-demand NBA game of the entire season, with the current get-in price at more than $1,500.

In fact, each of the top five and seven of the top 10 highest-demand games is a Sixers contest, and the Sixers are StubHub’s most in-demand NBA team, increasing 12.5 times from last year’s schedule release and up from No. 6 overall.

Christmas Day demand is nearly 50% ahead of last year, with LeBron’s return to Los Angeles for the Sixers-Lakers among the biggest draws.

James announced his decision in a post on X, saying he thought he was done at the end of last season and that he had likely played his final game. 

However, “I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”

The 76ers will be the fourth team James has played for in his illustrious career. For Philadelphia, James is the second major star to join the team this offseason after they acquired Jaylen Brown in a stunning trade with the Boston Celtics.

Last season, the 76ers were swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and they hope the additions of James and Brown can propel them to a championship. James is looking to become the first player in NBA history to win an NBA title with four teams. 

While James may not be the force he once was, he still remains a productive player entering his 24th season. In 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game and was named an All-Star for the 22nd time, extending his NBA record.

Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.

The Israel Police confirmed that the two women, who had been missing since last Friday, were located alive. Video released by police showed Mali and Liel aboard a bus in Buenos Aires.

“The Israel Police, in full cooperation with all security agencies and relevant entities in Israel and abroad, operated over the past few days in an extensive and focused effort to locate the missing women,” the Israel Police said.

“Under the direction of the Israel Police Commissioner, Chief Commissioner Danny Levy, the police – led by Lahav 433 and the Police Intelligence Division – operated command centers in Israel and overseas 24/7. They allocated all necessary resources and capabilities to locate them and executed hundreds of investigative actions.”

“Following extensive efforts and joint cooperation among all agencies, including Europol and additional foreign law enforcement organizations, the missing women were located. The Israel Police expresses its gratitude to all partners in Israel and abroad for their cooperation and assistance throughout the search efforts,” the statement concluded.

A senior police official told Channel 12 News that investigators successfully reconstructed the women’s movements and ultimately pinpointed the exact bus on which they were traveling. According to the official, authorities quickly came to believe that the departure had been voluntary and that there was no immediate indication of foul play, though officers still needed to confirm their physical safety in person.

After making contact with the mother and daughter and verifying that they were unharmed and not victims of any criminal act, investigators officially closed the case. Since no legal basis existed to detain them, police allowed the pair to continue their journey.

The same police official said the women had accumulated financial debts, which led them to leave Israel.

In a statement released after they were found, the Yahalomi family said, “Above all, the family feels immense relief that Mali and Liel have been located and are alive.”

“The family wishes to thank the Israeli public for their concern and goodwill, as well as the Israel Police, the Israeli Consul in Vienna, Magen Search and Rescue, and the rescue team members.”

Confirmation that the two had been located came shortly after Austrian authorities announced that the mother and daughter had departed Vienna on their own. Vienna was the last city where they had been seen before disappearing.

Israeli media later reported that the pair traveled by train from Vienna into Germany before boarding a flight to Argentina.

Earlier in the investigation, as speculation intensified over what may have happened, family members urged security officials not to dismiss any possible explanation for the disappearance.

“For a week now, we wake up every morning with the same prayer – to find you safe and sound and bring you home. Please do not stop searching,” the family said. They added that they “demand all security and investigative authorities continue examining all potential scenarios, including the possibility of a terror-related motive, until it is definitively ruled out based on concrete findings.”

Investigators had also obtained surveillance footage showing Mali and Liel leaving the apartment building where they had been staying in Vienna. The video showed the two carrying their belongings as they exited, with no one else accompanying them.

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said President Donald Trump helped deliver a major project for her state that she was unable to secure during the Biden administration, highlighting an unusual point of agreement between the two political rivals.

Speaking Thursday during a conversation with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on his podcast, Whitmer discussed how she has approached working with Trump after Michigan backed him in the 2024 presidential election. She said she had to reconsider how she would work with the administration following the election.

Newsom pointed out that Whitmer had visited the White House, with both governors acknowledging that maintaining a functional relationship with the president is “part of the job.”

Whitmer said her cooperation with the Trump administration had already produced tangible results for Michigan, specifically citing the fighter aircraft mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

“I’ve gotten some really good stuff done. Honestly,” she told Newsom. “I got a fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and I tried to get that done under the Biden administration, couldn’t get over the finish line, but I got it done with him. So, that’s a huge deal to Michigan.”

The project Whitmer referenced appears to be Mission Next, an initiative that will replace Selfridge’s aging A-10 Warthog aircraft with 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. The modernization effort also includes infrastructure and construction improvements intended to support additional jobs and training opportunities at the Michigan National Guard installation.

Trump announced the fighter jet mission in April 2025 during remarks to Michigan National Guard personnel at Selfridge, where he marked his 100th day in office.

“Fresh off the line. That means they are brand new,” Trump said at the time. “They’ve never been anywhere. This is where they’re going to be for a long time. And I saw one of them, flew over my head, and I said, ‘What the hell is that?’ That plane has serious power. So, this is the best there is anywhere in the world, the F-15EX Eagle II. This will keep Selfridge at the cutting edge of Northern American air power.”

Biden’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Whitmer’s remarks.

The White House also pointed to the Selfridge decision as evidence of Trump’s approach to Michigan and national defense.

“While Joe Biden’s weak policies neglected our military, President Trump saved Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a crucial pillar of North American air defense; rebuilt our military; and restored readiness and lethality to our U.S. Armed Forces,” White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital Friday.

“With President Trump as commander in chief, the United States Military will continue to lead the world in power, prestige, and might,” Wales continued. “President Trump proudly won the state of Michigan in 2024, and will continue to deliver on his promises for all Michiganders.”

Whitmer told Newsom that she has experience working with people who are not necessarily close allies and said she understands the importance of doing so even when she may personally disagree with them.

Her relationship with Trump has drawn attention before. In April 2025, Whitmer attracted widespread attention after appearing to shield her face with a folder during photographs at an Oval Office meeting with Trump.

Whitmer later explained that she simply did not want her photograph taken and acknowledged that the moment had become a source of attention.

“I don’t want my picture taken, that’s all it was. I kind of wished I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever. You know I was there … I just wrote a book about learning to laugh at yourself, so I’m pretty good at it. We all have our moments,” Whitmer said.

Trump, for his part, praised Whitmer around that time, describing her as a “very good person,” despite the political clashes the two have had over the years.

The White House later criticized Whitmer in April after a Michigan steel manufacturer announced plans to invest $43.4 million in expanding its operations in the state.

“Democrats like Gretchen Whitmer spent decades talking about fixing broken trade deals and creating manufacturing jobs here in America for American workers,” Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told Fox News Digital earlier this year.

Desai was referring to Whitmer, who has frequently been mentioned as a potential Democratic contender for president in 2028.

“President Trump is actually delivering, and he’s delivering with the same agenda of tariffs, deregulation.”

Thousands of travelers faced major disruptions at Ben Gurion International Airport on Friday, with passengers stuck aboard planes, families waiting hours for luggage and dozens of flights caught in an unusual backlog as roughly 90,000 people were expected to pass through the airport in a single day.

The problems intensified in the hours leading up to Shabbat, turning departure gates, baggage claim areas and aircraft into scenes of mounting frustration. Some passengers traveling overseas said they remained aboard their planes for hours after boarding because their baggage had still not been loaded. Arriving travelers encountered similar problems, with parents and children waiting long after landing for their suitcases to appear.

“The children are already impatient. We’ve been sitting on the plane for hours without knowing when we will take off,” passengers said. Other travelers described spending hours alongside baggage carousels waiting for their belongings. On several flights, crews reportedly informed passengers that congestion at Ben Gurion was also causing delays for aircraft scheduled to fly to Israel.

The Israel Airports Authority pushed back against reports that the disruption was connected to a strike by baggage handlers, insisting that no labor action was underway and that there was “no shortage of workers.” According to the authority, approximately 90 flights accumulated in a backlog during a period of just three hours, overwhelming baggage operations and placing extraordinary demands on ground services.

Airport officials said several factors converged to produce the unusual congestion, including peak summer travel and restrictions affecting European airspace, particularly in the area of Greece. The activity of American aerial refueling aircraft was also cited as contributing to the situation. Approximately 600 aircraft movements were scheduled at Ben Gurion during the day, carrying an estimated 90,000 passengers and making Friday one of the airport’s busiest days of the summer.

According to the Airports Authority, flights originally scheduled to reach Israel at different times can become compressed into a much narrower arrival window because of delays and airspace restrictions elsewhere. When large numbers of aircraft arrive almost simultaneously, available parking positions quickly become scarce while baggage crews, ground personnel and airport logistics systems are forced to handle an unusually concentrated workload.

The Airports Authority said additional personnel had been deployed and were working continuously despite the hot weather in an effort to process aircraft and luggage more quickly and shorten delays. Officials maintained that all available workers were operating at maximum capacity and asked travelers for patience as crews worked through the backlog.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev said Israel’s aviation system is dealing with particularly challenging circumstances, with the normal surge in summer travel occurring alongside security-related and aviation restrictions. She said authorities are working to preserve regular flight operations and limit inconvenience to travelers as much as possible, while noting that broader restrictions affecting regional airspace are also having consequences for flights into and out of Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Cooluli is recalling about 250,000 minifridges after receiving at least 19 reports of the appliances smoking, sparking, burning, melting, overheating or catching fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The recall covers certain 10-liter and 15-liter Cooluli minifridges because an electrical switch can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards, the CPSC said.

Cooluli has received reports of property damage totaling more than $80,000. One consumer also reported a smoke inhalation injury, according to the agency.

The affected minifridges were sold online at Amazon.com and Cooluli.com from January 2019 through October 2024 for between $80 and $120.

The recall includes certain minifridges from Cooluli’s Infinity, Classic, Glow Beauty and Vibe series. The affected products have an internal power supply and two power input ports, AC and DC, on the back instead of a single DC port.

The recalled minifridges were sold in several colors, including black, blue, green, white and red, as well as designs featuring multicolored patterns, photos and logos. “Cooluli” is printed on the front.

The recall covers batch numbers 1535 through 1545 and 1200000 through 1202080. Consumers can find the model and batch numbers on a label inside the minifridge door.

The CPSC urged consumers to stop using the recalled minifridges immediately and contact Cooluli for a free replacement power cord.

Consumers will be asked to enter their model and batch numbers on Cooluli’s recall website to determine whether their minifridge is affected. Those with recalled units will be instructed to unplug the minifridge, cut the power cord and submit photos showing the refrigerator’s model and batch numbers.

Cooluli will provide affected consumers with a replacement DC power cord and a permanent sticker to cover the AC port, according to the CPSC.

FOX Business reached out to Cooluli for comment on the recall, the reported incidents and the steps the company is taking to address the issue.

The minifridges were manufactured in China by Ningbo Iceberg Electronic Appliance Co., Ltd., and imported by Brooklyn, New York-based Lisse USA LLC.

Consumers can contact Cooluli at 718-834-5312 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or email [email protected] for more information.

TAMPA (VINnews)-U.S. Central Command on Friday rejected as false an Israeli media report claiming its top commander advocated renewed military action against Iran during a recent visit to Israel.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, told i24NEWS that accounts of Adm. Brad Cooper telling senior Israeli officials he is pushing for renewed strikes and a resumption of the conflict with Iran constitute “an outright fabrication. It’s not true at all.”

The denial followed a Thursday report by Israel’s Channel 13. According to the network, Cooper attended a meeting of the Israeli military’s senior operational forum that included Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior commanders. Channel 13 said Cooper urged strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including oil, gas and electricity facilities, arguing that such attacks “will change the rules of the game, will hurt the Iranians badly, and in the current situation they will not change their positions.”

The report further claimed Cooper contended that fighting against Iran should resume, that the United States might have no choice but to renew hostilities, and that Israel would be needed for joint strikes. Channel 13 said the same position had been conveyed to senior U.S. military leaders and President Donald Trump.

Hawkins’ comments to i24NEWS directly contradicted those assertions. CENTCOM has not issued a separate written statement elaborating on the matter.

The reported exchange and subsequent denial occur against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions and earlier U.S. and Israeli military operations targeting Iranian capabilities.

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Epic Systems, the Wisconsin software company whose programs hold the medical records of most Americans, over whether it uses its size to block competitors from reaching patient data. The probe was reported Friday, Aug. 14, citing people contacted by investigators.

Here is what the fight is actually about. When a patient sees a doctor, that visit gets typed into a records system — and for roughly nine out of ten Americans, that system is Epic’s. Epic also runs MyChart, the portal where patients check test results and message their doctor. Because Epic holds the file, Epic decides which outside companies get to read it: a startup that wants to help an insurer process claims, a rival software firm, a new app a hospital wants to try. Competitors say Epic turns that tap on and off to protect its own business. Epic says it is protecting patient privacy and points to the hundreds of millions of record exchanges its customers complete each month, more than half of them with non-Epic systems.

Federal investigators have sent formal demands for information to other companies in the health technology industry, asking specifically how Epic grants or withholds access to data. The inquiry is early, and it may end without any case being brought. The FTC declined to comment.

State authorities got there first. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Epic in December 2025 under state antitrust law, arguing the company built a gatekeeping position around patient records and shut out challengers. That complaint put the number at more than 325 million patient charts — more than 90 percent of the country. Epic answered on Jan. 20, 2026, calling the claims baseless and saying it would fight for full dismissal, arguing the state’s six-month investigation turned up nothing improper and that the petition leaned on press clippings and borrowed allegations from a private lawsuit.

Two competitors are already in federal court. Particle Health, a data platform, sued in New York claiming Epic made it commercially impossible to operate in the market for insurer-facing tools. CureIS Healthcare filed its own case. As of May 2026, the court in the Particle case had ordered Epic to hand over documents going back to 2021, widening the discovery that any government investigator can now watch closely.

For patients, the practical stake is portability. If a person switches hospitals, moves to another state, or lands in an emergency room across town, whether the new doctor sees the full chart depends on systems talking to each other. Every blocked connection is a blank space in a record someone is treating from.

For hospital executives and the health companies that sell into them, the stake is leverage. Epic is privately held, took in over $4 billion in revenue in 2024, and rarely loses an account once installed — switching costs run into the hundreds of millions for a large system. A federal case, or even the threat of one, is the first real pressure on that arrangement.

What happens next is the harder question. Antitrust investigations of this kind typically run a year or more before the agency decides whether to sue, and the practical fix regulators tend to reach for is not breaking a company up but forcing it to open its interfaces on published, uniform terms — the same access for a startup as for a partner. Federal interoperability rules already push in that direction, and the Texas and Particle cases could produce court-ordered access requirements sooner than Washington, D.C., does. Epic, for its part, says its interfaces are already open, with a public library of more than 500 programming tools and over 1,500 outside apps using them free of charge.

JBizNews Desk | Washington, D.C.

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

MIDTOWN, Manhattan — Protesters gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Friday to challenge the venue’s use of facial recognition technology, arguing that the practice raises significant concerns about privacy and how guests’ biometric information is collected and used.

Demonstrators are calling on lawmakers to intervene, saying legislation is needed to prevent entertainment venues and other businesses from deploying facial recognition without sufficient safeguards.

City Council member Shahana Hanif joined privacy advocates who want New York City to prohibit the widespread use of surveillance technology in settings including stores, restaurants and entertainment venues such as Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, both operated by James Dolan.

“For years, MSG owner James Dolan has doubled down on using facial recognition to scan anyone entering his venues and banning individuals that he dislikes,” said Michelle Dahl with Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. “In one widely reported case, a mother was turned away from Radio City Music Hall, simply because she worked at a law firm involved in litigation against Dolan. She was there chaperoning her Girl Scout troop and posed no security threat.”

Hanif is backing legislation that would prohibit the collection of biometric information through facial recognition technology. A separate proposal would prevent landlords from using similar technology to identify or monitor residents.

The proposals have encountered opposition, particularly from small-business owners who view facial recognition and other surveillance tools as important security measures. Supporters of the technology argue that it can help deter crime, while police agencies frequently use surveillance footage when investigating serious offenses.

Critics of Madison Square Garden’s facial recognition practices, however, contend that the technology can be used selectively and is not always essential for security. They pointed to surveillance cameras reportedly being turned off during Taylor Swift’s wedding as an example.

“So clearly, this technology is not actually that necessary for security,” Dahl said.

Supporters of the legislation say the effort is building support at City Hall and argue that New Yorkers should not have to surrender biometric information simply to participate in everyday activities.

“You should not have to give up your sensitive biometric data to walk into the grocery store, to pick your kids up from school, or to go see an awesome concert at Madison Square Garden,” said Evan Greer with Fight For the Future.

Advocates also warn that storing biometric information creates another potential vulnerability: hackers could potentially gain access to sensitive data that cannot easily be changed once compromised.

Eyewitness News contacted MSG for a response. The venue replied, “People have been recognizing each other’s faces since the beginning of time, we just do it electronically.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked a diplomatic uproar in Britain after making an unusual remark during Avi Harush’s podcast on Galei Tzahal, Israel’s Army Radio.

Netanyahu said that “someone said the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons will be the Islamic Republic of Britain,” adding that Israel is making sure there will not be another such country in Iran.

The remark triggered sharp reactions in Britain. Popular British broadcaster Piers Morgan issued scathing criticism and called Netanyahu an “idiot.

MK Avi Dabush of the Democrats also attacked Netanyahu, saying: “You are a prime minister, you have a responsibility, and you sit and joke about Britain, a Security Council member six times larger than Israel.”

The phrase used by Netanyahu was not new. He was drawing on comments made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance in July 2024, when Vance was still a senator and vice-presidential candidate. Speaking at the National Conservatism conference in Washington, Vance said Britain could become “the first truly Islamist country” to obtain nuclear weapons.

Vance described a conversation he had with a friend about the danger of nuclear proliferation, saying: “We thought — maybe it’s Iran, maybe Pakistan already kind of counts, and then we decided that maybe it’s actually Britain, since Labour came to power.”

The controversy comes amid months of diplomatic tension between Israel and Britain, with the British government under the Labour Party taking a more critical stance toward Israeli policy.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

America’s stock market has swollen to a size that dwarfs every valuation extreme of the past four decades, according to JPMorgan Asset Management’s chief global strategist — a warning that dropped just days after a separate McKinsey study found the world’s wealth is increasingly decoupled from real economic growth.

On Aug. 10, David Kelly calculated that “the market value of all U.S. corporate equity is now over 400% of GDP.” That compares with 244% just before the pandemic, 204% at the peak of 2000’s dotcom bubble, and 74% before the 1987 stock market crash known as Black Monday.

If it sounds familiar, that’s because Kelly’s metric is almost like the famous Buffett Indicator — the ratio of the total value of publicly listed U.S. companies to GDP — but it’s a bit broader, covering all U.S. corporate equity, not just publicly traded stocks. The Buffett Indicator itself is above 200%, “strongly overvalued” or far beyond historic norms. When the Oracle of Omaha debuted this metric in Fortune in 2001, in co-authorship with Carol Loomis, they called it “probably the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment.” At the time, they noted that the ratio had reached an unprecedented level in the late 1990s: “That should have been a very strong warning signal.”

