The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years Saturday night, June 13, 2026, beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games and handing the city its biggest sports celebration in a generation. The party is barely over, and a much larger one is already underway: the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off the same week, with eight matches headed to the New York–New Jersey region. For the local economy, that raises a simple question with a not-so-simple answer — which one brings in more money, and to whom?

On paper, the World Cup dwarfs everything. The NYNJ Host Committee, chaired by Tammy Murphy, projects roughly $3.3 billion in economic impact for the region from the tournament’s local matches, including the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, in an analysis built with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company. The committee expects more than 1.2 million visitors and over 26,000 supported jobs across the two states.

But that’s the regional number, and it splits across a state line. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has estimated the tournament will deliver about $2 billion in economic impact to New Jersey specifically, supporting roughly 14,000 jobs. In other words, of the $3.3 billion regional figure, New Jersey claims well over half for itself — leaving the rest to spill into New York and the broader metro area. That matters, because every World Cup match is played in New Jersey, not New York.

The Knicks number is smaller, but it’s concentrated squarely in the five boroughs. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Economic Development Corporation estimated the team’s playoff run generated about $202 million in economic activity from home games played, a figure they said could reach $465 million had every potential Finals home game been staged, at roughly $90 million per home date. Because the Knicks clinched on the road in Game 5, the real total lands below that ceiling.

For the team’s owner, the run paid off directly. Analysts estimate the playoffs added around $140 million in revenue for Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (NYSE: MSGS), controlled by James Dolan, whose Knicks franchise is now valued near $9.85 billion.

Stack the headline figures side by side and the World Cup wins by a wide margin. But two things complicate that scoreboard.

The first is geography — the catch hiding inside the phrase “New York.” The Knicks money is unambiguously New York City: it happens at Madison Square Garden in the middle of Manhattan. The soccer does not. All eight regional matches, including the final, are played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, temporarily rebranded “New York New Jersey Stadium.”

New Jersey officials have openly expressed concern that while their state hosts the matches, many visitors may spend much of their money across the Hudson River — on Broadway shows, Times Square attractions, Manhattan restaurants, and New York hotels.

So even New Jersey’s own $2 billion estimate could ultimately be affected by where visitors choose to stay, eat, shop, and spend. And the costs are real. New Jersey has already spent more than $16 million in taxpayer funds on stadium-related work, while NJ Transit has committed roughly $35 million toward transportation planning and infrastructure tied to the event.

The second catch is that all these projections come from people with a reason to make them look large. Host committees, elected officials, and economic-development agencies are promoters, not neutral scorekeepers. Economists frequently argue that major-event impact studies overstate benefits because they count spending that might have occurred elsewhere in the region anyway.

The same criticism applies to championship runs.

Many sports economists argue that the largest financial gains from a title run flow to team owners, broadcasters, sponsors, and ticket-resale platforms rather than being distributed broadly throughout a city. In many cases, spending is shifted rather than newly created.

There is also a difference in duration. The Knicks’ impact arrived in a concentrated burst over several playoff weeks. The World Cup stretches across more than a month and generates sustained global television exposure that can influence tourism, hotel demand, business travel, and regional branding long after the tournament ends.

So the honest scorecard is this: the World Cup is the far larger economic event by projection — roughly $3.3 billion regionally, with about $2 billion expected to land in New Jersey — while the Knicks championship run is the cleaner and more direct New York City economic story, with spending concentrated in Manhattan and the five boroughs.

The World Cup’s billions may ultimately prove larger, but exactly how much of that money ends up in New York versus New Jersey remains one of the tournament’s biggest unanswered questions.

Two championships. Two global events. Two very different economic stories.

And in both cases, the cheering may be easier to measure than the money.

JBizNews Desk — New York

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

DETROIT (VINnews) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has awarded the Department of Justice’s Hometown Hero Award to six first responders and security personnel recognized for their actions during two separate terror attacks that officials said saved lives and protected the public.

Among those honored were Michigan Conservation Officer Luke Robare and Grand Blanc Township Police Officer Jason Carpentier, who responded to a September 2025 shooting attack at a church in Grand Blanc Township. Officials said the officers confronted and stopped an armed attacker, preventing further casualties among hundreds of worshipers gathered at the church.

The Justice Department also recognized members of the security team at Temple Israel for their response during an attack on the synagogue. Authorities said a Hezbollah-inspired assailant drove a vehicle into the building in an apparent act targeting the Jewish community. Security personnel intervened and prevented the attacker from reaching children, teachers and congregants inside.

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. praised the recipients, saying their courage and quick actions helped prevent additional loss of life.

The Hometown Hero Award was created as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary commemoration and recognizes individuals who exemplify service, courage and civic responsibility.

KFC is launching what it calls its “next chapter” globally, rolling out new menu items, redesigned restaurants and refreshed branding as the fast-food giant looks to strengthen its position in the increasingly competitive chicken market.

The Yum Brands-owned chain said Monday that the initiative will eventually touch its more than 34,000 restaurants across over 150 countries. KFC noted that a new restaurant opens somewhere in the world roughly every 3.5 hours.

“As the global appetite for chicken grows, KFC is answering the call,” KFC Global CEO Scott Mezvinsky said in a statement. He added that the company sees an opportunity to “set the standard for modern chicken” in the quick-service restaurant industry.

MAJOR CARL’S JR OPERATOR REPORTEDLY SET TO SHUTTER, SELL DOZENS OF CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS

A key component of the strategy centers on menu innovation. KFC plans to expand its lineup of boneless chicken offerings, including tenders designed for dipping and snacking, while introducing more than 20 new sauces tailored to local tastes. Examples include Chimichurri Ranch and Hot Honey Habanero.

The company is also betting on growing consumer demand for customizable, sauce-focused meals, with new menu items featuring chicken tenders, wings and sandwiches coated in bold flavors.

Beyond food, KFC is expanding its beverage platform, known as “KWENCH by KFC,” which includes boba refreshers, milkshakes, sparkling lemonades and iced coffees. The beverage lineup is moving from a pilot program to permanent menus in Australia and Canada this year.

KFC said the changes are intended to give customers more reasons to visit throughout the day, whether for snacks, drinks or full meals.

The company is also introducing a new generation of restaurant designs aimed at creating more modern dining experiences. The first U.S. example is expected to open in McKinney, Texas, later this summer and will feature an open-concept layout. A larger two-story flagship location is scheduled to debut in Dubai this fall.

The brand refresh extends beyond menus and restaurants. KFC said it is updating its visual identity across packaging, advertising and digital platforms while retaining its signature bucket and Colonel Sanders branding.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

The rollout begins in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with expansion to the United States and Australia expected in the coming weeks. Additional markets will follow through 2026.

Nearly a month after the shocking murder of the brilliant avreich Harav Yishai Por, zt”l, inside the beis medrash of Kollel Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak on Erev Shavuos, new details about his remarkable life — and the events leading up to his petirah — have emerged from the heartbroken testimony of his chavrusos and fellow lomdei Torah, according to a Monday report in Bechadrei Charedim.

The accounts were published in the kollel’s bulletin, Kovetz Gilyonos, and have since been widely disseminated. Together they paint a portrait of an individual who was wholly removed from the vanities of this world — a man who walked the streets of Bnei Brak as though already dwelling in another realm entirely.

Harav Pur carried no mobile phone and scrupulously avoided all conversation unrelated to Torah and mitzvos. A fellow avreich who learned alongside him for years recalled that he could remember only a single instance in which Rav Por spoke to him about a mundane matter. It occurred during the height of the war, when the noise of conversation in the beis medrash became unusually heightened. Rav Por gently turned to him and inquired whether something unusual had occurred. When told that the IDF had struck Iran, Rav Por fell briefly silent — the information, by all appearances, was simply incompatible with the spiritual world he inhabited — and then returned immediately to his sefer, as though nothing had been said.

Walking the streets of Bnei Brak, he was invariably absorbed in thought, his eyes carefully guarded, oblivious to his surroundings.

Avreichim who knew him well recount that they would often greet him with “Shalom” only to receive no response — not from indifference, but from the sheer depth of his concentration.
His every movement bespoke composure and deliberateness. Even his modest meal was taken quietly, in a corner of the stairwell, eaten slowly and with remarkable care. Those who spent time in his company uniformly describe the experience as one of serenity, marked always by order and cleanliness.

In the final period of his life, when young men would arrive late at night to learn in the kollel’s beis medrash, Rav Por, rather than ask them to keep the noise down or claim his rightful place, would silently withdraw to the ezras nashim and sleep there on a hard wooden bench. An avreich who regularly arrived at 4:30 in the morning to learn recalls feeling uncomfortable upon realizing he had disturbed Rav Por’s already-sparse sleep by switching on the lights. Rav Por, characteristically, met this with a smile — expressing gratitude, he explained that the light would help rouse him for netz hachama.

His emunah and bitachon were spoken of with awe. Throughout the war and the air-raid sirens, he sat undisturbed in his place and continued learning without fear. One Friday afternoon, when a powerful blast in Bnei Brak blew open the windows of the beis medrash and the room descended into panic, Rav Por — seated with his young son — calmly gestured to the boy to return to his seat, and resumed learning as though nothing had occurred.

From the very onset of the war on Simchas Torah of 5784 until his final day, Rav Por refused to sleep in his bed at home. Instead, he spread a thin blanket on the floor and slept there — even through the cold and freezing winter nights — as an act of identification with the soldiers and captives. Whenever he heard of a fellow Jew’s suffering, he would immediately request the person’s name for davening and continue to inquire after his welfare for days thereafter.

In his final days, a deeply troubled and unstable individual l had been frequenting the kollel and repeatedly provoking Rav Por with contemptuous remarks about the Rishonim and Acharonim. During one such incident — in the days immediately preceding the murder — the man directed open disparagement at the Ramchal, Harav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, zt”l, the 18th-century kabbalist and author of Mesilas Yesharim, while Rav Por was immersed in learning the sefer. Rav Por responded with sharp protest. Fellow avreichim warned him that this individual was unstable and potentially dangerous, but Rav Pur refused to remain silent in the face of bizuy kavod Torah.

Among the many manuscripts found after his death was a letter he had written in his own hand, apparently intended to be posted on the wall of the beis medrash. In it, Rav Por called upon his fellow lomdim to accept upon themselves the study of Mesilas Yesharim as a spiritual protest against the disdainful remarks that had been voiced within the walls of their beis medrash. He never had the opportunity to put it up.

On Wednesday, the 4th of Sivan, during the afternoon break between sedorim, Rav Por sat at his shtender with a Sefer Nach open before him, his beloved son at his side. In one terrible moment, a deranged man attacked and murdered him.

Those present in those dreadful moments described Rav Por as having accepted his fate in silence and with complete acceptance — as was his way in all things — surrendering his pure neshama.

Harav Pur is survived by his wife, who in a moving letter to the avreichim of Kollel Chazon Ish described her husband’s extraordinary devotion to both Torah and his family. When she once expressed to him her deep admiration for his mesiras nefesh for Torah, he demurred: “On the contrary — I am the one who is privileged to be immersed in Torah. You are the one who surrenders yourself in practice, bearing the burden of worldly matters.” He also leaves behind a son.

Beyond manuscripts and kinyonei netzach across all areas of Torah, he left behind virtually no material possessions.

In the wake of the tragedy, the avreichim of the kollel have undertaken to recite Mishnah daily throughout the coming year l’iluy nishmaso, and have divided the entire Shas Bavli among themselves for study and completion. In a direct response to their colleague’s final protest, they have also accepted upon themselves to strengthen their study of mussar — and in particular of Mesilas Yesharim, the sefer whose author’s honor Rav Por gave his life to defend.

Yehi zichro baruch.

OLYMPIA (VINnews) – A Washington State Human Rights Commission member is under fire for dismissing concerns about antisemitism during a meeting on a resolution condemning Jew-hatred, with Jewish groups and others demanding his immediate resignation.

Commissioner Luc Jasmin made the remarks during a March 27, 2025, meeting as commissioners debated a resolution on antisemitism. Video of the session was posted publicly by the commission last week.

“This word antisemitism has been around since the Jews got trampled by Hitler, and it seems like the Jewish people keep on crying, and crying, and crying and crying, always crying over the antisemitism,” Jasmin said, according to a transcript and video of the meeting.

He added: “Today, there are many other groups who are subject to mistreatment, or even subject to mistreatment by the Jewish, and they’re not crying so much. Why is antisemitism carrying on until the century 2000, and everybody’s folding down to that?”

“Wherever I’ve been throughout my life, it’s Jewish always crying, and now they’re trying to get the Human Rights Commission to write special conditions for them,” Jasmin continued.

Critics condemned the comments as invoking antisemitic tropes and demonstrating a profound misunderstanding of Jewish history and suffering. The Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were murdered, gave rise to the modern international human rights framework.

“Jews have been the victims of some of the worst recent human rights abuses and continue to face high levels of bigotry and abuse,” said one statement circulating in response to the remarks. “Anybody who purports to represent the cause of human rights while ridiculing a group of people that has endured some of the worst human rights abuses is unfit for service and must immediately resign.”

In a 45-minute phone call with JNS, Jasmin apologized for the first time — and then four more times — for the antisemitic remarks. During that same conversation, he said he isn’t sure if Hamas is a terror organization.

Jasmin, a Spokane pastor appointed by then-Gov. Jay Inslee in 2023, serves a term through June 2028. Gov. Bob Ferguson, who appoints commissioners, has the authority to remove them for cause.

The commission ultimately adopted the antisemitism resolution unanimously on April 17, 2025.

Jewish advocacy organizations, state lawmakers from both parties and community members have urged Ferguson to initiate removal proceedings if Jasmin does not step down.

To contact the governor’s office, call 360-902-4111 or use the online form at governor.wa.gov.

WASHINGTON — In July, the U.S. government will begin depositing $1,000 into investment accounts for millions of American babies under a new program known as Trump Accounts.

The U.S. Treasury Department, which is overseeing the rollout, says accounts officially open on July 4, with registration already underway. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the initiative as a way to connect ordinary Americans to the financial markets from birth.

But while supporters see the program as a long-term wealth-building tool, a growing number of economists and policy experts question whether it can meaningfully reduce wealth inequality.

Under the program, every U.S. citizen born between 2025 and 2028 qualifies for a one-time $1,000 government deposit, provided a parent or guardian opens the account. The funds are invested in a low-cost stock-market index fund, with annual fees capped at 0.1%, and cannot generally be accessed until the child reaches adulthood.

Families, employers, charities, and others may contribute up to $5,000 annually.

Supporters point to the power of long-term compounding. Government projections estimate that a child who receives only the initial deposit could see the account grow to approximately $15,000 over time.

Critics, however, argue that the larger issue is not the initial deposit but who can afford to keep contributing.

Families able to contribute the maximum $5,000 per year could potentially build accounts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars by adulthood. By contrast, children whose families cannot contribute additional funds may be left with little more than the original government contribution and investment growth.

According to government projections, an account funded at maximum contribution levels could reach approximately $742,000 by age 18, compared with roughly $15,000 for an account receiving only the initial deposit.

That gap has drawn concern from several researchers.

David Radcliffe, policy director at The New School’s Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy, argues the structure primarily benefits families that already possess financial resources. Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell has similarly warned that wealthier households may be positioned to build significantly larger nest eggs than lower-income families.

Another concern involves participation.

Because parents must actively enroll their children, some experts worry that families facing financial hardship or lacking familiarity with investing may be less likely to sign up. The Aspen Institute has noted that automatic enrollment could have increased participation among lower-income households.

Questions have also been raised about whether the program can meaningfully address longstanding racial wealth disparities.

Federal data show substantial differences in median household wealth among demographic groups. Critics note that previous “baby bond” proposals sought to target larger benefits toward lower-income children, while Trump Accounts provide the same initial deposit regardless of family income.

Supporters counter that private-sector participation can significantly expand the program’s impact.

Secretary Bessent has launched a nationwide effort encouraging additional contributions, while several prominent business leaders and corporations have pledged support. Michael and Susan Dell have committed billions toward funding accounts for lower-income children, Ray Dalio has pledged tens of millions of dollars, and companies including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America have announced matching contributions for eligible employees’ children.

Supporters argue that even modest investments can introduce millions of families to long-term saving and investing, creating opportunities that otherwise might not exist.

Critics acknowledge that the accounts can provide meaningful financial benefits but remain skeptical that a universal $1,000 deposit alone can significantly narrow the wealth gap.

Whether the program ultimately reduces inequality or reinforces existing differences may depend less on the government’s initial contribution and more on who continues contributing after the account is opened.

Washington — JBizNews Desk

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

After three days of heated discussions, the Knesset House Committee on Monday approved MK Tali Gotliv’s request for parliamentary immunity from criminal prosecution.

The decision is not final as it still needs to be brought before the full Knesset for approval. Eleven members of the committee voted in favor of the request, and three members, all from the opposition, voted against it.

Gotliv had revealed that the partner of Shikma Bressler, one of the most strident anti-government protesters before the October 7 massacre, is a member of the Shin Bet. She argued that the fact that the husband of a radical activist who publicly called to harm the IDF in order to bring down the government should be known to the Israeli public, and she acted out of national responsibility and within the scope of her duties. Gotliv added that the fact that Bressler’s husband is a Shin Bet officer was already known and had been published “in every possible forum.”

The committee determined that two grounds for immunity apply in Gotliv’s case under the Knesset Members’ Immunity Law: that the act attributed to her was carried out in the course of fulfilling her duties as a member of Knesset, and that the indictment was filed, in the view of the committee majority, in bad faith or in a discriminatory manner.

During the hearings, Gotliv said that the indictment was not only filed in bad faith but is also an attempt to intimidate elected officials.

“The immunity of Knesset members is sacred,” she said. “The attempt to intimidate those who are doing their job will not help you. I exposed Shikma Bressler’s partner intentionally. It was clear to me as day that there was subversion and rebellion here that the Shin Bet did not investigate.”

MK Simcha Rothman said Gotliv’s actions were serious and that he had advised her at the time to remove her post, but argued that the proceedings against her were tainted by selective enforcement, a sentiment echoed by MK Limor Son Har-Melech.

“There is a reason this is MK Gotliv,” she said. “She explains the distortions of the system to the public in simple terms. Tali is a criminal lawyer who knows the intricacies of the law, and that is why she threatens them. This is not an isolated incident but a political move by unelected officials who want to silence the national camp.”

Attorney Itzik Buntzel, who represented Gotliv, argued that the law enforcement system is working to suppress criticism of the Shin Bet, adding that parliamentary immunity is intended to protect lawmakers who expose information that the public has an interest in knowing.

Before the vote, Gottlieb concluded her remarks by saying, “They accuse me of sharing information that had already been shared thousands of times, and no one else was investigated.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

FIFA is pushing for Israel and Palestine to face each other in the opening match of its first-ever under-15 year old soccer tournament, according to a report by The Athletic.

The tournament is expected to take place in the United States in September and will be open to all 211 FIFA member associations. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said “We have a beautiful Under-15 tournament coming up, in which we will invite all 211 countries to participate, all the children of the world. Let’s do it for this. Let’s work together, you have the support of the whole room.”

But the plan has already run into difficulties. When Infantino tried last month to bring Israeli and Palestinian soccer officials together for a public photo, Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused. According to the report, Rajoub told him: “Please, please, please, we are suffering.”

The Israel Football Association said chairman Moshe Zuares has repeatedly made clear that Israeli football is ready to use the game as a bridge. “We are more ready than ever to use football as a tool to promote normalization and peace,” the association said.

“Our hand is always extended toward a better future for everyone,” it added. “We hope to find a courageous partner on the other side.”

The proposed match has not been finalized. FIFA is still working to turn the fixture into the tournament’s opening game, despite the political sensitivities surrounding any Israel-Palestine meeting.

