The fourth day of Tyler Robinson’s preliminary hearing in the assassination of Charlie Kirk brought some of the most condemning testimony yet, as prosecutors played a recorded interview with Robinson’s former roommate and introduced DNA results tying Robinson to the murder weapon, and presented text messages exchanged between the two men in the hours after the September 10, 2025 shooting at Utah Valley University.

Robinson, 23, faces several charges including aggravated murder, a capital offense, in Kirk’s killing outside a “Prove Me Wrong” event in Orem. The hearing, now in its fifth day Friday, will determine whether prosecutors have shown sufficient probable cause to send the case to trial.

Thursday’s proceedings opened with Judge Tony Graf declining a request from an attorney representing Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, to have every piece of evidence displayed in open court. Graf said he would continue using a tiered approach, weighing each exhibit separately for admission, in-courtroom display, and broadcast to the public. A media attorney pushed for maximum transparency, while Robinson’s defense accused the Kirk family’s legal team of dragging out proceedings with matters unrelated to the evidence itself.

Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent Brian Davis then played the long-awaited video interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s former roommate, portions of which were redacted. Twiggs told investigators that roughly a month before the shooting, Robinson had asked to borrow a Dremel tool, saying he wanted to engrave bullets ahead of a family hunting trip. Twiggs said he later confronted Robinson in person, who confirmed the shooting was real and appeared visibly shaken. Twiggs also said Robinson generally discussed politics in the context of the Trump administration and current policy debates.

Text messages between the pair, recovered from Twiggs’ phone, were read into the record. In the exchange, Robinson confirmed to Twiggs that he was responsible for the shooting, telling him he could no longer tolerate Kirk’s rhetoric. He described plans to retrieve the rifle he’d left behind at the scene, expressed concern about a police vehicle stationed nearby, and worried about fingerprints on the weapon. He later informed Twiggs he intended to surrender to authorities voluntarily.

A Discord channel tied to Robinson under the username “tyler/ikum” was also entered into evidence, along with a photograph of a handwritten note Twiggs found under Robinson’s keyboard the night of the shooting — a note that was inadvertently broadcast to media during the proceedings before officials caught the error.

Sergeant Jennifer Faumina of the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, who oversaw the crime scene, testified that a bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel was recovered from bushes near campus, along with a fired cartridge casing and three unfired rounds bearing engraved messages. Search warrants executed at Robinson’s residence turned up a Dremel tool and bits, ammunition, shoes matching surveillance footage, a cartridge marked “test shot,” and multiple shooting targets. DNA testing on the rifle, cartridges, and Dremel tool all returned results implicating Robinson as a likely contributor.

A defense witness, ATF forensic examiner Samantha Carner, testified that while she conducted toolmark and rifling analysis on the recovered bullet fragments, the quality and quantity of the markings were insufficient to either conclusively link or exclude them from the recovered firearm.

Judge Graf ultimately decided not to issue closing arguments Friday as originally scheduled, instead asking both sides to submit written briefs on whether probable cause has been established, with oral arguments now set for September 1.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration is facing criticism over a city map highlighting immigrant neighborhoods that omits longstanding Jewish, Italian, and Irish communities despite their historic role in shaping the city.

The map, titled “New York City Immigrant Enclaves,” was promoted by the administration in May and features 30 neighborhoods representing communities including Yemeni, Pakistani, Egyptian, Palestinian, Chinese, Korean, Albanian, Colombian, Dominican, Ecuadoran, Indian, Haitian, Polish, and others.

Critics argue the map overlooks some of New York’s best-known historic immigrant neighborhoods, including Little Italy and longtime Irish and Jewish communities that played a major role in the city’s growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola criticized the omissions, telling the New York Post that the administration appeared to have excluded Jews, Italians, and Irish residents from its depiction of the city’s immigrant heritage.

“They were able to get a Little Bhod-Tibet in there, but what about the original ‘Little neighborhood,’ Little Italy?” Ariola asked. “And what about areas like Woodlawn, in the Bronx, which are home to plenty of Irish immigrants? Do the Irish and Italians not count for the Mayor’s office?”

State Assemblyman Kalman Yeger also criticized the map, accusing the mayor of excluding the Jewish community.

“Mr. Mamdani’s erasing Jews is an essential part of his brand. No surprise.”

Joseph Scelsa, founder of the Italian American Museum on Mulberry Street, called the omission “a terrible mistake.”

“Italian-Americans are still a major population in New York City. To not recognize where Italian-Americans came from and settled is a terrible mistake. I don’t understand why Little Italy isn’t included. I hope it’s an oversight,” Scelsa said.

Jewish author Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt also criticized the map in a post on X, writing, “The Mayor’s Office made a map of NYC’s immigrant enclaves: Little Africa, Little Poland, Little Palestine. But they just couldn’t figure out how to represent 11% of the city. Couldn’t decipher where the Jews are from.”

Other critics, including Manhattan Institute writer Christopher Rufo and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, also questioned the administration’s decision, with Pratt accusing City Hall of “deliberate subversion.”

Responding to the criticism, the mayor’s office said the map was designed to highlight neighborhoods with large foreign-born populations rather than religious communities.

The administration said the map “does not highlight religious groups,” adding that the project focuses on “neighborhoods in New York City that have substantial foreign-born populations from regions and countries around the world.”

City Hall also noted that the immigrant enclave initiative began under former Mayor Eric Adams and said additional neighborhoods will be added in the coming months.

Around 200 Jewish communal leaders, advocates and local officials gathered Wednesday night in Brooklyn for an Agudath Israel of America legislative reception, held amid growing concern over antisemitism in New York City.

Rabbi A.D. Motzen, Agudah’s new Washington office director, said the event underscored the value of relationship-building in advocacy work, noting that lawmakers need to know their communities in order to properly represent them.

The program honored elected officials who have taken a firm stance against Jew-hatred, with New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and City Comptroller Mark Levine each receiving “mezuzah” awards for their work on behalf of the Jewish community.

Levine, who is Jewish and previously chaired the City Council’s Jewish Caucus, said the gathering came at a difficult moment for the city’s Jewish community and offered a chance to show unity. He has been a vocal defender of Israel against calls, including from within City Hall, for New York City to boycott the Jewish state, and called Wednesday for stronger education initiatives and better tracking and prosecution of hate crimes. He affirmed that the community is “not going anywhere.”

Menin, another Jewish elected official, whose relatives survived the Holocaust, called the current rise in antisemitism “shameful and unconscionable,” pointing to recent vandalism incidents in Brooklyn and Queens, and highlighted Council efforts including buffer-zone legislation around houses of worship and schools. A companion bill establishing buffer zones around schools was vetoed by Mayor Mamdani after passing without a veto-proof majority.

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah’s director of New York government relations, detailed recent legislative wins during the program at Brooklyn Square Rooftop, including $243 million in state mandated services funding for non-public schools, more than $150 million for school and institutional security, statewide 50-foot buffer zones around houses of worship and schools, and the Mezuzah Protection Act. He also praised Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to opt New York into the federal scholarship tax credit program once regulations are finalized.
“With antisemitism on the rise amidst increasing demonization of the Jewish community, it is gratifying to know we still have good friends in elected office standing up for us,” Silber told Belaaz.

Assemblyman Lester Chang, a Republican whose district includes parts of Brooklyn’s Orthodox community, attended to show solidarity, citing longstanding ties between the Chinese and Jewish communities. Chang recalled that his January 2025 resolution calling for the state to recognize an “Oct. 7 Remembrance Day” was blocked in committee by non-Jewish Democrats, failing by a single vote after what he described as last-minute committee reshuffling.

New York City failed to crack the top five in Travel + Leisure’s annual ranking of the best U.S. cities, landing in eighth place despite its global reputation as one of the country’s premier travel destinations.

According to the magazine’s annual Best Cities awards, which are based on reader voting as part of its long-running World’s Best Awards, Santa Fe, New Mexico, claimed the No. 1 spot, while Charleston, South Carolina, finished second after topping last year’s list.

New York earned an overall score of 88.5, trailing several smaller destinations that readers praised for their charm, culture, and hospitality.

Santa Fe, home to just over 90,000 residents and nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was recognized for its thriving arts community, acclaimed food scene, and appeal as a year-round destination. The city is also known for its distinctive Pueblo-style architecture and historic central plaza.

The plaza, designated as a National Historic Landmark, continues to serve as a cultural and commercial center where local artisans display and sell handcrafted works.

The city is also home to the San Miguel Chapel, widely believed to be the oldest church in the United States.

The article jokingly noted, “(Presumably, votes were counted and travel completed before it was revealed that wild rats in Santa Fe country tested positive for the plague — just saying.)”

Charleston, which slipped one place to second, still received strong praise from readers and earned an overall score of 87.3.

Readers highlighted the South Carolina city’s “excellent restaurants,” “Southern hospitality,” and “beauty and history.”

Charleston has also continued attracting new residents. In 2025, it recorded the highest net migration per capita in the nation, gaining nearly 80 new residents for every 10,000 people already living there.

Southern destinations continued to dominate the rankings, with Savannah, Georgia, placing third and New Orleans finishing fourth.

Chicago ranked as the highest-rated large city, coming in fifth overall.

Travel + Leisure contrasted Chicago with New York, writing, “Chicago’s got something for everyone. It’s a big city that’s not quite as crowded and fast-paced as New York, but still filled with more things to do than you’ll have time,” the editors explained.

Fort Worth, Texas, claimed sixth place, followed by Honolulu in seventh, narrowly edging out New York by just 0.06 points.

Despite its ranking, the publication emphasized New York’s enduring appeal, stating, “Whatever it is you’re looking for, you can find it in New York.”

Even so, recent surveys suggest the city’s tourism image has weakened. One study found New York ranked second only to Las Vegas among destinations American travelers most regretted visiting, with 9% saying they wished they had skipped the trip.

Tourism has also yet to fully recover, with New York City still below its pre-pandemic visitor levels earlier this year.

Although it missed out on the top spot in the travel rankings, New York recently earned the title of America’s “most sinful” city, surpassing Las Vegas due to its abundance of nightlife venues and high number of sexually transmitted infection cases.

Travel + Leisure’s Top 10 U.S. Cities for 2026

1. Santa Fe, New Mexico
2. Charleston, South Carolina
3. Savannah, Georgia
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
5. Chicago, Illinois
6. Fort Worth, Texas
7. Honolulu, Hawaii
8. New York City
9. Alexandria, Virginia
10. Greenville, South Carolina

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Israeli aid delegation working in earthquake-stricken Venezuela, saying the team is not only helping the country recover from last month’s devastating earthquakes but is also restoring diplomatic ties nearly two decades after Caracas severed relations with Israel.

In a video message to the delegation’s leadership, Netanyahu told the head of the mission and IDF Home Front Command chief of staff, Elad Edri, along with Israel’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Yoed Magen, who is heading the delegation’s civilian component, that their work is showing both the Venezuelan government and its people the true character of the State of Israel.

The delegation has spent the past 10 days operating in several earthquake-hit areas at the request of the Venezuelan government, assessing damaged buildings and assisting with reconstruction. After meeting with Venezuela’s infrastructure minister, the Israeli team also drew up a national reconstruction plan that was approved by acting President Delcy Rodriguez.

Netanyahu noted the significance of the outreach given the history between the two countries: Venezuela cut diplomatic ties with Israel over the 2008-2009 Gaza war, and under then-President Hugo Chavez became one of Israel’s most vocal critics during the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 invasion.

Israel has voiced hope for improved relations with Caracas since the U.S. captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in January and backed Rodriguez’s rise to power. Edri said in the video that the delegation is proud to represent Israel, working day and night alongside the Venezuelan government’s Infrastructure Ministry, and noted the team has also connected with the local Jewish community, describing a warm reception from both officials and residents.

The White House on Thursday said President Trump’s decision to switch from the new Qatari-donated Air Force One back to the original presidential aircraft for his flight home from Turkey on Wednesday was a deliberate security tactic rather than a response to any specific threat.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the new plane is fully equipped with advanced security systems designed to protect the president and his staff, and that the administration uses every tool available, including distraction and misdirection, to counter threats against Trump.

The explanation came after Trump said Thursday that he is at the top of Iran’s “kill list,” a claim he made shortly before boarding the older Air Force One for the return trip to the U.S. from the NATO summit in Turkey.

The White House did not say whether any specific intelligence prompted the switch, and officials continued to deny that physical security concerns were behind the decision.

The Gerrer Chasidus world was shocked Thursday evening after Reb Yidel Toib, 77, one of the chassidus’s veteran and well-known baalei kriah, collapsed during a shiur held in the main Beis Medrash of the Gerrer shul on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim. He was niftar a short time later.

MDA responders, together with United Hatzalah, were rushed to the scene and immediately began CPR, in front of the many people present in the beus medrash at the time. Sadly, despite their efforts, Reb Yidel passed away.

Reb Yidel was related by marriage to the family of the Pnei Menachem of Gur zy”a, and several of his sons today serve as marbitzei Torah and askanim within the Gerrer community.

For close to a quarter of a century, he delivered the daf yomi shiur in Gur’s main beis medrash, earning a reputation as a serious talmid chacham. Beyond that, he headed Kollel Polin for over thirty years, a position the Pnei Menachem personally asked him to assume.

As relentless missile and drone attacks batter Ukraine’s capital, leaving dozens dead and thousands in distress, Kyiv’s Jewish community has mobilized an extensive humanitarian operation. Led by Chief Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, volunteers are distributing food, water, clothing and essential supplies to Jews and non-Jews alike who have been affected by the bombardments

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, has endured one of its most devastating waves of bombardment since the outbreak of the war. In recent days, large-scale missile and drone attacks have struck residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, claiming dozens of lives and leaving many more wounded.

The scale of the destruction prompted city authorities to declare an official day of mourning, while rescue teams continue searching through the rubble for survivors and victims.

In a statement to Belaaz, Rabbi Markovitch said:

“Over the past week, we’ve gone to sleep to the sound of explosions and woken up again and again to the noise of incoming missiles. It certainly hasn’t been easy. But when you’re able to help a Jewish man put on tefillin for the first time in his life, or bring a bag of food and clothing to someone whose home was destroyed and who breaks down in tears from gratitude, your entire perspective changes.”

Alongside the emergency services, JCC Beit Menachem Kyiv community has mobilized to provide assistance to those affected. Under the leadership of Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi and Chabad shaliach, Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, community volunteers have launched a broad humanitarian relief effort to aid residents whose lives have been upended by the attacks.

Over the past several days, volunteers have been distributing food, bottled water, clothing, medications, essential supplies and other basic necessities to families whose homes were damaged, as well as to the elderly, the needy and anyone requiring immediate assistance, regardless of their religion. In addition to providing material aid, volunteers are offering practical support and guidance to families left without help in the wake of the devastation.

“At a time when the air raid sirens scarcely stop, our responsibility is to be here for every person in need,” Rabbi Markovitch said. “We are distributing food, water, and essential supplies, strengthening families and giving them hope. Our mission is to bring light precisely during these darkest moments for the people of Ukraine in general, and for the residents of Kyiv in particular.”

The IDF announced that its Administration for the Search of Missing Soldiers has determined the burial location of a soldier whose grave had been unknown since 1948. Cpl. Yaakov Zarihen Hy”d was found to have been buried in a mass grave in Kiryat Anavim alongside seven other IDF fallen who took part in the convoys of Operation Harel in 1948.

The IDF said his burial site had remained “unknown” for decades, and that the investigation to locate it took approximately 15 years before it was finally resolved.

President Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday that he would grant Kyiv a license to manufacture its own Patriot air-defense missiles, joking, “This way, you can’t complain that we’re not giving them enough.”

“One of the things I think we’re going to be talking about today, a little birdie told me this, about the fact that we’ll give them the right to make Patriots,” Trump said ahead of his closed-door meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey.

Patriot missiles have long been in short supply, and Ukraine’s stockpile has now grown critically low, forcing Kyiv in recent days to allow Russian missiles to strike the capital without interception. On Sunday alone, Russia fired a barrage of 23 missiles at Ukraine, none of which were intercepted due to the shortage, according to Ukrainian officials. At least 22 people were killed and 56 injured in those strikes.

Trump estimated that Ukraine could be up and running with domestic Patriot production by the fall. “We’ll show them how to do it. It’s very complex, actually, but it’s — you’ll figure out the complexity quickly, and we’re talking about that,” he said, adding that the American company that manufactures the missiles is currently building four plants and that “all of our companies will be able to do this in two to three months.”

The president also reflected on his improved relationship with Zelensky, referencing their contentious Oval Office meeting in February 2025, during which Trump told the Ukrainian leader he didn’t “have the cards.” Speaking Wednesday, Trump said, “We’ve actually developed a good relationship! Hard to believe, right? From the Oval Office to now.”

The war has pushed Ukraine to rapidly expand its own defense industry, which is now capable of producing long-range missiles and drones able to strike deep into Russian territory. Kyiv has long sought a license to produce Patriot missiles domestically amid the global shortage and reportedly feels confident it can scale up production quickly once the necessary approvals are finalized.

Tzedek Association announced three significant advocacy updates this week, spanning federal prison conditions and reproductive healthcare policy.

The Bureau of Prisons officially began launching its new inmate tablet initiative today, a development Tzedek called a “tremendous step forward.” The organization expressed gratitude to BOP Director William Marshall and Deputy Director Josh Smith for their leadership on the initiative, noting that Tzedek representatives met with Director Marshall on Monday in Washington, D.C., where they said they saw firsthand his “genuine desire to continue moving the Bureau in a positive direction.”

“The rollout of inmate tablets marks a meaningful step toward strengthening family connections, expanding access to educational opportunities, and improving rehabilitation throughout the federal prison system,” Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, President and Founder of Tzedek Association told Belaaz. “We are grateful to Bureau of Prisons leadership for making this initiative a reality and are honored that Tzedek had the opportunity to advocate for this important improvement. Every positive step that helps prepare individuals for a successful return to their families and communities benefits not only those incarcerated, but society as a whole.”

The tablets are expected to substantially improve conditions for incarcerated individuals and their families. Most notably, the devices will allow inmates to participate in video calls with loved ones, giving parents what Tzedek described as a “priceless opportunity” to see and interact with their children face-to-face. Unlike phone calls, which are constrained by limited minutes, the video calling feature will be available with unlimited minutes during designated periods of the day. The tablets will also provide access to First Step Act programming, educational materials, and digital books, allowing incarcerated individuals to use their time for learning and preparation for reentry into society. Tzedek said it was proud to have played a role in encouraging the initiative and commended the BOP for bringing it to fruition.

With this summer’s extreme heat, Tzedek also reported continued progress on its campaign to expand air conditioning access inside federal prisons. Following its earlier donation of air conditioning units to the Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, the organization said it is now working with the BOP to expand air conditioning to additional housing areas at Otisville and to other facilities nationwide. Tzedek is also working to donate ice machines and ice boxes to provide relief during periods of extreme heat. These efforts were among the topics discussed in Monday’s meeting with Director Marshall, alongside First Step Act implementation issues and furlough expansion. Tzedek said it remains committed to improving “the health, safety, and dignity of those in federal custody.”

Separately, Tzedek announced it submitted comprehensive comments this morning to the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services regarding the Administration’s proposed “Excepted Fertility Benefits” rule, which the organization said has the potential to expand access to affordable fertility treatment for millions of Americans. Tzedek’s submission strongly supports the proposal while offering recommendations to ensure necessary fertility treatments remain a central component of the final rule, to encourage broader participation by insurance companies, and to maximize meaningful access for couples struggling with infertility. The organization credited its Advisory Board, particularly Dr. Kaylen Silverberg and Dr. Joshua Klein, along with Alan Hahn, Esq., for their expertise in preparing the submission.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced early Wednesday that its naval and aerospace units carried out a joint missile and drone assault on American military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, marking a dangerous new escalation just over a week after a ceasefire had appeared to take hold.