Fast forward to 2026, and the S&P 500 is up more than 13% year to date, following three blockbuster years after the game-changing release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Underlining how much AI exuberance has boosted the market, Kelly found that second-quarter earnings included $150 billion of unrealized capital gains booked by just two large technology companies. That boosted pro forma earnings per share by 50% year over year. But after stripping that out, earnings growth was closer to 20%.

He offered a warning about how Wall Street still isn’t Main Street. “In the end,” he wrote, “the value of American corporations depends, to a large extent, on the work and spending of the American people.” He argued that stock prices are unlikely to keep soaring “unless the fortunes of American consumers and American workers see broader improvement.” That’s where the infamously K-shaped economy comes in.

K-shape or C-shape?

The huge profit gains on Wall Street contrast with a real economy marked by meager job growth, wage growth trailing inflation for four straight months, and stagnant homebuilding. Kelly predicted that payrolls should grow 50,000 to 100,000 per month going forward — but July’s poor report and downward revision for earlier months call that into question.

Bank of America Institute flagged at nearly the same time that wage and spending gains have started to “converge” across income brackets. Internal spending data showed a 5.4% increase in spending among lower-income households in July, compared to 4.9% for middle-income households.

Several days later, Apollo Global Management Chef Economist Torsten Slok noted the big box-office receipts for Spider-Man and The Odyssey show that “the consumer isn’t tapped out.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in a CNBC interview several days earlier in August, pointed to 5.5% wage gains for the bottom quartile and declared that the “K-shaped economy is over.”

The much-hyped K-shaped economy, representing diverging outcomes for the wealthiest and poorest, is just outdated based on the data, he argued. “I got sick of hearing about this K-shaped economy,” he said, explaining that “we’re seeing more of a C economy where the lower end of wage earners are finally calling it back.”

BofA’s spending data, however, showed that there remains one “exception”: the top 5% of earners, “where strong balance sheets and rising asset prices continue to support outsized spending growth.” If the AI-led wealth boom leads to a more widely shared expansion, the economy could move off its current dependence on affluent customers and a concentrated group of big tech firms.

The pattern holds true around the world, based on McKinsey Global Institute’s Global Balance Sheet 2026 report, published in July. It found that the world’s total stock of assets reached nearly $1.8 quadrillion in 2025, up from $1.7 quadrillion the year before, and that global household wealth grew to a record $570 trillion.

Most of this, the institute found, was “paper wealth,” with the U.S. equity market sitting dead center at the dynamic. American stocks were valued at 3.7x GDP and 2.4X the net assets on corporate balance sheets.

Kelly, for his part, is betting on a softer landing for the economy, saying he expects the Federal Reserve to hold interest rates steady, inflation to keep drifting down toward the Fed’s 2% target, and GDP growth to average about 2% next year. He advised investors to diversify away from a concentrated bet on AI stocks. The great convergence could very well continue, but until then, the gap between paper wealth and the real economy is stretched further than ever before.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

A road rage incident in Lakewood turned violent Friday afternoon, with one man arrested after allegedly attacking another driver and knocking him unconscious.

The incident happened shortly after 3:00 p.m. on New Hampshire Avenue near Route 70.

TheLakewoodScoop.com has obtained exclusive dashcam footage of the incident, showing the moments leading up to the confrontation and the two drivers getting out of their vehicles. The situation quickly escalated, with one driver attacking the other and knocking him to the ground.

A witness tells TLS that the alleged aggressor appeared to be in his 40s, while the victim appeared to be between 60 and 70 years old.

The victim sustained a head injury and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

As earlier reported, the suspect was arrested at the scene.

An investigation is underway.

GRAPHIC WARNING: The footage contains a violent assault and is graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised, and the video is not suitable for all ages.

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wa-1786742112269-qymr2x.mp4

See below the video of the arrest:

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New data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that while overall delinquency rates improved for overall debt burdens, new delinquencies rose slightly for auto loans and mortgages and remained elevated for credit cards.

The New York Fed found that aggregate delinquency rates improved in the second quarter of 2026, with 4.7% of outstanding debt in some stage of delinquency.

“Delinquency rates across most products have held steady over the past two years,” said Joelle Scally, economic policy advisor at the New York Fed. “Still, new delinquencies for auto loans and credit cards remain at elevated levels, a trend we’ll continue to monitor.”

Credit card debt that is over 30 days delinquent has remained relatively steady at about 9% of outstanding balances since it reached that level in 2024, while auto loans are at about 8% and mortgages around 4%.

For debt flowing into serious delinquency, which is defined as 90 days or more past due, those transitions have held relatively steady over the past year but have edged slightly higher.

Credit card delinquencies were slightly higher than a year ago, rising from 6.93% to 6.97% when comparing the second quarter of 2025 to 2026, respectively.

The share of auto loans that entered serious delinquency also rose over that period, rising from 2.93% to 3% when comparing the second quarter of 2025 to 2026, while mortgages entering serious delinquency also ticked higher from 1.29% to 1.52% in that period.

Student loans were a notable exception, with the resumption of reporting defaulted student debt causing some distortions after the pandemic era pause on defaults concluded.

When excluding charged-off debt, new credit card delinquencies have been at around 3% of balances since 2024, with the most recent reading at 2.95%. Credit card debt that reached 90 days past due accounted for 6.97% of the balance in the latest quarter, while those that are beyond 90 days past due were at 2.3%.

The New York Fed noted in its analysis that from the third quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2026, the percentage of credit card balances that were more than 90 days delinquent increased from 7.6% to 12.8%.

That stock figure includes charged-off debt, the inclusion of which was noted by economists as differing from the flows into delinquency that reflect a relatively steady level of consumer health.

New York Fed economists said that they found the “stock delinquency rate is rising because of a pool of stale, charged-off debts that lenders have been reporting for longer durations, rather than a fundamental worsening in the incidence of delinquency.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the IDF to prepare a plan transferring responsibility for civilian enforcement in Israeli communities and among the Israeli population in Judea and Samaria from the military to the Israel Police.

The directive was issued following a Thursday discussion on Judea and Samaria attended by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, the heads of the Operations and Intelligence directorates, and other commanders. Under the plan, police will prepare a dedicated force to handle civilian matters and will receive the necessary authority and funding.

At the same time, the IDF will continue focusing on fighting Palestinian terrorism and defending borders and communities. Katz said the change is intended to strengthen governance, law and order in Judea and Samaria while allowing the military to concentrate on its core security missions.

“It’s not the IDF’s job, and it is also unable to enforce civilian matters in Judea and Samaria,” Katz said. He linked the move to what he called the expected increase in the Israeli population following the decision to establish 104 new communities and recognize agricultural farms, as well as to the growing threats and security challenges facing the IDF.

“The IDF’s job is to fight Palestinian terror, to focus on defending the borders and communities from threats, to address the borders and the territory itself, and security threats to the communities and the State of Israel, and not to chase youth on the hills,” Katz said.

Katz added that the police will need to prepare for the new responsibility and will receive the means and authorities required to carry it out. “This is also a significant step in strengthening governance and the rule of law and order in the territories of Judea and Samaria and allowing the IDF to be available for the main missions,” he said.

“The Israeli government and the IDF will delegate all powers necessary for conducting the mission to the police,” Katz added.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK — Wall Street ended Friday modestly lower, pulling back from Thursday’s record as investors confronted a combination the market has been trying to avoid: a weakening U.S. consumer at the same time energy costs are moving higher.

The S&P 500 fell 0.17% to 7,785.58, retreating from Thursday’s record close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 107.46 points, or 0.20%, to 53,732.53, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.28% to 26,729.16.

The declines were relatively small, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq still finished the week higher. But Friday changed the conversation after several sessions dominated by encouraging inflation data.

The biggest economic surprise came from the American shopper.

U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell 0.6% in July, the first monthly decline in nine months and the largest drop in more than a year. The closely watched control group used in calculating gross domestic product also declined, suggesting the weakness extended beyond volatile categories.

That matters because consumers account for the majority of U.S. economic activity. For months, households have complained about high prices while continuing to spend. Friday’s report provided more concrete evidence that some consumers may finally be reducing what they buy.

Consumer confidence reinforced the concern. The University of Michigan’s preliminary sentiment index fell to 51.0 in August from 55.2 in July, substantially below economists’ expectations.

Ordinarily, weaker economic data can help stocks because it reduces the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates.

Friday showed the other side of that equation.

Investors now have to determine whether the economy is slowing just enough to bring inflation under control — or enough to begin damaging corporate sales and profits.

Oil complicated the picture further.

Brent crude climbed 1.7% to $88.52 a barrel as continued uncertainty surrounding Iran and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz kept fears of supply disruptions alive.

Higher oil creates a particularly difficult combination for businesses. It can increase transportation, manufacturing and distribution costs while simultaneously taking money away from consumers through higher gasoline and energy bills.

Technology stocks were another drag on the major indexes.

Applied Materials dropped roughly 5% even after the semiconductor-equipment company reported strong results and issued an upbeat forecast. The reaction highlighted how demanding expectations have become for companies connected to the artificial-intelligence investment boom.

Broadcom also fell sharply as investors pulled money from some highly valued semiconductor names.

One of Friday’s biggest winners, meanwhile, had little to do with earnings.

Reddit surged more than 12% after being selected to join the S&P 500. The addition takes effect before trading begins Tuesday, August 18, forcing many index funds and investment products that track the S&P 500 to purchase Reddit shares.

Drone companies also rallied after President Donald Trump said the United States would impose tariffs on imported drones and components. Unusual Machines jumped more than 20%, while Red Cat also posted a strong gain.

The bond market added another wrinkle. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to about 4.69%, meaning investors were simultaneously confronting softer consumer data, higher oil and borrowing costs that remain elevated.

Friday therefore leaves Wall Street with a more complicated economic picture heading into next week.

Inflation has cooled enough to ease some pressure on the Federal Reserve, but the consumer may also be cooling faster than investors anticipated.

That puts an even brighter spotlight on the next wave of corporate earnings. Walmart, Home Depot, Target and Lowe’s are among the major consumer-facing companies preparing to report, giving investors a direct look at what Americans are buying, what they are cutting back on and how much pricing power businesses still have.

For companies outside Wall Street, Friday’s message may be even more important than the modest decline in stock indexes.

Lower inflation is good. Lower interest rates would be good.

But neither matters nearly as much if the customer starts spending less.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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

7UP is changing what is inside the can. Keurig Dr Pepper announced Monday that it is permanently reformulating the soda, pulling back slightly on lemon and pushing lime to the front of the taste, and renaming the flavor “Lime Lemon” on the label. The reformulated product starts appearing on U.S. shelves in mid-August as existing inventory sells through. Nothing about the drink is being discontinued and no new line is being added — the standard 7UP a shopper picks up next month will simply taste different from the one bought last month.

It is the first change to the recipe in 15 years, and the company is treating it as the brand’s largest move in more than a decade and a half. The new formula took two years to develop. It carries across the full core lineup — 7UP Regular, 7UP Zero Sugar, Cherry 7UP and Cherry 7UP Zero Sugar, which means there is no version of the flagship product left on the old recipe.

The reasoning is a shelf problem. 7UP essentially invented the lemon-lime category nearly a century ago and then spent decades watching that category fill up with competitors that taste broadly the same. Coca-Cola’s Sprite and PepsiCo’s Starry are the two biggest, and the segment is worth roughly $5 billion. When three products on the same shelf are all described to the shopper in identical terms, the brand with the largest marketing budget and the best distribution tends to win, and that has not been 7UP. Keurig Dr Pepper’s answer is to lead with lime — the first lime-led formula in a category historically led by lemon — so that 7UP has something to say about itself that the other two cannot.

The demographics behind the decision are specific. Keurig Dr Pepper’s research shows 72% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha drinkers prefer citrus-forward flavors such as lime, and lime has been the dominant flavor note across the drinks those consumers already buy — sparkling waters, hard seltzers, energy drinks and Mexican soda. The company is betting that a soda tasting closer to what younger buyers already reach for will pull in new drinkers without losing the ones it has. Drew Panayiotou, chief marketing and innovation officer at Keurig Dr Pepper, told CNN the change is an improvement rather than a repair, and that the goal was for existing users to love it while making it exciting for the next generation.

Most shoppers will register the packaging before the taste. The redesign brings a vertical logo, bolder colors, a more distinctive look and the new Lime Lemon designation — the two words deliberately flipped from the familiar order so the change is visible from several feet away in a grocery aisle. That matters commercially: a reformulation nobody notices generates no trial, and the packaging is doing the work of telling the customer that something happened.

The obvious risk is the one every beverage executive has memorized. New Coke, launched in 1985, remains the industry’s standing warning about changing a flavor consumers feel they own, and Coca-Cola reversed it within months. Panayiotou’s argument is that the opposite risk is worse: “The biggest risk you have with brands is stagnation and not wanting to evolve,” he said, adding that staying still is where momentum and sales start to slip.

The move also fits a pattern at the brand. Keurig Dr Pepper made 7UP Tropical, a mango-and-peach version, a permanent nationwide product in 2025, and this year announced a seasonal Endless Summer Mandarin Orange along with the return of 7UP Shirley Temple for the holidays. Those were additions that sat alongside the original. This one replaces it, which is a considerably larger bet and a harder one to walk back quickly.

For retailers and distributors, the practical questions over the next several weeks are inventory and turnover — old stock and new stock will sit side by side in some stores as the transition runs, and the first real read on whether the gamble worked will come from repeat purchase data in the fall rather than from launch-week volume. For Keurig Dr Pepper, the measure is straightforward: whether a soda that has been fighting for third place in its own category can use lime to become the one shoppers choose on purpose.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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

More than 22,000 New York City families will no longer have to pay anything out of pocket for subsidized childcare under a new initiative announced Thursday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, marking another step in his push toward universal free childcare across the five boroughs.

Beginning next month, the city will pick up the weekly fees currently charged to families participating in the Child Care Assistance Program, eliminating the sliding-scale payments they make directly to childcare providers. City officials estimate the initiative will cost $5.2 million during its first year.

“For thousands of families, a weekly childcare fee means another bill they simply can’t afford. Making that care truly free can make all the difference,” Mamdani said in a statement.

“As part of our promise to deliver universal child care, we are eliminating these fees for families receiving childcare assistance across the city. No family should have to choose between staying in the city they love and affording care for their child. This is another step toward making affordable childcare something every New York family can count on.”

The move is part of Mamdani’s broader effort to establish free childcare throughout New York City. It also comes as the administration prepares to launch its first preschool initiative for 2-year-olds, which will provide participating families with free, year-round care for eight to 10 hours per day beginning this fall.

The Child Care Assistance Program, which receives most of its funding from the state, helps eligible families cover the cost of childcare and afterschool programs for children ranging in age from 6 weeks through 13 years.

Families generally qualify if their income is no more than 85% of New York’s median income. For a family of four, that translates to approximately $114,000 annually. Depending on household income, participating parents currently pay as much as $15 per week toward the cost of care.

“As we prepare to launch free 2-K this fall, we are making all publicly-funded care free for families,” said Emmy Liss, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

More than 100,000 families currently participate in the voucher program. Families at the lowest income levels who receive public assistance already pay nothing themselves, leaving approximately 22,000 households that are currently responsible for weekly co-payments. Those are the families that will benefit directly from the new city funding.

The announcement comes even as the subsidized childcare system continues to face significant demand. More than 16,000 families remain on a waiting list for assistance because demand for vouchers has exceeded available state funding, despite increased investments in childcare by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Supporters of universal childcare praised the city’s decision to eliminate the remaining fees, arguing that families receiving publicly subsidized care should not face different financial requirements depending on their circumstances.

“This move by the city brings us one step closer to treating childcare and early education like the public good that it should be,” said Ben Parisi, director of strategic campaign initiatives at The Action Lab, which organizes childcare providers advocating for universal childcare.

“We are glad to see a more equitable city that doesn’t charge some parents fees for public goods and not others.”

City officials said the administration is also planning for the policy to continue beyond its first year. An additional $6 million to cover families’ out-of-pocket childcare voucher expenses has already been incorporated into the baseline for the next fiscal year’s budget.

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory, following earlier comments to Fox News that the United States will hit Iran hard economically.

“Pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump told a crowd at a Garden City, New York, event honoring police.

Trump said the declaration would come “after we [the US] finish defeating Iran,” which he described as being “very badly defeated.”

“We have the blockade,” he noted. “No ships get through unless we want them to.”

Trump added that he “built [up]” the US military, which he used “a little more than I wanted to, frankly, but that’s okay.”

“We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he emphasized. “Do we agree? Can’t let them.”

His comments came a day after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US would impose measures on Tehran that have “never been seen” as soon as next week.

This is a developing story.

This post was originally published on here.

White House Names 40 Countries in China’s Tariff Scam, Builds ‘Detective Border’

The White House said Thursday that more than 40 American trading partners are helping Chinese goods slip into the United States at the wrong tariff rate, and that Customs and Border Protection is being armed with artificial intelligence to catch it. The findings came in a 25-page report titled “The Great Transshipment Scam,” produced by the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, which is led by trade adviser Peter Navarro.

The practice at issue is simple. A factory in China makes the goods. Instead of shipping them straight to an American port, where they would face a steep China tariff, the shipment stops in a third country. There it is relabeled, lightly repackaged, or given a minor finishing step, then sent on to the United States as a product of that third country — at that country’s lower rate. The customer gets the same Chinese product; the Treasury gets a fraction of the duty.

Navarro told reporters the scam has let Communist China launder its exports through more than 40 countries. Those named include the European Union and Taiwan, along with America’s land neighbors Mexico and Canada, plus Malaysia, India, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Officials singled out China, Mexico and India as the top transshippers and Vietnam as a top enabler.

The report sorted the countries into groups: some where the risk is buried inside otherwise legitimate trade flows, some deeply wired into China-linked supply chains, and a third set whose preferential access to the American market makes them attractive opportunistic targets for rerouting.

Nobody agrees on the size of the hole. The report cites government and private-sector estimates putting the annual value of transshipped goods at roughly $34.2 billion to $303 billion. A separate figure carried in the report puts it at as much as $75 billion a year, which Navarro compared to the entire annual budget of Customs and Border Protection, the Agriculture Department, or Space Force — or about half the Army’s. The spread comes down to methodology: the low number counts only clear-cut origin fraud, the high one counts every barrel of trade that looks statistically suspicious. Either way, the enforcement response is being sized against the big number.

The tool is what Navarro calls the detective border. Trump had already signed an executive order directing Customs and Border Protection to build an artificial-intelligence-enabled protective border to pin down where incoming goods actually come from, and Navarro said the agency has begun using artificial intelligence in a prototype program to detect transshipment. The system is designed to read shipment records, routing histories, product classifications, ownership connections and declared production capacity, using anomaly detection and computer vision to pick out high-risk cargo, with the stated goal of separating legitimate nearshoring and foreign investment from illegal rerouting.

Put plainly, the software is looking for arithmetic that does not work. A country that exports more of a product than its factories could physically build. A trade lane that tripled in a quarter with no new plant behind it. A declared price that does not match the product.