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (VINnews) — A federal immigration agent discharged a firearm during an enforcement operation in Ocean County on Monday after being injured in an encounter with a fleeing suspect, authorities said.

The incident occurred in the Manahawkin area of Stafford Township. According to local officials, the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle during an attempted apprehension, and the agent fired at least one shot as the vehicle sped away.

The suspect was not immediately located, and authorities have not said whether anyone inside the vehicle was struck.

The agent sustained injuries during the incident and was treated following the encounter. The extent of those injuries was not immediately released.

Local police said they were not involved in the federal operation and are assisting with traffic control and securing the area while the investigation remains ongoing.

Senior officials in the Finance Ministry and Israel Tax Authority are preparing a major tax package for the next government, and the real estate piece is the one Israeli landlords, renters and overseas property owners should watch closest, the state is now looking at the long-standing tax break on residential rental income.

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks during a a press conference near the settlement of Maale Adumim, in a land corridor known as E1, outside Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, on August 14, 2025. Israel’s finance minister on August 14 backed plans to build 3,400 homes in a contentious area of the occupied West Bank, calling for the territory’s annexation in response to several countries announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

The plan is being prepared before the next government is even formed, so it can be ready for the next state budget and the Economic Arrangements Law. Finance officials want to broaden the tax base and raise up to NIS 3 billion a year, and one of the central targets is investment-apartment owners who collect rent.

Today, rental income from residential apartments is tax-free up to NIS 5,654 a month. Above that, landlords generally have several routes, including the familiar 10% tax track on gross rental income. That exemption has made Israeli real estate especially attractive for smaller landlords, buy an apartment, rent it out, and if the monthly rent stays below the ceiling, the income can remain largely clean from Israeli tax. That may now change.

The emerging proposal would either cancel the exemption for owners of investment apartments, bringing more rental income into the tax net, or impose a new reporting requirement on landlords even if no tax is ultimately owed. That second option sounds softer, but it could still be a major shift. Once every landlord has to report rental income, the Tax Authority gets a much clearer map of Israel’s rental economy, including apartments that until now sat quietly below the radar.

For tenants, the risk is obvious as landlords rarely absorb new costs in silence. If the state takes a bigger cut of rental income, many property owners will try to make the numbers work by raising rents, especially in high-demand cities where supply is tight and families have few good alternatives. Israel’s rental market is already hot. The national average monthly rent reached just over NIS 5,000 in early 2026, with Tel Aviv far higher, Herzliya and Kfar Saba also among the most expensive markets, and fresh leases rising faster than renewals.

Israeli housing is no longer the one-way bet it looked like for much of the last decade. Sales have cooled, financing is expensive, developers are sitting on inventory in some areas, and the strong shekel has made Israeli property more costly for Americans buying with dollars. Yet rent has stayed firm, because people who cannot buy still need somewhere to live. In that environment, rental apartments remain one of the few reliable cash-flow assets in Israel, which is exactly why the Tax Authority is looking there.

For American Jews who own, are buying, or are thinking about buying property in Israel, this is not just a local Israeli tax story. It could change the math of holding an apartment as a long-term investment. Many overseas buyers already deal with currency swings, Israeli purchase tax, U.S. tax reporting, management fees, repairs, and the practical difficulty of running a property from abroad. If Israel now tightens rental-income reporting or taxes income that was previously exempt, the yield on smaller investment apartments could shrink.

JERUSALEM – OCTOBER 12: Activist Jewish settlers continue to raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in East Jerusalem, within the ‘Sukkot Holiday’ (Feast of Tabernacles) in Jerusalem on October 12, 2025. The raids were carried out in groups under the protection of Israeli police since the early morning hours. (Photo by Gazi Samad/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Supporters of the move will argue that rental income should not be treated more gently than wages. A salaried Israeli pays tax before the money even reaches his bank account, while a landlord collecting rent below the exemption threshold may pay nothing on that monthly income. From the Treasury’s perspective, that is an obvious place to look when government spending is rising and growth may not generate enough revenue on its own.

Landlords will answer that the state has already made investment property expensive. Buyers of additional apartments face heavy purchase-tax rates, mortgage costs remain painful, maintenance is rising, and regulation keeps adding friction. Their argument will be simple as if you tax the rent more aggressively, you may push investors out of the rental market or force them to demand higher rent to justify the investment.

A key step in the origin of many pandemics occurs when an animal-borne virus infects humans and then evolves to spread more efficiently from person to person.

For that reason, scientists and doctors keep closely monitoring viruses that could jump from animals to humans, such as emerging strains of avian flu and bat coronaviruses, as well as those such as hantavirus and Ebola that have already crossed into humans but, for now, spread poorly among people.

In just a few months, the researchers recreated in a test tube the evolutionary path the coronavirus followed during the COVID-19 pandemic – from the original Wuhan strain to the emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variants.

This achievement resulted from a new collaboration among the laboratories of Prof. Gideon Schreiber of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Dr. Jirí Zahradník of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, and the BIOCEV Center. 

The findings, published in Nature Communications under the title “Stringent selection drives convergence toward omicron-like SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding motifs,” raise hopes that in the future, scientists could predict how viruses are likely to evolve and under what conditions new waves of infection could emerge.

Weak selection pressure leads to multiple viral variants

The experiment simulating this scenario, conducted at Weizmann, was led by Aviv Shoshany from Schreiber’s team. Under weak selection pressure, by contrast, many viral variants survive, and advantageous mutations become enriched without taking over completely. This scenario was simulated by Ruojin Tian, Dr. Miguel Padilla-Blanco, and Dr. Martin Mokrejš from Zahradník’s group in Czechia.

Zahradník, who previously did his postdoctoral work in Schreiber’s lab, focused on weak selection, while the Weizmann lab staff focused on stronger selection. “We found that if you begin with Omicron, even if it’s weak, it’s stable and remains there. We worked on only a section of protein in the virus, and most of the mutations were in that segment.”

“It took only a few months to make our discovery, but we spent more than two years preparing a journal article for publication, because we had to conduct many tests, including mathematical calculations,” Schreiber recalled. “It was unbelievable. Billions of people were infected, but for all, there was the same result – we found the essence of the evolution of the virus. There aren’t many cases like that.”

In August 2021, Schreiber and colleagues published the results of an in vitro evolution experiment that identified a pair of mutations in the coronavirus’s binding site that make the virus highly contagious by improving its ability to bind to receptors in the human respiratory tract.

About three months later, the Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa; when researchers sequenced it, they found the same pair of mutations. That was the moment Schreiber realized that the in vitro evolution method developed in his lab could potentially predict major turning points in the course of pandemics.

Schreiber, who earned his degrees at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and did post-doctoral work at Cambridge University, told The Jerusalem Post in an interview that evolution proceeds through mutations and natural selection. To survive and spread, viruses replicate at high speed, which can often lead to genetic errors that accumulate, producing new variants. In the new study, the researchers replicated the gene encoding the coronavirus binding site using a deliberately error-prone mechanism, thereby simulating in “fast forward” the appearance of mutations.

Using genetically engineered baker’s yeast cells, they exposed millions of resulting variants to human receptors and, imitating natural selection, retained only those that still bound successfully. By repeating cycles of mutation and selection over and over, the scientists reconstructed the evolution of the virus-human interaction over the course of a whole pandemic.

At the starting line of this evolutionary race in a test tube were the original Wuhan strain and several variants that emerged during the pandemic – including Alpha, Beta, and Omicron. The researchers studied how their binding sites evolved under two scenarios – strong selection pressure and weak selection pressure. Strong selection pressure is a situation in which only a small number of viruses survive each evolutionary stage, allowing advantageous mutations to rapidly become dominant.

“No matter which viral variant we started with, under strong selection pressure, a variant remarkably similar to Omicron and its sub-variants emerged early on and rapidly took over the entire population,” Schreiber said. “The exact same trajectory was observed during the coronavirus pandemic, which has not undergone another major shift since Omicron appeared and became dominant at the end of 2021.

“Some future pandemics that spill over from animals to humans may follow a similar path – accelerated evolution culminating in the dominance of a viral variant that is highly contagious and specifically adapted to bind to human receptors,” Schreiber predicted.

The evolutionary pathway leading to Omicron dominance was not viewed under weak selection pressure – and computer simulations revealed why, he continued. During the mutation process, several mutations can sometimes arise simultaneously. If one mutation gives a new viral variant a survival advantage and helps it dominate the population, other mutations – those that are neutral or even detrimental – can “hitchhike” alongside it and spread as well. The simulations showed that under strong selection pressure, advantageous mutations become dominant before the hitchhikers get a chance to accumulate. Under weak selection pressure, however, beneficial mutations drag many additional mutations with them, diminishing their own dissemination advantage.

“To survive in their bodies, the virus had repeatedly to fight their residual immune activity and repeatedly infect receptors in the respiratory tract,” Schreiber explained. “Those are precisely the conditions of strong selection pressure, and our study shows they are essential for the emergence of Omicron – further supporting the hypothesis that it originated in immunocompromised people. Interestingly, when we started the selection from Omicron, both strong and weak selection pressures were sufficient to maintain the Omicron sequences, explaining why this variant persists in the general population. This highlights how important it is to properly treat immunosuppressive conditions such as AIDS before the next global pandemic strikes, and to protect immunocompromised individuals from infection and chronic disease.”

He concedes that today, the coronavirus arouses much less interest here and abroad compared to four years ago. “People forgot, because of new crises, but next time, I hope we’ll be better prepared to cope with pandemics. We have very good tools now to understand how they advance.”

“The in vitro evolution method we developed could be applied in the future to other viruses of concern,” he adds. “We will be able to isolate viral proteins and investigate how they are expected to evolve under different scenarios. Our approach makes it possible to identify dangerous variants before they become dominant, helping focus efforts on preventing the conditions that allow them to take over – and preparing for them in advance.”

This post was originally published on here.

NEW YORK (VINnews/AP) — Isaac Mizrahi, the celebrated Jewish fashion designer and television personality, has been appointed creative director at large at Target as the retailer seeks to strengthen its reputation for stylish, affordable apparel.

In the newly created role, Mizrahi will mentor Target’s design teams, advise on product innovation and help develop new partnerships. He will work alongside Gena Fox, the retailer’s senior vice president of design.

The appointment marks a return to a successful partnership between Mizrahi and Target. In 2002, he became the first major fashion designer to collaborate with the retailer on an exclusive collection, helping pioneer a strategy that later led to high-profile partnerships with designers and brands including Lilly Pulitzer and Missoni. His Target collection remained a fixture until 2009.

Mizrahi, who rose to prominence in the late 1980s with his bold use of color and distinctive aesthetic, said he looks forward to working with the retailer’s design team to bring greater creativity, style and excitement to the shopping experience.

Born into an observant Sephardic Jewish family in Brooklyn, Mizrahi was raised in New York’s Syrian Jewish community and attended the Yeshivah of Flatbush. He has often credited his Jewish upbringing and cultural heritage as major influences on his creative vision. His work and life were later highlighted in a major exhibition at The Jewish Museum.

The move is part of a broader turnaround effort under Michael Fiddelke, who took over as CEO earlier this year. Target has been revamping its leadership team, supply chain operations and merchandise offerings, with a particular emphasis on fashion and home goods.

The retailer recently reported its strongest comparable-sales growth in four years, a sign that recent changes may be resonating with shoppers, though executives have maintained a cautious outlook as the company works to sustain its momentum.

Israeli media personality Yinon Magal launched a sharp attack on President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration Sunday night, accusing Washington and several Gulf states of abandoning Israel in pursuit of a deal with Iran.

Responding to the agreement brokered by Trump and the growing tensions between the American president and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Magal offered a blunt assessment of the outcome.

“Trump came out a loser,” Magal wrote.

According to Magal, the president succumbed to pressure from Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Vice President JD Vance, whom he claimed had advanced Qatari interests at Israel’s expense.

In his post, Magal also used harsh and derogatory language toward Witkoff and Kushner, accusing them of having been influenced by Qatar and alleging that they had betrayed Israel’s interests.

Magal further criticized Gulf Arab states, arguing that they feared a prolonged regional conflict and were willing to funnel billions of dollars to Iran in exchange for restoring stability.

“So we’ve been left alone,” he wrote. “And we will win alone, because Netzach Yisrael lo yeshaker.”

Despite the agreement, Magal argued that Israel must continue pursuing its own security objectives regardless of international pressure.

He said Israel should maintain its military presence in Lebanon, continue its operations against hostile forces, respond to every attack, and strike any entity that poses a threat to the country.

Magal also called on the political right to rally behind the government and the prime minister during the current crisis.

“We strengthen the government and its leader,” he wrote. “He is the right person at the right time to deal with this situation.”

He concluded his remarks with a personal message to Netanyahu.

“Bibi, go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day. We are behind you.”

{Matzav.com}

A South Carolina man was arrested over the weekend for defacing a Jewish Community Center with hate symbols, including the Nazi Totenkopf (death’s-head) sign.

According to charging documents, Dalton Ray Mullis, 24, of Indian Land, S.C., has been charged with a hate crime for vandalizing JCC buildings in the Foundation of Shalom Park, including the Charlotte Jewish Day School, Holocaust Memorial and “other facilities occupied by multiple organizations that operate Jewish religious, cultural and educational programs” last January.

The Justice Department alleged that Mullis affixed “threatening, antisemitic flyers,” showing “a noose, a swastika, and a Totenkopf or ‘death’s head,’ which is historically associated with the German Nazi party and SS.”

“It is further alleged that surveillance cameras on the property captured Mullis spraying one of the entrances to the CJDS with what appears to be an adhesive spray and placing the antisemitic flyer onto the door,” the DOJ said.

A social media post by Mullis, who is charged with a hate crime. (Credit: Michael Starr, HonestReporting)

During the first few months of 2026, Mullis posted about his dastardly deeds on social media.

“Oops … one of our members left something at a Jewish Community Center,” he wrote beneath a photo of a swastika.

“Posting Nazi and lynching symbols on the Jewish Community Center is pure hate and it’s disgusting,” stated Russ Ferguson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “This is America, which was founded on the free exercise of religion, and people ought to be free to worship without being threatened.”

The 24-year-old faces up to 20 years in prison.

The Nazi Totenkopf has made the news recently due to a tattoo of the symbol sported by one of Maine’s Senate candidates, Graham Platner, who won his state’s primary despite the tattoo and other scandals, including sexting multiple women who were not his wife. Platner has since inked over the tattoo with a Celtic symbol and denies having known the Totenkopf’s Nazi associations. However, people close to him, including his ex-girlfriend, claimed that he not only understood the significance of the tattoo but also bragged about it.

In a move to capture the dual market forces of live broadcast television and digital streaming, Fox Corporation on Monday announced it is acquiring Roku, Inc. for $160.00 per share in a deal valued at an enterprise value of $22 billion. 

The combination pairs FOX’s live entertainment, news and sports portfolios — including The Tubi service, the NFL, MLB and FOX News Media — with the top television streaming platform in the U.S. by hours streamed, accelerating the company’s expansion into connected TV advertising.

“This is a defining moment for FOX, and a natural extension of the deliberate and focused strategy we have been executing for nearly a decade,” Fox Corporation Executive Chair and CEO Lachlan Murdoch said. “Today, we take the next step: bringing together the most valuable live content portfolio in video consumption with the preeminent streaming platform through which America watches it.”

WARNER BROS DISCOVERY SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE PARAMOUNT SKYDANCE DEAL

“We are executing this acquisition from a position of financial strength — maintaining our investment grade balance sheet while providing our shareholders with an uninterrupted return of capital program in the form of share buybacks and dividends,” Murdoch continued. “Roku pioneered streaming TV and scaled it into a leading CTV platform. Together, we intend to lead its next chapter.”

The transaction positions the combined company as the third-largest player in U.S. television by share of viewing. Currently, Roku is in over 100 million global streaming households, which includes more than half of all U.S. broadband households.

Unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, FOX is buying the company using a mix of cash and its own stock. Once the merger is complete, ownership will be split 73% for current FOX shareholders and 27% for Roku shareholders, based on who held shares prior to the deal.

Roku founder, chair and CEO Anthony Wood will maintain an ongoing role at the combined company and will join the FOX Board of Directors following the transaction’s close in the first half of 2027.

“Over the past two decades, we’ve built Roku into the leading TV streaming platform, reaching more than 100 million households globally and reshaping how people discover and enjoy entertainment. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built, and the combination with FOX is an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate our vision, scale faster and innovate more aggressively for viewers, partners and advertisers,” Wood said.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“That’s why our Board of Directors unanimously determined after concluding its strategic review process that this transaction offers a significant premium to Roku shareholders while also providing them with the opportunity to participate in the compelling future upside of the combined company,” Wood added. “I couldn’t be more excited about what we’ll accomplish together.”

The deal remains subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals by FOX and Roku shareholders and U.S. and certain non-U.S. regulatory approvals. 

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of calendar year 2027.

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

LONDON (AP) — The British government acted lawfully when it banned the protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, the Court of Appeal in London ruled on Monday.

Chief Justice Sue Carr said the group was not a civil disobedience organization, as it claimed, and that it operated with covert cells to destroy property of at defense companies and on military bases.

“In our judgment, that premise was seriously flawed. It was not a sustainable proposition to portray Palestine Action as a non-violent organization,” Carr said.

The ruling overturned a decision in February by three senior High Court judges who found that despite the group promoting its political cause through some crimes, the scale of activities did not warrant a ban.

The ban remained in place while the government to appeal.

Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori said the group will “fight proscription all the way” to the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights to overturn “one of the most extreme attacks on free speech and the right to protest in modern British history.”

The government outlawed the group after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in June 2025 to protest British military support for Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. That incident followed several other acts of vandalism by the group.

Palestine Action was declared a terrorist organization alongside the likes of al-Qaida and Hamas, making membership in or support for the group a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

More than 3,300 people have been arrested at protests for holding signs saying, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.” More than 700 have been charged under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act, although no one has yet been convicted.

Supporters of Palestine Action and civil liberties groups said the arrests for peaceful protest ride roughshod over free speech and the right to protest.

The group Defend Our Juries said the ruling is likely to lead to more police resources being wasted locking up peaceful protesters.

“It appears the courts have been instrumentalized to suppress opposition to genocide, when they should be doing the precise opposite,” the group said in a statement issued after the ruling.

Palestine Action has carried out direct action protests at military and industrial sites in the U.K. since it was formed in 2020, including breaking into facilities owned by Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems UK. Officials said the group’s actions have caused millions of pounds in damage that affect national security.

The High Court judges said that while some of those crimes amounted to terrorist acts, they could be criminally prosecuted regardless of proscription.

On Friday, four members of the group who broke into the Elbit factory in Bristol, south west England, in 2024 and smashed equipment were imprisoned after a judge found they acted as terrorists.

More than 100 Palestine Action protesters were arrested outside the London court where the sentencing was held.

Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the United States and Iran have “already signed” a peace agreement aimed at ending their three-and-a-half-month war.

Speaking to ABC, Vance said the agreement was completed “digitally” ahead of a formal signing ceremony scheduled for Friday in Switzerland. It remained unclear whether Vance was referring to a finalized deal or a preliminary memorandum of understanding outlining the framework.

The reported existence of a signed document has raised several questions, including why the full text has not yet been released, whether the agreement immediately led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, and whether a 60-day period for technical negotiations began Sunday or will only start after Friday’s ceremony.

President Trump, who previously said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen Friday, is expected to address plans for clearing the waterway of potential hazards when he meets with G7 leaders in France this week.

“Ships are starting to move, many loaded up with Oil, out of the Strait of Hormuz,” the president wrote on Truth Social Monday morning.

Vance appeared on several morning news programs to urge caution over reports from Iran describing the agreement and to respond to criticism from some Republicans over reports that Iran could receive reconstruction funding.