In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC said its forces struck 85 targets at what it called key US military facilities in the two Gulf states, including the US Fifth Fleet headquarters at Bahrain’s Salman Port and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The IRGC also claimed to have downed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over southern Iranian territory. Al Jazeera

The Kuwaiti army confirmed on X that its air defense systems were actively intercepting missile and drone attacks, though it did not specify the point of origin. The army noted that any explosions residents might hear were the result of its defense systems neutralizing the incoming threats, not the strikes themselves landing.

The overnight Iranian barrage came in direct response to a wave of American strikes hours earlier. US Central Command announced it had hit more than 80 targets inside Iran, describing the operation as an immediate response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the strikes targeted air defense systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, and antiship missile capabilities, with more than 60 IRGC small boats also hit. The command added that its forces remain postured to hold Iran accountable should the two sides’ agreement continue to be violated.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the regime’s top joint military command, condemned the American strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” and vowed a “crushing response,” while asserting that Tehran will not permit outside interference in the Strait of Hormuz. The command maintained that the only secure route for commercial vessels and oil tankers through the waterway is the one Iran itself designates.

Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, writing on X, listed a series of what he termed violations of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding by Washington: alleged interference with Iranian arrangements in the Strait, renewed threats of further strikes, the reimposition of oil sanctions, continued strikes on southern Iran, and ongoing actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He declared that “the era of bullying and extortion is over” and that Iran “won’t fold.”

Air raid sirens sounded across both Bahrain and Kuwait as the Iranian strikes unfolded, with Bahraini authorities urging residents to seek shelter immediately.

The exchange represents one of the most serious ruptures yet in the fragile framework that had briefly quieted the region, and comes as diplomatic efforts elsewhere continue — including a reported White House invitation to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to visit Washington later this month to advance the separate US-brokered framework between Israel and Lebanon.

The United States Central Command announced Tuesday that American forces have launched a series of strikes against targets in Iran, citing the need to impose costs on Tehran for attacking civilian shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out in direct response to Iranian attacks earlier this week on three commercial vessels passing through the strait, an international waterway critical to global energy trade. Among the affected ships were tankers flagged by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. CENTCOM described Iran’s conduct as “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” and said the U.S. response was meant to protect civilian crews operating in the waterway.

Footage circulating Tuesday showed extensive U.S. Air Force activity over the strait as the strikes on southern Iran got underway, underscoring the scale of the operation.

The tanker attacks mark the latest breach of the memorandum of understanding Iran signed with Washington in June, under which Tehran committed to ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels through Hormuz. Since the deal was signed, shipping traffic through the strait has picked up, though it remains well below prewar levels, with many vessels opting for a southern route near Oman’s coast under U.S. Navy protection. Iranian forces have repeatedly targeted ships using that route, saying vessels must instead obtain permission to travel through corridors approved by Tehran.

Following the tanker attacks, the U.S. Treasury Department moved to revoke a waiver that had permitted Iran to sell oil and petrochemicals abroad, cutting off a significant revenue stream negotiated as part of the recent talks. A U.S. official said the ceasefire arrangement with Iran “is entirely performance-based,” adding that Iran would only see benefits from the deal “if they exhibit good behavior,” and warning that Tehran’s actions in the strait “will be met with consequences.”

President Trump has said the U.S. will “finish the job” should a lasting agreement with Iran fail to materialize. Iran’s foreign minister has said Tehran will not return to the negotiating table if American threats continue.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has revoked General License X, the sweeping authorization issued on June 21 that had permitted the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian-origin crude oil, petrochemical products, and petroleum products.

Effective July 7, the license is replaced by newly issued General License X1, titled “Revocation and Wind Down of June 21, 2026 Authorization for the Production, Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil, Petrochemical Products, and Petroleum Products of Iranian Origin.”

General License X had been issued as part of the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the United States and Iran on June 17 following Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran. The license marked one of the broadest rollbacks of Iran sanctions in decades, authorizing transactions ordinarily incident to Iranian oil production and sale, including dollar-denominated payments, vessel operations, insurance, and shipping — relief that outside analysts estimated could unlock several billion dollars for Tehran from stranded crude inventories.

The license had been set to run through August 21 as part of a 60-day negotiating window between Washington and Tehran, with further sanctions relief contingent on Iran’s compliance with the MOU’s terms, including progress on nuclear issues and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. As with all OFAC general licenses, GL X remained subject to amendment or withdrawal at any time at the administration’s discretion.

Reb Ezra Unger, a 36-year-old real estate entrepreneur from Boro Park, is reportedly in advanced negotiations to acquire Arkia, Israel’s budget carrier, with the goal of transforming it into a fully Shabbos-observant operation. The report originated with Kikar Shabbat and quickly spread through Chasidish business circles in the United States given Unger’s background and rapid rise.

Unger, a Vizhnitz and Bobov Chasid who was raised in Monsey and learned at the Vizhnitz Kiryat Yishmiya yeshiva. He later married into the family of the Rimanover Rebbe and initially settled in Yerushalayim before building his real estate career.

Unger’s path to wealth reportedly began while he was learning in kollel, when he started selling baked goods to fellow yungerleit to help support his family. That venture led him into brokering deals, and he eventually drew capital from early backers who believed in him, paving the way for his entry into the New York City real estate market, where he built a reputation for closing major transactions.

A family member told Kikar Shabbat that Unger’s motivation for pursuing the airline purchase is rooted in a desire to end Chillul Shabbos. The relative said Unger had grown increasingly troubled by the widespread Shabbos violations across Israel’s aviation industry, often taking place in view of Jewish children, and that this concern is what drove him toward the acquisition.

Should the deal be finalized, Arkia would become the second-largest Chasidish-owned airline in the world, behind Challenge Airlines, which is owned by Belgian businessman Reb Itzik Falk. Details on the purchase price and the terms of Shabbos observance under the new ownership have not been made public.

Speculation over the health of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell intensified dramatically on Monday after conservative activist Laura Loomer and independent journalist Desirée Townsend both claimed the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has been declared brain dead, though the claims have not been confirmed by McConnell’s office, his family, or any medical source.

Loomer, a prominent Trump ally sometimes described as the president’s “loyalty enforcer,” wrote on X that a “high level source close to the White House” told her McConnell “is officially brain dead” and “not coming back.” Townsend, who has been reporting from outside the hospital, said she had heard the same information from her own sources for days, adding that McConnell’s Capitol Police security detail remained stationed at the hospital as of Monday afternoon. Neither claim has been independently verified, and McConnell’s office has not responded to the assertion.

McConnell has not been seen publicly since June 14, when he was found unconscious at his Washington home and given CPR by emergency responders after an apparent cardiac arrest, according to EMS dispatch audio. His staff waited until June 22 to issue any public update, saying only that he would not be voting that week. Since then, his office has repeatedly declined to answer basic questions about his condition, treatment, or prognosis, saying only that he is “continuing his recovery” and “working closely” with staff on Senate business while Congress is out of session. The most recent statement, issued July 2, said McConnell “appreciates the outpouring of support” and “continues to improve.”

A neighbor near McConnell’s Capitol Hill home told Townsend that she witnessed him being taken away by paramedics on June 14 but has seen no activity at the residence since. No family members, including his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, have reportedly come or gone from the home during that time. Chao, 73, traveled to Beijing just three days after her husband’s hospitalization and met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, drawing further scrutiny; she has made no public comment on his condition.

McConnell’s daughter Porter, 48, who had been an outspoken critic of her father’s politics on social media, has since deleted her X account amid the swirling speculation.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on June 15 that he had not personally spoken with McConnell but claimed the senator was “clearly dialed into what’s going on” in the chamber. McConnell has not cast a Senate vote since June 11; the Senate is out of session until July 13.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat weighing a potential 2028 presidential bid, has said McConnell’s office has not communicated with him regarding the senator’s condition — notable given a Kentucky law passed two years ago requiring an immediate special election, rather than a gubernatorial appointment, should a sitting senator die in office.

McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in American history, had already announced before his hospitalization that he would not seek reelection in 2026. His final months in office had been marked by a string of health scares, including several on-camera episodes in which he froze mid-sentence, a series of falls that led him to begin using a wheelchair, and an eight-day hospital stay in February for what his office described as flu-like symptoms.

Democratic Senate leaders and several of Graham Platner’s most prominent backers withdrew their support for his Maine Senate campaign on Monday after a woman came forward with allegations that he severely assaulted her in 2021. Platner has denied the claim.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a joint statement that Platner should “immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate.” The committee said it would no longer back his campaign financially if he remains on the ballot.

A wave of senators followed, including Elizabeth Warren, Ruben Gallego, Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Jon Ossoff, Cory Booker and Adam Schiff, all calling on Platner to leave the race. Rep. Ro Khanna, who had appeared alongside Platner at a rally last month, said he was withdrawing his endorsement as well. The Democratic National Committee, Senate Majority PAC, VoteVets, Our Revolution and End Citizens United also pulled their support.

The woman, identified as 41-year-old Jenny Racicot, told reporters that Platner came to her Maine home and assaulted her. Platner has denied the allegation, saying in a video posted online that he is weighing the “political reality” the report will bring to his campaign.

This marks a sharp shift from how Democrats responded to Platner’s earlier controversies, including offensive past social media posts, a since-covered tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, and previous allegations of abusing women.

Under Maine law, if Platner withdraws before July 13, the state party can select a replacement candidate by July 27. Several Democrats, including Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former public health official Nirav Shah, are reportedly being contacted as potential replacements. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of Platner’s highest-profile supporters, has not yet commented.

“Gan HaOr,” a new park designed and fully accessible for children with special needs, was dedicated Sunday in Beitar Illit at the special child center of the ‘B’lev Echad’ organization.

The dedication ceremony drew Rishon L’Tzion Hagaon Harav David Yosef, MK Rabbi Yisrael Eichler, public figures, and the organization’s leadership. Also on hand were ‘B’lev Echad’ founder and CEO Rabbi Dovid Weitman, and the donor behind the project, businessman Tom John Or-Paz, who initiated and funded the park’s construction, together with his father, Dedi.

Joy was visible on the faces of everyone present as the children who will use the park took it in for the first time.

The park is exclusive to ‘B’lev Echad’ and was designed from scratch with special-needs children and wheelchair users in mind — not a single attraction retrofitted after the fact, but an entire park planned down to the last detail.

“Gan HaOr” adds to ‘B’lev Echad’s’ year-round work for families of sick and special-needs children, on weekdays, Shabbosos, Yamim Tovim, and vacations. The organization built its special child center on the understanding that afternoon hours, Erev Shabbos, and Yom Tov are often the hardest times for these families. The center offers music, fitness, art, and woodworking clubs, a painting program, a snoezelen room, a large playroom, and life-skills programs.

Rav Yosef told the crowd: “In the past, parents used to hide these special children away. Today, in places like this, they’re treated like royalty.” He blessed the organization’s leadership and the donor for making full accessibility possible.

‘B’lev Echad’ also runs a broad support network for families year-round: hundreds of volunteers visit the sick in hospitals nationwide, the organization hosts special events for children and families, and it runs respite stays, hospitality, and special Shabbosos for children nearly every week, plus Yamim Tovim and vacations.

A large crowd gathered this week to celebrate the engagement of the great-granddaughter of the preeminent Breslov leader, Hagaon Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter shlita, held in an atmosphere of great simcha and excitement.

The kallah is the daughter of Rav Nachman Dovid Heiman, and the granddaughter of the son of Harav Nassan Yitzchok Shechter. Family members, talmidim, and close associates arrived to take part in the simchah and to offer their brachos to the families.

Especially moving moments were recorded when Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter shlita joined in the singing, uplifted in spirit, encouraging the assembled crowd to rejoice in the simchah shel mitzvah. Later in the event, he read the tenaim with great feeling before the excited participants.

Photo credit: “Charedim Yerushalayim”

President Donald Trump on Monday marked the launch of the new Trump Accounts investment program for children as he rang the opening bells of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq from the Oval Office, highlighting an initiative created under Republicans’ 2025 tax and spending package while continuing to tie his presidency to stock market performance.

Trump has increasingly pointed to stock market gains as evidence of his economic policies, urging Americans to pay closer attention to their retirement investments ahead of the November midterm elections.

“It’s going to go up — I think the market’s going to go through the roof,” said Trump after formally launching the start of trading.

According to a June survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the economy.

The White House event also marked the rollout of Trump Accounts, which are designed to allow children to invest in stock market index funds.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the program is intended to help expand stock market participation, noting that millions of Americans currently have no direct exposure to equities and therefore do not benefit from market gains enjoyed by many wealthier households.

Although huge crowds filled the streets of Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday, analysts and even senior Iranian officials cautioned that turnout should not be viewed as proof of widespread support for the Islamic Republic.

“If anyone’s thinking this is a litmus test for the popularity of the Islamic Republic, history tells us otherwise. It’s a funeral, and Iranians do funerals very well,” Ali Ansari, a professor of modern history at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews told the Times of Israel on Monday.

Reuters spoke with several attendees who said they came out of curiosity or because of religious tradition rather than political loyalty to the regime.

“My attendance does not mean that I am pro-regime, this big event happened in my country and I wanted to witness history,” said Hamidreza, a 63-year-old retired teacher from Tehran who requested that his last name not be published.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the size of the crowd, although drone footage appeared to show hundreds of thousands of mourners.

Analysts estimate the Iranian regime maintains a loyal ideological base of roughly 15% to 20% of the country’s 93 million people, citing election results in which hardline candidates have consistently drawn that level of support. In the 2024 presidential election, hardline candidate Saeed Jalili received about 13.5 million votes.

The funeral marked Iran’s first burial of a supreme leader since 1989, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was laid to rest following the Islamic Revolution. Khamenei, who was killed on February 28, was buried months later because of the war, allowing authorities time to organize an elaborate state funeral.

The ceremonies also marked the first major public gatherings since the end of the recent war, which supporters of the Islamic Republic viewed as an existential conflict.

“If we do not respect our leaders, the world will not respect us,” said Houshang Dabiri, 51, who traveled from Shiraz to attend the funeral.

A senior Iranian source acknowledged that those attending did so for different reasons, including religious obligation, support for the government, and participation in state-organized public demonstrations.

Israel’s cabinet voted unanimously not to recognize decisions by a media regulator the Supreme Court allowed to keep operating, escalating into a direct confrontation between the government and the court.

The dispute centers on the Second Authority Council, which regulates Israel’s commercial television and radio broadcasters. Several members resigned, leaving the council below the minimum number required by law. The Supreme Court ruled on June 17 that the outgoing council could continue working for now, despite the missing members.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin brought the government proposal. The cabinet said it would not recognize “any decision, approval, appointment or action” by the council as long as it does not meet the legal threshold. Karhi said, “The judges of the High Court are not the Knesset, and intoxication with power does not give authority to erase an explicit threshold condition from the law.”

Opposition leaders warned the move crosses a dangerous line. President Isaac Herzog said, “Noncompliance with a court ruling is a red line that must not be crossed under any circumstances.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid said a government that does not accept a High Court ruling becomes “an illegal government whose rulings and decisions we will not accept.”

For the coalition, the case is another example of judges overriding a clear law passed by elected officials. For the opposition, it is something far more dangerous: a government announcing that it can decide which Supreme Court rulings count. That is why the dispute immediately reopened the same fears that drove Israel’s 2023 judicial reform protests.

Newly published Army Radio documents show Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar launched the October 7 massacre believing Hezbollah would join and turn the attack into a wider regional war against Israel.

According to the documents, Hamas did not plan the attack as a Gaza-only war. Sinwar believed Hezbollah and Iran were prepared to join a multi-front campaign, including rocket fire and a major ground assault from Lebanon into the Galil.

Hamas had spent years trying to pull Hezbollah and Iran into a future war with Israel. During Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021, Hezbollah reportedly helped Hamas with intelligence efforts in Beirut, together with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

By 2023, Sinwar was telling Hamas leaders that Hezbollah and Iran had moved past the trauma of the 2006 Lebanon War. He described a broader war as a “realistic scenario that can be achieved.”

But Hamas intelligence also understood that Hezbollah still had a “psychological barrier” from 2006. Hezbollah feared the cost of a full war with Israel, even as Sinwar believed the shock of October 7 would force the entire axis to enter the fighting.

At 6:29 a.m. on October 7, Sinwar sent Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a message apologizing for the surprise and asking him to join immediately with rockets and a major ground attack. Hezbollah opened fire only the next day, drawing Israel into a northern front, but did not send Radwan forces into the Galil that morning.

Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is facing a hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck an unoccupied parked vehicle in Napa County on Friday before leaving the scene.

According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, a witness in Yountville called 911 at approximately 2:30 p.m. after reportedly seeing a man driving a convertible collide with a parked car.

Investigators said the witness reported that the driver briefly stopped following the collision before driving away. Deputies later located the disabled convertible a short distance from the crash site, where it was blocking a roadway. Authorities identified the driver through his license as 86-year-old Paul Pelosi.

According to the sheriff’s office, Pelosi told investigators he realized he had struck something but was unsure what it was and continued driving.

“He drove the car until his car became disabled and was no longer to continue driving,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Authorities said a preliminary alcohol screening found no evidence that Pelosi had consumed alcohol.

The sheriff’s office said Pelosi was not taken into custody.

Investigators said the case will be forwarded to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.

“A California DMV re-evaluation referral form will be submitted to DMV, which is common for elderly drivers,” the sheriff’s office said.

Attorney information for Paul Pelosi was not immediately available, and neither he nor former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had publicly commented on the incident as of Saturday.

The incident comes nearly four years after Paul Pelosi survived a violent attack inside the Pelosis’ San Francisco home. In October 2022, an intruder broke into the residence while he was asleep, striking him multiple times with a hammer and leaving him with a fractured skull that required surgery.

The attacker, David Wayne DePape, was convicted in federal court in 2023 on assault and attempted kidnapping charges and received a 30-year prison sentence.

A year later, DePape was also convicted on five state charges and sentenced to life in prison.

The lone member of New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) who opposed the city’s newly approved rent freeze says the policy could gradually leave aging rent-stabilized buildings in worse condition by reducing the revenue landlords rely on for repairs and capital investments.

Arpit Gupta, who also serves as an associate finance professor at New York University’s business school, said he is concerned the freeze one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s signature campaign promises could make it increasingly difficult for property owners to cover essential operating expenses.

“It’s a little bit of a slow burn,” said Gupta, an associate finance professor at New York University’s business school. “The risk is that the buildings do go under more distress. There are a variety of responses. One is … deferred maintenance, which will worsen the physical conditions of buildings.

“There are other avenues of distress, like going behind on mortgage payments, insurance payments, eventually property taxes, which leaves the property to be transferred in ownership to a bank or to the city, possibly for a tax lien sale.”

Following the board’s June 25 vote, RGB Chair Chantella Mitchell appointed by Mamdani earlier this year acknowledged that landlords have experienced sharp increases in property taxes and insurance costs but maintained that most owners “remain able to meet rising costs.”

Gupta, who joined the board after being appointed by former Mayor Eric Adams in 2022, said he does not dispute that many landlords remain financially stable.

Instead, he argues that the impact varies significantly across the city’s housing stock. Older rent-stabilized buildings that depend almost entirely on regulated rental income, he said, face far greater financial pressure than newer developments with mixed-income revenue streams.

The latest policy goes beyond previous rent freezes approved during former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, when rent increases were suspended three times for one-year leases only in 2015, 2016 and 2020. The current measure freezes rents on both one- and two-year leases beginning Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, affecting roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments.

Because of the timing of those lease terms, some landlords may be unable to increase rents until as late as September 2029.