Here is the number importers should write down. Navarro said importers found to have falsified a product’s origin can face tariffs applied retroactively for roughly a year. That is the exposure: not a fine on the next container, but a bill on twelve months of containers already unloaded, sold and booked as profit. Under American customs law the importer of record — not the overseas supplier, not the broker — carries legal responsibility for the accuracy of the origin declaration.

The practical work is documentary and it needs to happen before a shipment is flagged, not after. That means supplier affidavits that actually name the manufacturing site, bills of materials showing where each component originated, factory records and production-capacity evidence for the third country, and contract language that says plainly who absorbs the cost if duties are reassessed. Companies that moved sourcing out of China during earlier tariff rounds are the ones most likely to discover their paperwork was never built to survive this kind of scrutiny.

The competitive argument cuts in the administration’s favor with domestic producers, who have long complained that firms paying full duty are undercut by rivals paying a third-country rate on the same Chinese goods. The counterweight is that legitimate manufacturing has genuinely relocated to Vietnam, Mexico and India over the past eight years, and a screening system tuned to catch cheaters will inevitably slow down honest cargo while it verifies.

Timing is not incidental. The report landed ahead of a planned September visit to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping, following Trump’s trip to Beijing in May.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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A new Maariv poll published Friday shows Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party maintaining its position as Israel’s largest party with 23 seats, while Likud drops by one seat to 21 and Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party falls by one to 14.

The Netanyahu bloc slips to 48 seats, down from 49 in the previous poll. The Zionist opposition remains at 57 seats, while the Bayit Tzioni party led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel receives another four seats. The Arab parties together rise to 11 seats.

In a head-to-head question over suitability to serve as prime minister, Eisenkot expands his lead over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to double digits. Forty-nine percent of respondents said Eisenkot is more suitable for the job, compared with 38% for Netanyahu, while 13% said they did not know. In the previous poll, Eisenkot stood at 47%, while Netanyahu was also at 38%.

The poll also tested a scenario in which Hadash, Ta’al and Balad unite on a single list while Yoav Segalovich is placed second on the Ra’am slate. Under that scenario, the joint Arab list receives eight seats and Ra’am rises to six, bringing the Arab parties to a combined 14 seats. Yashar falls to 22 seats, Likud to 20 and Bennett’s Beyachad to 13. The Netanyahu bloc drops further to 47 seats, the Zionist opposition receives 55, and Bayit Tzioni remains at four.

The survey also asked how Israel should act if the United States signs an agreement with Iran but Israel identifies an immediate threat from Tehran requiring military action. Sixty-five percent of all respondents said Israel should strike even on its own and without U.S. approval, while 20% said Israel should act only with American agreement or cooperation and 16% said they did not know. Support for an independent strike reached 84% among coalition voters, 78% among voters in the third bloc, and 56% among Zionist opposition voters. Among Zionist opposition voters, 30% said Israel should strike only with U.S. approval or cooperation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF confirmed Friday that it eliminated Hamas terrorist Muhammad Bassam Muhammad Mushtaha in a strike two weeks ago in the northern Gaza Strip.

Mushtaha served as a company commander in Hamas’s Shati’ Battalion. He infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre and later took part throughout the war in holding numerous Israeli hostages captive.

Among the hostages he was involved in holding were Tsachi Idan, Corporal Noa Marciano, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Ori Megidish, Naama Levy and Matan Angrerst.

The IDF said Mushtaha had recently attempted to carry out terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians and was subsequently eliminated in order to remove the threat.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A popular hairstyling mousse sold to salons and consumers in multiple states is being recalled over a potential explosion hazard.

Henkel Corporation is voluntarily recalling certain 6.76-ounce cans of Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Grip Extra Strong Mousse, according to an Aug. 11 notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Germany-based company said a “potential packaging issue” could allow the product to leak from the aluminum cans while under pressure, creating an explosion hazard.

Henkel became aware of the problem after receiving one customer complaint and two reports from salons.

“Bruising on the hand was reported by the customer and no other injuries were identified,” the FDA noted.

Affected batch codes include:

The recalled mousse was distributed through 21 distributors in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Washington, according to the FDA.

It was also sold directly to hair professionals and consumers.

Consumers who purchased one of the recalled cans are encouraged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

FOX Business reached out to Henkel for comment.

Podcaster Joe Rogan has leveled explosive accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci over the government’s handling of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy, saying he personally knows five women who suffered miscarriages after being vaccinated and accusing Fauci of publicly promoting the shots despite privately discussing a potential risk.

Rogan’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of Fauci following the release of previously undisclosed text messages from his government-issued phone. The messages show that Fauci and other senior health officials discussed a theoretical concern in early 2021 about whether immune responses following COVID vaccination could pose a risk during early pregnancy.

Rogan, one of the country’s most influential podcasters and a longtime critic of the government’s pandemic response, went considerably further, accusing Fauci of knowingly misleading the public.

“He knew that women were getting miscarriages and he lied about it.”

Rogan pointed to the newly released communications as evidence for his accusation.

“He said privately in a text message it seems there’s a cytokine storm causing miscarriages after the second dose and was publicly out there promoting the idea of pregnant women getting vaccinated.”

The actual messages released this week are more tentative than Rogan’s characterization. In a January 2021 exchange involving Fauci, then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, Fauci raised the possibility that fever and a cytokine response after a second vaccine dose could potentially present a concern during the first trimester. At the same time, the officials discussed the absence of observed safety problems among more than 10,000 pregnant women who had already been vaccinated.

The messages were released by Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin as part of their continuing examination of Fauci’s conduct and the federal government’s response to the pandemic. The senators obtained more than 34,000 text messages and hundreds of voicemails from Fauci’s government phone.

Rogan said his own suspicions were also shaped by the experiences of women he personally knows.

“I personally know 5 different people who got pregnant during the pandemic, got vaccinated, and had miscarriages.”

Rogan argued that Fauci’s private communications were fundamentally at odds with the confidence he expressed publicly about vaccination during pregnancy.

“That guy’s a sociopath,” he said.

Rogan also broadened his attack beyond COVID-19, urging listeners to examine Fauci’s role during the AIDS epidemic decades earlier.

“You need to go and objectively read up on what that guy did with AZT and AIDS in the ’80s.”

He then returned to his central accusation concerning pregnant women and COVID vaccination.

“He knew there was an issue with women having miscarriages and that [person] still openly promoted it on television.”

The newly disclosed messages have revived arguments over how federal health officials communicated uncertainty during the early stages of the vaccine rollout. They show that Fauci privately considered a possible biological mechanism involving fever and cytokine responses in early pregnancy at a time when comprehensive pregnancy-specific vaccine data were not yet available.

Private-equity giant Silver Lake is in talks to acquire Workday, a transaction that could rank among the largest software buyouts ever and would put one of corporate America’s most widely used human-resources platforms in private hands.

Workday had a market value of about $43 billion before news of the talks broke Thursday. Its shares then surged 17.8% to $206.45, lifting the company’s value to roughly $51 billion.

The discussions have been taking place in recent months and no final agreement has been reached. Silver Lake may bring in additional investors to help finance a transaction of that size.

Workday provides cloud software used by large companies for payroll, human resources, finance and workforce management. It serves more than 11,500 customers globally, making it one of the most deeply embedded enterprise-software providers in corporate back offices.

That is what makes the potential deal especially important.

Software stocks have been under pressure this year as investors question how much artificial intelligence could disrupt traditional subscription-based software. If AI tools can automate more HR, finance, coding and administrative work, some of the software businesses that once commanded premium valuations may no longer deserve them.

Silver Lake appears to see the decline differently.

A takeover of Workday at a valuation north of $50 billion would amount to a major bet that enterprise software still has substantial long-term value — even as AI changes how those products are built and used.

It could also have a broader market impact.

If one of the world’s largest technology-focused private-equity firms is willing to pursue Workday after a prolonged software selloff, investors may begin reassessing other beaten-down enterprise-software companies as potential takeover candidates.

Workday’s stock briefly jumped as much as 30% intraday Thursday after the buyout report surfaced before finishing the session up nearly 18%.

There is still no guarantee a deal gets done.

But the market reaction shows how quickly the narrative around software can change: one large private-equity bid can turn an industry investors viewed as vulnerable to AI disruption into a sector suddenly filled with takeover potential.

JBizNews Desk | Silicon Valley

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The alliance between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City’s powerful teachers union is showing signs of strain, with United Federation of Teachers President Mike Mulgrew publicly criticizing the administration’s literacy program after city students posted a sharp decline in reading scores.

Mulgrew took aim at NYC Reads following the release of state English Language Arts exam results showing troubling performance among public school students, including more than half of children in grades 3 through 5 failing to demonstrate reading proficiency. The criticism marks a notable break between the UFT and Mamdani just eight months into his mayoralty.

The dispute comes at an especially sensitive time for the relationship between City Hall and the union. Mamdani is separately deciding whether to sign or veto legislation granting thousands of school paraprofessionals a $10,000 pay increase — a measure he explicitly pledged to support last year when the UFT endorsed his mayoral campaign.

“The DOE [Department of Education] needs to make sure each school has a clear instructional plan,” Mulgrew said of the NYC Reads phase-in.

Mulgrew argued that the city needs to simplify its approach and reduce burdens on educators rather than continue implementing the initiative in the same manner.

“That means streamlining what schools are doing, making sure programs align, and eliminating unnecessary paperwork and assessments,” Mulgrew said. “We’re not going to support it if they want to implement it the way they did this past school year.”

The latest state testing results showed a 6% year-over-year decline in English Language Arts performance among New York City public school students in grades 3 through 8, leaving only about half of students rated proficient.

NYC Reads was originally launched during the administration of Mayor Eric Adams as an effort to overhaul literacy instruction throughout the public school system. Mamdani continued and expanded the initiative this year alongside Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels.

Mulgrew, speaking separately to the Daily News, criticized supplemental programs that had been layered onto the city’s primary literacy curriculum, arguing that they had failed to produce the intended results. The Department of Education disputed that assessment.

Mamdani defended NYC Reads during a press conference Thursday, insisting that he remained confident in the program despite the disappointing test scores.

“I continue to be confident in NYC Reads. And it is developed with the real findings of what’s been effective across the country in mind,” Mamdani said.

“And we know that it is a critical thing that we equip our public school students with,” the mayor added. “We look forward to being in conversation with the UFT as we look to not only build upon the successes of the last few years, but to go beyond that.”

Sources suggested that Mulgrew’s public criticism was partly intended to distance teachers from responsibility for the declining scores and shift scrutiny toward the Department of Education’s instructional policies.

Education insiders also said the UFT president’s willingness to openly challenge Mamdani may have been influenced by another increasingly contentious disagreement between the union and City Hall — the battle over salaries for paraprofessionals.

The issue became a major political fight last year because of the roughly $32,000 starting salary earned by paraprofessionals. Mulgrew rallied outside City Hall in support of legislation that would provide a $10,000 increase separate from the traditional collective bargaining process.

Mamdani joined Mulgrew during the mayoral campaign when he accepted the UFT’s endorsement and publicly committed himself to supporting the proposed increase.

“I will be proud to continue to support the passage of Intro Bill 1261 …. that addresses the fact that there are too many open positions right now for paraprofessionals across the city because that job simply doesn’t pay enough,” Mamdani said then, with Mulgrew standing behind him.

The City Council approved the controversial $10,000 increase last month, putting the decision squarely before Mamdani.

Government watchdogs have warned that signing the measure could establish a significant precedent by allowing municipal unions to pursue compensation increases through the City Council rather than negotiating them at the bargaining table. Critics contend that other unions could attempt to use the same strategy to obtain concessions they were unable to secure through collective bargaining.

Following the council vote, however, a City Hall spokesperson said Mamdani now believes salary increases should generally be handled through collective bargaining rather than legislation — a position that represented a departure from the commitment he made while campaigning for mayor.

The administration also argued that the council-approved legislation directly conflicts with New York state collective bargaining law.

Mulgrew has rejected the change in position and is pressing Mamdani to follow through on his campaign commitment, arguing that the shortage of paraprofessionals is already having serious consequences for students and taxpayers.

“The school system can’t hire enough paraprofessionals; so our special needs students are not getting the services they are legally entitled to,” Mulgrew said.

“This is costing city taxpayers more than a billion dollars a year in lawsuits. We need to fix this, and we can.”

The two disputes — falling reading scores and the unresolved fight over paraprofessional salaries — have now placed visible pressure on a political relationship that was a significant part of Mamdani’s successful campaign coalition just months ago.

A local driver tells TLS he was exiting the Garden State Parkway in Brick early this morning when he came frighteningly close to T-boning a police officer who drove through a red light without lights or sirens.

Fortunately, the attentive driver was able to brake in time, narrowly avoiding what could have been a serious crash.

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wa-1786732843983-4ljh3d.mp4

The U.S. and Iran remain deadlocked over reopening the Strait of Hormuz as each side tries to see how long the other can hold out, and signs of significant oil flows out of the Persian Gulf indicate President Donald Trump is betting he has additional leeway.

In the past week, the administration has pushed back against the narrative that Iran has virtually shut down the critical chokepoint with the threat of missiles and drones.

That’s as traffic data since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire collapsed has shown just a trickle of ships are openly transiting the strait, suggesting another supply shock ahead for global energy markets. But more tankers are sailing “dark,” meaning their transponders have been turned off and are no longer broadcasting their location.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday that the seven-day average for oil leaving the strait was almost 9 million barrels per day and credited the U.S. military as well as Gulf allies.

When combined with another 5 million-7 million barrels per day shipped via newly upgraded pipelines and export facilities, total oil flows average about 15 million barrels per day, he added in a post on X. That compares with 20 million barrels that were exported daily before the war.

Similarly, a U.S. official told Axios on Sunday that about 8 million barrels are quietly exiting the Gulf each night through a southern lane in the Strait of Hormuz with help from the U.S. military.

Before the ceasefire agreement fell apart, the U.S. military guided tankers through an alternate route that hugs the Omani coast and provided some protection. Enough ships made it out of the Gulf, easing pressure on global oil markets. But that prompted Iran to attack vessels trying to bypass its own corridor, reigniting hostilities and leading to the current standoff.

Some experts doubt the recent Gulf shipment numbers are as high as the Trump administration claims—but not by that much. Oil market researcher Rory Johnston estimated that average volumes out of Hormuz peaked at 7 million barrels per day over the past week and acknowledged that could be higher because of the uncertainty around dark transits. Meanwhile, pipelines are exporting about 4 million barrels per day.

In addition to dark transits, another tactic for sneaking oil supplies through the strait is ship-to-ship transfers, a practice Iran and Russia have previously used to get their oil tankers past Western sanctions.

Bessent’s warns of ‘economic isolation’

To slip under Iran’s nose, tankers exit the Gulf, transfer their oil to another ship off the coast of Oman, then shuttle back through the strait to do it all over again. Not all ships go undetected, which explains why Iran is still attacking ships even as it claims the strait is completely shut down.

But the U.S. naval blockade is preventing Iran from exporting its oil via the Strait of Hormuz, depriving the regime of a vital revenue lifeline. At the same time, other Gulf oil producers like Iraq, which depends heavily on the strait, are getting their barrels out by way of dark transits and ship-to-ship transfers

“Hefty chunk of non-Iranian crude still getting out, unlike the Iranian crude that isn’t,” Johnston posted on X.

Global oil markets still face a supply deficit, forcing consuming countries to tap reserves that are already low and heading toward critical levels soon.

But the oil that’s coming out of the Gulf provides additional wiggle room. In fact, crude prices have declined since spiking last month when the ceasefire ended and fighting flared up again.

An oil market reprieve also gives Trump more time to squeeze Iran’s economy with his naval blockade, which some officials in Tehran have admitted is causing an economic collapse. And even more pressure could be on the way.

“It will be a combination of economic isolation like ‌the world has ​never seen before, ​and ​the continued blockade in ‌the Strait of ​Hormuz that will ​keep anything from going in or out of ​the ‌Iranian ports,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax without elaborating.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

CEO compensation across America’s largest companies surged to a record in 2025, with new data showing that massive performance-based awards once associated mainly with Elon Musk are beginning to reshape executive pay across corporate America.

Average compensation for S&P 500 chief executives, excluding Musk, jumped 21% to $22.8 million last year, according to the AFL-CIO’s latest Executive Paywatch study released Thursday. That is the highest level since the labor federation began tracking the figure in the 1990s. 

The average CEO-to-worker pay ratio also widened to 312-to-1, up from 285-to-1 a year earlier.

The numbers become dramatically larger when Musk’s Tesla compensation is included.

Tesla shareholders approved a restricted-stock package valued by the company at roughly $158 billion, pushing average S&P 500 CEO compensation to about $340.1 million when Musk is counted. The average CEO-to-worker pay ratio then rises to 5,387-to-1.

Musk’s package is an extreme outlier, but compensation experts and labor officials say its influence is spreading.

Corporate boards increasingly are using enormous stock awards tied to long-term performance targets as a way to retain executives and align their fortunes with shareholders. That structure can keep annual cash salaries relatively modest while creating the possibility of extraordinary payouts if companies hit ambitious valuation, earnings or share-price goals.

The shift is producing some eye-catching packages far beyond Tesla.

Goldman Sachs paid CEO David Solomon about $118.9 million last year, including a large retention award. Real-estate investment trust Welltower awarded CEO Shankh Mitra compensation valued at roughly $821 million, structured to cover much of his pay over the coming decade. 

Investors are not automatically rejecting those packages.

Average shareholder support for advisory “say on pay” votes at S&P 500 companies stood at 90.6% through late June, according to compensation consultant Semler Brossy, suggesting most investors still support large executive packages when they believe the incentives are tied to performance.

Special one-time awards, however, have generated more resistance.

Only about 19% of shares voted supported Welltower’s package, while Goldman’s compensation plan received 71% support — still a majority, but well below the typical level.

The pay growth also comes as worker wages are rising much more slowly.

Mean annual wages for U.S. workers reached about $69,770 in 2025, up roughly 3% from a year earlier, according to Labor Department data cited in the report.

That widening difference is likely to intensify debate over how companies divide the value they create among executives, workers and shareholders.

For businesses, however, another issue is emerging.

Once a handful of companies begin offering executives potentially life-changing stock packages, competitors may feel pressure to do the same to retain their own leaders.

That means Musk’s compensation model could ultimately matter far beyond Tesla.

What began as an extraordinary attempt to keep one of the world’s most prominent executives tied to a company is increasingly becoming a reference point inside corporate boardrooms — and helping redefine just how large a CEO payday can become.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, admitting matter-of-factly that he trailed the executive to an investor conference in 2024 and gunned him down on a New York City street.

Mangione, 28, said he even used a ruse to glean information about the event, contacting the health insurance company ahead of time under the guise of being an investor at a multibillion-dollar firm.

“On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died,” Mangione told the court. In the audience, Thompson’s wife, Paulette, took several deep breaths and repeatedly wiped tears from her eyes. A supporter put an arm around the wife and held her tight.

Prosecutors plan to seek a life prison term at Mangione’s sentencing, set for Dec. 18. When U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett asked whether he understood that he could spend the rest of his life behind bars, Mangione answered neutrally: “Yes.”