The vice president confirmed that Iran could gain access to a $300 billion reconstruction fund if it fulfills its commitments to end its nuclear program, but stressed that the money would not come from the United States.

“That’s the sort of thing they could have access to, funded by the [Gulf Cooperation Council], so long as they honor their end of the obligation,” Vance told “CBS Mornings” when asked about the fund. “We absolutely are open to the [GCC] countries investing in the reconstruction of Iran only if Iran ends their nuclear program.”

Vance also said that “not a single dollar of American money will go to Iran” and emphasized that any economic relief would only come after Tehran meets specific conditions tied to ending uranium enrichment.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close Trump ally, has strongly criticized the idea of a reconstruction fund, arguing that providing money without political changes in Iran would be ineffective.

“The idea of a $300 billion reconstruction fund, given who is in charge of Iran, seems to be tone deaf. It would be akin to a Marshall Plan for Germany with the Nazis still in charge,” he wrote on social media.

Vance pushed back against the criticism, warning lawmakers not to rely on what he called Iranian hard-line messaging instead of the actual agreement.

“I caution Lindsey Graham and anybody else not to believe the hard-liner propaganda in Iran, but to believe what’s actually in the agreement,” Vance responded. “We’ll be releasing the text this week, and what everybody will see is that Iran doesn’t get a dime of money unless they perform their obligations. The money that we’re talking about is fundamentally sanctions relief. We’re not giving them American money.”

Major details of the agreement remain unresolved, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz and whether ships traveling through the strategic waterway will face fees.

Trump has said the passage will remain “permenantly” fee-free, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Monday that while Iran would not impose tolls on ships, Tehran could still charge fees “in exchange for the services that are provided.”

During an interview with CNBC, Vance acknowledged that important issues still need to be settled.

“Our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term,” he said. “And that’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical negotiations.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — JetBlue is betting heavily on one airport as it works to return to profitability.

“Lauderdale has been a star for us,” JetBlue President Marty St. George said this month, describing the airline’s rapidly expanding presence at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The strategy includes significantly more flights, new international destinations, premium cabin offerings, and potentially a new airport lounge. For an airline still working through losses and restructuring efforts, Fort Lauderdale has become a centerpiece of its recovery plan.

On June 1, JetBlue raised its revenue outlook for the year, citing stronger-than-expected demand.

Part of the opportunity emerged from a competitor’s collapse.

Spirit Airlines, long the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale, ceased operations on May 2 after years of financial struggles and mounting debt. While JetBlue had already been growing its presence at the airport, Spirit’s exit created an opening to capture additional gates, routes, and customers.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, JetBlue now controls approximately 36% of airport capacity, up from about 24% a year ago, making it the largest airline at Fort Lauderdale.

Between May and June alone, JetBlue increased capacity by roughly 5%, even as several competitors reduced service during Florida’s slower summer travel season.

The growth has been dramatic.

JetBlue is averaging approximately 106 daily departures from Fort Lauderdale this year, compared with roughly 68 flights per day a year earlier.

During peak winter travel periods, including Presidents Day and major school vacation weeks, the airline expects to operate around 150 daily flights, bringing Fort Lauderdale close to the scale of Boston Logan International Airport, one of JetBlue’s largest hubs.

Longer term, the airline has indicated it could eventually exceed 250 daily flights from the airport by 2027.

One of the most visible signs of JetBlue’s ambitions is its expanding lounge strategy.

The carrier entered the airport lounge business only recently, opening its first BlueHouse Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. A second location is planned for Boston in 2026.

Fort Lauderdale could become the third.

St. George said the airline continues evaluating potential locations and believes the growing number of premium travelers makes a lounge a logical addition. Airport officials have also expressed support for the project.

International service is another major focus.

Fort Lauderdale has long served as a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, and JetBlue has been expanding aggressively. The airline recently announced new service to Caracas, Venezuela, while adding approximately 20 new routes from the airport over the past year.

The goal is to attract more international travelers and diversify revenue beyond traditional domestic leisure routes.

Premium offerings are increasingly central to that strategy.

JetBlue built its reputation on affordable fares but is now targeting higher-spending travelers through expanded Mint service, a new domestic first-class product known as Mini Mint, and enhanced loyalty and credit-card programs tied to future lounge access.

The airline says Fort Lauderdale has exceeded internal expectations, with revenue growth continuing even as capacity expands.

That growth is especially important because JetBlue remains unprofitable.

The airline reported a $319 million first-quarter loss in 2026, compared with a $208 million loss during the same period a year earlier. Higher fuel costs and operational challenges offset stronger passenger demand.

Revenue rose nearly 5% to $2.24 billion, while revenue per available seat mile increased 6.5%, near the high end of company guidance.

JetBlue ended the quarter with approximately $2.4 billion in cash, along with access to an unused $600 million credit facility.

The company’s broader turnaround initiative, known as JetForward, aims to generate approximately $310 million in additional earnings this year and between $850 million and $950 million by 2027.

Chief Executive Officer Joanna Geraghty has described the strategy as a combination of network optimization, cost reductions, and premium revenue growth.

According to St. George, all of JetBlue’s projected second-quarter growth is coming from Fort Lauderdale, where the airline expects seat revenue to rise between 7% and 11%.

JetBlue is also benefiting from its recently announced Blue Sky partnership with United Airlines, allowing customers to earn and redeem loyalty rewards across both carriers’ networks.

The airline’s largest competitor in South Florida remains American Airlines, which operates a major international hub at nearby Miami International Airport.

There are still risks.

Fuel prices remain volatile, the airline continues to operate at a loss, and passenger traffic at Fort Lauderdale declined slightly last year after years of strong growth.

JetBlue, Broward County, and airport officials are also completing a new five-gate Terminal 5 expansion designed to accommodate future growth.

For now, the airline is making a clear bet: that Fort Lauderdale can become the engine that powers JetBlue’s return to sustainable profitability.

Travel & Aviation — JBizNews Desk

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

Following the publication of a State Comptroller’s report revealing that thousands of terrorists and unlawful combatants were released due to prison overcrowding, MK Meir Porush has sharply criticized the government’s priorities, calling the situation “a moral bankruptcy.”

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the Degel HaTorah lawmaker pointed to the report’s findings that security prisoners were released back to Gaza because of a lack of prison space.

Porush described the situation as “systemic bankruptcy” and said it reflects “hypocrisy that cries out to Heaven.”

Contrasting the release of terrorists with the government’s efforts to arrest yeshiva bochurim and avreichim over the draft issue, Porush questioned what he described as a distorted set of priorities.

“How can it be,” Porush wrote, “that the state suddenly finds the resources to throw young Jewish men into prison whose only ‘crime’ is their dedication to the Torah of Israel, while at the same time endangering the security of its citizens by releasing terrorists under the claim that ‘there is no room in the prisons’?”

Porush argued that while authorities claim prison overcrowding prevents the continued detention of terrorists, they are simultaneously investing significant manpower, budgets, and enforcement resources to locate, arrest, and incarcerate bnei yeshiva.

He concluded by calling on the ministers to intervene immediately and halt what he described as the “persecution” of the Torah world, urging the government to direct its enforcement efforts toward imprisoning Hamas terrorists rather than yeshiva students.

“The Torah world will not remain silent in the face of this distortion of justice and morality,” Porush wrote.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Prominent Israeli political analyst Amit Segal urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to urgently separate from U.S. President Donald Trump, warning that Trump’s push for agreements with Iran could undermine Israel’s security interests in Lebanon.

In an analysis published Monday, Segal argued that Netanyahu’s close alignment with Trump — once seen as a political boon — now poses significant risks as the U.S. administration advances diplomacy that could constrain Israeli operations against Hezbollah.

“Out of necessity and ambition, Netanyahu hitched his cart to Trump’s — and now, with Trump driving headlong toward the cliff, he has to figure out how to unhitch before they both go over,” Segal wrote.

The shift marks a sharp change from expectations just weeks ago, when Trump was anticipated to bolster Netanyahu’s political standing through a potential pre-election visit, endorsements and achievements on Gaza and Iran. Those prospects now appear uncertain, Segal noted, amid questions over a possible pardon and broader U.S. policy shifts. The dynamics could also influence President Isaac Herzog’s considerations.

Netanyahu faces what Segal described as the greatest challenge in his three decades of navigating U.S. presidents. Unlike his 2015 address to Congress opposing then-President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, current political realities limit such maneuvers. A Republican-controlled House is unlikely to challenge Trump, and Democratic leaders show little inclination to support Netanyahu.

“Netanyahu’s real problem is less a bad ceasefire in Iran than the continued fire from Lebanon,” Segal wrote, citing a senior Israeli cabinet minister: “Iran is Trump’s problem, and it is his right to go there and make a deal — but Lebanon is ours.”

Tensions escalated over the weekend when Hezbollah fired on northern Israel, violating a recent ceasefire, prompting Israeli strikes on a Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb. Trump reportedly reacted sharply, questioning Israel’s actions for the second consecutive week and criticizing Netanyahu for lacking discretion.

Segal outlined two possibilities for Hezbollah’s breach: either an independent rejection of the deal, deemed unlikely, or an Iranian-orchestrated move to corner Israel. Striking back risks alienating Trump, while restraint could entrench Hezbollah’s ability to attack without consequences in Beirut. The analyst suggested this aligns with Iranian efforts — potentially with U.S. acquiescence — to restore pre-Oct. 7, 2023, realities in Lebanon.

Details of the Lebanon agreement remain unclear, with possibilities ranging from a fragile ceasefire prone to tit-for-tat exchanges to demands for full Israeli withdrawal from security zones. Defense Minister Israel Katz has rejected the latter, stating that Israel Defense Forces will remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza without a time limit.

Segal concluded that Netanyahu’s only viable path is to stand firm against U.S. pressure on Lebanon.

“This is our war, forced upon us, and we must not accept the Iranian equation — even at the cost of a sharp confrontation with the president of the United States,” the cabinet minister told Segal. Israel cannot allow its security to be dictated from Washington, he added.

Such a stance could enable Netanyahu to rebrand politically, shifting from Trump ally to resolute opponent — a move that might test but ultimately preserve his leadership, Segal suggested.

Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert is accusing the Transportation Ministry of delaying critical solutions to the city’s worsening traffic crisis, while also warning of an ongoing shortage of educational facilities ahead of the upcoming school year.

In an interview with Avi Mimran on Kol Chai Radio’s flagship news program, Zeibert discussed the city’s readiness for potential security developments and outlined what he described as major transportation and infrastructure challenges facing Bnei Brak.

Addressing security preparedness, Zeibert said the municipality is operating according to established emergency plans and does not currently require any extraordinary measures.

Most of the interview focused on the city’s transportation problems. Zeibert explained that after renovation work on Chazon Ish Street, the municipality agreed to temporarily reroute buses to Aharonovitch Street while a broader transportation plan was developed.

According to the mayor, the current arrangement has created a serious imbalance. “Jabotinsky Street is one long traffic jam, while Chazon Ish Street is practically empty,” he said.

Zeibert argued that the Transportation Ministry has been delaying the return of some bus routes to Chazon Ish Street despite earlier agreements to do so.

He said the existing traffic patterns are causing major hardships for residents and commuters.

“A person can spend an hour and a half just trying to leave the city,” Zeibert stated, adding that dividing bus traffic between Chazon Ish and Aharonovitch Streets would significantly reduce congestion.

“We can decide today that some buses will travel on Chazon Ish and some on Aharonovitch, and that would solve a large part of the problem,” he said.

The mayor also discussed the long-delayed central bus terminal planned for the Coca-Cola Junction area, a project that has been under discussion for approximately 15 years.

According to Zeibert, while parts of the Transportation Ministry support the project, other officials within the ministry continue to file objections that have stalled progress.

“The investor has already put up the money, purchased the land, and everything is standing still,” he said.

Zeibert noted that additional transportation solutions have been proposed, including transit terminals near Geha Junction and along Jabotinsky Street, but said no final decisions have been made.

He also expressed frustration over delays in advancing dedicated public transportation lanes.

“I’ve been waiting five months for a meeting and nobody has met with me,” Zeibert said.

According to the mayor, a new residential neighborhood in northern Bnei Brak is also awaiting transportation infrastructure approvals that have yet to materialize.

Turning to education, Zeibert acknowledged that the city continues to face a shortage of school buildings and classroom space.

He said Bnei Brak currently spends between NIS 30 million and NIS 40 million annually on rental costs for educational facilities.

The mayor noted that Bnei Brak was the first municipality to establish kindergartens in public spaces located beneath residential buildings as part of efforts to address growing demand.

“Buildings are still lacking,” Zeibert admitted.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the city will be ready when the new academic year begins, emphasizing that schools are expected to open on schedule despite the ongoing challenges.

{Matzav.com}

When TLS first reported about Shabbify’s launch just weeks ago, it was a simple idea from a Lakewood developer — give frum Shopify store owners a way to fully disconnect for Shabbos without worrying about their online store. Now, over 20 stores are using the free app, and that number continues to grow.

Shabbify automatically closes a Shopify store before Shabbos and Yom Tov based on the store’s location and candle lighting times, displays a custom closure message to visitors, and reopens the store automatically after Shabbos ends. Setup takes about two minutes. There are no fees — ever.

NEW FEATURES:

Since launch, three features have been added based on community feedback:

Full Store Blocking — Shabbify now offers the option to completely block access to your entire store during Shabbos and Yom Tov. Previously, store owners could choose to block only checkout or block add-to-cart and checkout. Now there’s a third option: visitors see your closure message and nothing else — for complete peace of mind.

Custom Location Override — Store owners who are located in a different place than their Shopify store address can now set a custom location for zmanim. For example, if your store address is in the US but you are in Eretz Yisrael, Shabbify will now respect the local zmanim of your actual location instead of forcing you to use the shop’s address.

Chatzos Closure Option — For those who want to be machmir, Shabbify now offers the option to close your store at chatzos instead of the standard candle lighting time.

The app was made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of Bernard Warman and the Modular Closets team, who funded the project to benefit the broader community.

Shabbify is available now on the Shopify App Store: http://apps.shopify.com/shabbify

Developed by Stronger eCommerce — https://strongerecommerce.com

LONDON (AP) — Britain will ban children aged under 16 from using a range of social media apps, including Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.

The plan was met with mixed reaction, with some praising Starmer for taking action and others questioning the effectiveness of a blanket ban.

YouTube and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, warned Monday that a blanket social media restriction could push kids into unregulated online spaces.

“Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services,” a YouTube spokesperson said. Meta said a ban could drive teens to online spaces without any parental controls.

Starmer acknowledged the challenges, but said: “I do believe we can enforce it.”

He added: “Teenagers drink before they should, but we do not then say, ‘in which case let us abandon any attempt to stop them buying alcohol.’”

Starmer — who is under pressure to step down from members of his own party over what they see as poor leadership and could face a challenge from within his Labour Party in the coming days or weeks — acknowledged that some teenagers would try to find their way around a ban. But he said he is “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”

“Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,” said Starmer, who has two teenage children. “I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.”

‘Big moment for our country’
The ban, which is expected to take effect early next year, makes the U.K. part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.

The U.K. plans to follow the same model for a social media ban as Australia, which last year became the first country to bar under-16s from holding social media accounts. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to exclude children younger than 16 could be punished with multimillion-dollar fines.

The U.K. said its ban will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but not YouTube Kids or messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal. Starmer stressed that enforcement action will target tech companies, not children.

Starmer said the move was a “big moment for our country,” adding that he will go further than Australia’s measures.

He said the government will act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. Authorities are also considering additional measures including overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for those under 18. More details are expected next month.

Some skepticism over whether a ban will work
The decision follows a public comment period in which the government received 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry and children. More than 90% of respondents wanted an under-16 ban, the government said.

Ellen Roome, a children’s online safety campaigner whose son took his own life at 14 years old, welcomed the move. She believes her son died after an online challenge went wrong and has campaigned for legal reforms to give parents access to children’s social media accounts after their death.

“The tech companies, if they wanted to make changes, they could have done that by now. They’ve chosen not to do it,” she said. “We need to come down hard on them. If they’re not going to do it, we need to be very strict.”

But others say research in Australia has shown that age verification is difficult to enforce, and that a blanket ban seemed to be a snap decision that does not address a deeper problem — the way social media algorithms push harmful content to young people.

“This is far too easy to work around. It is based on age verification tools that have been shown to be ineffective to date,” said Kate Edwards, head of education at the Molly Rose Foundation, which was set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who died by suicide after being exposed to self-harm content online.

“It does nothing to address the actual problem itself, the harmful algorithms, the harmful content that is existing on those platforms,” Edwards added.

Meta shares “the goal of keeping teens safe online,” a spokesperson said, adding: “Which is why we developed Teen Accounts to automatically limit who can contact them and the content they see. Like others, we don’t think bans will achieve this goal.”

Meta said the move by Australia had shown how “bans risk isolating teens from online communities and information.”

Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need.

“There is a real risk this will drive some users to worse sites and policing devices is close to impossible technically,” Crowcroft said.

Other critics including the Open Rights Group have expressed concerns about age verification companies and how users’ private data is protected.

U.S. opposes the move
The ban could further inflame tensions with the U.S., which has warned that regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in London. It said it was also concerned that regulations would place greater burdens on American technology companies.

Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders at a Group of Seven summit in France that starts Monday.

“I honestly think that across world leaders, there has always been a recognition that leaders have to take steps to protect children,” he said. “I don’t think that’s controversial.”

The price of a new vehicle has finally stopped climbing — at least temporarily.

According to Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company, the average new-vehicle transaction price in the United States was $49,220 in May, down 0.5% from April’s $49,456 and up just 1.2% from a year ago.

While the decline is modest, it represents the smallest annual increase of 2026 and offers evidence that the rapid vehicle-price escalation that defined recent years may finally be slowing.

The relief, however, remains limited.

For millions of Americans, a vehicle priced near $50,000 remains financially out of reach.

The current affordability challenge traces back to the supply shortages that disrupted the automotive industry during and after the pandemic. Inventory shortages pushed prices to record levels, and although supply chains have largely recovered, prices have remained elevated.

Ownership costs have also continued to rise.

Insurance premiums, maintenance expenses, repair costs, and financing rates have all increased significantly over the past several years. Cox Automotive analysts note that these combined costs have created affordability challenges for many middle-income and lower-income households.

The used-car market shows a similar pattern.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rose 0.3% in May and remains approximately 3.1% higher than a year ago. Because wholesale pricing typically influences retail prices several weeks later, analysts expect used-car prices to remain firm throughout the summer.

Government data tells a similar story.

The latest Consumer Price Index report showed new-vehicle prices falling 0.3% in May, while used-vehicle prices increased 0.1%. The changes suggest stabilization rather than a significant decline.

Affordability remains the industry’s biggest challenge.

Cox Automotive projects 15.8 million new-vehicle sales in 2026, a decline of approximately 2.4% from 2025, citing affordability concerns as the primary reason.

Many consumers accelerated purchases earlier in the year to avoid potential tariff-related price increases, leaving fewer buyers willing to spend near-record prices today.

One important detail often gets overlooked.

The industry average is heavily influenced by high-priced pickup trucks and luxury vehicles. Removing many of those premium vehicles from the calculation produces an average transaction price closer to $39,000, creating a substantially different affordability picture.

Compact cars and smaller crossovers continue to represent the most accessible segments of the market.

Electric vehicles are also becoming more competitive.

Tesla reduced average pricing approximately 1% from April and 3.4% from a year ago, helping narrow the gap between EVs and traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Because Tesla represents a significant share of the U.S. EV market, its pricing decisions influence industry-wide averages.

Trade policy also remains a factor.