Gupta believes a citywide rent freeze is an overly broad solution to the affordability crisis. He said a better approach would provide direct assistance to low-income tenants while allowing financially stressed buildings to continue receiving modest rent increases.

“About 30% of the tenants in rent-stabilized housing make six figures or more. At the same time, many individuals in market-rate housing are below the poverty line,” Gupta said. “So, to have a system that provides so many benefits for one sector of the housing stock while completely leaving out the market-rate tenants whose rents might actually go up because of the dynamics of freezing one part of the housing stock means that we have an incompletely targeted program.”

Gupta also pointed to existing city programs that freeze rents for qualifying senior citizens and people with disabilities, arguing that similar protections should instead be expanded to include low-income residents regardless of whether they live in rent-stabilized housing.

Another concern, Gupta said, is that the policy may encourage some landlords to keep apartments vacant rather than rent them out.

Data reported by Gothamist in early June showed that more than 57,000 rent-stabilized apartments sat vacant in April 2025. State housing officials noted that the figure does not necessarily represent long-term vacancies because some units were in the process of being prepared for new tenants.

Gupta contends, however, that many apartments remain empty because owners cannot recover renovation costs under current rent regulations, a problem he believes could become even more pronounced under the latest rent freeze.

Many property owners trace their financial challenges back to the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, which eliminated the “vacancy bonus” that previously allowed landlords to raise rents by up to 20% after a tenant moved out. Owners argue the change reduced their ability to finance renovations before re-renting apartments.

Despite his opposition to the rent freeze, Gupta said he understands the reasoning behind his fellow board members’ votes and acknowledged that many tenants continue to struggle with housing costs despite previous efforts to limit rent increases.

“In the five years I’ve been on this board … we have set rents below our estimate of building cost increases, we have set rents below CPI and we’ve even set rents below wage growth in the city,” Gupta said.

Even with those lower increases, the board’s own income and affordability study found that New York City’s spending on one-time programs to cover tenants’ unpaid rent climbed from $102 million in 2022 to $555.8 million by 2025.

That same report also found that 62% of eviction cases last year involved buildings containing rent-stabilized apartments, a statistic supporters cited in favor of implementing the rent freeze.

Although Gupta opposed the final decision, he said he does not believe Mayor Mamdani’s appointments predetermined the outcome. The mayor selected six of the board’s nine members earlier this year, and each voted in favor of freezing rents.

“From my understanding, the administration did not direct or try to influence the vote directly,” Gupta said. “My fellow board members tell me that they were independently appointed.

“What I also hear from board members who joined is that in the vetting process, as they were entering the board, they weren’t asked or pressured on their position on the rent freeze,” Gupta said.

Former board member Christina Smyth, another appointee of former Mayor Adams who resigned before the vote, offered a different assessment. In a public letter posted on social media, she argued that the board had been “rebuilt,” was no longer a “fact-finding body” and that it was “required to deliver a rent freeze.”

Looking ahead, Gupta said his greatest concern is that the current policy may become permanent, noting that Mamdani campaigned on a pledge to “freeze the rent every year I’m in office.”

“I’ve had many discussions with other members of the board, and I’ve asked, ‘If you vote for the rent freeze now, what are the conditions under which you would vote for rental increases?’” he said.

Gupta said he has yet to receive a definitive answer. While some board members told him they intend to review future economic data before making additional decisions, he remains uncertain whether future rent increases will ever be approved.

“I’m not sure whether all the board members believe that’s the future or if maybe the future is just more freezes. Freeze after freeze for four years, as Mamdani campaigned on. That’s a very different picture.”

Fox News Digital said it asked Rent Guidelines Board Chair Chantella Mitchell whether she viewed the rent freeze as a temporary policy and about concerns that it could place additional financial strain on some rent-stabilized buildings. According to the report, Mitchell declined to comment beyond the statement she released following the board’s vote.

“He’s still AWOL.”

Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly been prevented from attending the funeral of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, amid fears that Israel could target him if he appears in public.

Mojtaba had requested permission to carry out funeral rites over his father’s body as the late ayatollah is scheduled to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, marking the conclusion of a multi-day state funeral.

However, security officials rejected the request, according to two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members who spoke to the New York Times.

Intelligence and security assessments inside Iran reportedly warn that Israel could attempt another assassination if Mojtaba Khamenei exposes himself, even for a highly symbolic public appearance.

As a result, officials have reportedly instructed him to remain completely concealed and to avoid any form of public signaling. Security sources have even gone so far as to say he should not reveal himself “in any way, even to the extent of releasing his voice,” according to Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, a relative cited by Iranian media.

The younger Khamenei has not been seen or heard from publicly since the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, which killed his father, his wife, and his teenage son.

Since then, his presence has been limited to written statements or brief messages released through state media and social media platforms.

His prolonged disappearance has fueled speculation and mockery inside Iran, where some have nicknamed him the “cardboard ayatollah,” a reference to the fact that his image rather than his physical presence has become the primary way citizens encounter him.

He is widely believed to be hiding in a fortified underground bunker, a location that has reportedly evaded even U.S. and Israeli intelligence efforts.

He also did not attend a recent memorial ceremony for his wife, Zahra Hadad-Adel, held in Tehran, though it remains unclear whether he intended to appear.

“US intelligence assessed Mojtaba Khamenei as “probably gay” and briefed President Trump to that effect, The Post reported back in March.”

Despite his absence, large-scale mourning events for Ali Khamenei have continued, including a major public viewing in Tehran where hundreds of thousands gathered to pay respects.

The late leader’s body was displayed in the capital’s Grand Mosalla courtyard, drawing massive crowds as part of the ongoing state funeral proceedings.

Iranian officials have not publicly commented on Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from the ceremonies or on the security restrictions surrounding him.

President Donald Trump kicked off the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration Friday with an address at Mount Rushmore that began by praising America’s exceptionalism before shifting to a politically charged message centered on what he described as the growing danger of communism.

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” he said from Mount Rushmore. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.”

Although Trump has delivered similar remarks in recent speeches, the setting made this address particularly notable. Speaking at a national monument honoring four former U.S. presidents, his comments contrasted with the traditionally bipartisan and unifying Independence Day speeches previously delivered by presidents such as Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.

The president’s remarks also echoed themes associated with the anti-communist Red Scare of the 1950s, a period marked by investigations, blacklists and the persecution of individuals accused of communist ties in government, entertainment and other sectors.

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, delivered his own Independence Day speech, portraying the United States as a nation filled with contradictions while continuing to pursue its founding ideals “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

Trump’s appearance concluded a holiday eve that was also dominated by an intense heat wave affecting much of the eastern United States. Officials urged those taking part in Fourth of July festivities to remain hydrated and seek relief in air-conditioned spaces when necessary.

Extreme temperatures forced changes to several holiday events. Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade, while Washington’s Great American State Fair temporarily closed during the afternoon before reopening later in the day. The Capitol Fourth concert ultimately proceeded with performances by Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins and appearances by members of the Artemis II space mission, followed by fireworks over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. A separate Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was canceled.

By Friday afternoon, large crowds had gathered on the National Mall for the Great American State Fair. Visitors watched military flyovers, purchased food and drinks, and searched for shade while enduring sweltering conditions, many dressed in red, white and blue despite the oppressive heat.

Glenn Brooks, who received a presidential pardon from Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”

The nationwide Independence Day celebration reaches its peak Saturday with fireworks displays, neighborhood gatherings and cookouts across the country. Trump is also scheduled to deliver another address on the National Mall before a fireworks display organizers describe as one of the largest in the nation’s history.

While much of the country endured dangerous heat, residents of the Pacific Northwest experienced far cooler weather, with temperatures in the 60s and occasional light rain.

In Seattle, soccer fans preparing for Monday’s World Cup matchup between the United States and Belgium enjoyed the mild conditions. Nearby in Issaquah, 31-year-old Megan Kurowski took her dogs to a local park before work and looked ahead to the evening’s festivities, including a possible paddleboard outing to watch the fireworks.

“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she said.

This year’s anniversary arrives during a period of deep political divisions, giving Americans both an opportunity to celebrate the nation’s history and reflect on the country’s current political climate.

Speaking in New York, Mamdani avoided mentioning Trump by name but appeared to challenge the president’s rhetoric during his address.

“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built, they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”

The milestone celebration has also highlighted competing efforts to organize national events. Freedom 250, a group aligned with the White House, coordinated many of the festivities in Washington, while the bipartisan America250 commission organized celebrations in cities nationwide, including ceremonial ball drops and a concert in Los Angeles.

An April survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about four in ten American adults said they felt proud about the country’s 250th anniversary, while roughly three in ten described themselves as excited.

In Topeka, Kansas, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano reflected on what he believes defines the United States, saying resilience not politics is the country’s greatest strength.

“We’ve just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that’s in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a booming business as a side hustle.

Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she planned to focus her attention on her local community during the holiday.

“It feels a little bit more like within our own personal control,” she said.

Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he had not realized the country was marking its 250th anniversary and planned to spend the holiday quietly at home with his wife and their dogs, which become frightened by fireworks.

“America’s a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said.

Chin said healthcare and politics remain major worries for him and his wife.

“We’re Democrats, so kind of given up hope,” he said. “Just feel that it is the way it is. I don’t know if there could be change.”

At the National Archives in Washington, visitors toured the Rotunda to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while also escaping the extreme temperatures outside.

Among them was Michael Dresdner, 60, who traveled from West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Cindi, 57, and a group of roughly two dozen people to take part in the America 250 celebrations. He said the fact that members of the group represented different political viewpoints gave him optimism about the future of the country.

“We are all here, and we all love America,” he said.

Russia’s second-largest city, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding Leningrad region were hit by a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack overnight Saturday, with strikes targeting an oil terminal and nearby port infrastructure, according to Russian and Ukrainian officials.

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the city of approximately six million residents faced what he called a “large-scale” drone attack that damaged the city’s oil terminal. He said no casualties were reported and that emergency crews had completed response operations.

Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko said Ukrainian drones also struck the port of Vysotsk, located about 105 miles northwest of St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. The port is a major transportation hub for oil, grain, coal and liquefied natural gas.

Drozdenko added that Russian air defenses intercepted 72 drones across the Leningrad region. While several communities sustained minor damage, he did not disclose whether the strike affected operations at the Vysotsk port.

In a message posted on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said: “Ukraine’s defence forces struck port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia’s war, and also hit Kronstadt, an important military target more than 850 km (528 miles) from Ukraine’s state border.”

Russian officials did not confirm any attack on Kronstadt, the major naval base near St. Petersburg that Ukraine previously targeted during an earlier strike in June.

Separately, reports said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s superyacht was relocated amid concerns it could be targeted as Ukraine expanded its long-range drone strikes.

Ukraine has significantly expanded its campaign against Russian energy infrastructure this year, with repeated attacks contributing to fuel shortages in several parts of the country.

On Friday in the Leningrad region town of Gatchina, a Reuters witness observed long lines of motorists waiting at gas stations, while some locations had completely run out of fuel.

One queuing resident, who gave his name as Gennadiy, told Reuters: “Standing in queues after work isn’t exactly fun.”

“And then, in a couple of days, I’ll have to stand in queues again, because I’ll run out of gas again.”

In separate attacks, officials in Russia’s Bryansk region and the Russian-installed administration in Crimea reported that one person was killed in each region by drone strikes, while several others were injured.

Farther south, authorities in Russia’s Pskov region said air defense systems destroyed more than 30 drones overnight. Officials reported limited damage and several injuries, including at a factory in the town of Velikiye Luki.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he signed pardons for six individuals convicted of violating federal clean-air and emissions laws, arguing they had been unfairly targeted by the previous administration. “It is my Great Honor to have just signed Pardons for six people who were persecuted by the Biden Administration, and were in, or being sent to, prison, for ‘fixing their car,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he believes the individuals were victims of a weaponized Justice Department. He did not identify those pardoned or provide further details on the specific charges they faced.

The pardons stem from prosecutions under the Clean Air Act related to so-called “defeat devices” — software used to disable vehicle emissions controls. Earlier this year, the Justice Department had already ordered federal prosecutors to drop pending criminal cases tied to such devices, and a June 29 executive order further directed the EPA to scale back civil enforcement in this area.

The president met with senior officials Friday to review the slate of pardons, which was managed by a small group of aides including White House special counsel David Warrington, chief of staff Susie Wiles, and U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin. Sources familiar with the matter said Trump is separately weighing clemency for other high-profile figures, including rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, though Friday’s announced pardons were limited to Clean Air Act cases. Combs is currently serving a four-year federal sentence after being convicted last year.

Trump has made expansive use of the pardon power throughout his second term, beginning with mass clemency for over 1,500 people connected to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot on his first day back in office. The pattern has drawn scrutiny from congressional Democrats, who have opened an investigation into concerns about “pay-to-play” dynamics in the administration’s clemency process.

U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) paid a visit this week to Agudath Israel of New Jersey’s Lakewood office, spending time learning firsthand about the resources the organization’s Zahav and Yahalom divisions provide to seniors and to families of children with special needs.
Rabbi Shlomo Schorr, director of legislative affairs for Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office, described the visit – and the personal story behind it – in an interview with Belaaz.

“The senator was here specifically to hear about what our two divisions do – Zahav, which is a resource for seniors living in or moving to New Jersey, and Yahalom, which is a resource center for families with special-needs children,” Schorr said. “The Senator recently revealed publicly that his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and in a speech on the Senate floor a few months ago, he described how lost he felt, and what to do – and said that if a United States senator doesn’t know what to do in terms of resources and what’s available in treatment, then what does the average person do?”

“That was back in December when he gave the speech, and I had a meeting with him in Washington scheduled two days later, during our New Jersey mission to Washington,” Schorr continued. “Instead of discussing our planned topics, we decided to bring up Zahav and Yahalom and tell him this is what we offer families who are in these predicaments and have these issues. He was very impressed, and he wanted to come see and hear more about what we do. So that was the lead-up to yesterday’s visit.”

Asked whether Tuesday’s meeting produced any commitments from the senator, Schorr made clear it was substantive. “It wasn’t just a meet-and-greet. He wanted to hear more, but he was also trying to see where, as a U.S. senator, he could play a role in bringing in support from the federal government – potential grants that are available, or earmarks that can help serve more people or do more for these families and seniors,” he said. “We’re hopeful that we can ultimately tap into that and see where the federal government could be more useful here. That was the goal.”

Asked whether other topics came up during the visit, Schorr said the conversation stayed narrowly focused. “We spoke a little bit about Israel, but he’s familiar with the Agudah in general – that wasn’t so much the focus,” he said. “He’s familiar with our organization; as a congressman and now as a senator, I’ve met with him many, many times, so it’s a relationship that’s been going on for quite a few years. Before he was even in office, I knew him as a reporter and used to cover him when he was running his campaigns, and now I’m working in my capacity with the Agudah, so he’s already familiar with us. It was more about these two divisions that we run.”

Asked whether broader Jewish community issues were part of the discussion, Schorr said they were not. “This was very singularly focused.”

When asked to characterize Kim’s overall relationship with New Jersey’s Jewish community, Schorr described a lawmaker who has consistently been responsive – both in his years representing the state’s Third Congressional District and now as senator representing all of New Jersey. “He’s always been there for the Jewish community in New Jersey, both when he was representing the Third Congressional District for a couple of terms and now representing the entire state,” Schorr said.

“Whenever I have an issue with a constituent in New Jersey – whether it’s a visa issue, a passport issue, or something else that we have to turn to the federal government for – his office is there for us. They never hesitate, they’ve always come through, and I only have good things to say about that.”

Central Park hit 100 degrees Thursday for the first time in more than a decade, as a dangerous heat wave pushed New York City into a holiday weekend emergency.

The reading marked the first triple-digit temperature in Central Park since July 18, 2012. Forecasters said Friday could bring another 100-degree day, which would give the city its first back-to-back 100-degree stretch since July 2011.

The National Weather Service issued an Extreme Heat Warning for New York City until Saturday night, with heat index values expected to reach 105 to 115 degrees. Officials warned that the combination of heat and humidity could sharply increase the risk of heat-related illness, especially for people outside, older adults and residents without air conditioning.

The heat is expected to remain dangerous through Friday before easing slightly on July 4, when temperatures could still reach the mid-90s. Storms are also possible Saturday afternoon, threatening parts of the holiday weekend before temperatures begin returning closer to normal by Monday.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a heat emergency and urged New Yorkers to stay indoors when possible. “The single most important thing you can do in these temperatures is to stay indoors with air conditioning,” Mamdani said. “If you can avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day, please do so.”

City officials opened hundreds of cooling centers across the five boroughs and said more than 2,200 LinkNYC kiosks would show real-time directions to nearby cooling sites. The city also expanded outreach to vulnerable residents, including wellness checks, water distribution and COOL vans offering help to New Yorkers exposed to the extreme heat.

Moshe Galinsky z”l, a 7-year-old boy from Modiin Illit, was killed Thursday after being struck by a bus while returning from cheder in the city’s Brachfeld neighborhood.

The crash happened at about 12:04 p.m. on Rabbi Akiva Street, near Abaye V’Rava. Hebrew media reported that the cheder had ended early because of the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, and eyewitnesses said the child was crossing at a crosswalk when he was hit.

MDA medics who arrived at the scene found him with multi-system trauma and were forced to pronounce him dead. Senior MDA medics Yedidya Chachmon and Moshe Kuperman said, “We saw the child unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, with very severe injuries to his body after he was hit by a bus. We carried out medical checks, but sadly his injuries were significant and we had no choice but to pronounce him dead.”

Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the crash. ZAKA volunteers from the Modiin Illit team also worked at the scene to preserve kavod hameis and collect findings, allowing the child’s body to be released for burial.

Moshe, known as Moishy, was a third-grade student at the Breslov Talmud Torah in Modiin Illit. He was the son of R’ Aharon Galinsky and the great-grandson of the well-known maggid Rav Yaakov Galinsky zt”l. According to B’Chadrei Charedim, his class had visited Kever Rachel the day before for a Chumash Bereishis siyum, which had been scheduled for Thursday before the tragedy.

The IDF’s Central Command and the Yehuda and Shomron Division have identified a concerning trend in recent weeks: Iranian operatives are working to direct terror attacks originating from within Yehuda and Shomron, and the army is preparing for the possibility of further escalation, i24 reported.

In response to these developments, the IDF has decided on a significant reinforcement of forces in the sector. At least four additional battalions will be deployed to the region, bringing the total number of battalions stationed there to 24. The Paratroopers Brigade is also joining the mission.

At the same time, the Yehuda and Shomron Division is grappling with a growing challenge. The division’s area of responsibility has expanded considerably in recent years due to the establishment of numerous communities, authorized outposts, and farms, each of which requires ongoing security and protection.

The reinforcement translates into a heavy operational burden on troops in the field, alongside one of the central questions now facing defense officials: how to supply the manpower required, and where the soldiers and reservists needed to staff the growing number of missions will come from.

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris has privately reached out to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and several prominent pro-Palestinian activists in recent weeks, according to Axios, in what is being viewed as her latest effort to strengthen ties with the Democratic Party’s progressive wing as speculation grows about a possible 2028 presidential campaign.

Last Thursday, Harris called Mamdani to discuss the future of the Democratic Party and arrange a longer conversation, according to a person familiar with the call. The outreach came just two days after three congressional candidates backed by Mamdani swept Democratic primaries in New York City, defeating two incumbent lawmakers and underscoring the growing influence of the party’s democratic socialist wing.

Harris has also held private meetings with progressive figures critical of U.S. support for Israel, including Abbas Alawieh, a Michigan Democratic state Senate candidate and co-founder of the Uncommitted Movement, and longtime Democratic National Committee member James Zogby. Alawieh said he told Harris that “American tax dollars should never be used to target civilians or destroy entire communities,” while also describing the impact of the war on families in his community.