Thompson’s family later called the plea “an important step toward justice” and noted that Mangione still faces other cases, including a New York state murder prosecution.

“We will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves,” the relatives said in a statement issued through a spokesperson.

Mangione still faces a separate state murder case
Mangione entered the plea at a hastily scheduled hearing in Manhattan federal court, resolving one of two cases against him in connection with Thompson’s death. Mangione’s lawyers quickly sought to have his separate New York state murder case thrown out on double jeopardy grounds.

“Mr. Mangione has accepted full responsibility for the death of Brian Thompson,” defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said outside court, arguing that her client shouldn’t face two prosecutions over a “single tragic event.”

Prosecutors didn’t recommend a sentencing break for Mangione or give him any other incentive to plead guilty, they and his lawyers said. A defendant in a criminal case always has the option of pleading guilty without any such deal.

Nor did Mangione plead guilty to avoid a potential death sentence. That possibility was taken off the table when a federal murder charge was tossed out this winter.

Mangione alludes to back pain in explaining his actions
Surveillance video of the ambush showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

That detail — and revelations that Mangione’s private writings lambasted health insurers as greedy, according to authorities — made the case a fulcrum for debate about the industry and made Mangione a cause célèbre for some of its critics.

A University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, Mangione told the court Friday that he pursued Thompson “after years of enduring severe pain from a broken back and navigating the obstacles of the health insurance system.”

Friedman Agnifilo later said her client “believed that the system had failed him and destroyed his life.”

Authorities say Mangione’s grievances are no excuse for killing
Mangione never was a UnitedHealthcare customer, according to police and the company.

“To those who idolize Luigi Mangione, I say this. Violence is not a cause. Murder is not a message. And a killer is certainly not a hero,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said outside court Friday.

U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald, whose office handled the federal case, added: “There can be no celebrity in assassination.”

Thompson led one of the United States’ largest health insurers, but he wasn’t well known outside the industry. Trained as an accountant, he had worked at parent company UnitedHealth Group Inc. for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, in 2021.

Thompson’s violent death “devastated everyone who knew and loved him,” the company said in a statement Friday, thanking law enforcement for bringing him to justice.

Now Mangione is pressing to end the state case
But his federal guilty plea does give him leverage to argue for closing out the New York state prosecution, which carries the potential for a separate long sentence.

The state’s double jeopardy protections can kick in if a prior prosecution ends in a guilty plea.

Mangione’s cases involve different charges arising from the same course of conduct. The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is handling the state prosecution, said Friday that it remains committed to its case and would contest the defense’s efforts to shut it down.

In June, Mangione’s lawyers said they would pursue a psychiatric defense in the state case but reversed course a day later. The defense, involving claims that he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the killing, isn’t allowed in federal court.

In the federal case, Garnett had delivered some setbacks to the defense, including ruling in January that prosecutors could use items collected from Mangione’s backpack during his arrest as evidence against him. They included a 3D-printed pistol that investigators said matched the one used to kill Thompson and a notebook in which authorities say Mangione described his intent to kill an insurance executive.

Mangione was arrested five days after the shooting, when he was spotted at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It’s about 230 miles (370 kilometers) west of Manhattan. In the days after the shooting, police had released various images of the suspected shooter, including one showing his face as he checked into a hostel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s viral internet alter ego has officially made its way onto the walls of Washington, with the White House presenting him with a framed collection of 68 variations of the famous “Rubio realizing” meme for his 55th birthday.

The humorous gift, given to Rubio in May, remained largely out of public view until Wednesday, when Axios reporter Marc Caputo posted an image of it on X, quickly drawing widespread attention online.

At the center of the gold-framed collage is the original photograph that launched the meme, surrounded by dozens of edited versions placing Rubio in an assortment of real and imaginary jobs. Among them, the secretary of state appears as an Iranian ayatollah, a “Star Wars” rebel on the frozen planet Hoth, Robocop, an astronaut and even the White House Easter Bunny.

The gift was also signed by members of the Trump administration. President Trump added a personal inscription in gold ink above his signature: “You are great”.

The joke has particular resonance because Rubio has actually accumulated an unusually large portfolio of responsibilities in the Trump administration. In addition to serving as secretary of state, he is acting national security advisor, and at various points has also served as acting archivist and acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The original photograph behind the seemingly endless stream of memes was taken on Feb. 28, 2025, during a tense Oval Office meeting involving Trump, Vice President JD Vance, senior administration officials and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The meeting centered on a proposed agreement involving Ukraine’s mineral resources and efforts to offset the enormous U.S. investment in Ukraine during its war with Russia.

But it was Rubio’s appearance in the photograph that took on a life of its own. Seated awkwardly on an Oval Office couch with his fingers interlocked and a weary expression on his face, Rubio looked to internet users as though he had suddenly realized that yet another enormous responsibility had landed on his desk.

The image rapidly became a template for countless online jokes. In virtually every version, Rubio’s hands, posture and expression remain unchanged while his clothing and surroundings are altered to suggest that he has just discovered he has been assigned another job.

The phenomenon grew so large that an online “museum” was eventually created to preserve the various iterations.

As major news stories unfolded, new versions repeatedly appeared. Rubio has been transformed into the governor of Greenland, the shah of Iran, the pope and numerous other political and cultural figures.

One version portrayed Rubio as Iran’s new supreme leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by the Trump administration during Operation Epic Fury.

Another showed the Cuban-American secretary of state smoking a cigar as the new president of Cuba, the country where both of his parents were born.

When a papal conclave was approaching, “Cardinal Rubio” appeared ready to participate. After Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was captured by the United States, another version depicted Rubio as Venezuela’s new president.

The meme has also ventured far outside international politics.

When toilets aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier malfunctioned in March, the internet responded by putting Rubio on the familiar couch dressed as a plumber and holding a plunger.

After Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced that he would not seek another term, Rubio was transformed into a prospective Minnesota governor, decked out in bright-orange hunting clothing and carrying a shotgun.

The image parodied Walz’s widely mocked 2024 presidential campaign hunting appearance, during which the Democrat appeared to have difficulty loading a shotgun while seeking to emphasize his outdoorsman credentials.

The meme returned to international affairs following the U.S. capture of Maduro. Rubio was depicted wearing a Venezuelan-colored sash and an elaborate military-style uniform, complete with gold accents and a gold-handled saber.

Through it all, the basic joke remained unchanged: some new position or responsibility had suddenly opened up, and Rubio, still slumped on that Oval Office couch, was supposedly realizing that the job was now his.

Rubio recently acknowledged that he was initially less than thrilled about becoming one of the internet’s most enduring political memes.

In an interview with Lara Trump on Fox News, Rubio said he originally “hated” the image but eventually came to appreciate the humor.

He also offered a mundane explanation for the posture that inspired the entire phenomenon. According to Rubio, there was no pillow supporting his back on the Oval Office couch, causing him to sink awkwardly into the cushions.

More than a year later, the photograph has spawned enough variations to fill a 68-panel birthday collage — and the Trump White House made sure Rubio now has a permanent reminder that the internet is unlikely to let him forget it.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND (VINnews) — Fenway Sports Group, owners of Liverpool Football Club, confirmed Friday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a minority equity stake in the Premier League club to a consortium that includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The investor group, named 1892 Holdings in reference to the year Liverpool was founded, is led and managed by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia, the former Queens Park Rangers chairman and son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. The consortium also includes the Mittal Family Trusts, EE Capital associated with Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, and the K5 Sports fund, in which Bezos is the lead investor.

A source familiar with the matter said the stake is about one-third of the club. FSG will retain majority ownership and full operational control of Liverpool. The transaction is not expected to affect the club’s approach to the transfer market or day-to-day operations.

FSG President Mike Gordon said in a statement: “Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club’s long-term interests in mind. That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world. As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together.”

Bhatia will join the club as vice chairman and serve on an expanded board, along with Elaine Saverin of EE Capital and Bryan Baum of K5 Sports. Bezos will not take a board seat, according to a source.

“We are incredibly proud to be investing in Liverpool Football Club and to be doing so alongside FSG,” Bhatia said. “We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield. To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege. We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club’s continued success for years to come.”

FSG said the deal supports Liverpool’s long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from global business, technology and investment. The consortium partners will work with FSG and the club’s leadership to evaluate opportunities that enhance the club’s objectives on and off the pitch.

FSG, which purchased Liverpool in 2010, previously sold a small minority stake to Dynasty Equity in 2023. Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League last season and opens the new campaign at Newcastle United on Aug. 23. The club has won a joint-record 20 English league titles.

The agreement remains subject to regulatory approvals. Exact financial terms of the stake sale were not disclosed by FSG.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Federal authorities are investigating a U.K.-based nonprofit over a reported $100 million fund allegedly established to support anti-Israel activities, according to the New York Post.

The Department of Homeland Security is examining whether the organization, known as PFF, improperly funneled donor money to Al-Haq, a Palestinian group sanctioned by the United States. Investigators are also examining whether U.K. corporate entities were used to obscure cross-border financial transactions, the Post reported.

Sources identified Bassema Yousef, a New York-born Democratic donor and former Al Jazeera staffer, as a central figure in the organization. Yousef, who lives in London, has donated to campaigns supporting Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and is described by sources as an ally of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The Post reported that Yousef is also close to Mamdani advisers Waleed Shahid and Zara Rahim. There is no indication that Mamdani is under investigation or that he was involved in establishing or operating PFF.

Sources told the Post that Yousef helped establish PFF with backing from Yasser Shahin, a Palestinian-Australian businessman and racecar driver, and Basil Qunibi, a Texas-based private equity executive.

British corporate filings reportedly document Shahin’s role in establishing PFF’s London entities. The organization also maintains a nonprofit in Delaware, according to the report.

Qunibi, CEO of Atom Investors and a board member of World Food Program USA, broadly denied the allegations through a representative. The Post reported that there is no suggestion Atom Investors is involved with PFF.

The organization also reportedly has ties to Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to Britain. Sources alleged that Zomlot helped assemble some of the fund’s key players, though diplomatic rules would prevent him from formally serving on its board. Zomlot declined to answer questions from the Post.

PFF describes itself as a global foundation focused on justice, equality and freedom. Sources cited by the Post, however, allege that the organization seeks to influence international politics by financing anti-Israel messaging and legal efforts involving pro-Palestinian activists.

The reported investigation does not establish criminal wrongdoing. DHS declined to confirm or deny the existence of a specific investigation, and none of the individuals identified in the report has been charged with a crime.

A senior Senate Democrat wants Washington to start taxing the money data centers take in — not the profit they make, but the gross revenue that flows through them — and because data centers are the physical buildings where email, cloud storage, business software and social media actually live, critics say the cost lands on every customer who uses those services.

The proposal came in a white paper released Aug. 6 by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. Nothing has been introduced as legislation yet. Wyden is collecting public comments on the framework through Aug. 31 and expects to release draft legislative language this fall, which means the fight over it runs through the rest of the year.

The plan has two halves. The first strips existing investment incentives out of the tax code as they apply to data centers, on the argument that a construction boom of this size no longer needs tax-advantaged help. The second creates what Wyden calls a Data Center Public Investment excise tax to generate a steady revenue stream. The white paper would also bar Opportunity Zone funds from investing in new data centers, stretch out the cost-recovery periods for the capital assets used to build and supply them, and effectively shut investors out of new data center investment through real estate investment trusts.

The excise tax is the piece drawing the heaviest fire, because of how it is measured. It would be a gross receipts tax at a rate in the low single digits — assessed on revenue rather than earnings. A company running a low-margin facility pays the same percentage of its top line as one running a highly profitable one, and the standard business response to a gross receipts levy is to pass it down the chain to the customer.

That is the basis of the objection from Americans for Tax Reform, which labeled the plan a national internet tax. “This tax will be paid by anyone who uses the internet,” said James Erwin, the group’s director of innovation technology, who argued the levy would show up in the cost of email, family photo storage, small business operations, cloud storage and posts on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook. Erwin also accused the senator of walking away from a long record as a defender of an open and accessible internet.

For small and mid-sized businesses, that is the practical exposure. A corner accounting practice, a distributor running inventory software, a medical office storing records — none of them own a data center, but all of them rent capacity inside one. The white paper suggests carving out what it calls internet infrastructure without defining the term, and it indicates cloud computing would not be exempt, which is precisely the layer most companies buy.

Wyden’s stated reasons are local. He points to land use, water consumption and the effect of enormous power draws on residential electricity rates, and his office says revenue from both halves of the plan should go toward supporting workers displaced by artificial intelligence. The Finance Committee release describes the proposals as a first step toward safeguarding taxpayer dollars. The paper also reaches into orbit, applying the tax to data centers built in space — the kind of facility Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have discussed.

There are limits built in. Exemptions are contemplated for internet infrastructure, corporate IT departments and small local data center operators, and assets already in place before the start of 2024 would largely be shielded, since the white paper treats the buildout as having begun in earnest at the end of 2023.

The White House is going in the opposite direction. Assistant press secretary Liz Huston said President Trump is locking in American leadership in artificial intelligence over China while requiring data centers to cover their own power, water and utility costs, and argued the administration’s approach delivers lower costs for working families and small businesses. On the ratepayer question, where the two sides actually agree on the problem, the administration’s answer is supply rather than taxation: a White House official said more than 200 utilities, developers, cooperatives and state leaders have joined a Ratepayer Protection Pledge aimed at building out enough generation to hold prices down.

Wyden’s plan is not the most aggressive proposal on the table. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York have called for a full moratorium on data center construction. Rep. Ro Khanna introduced a separate measure the same day that would let local governments block data center projects and protect those decisions from being overridden by their states.

What businesses can do in the meantime is straightforward: the comment docket is open until Aug. 31, and the terms set now — especially the definition of internet infrastructure and whether cloud services are inside or outside the tax — will determine how much of this ends up on their monthly bill.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman) Imagine, for a moment, a large Mesivta high school.  It could be one of the 87 such Mesivtos in Lakewood, New Jersey or another one in Brooklyn, or Passaic, or say, Mesivta  Chaim Shlomo – Darchei Torah’s Mesivta.  It could even be anywhere else where there is a Torah community.

Now imagine further a tenth grader in that Mesivta.  A tenth grader is generally a 15 year old.  Now imagine that the 15 year old has now been placed in charge of the entire Mesivta.  And not just the Mesivta, but the entire Yeshiva. And not just the Yeshiva but, he is named the head of the Vaad HaRabbonim of the community.  And imagine further that he is not just the head of the Vaad HaRabbonim, but of the Moetzes of the entire country’s Agudath Israel.

Now imagine no further because it did happen.  And today, the 1st of Elul, is his yahrtzeit.

That fifteen year old boy was Rabbeinu Dovid HaNagid, the son of Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam and the grandson of the Rambam himself. He would hold that office — with one long, bitter interruption — for more than six decades. He would be slandered, deposed, exiled, and hunted. He would return in triumph. And along the way he would produce a body of Torah that Egyptian Jews would read aloud in shul every Shabbos for centuries afterward.

Rabbeinu Dovid was born in Fustat (Old Cairo) in 1222 or 1223. His father, Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam — who had himself succeeded the Rambam as Nagid at the age of eighteen — was niftar in 1237, when Dovid was only fifteen.

The household in which he was raised was extraordinary even by the standards of that era. His father had authored HaMaspik L’Ovdei Hashem, a monumental mussar guide to avodas Hashem, and had led a circle of chassidei Mitzrayim devoted to intense spiritual discipline

The Office of Nagid

Despite his youth, Rabbeinu Dovid was appointed Nagid within a few months of his father’s petirah.

The Nagid was no honorary title. He was the recognized head of the Jewish community under Muslim rule — appointing dayanim, supervising batei din, overseeing communal funds, representing the Jews before the government, and answering she’eilos from far beyond Egypt’s borders. In Rabbeinu Dovid’s day, that jurisdiction extended over Egypt, Syria, and Eretz Yisroel.

Opposition arose within a few years — very likely on account of his age — and he was removed from office. In 1252 he was restored, this time with formal government recognition, and he held the position for decades thereafter.

Rabbeinu Dovid commanded a broad mastery across the range of Jewish literature, appears to have been trained in medicine as well, and maintained correspondence with the leading scholars of Sefarad, Syria, and Italy.

Three works are traditionally attributed to him:

1. Midrash Rabbeinu Dovid HaNagid (Midrash Dovid). His largest work is a collection of drashos on the weekly parshiyos and the haftaros, composed in Judeo-Arabic. The commentary on the first parsha of Bereishis appeared in Arabic in Alexandria in 1914 and in Hebrew translation as Midrash Dovid in Yerushalayim in 1947; the commentaries on Bereishis and Shemos were published in Hebrew translation as Midrash Rabbi Dovid HaNagid in Yerushalayim between 1964 and 1968. Rabbi Yaakov ben Chananel HaSikili translated some of the drashos and incorporated them into his Toras HaMincha.

The reception of this sefer is itself remarkable. These drashos became beloved among Egyptian Jewry and were read in shuls for generations — the practice being to read from the work on Shabbos following Mincha. A grandson’s Torah became the fixed Shabbos afternoon seder of an entire country.

2. Commentary on Pirkei Avos. Published in Arabic in Alexandria (1901) and Cairo (1932), and translated into Hebrew by Ben-Tzion Krynfiss as Sefer Midrash Dovid (Yerushalayim, 1944). This is the work through which most contemporary readers encounter him; an English translation has been published in recent years by Mosaica Press.
3. Midrash Eichah. Homilies on Megillas Eichah, published by A. I. Katsh in Sinai, volume 65 (1969). A commentary on Nevuas HaYeled is also attributed to him, said to have been composed for the rabbanim of Barcelona.

The greatest test came in his old age.

Enemies denounced Rabbeinu Dovid to the Egyptian governor, and he was forced to flee to Akko, then still under Crusader rule. In 1285 a physician, al-Muhadhab Abul-Hassan ben al-Muwafak, was installed as Nagid in his place.

An older man, driven from his post and his country, might have quietly retired into silence. Instead, he walked directly into the fiercest ideological battle of his generation.

Rabbi Shlomo Petit had come from northern France and Germany, where he had campaigned to ban the study of the Moreh Nevuchim and Sefer HaMadda. In 1288 he settled in Akko, taught Kabbalah there, and pressed his campaign against the Rambam’s writings, urging that the Moreh Nevuchim be burned. He failed repeatedly and was placed in cherem no fewer than four times. Petit had miscalculated badly: Eretz Yisroel fell under the jurisdiction of the Nagid of Egyptian Jewry — who was, of course, the Rambam’s own grandson.

Rabbeinu Dovid appealed to the communal leadership of the eastern lands to intervene. Between 1286 and 1288, Rav Yishai ben Chizkiyahu, the Exilarch of Damascus; Rav Dovid ben Daniel, the Nasi of Mosul; and Rav Shmuel HaKohen ben Daniel Abu al-Rabi’a, the Rosh Yeshiva of Baghdad, issued a cherem against anyone who insulted the memory of the Rambam. The Rashba, Rabbeinu Shlomo ben Aderes of Barcelona, also intervened, and the controversy was ultimately settled.