Many of the lowest-priced vehicles sold in the United States are assembled outside the country and therefore remain exposed to tariffs and other import-related costs. That reality limits how much relief consumers may see at the lower end of the market.

For buyers, the takeaway is straightforward.

Vehicle prices are no longer rising at the pace seen during the pandemic years, but they are not falling meaningfully either.

Combined with elevated financing costs, higher insurance premiums, and increased ownership expenses, affordability remains one of the biggest challenges facing American households.

The market may be cooling.

The cost of owning a car is not.

JBizNews Desk — Automotive

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

For decades on 13th Avenue in Boro Park, a deli sat beneath a neon sign shaped like a crown that never quite lit up. The food was good, but that was rarely the point. The woman behind the counter fed everyone who walked in, whether they could pay the bill or not. That was Mrs. Rivka Rubashkin a”h, and for two generations of Boro Parkers, a meal at Crown’s Deli was as much about her as it was about the food.

Mrs. Rubashkin a”h, matriarch of the Rubashkin family, was niftar late Sunday. She was in her late 90s.

She was the wife of Reb Avraham Aaron Rubashkin OBM, the kosher meat pioneer and patriarch of a large Lubavitch family, who passed away in 2020. While his name became synonymous with an industry he helped transform, hers became attached to something quieter and harder to measure: a home, and a table, that no one was ever turned away from.

Crown’s was the most public expression of that. She ran the restaurant at 4909 13th Avenue from its founding in 1960 , and for the half-century it operated, neighbors understood it less as a business than as a place of chessed. It had the reputation of a soup kitchen as much as a deli, with Mrs. Rubashkin feeding anyone who was hungry for free. It never turned a profit, and was never meant to. Longtime customers still speak of her cooking by name: a cabbage strudel she was known for, potato and kasha knishes, an apple strudel . Some families made a yearly trip on the night of Bedikas Chometz, not only for supper but to bring their children over for a bracha from Mrs. Rubashkin.

The same spirit defined her home. The Rubashkins had settled in Boro Park after arriving in New York, and as her husband built the businesses that would reshape kosher food in America, she kept a house with an open door. Yeshiva bochurim, struggling families, newly arrived immigrants, and complete strangers found a meal, a bed, or simply the warmth of a Yiddishe home. Much of what she gave was given privately. Many who were helped never learned where the help had come from.

Her own story began far from Brooklyn. Born Rivka Chazanov of the Chein family of Nevel, she fled the town after the German occupation in July 1941 and made her way east, marrying R’ Avraham Aaron Rubashkin in the Uzbek city of Samarkand. After the war the family left the Soviet Union by way of Lemberg, spent time in Austria, and settled in Paris in 1947. In 1953 they came to New York, where her husband and his partner R’ Alter Lieberman opened Lieberman & Rubashkin Glatt Kosher Butchers on 14th Avenue, the shop later known simply as Rubashkin’s.

Over the years she and her husband supported a wide range of Jewish and communal causes, and quietly carried families in need, yeshiva students, and widows. The home they built was rooted in Torah and Chassidus, and its generosity reached well beyond the people they knew by name.

Mrs. Rubashkin is survived by her children, Mrs. Gitel Goldman of Miami Beach, FL; Mrs. Sara Balkany of Boro Park; Mrs. Rochel Leah Rosenfeld of Tzfas; R’ Yossi Rubashkin of Crown Heights; R’ Moshe Rubashkin of Crown Heights; R’ Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin of Jackson, NJ; Mrs. Chayala Gourarie of Crown Heights; R’ Heshy Rubashkin of Postville, IA; and Mrs. Chana Zelda Minkowicz of Crown Heights, along with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Meir Simcha Chazanow and Rochel Leah Dagan, and was predeceased by her siblings Basya Kalmenson and Miriam Chazanow.

The levaya will take place today, Monday. The procession will pass her home at 5500 15th Avenue in Boro Park at 12:15 PM, reach 770 Eastern Parkway at 2:15 PM, and arrive near the Ohel at 3:30 PM.

Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a significant ruling that could reshape how Israel’s Aviation Services Law is applied, the Yerushalayim District Court has completely overturned a nearly NIS 21,000 judgment against Israir, ruling that a flight delayed by 5.5 hours does not qualify as a canceled flight under the law. The court also described the passengers’ lawsuit as “exaggerated and inflated.”

The case stemmed from a couple’s purchase of airline tickets to Budapest for approximately $440. One day before departure, they were informed that, due to security-related disruptions, their flight schedule had been changed. Israir offered them seats on an alternative flight departing the same day, roughly five and a half hours later than originally planned.

The passengers chose not to travel and subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking NIS 29,000 in damages. A Small Claims Court partially accepted their arguments and ordered Israir to pay approximately NIS 21,000.

‘Neither Reasonable Nor Proportionate’

That decision was completely reversed on appeal.

In her ruling, Judge Tamar Bar-Asher emphasized that under Israel’s Aviation Services Law, a flight is considered canceled only if it does not operate at all or departs at least eight hours later than scheduled. Since the replacement flight departed only 5.5 hours after the original departure time, the statutory threshold for cancellation was not met.

The judge sharply criticized the original award, writing that “the obligation to pay 21,000 shekels for a transaction that cost approximately 1,190 shekels is an unreasonable and disproportionate result that has no place.”

She further described the passengers’ original claim as “exaggerated and inflated” and vacated all financial obligations imposed on the airline.

The ruling sends a clear message that relatively minor scheduling changes—particularly those arising from security-related circumstances—do not automatically entitle passengers to substantial compensation.

The decision joins a growing body of recent rulings addressing disputes between airlines and passengers and provides greater clarity regarding the limits of airline liability during periods of operational disruption.

Potential Impact on the Aviation Industry

The ruling comes at a particularly sensitive time for Israel’s aviation sector.

In recent months, Israeli airlines have faced extraordinary security challenges that have forced repeated schedule changes and operational adjustments. Several carriers recently introduced more flexible cancellation policies in response to ongoing regional tensions.

The court’s decision makes clear that airlines are not automatically required to compensate passengers whenever a flight schedule changes. Rather, compensation under the law generally applies only when a flight is fully canceled or delayed by at least eight hours.

In cases falling short of those thresholds, passengers must demonstrate actual and tangible damages in order to recover compensation.

Legal observers note that lawsuits against airlines have increased significantly in recent years, with some claims seeking unusually large awards. The Israir ruling may serve as an important precedent, helping courts distinguish between legitimate passenger claims and efforts to capitalize on travel disruptions for financial gain.

{Matzav.com}

photos: Hillel Las"h

President Donald Trump arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday ahead of the G7 summit, just one day after announcing an agreement aimed at ending the U.S. war with Iran.

The gathering of G7 leaders in France is expected to center on the ongoing Iran conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other major international challenges.

Trump is scheduled to spend two days at the Group of Seven summit in the resort town of Evian-les-Bains, where both the Iran war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are expected to dominate discussions.

After beginning military action against Iran on Feb. 28, Trump has criticized European allies for failing to do enough to support U.S. objectives in the conflict.

Taking a swipe at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said in the spring: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”

European leaders, meanwhile, have pushed back, arguing Trump did not consult them before launching a war they believe could have been avoided.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit, has called Trump’s military campaign against Iran “outside the framework of international law.”

Despite the tensions, Trump and other G7 leaders are expected to meet with Middle Eastern officials as he continues efforts toward a final peace agreement with Iran.

On Tuesday, Trump and fellow leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss possible paths toward ending the war under conditions they consider fair.

During a tense Oval Office meeting last year, Trump famously told Zelenskyy he “doesn’t have the cards,” urging him to accept a ceasefire. Since then, Ukraine’s military has strengthened its position against Russia through the use of advanced drones that have challenged Russian forces.

Analysts, European officials, and some Republican lawmakers say Zelenskyy now holds a stronger position than he did in 2025. Ukraine’s battlefield resilience has given Trump greater leverage to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw forces and end the war, they argue. The key question is whether Trump will act on that leverage.

“The Russians seem to be on their back foot,” said William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who is now with the Atlantic Council think tank.

Asked what Trump might say during the G7 gathering, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC News: “He’s going to vent about their lack of support in Iran. And I’m hoping he’ll reset and re-engage in Ukraine-Russia. I hope he will understand that Ukraine is more than holding their own and now is the time put pressure on Putin to get this thing over with.”

One unpredictable factor at any Trump summit appearance is his mood. He is traveling to Evian directly after the Ultimate Fighting Championship event he organized on the White House grounds, which he had eagerly looked forward to attending.

Trump announced Sunday that he had reached a breakthrough in the Iran war, writing on his social media platform that a “deal” with Iran had been reached and that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz shipping route would reopen without Iran imposing a transit fee. That was the situation before the conflict began. The agreement’s durability will depend largely on whether Iran eventually moves toward developing a nuclear weapon.

Even if Trump arrives at the summit feeling optimistic, previous meetings with Western leaders have sometimes frustrated him. During a 2018 G7 meeting in his first term, Trump refused to sign the joint statement and criticized host Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “very dishonest and weak.”

The following year, Trump questioned whether the G7 was still worthwhile, according to a CNN report.

This year, Macron is attempting to prevent another clash among leaders.

France delayed the summit by one day so Trump would not have to miss the UFC event, which took place around the time of his 80th birthday.

After the summit concludes, Trump will travel at Macron’s invitation to the Palace of Versailles for a private dinner with the French president.

“President Macron extended this private invitation for him to go to Versailles for this extravagant dinner, knowing that you know President Trump is one to enjoy the pomp and circumstance for an invitation that doesn’t sound like it’s been extended” to other world leaders, said Ned Price, a former State Department spokesman in Joe Biden’s administration.

Still, disagreements built up over the past year have created lasting distrust. Trump entered his second term suggesting Canada could become the 51st state and alarmed European leaders by threatening to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.

The two wars are another major source of friction, with leaders on both sides of the Atlantic accusing each other of failing to deliver what is needed.

European governments, concerned about a stronger Russia, have united in blaming Putin for the conflict and say Ukraine’s independence must be protected. Before the summit, a Macron aide told reporters that France wants members to agree on continuing support for Ukraine and does not want Kyiv forced to surrender territory to Russia.

Trump, however, has taken a less committed stance, at times criticizing Zelenskyy for refusing compromises that could quickly end the fighting. Trump’s repeated position is that the war must end as soon as possible. European leaders worry that his desire for a deal could lead to Russia gaining territory it does not currently control and that belongs to Ukraine.

“We need the war to end. We’re happy to have that happen, however possible,” a senior Trump administration official told reporters in a briefing last week.

For Trump, Europe’s hesitation to support the Iran operation has reinforced his belief that U.S. allies may not stand with Washington when needed.

“The paradox is the U.S. is telling us in Europe that we need to do more in Iran,” a European Union official, speaking on condition of anonymity told NBC. “And there are a lot of Europeans who’ve said the U.S. has left us alone with Ukraine. It goes both ways.”

Ahead of the summit, Putin and Zelenskyy separately called Trump to congratulate him on his birthday. Both leaders also raised the war, presenting arguments that could influence Trump as he meets with allies near Lake Geneva.

Zelenskyy said he discussed battlefield developments and “how our position has strengthened.”

Putin, meanwhile, praised Trump’s determination and resilience.

“The Russian president did not hide his respect for Donald Trump’s fighting qualities, his ability to take a hit, successfully overcome obstacles, and persistently achieve his goals,” a Russian read-out of the nearly hourlong call said.

SEATTLE (AP) — A group of Democratic senators and one Republican, as well as two Democratic House committees, sent letters Monday to the National Science Foundation asking it to reverse course on its plan to dismantle a sprawling ocean monitoring network, with House lawmakers going further and accusing the agency of acting illegally.

The Ocean Observatories Initiative is a network of more than 900 ocean sensors built at a cost of $386 million. Over the last decade it has tracked ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change and extreme weather, producing data freely available to the public and informing more than 500 scientific publications. The project was slated to run another 15 to 20 years.

The National Science Foundation had directed the removal of most of the system’s instruments from waters off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland by 2027 — a decision scientists said came with no warning and no scientific review. The independent federal agency, which was established by Congress, described the move not as a cancellation but as a “descoping” aligned with a strategy to prioritize “evolving scientific priorities and emerging technologies.” The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget had included a 55% cut to the agency.

‘Supreme stupidity’
“It just seems like this is supreme stupidity and a violation of the fundamental distribution of powers in our Constitution,” Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon told The Associated Press. “This program is authorized, it’s funded, and for the administration to shut it down without direction from Congress violates that vision in which the people’s representatives decide what’s done and funded, and the executive branch executes that vision.”

Merkley and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska co-led the letter, which was also signed by Democratic Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Ron Wyden of Oregon. It urged the National Science Foundation, or NSF, to halt the dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative and conduct a thorough review, including consultation with the marine science community, before any further action is taken.

“Eliminating most of this complex ocean monitoring system threatens the safety of our coastal communities while undermining our nation’s ability to monitor coastal environments, marine currents, and extreme weather events,” the senators wrote.

In a sharper rebuke, Democrats from the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee sent a joint letter demanding the agency “cease this expensive, destructive, and — crucially — illegal action at once.” The letter was led by Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jared Huffman of California, the top Democrats on their respective committees, and was signed by 23 Democratic members from each panel.

In a June 3 statement, the NSF said its decision drew in part on a 2025 National Academies report on the future of ocean science. “NSF remains committed to ocean science and will continue working with the scientific community on high-priority research objectives,” it wrote.

Cuts seen as sign of broader retreat
The ocean observatory cuts are part of a broader retreat from environmental and climate-related science under President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which has moved to scale back research programs, reduce staffing at agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, and ease emissions regulations.

Federal appropriations law requires the NSF to notify the House and Senate Appropriations Committees at least 30 days in advance of any planned decommissioning of agency-owned facilities or assets valued at more than $2.5 million. The House letter said no such notification had been transmitted.

Merkley said he learned of the dismantling through news reports.

“It was like the alarm bells just went off,” he said. “None of us knew about this, and there didn’t appear to have been any consultation or any scientific commission or stakeholders that were leading to this.”

Merkley said his office is still confirming whether formal notification was given, but he added: “If there was no notification, this would appear to be illegal.”

He and Murkowski planned to file legislation Monday that would prohibit the NSF from spending federal funds to decommission instruments until a thorough review has been completed.

Pulling buoy off Oregon coast
Scientists are scheduled to begin pulling the first buoy off the Oregon coast on Tuesday.

In their letter, the senators cited the approaching El Niño — a periodic Pacific warming that disrupts weather patterns and supercharges marine heat waves — as evidence the cuts are particularly ill timed.

“The loss of this deep-water observation system would threaten our ability to prepare for and monitor future El Niño events,” they wrote, warning coastal communities, fishermen and emergency responders would be left without crucial information.

“Instead of paying for the valuable insights that can be gleaned from the 10-years-and-counting continuous monitoring, taxpayers are now paying for research vessels to span the ocean dredging up hundreds of pieces of instrumentation. This is pathetic,” the House letter states. “In a time of strained resources, the NSF is wasting time and money to destroy its own scientific infrastructure.”

While left-wing media outlets within Israel and without obsessively spew stories of “settler violence,” most of which are false or distorted by leaving out critical background information, Jews in Yehuda and Shomron suffered nine violent attacks by Palestinians on Sunday alone.

All went unreported, with only the Israeli Rescuers Without Borders organization recording the data.

Activist Ayelet Lash wrote on Sunday: “Fine, Kan News doesn’t report every daily stone‑throwing attack that ends ‘only’ with property damage. But look at this: Just today alone, nine Israelis were injured in attacks across Yehuda and Shomron, and the reporter from the publicly funded channel you all pay for [Kan] didn’t bother reporting a single one of them.”

10:30 – Stones thrown at Israelis north of Ein Yabrud in the Binyamin region. One injured, evacuated to Shaare Tzedek.

16:20 – A shepherd from the Elchai farm in the Shomron was injured after being assaulted by Palestinians with a metal bar near Sebastia.

17:00 – Terrorists threw stones from a passing vehicle at an Israeli car about 300 meters after Shavei Shomron. The driver lost control and overturned. Miraculously, four were injured and not killed. Two were evacuated to the hospital, and two were treated at the scene.

17:50 – Arabs threw rocks at visitors at a spring south of Deir Abu Mash’al in Binyamin. Three injured Israelis were evacuated for treatment.

“How is this rampant violence not being reported?” Lash asked. “And where is the regional IDF commander? Where is the government? How are you allowing this situation to escalate like this?”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

NEW YORK — Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire on Friday, when his rocket company SpaceX completed the largest stock-market debut in history, listing on the Nasdaq at $135 a share and raising $75 billion at a value of about $1.77 trillion. The milestone crowned a man who now controls a tangle of companies spanning rockets, electric cars, artificial intelligence, social media, brain implants and underground tunnels. Here is a guide to the Musk empire — how the pieces fit together, and how high his fortune could still climb.

At the center sits SpaceX, founded in 2002 and now far more than a rocket maker. It launches more rockets than most countries, runs the Starlink satellite-internet network — which reached 10.3 million subscribers early this year, double a year earlier — and is building toward sending people to Mars. The company that just went public is also bigger and stranger than the old SpaceX: over the past year Musk folded two of his other businesses into it. SpaceX has even asked regulators for permission to launch a “space cloud” of up to a million satellites to run AI computing in orbit, roughly a hundred times the size of Starlink today.

That makes the newly public SpaceX a three-in-one conglomerate. Musk’s AI company xAI, maker of the Grok chatbot, was absorbed into SpaceX in February. xAI had itself swallowed X, the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter, in March 2025. So a single company now owns rockets, satellites, a leading AI lab and one of the world’s largest social networks. Musk holds roughly 40% of it — a stake worth several hundred billion dollars on its own.

Then there is Tesla, the electric-car maker Musk has led for nearly two decades and long the source of much of his wealth. Worth around $1.2 trillion, Tesla is racing beyond cars into humanoid robots — its Optimus machine — and self-driving software, which it is shifting from a one-time purchase to a monthly subscription. Musk owns roughly 10% of the company, plus a set of stock options restored by Delaware’s highest court in December. Looming over all of it is a new pay package, approved by shareholders in November, that could hand him up to nearly $1 trillion in additional Tesla shares if the company hits a series of aggressive targets.

Further out on the frontier is Neuralink, Musk’s brain-implant company. Founded in 2016, it builds a coin-sized device, the N1, that lets paralyzed patients control computers with their thoughts, and it is testing a separate implant called Blindsight meant to restore vision. In its most recent funding round, Neuralink was valued at about $9 billion — a rounding error next to SpaceX and Tesla, but with outsized potential. The company plans to move from a handful of test patients to high-volume production this year, using a surgical robot to automate the implant procedure. If brain-computer interfaces become mainstream medicine, that $9 billion figure could multiply many times over, turning a science-fiction bet into a major business.

The empire’s odds and ends are still substantial. The Boring Company digs traffic tunnels and is worth billions on its own. Musk made his first fortune at PayPal in the early 2000s, and last year he served as a senior adviser to the President before stepping away. Several of his companies feed one another: Tesla has invested $2 billion in xAI and sold it hundreds of millions of dollars of battery packs, blurring the lines between his businesses.

Where could it all lead? Musk has already become the first person to pass $500 billion, $600 billion, $700 billion and $800 billion in net worth, all since late 2025, and now the first to cross a trillion. Almost none of that is cash. As he put it earlier this year, his fortune is “almost entirely due to my ownership stakes in Tesla and SpaceX.” That is exactly why it can keep climbing. If Tesla hits the milestones in its giant pay package, if SpaceX keeps rising from its $1.77 trillion debut, and if xAI and Neuralink grow into their promise, analysts and prediction markets see a path toward $2 trillion and beyond. The same concentration is also his biggest risk: a stumble at Tesla or a sell-off in SpaceX could erase hundreds of billions just as fast.