The outreach marks a notable shift after many progressive activists criticized Harris during the 2024 election for remaining too closely aligned with former President Joe Biden’s Israel policy. In her 2025 memoir, 107 Days, Harris wrote that she privately urged Biden to show more empathy toward Palestinian civilians in Gaza, saying his public comments often fell short.

While Harris remains among the leading names in early 2028 Democratic presidential polling, she continues to face skepticism from parts of the party’s far left, as well as moderates and major donors. Her recent conversations suggest she is trying to rebuild bridges with a coalition that could prove critical if she enters the next Democratic presidential primary.

Democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated longtime Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st District Democratic primary on Tuesday, marking another victory for the Democratic Party’s growing socialist wing. The Associated Press called the race late Tuesday with Kiros leading DeGette 49.3% to 43.5%, ending the 15-term incumbent’s nearly three decades representing the Denver-area district.

DeGette, 68, has served in Congress since 1997 and warned voters before the primary not to replace her with an inexperienced challenger. Kiros, 29, is a Democratic Socialists of America member, a former attorney, and a Ph.D. student who was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders. With Colorado’s 1st District considered safely Democratic, she is now heavily favored to win the November general election.

During the campaign, Kiros argued that Democratic leadership had lost touch with working-class voters. “The reality is Democrats have the worst approval rating we’ve had in decades, because we’ve failed to actually do anything for working people,” she said at a candidate forum. She campaigned on Medicare for All, universal child care, publicly financed elections, a “housing first” approach, abolishing ICE, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

Kiros has also drawn national attention over several controversial remarks. In a recent interview, she described the Hamas terrorists’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel as an “inevitable consequence” of Israel’s actions. She also said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were “inevitable” because of U.S. policy in the Middle East. In 2023, she was fired from the New York office of Sidley Austin after signing an open letter arguing that calls for the elimination of Israel are not antisemitic. She also faced criticism after declining to describe the June 2025 firebombing of a pro-Israel rally in Boulder as antisemitic.

Kiros’s victory follows a string of recent primary wins by democratic socialist and progressive candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, adding to signs that the party’s left wing continues to gain momentum in Democratic primaries. Elsewhere in Colorado on Tuesday, incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper defeated state Sen. Julie Gonzales, a former DSA member, in the Democratic Senate primary.

Harav Amos Gueta z”l, a well-known mekubal and Rosh Yeshivah in Netanya, was tragically murdered Wednesday morning after being stabbed inside a shul in the city. He was 75.

MDA received a report at approximately 5:45 a.m. of a man who had been wounded on Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai Street. MDA motorcycle unit medic Maor Brantz and paramedic Yonatan Yankelevich said they found the victim unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, with serious penetrating wounds to his body. They administered CPR and transported him to Laniado Hospital, where doctors fought for his life before he was pronounced dead.

According to initial findings, the suspect is one of the Rav’s own chasidim, apparently mentally unstable. Eyewitnesses said he demanded to daven together with the Rav, then approached him, stabbed him multiple times, and fled. A wide manhunt is currently underway.

Israel Police said officers from the Sharon district have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the violent incident and that criminal investigators are collecting evidence at the scene.

Netanya Mayor Avi Salma mourned the Rav’s petirah, calling him “a great luminary and a pillar of Torah and chesed in the city” who “illuminated the path of tens of thousands of residents for many years” and sending condolences to his wife Rebbetzin Chaviva and the family.

Shas issued a statement saying the party was “shaken to the depths of our souls,” describing the Rav as an outstanding talmid chacham who spent decades bringing Jews closer to Torah, particularly within the Libyan Jewish community, alongside his colleague Harav Shimon Gabai z”l.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Israel on Tuesday after the Israeli government approved a move to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, accusing Jerusalem of slandering Turkey while pointing to the war in Gaza.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey did not take Israel’s accusations seriously. “We pay absolutely no attention to the slanders against our country by this criminal network, which has the blood of 73,000 innocent people of Gaza, mostly children and women, on its hands,” he said, citing a figure that Israel does not accept.

Erdogan also rejected the genocide label against Ottoman-era Turkey. “Our history is free from genocide, massacres, oppression and colonialism,” he said. He added that Turkey’s past was marked by “justice and kindness,” saying the country had helped the oppressed and “gave shelter to those who fled the Inquisition and Nazi persecution.”

The comments came two days after Israel’s cabinet unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s proposal to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The move still requires Knesset approval, but Sa’ar said after the cabinet vote that “it is never too late to do the right thing,” calling recognition a moral duty for the Jewish state.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry had already condemned the Israeli decision as politically motivated, accusing Israel of trying to distract from Gaza and legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice. Israel had avoided formal recognition for years, partly because of relations with Turkey, but ties have collapsed sharply under Erdogan.

The Armenian Genocide began in 1915, when Ottoman authorities arrested, deported and killed Armenian community leaders before launching mass deportations and death marches. Historians estimate that about 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Turkey continues to reject the genocide label, though 32 countries have recognized it.

Robinson De La Cruz Hilario, a Puerto Rico resident facing charges over online threats of mass violence and the receipt of illegal content, admitted to federal investigators that he posted threatening messages directed at both Jewish and other communities, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court on Tuesday.

The FBI announced Friday that De La Cruz had been arrested after an investigation allegedly revealed “repeated online threats of mass violence..”

According to court documents, the FBI’s San Juan Field Office received information in February indicating that De La Cruz was planning a “mass shooting event” and had circulated a “tactical” map of a location in the San Juan metropolitan area. Investigators also uncovered numerous public social media posts in which he praised Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed 49 people in the 2016 massacre at Pulse, a venue in Orlando, Florida, before being shot dead by police. During the attack, Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The complaint further alleges that on June 8, De La Cruz shared photographs of patches, some linked to neo-Nazi organizations, along with messages calling for murder.

Federal authorities said De La Cruz also posted a selfie in which he was holding “a Glock handgun.” During questioning, he admitted that he operated the social media accounts and made hateful posts. He also acknowledged that some of the posts amounted to threats, but claimed that “he had no intention of carrying it out” and said he wanted the messages to frighten people.

Colorado Democratic Socialist candidate Melat Kiros said the September 11 terror attacks were “inevitable” because of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, during a new interview with Colorado’s Next 9News.

Kiros was asked about earlier comments she made on far-left streamer Hasan Piker’s show, where she called the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel “an inevitable consequence of apartheid, of occupation, decades of occupation.” She pushed back on the idea that she meant Israel “had it coming,” saying the issue was about “understanding the conditions in which violence and war happen.”

9News journalist Kyle Clark then asked whether she also believed 9/11 was an “inevitable consequence” of American foreign policy. “Inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East, which led people to believe that another act of violence was the only response. And again, just like I said before, our responsibility is to get rid of those conditions that lead to violence in the first place,” Kiros said.

Before launching her campaign, Kiros was fired from Sidley Austin in 2023 after publishing an open letter criticizing law firms, including her own, for calling for action against antisemitism on college campuses. In the letter, she accused firms of “chilling future lawyers’ employment prospects for criticism of the Israeli government’s actions and its legitimacy.”

Kiros is the latest candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America seeking to defeat an incumbent Democrat ahead of the midterm elections, as the party’s far-left wing continues trying to expand its influence in deep-blue districts.

The Supreme Court on Monday significantly broadened President Donald Trump’s authority over the federal bureaucracy while stopping short of allowing him to exert the same control over the Federal Reserve, issuing a pair of rulings that represent one of the most consequential decisions on presidential power in decades.

In a 6-3 decision divided along ideological lines, the justices overturned a nearly century-old precedent that allowed Congress to shield leaders of the Federal Trade Commission and roughly two dozen other independent regulatory agencies from political pressure by requiring presidents to provide cause before removing them.

The ruling is expected to bring sweeping changes to the structure of the federal government and fulfills a longstanding goal of the Trump administration and conservatives who have argued that the president should have broad authority over the executive branch.

In a separate but related case, a coalition of justices voted 5-4 to temporarily block Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The court found that the central bank’s unique history and structure permit Congress to provide special protections for its governors.

Taken together, the rulings delivered a mixed result for Trump, who has aggressively sought during his second term to expand presidential authority by removing agency heads, reorganizing departments and dismissing thousands of federal employees.

Trump celebrated the FTC ruling on Truth Social, calling it a “BIG WIN” and pledging to continue efforts to remove Cook.

“90 years of precedent has been COMPLETELY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY OVERRULED, greatly increasing Presidential Power at a time when it is most needed!” Trump wrote.

Republicans argued that the FTC decision would make the government more accountable to voters by strengthening presidential oversight. Democrats and some former officials, however, warned that it could inject politics into regulations governing product safety, elections, nuclear energy and other areas. The ruling involving Cook remains provisional and will return to lower courts for further proceedings.

The majority held that the Constitution’s plain language grants the president control over the executive branch. In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by the court’s two other liberal justices, argued that the nation’s founders envisioned independent agencies whose autonomy could be protected by Congress. She read her dissent aloud from the bench to underscore her opposition.

“Today, the majority replaces 90 years of proven, workable practice with a half-baked theory of executive power that is simultaneously all encompassing yet also subject to necessary but undefined exceptions,” she wrote. “The one thing that does appear to be clear going forward is that chaos will follow.”

Sotomayor said the decision could reshape agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission, which Congress designed to rely on nonpartisan expertise and technical knowledge.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court’s conservative majority, concluded that the protections preventing the president from firing Democratic FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter were unconstitutional.

“We hold that such protection from removal is contrary to the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution,” Roberts wrote.

In the Federal Reserve case, a cross-ideological majority ruled that Cook could remain in office while litigation over her dismissal proceeds through the courts. The case could take months or years to resolve and may eventually return to the Supreme Court.

Roberts, again writing for the majority, said Congress deliberately established the Federal Reserve as an institution independent of presidential control.

“Any change in that scheme must come from Congress, not the courts,” he wrote. “That is why we cannot accept the Government’s contentions in this case. To do so would allow the President to remove a member of the Federal Reserve at any time, for any reason, without any notice before, and without any judicial check after.”

Four conservative justices dissented from that decision. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the ruling represented an unprecedented intrusion into presidential authority.

“Today’s decision is an unprecedented incursion on the Executive Branch,” Thomas wrote in his dissent. “Neither the parties nor the Court can point to a single time in American history that this Court has upheld an injunction against the President’s removal of an executive officer.”

Trump fired Slaughter and fellow Democratic FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya without citing cause in March 2025 as part of a broader effort to remove officials he viewed as ideological opponents and replace them with allies.

Victorian MP Joshua Burns delivered emotional testimony before Australia’s commission into antisemitism on Monday, recounting how a group of frum ninth-grade girls told him they had all been subjected to antisemitic harassment while traveling to school.

Burns told the Commission into Antisemitism in Australia on Tuesday that before the October 7 Hamas attacks, he could count “on one hand” the number of antisemitic incidents he had personally experienced.

However, he said “something dramatic shifted” in October 2023.

“But never did I grow up thinking being Jewish would be something I would have to hide or something that would prohibit me from reaching any part of Australian society or reaching any of the goals that I would have for my life or for my family,” he said on Tuesday.

Burns recalled one visit to Canberra when a group of ninth-grade girls from a Jewish school came to meet him.

“And I said to them … put up your hand if you’ve experienced anti-Semitism. And they all put up a hand,” he said.

“I said, all right … well, let’s dissect that, put up your hand if you’ve had someone shout at you, and barely a hand went down.

“These are Year 9 girls who are distinctly dressed in … school uniforms that have a modest and religious design to them …. being screamed at because they’re Jewish.”

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion resumed this week for its third round of hearings after receiving more than 20,000 submissions.

The commission was established in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach terror attack, in which 15 innocent people celebrating Chanukah were killed on December 14.

The commission’s final report is scheduled to be delivered in December, marking one year since the Bondi attack.

The inquiry is continuing, with additional proceedings expected.

A British rabbi says his family’s summer holiday rental in France was canceled after the property owners asked him to condemn Israel before allowing the stay to go ahead.

Rabbi Dr. Yoni Birnbaum, senior rabbi of Finchley United Synagogue in London, booked the rental home in eastern France at the beginning of May for an August family vacation. The booking was accepted, and he paid a 50% deposit. Nearly a month later, the owners contacted him after noticing the word “rabbi” in his email address and looking him up online.

The owners asked him to confirm that he belonged to “a progressive and liberal Jewish movement” that condemned “the violent actions of the Israeli army, on orders from the Israeli government, in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and recently in Lebanon.” They wrote that if this was not the case, they could not offer accommodation because it conflicted with their principles.

Birnbaum rejected the demand, saying his Jewish identity had never been relevant to the booking. “At no stage in our correspondence to date did I ever mention my Jewish faith. It wasn’t relevant. We are simply a British family like any other, seeking to rent a property from you for a summer holiday in France,” he wrote.

“In other words, you wished to subject me to a purity test. Am I one of the ‘good Jews’ or one of the ‘bad Jews’?” he added.

The owners denied discriminating against him as a Jew, saying they asked about his views “as an individual, not as a Jew, not because you are Jewish.”

Lavi Nitzan, brother of fallen Givati soldier Gilad Nehemya Nitzan HY”D, married Shani last night in a ceremony filled with both joy and memory.

At the moment when ash is traditionally placed on the groom’s head, a reminder that even at the height of Jewish joy Jerusalem is still not complete, their father, Yaakov Nitzan, added another layer of meaning. He mixed dust from the place where Gilad fell in Gaza with dust from Har Habayit, saying: “Connecting the private pain with the national pain.”

Gilad, 21, from Shiloh, was a fighter in Sayeret Givati. He fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip on Nov. 3, 2023, during the opening weeks of the ground operation against Hamas terrorists. The IDF later promoted him from sergeant to staff sergeant after his death.

According to the family’s memorial account, Gilad’s force had been fighting in northern Gaza when Hamas terrorists emerged from a hidden shaft near a building. Gilad, his commander and fellow soldiers fought at close range. After the battle, Gilad was found shielding his friend Yondav Levinstein, with Gilad’s own tourniquet wrapped around Yondav’s leg in an apparent final attempt to save him.

A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture exceeded its authority by approving state restrictions that barred Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients from purchasing certain foods.

In March, SNAP beneficiaries in several states sued the USDA over waivers that prohibited the purchase of items such as candy and soda through the food assistance program. The plaintiffs argued that the agency did not have the legal authority to determine which foods qualified for purchase.

Formerly known as food stamps, SNAP provides assistance to about 42 million Americans.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the District of Columbia found that the waivers conflicted with Congress’s definition of “food” and improperly changed the types of items that can be purchased through SNAP.

“Congress defined what ‘food’ is supposed to be, and it did not authorize the agency to amend or waive the definition it enacted,” the judge wrote. “It did not authorize the agency to cut types of food out of SNAP entirely.”

Federal law generally allows SNAP benefits to be used for any food intended for home consumption, with exceptions including alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared meals.

Jackson said the USDA defended the waivers as a means of increasing the efficiency of the SNAP program.

However, she determined that “none of the state plans or USDA approvals indicate that the pilot projects might ‘increase the efficiency’ of the SNAP program within the meaning of the statute.”

The National Retail Federation had warned that the restrictions would likely lead to longer checkout lines and more customer complaints.

A separate report from the National Grocers Association and other trade groups estimated that implementing the SNAP restrictions would cost retailers $1.6 billion upfront and another $759 million annually.

“Punishing SNAP recipients means we all get to pay more at the grocery store,” said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director for the anti-hunger advocacy group Food Research & Action Center.

Supporters of the waivers, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., argued that the restrictions would prevent government funds from being used to purchase highly processed foods that may harm health.

“We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create,” Kennedy said in a statement in December.

Kennedy has said the measures are part of a broader push to reduce chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes linked to sugary drinks and other unhealthy foods, a key objective of his Make America Healthy Again initiative.

Jackson stressed that her decision did not address the merits of the policy or discount concerns about nutrition, noting that improving nutrition is not among the statutory reasons the government can use to waive SNAP requirements.

“The Court’s analysis should not be taken as a comment on whether the pilot projects are a good idea or not. That is a question of policy that is not before the Court,” Jackson wrote in her ruling.

The decision immediately blocks restrictions that had already taken effect or were scheduled to begin in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. It could also affect other SNAP restrictions based on the same legal rationale.

Jackson said the USDA “will have to go back to the drawing board to design pilot projects that accord with [federal law].”

She noted that Congress has authorized the USDA to test certain initiatives aimed at improving health and nutrition through SNAP, but the agency did not invoke that section of federal law, which carries strict requirements, when approving the state waivers.

The Trump administration has not indicated whether it plans to appeal the ruling.

Legal experts noted that if the administration seeks to permanently restrict or prohibit certain SNAP purchases, Congress may have to amend the laws governing the program.

In a statement, the USDA said it remains committed to advancing the goals of the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.

“The idea that taxpayer funds should not be used to purchase junk food should not be controversial,” the USDA said. “USDA will not be backing down from the fight to Make America Healthy Again, including for families and communities reliant on SNAP.”

A sprawling Jewish center and shul was inaugurated this week in Naberezhnye Chelny, the second-largest city in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, in a ceremony led by Russian Chief Rabbi Harav Berel Lazar, shlita, and attended by the city’s mayor — with the project having received unprecedented personal financial backing from the president of the Muslim-majority republic.

The dedication came during the days of Tammuz, carrying added significance this year as the 99-year anniversary of the freeing of the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch zy”a from prison begins. Naberezhnye Chelny, marking 400 years since its founding and known worldwide for its auto industry — including the massive Kamaz plant, itself celebrating an anniversary — took on a festive atmosphere as crowds gathered for the opening, accompanied by the local philharmonic orchestra performing geulah niggunim of Yud-Beis and Yud-Gimmel Tammuz.

The new center spans two expansive floors and includes a grand shul, a well-stocked beis medrash, an event hall, and a communal kitchen. Behind the building lies a remarkable story of hashgacha pratis: the shliach now serving the community, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Fayer, first began his own journey into Yiddishkeit as an eleven-year-old boy in Kazan, when he came to the local shul to say Kaddish for his father. He was warmly received and personally mentored there by Rabbi Yitzchok Gurelik, shliach and rav of the Republic of Tatarstan. That encounter set him on a path that led him through the Tomchei Temimim yeshivos in Moscow and Eretz Yisrael and ultimately to rabbinic ordination. Now, at the direction of Rav Lazar, Rabbi Fayer has returned to his native republic to serve as spiritual leader of the Naberezhnye Chelny community, supported by his father-in-law, Rabbi Shevach Zlatopolsky, shliach in Almaty.

The Chief Rabbi, as guest of honor, opened the proceedings by affixing mezuzos and went on to write the opening letter of a new Sefer Torah being donated to the community. The crowd then proceeded, amid spirited singing, to the laying of the cornerstone for a mikveh to be built on the premises, completing the spiritual infrastructure for the area’s Jewish community.

A distinguished roster of public figures attended to honor the community’s growth, led by Mayor Nail Magdeev and Russian Jewish Congress President Yaakov Gantzis, along with members of the Wiener family, generous benefactors of the project. They were joined by a notable gathering of rabbanim and shluchim from across Russia, including the rabbanim of Bashkortostan and Ufa, Chelyabinsk, and Sochi, along with senior figures from Chabad’s Russian operations, local rabbanim, a sofer, and representatives of other faiths and friends of the community. A particularly moving moment came when the orchestra played the Yud-Beis Tammuz niggun and the conductor invited the assembled rabbanim to sing along, visibly moving the mayor and the crowd.