One of Rav Shmuel’s two letters of 1288 was addressed directly to Rav Dovid Maimuni HaNagid and the rabbanim of Akko, informing them that a cherem had been issued against Rabbi Shlomo Petit.

Meanwhile, his supporters in Egypt succeeded in reversing the government’s posture toward him, and in approximately 1290 he returned and was reinstated as Nagid. The poet Rav Yosef ben Tanchum HaYerushalmi composed enthusiastic poems marking his return. Worn down by his troubles, Rabbeinu Dovid appointed his son Avraham to share the burdens of office; a document from 1291 bears their joint signatures as negidim.

The timing was perfect. Akko fell to the Mamluks in 1291, the year the Crusader kingdom in Eretz Yisroel came to its end.

Rabbeinu Dovid was niftar in Egypt in 1300. His remains were brought to Eretz Yisroel and interred in Teverya, near the kever of the Rambam. Grandfather and grandson, separated by a century and by a lifetime of struggle, rest side by side.

The historical marker at his kever in Teverya preserves a teaching from the commentary on Pirkei Avos attributed to him: that neither money nor gold nor property nor houses nor assets will avail a person in Olam Haba — only Torah learning, good deeds, and tzedakah performed to the best of one’s ability, because Hashem does not hold grievances against His creations but judges each person solely according to his capacities and his good deeds.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Tauklarify, a brain PET imaging agent designed to help evaluate adults with cognitive impairment for Alzheimer’s disease.

Tauklarify, known chemically as florquinitau F 18 injection and previously studied as MK-6240, detects tau neurofibrillary tangle pathology in the brain. The information it provides is intended to complement amyloid PET scans and other diagnostic tools.

Lantheus Holdings manufactures the agent. Enigma Biomedical USA developed it earlier and sold the related subsidiary to Lantheus in 2023; the companies continued collaborating through approval.

The FDA based its decision on two blinded-read studies drawn from three clinical trials involving more than 500 participants. Independent readers who were unaware of patients’ clinical histories or amyloid PET results interpreted the scans. Safety data came from 1,734 subjects.

Side effects were uncommon. Headache occurred in 0.7% of subjects, nausea in 0.2%, and injection-site reactions, dizziness and abdominal discomfort each in 0.1%.

Tauklarify is the second FDA-approved fluorine-18 tau imaging agent, following Tauvid (flortaucipir). A multicenter trial known as the HEAD study, published in The Lancet in May, directly compared the two agents in roughly 775 patients across eight North American sites.

The approval includes an important limitation: safety and effectiveness have not been established for evaluating tauopathies unrelated to Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers and clinicians said the tool may help track disease progression, especially in patients with early or mild cognitive symptoms.

A Kentucky woman is facing two federal felony charges after allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., by pouring bubble soap into its fountain and spray-painting graffiti on the monument, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced Friday.

Pirro said prosecutors charged Melissa L. Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans’ memorials. Farris was in federal custody Friday morning, though an initial court appearance had not yet been scheduled.

Each of the two charges carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if Farris is convicted.

The criminal complaint also states that Farris had been arrested Monday, just days before the alleged vandalism, for illegally camping several blocks from the memorial.

“Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom. Those Americans include my father and grandfather,” Pirro wrote.

The vandalism was discovered Thursday afternoon at the landmark memorial, where the words “Clean Hands Dirty $” had been spray-painted in red. Bubble soap was also poured into the memorial’s fountain.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators obtained additional evidence from Farris’ own social media activity. Authorities allege that she posted several videos filmed near the memorial Thursday on a Facebook account using the name Melissa Lovewell, including footage in which she acknowledged “damaging” the fountain.

“I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom,” she said in one of the videos.

In another recording, which carried the slogan “TEA PARTY,” Farris allegedly stood near an area where red and yellow graffiti had been painted and claimed responsibility for the damage.

“It was me,” she says in another video that bears the slogan “TEA PARTY” while standing next to the section where red and yellow graffiti had been painted. “I’m here I done did it. Thought I was joking? … I did try and [indecipherable] my spray paint.”

A third video cited by authorities allegedly showed Farris expressing surprise that she had been able to carry out the vandalism without being immediately stopped.

“I was just allowed to deface Federal f—ing property, and nobody batted an eye, and that is very strange,” she said in a third clip.

Federal authorities allege that the damage to the World War II Memorial exceeded $1,000.

President Trump reacted angrily to the vandalism Friday, denouncing the damage to a memorial dedicated to Americans who served and died during World War II.

“Our beautiful World War II Memorial was just hit by Spray Painting Vandals. THERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II. First the Reflecting Pool, now this. We are on their trail! Where do these animals come from???” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The Interior Department had similarly vowed to pursue those responsible shortly after images of the vandalized memorial began circulating.

An Interior Department spokesperson said U.S. Park Police would “find the person responsible for this disgusting act.”

“The World War II Memorial is a sacred place to honor the service of our members of the Armed Forces and the over 400,000 Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in WWII,” the rep added. “The vandalism that occurred is an utter disgrace and will not be tolerated.”

The scene drew attention from visitors and Washington residents as authorities cordoned off portions of the memorial, located at the eastern end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, with crime-scene tape.

The case comes less than two weeks after Pirro’s office moved to dismiss a separate felony property-destruction charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of damaging the liner at the bottom of the Reflecting Pool.

Hearn, 67, had been charged with a felony after authorities initially accused him of “violently” pulling on a loose section of the pool liner on June 19.

Subsequent evidence supplied by the Interior Department, however, indicated that the liner had already suffered damage because of “flawed installation by the contractor,” leading prosecutors to seek dismissal of the case.

President Trump later publicly criticized Pirro over the decision to abandon the prosecution.

“The judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked,” he told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this month.

“I was disappointed in Jeanine Pirro. Really disappointed in Jeanine Pirro,” Trump added. “She folded like an umbrella.”

Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based contractor, received more than $14 million from the Interior Department for work that included painting the 68,000-square-foot bottom of the Reflecting Pool, according to federal spending records. The project began in early May.

The National Mall has been the site of other recent vandalism as well. In June, individuals allegedly used chemicals to burn the numbers “86 47” into the lawn near the Washington Monument, an apparent reference to slang for “get rid of” and Trump’s status as the 47th president.

No charges have been filed in connection with that incident.

Google has unveiled AMIE Video, an advanced version of its medical artificial intelligence system designed to conduct clinical consultations over live video.

The research system, powered by Google’s Gemini models and Project Astra, can simultaneously analyze a patient’s voice, video and visual behavior during a conversation. It is designed to identify potential signs such as distress, changes in breathing or difficulty moving.

Unlike text-based medical AI systems, AMIE Video is designed to more closely simulate a remote doctor visit, allowing it to hold a natural conversation with a patient while also guiding the patient through virtual physical examinations.

The system uses several AI agents working simultaneously. One manages the conversation, another develops an overall picture of the patient’s medical situation, while another analyzes video and audio information in real time.

In a controlled Google study involving 100 clinical scenarios and 300 consultations, physicians evaluated AMIE Video and found that it achieved expert-level performance across several measures.

Google emphasized, however, that AMIE Video remains a research system and is not currently intended for use in actual patient care.

Testing so far has been conducted in simulations involving actors portraying patients rather than in real-world clinical settings.

Before such technology could be deployed for medical care, it would require additional research and likely regulatory approval as a medical device.

For now, AMIE Video offers a glimpse at how artificial intelligence could eventually transform telemedicine by allowing AI systems to analyze not only what patients say, but also what can be seen and heard during a medical consultation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A second straight day of softer inflation data is reshaping the Federal Reserve’s September decision, with financial markets increasingly betting policymakers may leave interest rates unchanged rather than raise them again.

Consumer and wholesale inflation both came in milder than feared this week, easing concern that persistent price pressures would force the Fed to tighten monetary policy immediately.

The shift is significant because only days ago markets were treating another September rate increase as roughly a coin toss.

Those odds have fallen sharply.

The Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate currently stands at 3.50% to 3.75%, and policymakers remain divided over whether inflation is cooling quickly enough to justify waiting. 

The debate is increasingly visible inside the Fed itself.

Some officials argue that inflation remains too far above the central bank’s 2% target and that another increase may still be necessary. Others see this week’s inflation reports, combined with signs of softer employment and consumer demand, as reasons to avoid tightening unnecessarily.

That disagreement puts Fed Chair Kevin Warsh in a difficult position.

Raise rates too aggressively and the central bank risks slowing an economy already showing pockets of weakness. Wait too long and inflation could regain momentum, particularly if higher oil prices from the Middle East conflict begin filtering through transportation, manufacturing and consumer prices.

Bond markets are already reflecting that split.

Short-term yields have eased as investors reduce expectations for an immediate Fed increase, while long-term borrowing costs remain unusually high.

That means businesses could eventually get some relief on shorter-term financing while mortgages, commercial real estate loans and long-duration corporate borrowing remain expensive.

The next major test comes at the Fed’s September meeting.

Until then, every significant inflation, employment and consumer-spending report will carry unusual weight because the central bank is no longer deciding whether inflation is a problem.

It is deciding whether the problem is serious enough to justify another rate increase despite mounting evidence that parts of the economy are beginning to cool.

For businesses, the difference could be substantial.

A September pause would not make borrowing cheap again.

But it would remove the immediate threat of another increase — and give companies something they have had very little of lately: time for financial conditions to stabilize.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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

Israel has completed preparations for a military operation to take control of the strategic Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah terrorists are reportedly trapped inside an underground complex, and is waiting for approval from Washington to move forward, according to Lebanese media reports.

A senior security official told Al-Joumhouria that messages received by relevant officials in Beirut indicate Israel is at a high level of readiness for a battle over the ridge and is awaiting a signal from the United States.

According to the official, Washington informed Lebanese authorities that it would not be able to completely prevent an Israeli operation, but asked Israel to carry out any move in a precise and limited manner, while minimizing harm to civilians and avoiding damage to the framework agreement intended to regulate the situation in southern Lebanon.

The official added that Israel views taking control of the ridge as an achievement it needs and is unlikely to give up. Authorities in Beirut are now closely watching Hezbollah’s response and whether the terror group chooses to enter a broader confrontation, which could renew the fighting and expand damage to villages across southern Lebanon.

At the same time, Al-Akhbar reported that American officials have not ruled out the possibility of rapid Israeli operations in southern Lebanon aimed at reaching sensitive Hezbollah sites in the Ali Taher Ridge area. Israel reportedly claims that a major Hezbollah command center is located there.

The siege of the tunnel system beneath the ridge is continuing. According to reports, dozens of Hezbollah terrorists remain underground while Israeli forces are working to prevent them from escaping or receiving reinforcements. Lebanese reports cited in Israeli media claimed that water supply lines had been cut and that Hezbollah attempted to deliver supplies to its operatives using drones.

The ridge has also become a central issue in diplomatic negotiations. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israel is conditioning continued implementation of the ceasefire on Hezbollah withdrawing from the Ali Taher Ridge and transferring the area to the Lebanese Army. A source involved in the talks described clearing the ridge as a key condition for continued implementation of the framework agreement.

The issue is expected to be high on the agenda during the next round of Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome, planned for early September. Lebanese officials also believe developments on the ground are unfolding against the backdrop of a possible U.S.-Iran agreement, which could directly affect the future of the campaign in southern Lebanon.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

To have YOUR Rebbe’s pictures published, email them to [email protected].

The Trump administration is preparing a new wave of economic measures against Iran that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says will be unlike anything previously used against a country, as Vice President JD Vance laid out Washington’s two central objectives in the ongoing confrontation: keeping global energy prices stable and ensuring Tehran never obtains a nuclear weapon.

“Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country,” Bessent told Newsmax on Thursday.

He said the campaign would combine unprecedented economic isolation with the ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said would prevent goods from moving in or out of Iranian ports.

Vance, speaking separately on Fox News, said he believes the confrontation will ultimately leave the United States in a stronger position, with Iran without a nuclear weapon and the Strait of Hormuz returned to conditions that allow oil and gas prices to stabilize.

The vice president acknowledged the unpredictable nature of dealing with Tehran, saying Iranian leaders sometimes make commitments and then fail to honor them. He said the administration has a broad range of diplomatic, military and economic tools at its disposal and is using them selectively depending on the immediate objective.

“You’re seeing a President of the United States at the height of his authority with a lot of tools, diplomatic, military, and economic,” Vance said, adding that those tools are being used “very selectively, very strategically” to secure the outcome President Trump wants for the American people.

Vance said Washington’s first priority is ensuring Gulf countries can continue supplying oil and gas to the global economy, keeping energy costs affordable for Americans. He noted that oil prices had fallen significantly from the highs reached during the early days of the conflict.

The second objective, Vance said, is preventing Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon. “I feel confident we’re accomplishing both of those goals,” he said, while cautioning that the situation remains inherently unpredictable because Iran does not always honor its commitments.

President Trump has also kept open the possibility of a major escalation. Asked earlier this week whether such an escalation remained possible after previously warning Iran that diplomatic talks represented its final opportunity before “decapitation,” Trump replied, “You’ll find out.”

Pressed again, President Trump said, “Well, we certainly have that ability if we want to do that. You’ll find out.”

A day later, President Trump said the United States was in a strong position and asserted that Washington had “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz. He also said Iran was no longer the dominant regional power it had been for decades.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A severe heatwave is forcing France to cut nuclear power output, with six reactors expected to be fully offline Friday and heat-related curtailments reaching about 9.4 gigawatts, roughly 15% of the country’s nuclear generating capacity.

The reductions are being driven by unusually high river temperatures, which limit how much cooling water nuclear plants can safely use and return without violating environmental restrictions.

That is creating an unusual energy-market problem.

The same extreme heat that pushes electricity demand higher for air conditioning is also reducing the amount of power available from France’s nuclear fleet, which normally provides the backbone of the country’s electricity system.

French day-ahead electricity prices have already climbed to their highest summer level since June as traders price in tighter supply.

The impact matters well beyond France.

France is typically one of Europe’s largest electricity exporters, supplying neighboring markets when its nuclear fleet is operating normally. When French output drops sharply, those countries may have to rely more heavily on gas-fired generation, imports from elsewhere or higher-priced wholesale power.

The result can be higher electricity costs across a much wider part of Europe.

Nuclear plants are particularly exposed to prolonged heat because many rely on rivers for cooling. When river temperatures rise too far, operators may have to reduce generation even if the reactors themselves remain fully functional.

That means the constraint is not a shortage of uranium or a mechanical breakdown.

It is the temperature of the water outside the plant.

For businesses, the episode highlights another vulnerability in Europe’s power system: extreme weather can reduce energy supply at the same time it increases demand.

Manufacturers, data centers, retailers and other large electricity users can all feel the impact through higher wholesale prices and increased grid stress.

The issue is especially significant for France because nuclear power supplies the majority of its electricity and has historically given the country an advantage in producing large amounts of relatively low-carbon power.

But hotter summers are making cooling-water restrictions more important.

Utilities can sometimes shift generation between plants or adjust output around the hottest parts of the day, but sustained high temperatures leave fewer options when multiple rivers and nuclear sites are affected simultaneously.

The immediate concern is Friday’s expected reduction.

The longer-term business question is whether European utilities will need to spend more on cooling systems, grid flexibility and backup generation if extreme heat increasingly disrupts plants that were designed around cooler historical conditions.

For now, one of Europe’s most dependable sources of electricity is being constrained by the weather precisely when consumers need power the most.

JBizNews Desk | Paris

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

Wildfires in England and Wales have hit a record level, fire chiefs said on Friday, warning that rescue services were battling to keep up with rising risks a day after fires raced from tinder-dry fields to engulf houses on the hottest day of the year.

Britain has not faced anything like the devastation wrought across Spain, France and elsewhere in Europe this year, but as it endures its fifth heatwave of what is expected to be its hottest ever summer, it is dealing with more outbreaks of fire than ever before.

Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, told Reuters the number of wildfires had now exceeded last year’s total of 1,017.

“We’ve well surpassed the figures from the previous high of 2025,” Garrigan said, without detailing this year’s latest figure.

“We’re only in the middle of August, and the wildfire season seems to extend way into November at this moment in time. So, we’re anticipating this being not just a record-breaking year, but a considerable increase on the number of wildfires previously experienced.”

Britain a ‘tinderbox,’ PM says as trees ‘explode’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged the public to take extra care during a visit to the town of Stourbridge in central England, one of several locations where on Thursday homes were destroyed and hundreds of people were evacuated.

“Britain is a tinderbox right now,” he warned. “This is not over by any means. We’ve got 37 fires smoldering around the country.”

One Stourbridge resident described the moment he and his family decided to abandon their home.

“I heard a scream, and all the trees along the railway track were exploding. They weren’t just setting fire, they were exploding. So we just grabbed everything and left,” Paul Nash, whose garden was damaged, told Reuters.

Britain is on track for its hottest summer on record, having recorded five heatwaves that have left around 45 million people ⁠living in a drought-hit area and 27 million people ​facing restrictions on water use, according ​to government ⁠figures.

Temperatures reached 38.1 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in London on Thursday, making it the fifth hottest day on record for the United Kingdom, according to the Met Office. The market town of Pershore in central England hit 38 C and was another area where flames tore through homes and fields.

A major motorway was forced to close temporarily and train timetables were also disrupted on Thursday. Officials have yet to say if a train derailment in southern England was connected to the heat.

“We’ve declared 11 major incidents over the course of the last 24 hours,” Garrigan said.

“The demands and the requests for support have probably outstripped the capability of the UK fire and rescue service … so we’ve struggled to give fire and rescue services exactly what they want.”

Burnham said fire services were working alongside the military in some areas and that he would hold a summit with emergency services to make sure they had the resources they needed.

This post was originally published on here.

White House border czar Tom Homan on Thursday defended plans to equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with gloves capable of delivering painful electric shocks, saying the devices could provide agents with another non-lethal option before resorting to deadly force.

“It’s another device to help someone get compliant when they are not,” Homan said during an appearance Thursday on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

“You can’t just go from 0 to 100, right, and the first thing you go for is lethal force,” he added.

Homan’s comments came after the Department of Homeland Security published a notice Monday outlining plans to spend as much as $20 million to purchase the devices for ICE personnel conducting immigration enforcement operations. The devices are formally known as Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters, or G.L.O.V.E.s.

Manufactured by Compliant Technologies, the gloves can administer an electrical charge of up to 380 volts when they make direct contact with exposed skin. Unlike conventional tasers, however, the gloves are not intended to incapacitate an individual, and the electrical charge cannot pass through clothing.

Similar devices have previously been deployed by some law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities. According to a report by Oklahoma News 4 about their use at a local jail, the gloves do not deliver the same voltage as a conventional taser.

Justin Hall, a Kentucky jailer, told the Associated Press on Thursday that his agency began using the gloves four years ago as another means of dealing with inmates who were particularly difficult to control.

Hall said he was personally shocked more than 10 times while officers were being trained to use the equipment. He described the sensation as intensely painful but said the pain stopped once the person wearing the glove was no longer touching him.