For now, Musk sits atop a collection of companies unlike anything one person has controlled before — touching how people drive, talk, connect to the internet, and perhaps one day think. The trillion-dollar question is whether so many world-changing bets, all tied to one man, can keep paying off at once.

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

Newly uncovered Hamas documents seized in Gaza suggest that, beyond the group’s murderous assault on Israeli civilians, a central objective of the October 7 attack was to derail the rapidly advancing normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The documents, analyzed by the Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center and revealed Sunday by Kan 11, shed light on internal Hamas discussions in the months and years leading up to the massacre carried out on Simchas Torah 5784. According to the findings, Hamas leadership viewed Saudi-Israeli normalization as a major strategic threat and sought ways to prevent it.

The records indicate that in February 2022—approximately 20 months before the October 7 attack—Hamas leaders in Gaza convened a meeting and approved the creation of a dedicated office tasked with managing what they described as the struggle against normalization.

According to minutes from the meeting, the office would be responsible for shaping strategy, ideology, policy, and operational plans related to opposing normalization efforts, while coordinating implementation across various branches of the organization.

One recommendation contained in the documents stated that Hamas should work to intensify unrest in Gaza, Yehudah and Shomron, and Yerushalayim in order to disrupt the normalization process between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Another document emphasized the importance of violence on the ground as a tool for undermining diplomatic progress. It argued that the Second Intifada had played a decisive role in derailing earlier normalization initiatives connected to the Arab Peace Initiative and suggested similar tactics could once again prove effective.

The documents further reveal that as 2023 progressed, Hamas leaders increasingly concluded that their efforts to halt normalization were failing to achieve the desired results.

According to the report, just two weeks before the October 7 attack, Hamas leaders held a crucial meeting devoted to the issue. During that session, then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar presented a position paper titled “Confronting the Saudi-Israeli Normalization Process.”

Minutes from the meeting quote Sinwar as declaring: “Normalization is an entirely evil disease, and there is no difference between one country and another in normalization. However, Saudi Arabia has a special status on the Arab and Islamic level and great influence, and this is a regrettable, troubling, reprehensible and bewildering step.”

Sinwar also launched a sharp attack on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stating: “Bin Salman seeks to establish his image as the leader of the region at the expense of all countries, including Egypt. Leadership of the region must pass through the Israeli gate in understanding with the Americans. His growing ambitions and political madness have implications for our issue and for the region, and herein lies the danger of this step.”

According to the documents, Sinwar argued that Hamas had a responsibility to strike Israel and send a message to nations pursuing normalization. He reportedly stated: “We will have a role in striking the Zionist enemy and sending a message to the normalization partners—that the Israeli occupation is not an oasis of security and stability. We may not succeed in stopping the move, but we will disrupt it and strip it of legitimacy.”

The documents also reveal that Hamas leadership held another pivotal meeting on October 2, 2023—five days before the massacre. It was reportedly the final leadership session before the attack.

During that meeting, Sinwar described Saudi-Israeli normalization efforts as a development that would lead to what he called “regional deterioration.”

His conclusion, according to the records, was that the advancing diplomatic process left Hamas with no alternative but to undertake what he termed an “extraordinary action.”

Sinwar reportedly declared: “There is no escaping an extraordinary action by the movement and the forces of the resistance axis to create a major shift or strategic turning point in the trajectories and balances of the region, regarding the Palestinian issue and confronting normalization and the collapse of the region.”

Five days later, Hamas launched its unprecedented assault on Israel.

Since the outbreak of the war, efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have effectively been frozen, a reality that continues to this day.

{Matzav.com}

Stocks climbed and oil prices fell sharply Monday morning as Wall Street welcomed the weekend agreement to end the war between the United States and Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking on CNBC, Vice President JD Vance said the administration expects the vital waterway to reopen “in a toll-free way for the long term,” with technical details still to be finalized. The agreement, which President Donald Trump declared “complete” in a Sunday evening social media post, sparked a broad market rally as investors moved quickly to remove the war premium that had pushed energy prices higher for months.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 600 points, or 1.2%. The S&P 500 gained 1.5% to around 7,546, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite led major indexes with a jump of roughly 2.3%. Smaller companies also participated in the rally, with the Russell 2000 moving higher. Treasury bonds gained, sending yields lower, while the U.S. dollar weakened against most major currencies.

The market reaction reflects expectations that lower oil prices could ease inflation pressures and reduce economic uncertainty. Energy costs became one of the most visible consequences of the conflict, contributing to a rise in consumer prices and increasing pressure on businesses and households alike.

The agreement also launches what promises to be a busy week for investors. The Federal Reserve begins its first policy meeting under new Chair Kevin Warsh on Tuesday, with a decision expected Wednesday. Most economists anticipate the central bank will leave interest rates unchanged in the 3.50% to 3.75% range, but markets will focus on any signals regarding inflation and future rate cuts.

Several key economic reports are also due this week, including housing and retail sales data. U.S. markets will be closed Friday in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said an official signing ceremony for the Iran agreement is expected to take place Friday in Switzerland.

SpaceX Remains Center Stage

Among individual stocks, SpaceX remained one of the market’s biggest stories. Shares climbed roughly 6% Monday after surging 19% during Friday’s debut. The company’s public offering valued the aerospace giant at more than $2 trillion, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Over the weekend, CEO Elon Musk posted on X that SpaceX could generate more than $1 trillion in annual revenue by 2030, adding to investor enthusiasm.

Wall Street remains divided on the stock’s valuation. Wolfe Research initiated coverage with a $175 price target, while CFRA issued a Sell rating with a $115 target. Morningstar estimated the company’s value at approximately $780 billion, arguing the stock is significantly overvalued and expressing concerns about Musk’s merger of SpaceX with artificial intelligence startup xAI.

The broader space sector also benefited from the excitement. Rocket Lab rose about 4% after KeyBanc Capital Markets upgraded the company to Overweight with a $135 price target. KeyBanc also upgraded Firefly Aerospace to Overweight and assigned a $50 target.

Energy Stocks Fall as Oil Retreats

Energy companies were among the market’s weakest performers as crude prices dropped.

APA Corp. and Devon Energy each fell more than 3.5%, while Marathon Petroleum and EOG Resources lost roughly 3%. Oil giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil declined more than 2.5%.

The decline reflected the sharp drop in crude prices after the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz reduced fears of supply disruptions.

At the same time, lower fuel prices boosted sectors that depend heavily on transportation costs. Airline and cruise company shares moved higher as investors anticipated relief from elevated jet fuel and marine fuel expenses.

Other Market Movers

Traws Pharma dropped approximately 17% after British regulators delayed a mid-stage clinical trial, disappointing investors who had hoped for faster progress.

Meanwhile, Madison Square Garden Sports gained ground following the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship since 1973, as enthusiasm surrounding the franchise boosted investor sentiment.

In commodities trading, West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell about 5% to near $80 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude dropped nearly 5%. Both remain well below the levels above $100 per barrel reached during the height of the conflict.

Bitcoin climbed above $66,000, reflecting renewed investor appetite for risk assets.

Despite the optimism, traders note that the agreement has not yet been formally signed. Weekend exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah highlighted how fragile the ceasefire remains, and President Trump has warned all parties against actions that could derail the process.

For now, however, financial markets are sending a clear message. With oil flowing again and fears of a broader regional conflict easing, investors are betting that the worst of the crisis is over — and that Friday’s planned signing ceremony in Switzerland will confirm it.

Wall Street – JBizNews Desk
© JBizNews.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or distribution without written permission is prohibited.

Five months out from the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans’ chances of maintaining control of Congress appear grim, new polling shows.

The Center Square’s newest Voters’ Voice Poll revealed that 47% of U.S. registered voters surveyed would vote for a Democratic candidate if elections were held today, while only 41% would vote for a Republican. Nine percent of voters haven’t made up their minds yet.

The poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights from June 1-4, 2026, surveying 2,585 registered U.S. voters. The sample was comprised of 915 Republicans, 1013 Democrats, and 297 True Independents, the latter of whom chose neither major party when asked about their political leanings.

Democrats’ lead has widened by five percentage points since the Voters’ Voice Poll in March, when support for Democratic versus Republican congressional candidates was split 44%-43%.

“Democrats are widening their lead on the congressional generic ballot because they’re not the party in power – I’m not saying the Democrats are doing spectacular here, and they’re really not, it’s really that people are just so dissatisfied, and there’s really not another option,” Mike Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, told The Center Square.

While the leanings of members in either of the two major political parties remain relatively stable, swing voters’ choices pose a growing threat to Republicans. A dismal 19% of Independents chose a Republican candidate, while 39% chose a Democratic candidate.

Although nearly a third of total Independents remain undecided, True Independents have shifted toward Democrats since March, with 20% now supporting a Democratic candidate and 10% supporting a Republican.

A whopping 49% of Independents are currently undecided, raising the stakes for Republicans as midterms draw closer.

Critical bipartisan legislation funding farmers and road infrastructure has lagged in Congress, and Republicans in both chambers initially blocked War Powers Resolutions to halt military hostilities in Iran that are driving up gas and food prices.

“Republicans have a problem on their hands. If these economic pain points continue or get worse, the worse it’s going to be for them for the midterms,” Noble said.

“What it’s doing is just pushing voters towards the Democrats. People are not happy, they’re feeling the economic pinch, and because of that, Republicans are hurting, and it’s benefiting Democrats,” he added. “So Republicans [will] want to get a handle on this sooner rather than later as we get closer to these November elections coming up.”

Notably, groups particularly sensitive to the rising costs of living are turning to Democrats, who have criticized recent price increases due to the Iran conflict, President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, and Republican infighting or inaction in Congress over cost-of-living issues like healthcare and housing.

The median annual household income in the U.S. was $83,730 in 2024, according to the United States Census Bureau.

The July Voters’ Voice Poll showed that Americans earning under $50,000 per year favored Democrats over Republicans, 49% to 39%.

The median income for Black households was about $32,000 less than that, while the median income for Hispanic voters was approximately $18,000 less than the overall median income.

Only 13% of Black voters and 38% of Hispanic voters said in the Voters’ Voice Poll that they would choose a Republican candidate.

Younger voters aged 18-29, who typically have the lowest salaries of any nonretired age group, also leaned left, with 55% supporting a Democrat and only 33% supporting a Republican. All age groups, however, favored Democrats at least slightly over Republicans.

Female voters, whose median income in 2024 was about $14,000 less than males’, supported a Democratic candidate by 52% and a Republican candidate by 35% in the poll, with 11% remaining unsure.

By contrast, 48% male voters surveyed supported Republicans, while 43% supported Democrats.

“What this tells us is that basically this cost of living [issue] is a dominant pressure point, and so until they can get this fixed, it’s just going to be a problem,” Noble said. “This is top of mind for folks, it’s impacting them, and again, it’s likely going to impact voting. I think also it impacts mostly those toss-up congressional seats, because those are the battlegrounds, that’s more where the persuadables outsize the partisans.”

Even without Republicans’ political woes, political parties in power generally perform poorly during midterm elections. In the current political climate, Noble added, Democrats’ best chance of regaining control of Congress is to focus on pocketbook issues rather than President Trump’s controversial actions.

“So I’m non-partisan, but if I was advising Democrats, they literally have the stupidest, simplest task ahead of them if they want to win,” Noble said. “It blows my mind, [because] Democrats still, to this day, haven’t figured out that attacking Trump does nothing for them. Trump is defined – people have their opinion of them. Just focus on the economy and costs, affordability. That’s all you’ve got to do.”

(The Center Square)

Israeli health officials and police are investigating a disturbing baby-food scare in Jerusalem after toddlers were hospitalized and later found to have traces of benzodiazepines, a class of sedative and anti-anxiety drugs used in adult medications such as Klonex and Valium.

According to Kan News, three toddlers from Jerusalem were taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem after showing symptoms including apathy and weakness. They were hospitalized for observation and later released. The Health Ministry has confirmed that it is investigating a possible link to fruit puree products made by the baby-food brand Prinok and purchased at Zol U’Begadol branches in Jerusalem.

At this stage, officials say they cannot determine whether the product caused the symptoms, and police are also involved as investigators examine all possible directions. The products reportedly were purchased as individual units, not as part of a multipack.

Benzodiazepines are not food additives, but rather they are powerful medications that can cause central nervous system depression, drowsiness, weakness and confusion, especially in young children. The symptoms described by the ministry are exactly the kind parents are now being told to watch for are unusual sleepiness, exhaustion, behavioral changes or confused speech.

The Health Ministry is urging parents who gave their children the suspected product to monitor them closely and contact their pediatrician if symptoms appear. Parents are also being asked to contact the ministry hotline at *5400 and report the child’s exposure to the product.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in an overnight barrage that killed at least 11 people and set fire to a world-renowned religious landmark, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials said Monday.

The attacks on the capital of Kyiv, and the second-largest city of Kharkiv, came after Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday. The exchange suggests Washington hasn’t given up on its diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

The war in Ukraine is also set to feature in talks Tuesday by G7 leaders at a summit in France. Zelenskyy and Trump are due to attend, with the Ukrainian leader pushing his country’s plight while the Iran war diverts international attention.

“This is how Russia shows the world its intention to continue the war,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, referring to the overnight attack on civilian sites that included the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery complex.

“It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries … and that this response be decisive and substantive; more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defense, especially anti-ballistic capabilities,” he said.

Children among the wounded in Kyiv
Zelenskyy said the Russian strikes killed 11 civilians and emergency workers and wounded 53 across Ukraine.

Five were killed in Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, where at least 30 others were also wounded, including two children aged 5 and 6, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s Military Administration.

A series of powerful explosions were heard across Kyiv, with a wave of ballistic missiles followed by Shahed drones as many people sought shelter underground. Clouds of black smoke drifted over the city.

Five strikes hit civilian sites in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district in under 30 minutes, Tkachenko said, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and a grocery store caught fire. In the Obolonskyi district, a nine-story residential building took a direct hit.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted defense and industrial facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, including enterprises and workshops producing components for long-range drones and cruise missiles. It said that a workshop producing medium- and long-range drones located on the premises of the Dovzhenko film studios in Kyiv was among the targets hit.

Russia also claimed to have hit Kyiv’s Radar plant, which it said makes drone components, and the Mayak plant that it said makes Ukraine’s Flamingo long-range cruise missiles. Military conscription offices in Kyiv were also struck, it said.

There was no immediate information about the 11th person killed in the attacks.

Religious site damaged in attack
In Kyiv, smoke billowed around the golden domes of the Dormition Cathedral in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a revered religious landmark.

Its roof caught fire during the attack, said Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He condemned the strike as another Russian crime “against humanity, against history, against Christianity,” and appealed for prayers to save the site.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches, including some underground, built between the 11th and 19th centuries. Some of the churches at the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 meters (2,000 feet).

Zelenskyy said the damage was caused by two Russian drones and called the attack Moscow’s “biggest crime yet against Christian culture.” He visited the scene with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and other government officials.

The cathedral, churches and other buildings overlook the Dnieper River and have been a pilgrimage site for centuries.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the attack was the “equivalent, for us French, of a bombing of Notre Dame” in Paris.

Ukraine’s National Commission for UNESCO, which coordinates the country’s cooperation with the U.N. educational, scientific and cultural body, urged the international community to step up pressure on Moscow to stop its invasion and to throw it out of the organization.

“By destroying Ukraine’s cultural heritage, (Russia) seeks to erase historical memory and inflicts damage upon the heritage of all humankind,” the commission said in a statement.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed, without offering evidence, that the complex was hit by one of Ukraine’s U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles, saying that it might have veered off course due to its age.

Russia fires more than 600 drones at Ukraine
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight, primarily targeting Kyiv, while also striking the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv.

The military said air defenses intercepted or electronically suppressed 632 aerial targets, including 50 missiles and 582 drones.

Preliminary data showed 20 ballistic missiles and 27 attack drones hit 42 locations across the country, while debris from intercepted drones fell at 12 sites.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 123 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Bitmine Immersion (NYSE:BMNR) bought 76,881 Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) last week, bringing total holdings to 5.62 million ETH as BMNR jumped 6% in pre-market Monday.

Buying Pace Stays Elevated As Bitmine Closes In On 5% ETH Supply Goal

Bitmine now holds 4.66% of Ethereum’s total supply of 120.7 million coins, putting the company 93% of the way to its stated goal of owning 5%. 

Chairman Tom Lee said the company is maintaining an elevated buying pace because the ETH price pullback does not reflect strengthening Ethereum fundamentals.

“We believe we are in the early stages of crypto spring,” Lee stated. “Bitmine is expected to reach the alchemy of 5% sometime in 2026,” he added. 

Total crypto, cash, marketable securities, and moonshot holdings now stand at …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The women of our community wear many hats. Between family, work, home, shopping, cooking, school projects, and everything in between, your days are busy and your perspectives matter.

At BoroPark24, we’re always looking for ways to bring you content that is relevant and enjoyable. But the best way to know what women want to see is simple: ask.

We want to hear what kinds of stories, features, guides, and other coverage you enjoy most. Your feedback will help shape future content and ensure that BoroPark24 continues to provide information that speaks to the interests and needs of women in our neighborhood.

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and as a thank you, two participants will win a $300 prize! The winners will be able to choose between a gift card to Loft Steakhouse or Sheer Bliss salon.

Take the survey today and help shape what’s next on BP24.

👇👇👇

Loading…

On June 17, former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (in office 2004 to 2011) will make history as the first person of his standing to appear before the National Court, cited by Judge José Luis Calama.

Zapatero’s camouflage as a diplomatic mediator in Venezuela since 2015 has rubbed away, exposing an accused whitewasher for the regime, who may have skipped official channels and gone straight to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for the 2021 bailout of the failing Venezuelan airline Plus Ultra during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Calama is examining whether Zapatero led a network that profited from lobbying for Plus Ultra, according to a report by ABC News.

Calama has identified some €1.95 million moved via front companies, falsified paperwork, and opaque financial routes, according to NBC News, as quoted by Quartz media on May 20.

Thanks to pressure from France, Switzerland, and the United States, Zapatero is now in the international spotlight and will soon be on the stand.

Calama’s 800-page indictment alleges that Zapatero held a “determinant influence” over Venezuelan oil transactions; that foreign buyers interested in Venezuelan crude had to submit their letters of intent directly to Zapatero.

The judge’s indictment adds that a corruption scandal at this scale, with the ex-prime minister at the center, could only have occurred with a high degree of political impunity in Spain.

Twists and turns of court documents widely discussed in Spain

Information about court documents, with new twists and turns, is published across the Spanish media daily and discussed ad nauseam in the bars and cafés. 

The funds provided for the bailout of the Plus Ultra airline were allegedly used to channel millions of euros to foreign corporate networks involved in Venezuelan gold and oil trades. Following the indictment, the judge froze approximately €490,000 in Zapatero-linked accounts, as well as the accounts of his daughters’ marketing company, What the Fav.

UDEF, a Spanish National Police unit for the investigation of money laundering and large-scale corruption, has conducted raids, including four simultaneous ones last month, targeting Zapatero’s and others’ offices or business premises, following an initial raid on the Plus Ultra airline headquarters at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. 

Calama alleges that Zapatero and people in his circle received €1.95m. ($2.11m.) in improper payments from the Plus Ultra bailout case.

The judge has issued international arrest warrants for Plus Ultra primary shareholders Venezuelan Rodolfo Reyes and María Aurora López, for alleged membership in a criminal organization, embezzlement, and money laundering, Democrata media reported on May 25.

In a May 19 report, El País explained: “The Attorney-General’s Office, led by Alejandro Luzón, has been looking since 2024 into the whereabouts of the bailout funds [for Plus Ultra] granted in March 2021, after receiving two information requests from authorities in Switzerland and France regarding alleged money laundering activities in those countries.”