In his remarks, Rav Lazar spoke about the Mikdash that resides within every Jew, and revealed a detail that drew widespread admiration: it was the Muslim-majority republic’s president himself who pushed for, supported, and personally invested real economic resources into establishing the Jewish center — which he described as a rare example of mutual respect and brotherhood in a multinational state. He explained the deeper meaning behind the verse “Ve’asu li Mikdash veshachanti besocham,” noting that the Torah’s use of “within them,” rather than “within it,” teaches that a person who makes the Mikdash the center of his life merits that the Shechinah dwell within him as well.

He went on to reflect that a city’s true center lies not in its newest roads or infrastructure but wherever its Mikdash stands, and praised the warmth he felt from everyone who entered the new building, saying it reveals the potential within every person, young or old. The Chief Rabbi offered personal brachos to the Wiener family, and praised Russia’s respect for religious diversity. He closed with brachos for the community’s continued growth, unity, and spiritual elevation, expressing hope that the new center would enrich the lives of all who entered it and hasten the complete and true geulah.

The United States and Iran have agreed to stop attacking one another, a senior US official told Axios on Sunday, as both sides prepare to meet Tuesday in Doha to resolve their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz — just days after renewed strikes pushed the fragile ceasefire to the brink of collapse.

The ceasefire, only 11 days old, had come under severe strain following a series of strikes by both the US and Iran and an explicit threat from President Donald Trump to resume full-scale conflict and “complete the job” against the Iranian regime. The renewed fighting stemmed from differing interpretations of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that ended the earlier war, particularly its provisions governing the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior US official told Axios that both sides have decided to halt all “kinetic activity” — military terminology for strikes and other attacks. A second US official said both sides will stand down “for now,” adding that vessels can move freely through the strait as technical talks continue. Both officials, along with a third source familiar with the matter, confirmed that the Tuesday talks in Doha are set to proceed.

Under the terms of the MOU, Iran had committed to making its best efforts to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait, in exchange for the US lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. During negotiations in Switzerland last week, a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance reached an agreement with Iran to establish a direct hotline between the US military and the IRGC to coordinate vessel traffic through the strait. As of Saturday, however, that hotline had still not become operational, even as Iran resumed demands that ships coordinate passage with Iranian authorities.

The Tuesday talks had originally been scheduled to take place in Switzerland and were intended to address Iran’s nuclear program. The recent escalation prompted a change of venue to Doha and a shift in focus toward resolving the Strait of Hormuz dispute specifically. Nick Stewart, who heads the US technical team on the matter, is expected to take part in the talks, according to a US official and a separate source familiar with the planning.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the development.

The agreement to halt strikes comes after a chaotic 48-hour period that saw the US strike Iranian military targets in the Strait of Hormuz on consecutive nights, Iran retaliate with strikes on US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, and Trump warn that the Islamic Republic could “no longer exist” if hostilities continued — underscoring how quickly the ceasefire’s terms unraveled once disputes over enforcement in the strait came to a head.

Three members of Venezuela’s Jewish community have been confirmed dead following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, a senior communal leader told The Times of Israel Sunday.

Roberto Mishkin, president of the Union Israelita de Caracas, Venezuela’s largest Ashkenazi congregation, said that of the country’s approximately 5,000 Jewish residents, three deaths have now been confirmed and another four people remain missing. The third fatality was confirmed earlier on Sunday.

The earthquakes also left significant damage within the Jewish community. According to Mishkin, at least 15 Jewish families lost their homes entirely, while another 30 to 35 families have been displaced after their apartments were rendered uninhabitable.

Across Venezuela, at least 1,450 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 68,000 others remain missing in La Guaira state and the capital, Caracas, after twin earthquakes struck the country last week.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, about 300 people sought refuge at the Jewish Community Center and another 200 sheltered at Mishkin’s shul. Approximately 100 people continue to stay at the JCC.

Mishkin said the community’s long-established network of Jewish service organizations has mobilized to provide three meals a day to many affected residents, with volunteers working around the clock to assist those in need. Donations are also being collected to support relief efforts.

An Iranian post carried on Fars News’ platform, a semi-official outlet linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, argued Sunday that Tehran has “no choice” but to build an atomic bomb, directly clashing with Iran’s new written pledge to the U.S. not to develop nuclear weapons.

The post, titled “There Is No Choice But To Build The Atomic Bomb,” said Iran must reach nuclear deterrence in order to negotiate from strength. “To achieve the calm Iran needs, it must reach nuclear deterrence to make sure the remaining issues can be resolved through negotiation,” it said.

The argument comes after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding meant to open a 60-day process toward a final nuclear and regional agreement. In that framework, Iran reaffirmed that it would not obtain or develop nuclear weapons, while the sides agreed to discuss Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and renewed International Atomic Energy Agency oversight.

But the inspection issue remains unresolved. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Friday that Iran’s statements are “not enough” and that a strong verification system is needed “as soon as practicable.” Iranian officials, however, have denied that inspectors will be allowed into nuclear sites hit during the recent confrontation.

The Fars-carried post framed nuclear weapons as a way to deter America and Israel, saying atomic deterrence would create “a balance of power” and keep future conflict “controllable.” Its publication came as the U.S.–Iran framework was already under pressure, after Iran fired missiles and drones toward U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain following American strikes.

Iran’s government continues to say its military capabilities are defensive and meant to guarantee regional stability. But the post’s message was far more direct: peace, it argued, requires Iran to become a nuclear power.

Israeli security forces thwarted a planned terror attack overnight in Balata, near Shechem, arresting a terrorist belonging to Tanzim – the armed wing of Fatah – who is suspected of also serving as a weapons dealer, in a targeted raid carried out by the Gideonim 33 unit of the Lahav 433 division.

The operation was conducted in cooperation with the Shin Bet and led by the Shomron Division. According to intelligence information received ahead of the raid, the suspect had been planning to carry out an attack against security forces and civilians in the immediate term.

The suspect is described as a sensitive target who had previously evaded several earlier arrest attempts. After receiving an indication that he had returned to his home, forces prepared for a focused operation, raided the building, carried out a rapid takeover, and arrested the suspect on the scene.

The suspect was transferred for continued interrogation by the Shin Bet. The IDF stated that security forces will continue to act decisively against terror elements, weapons dealers, and other actors who endanger public safety, combining advanced intelligence and operational capabilities.

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Tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara escalated sharply over the weekend after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that the struggle against “Zionism” is a matter of national survival for Turkey, prompting a blistering response from Israel’s Foreign Ministry and a vow from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the matter to Washington’s attention.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan described Zionism as a “genocidal, occupying, expansionist ideology” that threatens not only him personally but “everyone,” framing his opposition to Israel as a matter of his nation’s survival. The remarks continue a pattern of escalating rhetoric from Erdoğan toward the Jewish state since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded forcefully in a post on X, calling Erdoğan a “dictator” who persecutes political opponents, imprisons journalists, and backs jihadist groups, while noting that Israel had “extended its hand in peace to Lebanon just yesterday” — a reference to the US-brokered framework agreement between Jerusalem and Beirut signed in Washington on Friday. The ministry’s statement concluded pointedly: “Erdoğan will pass. Israel will remain forever.”

Netanyahu addressed the matter directly at a cabinet meeting, saying Israel takes Erdoğan’s repeated calls for the country’s destruction with the utmost seriousness. “Hardly a day goes by without Erdoğan calling for the annihilation of the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said, adding that history has taught the Jewish people to take such threats at face value. He said Israel would draw the attention of its American allies to the remarks, stressing, “we are not ignoring them.”

The diplomatic rupture comes as Turkey, despite being a NATO member, has maintained ongoing contacts with Hamas and suspended trade with Israel throughout the Gaza war, stopping short of a full break in relations. Analysts have noted that Erdoğan’s language increasingly mirrors the rhetoric long employed by the regime in Tehran rather than that expected from a Western alliance member.

In a separate but related development, Israel’s government voted Sunday to formally recognize the mass killings of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks carried out by Ottoman Turkish forces in the early twentieth century as genocide. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the move a “moral and historical duty,” stating that Israel must reject denial, minimization, and distortion of the historical record. The resolution is expected to advance next to the Knesset for further legislative action.

Israel had for years withheld formal recognition of the Armenian genocide, largely out of consideration for its relationship with Ankara. That diplomatic restraint had been predicated on Turkey maintaining at least the appearance of a constructive regional role — a posture that has steadily eroded amid Erdoğan’s escalating hostility toward Israel.

It is with sadness that we report the petirah of Rebbetzin Rachel Lieff, mother of Harav Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Rov of Agudath Israel Bais Binyomin of Avenue L in Flatbush, and Harav Eliezer Simcha Lieff, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedola of South Monsey. She was niftar at the age of 104.

The levayah will take place Sunday at 12:00 p.m., at Yeshiva Gedola of South Monsey in Airmont.

Rebbetzin Rachel was born in Israel and grew up in the US. She and her husband, Harav Yaakov Dovid Lieff zt”l, lived in Cincinnati during their early years. She later became a math professor at Brooklyn College, but maintained her unwavering devotion to supporting her husband and sons in their lives of Torah learning and Rabbanus.

Her husband served as Rav of the Avenue O Jewish Center for several decades. He was born in Belarus and was niftar in 1998 at the age of 73.

Rebbetzin Rachel is survived by her two sons, Harav Moshe Tuvia Lieff and Harav Eliezer Simcha Lieff. She was predeceased by her son, Nochum Shlomo, who was niftar at a young age.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

The Israeli government voted unanimously on Sunday to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, approving a resolution brought by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar after years in which Israel avoided the move because of diplomatic sensitivities with Turkey.

The decision is expected to be brought next to the Knesset plenum for a vote. Sa’ar said after the cabinet approval: “The Israeli government approved a short time ago the resolution I presented to it recognizing the Armenian genocide. It’s never too late to do the right thing.”

“This horrific genocide, which took place more than 100 years ago and regarding which there is no real dispute over the historical facts, included the murder of 1.5 million people and the destruction of an ancient cultural and historical heritage,” Sa’ar said.

“In my view, it is our moral obligation as Jews, and certainly as the state of the Jewish people, to adopt the decision we approved today,” he added. Hebrew reports said Sa’ar thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for backing the move.

Israel had long stopped short of formal recognition, largely because of its complicated relationship with Turkey. Ankara denies that the Ottoman-era massacres, imprisonment and forced deportations of Armenians amounted to genocide, and has led a long campaign against international recognition.

Sa’ar said the decision was not an act of revenge against Turkey or President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but added that Turkish hostility toward Israel does not give Ankara “immunity from the truth.” Dozens of countries, including the United States, Canada, Russia and Germany, already recognize the Armenian Genocide.

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The US military struck Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz early Sunday morning for the second consecutive night, after Tehran violated the ceasefire by attacking a commercial vessel, prompting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to retaliate with missile and drone strikes on US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain — a rapid escalation that has thrown the fragile US-Iran ceasefire into jeopardy.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Navy and Air Force fighter jets struck 10 Iranian military targets at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz, in response to an Iranian drone attack on the tanker M/T Kiku. A senior US official said the strikes followed Saturday’s Iranian attack on the commercial vessel near the coast of Oman.

The strikes marked the second night in a row that the US has hit Iranian targets in the area. Friday’s round came after Iran struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone as it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast. CENTCOM said that round targeted Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites, calling it “a powerful response” to the attack on the vessel.

President Donald Trump had previewed the Friday strikes in a Truth Social post, writing that Iran fired at least four one-way attack drones at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. One drone struck the upper deck of a large cargo ship, damaging it though it was able to continue on its route, while three other drones were shot down. Trump called the attack “a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.”

Following the latest strikes, CENTCOM said Iran’s “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping” clearly violated the ceasefire and undermined freedom of navigation through the vital trade corridor. The command said it continues to provide safe passage coordination to commercial vessels transiting the strait and that US forces remain present and vigilant to ensure the agreement is fully adhered to.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump issued a stark warning regarding the potential for further escalation. “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” Trump wrote, adding that should that point be reached, “the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist.”

Iranian state media reported explosions near the port city of Sirik, and later in the village of Maysan on Qeshm Island in southern Iran. The Naval Command of the IRGC responded defiantly to the US strikes, declaring that America’s “blind fire in Sirri” would not solve “the mystery of our dominance over the Strait of Hormuz.” Tehran claimed its own strikes on maritime vessels targeted ships “violating the rules,” framing the attacks as a warning to other vessels transiting the region. The IRGC also issued a direct threat toward Washington, warning that US bases in the region “will experience hell in the coming days.”

Iran followed through by striking US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. The IRGC said its navy and aerospace forces carried out joint missile and drone attacks against the sites, framing the action as retaliation for the US strikes on Iranian territory. The IRGC claimed it had destroyed eight significant US military facilities, including sites at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman, Bahrain.

In a statement carried by Press TV, the IRGC warned that any further American action would be met with overwhelming retaliation, declaring that any aggression, “even against insignificant targets,” would draw a “crushing response.” The IRGC further asserted that violating the ceasefire breaches the first clause of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and would result in a complete halt to all diplomatic processes between the two sides.

Kuwait’s army reported that the country came under attack from hostile missiles and drones, with air defenses actively engaging the threats. The Kuwaiti military urged citizens to follow safety instructions issued by relevant authorities. In Bahrain, home to a major US naval base, air-raid sirens sounded following the Iranian strikes, with the country’s interior ministry calling on residents to remain calm and seek shelter at the nearest safe location.

The rapid exchange raises significant questions about the durability of the broader ceasefire framework and the potential for wider regional escalation, with both Kuwait and Bahrain — close US allies hosting American military infrastructure — now drawn directly into the crossfire.

Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow defeated Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming in Saturday’s Republican Senate primary runoff, delivering another primary victory for candidates backed by President Donald Trump.

With 41% of precincts reporting, Letlow had secured more than 55% of the vote, compared with about 45% for Fleming. She will become the Republican nominee in November.

Trump endorsed Letlow in January, months before the May primary. The support helped propel her past incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy in a three-way contest. Letlow was first elected to Congress in 2021 after winning the seat previously held by her husband, Luke Letlow, who died from complications related to COVID-19.

President Donald Trump appeared alongside Rep. Julia Letlow and First Lady Melania Trump at the Congressional Ball.

After finishing first in the May primary, Letlow’s race against Fleming became increasingly competitive as polls showed the contest tightening this month.

On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis won his party’s nomination with more than 78% of the vote, while his opponent, Gary Crockett, received roughly 21%.

Trump and Cassidy have clashed repeatedly in recent years, particularly after Cassidy voted to convict the president during his 2021 impeachment trial on charges of “incitement of insurrection” following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Cassidy later cast a key vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Trump repeatedly attacked Cassidy over what he described as his “disloyalty” and declared his political career “OVER.”

The friction persisted even after Cassidy’s primary defeat. Last week, the two reportedly engaged in a heated exchange during a closed-door Senate luncheon after Cassidy joined three other Republicans in backing an Iran War Powers resolution opposed by the president.

Fleming, 74, served in the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2017 and later became Deputy White House Chief of Staff near the end of Trump’s first term. He currently serves as Louisiana’s state treasurer.

Both candidates campaigned as conservatives and competed to demonstrate their support for Trump’s agenda.

Despite Trump’s endorsement of Letlow, Fleming sought to position himself as the race’s leading MAGA conservative and criticized Letlow for her previous support of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In the final days of the campaign, Trump made several online appeals on Letlow’s behalf.

On Friday, the president described her as a “Highly Respected America First Congresswoman” and a “Great Star” as well as a “TOTAL WINNER” and “wonderful person” who has been “tested at the highest and most difficult levels.”

Letlow captured 45% of the vote in the May primary, compared with 28% for Fleming and 25% for Cassidy.

Recent polling, however, suggested the runoff would be much closer in what analysts expected to be a low-turnout election.

According to Ballotpedia, Trump has achieved a 98% success rate in candidate endorsements, although that figure includes uncontested races and contests in which the president endorsed candidates after they had already established significant leads.

The Texas State Board of Education voted Friday to make Bible passages required reading for public school students across the state, in a decision affecting more than 5 million children.

The Republican-controlled board approved the new required reading list by a vote of 9-5-1. Among the mandated texts are sections of the Book of Exodus (Shemos) for fifth graders and Tehillim perek 23 for seventh graders. The broader list also includes works by authors such as E.B. White, Shel Silverstein, Aesop, Kurt Vonnegut, and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

Friday’s board discussion focused on implementation timelines and questions over how much autonomy individual teachers should retain in selecting required texts.

Republican board member Julie Pickren defended the list, telling The Texas Tribune that engaging directly with foundational texts allows students to understand the moral and philosophical traditions underlying American civilization.

Board member Evelyn Brooks, who opposed the measure, argued during the hearing that the mandate strips teachers of autonomy they have held for years and called the move unconstitutional, though she acknowledged the board’s authority to proceed regardless of her view.

Antero Garcia, a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education and a former high school English teacher, told ABC News the new reading list marks a significant shift in Texas public education, calling it a reshaping of what students learn over 13 years of compulsory schooling. He noted that Texas’s educational decisions often influence other states, raising the possibility that similar mandates could spread elsewhere.

Search and rescue efforts entered their third day on Saturday night as hundreds of volunteers from multiple organizations continued widescale operations to locate Yisroel Mordechai Stern, 25, of Bnei Brak, who has been missing since Thursday morning.

Stern left his home Thursday and has not been heard from since. According to the nonprofit Alei Siach, which is coordinating search efforts, Stern has special needs and does not communicate with those around him — a factor that has significantly heightened concern for his welfare as the search stretches on.

Since Thursday evening, dozens of volunteers from various rescue organizations have been operating in the field, employing advanced search methods including drone units and additional tracking equipment. Search teams have repeatedly combed open areas, streets, buildings, and other locations where Stern may have gone.

Due to the serious concern for his life, a special halachic ruling was issued permitting search efforts to continue through Shabbos without interruption. Hundreds of bochurim from the Gerrer yeshiva joined the effort over Shabbos, working alongside police forces and United Hatzalah volunteers in extensive searches across multiple areas.

Alei Siach has established a command center on Yarkon Street in Bnei Brak, in cooperation with Israel Police, to centralize search operations and coordinate the hundreds of volunteers involved. The center continues to receive volunteers, brief them, and dispatch teams to the field according to ongoing search needs.

Rescue officials emphasized that every passing hour increases the urgency of the search and the need for broad public mobilization.

Stern is described as approximately 25 years old, around 5’9″ tall, with a light complexion, and wearing glasses with clear frames.

Police and rescue organizations are renewing their call for public vigilance, asking anyone who has seen someone matching this description, or who has any information that could assist in locating him, to contact the Israel Police hotline at 100 immediately.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly welcomed a new group of Democratic congressional nominees on Saturday, including three candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America whose primary victories have intensified debate over the Democratic Party’s progressive shift ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Jeffries’ message underscores the balancing act facing the top House Democrat as he attempts to unite an increasingly diverse party coalition before November’s general election.

Should Democrats regain control of the House, Jeffries is expected to become speaker.

That outcome would likely leave him presiding over a Democratic caucus featuring more self-described Democratic Socialists than at any previous point.

To date, more than a dozen candidates supported by the Democratic Socialists of America have either won their primaries or advanced to the next stage of congressional races this election cycle.

In a post on X, Jeffries wrote, “Congratulations to our Democratic nominees,” before naming congressional candidates from across New York. Included on the list were Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, all of whom either belong to or were backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and won closely watched primaries last week.

“From public servants to union organizers to community activists, the path is different but the work is the same,” Jeffries wrote. “We must decisively address the affordability crisis and crush far-right extremism!”

Lander, Chevalier and Valdez all received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose support has further highlighted the growing influence of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing in New York. Lander and Chevalier each defeated incumbents endorsed by Jeffries — Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat, respectively. Jeffries did not endorse a candidate in the open-seat race won by Valdez.