According to Hall, his facility has rarely needed to actually use the gloves on inmates. Their presence, he said, can itself serve as an effective deterrent when other efforts to de-escalate a confrontation fail.

“It’s just a safer way. It’s safer on the inmate. It’s safer on the staff. And most of the time, most of the time we get compliance,” he told the AP. “It’s been a great tool for our facility.”

Homan’s remarks represented the Trump administration’s first public defense of the planned ICE use of the devices. He compared the gloves to other non-lethal tools already available to law enforcement officers, including tasers and pepper spray.

The border czar cautioned, however, that ICE agents will not begin carrying the gloves immediately. He said it would “be awhile” before the equipment is deployed because the agency is still developing the training procedures and protocols that will govern its use.

According to a DHS contracting notice, the electric-shock gloves could begin being distributed to ICE personnel as early as March 2027.

{Matzav.com}

A patch of the Pacific Ocean is warming up, and by next year it will show up in what Americans pay for chocolate, coffee, rice and cooking oil. Federal forecasters said Thursday that El Niño now has better than a 90% chance of becoming a very strong event through the fall and winter of 2026-27, with a 69% chance by autumn of the strongest one recorded since 1950.

The mechanism is simple. Trade winds along the equator normally push warm surface water west toward Asia. When those winds slacken, the warm water slides back east toward South America, and because rain forms over warm water, the world’s storm tracks move with it. For the United States, that means the winter jet stream drops south.

Here is where it lands at home. California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, the Gulf Coast states and Florida typically run wetter and stormier from December through March in a strong El Niño — more rain, more flooding risk, more mudslides in Southern California, and a heavier commercial insurance loss year along the Gulf. The northern tier is the opposite: Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, upstate New York and New England usually run warmer and drier, which cuts natural gas and heating oil demand and lowers winter utility bills. Washington State and Oregon tend toward a dry winter and a thin mountain snowpack, which matters the following summer for irrigation and hydroelectric output.

One piece of it works in America’s favor. Strong El Niño winters shear apart Atlantic hurricanes, which lowers storm risk for the Gulf and East Coast and takes pressure off property insurers, while pushing storm activity toward Hawaii and Mexico’s Pacific side.

Domestic agriculture comes out mixed. A wet southern winter refills California reservoirs and helps almond, citrus and vegetable growers in the Central Valley, and gives the Southern Plains winter wheat crop in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas moisture it usually lacks. The Corn Belt sees comparatively weak effects. The American grocery problem is not what the country grows. It is what the country imports.

That is where the trouble sits, and it sits in four aisles. Cocoa, meaning nearly all American chocolate, comes overwhelmingly from Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, which turn hot and dry in an El Niño. Palm oil, which appears in a large share of packaged baked goods, snacks and shelf products, comes from Malaysia and Indonesia, which dry out on a three-to-nine-month delay. Rice, sugar and robusta coffee — the base of most instant coffee — come out of the same drought-exposed belt. Arabica coffee, grown in Brazil and Colombia, is the exception and can actually improve, since South American growing conditions often get better. The drip coffee may hold. The candy bar will not.

Markets have already started pricing it. New York cocoa futures pushed past $5,000 a tonne in late June, the highest since January, up roughly 19% that month. Societe Generale data showed agricultural commodity prices up 7% in a month in mid-2026, with cocoa, coffee and wheat rising 8% in a single week.

American shoppers feel it on a delay, which is the part worth planning around. Traders move on the forecast; supermarkets move on the harvest. Retail food prices have historically absorbed the full effect six to twelve months after the event peaks — so a fall peak puts it on the shelf across 2027, long after the weather story has gone quiet.

The trillion-dollar figures come from research that changed how economists think about this. The 1982-83 El Niño is estimated at $4.1 trillion in lost global income and the 1997-98 event at about $5.7 trillion, and Dartmouth’s Justin Mankin has said current forecasts imply this could be the costliest on record. The same research found the drag can persist as long as 14 years — economies do not simply take the hit and recover. Mankin, who directs Dartmouth’s Climate Modeling and Impacts Group, laid that out on Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast on Friday.

The American concern is therefore twofold and neither half is abstract. Food inflation returns through imported ingredients roughly a year from now, at a moment when household budgets are already carrying record gasoline and diesel prices. And the southern half of the country faces a wet, storm-heavy winter with flood exposure in states that have spent the year in drought.

The lead time is the advantage. Unlike a hurricane, this is visible months ahead, which is why food manufacturers and restaurant chains are hedging cocoa, sugar and palm oil now rather than at the peak, why utilities in the northern states are adjusting winter demand forecasts, and why emergency managers from Los Angeles County to the Florida panhandle have the runway to prepare drainage and floodplain response before the storm track arrives. Fitch’s analysis found the worst damage falls on poorer agricultural economies, but warned that sustained shortages could lift food prices enough to affect inflation even in wealthy countries.

Impacts vary considerably by location and season and none are guaranteed, and NOAA’s own forecast lead said she sees nothing unusual about how this one is developing or how long it should last. The odds are heavily tilted. They are still odds.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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

A Brick man was arrested after police say he intentionally cut down a Flock camera at a local gas station.

On Thursday, Brick Police detectives arrested Matthew Wardell, 32, of Brick, and charged him with fourth-degree criminal mischief.

The investigation stems from July 8, when officers responded to the Exxon at 181 Drum Point Road after a Flock Safety camera was intentionally cut down.

Flock cameras have been gaining increased attention nationwide, with law enforcement agencies using the technology as an investigative tool while communities continue to debate their use.

Brick Police said Flock cameras are automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras designed to assist officers in identifying vehicles associated with criminal activity.

According to police, the cameras can help identify vehicles connected to reported crimes, locate stolen vehicles, investigate burglaries and thefts, provide investigators with leads when a vehicle is captured traveling through a camera location, establish timelines and patterns, and assist with investigations that cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Police emphasized that Flock cameras do not issue tickets, conduct traffic stops, or determine that someone committed a crime. Information obtained from the system is used as an investigative lead and evaluated by officers along with other evidence.

The department also reminded residents that intentionally damaging or destroying police equipment is a criminal offense.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter sharply criticized the escalating political rhetoric surrounding the drafting of Chareidim into the IDF, accusing politicians of exploiting the deeply contentious issue for political gain while failing to produce meaningful results.

Winter directed his criticism particularly at the debate taking place among parties opposed to the current government, arguing that politicians are competing to make increasingly sweeping promises about how many Chareidim they would bring into the military.

“Almost all the politicians have been arguing in recent days. One says he will draft all the Chareidim, one says he will draft 99% of the Chareidim, one says 70%, and on the other side they say that not a single Chareidi will enlist,” Winter said in a video he released.

Winter then challenged politicians and senior figures who have dealt with the Chareidi draft issue over the past two decades to explain what they have actually accomplished.

“All those who were in politics over the past 20 years and those who were politicians in uniform over the past decade – how many Chareidim did you bring into the IDF during all the years that you are arguing over who will bring in more? What did you do, other than trying to gain political capital on the back of the people of Israel and bringing zero results and zero solutions?”

Winter argued that successfully bringing Chareidim into the military cannot be accomplished through political slogans or public confrontations. Instead, he said, any meaningful progress will require sustained effort and the development of trust with the Chareidi community itself.

“Drafting Chareidim and integrating them into the IDF will not be accomplished through populism, but through hard work and building trust. Through working with the Chareidi public itself.”

Winter concluded his message with a blunt demand that politicians stop using the issue as a vehicle for political posturing.

“So come on, enough with all this false populism,” Winter said.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the White House to continue construction on its $400 million ballroom project while it appeals a lower court’s order to halt the work.

Trump’s solicitor general petitioned the high court to suspend last week’s decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The divided panel ruled last week Trump must stop the White House ballroom’s construction because Congress has not approved the project. The panel’s majority said Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition last fall.

The lower court suspended its own ruling for two weeks to give Trump’s Republican administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the Supreme Court to rule on its stay petition before the appeals court panel’s decision takes effect on Aug. 21.

“This case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex, including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security,” Sauer wrote.

The lower court’s 2-1 decision upheld an order to pause aboveground construction on the project, siding with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the ballroom.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” wrote the majority’s two judges, both appointed by Democratic presidents.

A third judge disagreed, finding that the preservationist group that challenged the project had no legal right to sue.

“The district court elevated the aesthetic displeasure of a single passerby over the government’s security interests in the ballroom,” wrote Judge Neomi Rao, who was appointed by Trump.

The Trump administration argues that the president, not Congress or the courts, has unimpeded authority to renovate the White House. The current state of the project, essentially an open construction site, makes it harder to protect the White House, the Justice Department contends.

The administration also says the National Trust for Historic Preservation does not have the legal right, or standing, to sue over the ballroom, which is part of Trump’s plans to quickly remake Washington. The solicitor general said the ballroom project “should be a matter for the President and the political process, not construction-by-injunction.”

During an appeals court hearing in early June, an administration lawyer defended a broad view of presidential control over iconic public facilities. The government could bulldoze the Statue of Liberty and the White House, Justice Department lawyer Yaakov Roth said in response to a hypothetical question, and the descendants of immigrants who came through Ellis Island and the enslaved people who built the White House would not have standing to sue.

The D.C. Circuit panel upheld a ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush. Leon concluded that a pause wouldn’t jeopardize national security. He also exempted any construction work that is necessary for the safety and security of the White House.

The ballroom has been under construction for 10 months. The administration says the work is roughly 65% finished.

“Given those developments, the injunction promises chaos in service of nothing,” Sauer wrote.

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

Question:

Dear Sir:
Thank you for making yourself available to the people of Lakewood. Its unusual and very much appreciated.
I live on South Lake drive and have several requests.

1. Since the entrance to central avenue has a concrete island it is difficult to turn from central avenue and there should be no parking for at least 6 ca lengths on each side. (the cars parked there are mostly non-residents and are stored there by the repair shop).

2. This has become a high speed runway (shortcut)and should be marked with 25 mph lit up signs like Carronettta and a stop sign at south lake drive and freemen since children live and play on this street.

3. The street lights on the lake do not work and I have called countless times. It would also be nice if the rest of the path had some lishts.

Finally, the wood enclosures around the pond are rotting and it is dangerous because the children play there and are not protected from falling in.
Thanking you in advance for looking into this matter.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me at

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good afternoon

This area falls under the jurisdiction of the state, county & township. I forwarded your letter to our engineer and asked them to reach out to the appropriate agencies to review these issues

Thanks

Ray

Question:

Dear honorable Mayor Coles

I read today’s ask the mayor please I’m begging and begging and begging and begging find a way to alert Waze of street closures. The message made because nobody knows to avoid an area because of closed streets is incredible. Please please please find a way to do that. Thank you so much

Marvin

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

I asked Sgt. Work to look into this. He received this reply

Hi Lakewood Police,

Thanks for applying to become a Waze partner. Our team will review your application and get in touch with you within the next 2-3 business days.

As he said to me. At least it progress!

—————–

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

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

Nearly a year after an Iranian missile slammed into a residential building in Bnei Brak during Operation Rising Lion, plans are moving forward to demolish the heavily damaged structure and replace it with a new residential development containing 84 apartments.

The building, located at 68 Hamaccabim Street, is a four-story structure containing 24 residential units. It will be demolished and replaced as part of a Tama 38/2 urban renewal project.

The project, initiated by Urbanitop, led by Rav Pinchas Zaltzman, calls for the construction of three residential buildings containing a total of 84 new apartments, along with approximately 422 square meters of commercial space.

The original building was struck by an Iranian missile on June 16, 2025, several days after the launch of Operation Rising Lion. The impact caused extensive damage, leaving the structure completely uninhabitable.

Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the project, the necessary building permit was secured less than a year after the missile strike.

Following the attack, Urbanitop assisted residents who had suddenly lost their homes. The company worked with families according to their individual circumstances, helping some locate temporary housing and assisting others with financial arrangements necessitated by their displacement.

Urbanitop specializes in urban renewal and complex redevelopment projects, including evacuation-and-reconstruction developments and Tama 38 projects. The company is particularly active within the Chareidi community and is advancing several residential projects in Bnei Brak. The new development on Hamaccabim Street is being designed as housing for the city’s Chareidi population.

The real estate financing company Barakate has been involved with the project since the difficult period immediately following the missile strike. Together with an insurance company, Barakate signed an agreement to provide financing and guarantees totaling approximately NIS 247 million for the development.

Attorney Carmel Nodler of the Keren Belcharsky law firm is representing Barakate and the insurance company in the transaction.

Adi Gazit, CEO of Barakate, said the missile strike required the parties involved to react quickly and restructure the financing arrangement around circumstances that could not have been anticipated.

“The damage to the project required a rapid response and an adjustment of the financing structure to the new reality and to the developer’s timetable. Within a short period of time, we formulated a framework that allowed the project to move forward toward receiving a permit and beginning construction. From Barakate’s perspective, which serves as a home for developers throughout the country, this is a significant transaction in Bnei Brak and in the haredi sector, demonstrating the importance of flexibility, creativity and the ability to respond quickly even in exceptional circumstances,” Gazit said.

Rav Pinchas Zaltzman, CEO and owner of Urbanitop, credited Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert and Deputy Mayor and Planning and Building Committee Chairman Menachem Shapiro with helping move the complicated approval process forward rapidly.

“I would like to thank Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert and his deputy, Planning and Building Committee Chairman Menachem Shapiro, for the speed and efficiency with which all the processes were advanced. Special thanks also go to the Reisman Deutsch law offices and all the parties who took part in the project. When necessary, everyone stepped up and went above and beyond to enable the project to move forward and achieve a significant result in record time. About a year after the Iranian missile strike, we are moving forward with a new building with 84 apartments for the families of the city and the community,” Zaltzman said.

Barakate is a publicly traded real estate financing company controlled by chairman Roni Biram, Gil Deutsch and Gazit. The company specializes in financing real estate projects and transactions, structuring customized financing packages based on the requirements and characteristics of individual developments.

Company officials say its approach combines financial experience with an understanding of the needs of developers, allowing it to provide financing and flexibility for complex projects.

The Bnei Brak development will now transform the site of a devastating Iranian missile strike into a significantly larger residential complex, increasing the number of apartments on the property from 24 to 84.

NEW YORK (AP) — As traumatic injuries and deaths surge among children involved in crashes on e-bikes and other electrified vehicles, one California prosecutor is cracking down by pursuing criminal charges against some of the young riders’ parents.

It is just one way officials across the country are trying to tackle the growing issue, while families navigate a patchwork of local laws and guidance on what kind of souped-up cycles and scooters are safe or even legal for their kids to ride.

New York City’s mayor recently sent cease-and-desist notices to dozens of online retailers for selling products marketed as “e-bikes” that aren’t street legal after a 17-year-old died in a crash on an illicit vehicle. In neighboring New Jersey, new regulations require e-bike riders to be at least 15 and obtain a license and vehicle registration.

But do the measures hit the mark? Cycling advocates worry regulations might be too broad — demonizing low-powered e-bikes instead of speedier motos — while some parents question whether localized, piecemeal strategies are enough.

Monica Stafford, a San Francisco-area mother whose teen daughter fractured her skull falling off an e-bike, said officials are “missing the mark” if they’re seeking to lay the blame solely on parents. The San Rafael resident said a unified, national set of rules is needed.

“We’re in a total Wild West of laws,” Stafford said. “Being for common sense laws doesn’t mean that you’re against e-bikes, just like you can be for cars but not think that it’s safe to put keys in the hands of a 10-year-old.”

E-bike injuries disproportionately impact children, experts say
The two-wheeled machines have become nearly ubiquitous in recent years, from packs of teens zipping around California beach towns to the army of delivery drivers dodging traffic on the congested streets of Manhattan.

Hospital visits for injuries from e-bike, e-scooter and other motorized rides have, as expected, soared as they have grown in popularity, study after study has shown. But researchers stress that the more concerning trends are the severity of the injuries and the fact that they’re especially pronounced among children.

“The big takeaway is that people are generally more severely injured than they would be if they were on a traditional, pedal bicycle,” said Dr. John Austin, a doctor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine who led a recently published statewide study. “Overall, these patients tend to be younger, they tend to be unhelmeted and, in turn, be more severely injured.”

Recent youth deaths prompt officials to take action
Most e-bikes are classified as nonmotorized vehicles akin to traditional bicycles under federal law, meaning riders don’t need a license, insurance or to even wear a helmet. Most states, though, have enacted additional requirements for higher powered machines, including minimum age and helmet requirements.

In New York City, the death of 17-year-old just steps from City Hall has spurred renewed debate about the bikes. Gabriel Nacato had been riding a vehicle advertised as an “e-bike” but wasn’t legal on city streets.

Earlier this month, Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned more than 40 online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target, that they could face fines of up to $2,000 for each sale of an e-bike that exceeds city regulations.

New York state requires riders of all forms of e-bikes to be at least 16, and New York City imposes additional restrictions, including a 15 mph (24 kph) speed limit. California, in contrast, has no statewide minimum age for lower-powered bikes, though riders must be at least 16 to use e-bikes that can go up to 28 mph (45 kph).

New Jersey and Illinois are among the states that have enacted statewide regulations recently, and Massachusetts is weighing measures. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in June vetoed a 10 mph (16 kph) speed limit and other e-bike regulations, saying the measures would lead to “enhanced surveillance” of citizens.

Other jurisdictions seek to hold parents accountable
In Southern California, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer says his office has more than two dozen open investigations against parents after launching a new unit focused on e-bike and e-motorcycles cases involving children.

The office has already brought charges against four, including the mother of a 14-year-old boy accused of killing an elderly pedestrian while riding an e-motorcycle.

That mother’s attorney declined to comment, but Mitchell Krems, the lawyer for another parent, dismissed the charges against his client as “absurd,” suggesting his client was being made a “scapegoat.”

Richard Eyssallenne pleaded not guilty to child endangerment charges after prosecutors say he bought his 12-year-old son an e-motorcycle and helped him illegally modify it to make it go faster. The boy ran through a red light and was injured by a car.

Other jurisdictions have also taken steps to hold parents liable. In Ohio, a Columbus suburb recently issued new e-bike rules making it clear that parents who knowingly allow their children to break the rules are subject to the same penalties as the rider.

Cycling advocates blame electronic motorcycles
PeopleForBikes, a national bicycle advocacy group that tracks state e-bike regulations, stressed that many of the problematic vehicles are actually electronic motorcycles with heavy frames, sturdy tires and sizable motors that are falsely marketed as e-bikes.

Lower-powered and pedal-assisted e-bikes have been used safely for decades on U.S. streets and are key to reducing society’s reliance on cars, advocates argue.

“Many of the dangerous behaviors people cite — running red lights, riding on sidewalks, not wearing helmets — are already illegal,” added Chloé Lauer, executive director of the San Diego County Bike Coalition. “We’d rather see those laws enforced than add new restrictions that limit mobility for kids who are riding responsibly.”

Anya Dalal, a San Francisco-area high school senior who has been advocating for better safety measures, believes the problem requires multiple solutions, including setting age limits.

“It should be a mix of parental accountability, accountability from the manufacturers and retailers and also education for kids to understand e-bike laws and road rules,” said the 17-year-old Hillsborough resident.