In a May 28, 12-hour search and data clone raid on the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party’s (PSOE) iconic Madrid headquarters on Ferraz Street, the Civil Guard’s elite crime investigation unit and anti-corruption division (UCO), operating under judicial orders, turned up an alleged network used to discredit judicial cases. 

According to media reports, UCO uncovered extensive incriminating material, including high-end luxury jewels currently valued in the press at €1m., in Zapatero’s domains. The former prime minister claims the jewels are a family inheritance of his wife. 

Zapatero, in his role as diplomatic mediator in Venezuela, got Sánchez to agree to bail out the minuscule Venezuelan Plus Ultra airline during the COVID-19 pandemic, for €53m., a sum far beyond the worth of the airline. Judge Calama says a Dubai-based shell company was created to assist with covering the airline bailout’s money trail.

An immediate result of that bailout was a visit to Spain by then-Venezuelan-president Nicolás Maduro’s number two, vice president Delcy Rodriguez, who arrived on the tarmac at Barajas with many heavy suitcases and facing no controls. What those suitcases were filled with remains to be seen.

Part of the money Zapatero earned from his dealings with the Venezuelan regime may have been laundered through his two daughters’ marketing agency, coming from a consulting firm called Analisis Relevante. Currently, they have not been indicted. Speculation in the media is that if they are, Zapatero is likely to make a deal to spare them. That would bring the hot seat closer to Sánchez.

Sanchez’s corrupt associates become household names

IN TERMS of the ongoing corruption cases of those who have been closest to Sánchez, “Abalos,” “Koldo,” and “Aldama” have become household names across Spain in the past few years. 

José Luis Abalos, once Sánchez’s influential transport and development minister and former member of the Congress of Deputies, is in jail, awaiting sentencing this week, after three years.

It is expected that Abalos, from whom Sánchez has distanced himself, will receive a longish sentence, as will his aide, Koldo García, for their involvement in the famous “Caso Koldo,” an alleged scheme for the provision of cheaper and subpar COVID masks to the health services, playing with people’s lives during the pandemic.

Víctor de Aldama is accused of facilitating the mask business. He has cooperated with information-sharing with the judiciary since the case began. Aria media noted that “in the last two [court] sessions, it has become clear that Aldama had the ability to move around the Ministry of Transport headquarters, in the Nuevos Ministerios complex, as if he were one of them.”

The case has become a major political liability for Sánchez. The fate of Aldama appears to be where Zapatero’s (and therefore also the prime minister’s) future hangs most in the balance. 

If Aldama manages to avoid jail time altogether, a politcal analyst close to The Jerusalem Post said, it is possible that Julio “Julito” Martinez, Zapatero’s best friend, who is also under investigation, might also decide to cooperate with the judiciary.

Analisis Relevante, the corporate network that made payments to Zapatero’s daughters, is managed by Martinez. It is now alleged to have been created for the sole purpose of money-laundering kickbacks from Plus Ultra. In 2020, as Plus Ultra lobbied Zapatero for a Spanish government bailout, his daughters received an initial transfer of €25,400 from Analisis Relevante.

On May 19, in a raid on the offices of Zapatero, UDEF discovered a hidden safe containing over 100 luxury items, watches, and pieces of jewelry, as well as Martinez’s handwritten notes detailing transactions with Venezuela. 

Previously, when UDEF officers, on December 11 last year, raided Martinez’s home, they discovered €286,000 in cash hidden in cardboard boxes, radiators, and golf bags.

A MASSIVE cover-up operation is alleged to have been set in motion on the day that Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, was formally charged with corruption, influence peddling, and embezzlement after a two-year investigation in a ruling dated April 11, published two days later. 

At that point, the prime minister announced to the country that he was taking a pause for four days of reflection to decide whether or not to resign. He is alleged to have immediately called a meeting with his right-hand man, Santos Cerdan, then-PSOE organizational secretary (who resigned last year after a judge found “firm evidence” of his taking kickbacks on public construction contracts), and is alleged to have given the order to interfere with any processes against him. Cerdan was a busy man, so a woman called Leire Diez was the “operational person of Santos Cerdan,” the political analyst explained.

When agents from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard raided the home of Diez in December, in a sealed National Court investigation into an alleged judicial obstruction plot, they found copious evidence against her for allegedly orchestrating an operation to obstruct justice and derail corruption cases involving the PSOE or the government. They seized electronic devices, notebooks, and diaries. She was arrested and later released on bail 

During the Ferraz headquarters raid last month, the UCO acquired information linking Diez’s activities and travel expenses directly to the party leadership.

Information was also found on the activities of SEPI (the State Industrial Holdings Company), Correos (state postal service), Tragsa (a state-owned company), and EFE, the state news agency.

Diez’s notes and recordings span several years of plans, calls, meetings, ideas, negotiations, and notes on suspected corruption within public entities she worked for, or those she learned about from former SEPI president Vicente Fernández, with whom she maintained a romantic relationship. He also charged in this case.

Information stored by Diez indicates a direct attempt to tamper with evidence by then-transport minister Abalos, at the time, Sánchez’s number two in both the government and the socialist party.

UCO collects proof of attempts to shut investigation down

According to media reports, the UCO has collected proof of attempts at varying bureaucratic levels and even inside the Civil Guard to shut down the UCO’s investigation.

On Wednesday, Democrata media published that the State Attorney-General’s Office had ratified before National High Court Judge Santiago Pedraz, who is investigating the Diez case, the existence of two meetings between Diez, Cerdan’s lawyer, and a former high-ranking official linked to then-attorney-general Álvaro García Ortiz, who resigned as attorney-general in 2025, found guilty by the Supreme Court of revealing secrets in a mudslinging attack on Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso, a sharp critic of Sánchez. 

Diez is yet another person whom Sánchez denies knowing, in his classic: “I don’t know”; “I haven’t heard”; “I am not aware” meme-spawning response.

“Diez is the Holy Grail,” the analyst told the Post. “From her, many strings will unravel.”

AT A time when he could be nearing the end of his career, Sánchez chose to redirect public attention by praising the son of the arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, Arab Barghouti, who spoke at the Primavera Sound music festival in Barcelona on June 6, addressing the massive crowd even before the first act, at what has become a major hub for pro-Palestinian activism. Barghouti thanked the residents of Barcelona for supporting the Palestinian cause. 

Sánchez greeted him after his speech, praising his “resistance.” The Spanish prime minister later posted a video of Barghouti’s speech on his official Instagram account, with “Thank you for raising your voice.”

That morning, Sánchez had met with Pope Leo XIV to welcome him to Spain, upon the premier’s own recent return from visiting the pope in Rome. The prime minister was criticized by the media and the public for not attending more events with the pope and instead using the government Falcon plane to attend Primavera Sound with his wife.

The pope’s visit, an enormously popular event in Spain, bringing people from all over the country to Madrid, was strategically planned by Sánchez in one of his masterful smokescreens to direct public attention away from the trials, the analyst noted.

Sánchez is “just an empty suit,” he told the Post, “He is the ideal head of state for the new world order in Europe: anti-America and anti-Israel, able to jump on the bandwagon and address the son of a terrorist at a music festival in Barcelona, the area of Spain with the highest antisemitism.” 

The analyst described the head and poster boy of the Socialist International as “good-looking, plays the part of just the right sort of Western leader to position against Trump and Israel, but he is an empty suit.”

According to testimony given to the investigating judge by businessman Aldama, an oil transaction involving six million barrels of Venezuelan crude, valued at approximately €250m., was allegedly orchestrated by Zapatero to funnel kickbacks to the PSOE and the International Socialist. This appears to be how “godfather” Zapatero bought Sánchez his seat as head of the International Socialist.

If the forthcoming testimony manages to tie Sánchez in with any of these threads, Spain’s current prime minister will likely be facing jail time.

This post was originally published on here.

LONDON (AP) — Two men were convicted Monday of a plot orchestrated by a mysterious Russian-speaking figure to set fire to property linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The fires in May 2025 damaged the home Starmer moved out of when he became prime minister, as well as an apartment building he once owned a share of and destroyed his former Toyota SUV. Nobody was injured in the blazes.

A Russian-speaking ringleader who went by the name “El Money” hatched the scheme and offered Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych money through the Telegram messaging app to torch the properties and get video of the evidence that could be posted online to draw attention to the attack.

El Money’s identity was never revealed and he was not charged.

There was no evidence proving a hostile state orchestrated the fires because police never discovered El Money’s motive or who the figure worked for, said Cmdr. Helen Flanagan, head of the counterterrorism team at the Metropolitan Police.

“Clearly the tasking was to intimidate and create fear for the prime minister and to attack the U.K.,” Flanagan said.

Lavrynovych, 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27-year-old Romanian citizen, were found guilty in London’s Central Criminal Court of a conspiracy to damage property by fire. Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the charge.

Lavrynovych was also convicted of two counts of arson that could have recklessly endangered life.

Lavrynovych said he needed money and admitted he set the fires, saying he wanted the bounty of 3,000 pounds ($4,000) in cryptocurrency to pay for medical treatment his father needed.

But he said he only followed through because he had been threatened by El Money. He said he had no idea who owned the property until after the fires and said he didn’t intend to hurt anyone. He told police he didn’t even know who Starmer was.

El Money provided detailed instructions to Lavrynovych on the targets, how to mix flammable substances and steps to avoid being caught.

Messages recovered from Lavrynovych’s phone showed he discussed setting the fires as well as other vandalism he conducted for money, such as painting the windshields of cars black and putting up anti-Islam posters in Muslim areas of London.

After the fires, El Money promised Lavrynovych he would pay and told the Ukrainian to send him a secret message with the code word “geranium” if he was detained by police. Shortly after Lavrynovych received that message he was arrested. The court was told he never received any money for setting the three fires.

Carpiuc acted as a middleman, and Pochynok allegedly was recruited to record video of the fires so Lavrynovych could get paid.

The fires were set in the dead of night and occupants sleeping in the homes awoke to smoke billowing in their front doors.

Starmer’s sister-in-law, who was living in his home, heard a loud bang and said she struggled to breathe as smoke filled a stairway. Her 9-year-old daughter was terrified.

An occupant of the apartment building retreated to the roof after discovering hallways full of smoke.

The two convicts are scheduled to be sentenced Friday.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Steven Pruzansky, an American-born Orthodox rabbi, attorney, author and longtime pro-Israel commentator, sharply criticized President Donald Trump in a newly published opinion essay, accusing the administration of pursuing an Iran policy reminiscent of former President Barack Obama.

Pruzansky, who made aliyah to Israel after serving for more than 25 years as rabbi of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck, New Jersey, currently serves as a senior research associate at the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy and as Israel region vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values. He is also the author of several books on Jewish thought, ethics and public policy and is a frequent commentator on issues affecting Israel and the Jewish community.

In the essay, Pruzansky repeatedly referred to Trump as “Donald Hussein Obama,” a provocative label intended to underscore what he described as the president’s willingness to negotiate with Iran rather than pursue the complete dismantling of its nuclear capabilities.

Pruzansky argued that any agreement allowing Iran to retain elements of its nuclear program or receive substantial sanctions relief would amount to a strategic victory for Tehran. He contended that Iran has a long history of using negotiations to delay international pressure while preserving its core objectives.

The rabbi was particularly critical of reports surrounding a possible agreement involving the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that Iran should not be rewarded for reopening a key shipping route after disrupting international commerce. He maintained that any deal providing economic benefits to Tehran would help revive the regime’s finances and strengthen its regional influence.

While acknowledging Trump’s past support for Israel, Pruzansky argued that the administration’s current approach increasingly resembles policies he has long criticized under Obama. He warned that Israel’s security interests do not always align perfectly with those of the United States and said Israel must retain the ability to act independently against threats from Iran.

The essay reflects ongoing debate among pro-Israel advocates, policymakers and security analysts over whether diplomacy with Iran can prevent the regime from obtaining nuclear weapons capabilities or merely delay a future confrontation.

This post was originally published on this site.

A dramatic overnight confrontation unfolded on Highway 7 near Ashdod after police detained a yeshiva bochur identified as a military draft deserter, prompting dozens of protesters to rush to the scene and ultimately leading to his release.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Monday, shortly after the Beit Rabban Junction on Highway 7 heading toward Ashdod. According to reports, officers stopped a vehicle carrying the yeshiva bochur and determined that he was listed as a draft deserter by the IDF.

Police then reportedly summoned military police to take custody of the bochur and transfer him for detention.

Within minutes, alerts were circulated through the “Tzeva Shachor” and “The Kidnappers Have Arrived” notification systems, telephone networks used by members of the Peleg Yerushalmi to mobilize supporters in response to arrests of bnei yeshivah.

Dozens of protesters quickly converged on the location, creating a large crowd around the police officers and the detained vehicle.

As tensions mounted and military police had still not arrived, authorities reportedly grew concerned about the possibility of further escalation. In light of the growing crowd and the delay in transferring the detainee, a decision was made to release the yeshiva bochur immediately.

Following his release, protesters reportedly broke into singing and dancing. The demonstration then shifted to a nearby section of Highway 7, where participants blocked traffic for roughly an hour.

The road closure continued until organizers issued the traditional instruction of “Veyachzor l’Talmudo” (“let him return to his learning”), signaling the end of the protest. The demonstrators then dispersed from the area.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Rabbi of the city of Tzfat, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, responded on Monday morning to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said that the State of Israel would not survive two hours without him.

In his comments, Rabbi Eliyahu referred to the long history of the Jewish people and said that the existence of the people of Israel does not depend on any particular leader.

“We just wanted to remind Trump that the people of Israel survived 3,000 years without Trump and will continue to do so after him as well,” he said. “The Jewish people existed under far more difficult conditions. When we were scattered among the nations and every generation attempts were made to destroy us, we had no state of our own, and yet we survived—even without Trump.”

Rabbi Eliyahu also referred to Israel’s wars and noted that during the War of Independence, Israel did not receive American military assistance:

“Not even a single bullet was sent, and yet we defeated all the Arab countries.”

He added that even on the eve of the Six-Day War, Israel faced severe restrictions: “France and the United States imposed an arms embargo banning the sale of weapons to us. And yet we defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, all in six days.”

The rabbi also criticized past political agreements, which he said ended in failure:“So it was with the Oslo Accords, signed under pressure from the then U.S. president, which led to great bloodshed and thousands of deaths. So it was with the disengagement from Gaza, another foolish agreement that brought only disasters and damage.”

However, he also expressed appreciation for the United States’ support for Israel: “We thank the U.S. for what you have helped us with, but we are not indebted. In our war, we also brought salvation to the Western world, which stood idly by in the face of the Iranian cancer that sought to conquer and impose radical Islam on the world.”

At the end of his remarks, he directly addressed the American president, warning against agreements he believes amount to concessions to the enemies of the West: “We advise Trump: do not sign the Munich agreements of our time. In those agreements, Chamberlain conceded to Hitler and brought about World War II. Do not repeat that mistake.”

He added:“Trump has little time left to decide how history will remember him—either as a leader who stood with the people of Israel and brought light to the world, or as someone who became confused into thinking he runs the world and left destruction behind him.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is advancing a dramatic legal plan aimed at completely suspending the arrest of Chareidim, according to a report by i24NEWS.

The initiative would halt all enforcement measures currently being taken against Bnei Yeshiva and comes amid growing pressure from Chareidi leadership, particularly from the Belzer Rebbe and HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who have urged immediate action to end the arrests.

Netanyahu has reportedly held a series of discussions on the issue and instructed the Cabinet Secretary to move forward with the proposal, which is now undergoing legal review.

The initiative is being promoted as a temporary emergency law, with the goal of completing it within the coming month—before the Knesset dissolves.

As part of the effort, Netanyahu has reportedly held a series of discussions on the issue in recent days before directing the Cabinet Secretary to begin advancing the proposal, which is currently undergoing legal review.

The goal is to complete the legislative process before the expected dissolution of the Knesset next month.

Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Defense Ministry has publicly commented on the report.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An extraordinary archaeological discovery has been uncovered near Binyamina, where two marble statues of approximately 1,700 years old, depicting historical figures from the Greco-Roman world, were found inside a wine collection pit belonging to a Roman-Byzantine-era winepress.

The excavation is being conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority as part of a project to expand the Coastal Railway line, led by Israel’s Ministry of Transportation and Israel Railways.

One of the statues bears a preserved Greek inscription with the name Lycurgus. According to the researchers, the figure may represent either Lycurgus, the legendary founder of Sparta, or Lycurgus of Athens, a statesman and orator from the fourth century BCE. However, research into the matter is still in its early stages.

“The statues date to the Roman period, and interestingly, they were not found in their original location,” excavation directors Eliran Oren and Avishag Reis explained. “They were discovered carefully placed face down inside a wine collection pit of a Roman-Byzantine winepress.”

According to the archaeologists, it is not yet known why the statues were buried there, though it is possible they were hidden for safekeeping.

Michael Sorotskin, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that workers noticed an unusual object protruding from the ground during the excavation.

“There was a feeling that we were about to discover something that shouldn’t have been there. Suddenly we realized it wasn’t pottery—it was marble. Then, little by little, the two statues emerged. I still struggle to find the words. It’s simply amazing.”

According to Peter Gendelman, an expert on the Caesarea region at the Authority, the discovery joins a series of portraits of historical figures previously found in the area. He noted that statues of this type were displayed during the Roman period in public buildings and elite residences, and may once have decorated a luxurious villa nearby.

Israel’s Minister of Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu, also commented on the discovery:

“This is the kind of find that demonstrates the power of archaeology to the public. One moment people are working on a modern infrastructure project, and the next a window opens into the lives and cultural world of those who lived here many centuries ago. The role of the State of Israel is to preserve these finds, study them, and make them accessible to the public so that everyone can encounter and appreciate the rich past of this land.”

The statues will now undergo cleaning, conservation, and further study. Researchers will attempt to determine with greater certainty the identities of the figures depicted and the precise context in which the statues were originally displayed in antiquity.

They will be presented to the public for the first time at the archaeological conference Bamerkaz VII, scheduled for June 18, 2026, at Eretz Israel Museum, and will later be exhibited to the general public during the summer months.

Anthropic said Friday that it disabled access to its two most powerful artificial-intelligence models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, to comply with an export-control directive from the U.S. government that cited national-security authorities. The company disclosed the move in a public statement, saying the order arrived at 5:21 p.m. Eastern and required immediate action.

The directive was narrow on paper but sweeping in effect. Anthropic said it was instructed to block access for any foreign national, whether inside or outside the United States, including foreign-national employees of the company. Because Anthropic said it cannot reliably screen users by nationality in real time, it concluded the only way to comply was to disable both models entirely.

Access to the company’s other AI systems remained available. Anthropic said users would be routed to alternative models, including Claude Opus 4.8, while the restrictions remain in place.

The timing was particularly significant because Anthropic had launched Fable 5 and Mythos 5 only days earlier, positioning them as among the most capable AI models it had ever developed. According to the company, Fable 5 was the first model of its capability level released broadly to the public, while Mythos 5 was available only through limited government and enterprise partnerships.

According to Anthropic, the suspension order came through a directive from the Commerce Department involving the Bureau of Industry and Security. The company said it received little detail regarding the underlying national-security concerns that prompted the action.

Anthropic stated that its understanding is that the government’s concerns stem from a reported technique capable of bypassing certain safeguards within Fable 5. The company disputed the significance of the issue, arguing that the reported vulnerability involved only a limited number of previously known weaknesses and did not justify removing the model from service entirely.

The company nevertheless complied with the directive while publicly challenging its rationale.