As Democrats pivot toward the general election campaign, Jeffries appears to be rallying behind the party’s nominees as it seeks to reclaim the House majority.

The three socialist-backed candidates have also faced scrutiny over past social media posts, support for defunding the police and criticism of Israel, positions that have generated controversy within Democratic ranks.

Chevalier has come under renewed examination over resurfaced social media posts, including one in which she called to “literally abolish the border.”

She has also drawn criticism for previous posts in which she described former President Joe Biden as a “war criminal,” criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris and rebuked Sen. Bernie Sanders over Israel.

Like Chevalier, both Valdez and Lander, who is Jewish, have accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza.

Jeffries’ public congratulations quickly prompted backlash from critics.

The Republican Jewish Coalition condemned the message, arguing that the candidates are not the Democratic Party’s “fringe” but rather represent its emerging direction.

“To Jewish Democrats: your party is telling you EXACTLY who it is,” the Coalition wrote. “These future members of Congress, who @hakeemjeffries is welcoming with open arms, want to: Abolish prisons and borders. Defund the police. Downplay 9/11,” while citing other controversies surrounding the candidates.

Jamie Metzl, a former National Security Council and State Department official and a lifelong Democrat, also criticized Jeffries’ post.

“When I first read this post, I assumed it was from a spoof account. I am deeply concerned that it appears to be all too real,” Metzl wrote. “To welcome these nominees without acknowledging and criticizing their self-declared sympathies for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, their calls to abolish the police, their stated desire to dismantle Western civilization, and their blatant anti-Americanism is to sacrifice the core principles of the Democratic Party.”

Metzl further accused Jeffries of prioritizing his ambitions to become speaker over the party’s values.

“I understand your ambition to become Speaker should Democrats retake the House, but you should not sacrifice the principles of our party to advance your own political aspirations,” Metzl wrote.

Democratic leaders have faced questions this week over how to address the rise of New York’s socialist candidates, particularly after supporters of Valdez were heard chanting “you’re next” at a television screen showing Jeffries on Tuesday night.

“They’re gonna eat you next Congressman – and replace you with one of their own,” conservative commentator Meghan McCain posted on X.

“This is funny,” conservative commentator Robby Starbuck posted on X. “Hakeem still doesn’t realize that the communists are going to eat him alive. Clearly not a student of history. Bless his heart.”

During an appearance on CNN on Friday, Jeffries said, “I think that what happens in a handful of primaries in one of the bluest cities in the country is not in any way indicative of what needs to happen in November, where we need to reelect every single frontline Member, common sense Democrats, authentically committed to making life better for the American people, opposing these extreme Republicans who have been nothing but a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s agenda.”

“And at the same period of time, make sure that we flip red seats blue, including in New York-17, where we have a combat veteran, incredibly patriotic American Cait Conley, who came out of a primary on Tuesday as well and is an incredibly strong candidate. She will defeat Mike Lawler in New York in November.”

The United States, Israel, and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday after several days of negotiations aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group, according to US, Israeli, and Lebanese officials.

The officials did not disclose details of the agreement or explain how it differs from the April 16 ceasefire deal that led to several rounds of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, according to Reuters. “There is a lot of work ahead,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the announcement in a video message late Friday night, saying, “Citizens of Israel, before the start of Shabbat I want to announce a major achievement for the State of Israel…These have been lengthy talks [between Israel, Lebanon, and the US], and today they have borne fruit.”

Under the agreement, Israeli forces will pull back from two areas located inside the six-mile buffer zone the IDF established in southern Lebanon, with Lebanese forces moving in to replace them. The areas being vacated were already cleared by the IDF of Hezbollah infrastructure, in some cases through the demolition of Lebanese border villages that Israel said Hezbollah had used to plan and launch attacks.

The framework was reached on the fourth day of the fifth round of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington. The sides had been pushing to finalize an agreement by Thursday, the original final day of this round, but required additional time to close remaining gaps.

According to an Israeli official who spoke with tue Times of Israel, the scope of the withdrawal is narrower than it may initially appear. The pullback applies only to two areas located beyond the original borders of the buffer zone established in April; in the more than two months since, the IDF expanded the zone further north, and it is from sections of that expanded territory that Israel agreed to withdraw. The retreat does not include Beaufort Castle, the lookout point recaptured by Israel in May that had long symbolized Israel’s previous 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended in 2000 after the government concluded the deployment was not providing security commensurate with the toll of ongoing casualties. Israel insisted throughout this week’s talks on preserving the original buffer zone boundaries, arguing that the territory is necessary to keep northern border communities out of range of Hezbollah missiles.

Both Israel and Lebanon had entered this round of negotiations angered by Washington’s decision last week to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran that included a ceasefire arrangement covering Lebanon. Jerusalem and Beirut both argued that the MOU undermined the very purpose of their direct talks, which the US had set up specifically to keep Iran from dictating terms inside Lebanese territory. That frustration shaped the early posture of both delegations this week: Israel responded by hardening its position and sharply narrowing the territory it was willing to withdraw from, while Lebanon, seeking to demonstrate that Iran does not hold greater sway over Lebanese affairs than Beirut itself, presented withdrawal maps far more expansive than what Israel – already constrained by domestic political pressure on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government – was prepared to accept.

It remains unclear whether the limited withdrawal will be accepted by Iran or Hezbollah, which have argued that Israel’s continued presence in the buffer zone violates the terms of last week’s MOU requiring a permanent halt to military operations in Lebanon. Israel has rejected that claim, maintaining that it is not a party to the US-Iran agreement and that it will not dismantle the buffer zone. Hezbollah has continued striking at Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon, straining what has already been a fragile ceasefire and threatening the broader US-brokered arrangement with Iran that Washington has been working to preserve.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, described the agreement as a turning point, saying it reflected the exclusion of both Iran and Hezbollah from future arrangements in the area and crediting the resolve of northern Israeli residents for making the outcome possible.

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Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to one count in an 18-count federal indictment, though he was not sentenced during the hearing.

Appearing in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Bolton admitted guilt on the twelfth count of the indictment, which accused him of unlawfully possessing a document related to national defense.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that any prison term imposed cannot exceed five years.

A Justice Department prosecutor told Judge Theodore Chuang that Bolton also faces a $2.25 million fine, with half due within five days, a mandatory debriefing with a U.S. intelligence committee, three years of supervised release, and up to 100 hours of community service. Bolton also agreed to forfeit any annuity or retirement benefits tied to his federal service.

By entering the guilty plea, Bolton waived his right to appeal both his conviction and sentence. However, he retains the option of withdrawing his guilty plea before sentencing, with that opportunity ending once sentencing proceedings are completed.

According to NBC News, Chuang has up to 90 days to issue a sentence.

Bolton has also been given 100 hours to remediate the improper disclosure of classified information.

The judge further advised Bolton that he is not obligated to sentence him within the recommended guideline range.

Federal authorities searched Bolton’s home and office in August of last year. He was indicted in October on charges that initially included both the transmission and retention of classified documents.

According to the indictment, the documents that Bolton allegedly kept contained intelligence concerning future attacks by an adversarial group overseas. Prosecutors said the materials also included information supplied by a liaison partner to the U.S. intelligence community and intelligence indicating that a foreign adversary was preparing a future missile launch.

Prosecutors said many of the records were marked “TOP SECRET.”

“From on or about April 9, 2018, through at least on or about August 22, 2025, BOLTON abused his position as National Security Advisor by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities as the National Security Advisor — including information relating to the national defense which was classified up to the TOP SECRET/SCI level—with two unauthorized individuals,” the indictment read.

“BOLTON also unlawfully retained documents, writings, and notes relating to the national defense, including information classified up to the TOP SECRET/SCI level, in his home in Montgomery County, Maryland,” it continued.

Bolton served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser during Trump’s first administration from 2018 to 2019.

At the time of his departure, Trump said he had fired Bolton because of significant policy disagreements, while Bolton maintained that he resigned voluntarily.

Belaaz has learned of a 24-hour, overnight international diplomatic operation, involving senior officials from the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Moldova, which successfully secured the release of the body of Rabbi Akiva Rand z”l, a 29-year-old father of three who was killed in a car accident near Chișinău, Moldova, allowing him to be brought to kevurah in Eretz Yisrael.

The niftar, a member of the Chernobyl community who lived in Yerushalayim, was traveling with a group of Chasidim to mark the yahrzeit of a Tzadik buried in the city’s Jewish cemetery when he lost control of his vehicle, which plunged into a ravine. Tragically, he was killed instantly. He is survived by his wife and three children. Rabbi Rand was a respected member of the Chernobyl kehillah in Yerushalayim, where he learned in Kollel Nachalas Akiva and was known among friends and fellow Chassidim as a talmid chacham.

The group had been traveling to the tziyun of the Krilovitzer Rebbe zy’a, Harav Yechiel Heshil of Krilovitz (1843–1916), a scion of the Apta-Zinkov dynasty and son-in-law of the Belzer Rebbe zy’a, Harav Yehoshua Rokeach. The Krilovitzer Rebbe is buried in Chișinău’s old cemetery on Milano Street, near the tziyunim of Harav Avraham Schneersohn zt”l and Harav Yehuda Leib Tzirelson zt”l.

Immediately following the crash, a race against the clock began as ZAKA volunteers and international activists worked to prevent an autopsy and preserve kavod hameis. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also participated in the diplomatic effort.

Under Moldovan law, a sudden or accidental death of this nature would typically trigger a mandatory post-mortem examination, a procedure that runs directly against halacha and is universally fought by Jewish communal organizations whenever it arises abroad.

A U.S. State Department official confirmed to Belaaz that American diplomats were heavily involved in the around-the-clock operation to secure Rabbi Rand’s release and prevent an autopsy. Because Rabbi Rand held dual American and British citizenship, the State Department worked closely with the Jewish community, Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and Moldova’s Ambassador to the United States, Viorel Ursu, who is known within the community as Kolminski.

A relative of the niftar told Belaaz that Rabbi Moshe Dovid Niederman of UJO Williamsburg, Tzvi Gluck of Amudim, and Rabbi Moshe Margaretten of Tzedek, working with the office of Rep. Mike Lawler, were involved in the efforts to urge the State Department to act on Rabbi Rand’s behalf. Other sources tell Belaaz that askanim from Slonim community, including Elyakim Shtark and Shia Shlesinger, worked with the US State Department to navigate the crisis to its resolution.

The sources say that the case remained a top priority in Washington and Chișinău alike.

Baruch Hashem, Moldovan authorities ultimately agreed to release Rabbi Rand’s body without an autopsy. The family has clarified that, following the release, a refrigerated truck was arranged to keep the niftar by a local Chabad house over Shabbos. He is set to be flown to Israel aboard a private jet on Motzoei Shabbos for kevurah.

Word of the accident reached the Chernobyl community in Yerushalayim and around the world on Wednesday, plunging the chassidus into mourning. The Chernobyl Rebbe, Shlita, issued a fervent appeal to the public to daven that the body be released for burial as swiftly as possible, a request that went out to Chassidim worldwide while the diplomatic effort was still underway and the outcome remained uncertain.

Despite relentless lobbying by askanim from both Moldova and Eretz Yisrael in the hours immediately following the crash, the body had not yet been released, prompting the Rebbe to call on Chassidim around the world to intensify their tefillos.

The Mir Yeshivah in Yerushalayim, the largest yeshivah in the world, will hold an unusual mass tefillah and protest rally on Sunday over the continued detention of one of its talmidim, who has been held in Prison 10 after refusing induction into the Israeli army, according to Israeli news outlets.

The decision to call the rally was made by the Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, shlita, after consulting with Hagaon Harav Dov Lando shlita and Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita.

At exactly 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, all the batei medrash of the Mir Yeshivah will empty out, with thousands of talmidim, led by the Roshei Yeshivah, converging on Kikar Zevil and along Rechov Shmuel Hanavi in Yerushalayim for the rally. The gathering will conclude at 1:00 p.m.

With the mass gathering of talmidim into the streets, heavy traffic disruptions and severe congestion are expected along the Shmuel Hanavi corridor and the surrounding area for the duration of the rally. A full map of road closures and changes to public transportation will be released separately closer to the event.

A group of nine New Yorkers injured in e-bike crashes filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s directive to ease enforcement of e-bike violations has effectively “legalized” dangerous riding and allowed lawlessness to spread on city streets, the NY Post reported Thursday.

The complaint, filed in Richmond County Supreme Court, argues that Mamdani’s March directive unlawfully prevents police from issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders who run red lights, ride on sidewalks, or travel the wrong way on one-way streets.

“The lack of any actual safety policy, or even concern frankly, is the very definition of capricious decision making, as well as a stunning offense to public trust,” the lawsuit said.

Under Mamdani’s executive order, officers are limited to issuing civil tickets to unlicensed e-bike riders, who face no risk of arrest or license suspension if they ignore the citations.

The lawsuit contends that the policy has effectively “legalized” hazardous riding and transformed sidewalks and crosswalks into “zones of exclusion” for seniors and disabled residents who are unable to avoid e-bikes traveling at speeds of up to 25 mph.

The plaintiffs said they suffered serious injuries in e-bike crashes.

According to the complaint, plaintiff Bonnie Gerard, 83, was standing on an Upper East Side sidewalk when an e-bike jumped the curb and struck her, causing a concussion, a fractured kneecap, and leg injuries that continue to affect her ability to walk.

Another plaintiff, Harvey Goldberg, 75, was riding a Citi Bike on Second Avenue when an e-bike rider collided with him, knocking him unconscious and causing a fractured clavicle and long-term arm immobility that has interfered with his work as a physician.

Plaintiff Roberta Simon said she was walking on a pedestrian path in Central Park when an e-bike struck her from behind, leaving her unconscious and with several broken ribs.

She underwent brain surgery and spent several days in a coma and continues to suffer from dizziness and headaches.

The lawsuit seeks to overturn Mamdani’s policy and restore former Mayor Eric Adams’ criminal enforcement measures, which the plaintiffs say reduced e-bike crashes and fatalities by roughly 30 percent.

The plaintiffs also cited data from NYU Langone indicating that e-bike and scooter crashes now account for seven percent of all trauma admissions and that pedestrians struck by the devices sustain brain injuries at nearly twice the rate of riders.

Flatbush Shomrim moved quickly Wednesday afternoon to track down two suspects who had planted a card skimmer inside a kosher grocery store on Ocean Avenue, ending in an arrest – and shining a fresh light on what officially describe as a badly outdated EBT card system that leaves benefits recipients defenseless once their information is stolen.

The store reported the skimmer at roughly 2:15 p.m. Wednesday after staff noticed the device attached to the card-reading machine, Flatbush Shomrim Coordinator Tzvi Weill, who has been closely tracking the skimming wave, told Belaaz in a Thursday interview.

“We responded over there right away,” Weill said. “The skimmer was connected to the machine already.”

Shomrim volunteers pulled surveillance footage and identified the two suspects leaving the store. Cameras tracked them walking down Ocean Avenue before they turned and entered a parked car, at which point Shomrim members lost sight of them. Volunteers were posted on corners throughout the area, reviewing camera feeds and canvassing blocks in search of the vehicle.

The suspects’ car eventually reappeared near East 19th Street and Avenue O, triggering a pursuit that ended when Shomrim blocked the vehicle in near Avenue M and Ocean Avenue. Both suspects were taken into custody by police at the scene at approximately 6 p.m.
Police told Belaaz the suspects were identified as Andi Dimitriadis, 43, and Eugen Tanasoiu, 44, and were charged with possession of a forgery device.

Weill said a search concluded that the pair had also visited numerous stores in other Jewish neighborhoods, though it remains unclear how many of those attempts were successful.
“They were in many stores in Crown Heights,” Weill said. “Whether they were successful or not, hard to tell, because they put them in, and then they come back and take them out.”

The car had been spotted in the days prior across Flatbush, Crown Heights, and Boro Park, according to Weill.

Weill described a simple but effective method of distraction used to install the skimmer without drawing the attention of store staff. The store has two registers near the entrance and a third counter further inside. One suspect kept the cashier occupied – repeatedly asking him to retrieve bread from behind the counter – while the second suspect attached the skimming device to the machine undetected.

Wednesday’s arrest comes roughly a week after Shomrim arrested a separate pair of suspects involved in stealing mail to obtain EBT card information – part of what Weill describes as a broader, increasingly organized fraud operation hitting the community on multiple fronts.

Weill said the skimmer arrest is only one piece of a much larger problem rooted in the outdated technology behind EBT cards and the system that processes them – an issue raised roughly two weeks ago at a press conference held by the Brooklyn Borough President on the steps of the downtown Brooklyn courthouse specifically to address it.

“Right now the system is very weak,” Weill said. “It’s a very old system.”
Unlike modern credit and debit cards, EBT cards do not contain chips or “tap to pay” tech, relying instead on magnetic strips that are easily read by skimming devices. Compounding the problem, Weill said, the system places no limit on the number of PIN attempts allowed on a stolen card – meaning a thief armed with a stolen card number can simply run through every possible four-digit PIN combination, up to 10,000 in total, without ever being locked out.
“If I take somebody’s mail, I can try as many attempts as I want to switch a four-digit password as I want without getting locked down on this system,” Weill said.

Using basic computer setups, Weill said, thieves can run through the full range of PIN combinations in a matter of minutes, change the PIN to one of their choosing, and then wait until benefits reload on the fifth or sixth of the month to drain the account in full.

“These guys have a computer system where they can, in minutes, run through” every possible PIN, change it, “and then on the fifth or sixth of the month they wipe you out,” Weill said.

Perhaps most troubling, Weill said, victims have no path to recovering stolen benefits, even when they can demonstrate the funds were stolen.

“Even if you can prove that it was stolen, that you lost your benefits, there’s nothing going back. You will not get any refunds going back. You’re losing everything,” Weill said.

Victims must simply wait for the following month’s benefits to be loaded – at which point, Weill warned, they remain just as vulnerable to having the same scheme repeated against them, since the underlying system vulnerabilities remain unaddressed.

“The system is so easy to hack that it’s being hacked every single month for millions of dollars,” Weill said.

Weill said Flatbush Shomrim has been actively notifying grocery stores throughout the neighborhood to be on alert for the kind of behavior exhibited by Wednesday’s suspects – unfamiliar customers lingering near checkout machines, distraction tactics aimed at store staff, and any sign of tampering with card readers.

“We constantly, constantly notify store owners, Weill said, urging staff to take note “when you see customers that usually don’t come around” and to stay alert at the register.
Weill noted that the longstanding advice for customers – to tug gently on the plastic privacy guard surrounding a card reader’s keypad to check whether it has been tampered with or replaced by a skimming overlay – remains a useful precaution shoppers can take on their own.

Wednesday’s quick arrest, Weill said, sends an important message to those running these schemes throughout the community.
“The people that are doing this have to know that it’s not as easy as they think it is, or won’t be as easy as they think it is going forward,” Weill said. “The rest is the people need to know that being someone’s dealing with it.”

Weill said Shomrim continues to work with affected stores throughout Flatbush and Crown Heights to determine the full scope of the operation and is asking residents to remain vigilant against further skimming attempts in the neighborhood.

Iranian diplomats reportedly studied President Donald Trump’s negotiating style and The Art of the Deal before high-level talks with Vice President JD Vance in Switzerland, trying to understand when Trump was signaling policy and when he was using threats as pressure.

The preparation was tested at the Bürgenstock resort near Lucerne, where Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Iran’s negotiating team, was meeting Vance. During the talks, an aide reportedly entered the room with an urgent message: Trump had just threatened Iran over Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote.

Ghalibaf used the post against the talks themselves. According to Iranian and Israeli reports, he told Vance that the threat violated a reported memorandum of understanding reached days earlier, which committed the sides not to threaten or attack each other during the negotiation period.