Sharon Franke, a San Diego-area mother, agreed, though she said the first step starts at home, with parents doing their research, accompanying their children on rides and reinforcing safety once they set off on their own.

“We want them to have fun, but we also want them to come back safe and we don’t want them to hurt anybody,” she said as her 15- and 12-year-old sons prepared to attend a safety training last weekend. “How do you balance all of it? It’s just overwhelming right now.”

Minister Nir Barkat on Friday denied reports that he had planned to act against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he remains fully loyal to the prime minister and has consistently supported him.

In an interview with Kan News on Reshet Bet, Barkat dismissed the claims and suggested they were being promoted by political opponents who view him as a threat.

“They are trying to eliminate me. They know very well that I am a threat to their future,” Barkat said.

Barkat said the issue had already been raised with him directly by Netanyahu roughly three years ago. According to Barkat, the prime minister summoned him for a conversation and confronted him about the claims at the time.

“About three years ago, the prime minister called me. I was with him in a conversation. He asked me and said things, and I denied it,” Barkat said. “I denied it then and I deny it today.”

Barkat then stressed his continued support for Netanyahu.

“I am loyal to the prime minister, I always supported him, I stood by him, and I stand by him today,” he said. “I think he is the most suitable person to lead the country.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Ukrainian drones struck one of Russia’s biggest fuel-processing plants overnight into Friday, and the damage lands on a global market that already has no spare fuel to give. Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces hit the NOVATEK-Ust-Luga complex at Slobodka in Russia’s Leningrad Oblast, reporting a fire at the site and, on preliminary information, two processing units struck.

What that plant does is simple enough. Gas condensate — a light liquid that comes out of the ground alongside natural gas — arrives by pipeline from Siberia. The complex splits it into naphtha, jet fuel, gasoil and heavy fuel oil, then loads the finished product onto ships bound for foreign buyers. Its capacity runs to nearly 8 million metric tons of raw material a year, split across three processing units of roughly 3 million tons each. Knock out two of the three and roughly two-thirds of the plant’s output stops moving.

Russian officials described a night of heavy drone activity without confirming which building burned. Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko said air defenses downed 51 drones over the region and that damage was recorded at the port, with firefighters responding; by morning he put the regional tally at 54. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 10 more were downed approaching the capital, with no casualties reported in either place.

This was not a one-off. It marks the sixth strike on Ust-Luga since March, following the first major hit on the NOVATEK complex overnight on 24–25 March and repeat waves on 27, 29 and 31 March, plus a July raid that reached the wider St. Petersburg port area. It also came two days after Ukrainian drones hit the Sheskharis terminal at Novorossiysk on the Black Sea.

The reason a fire in northwest Russia shows up on an American receipt is arithmetic. Ust-Luga is Russia’s largest Baltic port and handled 47.4% of the Baltic basin’s cargo turnover as of January 2026, and together with Primorsk it normally moves about 40% of Russia’s seaborne oil exports. Call it two barrels in every five that Russia ships by sea.

Russia has spent this year losing the ability to turn its own crude into usable fuel. Ukrainian strikes have driven Russian crude processing to its lowest level since 2005, forcing Moscow to halt exports of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel and to start importing fuel to cover its own drivers. The barrels Russia used to sell as finished diesel now have to come from somewhere else, and that somewhere else is already stretched thin by the Iran conflict and the Hormuz bottleneck.

The strain is visible in the data. Global refinery crude runs stood at 80.9 million barrels a day in July, nearly 5 million below a year earlier, and the International Energy Agency reported that tighter light and middle distillate markets pushed Atlantic Basin refining margins to record highs. The agency now projects a 1.8 million barrel-a-day oil deficit for the current quarter. Crude itself has been the calmer part of the story: Brent traded near $87 a barrel on Friday and West Texas Intermediate near $81. The squeeze is in the refined fuel, not the raw material.

American households are already paying for it. Gasoline averaged $4 a gallon and diesel $5.40 in the second week of August, both record seasonal highs, against $3.20 and $3.70 respectively a year ago. Gasoline is up roughly one dollar in four from last summer. Diesel is up close to half again — the fuel that moves groceries to the shelf, packages to the door and produce out of the field. Trucking companies do not absorb that; it arrives later as a slightly higher price on almost everything hauled.

There are offsets in motion. Refiners in the United States, India and the Middle East are picking up export business that Russia can no longer serve. American forces have expanded tanker escort capacity through the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington estimating as much as 9 million barrels a day still transiting the waterway, and US crude inventories jumped 17.4 million barrels last week. Both the IEA and OPEC have trimmed their demand forecasts, with OPEC cutting 2026 growth to 580,000 barrels a day in its fourth straight downward revision — high prices doing their usual work of cooling consumption. The Energy Department expects gasoline and diesel to ease later this year, though it still forecasts levels well above seasonal norms.

Repair timelines are the variable that matters next. After earlier strikes on this same complex, a single damaged unit took weeks to restart and the worst-hit equipment took months. Until those units are running, the barrels Ust-Luga was supposed to send to market simply are not there, and the American diesel pump keeps carrying the difference.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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Artificial intelligence is increasingly taking control of traffic lights on Israel’s intercity roads, with approximately 170 adaptive systems already installed and initial data indicating that the technology can significantly reduce congestion and travel times.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry and Netivei Israel have been expanding the use of AI-powered adaptive traffic signals in recent years. Unlike conventional traffic lights, which generally operate according to schedules programmed in advance, the new systems analyze traffic conditions in real time and adjust the length of red and green lights according to actual demand.

Early results from approximately 25 intersections where the technology was analyzed have shown substantial savings. On average, an estimated 400 vehicle-hours are saved each day at every intersection equipped with the system.

At the Fureidis Junction, the estimated savings reached approximately 800 vehicle-hours per day. At the entrance to Kiryat Tivon, meanwhile, travel time through the intersection was reduced by as much as 56 seconds per vehicle.

Across the intersections studied, the average reduction amounted to approximately 25 seconds for each vehicle. While that may appear modest for an individual driver, intersections handling thousands or tens of thousands of vehicles each day can collectively save hundreds of hours of travel time.

The impact can become considerably greater for motorists traveling along routes containing several adaptive traffic lights. Netivei Israel estimates that when the systems operate across multiple intersections along a driver’s route, the cumulative savings could reach approximately 10 minutes per trip.

Over the course of a year, officials estimate that those savings could add up to the equivalent of approximately two weeks of working days. The goal, therefore, is not simply to shave several seconds off the wait at an individual red light, but to create meaningful reductions in travel times across entire routes.

The primary advantage of adaptive traffic signals is their ability to react immediately to changing conditions rather than relying primarily on historical traffic patterns.

Traditional signals often operate according to predetermined programs based on traffic measurements taken previously. Actual road conditions, however, can change from minute to minute. Traffic jams form and dissipate, the dominant direction of traffic can shift, and accidents, construction or even relatively minor disruptions at one intersection can quickly produce backups elsewhere.

The AI-powered system uses cameras and computer-vision technology to detect vehicles, measure the length of traffic lines and determine the level of demand from different directions.

Algorithms then analyze that information and continuously adjust the traffic signal, allocating additional green-light time to the directions where it is most needed.

The technology was developed in recent years by ITC in cooperation with Netivei Israel’s Operations and Maintenance Division, Traffic Management Division and Engineering Research and Development Division.

With approximately 170 systems now deployed, officials say the project has progressed beyond the experimental stage and is being used routinely at a variety of intersections under differing traffic conditions.

The broader objective is to determine not merely whether AI traffic management can improve conditions at one particular intersection, but how the technology can eventually be incorporated throughout the country’s transportation network.

Officials say the project could also deliver substantial economic benefits.

According to current estimates, installing the technology at 100 intersections could generate more than half a billion shekels in annual economic benefits to the Israeli economy through the value of time saved alone.

That calculation is based on the methodology used by the Transportation Ministry and Finance Ministry to assess the economic viability of transportation projects.

The estimate does not include other potential benefits associated with shorter waits and reduced congestion, including lower fuel consumption, decreased wear and tear on vehicles, reduced air pollution and possible improvements in road safety.

{Matzav.com}

American investigators are examining whether money tied to a Shanghai-based businessman with longstanding links to pro-Beijing organizations helped finance groups involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Britain, widening a U.S. foreign-influence inquiry that had already reached activist organizations operating inside the United States.

The investigation centers on Neville Roy Singham, an American technology millionaire who lives in Shanghai and has financed a network of nonprofit and activist organizations across several countries. U.S. lawmakers have spent years examining whether that network has acted independently or whether some of its political activity has advanced the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.

The latest scrutiny reaches into Britain.

According to reporting by The Telegraph, a British company connected to the U.S.-based activist organization Code Pink received more than $250,000 in 2020 and 2021 from entities suspected of being part of Singham’s funding network. The same company received another $94,950 in 2024 from a fund also believed by investigators to be connected to that network, with the payment described as compensation for consulting services.

Those financial transfers do not establish that Beijing financed pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and investigators have not publicly produced evidence showing that the Chinese government directly paid organizers of the marches.

That distinction is important.

What authorities are examining is whether money originating within a private funding network closely associated with Singham eventually reached organizations engaged in political activity that aligned with Chinese foreign-policy interests — and whether any of those relationships required disclosure under U.S. foreign-agent laws.

Code Pink has become part of that inquiry because of both its funding relationships and its political activity. The organization has encouraged participation in large pro-Palestinian marches in Britain and has organized demonstrations outside the British Ministry of Defence and the London offices of a weapons manufacturer.

Singham is married to Jodie Evans, one of Code Pink’s founders.

The financial relationship has drawn increasing attention in Washington. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said last year that evidence suggested Code Pink and The People’s Forum had been “funded and influenced” by Singham and the Chinese government and asked the Justice Department to examine whether the organizations should register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Sen. Tom Cotton separately asked the Justice Department in November 2025 to investigate Code Pink, saying the organization had received more than $1.4 million since 2017 from sources linked to Singham. Cotton said that represented roughly one-quarter of the group’s funding during the period he examined.

Those claims remain allegations, not findings of criminal wrongdoing.

The inquiry surrounding Singham has nevertheless moved beyond congressional letters.

A federal grand jury in New York is investigating Singham and financial activity involving nonprofit organizations associated with his network. CBS News reported in July that investigators were examining possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act as well as tax and nonprofit-financing issues.

The House Ways and Means Committee has also intensified its investigation. Chairman Jason Smith said in June that a federal grand jury had begun issuing subpoenas as part of the Justice Department inquiry, while congressional investigators have separately sought records involving tens of millions of dollars flowing through organizations tied to Singham.

At the center of the legal question is not whether an American citizen may finance controversial political causes. That is generally protected activity. The issue is whether organizations were acting at the direction or under the influence of a foreign government while engaging in political activity in the United States without making disclosures required by federal law.

Foreign Agents Registration Act cases are built around control, direction and transparency, not simply whether a donor lives overseas or holds views favorable to another country.

Singham has denied acting on behalf of China. He has said he is not a member of any political party, does not represent any government and supports the organizations in his network because of his own political beliefs.

Code Pink has likewise denied receiving funding from the Chinese Communist Party. Co-founder Medea Benjamin has said the organization does not take money from the CCP, and the group has rejected congressional allegations that its activism is controlled by Beijing.

That leaves investigators with a difficult financial trail to establish.

Private foundations, donor-advised funds, nonprofit entities and companies can move money through multiple layers before it reaches the organization that ultimately spends it. A payment originating from a Singham-associated organization is not automatically a payment from the Chinese government, which is why investigators are examining the relationships behind the transactions rather than simply following the final bank transfer.

The British connection raises the stakes because it suggests the inquiry may no longer be limited to political activity inside the United States.

If investigators establish that a common funding network supported activist organizations operating in multiple Western democracies, the question becomes broader than Code Pink or any individual protest. Governments would have to determine whether foreign political influence is being exercised through organizations that outwardly operate as domestic grassroots movements.

For pro-Palestinian demonstrators themselves, there is no evidence that ordinary marchers knew of, received or were directed by any foreign funding network. Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in demonstrations for a wide range of personal, political and humanitarian reasons.

The unresolved question sits farther upstream: who financed the organizations helping mobilize parts of that movement, where that money ultimately originated, and whether anyone else was directing how it was used.

That is now what investigators in Washington are trying to find out.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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Jared Kushner marked the sixth anniversary of the Abraham Accords on Thursday with an expansive message touting the agreements’ achievements and suggesting that the Middle East may be on the verge of another potentially historic diplomatic breakthrough.

Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a key architect of the Abraham Accords, did not identify any specific country or disclose details of possible negotiations. But his repeated references to new “breakthrough opportunities,” an opportunity to create an “even broader movement” and the possibility of once again surprising the world immediately fueled speculation over what additional agreements could be under consideration.

“Six years ago, President Trump launched the Abraham Accords and opened a new chapter of peace, partnership, and prosperity in the Middle East,” Kushner wrote in a lengthy post on X Thursday morning.

“Many said it was impossible. But with courageous leadership, persistence, and a small group of people willing to challenge old assumptions, we proved that the impossible could be achieved.”

The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, dramatically altered the diplomatic landscape of the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established formal relations with Israel in 2020, with Morocco subsequently normalizing relations with Israel and Sudan agreeing to move toward normalization.

In his anniversary message, Kushner argued that the agreements represented more than the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries. He portrayed them as a rejection of decades of Middle East diplomacy that he said had focused on containing conflicts instead of fundamentally changing the relationships that produced them.

“For too long, the region was trapped by old ideas and failed frameworks that managed conflict rather than solved it, and too often created incentives that perpetuated division and instability,” Kushner wrote.

He said the philosophy behind the Abraham Accords was instead to create practical relationships and mutual interests that would make peace beneficial to the countries and populations involved.

“The idea behind the Abraham Accords was simple: instead of reinforcing the things that divide people, build bonds that bring them together. Increase understanding. Expand trade and investment. Deepen security cooperation. Create tangible benefits that make people’s lives better and give everyone a stake in peace.”

Kushner pointed to the economic and diplomatic relationships that have developed since the accords were signed as evidence that the approach succeeded.

“What began as a bold vision has delivered billions in trade, joint innovation, new friendships and partnerships, and a powerful alternative to the failed approaches of the past,” he wrote.

But Kushner then shifted from looking back at the achievements of the past six years to discussing the current geopolitical landscape — and it was that portion of his message that raised the strongest possibility that additional diplomatic developments could be ahead.

“The Middle East is once again at an inflection point. There are breakthrough opportunities today that many will say are impossible,” Kushner wrote. “But we have seen what can happen when leaders reject conventional thinking, focus on common interests, and have the courage to pursue a better future.”

Kushner did not elaborate on what those “breakthrough opportunities” might entail. His use of the plural also left open the possibility that the Trump administration is looking beyond a single normalization agreement toward a broader restructuring of regional relationships.

“The Abraham Accords showed that a different path is possible,” Kushner continued. “Now we have an opportunity to build an even broader movement around cooperation, shared prosperity and security—and replace the failed ideas of the past with a new model that gives people across the region something better to believe in and build toward.”

The comments are particularly notable because of Kushner’s central role in the negotiations that produced the original Abraham Accords. Working alongside Trump administration officials during Trump’s first term, Kushner helped conduct the diplomatic effort that resulted in the normalization agreements.

Although Kushner’s post contained no explicit announcement that another country is preparing to establish relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia is certain to be at the center of speculation surrounding his remarks.

For years, normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia has been viewed as the most consequential potential expansion of the Abraham Accords. An agreement involving Riyadh would carry significance far beyond bilateral relations because of Saudi Arabia’s political, economic and religious influence across the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Kushner, who developed close relationships with Saudi leaders during Trump’s first term, has also remained closely associated with efforts to reshape relations between Israel and the Arab world.

The prospect of Saudi normalization has repeatedly surfaced in diplomatic discussions in recent years, although negotiations have faced significant political and regional obstacles. The possibility has taken on renewed significance amid dramatic changes across the Middle East and the Trump administration’s efforts to capitalize on the new regional balance.

Kushner, however, carefully avoided naming Saudi Arabia or any other country Thursday, making it unclear whether his remarks were intended to signal a specific diplomatic initiative or to articulate a broader vision for the next phase of the Abraham Accords.

The language of his post nevertheless suggested that Kushner believes circumstances now exist for developments that could once again defy prevailing expectations.

His closing words were the clearest indication that he sees the original accords not as a completed diplomatic achievement, but as a model that could be expanded significantly.

“We surprised the world once. With the right leadership, focus, patience and courage, I believe we can do it again.”

The post offered no timetable for such a breakthrough and did not say whether negotiations with any additional countries have reached an advanced stage.

But coming from one of the principal architects of the original agreements, Kushner’s declaration that the region has reached another “inflection point” — coupled with his reference to multiple “breakthrough opportunities” — is likely to intensify attention on the Trump administration’s next moves in the Middle East and, in particular, whether the Abraham Accords may soon be poised for a major expansion.

{Matzav.com}

The Jewish Troopers Association, Inc. hosted and sponsored its second annual scholarship awards ceremony yesterday, presenting three Lt. Sid Spiegel #1047 Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $1,047 each.

The scholarships honor Lt. Sidney “Sid” Spiegel’s badge number and lasting legacy. Lt. Spiegel was a World War II veteran, one of the earliest Jewish members of the New Jersey State Police, and served with distinction for 25 years.

The JTA was honored to hold the ceremony at Rutgers Chabad, where Rabbi Yossi Carlebach and Rabbi Mendy Carlebach graciously welcomed the organization, scholarship recipients, their families, members of law enforcement, and representatives of the Jewish community.

The JTA also recognized New Jersey State Police Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle and Lieutenant Colonel Kilcomons for their continued support of the JTA and New Jersey’s Jewish community.

“It was an honor to recognize these outstanding students while preserving Lt. Spiegel’s legacy for future generations,” said JTA President Marc Zislin.

For those interested in learning more about the Jewish Troopers, please visit www.JewishTroopers.org. The website provides information about the organization and offers details on how to donate. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] for more information.

BIRMINGHAM, England — Israeli 400-meter hurdles record holder Omri Schiff competed in the European Athletics Championships this week, but his appearance drew attention after a Spanish public broadcaster appeared to omit his name while introducing athletes before the race.

During the RTVE Play broadcast, the presenter introduced competitors one by one, identifying them by name and country. When the camera reached Schiff, however, the presenter did not mention him and the commentator instead discussed Slovakia’s Patrik Dömötör.

The presenter resumed introducing athletes after the camera moved past Schiff.

The incident prompted accusations of antisemitism from Israeli lawmakers and others, although the circumstances behind the omission were not immediately clear.

Knesset member Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu criticized the broadcast on social media, saying that singling out the Israeli athlete was not an innocent mistake.

“When all the athletes are presented by name and nationality, and suddenly when the camera reaches the Israeli they ‘forget’ him, this is no longer a mistake,” Forer wrote.

He accused the Spanish public broadcaster of giving legitimacy to antisemitism and said Schiff should continue competing proudly under the Israeli flag.