Anthropic argued that governments should retain authority to intervene when AI systems create genuine safety risks, but maintained that such actions should occur through a transparent process supported by clear technical evidence and established legal standards.

The company said it is working with federal officials in an effort to restore access as quickly as possible.

The episode could represent a significant precedent for the AI industry.

While governments around the world are actively debating how advanced artificial-intelligence systems should be regulated, direct intervention resulting in the removal of publicly available frontier models remains rare. The decision immediately affects developers, businesses, and organizations that had begun integrating the newly released models into their operations.

For corporate users, the incident highlights a growing risk associated with reliance on advanced AI platforms: the possibility that government action, regulatory intervention, or national-security reviews could affect access with little warning.

The dispute also arrives at a time when AI companies face increasing scrutiny from policymakers concerned about cybersecurity, biological threats, intellectual property, export controls, and geopolitical competition.

For investors, the situation introduces another variable into evaluating AI companies and their business models. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly tied to national-security considerations, regulatory risk may become just as important as technological capability when assessing future growth.

For now, two of Anthropic’s most advanced AI systems remain offline, the company continues to challenge the reasoning behind the order, and the broader technology industry is watching closely to see whether the models return — and what conditions may be attached to their return.

JBizNews Desk — Technology

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

A fresh coalition crisis erupted Monday after the government pulled the controversial Daycare Subsidy Bill from the Knesset agenda at the last minute, prompting Shas and United Torah Judaism to announce they will no longer support coalition legislation.

In a joint statement, the two chareidi parties said:

“We have informed Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz that due to the failure to place the Daycare Bill on today’s agenda, we will not vote in favor of coalition legislation in the Knesset plenum today.”

The bill had been expected to receive its first Knesset reading after intensive negotiations between coalition leaders and the chareidi parties.

The legislation, sponsored by Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni along with several other coalition lawmakers, would ensure that eligibility for government daycare subsidies is not affected by a parent’s status as a full-time yeshiva student or higher education student.

The chareidi parties have been pushing to complete the bill’s second and third readings within the next two weeks in order to restore daycare subsidies for young avreichim who have received draft notices.

Political and legal officials, however, have expressed skepticism that the legislation alone would survive judicial review, with many believing the High Court would still require broader legislation regulating the legal status of yeshiva students before allowing the subsidies to resume.

The decision to remove the bill from Monday’s agenda has sharply escalated tensions within the coalition.

In addition to boycotting coalition legislation, the chareidi parties indicated they will also withhold support from several key coalition initiatives, including legislation to establish a political commission of inquiry.

The dispute follows days of public friction between the chareidi parties and Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich over the legislation. Smotrich recently claimed credit for amendments giving preference to IDF reservists, drawing angry responses from senior chareidi leaders.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Police in Ethiopia say at least 31 people are dead and dozens more injured after a bus crash in the conflict-hit northern Amhara region.

The overcrowded bus was traveling from the Dessie area to the capital, Addis Ababa, early Monday when it veered off the road and plunged into a ravine, according to the Kombolcha Town Administration Police Division.

Many people died due to delays in emergency response as the area lacks basic infrastructure and ambulance services, forcing passengers to be transported in public vehicles.

The road where the accident occurred winds through hilly terrain and is widely known as hazardous. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

A similar bus crash into a river in Ethiopia’s southern Sidama region in December 2024 left 66 people dead.

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:

Ty for your services, Mr. Mayor. Driving down Arlington toward Cedar Bridge, it becomes difficult to make a left onto Cedar Bridge because traffic on Cedar Bridge backs up when there is a red light on Vine and Cedar Bridge. It would be helpful to have a traffic box painted at the intersection of Arlington and Cedar Bridge, and a sign explaining, “DO NOT BLOCK THE BOX,” for drivers unfamiliar with the term.
Ty

Response from Mayor Coles:

That sounds like a good idea. I will ask our engineer to work with the county to see if they will give the ok for it

Thanks for writing

Ray

Question:

Dear Mr Mayor,
Thank you for being so accessible regarding all our concerns! We’re really enjoying the new lane pattern by Rt 9 and Central. I do feel bad for those living off Central before Sunset and it is annoying when drivers still try to make a left turn where they’re not allowed to… but this change has literally cut travel time by 10-15 minutes! So we’re grateful for that. The right turn lane onto Prospect from Rt 9 southbound is also great. However, the left turn signal from Rt 9 to Pine and James seems to slow down traffic. When traveling southbound on Rt 9, traffic often backs up all the way to Central because the left turn signal onto James street significantly shortens the green light for going straight on Rt 9 southbound. Anything that can be done to fix this and make it quicker to get down Rt 9 southbound, just as it has been majorly improved to get down Rt 9 northbound would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

We are still working with the state to address the bottleneck & turning lane situation from Pine to 88.

Ray
Question:

Hi, since the change of traffic pattern at the intersection of the county line rd and ridge traffic light traffic has been a disaster and backed up till onyx lane! It was working just fine before anyone made any changes to the traffic pattern. I’ve also noticed that the traffic light is only green for 20 seconds going from county line to lanes mills and vice versa. I’d appreciate if you can look into this disturbance. Thank you

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good afternoon. This is my neighborhood as well and I’m very familiar with it. The county installed the turn signals to alleviate a serious problem. They put them in earlier than planned, while final designs for the intersections were completed. They will be adding and extending the right turn lane onto Ridge South. The township gave them the property several years ago. I believe they are working with the developer of the new school to get the work done.

Thanks

Ray

—————–

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

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

YS GOLD 

We regret to inform you of the passing of Reb Yitzchok Aizik Tzvi Hakohen Katz, a longtime Boro Park resident who left this world at the age of 99. 

He was the son of Reb Chaim Yisroel Katz, and he was born in prewar Hungary where he absorbed the tenets of Torah and yiras Shomayim that permeated its atmosphere. 

He endured the horrors of the Holocaust which claimed so many of his family and loved ones—but he emerged strong in his Emunah in Hashem and determined to rebuild. 

And rebuild he did.

He settled in Boro Park and proceeded to establish an incredible Torah family which follows the ways of his ancestors. 

He was one of the most distinguished Viznitzer chassidim and davened regularly at the Beis Medrash on 53rd Street. 

He was a fountain of inspiration to all those who knew him, and he will be missed by so many who admired him. 

The levaya went out on Sunday morning from the Viznitzer Shul where he was escorted to his final resting place. 

Yehi zichro baruch.

The Likud party is reportedly in advanced negotiations with an artificial intelligence company to deploy interactive campaign calls featuring a digital version of Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, allowing voters to hold conversations with an AI-powered bot designed to encourage support for the party in the upcoming election.

According to a report in Yisroel Hayom, the system would go far beyond traditional recorded campaign messages. Voters receiving the calls would hear Netanyahu’s voice and be able to engage in a back-and-forth conversation with the AI, which would respond to questions and attempt to persuade them to vote Likud.

The initiative has already sparked criticism from within Likud itself. Some party insiders argue that replacing personal political outreach with artificial intelligence could alienate voters rather than attract them.

“People won’t connect to a bot calling them. Even if it’s Netanyahu. Once upon a time we would meet Netanyahu in the market. Today we’ll get him through a robot,” one Likud source complained.

Legal experts quoted in the report said there appears to be no legal obstacle to using such technology, provided voters are clearly informed that they are speaking with an AI system and not with Netanyahu himself. Failure to make that distinction, they warned, could potentially be considered misleading.

The report comes as recent polling continues to show Likud maintaining its position as Israel’s largest political party. According to the latest Hayom-Kantar survey, Likud would receive 24 seats if elections were held today.

The survey also indicated continued momentum for former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. For the first time since launching his political framework, Eisenkot’s party climbed to 20 seats, placing it ahead of the Bennett-Lapid alliance, which fell three seats to 19 and now ranks as the second-largest faction in the center-left bloc. Pollsters noted that Eisenkot appears to be drawing support from across the political spectrum, including some voters who previously backed Netanyahu.

The survey also found that a majority of coalition voters believe Israel emerged stronger from the latest round of regional tensions. Fifty-five percent said the country’s position had improved, while 35 percent felt it had weakened.

On the issue of the Basic Law regulating Torah study, which passed a preliminary Knesset vote this week, coalition voters expressed broad support. Forty-eight percent backed the legislation, compared to 28 percent who opposed it. Among opposition voters, however, resistance was overwhelming, with 81 percent saying they opposed the proposal.

{Matzav.com}

This post was originally published on this site.

France must drop its tax on American technology or face a 100% tariff on its wine, President Donald Trump warned hours before departing for the Group of Seven Summit.

The U.S. will “have no choice” but to apply the tariffs if French President Emmanuel Macron does not end its 3% levy on large digital services companies.

“I asked him not to charge American companies, and if they do, I have no choice but to charge a 100% tariff on all champagnes and all wines coming out of France,” Trump told the New York Post in an interview. “All [Macron] has to do is get rid of the sales tax, and he wouldn’t have that kind of pressure.”

The warning raises the prospect of a renewed transatlantic trade clash as Trump heads to Évian-les-Bains, France, for the G7 summit Macron will be hosting. The gathering comes as U.S. allies remain wary of Washington’s increasingly aggressive approach to trade disputes.

TRUMP SIGNS ‘RECIPROCAL’ TARIFF PLAN FOR COUNTRIES THAT TAX US GOODS

he White House did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

France’s digital services tax, often called the GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft) tax, has been in force since 2019. It applies a 3% levy to revenue earned in France by large digital companies with more than about $29 million in French revenue and about $870 million in global revenue. The measure has long angered U.S. officials because it disproportionately affects American technology firms.

Trump’s comments appeared to contradict claims from Macron’s office last week that the dispute was no longer under debate among G7 countries. The New York Post reported that a U.S. official had dismissed that account as inaccurate.

BATTERED US WINE IMPORTERS BRACE FOR HIGHER TARIFFS

The latest threat revives tariff levels first floated during a U.S. Trade Representative investigation into France’s digital tax in 2019. Trump previously threatened steep tariffs on wine and other alcoholic beverages from France and the European Union, including threats of 200% duties as trade tensions escalated.

Alcohol is one of the European Union’s top exports to the United States, worth about €9 billion ($10.5 billion) in 2024, according to Eurostat data. France is particularly exposed because products such as champagne and cognac must be produced in specific regions, leaving producers with limited ability to shift supply chains.

French wine and spirits exports to the U.S. currently face a 15% tariff, a rate French officials have been lobbying to reduce to zero since Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to a U.S.-EU trade deal in Scotland last summer.

TRUMP’S G7 MEETINGS COME AMID CHINA BRAWL

The New York Post reported that the U.S. market accounts for about one-fifth of the French wine industry’s global sales, worth more than $2 billion annually.

France’s National Assembly voted in October to double the digital tax to 6% and narrow the threshold to focus on the largest global companies, though ministers later vetoed the move. Lawmakers had initially considered a far larger increase before scaling it back amid industry pressure.

Trump’s renewed tariff threat also comes as other U.S. trading partners reassess digital services taxes under pressure from Washington. Canada shelved its digital tax in 2025 after the U.S. broke off trade talks, while Italy has reportedly weighed repealing its own levy. Britain has maintained its digital services tax under its current trade arrangements with the United States.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The G7 summit runs through Wednesday in Évian-les-Bains. The group includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The issue of arrests of yeshiva students and young charedi men by the military continues to stir public debate. On Sunday, a yeshiva student who had gotten married only two weeks ago was arrested on suspicion of desertion, and released a few hours later after official connections were activated.

In an interview with the morning edition of Kol Chai, the detainee’s father-in-law, public activist Eli Rabinowitz, recounted the tense hours, revealed the identities of those who helped resolve the crisis, and issued a sharp warning to yeshiva students in general.

Rabinowitz told the presenters that his newly married son-in-law, who had wed his eldest daughter only days earlier, arrived yesterday morning at the IDF recruitment office in order to submit medical and study documents and regulate his military status. However, to his surprise, he was arrested on the spot on suspicion of desertion:

“My son-in-law, unfortunately, received bad advice from people and lawyers who don’t properly understand this field. It turned yesterday into a very difficult and unpleasant day for the entire family. I learned yesterday that charedi intermediaries here have connections at the highest levels in the IDF and the Military Police, and they are the ones who saved the situation.”

Rabinowitz listed on air the professionals and politicians who personally stepped in to help and apply pressure: “We activated a real operations room. Those who acted decisively and proved themselves effective were the well-known activist Shimon Shisha, attorney Menachem Stauber, and MK Uri Maklev, who made direct calls to the recruitment office. In addition, MK Aryeh Deri and Shas officials also helped greatly, along with other activists whose names I don’t all know. They managed to explain to the army that the young man came voluntarily to regulate his status and that there was no legal basis to hold him in detention.”

Following the incident, the presenters and Rabinowitz issued a clear call to yeshiva students and parents: anyone required to regulate their status with the military authorities must turn only to charedi intermediaries or lawyers who specialize specifically and exclusively in military and security law, and not to general lawyers who do not understand the sensitivities and nuances of dealing with recruitment offices.

Despite the relief over his son-in-law’s release, Rabinowitz used the platform to highlight the suffering of dozens of charedi yeshiva students who have no political connections and remain imprisoned in military jails for extended periods:

“My son-in-law is thankfully home, but my heart aches for the other students who are not released because they have no one to intervene for them. I personally know of a yeshiva student, 22 years old, who has been sitting in military prison continuously for a month and a half.”

3 Days LEFT!! Win Big $50k Fifty Thousand Dollars!!

RAFFLE DEADLINE THIS WEEK!! WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!

Win HUGE $50.000.00!!!

ENTER NOW — FOR JUST $36 ONLY!!!
BONUS RAFFLE! Win A weekend Vacation this Summer!!

JUST $36 ONLY!!!

ENTER NOW — FOR JUST $36 ONLY!!!

3 Days LEFT!! Win Big $50k Fifty Thousand Dollars!!

RAFFLE DEADLINE THIS WEEK!! WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!

Win HUGE $50.000.00!!!

ENTER NOW — FOR JUST $36 ONLY!!!
BONUS RAFFLE! Win A weekend Vacation this Summer!!

JUST $36 ONLY!!!

ENTER NOW — FOR JUST $36 ONLY!!!

MENLO PARK, Calif. — A year ago this month, Mark Zuckerberg stunned the technology industry by spending $14.3 billion for nearly half of data-labeling company Scale AI and bringing its founder, Alexandr Wang, into Meta to help revive the company’s artificial intelligence ambitions.

In April, Wang’s team delivered what Meta hopes is the payoff: Muse Spark, the company’s first major AI model designed to compete directly with industry leaders. Zuckerberg called it a “first milestone” toward what he describes as personal superintelligence.

Now comes the harder challenge: convincing businesses and consumers to use it.

The urgency traces back to April 2025, when Meta released Llama 4, the latest version of its open-source AI model family. The launch disappointed many developers, a more advanced version was repeatedly delayed, and Meta’s reputation in AI suffered.

Zuckerberg responded by changing course.

Two months later, he recruited Wang, then just 28 years old, along with several top engineers from Scale AI. The move became part of a broader hiring push in which some AI researchers were reportedly offered compensation packages approaching $100 million.

The biggest shift was strategic.

For years, Meta gave away its AI models for free, betting that openness would attract developers and build influence. Muse Spark marks a move toward a more controlled approach that Meta can eventually monetize.

The company has already begun offering limited paid access through private partnerships, with broader commercial availability expected later. The strategy closely mirrors the business models used by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

Rather than focus primarily on developers, Meta is targeting the billions of users already inside its ecosystem.

The company says Muse Spark can perform multiple tasks simultaneously, assist with coding, answer health-related questions, and shop online for users through a new commerce feature.

The technology already powers the standalone Meta AI application and is being integrated across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and the company’s Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

According to Thomas Randall of Info-Tech Research Group, Meta’s strategy is straightforward: leverage existing products with massive user bases instead of waiting for third-party developers to build adoption.

Internally, Zuckerberg has reorganized the company to accelerate deployment.

In March, Meta created a new applied-engineering division under longtime executive Maher Saba, working alongside Wang’s Superintelligence Labs to transform research into products. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox continues overseeing broader product strategy.

The next major release is expected to be an image-and-video model code-named Mango, scheduled for launch later this year.

Despite the progress, Meta still trails the industry’s biggest AI players.

Many developers remain focused on OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, while some analysts question whether Meta can reclaim leadership. Benchmark results published by Meta appear competitive but generally do not surpass rivals across every category.

The company also continues to face skepticism after past criticism over how certain AI benchmark results were presented.

The financial stakes are enormous.

Meta plans to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion this year, nearly double the approximately $72 billion spent last year. Most of that money is being directed toward data centers, Nvidia chips, and AI infrastructure.

More than $100 billion in new AI-related commitments were reportedly added during the first quarter alone.

Investors remain cautious.

Meta shares are down roughly 7% in 2026, making them one of the weaker performers among major technology companies despite strong advertising results. The company reported $56.3 billion in first-quarter revenue after generating approximately $201 billion during 2025.

Even bullish analysts have tempered expectations. Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski maintained a positive outlook but reduced his price target from $795 to $754, citing concerns about the time required for AI investments to generate meaningful returns.

The pressure is also being felt inside the company.

Meta cut approximately 8,000 jobs in May, representing about 10% of its workforce, bringing total reductions since 2022 to roughly 25,000 positions. At the same time, top AI recruits reportedly received compensation packages approaching $100 million, while median employee compensation declined.

The contrast has fueled concerns among some employees about morale and the company’s direction.

Zuckerberg’s defense is that Meta has faced similar moments before.

The company was late to mobile computing and online video but eventually became a dominant player in both markets after years of aggressive investment.

His latest wager is that Muse Spark can become the foundation for AI systems capable of acting on behalf of users — making purchases, booking travel, and handling everyday tasks with minimal human involvement.

Whether that vision becomes a major new revenue stream or simply an extraordinarily expensive effort to catch up with competitors may be the defining question for Meta during the remainder of 2026.

Technology — JBizNews Desk

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

Per New Jersey American Water (NJAW)’s qualified contractor, CDM Smith; crews are currently canvassing homes within the 7152.02 and 7150.01 census tracts – in and near the Route 88 and Cedarbridge Ave areas of Lakewood – for potential lead service line replacement. (See attached map for detailed locations.)

As previously reported, this program is part of NJAW’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program, which follows a 2021 state law that requires all water providers to identify and replace lead and galvanized steel service lines by 2031. A service line is the pipe that brings water from the water main in the street into a home or building. It includes both the portion owned by New Jersey American Water and the portion owned by the property owner. 

Residents and property owners can self-identify and report their water service pipe with photos to New Jersey American Water or schedule an in-person inspection during a time that’s convenient for them. New Jersey American Water has sent, and will continue to send, informational materials in multiple languages directly to potentially affected customers explaining how to proceed with either of these options.

In addition, authorized canvassers may proactively visit designated properties to assist customers. Inspections are free and typically take only approximately 15 minutes. Canvassers will never ask residents to share any sensitive personal or financial information, or documentation. Canvassers will wear clearly marked, high-visibility vests displaying New Jersey American Water and CDM Smith logos and carry official identification.

All canvassing, inspections, and any replacement work are performed solely by New Jersey American Water or its authorized contractors, not by Lakewood Township or any other government agency. At the same time, this effort has been coordinated with Lakewood Township to support public awareness and safety.

In the interim, Lakewood residents may continue to use their water as usual. Water provided by New Jersey American Water continues to meet all state and federal water quality standards, including those for lead. Additional program resources, an interactive service line inventory map, and tools to self-identify service line materials are available at newjerseyamwater.com/leadfacts.  Questions not addressed on the utility’s website may be directed to the New Jersey American Water Lead Team via email at [email protected] or by calling CDM Smith at 732-590-4700.