“Today your president has issued threats. Understand that we never negotiate under threats or pressure,” Ghalibaf said. He then ended the direct face-to-face meeting. “The American side sought another meeting through the mediators, but we refused,” he added.

The episode showed how Trump’s public pressure tactics became part of the negotiations themselves. Reports said Iran had studied Trump’s 1987 book, co-written with Tony Schwartz, and consulted psychologists in an effort to separate actual U.S. policy from Trump’s threats, sudden posts and negotiating theatrics.

The direct meeting broke down, but the process did not collapse. Talks continued through Qatari and Pakistani mediators, while Vance later said the sides had made progress. “We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation,” he said.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he prevented Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from joining the war involving Iran, describing the Turkish leader as a “prime candidate” to enter the conflict.

“He was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran — maybe on the Iran side, because he’s not a big fan of Israel,” Trump claims, even though Turkey came under Iranian fire at one point.

Speaking from the Oval Office during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said he personally intervened to keep Turkey out of the conflict.

“I asked him to stay out. He stayed out,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump also offered praise for Erdogan, calling him “a great leader, a very strong person… Everything I’ve ever asked from him, he’s done.”

The remarks came as questions were raised about a potential US arms package for Turkey, including the possibility of advanced fighter jets.

Asked whether Washington was preparing a major “gift bag,” potentially including F-35 aircraft for Ankara, Trump responded that a deal could be in the works.

“I think so, look… I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy,” Trump says.

Three judges at the International Criminal Court have filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and his administration, challenging sanctions imposed on them last year and arguing the measures were illegal.

In a complaint submitted to federal court in Manhattan, judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin allege that the sanctions were intended to apply pressure outside legal channels and were used to punish and coerce judicial decision-making.

The State Department, Treasury Department, and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the filing.

The Trump administration previously sanctioned multiple ICC judges last year in what it described as a response to the court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and an earlier investigation into alleged war crimes involving US forces in Afghanistan.

The sanctions have significant financial and logistical consequences, restricting access to banking systems and limiting the ability of designated individuals to carry out ordinary financial transactions, particularly where US-linked institutions are involved.

The International Criminal Court, established in 2002, is mandated to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes when member states are involved or when cases are referred by the United Nations Security Council.

While the court has jurisdiction across its 125 member states, several major countries — including the United States, China, Russia, and Israel — do not recognize its authority.

Frank Carone, a former top adviser to ex-Mayor Eric Adams and influential political figure, was arrested Wednesday after federal agents conducted searches of his home and launched multiple coordinated corruption investigations, according to law enforcement sources who spoke with the NY Post.

Authorities also raided the residences of several former senior NYPD officials in a separate but related probe involving allegations of bribery, misappropriation of funds, and improper influence in promotions and assignments.

Carone, 56, was arrested in connection with an alleged bribery scheme that also involves his brother, Anthony Carone, 54, sources said. Federal agents searched Frank Carone’s home during an early morning operation.

In a parallel investigation, NYPD investigators searched the homes of former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, Assistant Chief James McCarthy, and former top department spokesperson Tarik Sheppard.

McCarthy has been placed on modified duty, according to police officials.

Carone faces a 13-count federal indictment alleging that while serving as Adams’ chief of staff he received $120,000 in bribes routed through his brother’s law firm, which prosecutors say were used to pay personal credit card bills.

The indictment alleges that Frank Carone received 12 monthly payments of $10,000 from Yan Po “Andy” Zhu, owner of a Long Island City hotel, and from Zhu’s business manager Crysten Chen. Prosecutors say the payments followed Carone’s alleged assistance in securing a $6.825 million city contract for the hotel to operate as a migrant shelter.

Zhu and Chen, both Chinese nationals living in Nassau County, initially failed to obtain the contract after the Department of Social Services rejected the site as unsuitable, court filings say.

Investigators allege that Zhu later cultivated a personal relationship with Carone and repeatedly sought his help in reversing the city’s decision.

Starting in June 2022, Carone allegedly used his official position to intervene with city officials on behalf of the hotel project. By November of that year, the contract was approved.

According to the indictment, payments were concealed through a “sham retainer agreement” involving Anthony Carone’s law firm, which served as a pass-through for funds later transferred to Frank Carone’s firm.

Prosecutors allege the arrangement was disguised as legitimate legal work and mixed with other payments tied to client referrals.

Investigators further allege that the bribery scheme was concealed through falsified accounting and unreported income, with the funds used for personal expenses including travel, dining, clothing, fitness memberships, and other purchases.

Authorities say the payments were not reported to tax authorities or the city’s conflict of interest board as required.

After leaving the administration in late 2022, prosecutors allege the Carones continued to disguise payments through checks and later attempted to reframe the transactions as loans once a federal investigation began.

The indictment also claims that when the final payment was made in 2023, Anthony Carone pressured Zhu and Chen to extend additional payments.

Frank Carone’s attorneys called the allegations “utterly misguided.”

“Frank Carone served the City of New York honorably,” the statement said. “He was instrumental in helping the city navigate an unprecedented migrant crisis, but had absolutely nothing to do with granting the temporary migrant shelter at the center of these charges.

“We believe a speedy trial is critical and the facts will vindicate Frank.”

The NYPD-related raids stem from a broader investigation into alleged misconduct by senior department officials, including possible corruption in overtime, promotions, and internal assignments.

Officials confirmed the FBI assisted in executing search warrants alongside NYPD Internal Affairs.

“This investigation is ongoing and concerns conduct by former and current members of the NYPD,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

No additional arrests related to the NYPD searches were expected on Wednesday.

Authorities said the probes include allegations of bribery, wire fraud, obstruction, and tax violations, and remain active as federal investigators continue reviewing evidence.

Separately, city officials and political figures tied to the Adams administration have faced a series of unrelated corruption allegations in recent years, several of which remain pending in court.

A second day of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon got underway Wednesday in Washington, according to a US State Department official who spoke with the Jerusalem Post.

The official said the discussions are intended to “continue to advance a comprehensive peace and security between the two countries.”

The Israeli delegation is headed by Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, while Lebanon is represented by Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Maawad and former Lebanese ambassador to Washington Simon Karam.

A central issue in Wednesday’s talks is a proposed pilot program that would see the Lebanese Armed Forces deploy to selected areas in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops withdraw from those locations.

Two officials familiar with the negotiations told The Post that Tuesday’s opening session produced little tangible progress. Nevertheless, they described the atmosphere as constructive and said they expect a joint statement to be issued when the talks conclude Thursday, along with agreements to launch the Lebanese Army pilot initiative.

The primary disagreement involves where the pilot program should begin.

Lebanon, backed by the United States, wants the project to start in areas currently held by Israeli forces. Israel prefers beginning in locations in southern Lebanon where the IDF is not presently deployed.

“We first need to see whether they can meet the objective and clear the area of Hezbollah’s presence. If that works, the model can also be implemented in areas where the IDF is currently stationed,” an Israeli official told the Post.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the disputed buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon is “at the core of” the American-mediated negotiations.

Rubio said the objective is for the Lebanese government to “continue to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory”.

“The more of that area the Lebanese armed forces is able to secure, the less of it is in Hezbollah’s control, and the less Israel will be in Lebanon,” Rubio said.

Israeli analysts say Iranian involvement in Lebanese affairs following last week’s US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding has added a layer of complexity to the negotiations.

Despite those challenges, the sources said they still expect Israel and Lebanon to eventually reach an agreement because both sides have strong incentives to do so.

“Lebanon has an interest in demonstrating that it does not take orders from Iran and that Tehran does not control Lebanon. Israel, for its part, has no interest in handing Iran any achievements related to Lebanon,” one official said.

At the same time, senior Israeli leaders continued to reject the possibility of a broader withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared during the MUNI EXPO 2026 conference: “We will remain there.”

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz similarly stated that Israel would not leave southern Lebanon even if Washington pressed for such a move.

“Two hundred thousand residents will not return. There are no civilians and no terrorists there. We will not leave the security zones in Syria and Lebanon – this is our security doctrine. The IDF must remain on the enemy’s side of the border and defend Israeli communities from within the territory itself,” Katz said.

“Why? Because in the past, security zones that included civilian populations became the site of roadside bombs and attacks against our soldiers. We will not allow that to happen again. Soldiers inside, civilians outside. The infrastructure has been destroyed, the houses are damaged and dangerous. We are not withdrawing”.

The fifth round of talks began Tuesday and focused largely on establishing pilot zones in southern Lebanon where Lebanese troops would replace withdrawing Israeli forces.

US Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed that several obstacles emerged during the first day of negotiations but expressed hope that additional discussions would resolve those issues.

According to Axios, the opening day concluded without any breakthroughs. Two sources briefed on the talks said participants felt the negotiations moved backward rather than forward.

Before the discussions began, Leiter voiced concerns about the direction of the negotiations.

“This is the fifth round of talks, and I must say, we are heading toward a train wreck… that train is in danger of derailing,” he said.

Leiter warned that the recent US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding could give Iranian-backed Hezbollah “a new lease on life” by enabling Tehran to continue directing resources to the Lebanese terror organization.

US Central Command announced Wednesday that a senior ISIS operative was killed in a Friday airstrike in northwestern Syria.

According to CENTCOM, the target was Ali Husayn al-‘Ulaywi, whom the military described as a senior leader within the terror organization.

The Pentagon said the strike was part of continuing US operations aimed at disrupting and eliminating terrorists who are plotting attacks against Americans overseas and within the United States. CENTCOM said it is coordinating these efforts with regional allies and partners.

“CENTCOM and our partners remain committed to rooting out remaining remnants of ISIS to ensure its enduring defeat,” CENTCOM Chief Adm. Brad Cooper said.

“We will continue to defend the US homeland, our service members, and allies and partners across the region,” Cooper added.

Separately, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions Monday against three individuals and six entities located across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa that it said were involved in facilitating financial transactions for ISIS.

Among those sanctioned was France-based Miloud Abderrahmane, whom OFAC accused of conducting transactions with known ISIS affiliates, including operatives in Syria, and providing “instructional and manufacturing information on explosives” to ISIS supporters.

OFAC also imposed sanctions on Abdelhakim Boukich, a former Dutch national now based in Syria. The agency said Boukich oversees Bitcoin Xchange, a Syria-based money services business allegedly used to transfer funds from countries including the United States and the Netherlands to ISIS members.

In addition, Treasury sanctioned Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, an ISIS operative in Nigeria accused of facilitating money transfers for Islamic State West Africa Province, known as ISWAP.

Washington reacted sharply after candidates backed by Zohran Mamdani defeated establishment-backed Democrats in New York primaries, fueling new concern over the growing power of the party’s socialist wing.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Mamdani “has some work to do” with congressional Democrats after the results, meaning the candidates won power, but not yet full trust from party leadership. Axios reported that House Democrats were stunned, with one centrist calling the night an “earthquake” and a “huge defeat” for leadership.

President Donald Trump mocked Mamdani for pulling through “3 solid Communists,” adding, “Congratulations Mr. Mayor!” House Speaker Mike Johnson also warned that Republicans were ready to fight the “Marxists,” casting the results as proof that the insurgent left is rising inside the Democratic Party.

Progressives saw the night very differently. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a leading progressive Democrat, said “the progressive energy is clearly very high,” adding that Mamdani’s endorsement and turnout machine “really does matter.”

The reactions showed how quickly local New York primaries became a national political story. The results pointed to a growing reality inside the Democratic Party: Mamdani’s wing is gaining power because many voters feel squeezed by rent, affordability and a system they believe no longer works for them.

Aber Kawas, a Muslim member of the Democratic Socialists of America party endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and previously criticized for comments in which she referred to the September 11 attacks as something a “couple people did,” secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday for a western Queens state Senate seat.

Kawas, who describes herself as a “Muslim civil right advocate,” defeated Assemblyman Steven Raga (D-Queens) with 60% of the vote as she seeks to succeed retiring state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens). The result came with 95% of precincts reporting.

She has also appeared on event listings as a speaker for CAIR, a Muslim advocacy organization that has ties to Hamas.

Speaking after her victory Wednesday, Kawas celebrated the outcome alongside supporters and fellow progressive candidates.

Kawas has been active in pro-Palestinian political organizing and was seen holding campaign materials at a rally in Queens earlier this month.

Gianaris, who wielded considerable influence in Albany as deputy majority leader and chairman of the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee, endorsed candidates in several other contested primaries but declined to back a successor in his own district.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended his testimony Wednesday after 98 court hearings, marking the end of a major phase in his long-running corruption trial. His testimony lasted about a year and a half, though the trial itself is still ongoing.

Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. These cases involve claims of receiving improper gifts, attempting to influence media coverage, and, in the most serious case, an alleged bribery deal involving favorable coverage on the Walla news site. Netanyahu denies all accusations and says the charges are politically motivated.

The final hearing became tense, with Netanyahu and his lawyer, Amit Hadad, accusing prosecutors of creating a false case against him. Netanyahu criticized the prosecution, saying, “They weren’t looking for a crime, they were looking for a person.” Hadad also claimed that prosecutors used incomplete and misleading evidence during the investigation.

Much of the final arguments focused on Case 4000. Prosecutors claim Netanyahu gave regulatory benefits to the telecom company Bezeq in exchange for positive coverage on Walla, which was owned by Bezeq’s owner, Shaul Elovitch. The defense argues there is no proof of a corrupt deal and says prosecutors are wrongly treating normal interactions between politicians and the media as criminal behavior.

The trial will now continue without Netanyahu testifying. The defense will keep presenting witnesses, and later both sides will give closing arguments before judges decide the verdict. With Netanyahu’s testimony complete, the trial is also expected to move back from Tel Aviv to the Jerusalem District Court.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended his testimony Wednesday after 98 court hearings, marking the end of a major phase in his long-running corruption trial. His testimony lasted about a year and a half, though the trial itself is still ongoing.

Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. These cases involve claims of receiving improper gifts, attempting to influence media coverage, and, in the most serious case, an alleged bribery deal involving favorable coverage on the Walla news site. Netanyahu denies all accusations and says the charges are politically motivated.

The final hearing became tense, with Netanyahu and his lawyer, Amit Hadad, accusing prosecutors of creating a false case against him. Netanyahu criticized the prosecution, saying, “They weren’t looking for a crime, they were looking for a person.” Hadad also claimed that prosecutors used incomplete and misleading evidence during the investigation.

Much of the final arguments focused on Case 4000. Prosecutors claim Netanyahu gave regulatory benefits to the telecom company Bezeq in exchange for positive coverage on Walla, which was owned by Bezeq’s owner, Shaul Elovitch. The defense argues there is no proof of a corrupt deal and says prosecutors are wrongly treating normal interactions between politicians and the media as criminal behavior.

The trial will now continue without Netanyahu testifying. The defense will keep presenting witnesses, and later both sides will give closing arguments before judges decide the verdict. With Netanyahu’s testimony complete, the trial is also expected to move back from Tel Aviv to the Jerusalem District Court.

Three Democratic Socialist candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their congressional primaries Tuesday night, unseating two pro-Israel incumbents and prevailing in a hard-fought open-seat race over a candidate who had drawn support from establishment Democrats, in a sweep that underscored the growing hostility toward Israel within the city’s progressive wing.

In New York’s 10th Congressional District, former NYC Comptroller Brad Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, leading 62.15% to 37.85% as votes were still being counted. Lander, who is Jewish, has repeatedly accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, and last month told worshippers at a Queens mosque that Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon was “on its way potentially to being a genocide as well.” He has pledged to oppose further U.S. military aid to Israel and has compared AIPAC to “crypto” and Wall Street as a corrupting influence in politics.

In the open 7th Congressional District, State Assemblymember Claire Valdez defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, leading 55.83% to 35.52%. Valdez, a Democratic Socialists of America member, has called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” since shortly after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, and has campaigned on cutting off all U.S. military aid to Israel, including funding for the Iron Dome defense system. Reynoso himself had also labeled Israel’s campaign in Gaza a “genocide,” though he did so only after entering the race.

In the 13th Congressional District, community organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier ousted five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat, leading 49.3% to 46.0%. Avila Chevalier, a former Columbia University student activist who helped lead the school’s pro-Palestinian encampment, attended an Oct. 8, 2023, rally in Times Square at which demonstrators carried signs reading “Resistance is Justified when People are Occupied.” She has criticized Espaillat for accepting AIPAC-linked donations and has refused to condemn Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack when pressed by a Jewish Democratic club during her campaign.

Mamdani actively campaigned for all three candidates, appearing alongside them at a rally last week at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater headlined by Sen. Bernie Sanders. At the rally, Mamdani accused AIPAC of being “monsters” who “move millions in dark money to accomplish a single goal: to preserve their power so that they can turn us against one another.” He went on to say that “in the wealthiest city, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, we need not live in fear of monsters any longer.”

The remarks drew swift condemnation from Jewish organizations and elected officials, who said the language echoed classic antisemitic tropes about Jewish money and power. On Monday, rather than walk back the comment, Mamdani doubled down, telling reporters at City Hall that AIPAC has “fought any attempt to actually deliver safety to people” and represents “a status quo for immorality.” New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer accused the mayor of “laundering antisemitism,” saying that substituting “Jews” for “AIPAC” in his rhetoric would reveal it as classic conspiracy theory.

Mamdani has also faced criticism for his silence after a Brooklyn coffee shop, Poetica Coffee, publicly banned Goldman over his support for Israel. After Goldman bought a coffee at the Park Slope location while campaigning with his young daughter, the shop posted on social media that it would have refused him service had staff recognized him, writing that it does not serve “racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,” and telling him, “Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica.” The post, since deleted, also suggested Goldman’s money “probably” came from AIPAC. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into whether the shop’s actions violated federal public accommodation law. Mamdani’s office declined to comment on the incident when contacted by The New York Times.

Goldman, who responded with restraint, said the barista who served him had been kind to his daughter and that he hoped she would still receive a tip. He called the episode a “sad state of affairs” reflecting a broader climate of division.

Not every statewide race Tuesday broke toward Israel’s critics, however. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a longtime and outspoken supporter of Israel, easily secured the Democratic nomination for a fifth full term, defeating challengers Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle. With about 31% of the vote counted, DiNapoli led with 65% to Warshaw’s 21% and Goyle’s 14%. DiNapoli, who has served as comptroller since 2007, is the longest-serving non-congressional statewide officeholder in New York and was the only statewide officeholder to face a primary this year. He will face Republican Joseph Hernandez in November.

Several local races in heavily Jewish areas of the city were also decided Tuesday night. In Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District, the nation’s most heavily Jewish, State Assemblymember Micah Lasher won the Democratic primary in a crowded field that included fellow Assemblymember Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway. Lasher is the chosen successor of retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, who endorsed him, and both Lasher and Bores opposed conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel during the campaign.

In Queens, Far Rockaway activist Pesach Osina, a member of the Orthodox Jewish community, won the Democratic primary for State Assembly District 23 over attorney Mike Scala, leading 60.59% to 38.88% with 95.8% of scanners reported. Osina will face Republican Tom Sullivan in November to succeed retiring Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato.

And in Brooklyn’s 43rd Assembly District, covering Crown Heights, incumbent Brian Cunningham defeated challenger Ahron Gluck, who had run with the backing of a faction of local Orthodox Jewish leadership on a platform of neighborhood safety and support for religious schools. With 84.62% of scanners reported, Cunningham led 79.65% to 19.65%.

An American Frum young man was released from prison after weeks of harsh detention stemming from a paperwork dispute, Belaaz has learned, following coordinated efforts by the Office of Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, the State Department, and an Israeli attorney.