Schiff, 26, of Hod Hasharon, is a five-time consecutive Israeli champion in the 400-meter hurdles. He set Israel’s national record in August 2025 with a time of 49.82 seconds, breaking a record that had stood for years.

The Birmingham championships marked Schiff’s first European senior championships after previously competing in age-group competitions.

He finished his qualifying race in 50.30 seconds and initially placed 16th overall. He did not advance to the final after being disqualified for taking his leg to the side of a hurdle rather than clearing it from above.

The episode comes amid heightened scrutiny over the treatment of Israeli athletes at international sporting events, with Israeli officials increasingly accusing organizations and broadcasters of allowing anti-Israel sentiment to influence coverage.

Here is what is happening, in plain terms. Your state has a housing agency. It borrows money from investors, then lends that money out to homebuyers at a lower interest rate than a bank would charge. Sometimes it helps with the down payment. Sometimes it lends to builders putting up apartments that rent below market.

That borrowing has doubled in a year. States raised about $19 billion this way over the past twelve months, roughly twice the year before.

The reason is simple. A regular 30-year mortgage now costs 6.69%, up from 6.63% a year ago. On a $300,000 loan, that is about $1,935 a month before taxes and insurance. Knock the rate down a single point and the payment drops roughly $200 a month — $2,400 a year, and about $72,000 over the life of the loan. For a lot of families, that one point is the difference between qualifying and being told no.

So more people are walking into these state programs, and states are borrowing more to fund them.

There is a second reason. Washington is spending less on housing. When federal money dries up, states either drop the program or borrow to keep it going. Most are borrowing.

Recent examples give a sense of the size. Illinois raised $200 million. New Mexico raised $120 million. South Dakota moved this month to authorize as much as $600 million for lower-rate mortgages in that state alone.

The people lending the money are, in large part, ordinary savers. Individuals hold close to half of all municipal bonds — the tax-free bonds that state and local governments issue. So the money helping a family in Illinois buy a first house is coming out of a retirement account in New Jersey. The lender gets tax-free interest; the buyer gets a cheaper mortgage.

The loans have been paid back reliably. Fewer than 1 borrower in 100 falls behind in these state pools. Most of the home loans carry a federal guarantee behind them, which is why the bonds get the highest credit ratings.

Investors have done well on them. This slice of the bond market returned 5.53% last year, against 4.41% for municipal bonds overall — better than a full point more.

Not everything in the category is equally safe. When a bond is backed by one apartment building instead of thousands of home loans, the risk sits on that single property, and investors demand about two extra percentage points of interest to take it. Rental buildings aimed at teachers, nurses and other middle-income workers are the softer spot right now, with costs rising and occupancy slipping.

Two things could push the numbers higher. A bipartisan bill sitting in the House Ways and Means Committee would loosen the tax rules so states can reach more buyers with these loans. And on November 3, California voters decide whether to let the state issue up to $25 billion in bonds for a program that would cover as much as 17% of the purchase price on a newly built home.

If you are a builder working on affordable units, the practical point is where the money now sits. It is at your state housing agency, not in Washington. Find out who issues in your state, when they issue, and what they require.

If you are a buyer, find out whether your state has a first-time buyer program and what rate it offers. Most people never check. It is a phone call.

And if you are an investor, the extra yield is real but it is payment for complexity, not a gift. The bond backed by thousands of federally guaranteed home loans and the bond backed by one apartment building are not the same thing, even when they sit on the same page.

JBizNews Desk | New York

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

A routine bus ride turned into a frightening emergency Thursday evening when a driver in his 50s suddenly collapsed behind the wheel on Route 651 near the Pal Yam Junction, causing the bus to collide with a private vehicle.

The driver apparently suffered a serious medical emergency while driving and lost consciousness. Magen David Adom emergency personnel were quickly dispatched to the scene, where they found the driver unresponsive inside the driver’s compartment.

Paramedics and EMTs removed the driver and immediately began intensive resuscitation efforts. The treatment included chest compressions, assisted breathing and eight electric shocks administered with a defibrillator.

After extensive treatment at the scene, the driver was transported urgently to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in critical condition, with resuscitation efforts continuing during the evacuation.

MDA EMTs Yonatan Yankelowitz, Yosef Friedman and Elimelech Michalowitz described the chaotic scene when they arrived.

“When we arrived at the bus, we saw several frightened and distressed passengers, and the driver lying unconscious. A quick examination revealed that he had no pulse and was not breathing, and we immediately began advanced resuscitation efforts,” they said.

While emergency personnel worked to save the driver, additional MDA teams examined the passengers aboard the bus as well as the woman driving the private vehicle involved in the collision.

None of the bus passengers was found to have suffered physical injuries, and none required evacuation to a hospital. The driver of the private vehicle sustained minor injuries and was transported to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center for further treatment.

The frightening incident follows several other serious episodes involving buses on Israeli roads in recent months.

In one incident several months ago, a driver operating Jerusalem’s No. 2 bus route was violently assaulted by several youths while stopped at a red light. The attack reportedly caused him to lose consciousness and several teeth, though he was forced to continue driving despite his condition.

In another incident in Bnei Brak, an elderly passenger was injured aboard a bus after the driver was forced to brake suddenly when a private vehicle cut into his lane at the Chazon Ish intersection. The woman was thrown forcefully toward the front of the bus and sustained injuries.

{Matzav.com}

On the northbound GSP in the area of mile marker 94

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wa-1786716746500-bn4428.mp4

FORT LAUDERDALE (VINnews)-Antisemitic U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan is in South Florida this Friday to campaign for progressive primary challengers.

She is backing Oliver Larkin against Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Elijah Manley against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and state Rep. Angie Nixon against Alex Vindman in the U.S. Senate race.

The main event is a late-night “Chomp the Vote” rally in Broward aimed at generating last-minute energy before Tuesday’s primary.

The original venue in Wilton Manors canceled late Thursday after pushback from state Rep. Michael Gottlieb and others who said the event targeted Jewish incumbents and featured anti-Israel voices.

Organizers say they have moved it to The Downtown Event Center in Fort Lauderdale and plan to continue as scheduled.

Tlaib is also set for a dinner in Miami Beach and a volunteer event in Lauderdale Lakes.

Early voting in Florida ends Sunday.

With summer now in full swing, Boro Park has settled into a quieter pace as many families settled in the Catskills and summer destinations. As the neighborhood adjusts to its seasonal rhythm, many residents are wondering which Rebbes will be in Boro Park this Shabbos to attend the tefillos and their tishen.

• Amshinov - Eretz Yisroel
• Beis Chaim Shia - Boro Park 
• Bobov - White Lake
• Bobov-45 - Private  
• Burshtin - Boro Park
• Chernoble - Boro Park 
• Emunas Yisroel - Boro Park
• Kosov - Eretz Yisroel  
• Liska - Boro Park
• Lelov - Boro Park 
• Lelov - Boro Park 
• Minkatch - Boro Park 
• Rachmastrivka - Boro Park
• Sanz Klausenburg - Tzfas, Eretz Yisroel
• Sanz Zmigrad - Bloombinburg
• Serdaheli - Boro Park 
• Skolya - Machne Skolya, South Fallsburg
• Skulen - Catskills
• Skver of BP - Machne Skver, Woodridge
• Ungvar - Boro Park 
• Viznitz BP - Viznitz Camp, South Fallsburg 
• Viznitz Y-M - Boro Park 

Be sure to check back every Friday as we'll update the list weekly to reflect each Rebbe's Shabbos plans.

Sicily’s busiest airport has now been shut for five straight days because volcanic ash and jet engines cannot occupy the same sky. Ash from Mount Etna has closed Catania’s airport for a fifth consecutive day, stranding holiday travelers during the biggest travel week of the year, and the airport will stay closed until early Saturday — Ferragosto, the August 15 holiday at the peak of the Italian summer season. Etna sits 30 kilometers, about 20 miles, from the runway, and while its activity interrupts flights there regularly, this is the longest such emergency since 2002.

The hazard is mechanical, not theoretical. Volcanic ash is pulverized rock. Pulled into a jet engine, it melts in the combustion chamber and re-hardens on the turbine blades, which can shut the engine down in flight. So when ash drifts into a flight corridor, aviation authorities close that block of airspace outright rather than let planes pick their way through it. Italian authorities have been shutting the affected sectors around eastern Sicily one at a time as the plume moves, most recently extending the closure to a sector labeled B3, while the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology has kept its aviation notice at red, the top level, with vents at roughly 2,750 and 2,360 meters feeding extensive lava fields.

The scale of the disruption is unusual even by Etna’s standards. Between August 6 and 12, roughly 630 flights were diverted to other airports and more than a third of the 1,974 flights scheduled at Catania were canceled. That is better than one flight in three simply erased from the board. Bloomberg put the count at more than 1,350 flights affected over the course of the week. Airport operator SAC’s own figures showed about 400 departures canceled between August 8 and 11 and another 52 on August 12, with roughly 700 flights lost once canceled arrivals are counted. Ryanair, easyJet, ITA Airways and Wizz Air, the four largest carriers at Catania, have absorbed most of the damage.

Passengers have been sleeping in the terminal. Travelers stranded by the prolonged closure have spent days inside the building, bedding down wherever they can and killing time playing cards.

The rest of Sicily is carrying the overflow, and it is showing. On August 12 alone, SAC listed 50 Catania departures leaving instead from Palermo, Trapani and Comiso, with 40 arrivals rerouted to Palermo, 12 to Trapani and five to Comiso; Comiso itself briefly halted flights on the evening of August 11 when ash fell there. Palermo’s mayor said his city’s airport had taken on 190 flights originally booked through Catania, and passengers dumped there complained they got little help getting onward — demand for buses and taxis spiked, and the extra traffic pushed delays at Palermo itself. A traveler landing 130 miles from where the ticket said they were going still has to cross the island, and on Ferragosto weekend that ride is neither cheap nor guaranteed.

The cloud has reached past Italy. A volcanic ash advisory issued Tuesday evening placed the heaviest concentration over Sicily, with thinner ash between eastern Malta and as far south as northern Libya.

For anyone booked through Catania, the practical steps are narrow but they matter. Confirm the flight directly with the airline before leaving for the airport, because the closure has been extended in increments and the terminal has repeatedly filled with people whose flights were already gone. Americans connecting through a European hub should check every leg, not just the transatlantic one — the long-haul segment can operate perfectly while the final hop into Sicily disappears. Under European Union passenger rules, a volcanic eruption counts as an extraordinary circumstance, which means airlines generally do not owe cash compensation for the cancellation. What they do still owe is care and a way out: meals, accommodation where an overnight is forced, and either rerouting or a refund. Passengers should ask for that in writing rather than assume it will be offered.

The repeated shutdowns have also reopened an old argument in Italy about the airport itself. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci has said he flagged the vulnerability of Catania’s Fontanarossa airport back in 1999, when he was president of the Province of Catania and put forward a plan for the site that never won backing. The proposals under discussion run toward hardening Sicily’s secondary fields — Comiso and Trapani in particular — so that eastern Sicily has real capacity to fall back on rather than an overflow arrangement that buckles the moment Etna clears its throat.

Even once the airspace reopens, the airport will not snap back. Aircraft and crews are scattered across four airports and out of position, and clearing a week’s backlog into a holiday weekend takes days, not hours.

JBizNews Desk | Catania, Italy

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

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer who was the first prosecuted under a local law banning chokeholds and some other methods of restraint was convicted Thursday.

Omar Habib was convicted of the misdemeanor established in the law that was passed after George Floyd ‘s killing, along with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault, and is facing up to seven years in prison, news outlets reported.

Habib has also been dismissed from the New York Police Department. He had previously been suspended without pay.

Bronx Criminal Supreme Court Judge Cynthia Isales ordered him held without bail, according to the New York Daily News.

Habib, who joined the department in 2007, was responding to a 911 call at a Bronx catering hall in 2023 when a drunk and disorderly man resisted arrest, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said. Habib placed the man in a chokehold so tight it impeded his breathing and circulation and made him pass out, according to the district attorney.

Jacob Z. Weinstein, Habib’s attorney, argued during the trial that other factors could have caused the man to pass out, including drinking without eating enough food.

Patrick Hendry, president of a New York police union, said the verdict was “further proof of a grim reality: every second police officers spend on this job puts them at risk of criminal prosecution, and pervasive anti-police propaganda has made it incredibly difficult to receive a fair trial,” according to the New York Daily News.

Habib was charged under a 2020 city law passed after Floyd’s death that makes it a crime for police officers to use chokeholds or sit, kneel, or stand on someone’s torso during an arrest.

The law was challenged by police unions but was upheld in 2023 by New York state’s highest court.

Police use of chokeholds was already banned in most cases by NYPD regulations at the time the law was enacted, but officers who used them were rarely prosecuted.

A police officer accused of using a prohibited chokehold on Eric Garner, who died during an arrest in 2014, lost his job with the city but faced no criminal charges.

Before his recent arrest, Habib had a history of substantiated misconduct complaints about excessive force and abusing his authority. He was previously cited by the department for using a chokehold in 2017, an incident that was later the subject of news stories about officers continuing to use banned restraints.

Habib was also accused of lying under oath and tampering with evidence in a 2016 gun raid, prompting several defendants to withdraw their guilty pleas.

The U.S. military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, wiping out roughly one-quarter of a fleet that numbered approximately 185 aircraft and inflicting losses valued at more than $1.3 billion, according to officials.

Each MQ-9 is estimated to cost between $30 million and $50 million, depending on the weapons, sensors and other equipment installed aboard the aircraft.

The drones have been deployed extensively for surveillance and precision-strike missions around the Strait of Hormuz. Their relatively slow speed and operations at lower altitudes, however, have reportedly left them vulnerable to attacks by Iran and its proxies in Yemen and Iraq.

Not all of the aircraft were lost to enemy fire. Some Reapers reportedly crashed after their operators lost communications with the unmanned aircraft.

Lt. Gen. David Tabor told the Senate in May that the number of MQ-9s remaining in the American fleet had fallen to approximately 135. The Air Force is now examining ways to rapidly rebuild its inventory following the substantial wartime losses.

The depletion of the Reaper fleet comes amid broader concerns over American weapons stockpiles following years of extensive military assistance to Ukraine and heavy expenditures of sophisticated munitions during the war with Iran.

An analysis by the American Enterprise Institute warned that replenishing some of the most critical weapons could take years because of limitations in U.S. defense manufacturing capacity.

One particularly significant constraint involves THAAD missile interceptors. Current production capacity is limited to approximately 96 interceptors annually, while the Pentagon is seeking nearly 2,600 over the next five years. At the present production rate, manufacturing that quantity would take an estimated 27 years.

Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that producing a single THAAD interceptor takes nearly three years. As a result, even orders placed immediately would not begin producing significant quantities of additional interceptors until late in President Trump’s current term.

President Trump has sought tens of billions of dollars to replenish U.S. weapons inventories and expand production capacity.

The Pentagon, however, has pushed back against claims that American weapons stockpiles are becoming dangerously depleted.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani remains highly popular among voters in the city but faces deeply negative numbers in the surrounding suburbs, according to a new Siena College poll of 811 likely voters statewide.

Statewide, 47% of voters have a favorable view of Mamdani, compared with 44% who view him unfavorably. Inside New York City, however, his numbers are dramatically stronger, with 69% viewing him favorably and just 24% unfavorably.

The picture changes sharply in the suburbs, where 60% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of Mamdani and only 34% view him favorably. Upstate voters are more divided, with 41% viewing him favorably and 46% unfavorably.

The numbers could have significant political implications for Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democrats running in competitive suburban districts. John McLaughlin, a pollster for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and President Trump, said, “Suburbanites fear Mamdani,” arguing that Republicans could use Hochul’s support for Mamdani against her.

Hochul herself also struggles in the suburbs. Only 40% of suburban voters view her favorably, while 57% have an unfavorable opinion. Upstate voters are nearly as negative. In New York City, however, 59% view Hochul favorably, compared with 31% who view her unfavorably.

Mamdani’s support also varies sharply among demographic groups. Nearly 80% of Black voters statewide view him favorably, as do 72% of voters between the ages of 18 and 34. Among Jewish voters, however, 66% view Mamdani unfavorably — the highest negative rating among any religious group measured in the poll. Among voters 55 and older, 51% view him unfavorably and 38% favorably.

The mayor also polls considerably better than his own political organization, the Democratic Socialists of America. Only 30% of voters have a favorable view of the DSA, while 47% view it unfavorably and nearly one-quarter have no opinion.

Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said Mamdani could be an asset to Hochul in New York City, but described the political dynamic facing both parties as a “double-edged sword,” asking how Hochul handles her association with Mamdani while Blakeman must navigate his relationship with President Trump.

Trump remains unpopular statewide, with 60% of voters viewing him unfavorably and 38% favorably. Blakeman, a close ally of the president, has embraced that relationship, with Trump set to campaign alongside him during a visit to Long Island on Friday.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of as much as 100% on imported drones and key components, a sweeping move aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on foreign — particularly Chinese — drone technology and forcing more production onto American soil.

The new tariffs were announced Thursday night and are already moving U.S. drone stocks Friday morning.

The highest rate, 100%, applies to drones considered especially sensitive for national security, including aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight above 25 kilograms, or about 55 pounds, and drones equipped with thermal-imaging capabilities.

Docking stations and certain critical components for those systems will also face the 100% levy.

Smaller and less-sensitive drones will generally face a 25% tariff.

Imports from several U.S. allies will receive lower rates if substantially all of their hardware, software and technology originate within those countries or the United States. Qualifying drones and components from the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Liechtenstein will face a 15% tariff, while qualifying British products will face 10%.

Most of the tariffs take effect 21 days after the proclamation was signed, while tariffs covering some less-sensitive drone components will begin after 180 days.

The administration says the move follows a Commerce Department investigation that concluded the United States is too dependent on foreign suppliers to meet its drone needs, creating vulnerabilities in defense, cybersecurity and critical supply chains.

The White House is also authorizing an onshoring program designed to give companies investing in U.S. drone and component manufacturing preferential treatment.

That could have major consequences beyond the defense industry.

Drones are increasingly used in construction, agriculture, utility inspections, surveying, filmmaking, emergency response, policing, infrastructure maintenance and package delivery.

Companies relying on imported equipment could therefore face significantly higher costs unless suppliers shift production to the United States or qualify for one of the lower tariff rates.

Domestic drone manufacturers immediately benefited.

Shares of Unusual Machines jumped roughly 14% in premarket trading Friday, while Red Cat Holdings rose more than 7% and AeroVironment gained about 3%.

The policy also represents another front in Washington’s effort to reduce Chinese dominance of critical technology supply chains.

China has become the dominant producer of commercial drones and many of the motors, batteries, cameras, communications systems and electronics inside them. Even drones assembled elsewhere can rely heavily on Chinese components.

The new tariffs are designed to attack that dependence at both levels — the finished aircraft and the parts inside them.

For U.S. companies, the calculation now becomes straightforward: continue importing and absorb the tariff, raise prices, change suppliers or manufacture more of the product domestically.

That makes the measure more than another trade dispute.

It is an attempt to rebuild an entire American supply chain around a technology that has rapidly become essential to both modern warfare and everyday business.

JBizNews Desk | Washington

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