Vice President JD Vance said he has not yet decided whether he will seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 and expects to make that determination only after the 2026 midterm elections, emphasizing that his current priority is serving in President Donald Trump’s administration.

During an interview with CBS’s Sunday Morning, Vance said any decision about a future White House campaign will come later and will be made in consultation with his wife, Usha.

Vance also expressed confidence that President Trump would back whatever course he ultimately chooses.

“I have no doubt that the president of the United States is going to be very supportive of anything that I ultimately decide to do,” Vance said. “But we really just haven’t talked about what that thing will be.”

The vice president sought to dismiss speculation that he is already laying the groundwork for a presidential run, insisting that his attention remains fixed on his current responsibilities.

“I’m not sitting around figuring out whether I’m going to run for president,” Vance said.

He explained that he and his family will address the question only after the midterm elections have concluded.

“Usha and I will absolutely sit down and talk about what comes next for our family,” Vance said. “The way I make decisions is, I try not to make them until I absolutely must.”

According to Vance, Trump often discusses the future of the Republican Party and the direction of American politics, although those conversations have not focused specifically on a 2028 campaign.

“I never bring it up. But sure, the president brings it up a lot, sometimes publicly, sometimes privately,” Vance said. “You know, the president’s a political animal. He loves this stuff. He’s very fascinated by it.”

When asked whether Trump has encouraged him to pursue the GOP nomination, Vance said the discussions have been more speculative than prescriptive.

“It’s not positive or negative,” he said. “It’s just … he kind of talks about it, like, ‘What’s gonna happen,’ you know? ‘How do we make sure that we’re successful? What does that mean for the future?’ It’s more of a conversation like that.”

Vance stressed that the topic has not become a major focus for either of them.

“So, we talk about it, but not in any great detail,” he added. “Because, again, I think both of us are focused on the here-and-now.”

The vice president said he is determined not to allow thoughts of future political opportunities to distract him from his current role.

“I really don’t ever want my thought about a future job, whether it’s president or anything else, to make me a worse vice president,” he said. “And the way to do that is to keep my attention on the job I have right now.”

Vance’s comments come amid growing speculation about the Republican field for 2028. Many party observers view him as one of the leading potential contenders for the nomination. Other Republicans frequently mentioned as possible candidates include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

{Matzav.com}

New York Knicks fans are making up for lost time.

The Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night after years of hope, heartbreak, and facepalms.

But the wait was well worth it, and fans are making sure this year’s run is remembered forever. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM

Knicks championship gear broke Fanatics’ record for the most sold by any title winner in the four major sports within 24 hours, surpassing last year’s Philadelphia Eagles. They are also on pace to become the company’s top-selling overall sports champion ever, which would eclipse the previous best Chicago Cubs in 2016.

Fanatics took in more than 8,000 orders per minute after the clinch, a new company record.

The Knicks have already more than doubled the sales of the company’s previous best-selling NBA Finals champion, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. 

KNICKS STAR JALEN BRUNSON’S SISTER DUNKS ON CRITICS AS NEW YORK WINS NBA CHAMPIONSHIP

New York took down the San Antonio Spurs in five games, overcoming double-digits in each victory. In fact, the Knicks spent more time trailing by double digits (over 62 minutes) than actually leading (roughly 56 minutes) in the series.

The title run warranted Game 3 becoming the most expensive secondary-market sporting event on record, with the get in price over five figures.

New York won 15 of its final 16 games to win the championship, including 13 consecutive at a point. The streak was snapped in that Game 3 contest, and they almost lost two in a row for the first time since the first round, but they stormed back from 29 points down to complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The Knicks will celebrate their title with their official championship parade on Thursday morning – although Jose Alvarado was already a part of the Puerto Rican Day Parade with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Lt. Col. (res.) Amit Yagur, a Middle East expert and former senior intelligence officer in the Israeli Navy, commented on the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement during the Channel 14 program Israel This Morning with Tal Meir.

Yagur focused on what he described as a troubling anomaly in the conduct of the American administration, arguing that the concessions reportedly being considered toward Iran appear completely inconsistent with the character and political instincts of President Donald Trump.

Yagur urged journalists and policymakers to refer to the arrangement as a “framework agreement” rather than a final deal, warning that in the Middle East, circumstances can change rapidly. According to him, the current diplomatic process raises significant questions because it appears to contradict everything previously known about Trump’s personality and decision-making style.

During the interview, Yagur questioned whether Trump is conducting a sophisticated strategy behind the scenes or whether the West is witnessing a broader strategic failure. He noted that Trump has repeatedly portrayed himself as someone who does not tolerate personal humiliation and pointed to what he described as years of hostility from Iran, including alleged assassination plots against Trump and members of his family.

“When you look at all the personal humiliations Trump has suffered from the Iranians, including assassination attempts, what we’re seeing right now is completely contrary to his character,” Yagur said. “He cannot tolerate that kind of personal insult. Something very strange is happening here.”

He explained that he has been examining the behavior of the Trump administration, the MAGA movement, and senior American officials who have traditionally taken a hard line against Iran. Yagur cited statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently told a Senate hearing that Iran was responsible for plots against Trump. In Yagur’s view, Trump’s willingness to pursue an agreement despite such tensions appears inconsistent with both his personal style and the expectations of many of his supporters.

When asked whether he believed the administration was engaged in a deliberate deception operation, Yagur declined to speculate. Instead, he emphasized what he called an intelligence “anomaly”: the relative silence of many pro-Israel figures in Washington and Jerusalem. He argued that in previous cases, such as opposition to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, Israel actively lobbied Congress and openly challenged American policy. This time, he said, that level of public resistance is largely absent.

Yagur expressed surprise that influential figures within Trump’s administration and political coalition,including Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Senator Lindsey Graham, evangelical leaders, and many supporters of the MAGA movement, have not been more vocal in opposing the emerging arrangement. “Their voices are barely being heard in this process,” he said. “They’re remarkably quiet.”

Turning to the substance of the agreement, Yagur argued that it could strengthen what he described as the “old order” in the Middle East rather than advancing a new regional balance more favorable to Israel. He warned that unresolved issues within the framework could become major sources of conflict in the future.

One such issue is the future status of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Yagur, conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran have left uncertainty regarding whether the waterway would be fully reopened or remain subject to Iranian oversight and coordination with Oman.

A second area of concern is Lebanon. Yagur noted that Iranian officials have spoken about reducing or halting activity there, while Israel has indicated that it intends to preserve its freedom of action. He argued that the lack of clear American statements on the matter could lead to future disputes between the parties.

Yagur also suggested that comparisons between Trump’s policy and that of former President Barack Obama could become a significant political factor. He observed that Trump has long sought to distinguish himself from Obama and reacts strongly to suggestions that he is following a similar path. According to Yagur, this sensitivity could become an important source of pressure on the administration as negotiations continue.

Concluding the interview, Yagur argued that Israel should not wait for American decisions before acting. He said that throughout the conflict he had consistently maintained that Israel needed to accelerate its military operations because circumstances could change quickly. In his view, Israel should move more aggressively to conclude its campaign in Gaza, continue its efforts against what he described as the “Axis of Resistance,” and maintain pressure in Lebanon regardless of diplomatic developments.

“If this strange situation eventually becomes clear and we understand what’s really happening,” Yagur said, “Israel may need to accelerate the pace, bring the campaign in Gaza to a complete conclusion, and continue operating in Lebanon as if no agreement exists. That is where we will ultimately be tested.”

NEW YORK — SpaceX confirmed Friday that it had completed the largest stock-market debut in history, selling 555.6 million shares at $135 apiece to raise about $75 billion and listing on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. The company’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission valued it near $1.77 trillion, instantly making it the sixth-largest public company in the United States.

But the sheer size of the deal did something Wall Street is still working through: it forced investors to sell other holdings to pay for it, tightening the supply of money available for every other stock.

The math is blunt. A $75 billion sale has to be paid for with $75 billion in real cash, and most of that cash was already parked inside other companies’ shares. To buy SpaceX, large funds and everyday investors had to sell something else first. That selling spread across the market in the days around the listing, and it arrived on top of an even larger pull on the world’s money — the race to build artificial intelligence.

That race has become the single biggest draw on cash anywhere.

Morgan Stanley estimates technology companies will spend about $740 billion building AI this year alone, a 69% jump from 2025, and expects the global total to climb toward $3 trillion over the next several years. Roughly half of that will have to be borrowed or raised rather than paid for out of profits. The bank expects AI-linked borrowing to approach $570 billion in 2026.

That is where the strain on banks starts to show.

For years, companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta funded their data centers and computing infrastructure largely through operating cash flow. Now costs are rising faster than earnings, pushing companies toward loans and bond offerings. The Bank for International Settlements warned in January that the AI boom is increasingly being financed through debt, with private lenders taking a growing share of the market.

The SpaceX offering put that pressure on display.

Five banks — Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase — led the deal and collected roughly 85% of underwriting fees, with Goldman and Morgan Stanley each earning about $100 million. A syndicate of 21 banks backed the transaction.

The same institutions are expected to lead the next wave of mega-listings.

And that wave is enormous.

SpaceX, which acquired Elon Musk’s AI company xAI earlier this year, is only the first of three major offerings. Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot, confidentially filed for an IPO on June 1, while OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, followed on June 8.

Together, the three companies carry an estimated combined valuation of $3.6 trillion — larger than the total value of all companies that went public during 2021, the busiest IPO year on record.

Each offering will require fresh capital from the same pool of investors.

There are already signs of how interconnected the AI ecosystem has become. SpaceX disclosed that much of its newly raised capital will be directed toward AI computing infrastructure and that it has agreed to lease computing capacity to Anthropic for approximately $1.25 billion per month through 2029.

In other words, money raised in one AI offering is already flowing directly into the operating costs of another.

Retail investors showed little hesitation.

SpaceX became the most-purchased stock among individual investors on Friday, with demand reportedly exceeding available shares by more than ten-to-one.

But that enthusiasm comes with risk.

Ethan Feller, a strategist at Zacks Investment Research, warned that the biggest threat is not any single valuation, but what happens if investor appetite for AI suddenly fades.

If capital stops flowing into the sector, prices could decline sharply across multiple companies at once.

The connection is also closer to home than many investors realize. While most Americans cannot buy Anthropic or OpenAI shares at IPO prices, millions already own indirect stakes through retirement accounts that hold Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft, all of which are major investors in leading AI firms.

For now, SpaceX’s record-setting debut has opened the door for the offerings behind it.

The question for the remainder of 2026 is whether investors still have the cash — and the appetite — to absorb OpenAI and Anthropic when their turn arrives.

Wall Street — JBizNews Desk

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

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the newly announced agreement between the United States and Iran on Sunday night, praising the deal as an important milestone toward ending the conflict and advancing a long-term diplomatic solution.

Guterres commended both Washington and Tehran for opting for negotiations rather than continued confrontation, describing the agreement as a significant achievement for regional stability.

“I warmly congratulate the US and Iran for having reached a peace deal that provides for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a framework for further negotiations,” Guterres said.

The UN secretary-general stressed that the agreement creates a framework that could help reduce tensions and promote a durable resolution to the crisis.

“This represents a critical step towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he added.

Guterres also acknowledged the role played by several countries in facilitating the talks. He expressed appreciation to regional governments that worked behind the scenes to help move negotiations forward, specifically highlighting Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey for their diplomatic efforts.

Earlier in the evening, President Donald Trump formally announced the agreement in a post on Truth Social.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.

Trump later followed up with another message touting the significance of the accord and its potential impact on the Middle East.

“This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region. Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me. The Leaders of the Region have, for the first time, found a President who can help them achieve real Peace. With the opening of the Strait upon the signing of the Deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the Region, and the World!”

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Organizers of the prestigious Eurosatory 2026 arms exhibition in France decided overnight to close the booths of several Israeli defense companies that had planned to display their systems at the event, in a move similar to restrictions imposed at last year’s fair, according to a Ynet report.

Among the Israeli companies whose booths were closed were Smart Shooter, Controp, Orbit, Aeronautics, Marom and Source.

In response, representatives of Controp wrote a message on the wall placed by organizers in front of the company’s booth, effectively blocking it from view. The message said that Controp’s long-range cameras had “’defeated’ Iranian ballistic missiles, but lost to French short sightedness.”

Not all Israeli booths at the exhibition were closed. The move applied only to companies displaying offensive weapons systems, while booths belonging to firms presenting defensive systems remained open, including Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael and Elbit Systems.

One representative of a major Israeli company told Ynet: “We are not giving in to the French and we are exhibiting.”

The French government had already barred the opening of Israel’s official national pavilion on June 4, in a letter sent by Nicolas Roche, secretary-general of France’s equivalent of the National Security Council, to the Israeli Embassy in Paris.

The official explanation given for the decision was that it was “consistent with the French diplomatic position, which seeks peace and stability in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.”

Opening the booths was made conditional on an inspection by ballistic experts on behalf of the French national security body. Israeli experts believe the items in question may represent direct competition to France’s defense industry.

Col. Sagi Fink, Israel’s military attaché in France, told Ynet: “We will be there and fight for our right to exhibit like everyone else, regardless of politics or commercial competition.”

Last year, the French government also decided to ban Israel’s official participation in the international Eurosatory arms fair in Paris. Under that decision, Israeli government representatives and Defense Ministry officials were not allowed to take part in the exhibition, and Israel was barred from setting up a national pavilion.

As with this year, private Israeli companies displaying defensive weapons systems were allowed to participate.

Consumer prices climbed at their fastest annual pace in three years last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday, June 10, with the spike driven almost entirely by what Americans pay at the gas pump. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.5% in May and was up 4.2% over the past 12 months — the highest annual reading since April 2023.

The headline number looks alarming, but the source is narrow. The energy index jumped 3.9% in May and accounted for more than 60% of the entire monthly increase, following gains of 3.8% in April and 10.9% in March — a three-month surge tied directly to the Iran war’s disruption of Middle Eastern oil supplies. Gasoline alone rose 7% in a single month and is up 40.5% from a year ago.

Strip out food and energy, and the picture is calmer. So-called core inflation rose just 0.2% on the month and 2.9% over the year, with the monthly gain coming in below forecasts and below April’s pace. That gap — a hot headline number and a mild core — is the central tension facing the Federal Reserve as it meets this week.

The everyday squeeze is real where families feel it most. Electricity prices rose 0.6% in May and are up 5.9% over the year. Shelter, the single biggest piece of the index, rose 0.3% and is up 3.4% annually, while food increased 0.2%.

New-vehicle prices slipped 0.3%, used cars rose 0.1%, airline fares increased 2.7%, and motor vehicle insurance fell 1.7%.

That mix matters. The fact that transportation services and other core categories stayed tame suggests high fuel costs have not yet spread broadly through the economy. Economists framed it as a pocketbook problem more than a runaway inflation problem — at least for now.

The worry among forecasters is second-round effects. Sustained high energy costs eventually raise the price of anything that needs to be transported, heated, or powered. So far that spillover has been limited, but it is exactly what the Fed is watching.

For the Fed, the report cuts against any near-term rate cut. After the data landed, futures markets leaned toward holding rates steady and even increased the odds of a hike later this year.

The bottom line for households: the basics cost more, the increase is concentrated in fuel, and whether it spreads depends largely on a war thousands of miles away. The next inflation report will reveal whether May was a spike or the start of something more persistent.

JBizNews Desk — Economy

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

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) voiced cautious optimism Sunday that a diplomatic agreement could halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while warning that Hezbollah remains committed to its longstanding goal of destroying Israel regardless of any deal reached with Tehran.

In a statement posted on social media, Graham said he hopes ongoing negotiations can successfully eliminate Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and end what he described as the regime’s campaign of regional terror.

“While I hope and pray that a diplomatic solution to end the Iranian conflict and deny Iran the ability to produce a nuclear weapon and stop their reign of terror on the region may be at hand, we still must understand who we are dealing with,” Graham wrote in a post on social media.

Graham pointed to Hezbollah’s continued attacks against Israel, noting that the terrorist group has maintained pressure along the northern border despite recent ceasefire efforts.

“Since the latest ceasefire, Hezbollah has been unrelenting in their attacks against Israel to the point there are areas in northern Israel that have been evacuated because of the constant attacks. What would America do in a similar situation?” he continued.

The South Carolina senator emphasized Hezbollah’s close ties to Tehran, arguing that any agreement with Iran should not obscure the ongoing threat posed by the Lebanese terrorist organization.

“Hezbollah is financed and controlled by Iran, with a lot of American blood on its hands. It is clear to me that no matter what deal we sign with Iran, Hezbollah’s stated ambitions of destroying Israel and making Lebanon a caliphate have not fundamentally changed,” added Graham.

He concluded, “May God protect the United States and may God protect the State of Israel.”

Graham’s remarks were issued before President Donald Trump formally announced a new agreement with Iran, which is expected to be officially signed on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Trump criticized Israel’s retaliatory strike against a Hezbollah command center in Beirut, suggesting that further military action could jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.

“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The president acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defense but argued that the Hezbollah attack that triggered the response did not warrant a broader escalation.

He added that “Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process.”

Trump also suggested that Lebanon would be included in the broader regional framework being negotiated with Iran.

“We are very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down.”

Calling for restraint from all parties, Trump urged an end to hostilities on both sides of the border.

“There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace – Let’s not blow it!” he urged.

The comments followed an Israeli strike targeting a Hezbollah command facility in Beirut’s Dahieh district. The operation came after three drones launched from Lebanon entered Israeli airspace earlier in the day. Two of the unmanned aircraft exploded near Shlomi in the western Galilee, while the third detonated inside a military area in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

A major disturbance unfolded in southern Israel on Monday after Military Police detectives arrested Aviel Cohen, a 22-year-old avreich and resident of Netivot.

The arrest took place at the Gilat gas station complex near Ofakim while Cohen was traveling with his wife. News of the arrest quickly spread through Chareidi communities in the south, and within minutes, dozens of protesters arrived at the scene and began blocking the main intersection in protest.

Cohen’s father said, “They pulled him out of the car and left his young wife there on the side of the road, with nowhere to go. She doesn’t even have a driver’s license and was left there alone and helpless. My son is a kollel student who sits and learns day and night. They grabbed him just like that, without any shame, because he learns Torah.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Police said Southern District forces are operating at Gilat Junction, at the intersection of Highways 25 and 241, to restore public order. According to police, dozens of protesters arrived at the junction, blocked traffic lanes, and attempted to disrupt normal activity in the area.

Drivers were asked to avoid the area, use alternate routes, and follow police instructions. Police added that while they allow freedom of protest, they will act against road blockages and disturbances of public order.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The State Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment on Monday in the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court against 17 defendants — four of them minors — after they trespassed on the property of the IDF Military Police Chief in Ashkelon during a protest against the drafting of bnei yeshivos into the IDF.

According to the indictment, about a month and a half ago, dozens of protesters affiliated with Peleg Yerushalmi gathered near the officer’s home to protest the draft.

At a certain point, shortly after the demonstration began, some of the protesters broke through the locked gate of the officer’s home and entered the yard. At the time, his wife and two of his children — one of them a minor — were inside the house.

Dozens of protesters, including the defendants, entered the yard, the porch, and the steps leading to the house. Some sat or stood while holding hands. The defendants and other protesters sang protest songs, held signs, and shouted insults at the officer and at the IDF.

According to the indictment, the officer’s family felt fear and concern for their safety as a result of the protest. They closed the shutters, locked the front door, and called the police.

Police forces eventually stopped the disturbance, and the defendants were arrested.

The indictment also states that the riot caused damage to the gate’s locking mechanism, parts of the home’s wall were broken, and damage was caused to the porch tiles and nearby plants.

The total damage is estimated at several thousand shekels.

The defendants are charged with rioting, trespassing with intent to commit an offense, and malicious damage.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)