According to information provided directly to Belaaz by Ambassador Kaploun, the man, a young American from Ohio who had traveled to the region to assist a fertility organization, flew to Turkey and then to Cyprus to help facilitate the pickup of embryos as part of what Kaploun described as a chesed mission for an organization. Kaploun said that while the young man’s own conduct was “above board,” the organization in Cyprus failed to properly complete required paperwork.

When the traveler arrived at the airport to fly home, he was accused of criminal activity and imprisoned, Kaploun said, under what he described as harsh, “human rights violations” type conditions.

“We worked to get him into better accommodations, and he now was just released. He’s on his way home,” Kaploun told Belaaz.
Kaploun credited the release to a joint effort involving his own office, State Department personnel who handle cases of imprisoned Americans abroad, the U.S. Embassy, and an Israeli attorney he identified as Tzivlin. “Our office, together with Attorney Tzivlin,” Kaploun said, helped secure the man’s release after what he called a “misunderstanding.”

Kaploun drew a distinction between this case and a hostage situation, noting that while his office and State Department colleagues regularly deal with Americans held hostage abroad, this case was handled by the State Department’s unit that works on behalf of imprisoned Americans more broadly. “Even today with the hostage stuff — not the hostage stuff — even with Lebanon, now all these things, there’s stuff going on here. People mamash have no idea, no hasagah of what goes on in this office,” Kaploun said. He pointed to his office’s recent involvement in efforts that led to the capture of a terrorist, saying Sebastian Gorka told him, “Rabbi, it’s due to your efforts.”

Michael Moshe Mizrahi, a Jewish community member originally from Israel, was killed Monday during a shooting in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, in an incident that also left a police officer dead and another seriously wounded.

The slain officer was identified as Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, 34, who had served with Montreal police since 2021. The suspected gunman was shot dead at the scene.

Rabbi Mendel Raskin, speaking in an interview with Kan Moreshet, said Mizrahi was caught in the shooting near a Jewish community area that includes kosher stores, a restaurant and Chabad institutions. According to Raskin, Mizrahi did not run when the gunfire began.

“He could have fled like others who heard the gunfire, but he chose to stay and help,” Raskin said. “According to what we were told, in the final minutes of his life he managed to save his wife and their baby daughter.”

Raskin said the community was told Mizrahi may have been mistakenly identified by police, though authorities have not confirmed who fired the fatal shot. Officials said the shooting is not being treated as terrorism, and there has been no confirmed indication that the Jewish community was targeted.

The shooting triggered a major lockdown in the area. Residents were told to stay inside, roads were blocked and parts of the neighborhood were sealed off as police searched the scene.

“In general, Montreal is a quiet city, and this incident shook the entire community,” Raskin said.

Mizrahi is expected to be brought to Israel for burial, where some of his family members live. Montreal police also paid tribute to Benredouane, saying his death was “a great loss” and that his “sense of duty, dedication and professionalism will remain engraved in our memory forever.”

A senior Hezbollah official and close associate of Hassan Nasrallah says Israel’s pager operation deeply shook the former Hezbollah chief in the days before Israel assassinated him.

Wafiq Safa said the attack marked a turning point for Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for decades. “It was no longer the same Hassan Nasrallah,” Safa said, adding that people around him made a mistake by showing him images of the pagers exploding on Hezbollah operatives.

Safa said Nasrallah was especially affected after seeing the scope of the injuries and the scale of the intelligence breach. “He became a different person. This was not a medical event, but he was certainly not the same person we knew, even in his appearance,” he said. “He stopped eating, and at first only drank water. In my opinion, he did not eat for about 24 hours. For him, it was the end of the world.”

Safa also admitted that the operation was a major Israeli intelligence success. “We have to be realistic. This was an intelligence penetration, and it is credited to Israel. We admit that,” he said.

He described his final phone call with Nasrallah on the day of the pager operation, saying Nasrallah called to reassure him and ask how he was doing. Safa said he told Nasrallah, “The main thing is that you hold strong.” Nasrallah replied, “God comforts me.”

According to Safa, Nasrallah could not bear both the images from the pager attack and the blow to Hezbollah’s military power, which the terror group had built for years. In their final meeting, Safa said, Nasrallah still believed Israel would not reach him and assumed Israel would avoid a wider war because of Hezbollah’s capabilities. In the end, Israel did reach him — and also damaged Hezbollah’s missile power.

Rep. Dan Goldman is heading into Tuesday’s Democratic primary in New York’s 10th Congressional District facing a serious challenge from former City Comptroller Brad Lander, with multiple public polls showing Lander with a significant lead. The district covers Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, including a portion of the Boro Park Jewish community.

The race has become a flashpoint in the Democratic Party’s broader fight over Israel. Lander, who is backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and has campaigned to Goldman’s left, has criticized U.S. military aid to Israel and has appeared alongside Linda Sarsour, the activist who stepped down from the Women’s March leadership in 2019 amid accusations of antisemitism tied to her refusal to disavow Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. 

Goldman, who co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, has staked his campaign in part on his pro-Israel record and has warned that a Lander win would be read by the party as a green light to move further away from Israel and tolerate antisemitism on the left.

Belaaz spoke with Congressman Goldman on Sunday morning ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

 What’s at stake for the election in your district and in Congress overall?

 I think the stakes are quite high in my district, which will have an impact, I think, more broadly. There’s been in New York City a very aggressive move to the extreme left, and it has included at the front of it a dramatic turn towards anti-Israel views and antisemitism. My opponent, even though he is Jewish and has always professed to be a Zionist, has moved with the political winds to campaign with many antisemitic and anti-Israel people.

What I think is at stake is whether the Democratic Party is going to continue to abandon support for the country of Israel, and whether there’s an actual path forward for the Democratic Party to openly support antisemitism – that is very much what is at stake in this race. Notwithstanding this move by many in the Democratic Party, I have stayed firm in my support for Israel, and as co-chair of the House Bipartisan Caucus to Combat Anti-Semitism, I have been leading the effort to eradicate antisemitism wherever it may be. I think that’s what is truly at stake here.

The issue of Israel has dominated the discourse surrounding your race. We’re seeing it even in offices that don’t impact foreign policy at all, especially in New York City’s mayoral race last year. Why do you think Israel has taken such a place in politics?

 I don’t believe there’s a single answer, nor do I have it. There’s unquestionably an undercurrent of antisemitism that runs through all of this, and that is what really concerns me – and it especially concerns me when my Jewish opponent plays into these antisemitic tropes, and enables them, and caters to them. For the Jewish community, there’s a tremendous amount at stake here, because it would be the worst of all situations to have someone Jewish in this seat who placates the extreme left and the overtly antisemitic voices in the party, and gives cover for those voices to be louder.

 If Lander were to win, what would that signal to the moderate, pro-Israel Democrat world that used to be the norm until very recently?

 I think that’s another aspect of this – I’m a liberal Democrat, and I have very pragmatic and practical views. I think that if I lose this race to someone who has moved to the extreme left in order to win, the Democratic Party itself is going to continue to move to the extreme left.

 Have you taken any hits politically in your career because of your outspoken pro-Israel views? 

That’s probably the only reason we have this primary – that I have stood strong for my values, my morals, my beliefs, and central to all of that is my support for the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. I have maintained those views even in the face of what I knew to be dangerous political consequences.

 What’s your message to the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, people who are on the fence about you? 

My message is that I am a public servant at heart, who is new to politics, with a very fresh and different perspective that is focused on solutions and results. The frustration that many feel is absolutely justified, but the answer is to elect more people like me who will not back down and who will use outside-the-box thinking to deliver results. Congress is a very different animal than City Hall and city politics, and it has taken me a couple of years to get my feet under me and understand how it works. I’m now prepared to lead the charge in the majority when the Democrats take it back – and I believe we will – to actually make a real difference, not just engage in sexy slogans and performative politics.

 You mentioned that you’re co-chair of the caucus on antisemitism. Can you describe some of your activities in that regard, what you’ve focused on, and what you’d do more of if re-elected?

 I’ve really tried to emphasize how important it is that antisemitism remain bipartisan, and I believe that to be the case as well for Israel – that it is not helpful for these issues to become partisan footballs or to be used in partisan ways. One of the things I have very much focused on in leading that effort is being willing to call out antisemitism wherever it is, including if it’s on the far left. I think I need to set the example of real nonpartisanship – that we have to be willing to call out our own in order to make a difference and tackle antisemitism, while also keeping it from being a partisan football.

We’ve had meetings with Harmeet Dhillon (Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. DOJ) with our task force, we’ve had meetings with the president of the synagogue in Mississippi that was bombed, we have regular meetings with Jonathan Greenblatt of the ADL, Ted Deutch of the AJC, and lots of other people with a wide variety of perspectives and insight – because it’s essential that we get all perspectives on this issue, not simply what makes partisan sense.

Shifting to the Orthodox community – do you feel there’s enough federal funding for nonprofit security, given the rise of antisemitism, or would you consider doing more?

 I do not think there’s enough being done. In fact, my co-chairs in the House and the Senate of the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism and I just recently introduced a bill called the Jewish American Security Act, which I’m optimistic we’ll be able to get passed. One of the three pillars of that bill is to increase funding for nonprofit security grants to a billion dollars, and to expand the types of things those grants can pay for.

This has been a real focus of mine since day one in Congress, because Jewish nonprofit organizations all have to hire security and pay for more security infrastructure now, and that should not come on the backs of the Jewish community – which is the community suffering from this rise in antisemitism. It’s not just a priority of mine, it’s something I’ve taken active measures to address. I’m on the Homeland Security Committee, which is the committee of jurisdiction, and I’m going to push this bill through and make sure all Jews feel safe exercising their religion, or just in their lives.

Last question; the polls show a large gap between you and Lander. How much weight do you give them, and what do you think it means?

 I put very little weight into the polls, because the turnout model they use is from last year, and we’re already seeing in early voting that the data shows a very different turnout model – much older than last year. The polls also don’t take into consideration communities like Boro Park or the Chinese-speaking communities, where I have a lot of support.

I have a lot of support in Boro Park because I’ve been on the ground there, even though it’s a small part of my district. I’ve been very dedicated and engaged with that community, making sure their needs are addressed – helping people get back from Israel, both right after October 7 and after the war with Iran started, and reaching out directly to the American ambassador in Israel to do that. I’m very proud of the work my staff and I have done to respond to the needs of the community, and to always show up and make sure this community is a real priority for my office. I will continue to do that.

I think that’s really what’s at stake here: there’s no question that my opponent will pay no attention to the Orthodox community. He has gone all in with Linda Sarsour and other anti-Israel advocates. There’s a lot at stake in this race for the Boro Park community, and if Boro Park votes in large numbers, this community alone can make the difference in the outcome of this election.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz pushed back Monday against claims that IDF troops are being restricted in southern Lebanon, after reports said commanders were operating under tighter rules in the security zone.

Katz said Israel’s security and the safety of IDF forces “stand above every other consideration,” giving full backing to soldiers and commanders in the field. “IDF commanders and soldiers have full backing from the prime minister, from me and from the IDF leadership — and full freedom of action to act decisively against every threat: in southern Lebanon, in the Gaza Strip and wherever required to defend the State of Israel,” he said.

Netanyahu issued a similar statement, saying the policy has not changed. “My directive and the defense minister’s directive to the IDF is clear and has not changed: our fighters in southern Lebanon have full freedom of action to thwart any direct or developing threat to them or to residents of the north. The IDF has no restriction on this matter,” he said.

Both statements came despite an NYT report citing two Israeli officials who said IDF commanders in Lebanon had been significantly restricted. According to the report, troops may now fire only at an immediate threat unless they receive direct approval from the chief of staff. It also said soldiers were barred from demolishing homes and infrastructure without approval from senior officers.

Katz said the IDF will remain in the security zone in Lebanon to protect northern communities, stop threats and destroy terrorist infrastructure above and below ground. Netanyahu also said Israel would remain there “as long as required” to protect the north and all Israeli citizens.

One Montreal police officer was shot and killed and another was injured by terrorists Monday afternoon in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, a heavily Jewish area home to Chabad NDG and other community institutions, sources told Belaaz. There were no reports of other casualties.

Two suspects were eliminated by police during the attack. The motive has not yet been determined, but Chabad sources confirmed with Belaaz that the attack was not aimed at Jews.

An Israeli man captured moments of the shooting on video, shared on social media.

Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed at least one officer was shot during a police intervention that began around 11:30 a.m. and issued an “armed and dangerous suspect” alert for the surrounding area shortly after 12:30 p.m.

“If you are in the affected area, shelter indoors, lock the doors, stay away from windows and follow instructions of local authorities,” the alert read.

SPVM said the affected area is bound by Côte-des-Neiges Rd., MacDonald St., Highway 40 and Queen Mary Rd. Police later narrowed their advisory to residents near Decarie Blvd. and Westbury Ave., where the shooting is reported to have occurred.

The area is home to a significant Orthodox Jewish population and several community institutions, including Chabad NDG, Beis Rivkah Academy, Chai Center, MADA, Vaad Ha’ir, and Yagdil Torah.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing more than 20 shots fired in the vicinity. Heavy police presence, including tactical units, has been deployed to the area, with road closures along Decarie Blvd.

SPVM has not yet issued an official statement confirming the officer’s death or the suspect’s status. This is a developing story.

A kesivas osios was held Sunday night in Lakewood for a sefer Torah being written l’iluy nishmas Reb Yitzchak Tzvi Klein, z”l, who was tragically niftar in an elevator accident in Monsey last year.

Reb Yitzchak Tzvi was known as a warm, ehrliche Yid, with a gentle spirit and a kind word for everyone he encountered. He is survived by his devoted wife and a grieving family; the couple had no children. He was a son of Rev Zanvil and Mrs. Raizel Miriam, and a grandson of Rabbi and Mrs. Eliyahu Tabak of Monsey.

The sefer Torah is being commissioned by his family and friends.

Despite his famous hasmadah, Ponevezh Rosh Yeshivah Hagaon Harav Chaim Peretz Berman attended specially for the occasion, as did Hagaon Harav Yitzchak Sorotzkin, Rosh Yeshivah of Mesivta of Lakewood.

The sefer Torah will be brought in this coming Sunday to the Kopzynitz shul in Boro Park in a hachnasas sefer Torah.

Hagaon Harav Avraham Yehoshua Halevi Soloveitchik shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk, has suffered a further deterioration in his condition and has been transferred to the intensive care unit, according to reports Sunday.

The Rosh Yeshivah was hospitalized almost two weeks ago after his condition worsened following a cardiac procedure, sparking widespread tefillos throughout the Brisker community and beyond. Sunday’s update reflects a renewed decline in his condition.

The tzibur is asked to daven for the refuah sheleimah of (Rav) Avraham Yehoshua ben Etyl.

Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman who helped steer the U.S. economy through some of its most turbulent modern crises, has died at 100.

Greenspan chaired the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006, serving under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. He took office just weeks before the Black Monday stock market crash and later guided U.S. monetary policy through the dot-com bubble, the September 11 attacks and the early 2000s recession.

For nearly two decades, Greenspan was one of the most powerful economic figures in Washington. Supporters credited him with helping preserve market confidence, keep inflation under control and oversee a long period of American economic growth.

His legacy, however, became more complicated after the 2008 financial crisis. Critics argued that his support for low interest rates and lighter regulation helped fuel excessive risk in the financial system. Greenspan later acknowledged flaws in his approach, saying, “I made a mistake.”

His wife, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, confirmed that he died from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. She remembered him as both a towering public figure and a deeply personal presence, saying, “He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life.”

Israel is pressing forward with major operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon even as the diplomatic track meant to end the broader regional war shows signs of strain, with Iran threatening to walk away from talks with Washington over Israel’s continued presence in Lebanon.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir visited soldiers in southern Lebanon on Sunday and warned that the ceasefire remains fragile, telling troops that the military must maintain the highest level of readiness and be prepared to resume offensive operations if necessary. He invoked the lessons of Simchas Torah 5784, when Israel vowed never again to allow enemies to mass forces along its borders unchallenged, and said the IDF has pushed Hezbollah onto the defensive by taking control of the areas around Majdal Zoun, the Ali Taher Ridge, and Beaufort Castle. He singled out the 401st Armored Brigade for praise, noting that despite recently losing several senior commanders, the unit has maintained constant readiness to deploy from Gaza to Lebanon.

The warning came hours after troops from the 91st Division’s 551st Brigade seized control of a major Hezbollah tunnel near Majdal Zoun, roughly 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon. The tunnel, stretching 200 meters and reaching 25 meters underground, contained four rocket-firing shafts that Hezbollah had used repeatedly to target Israeli communities and that the IDF said had been difficult to destroy from the air. Twenty Hezbollah terrorists, including ten members of the group’s Radwan Force, were killed in the operation, and roughly 50 additional pieces of terrorist infrastructure, including drones, anti-tank missiles, and lookout posts, were seized or destroyed.

The military progress comes as the diplomatic track underpinning the broader de-escalation shows signs of fraying. An Iranian source told Reuters that talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland have paused, though not collapsed, following unconfirmed reports that the Iranian delegation had walked out in protest of President Donald Trump’s threat to strike Iran again should Hezbollah continue its attacks. The accuracy of those reports could not be confirmed.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency went further, reporting that Tehran would suspend talks with Washington entirely unless Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon, a condition Yerushalayim has firmly rejected. The agency said the relevant provision in the preliminary understanding with the U.S. calls for ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, and ensuring Lebanon’s territorial integrity, without which Tehran considers the negotiations void. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, separately warned the United States that Iranian armed forces remain ready to respond, dismissing the impact of American threats.

Adding to the pressure, a security official said the IDF has urged Israel’s political leadership to intensify negotiations with the Lebanese government directly, amid concern that the Iran-U.S. track could constrain Israel’s freedom of action against Hezbollah. The IDF reportedly wants to preserve the buffer zone in southern Lebanon while pressing forward with plans to destroy a significant underground Hezbollah facility beneath the Ali Taher Ridge near Nabatieh, and is said to be pushing the government to raise its diplomatic profile in Washington in pursuit of a separate arrangement with Beirut, rather than face American pressure to align with Iranian demands.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the JNS International Policy Summit in Yerushalayim, defended Israel’s continued presence in the southern Lebanon security zone, arguing that any nation facing similar terror threats on its border would act the same way. He rejected criticism over civilian casualties in the campaign against Hezbollah, asserting that Israeli forces go to extraordinary lengths to minimize harm to noncombatants and citing Defense Ministry research indicating a far lower ratio of civilian to combatant deaths than is typical in urban warfare elsewhere. “We don’t have a war with Lebanon,” he said. “We have a war with Hezbollah.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, speaking at the same summit, alluded lightly to the friction between Yerushalayim and Washington over the conduct of the campaign, telling the audience he had checked President Trump’s social media that morning to make sure he still had a job. An embassy spokesperson said the remark was made in jest. Huckabee has been a consistent supporter of Netanyahu amid recent tension between the two governments over ending the wars in Iran and Lebanon.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected any Israeli security presence in Lebanon, insisting that Lebanon’s national army alone bears responsibility for the country’s sovereignty.

Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, weighed in as well, after President Trump suggested Damascus should take responsibility for restraining Hezbollah rather than Israel. Al-Sharaa said Syria would not engage Hezbollah militarily but could contribute to a political resolution, describing the crisis in Lebanon as severe and stalled. He said Trump’s comments had been misread, clarifying that the president had been referring to a Syrian role in seeking a peaceful outcome rather than any plan for Syrian forces to enter Lebanon. Al-Sharaa said his government’s approach centers on rebuilding the Lebanese state’s institutions and finding a resolution all sides can accept, adding that the situation calls for new approaches rather than conventional ones.

A senior Israeli diplomatic official told reporters that, despite the friction, Washington has not explicitly demanded an Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is moving closer to elections after working to bring the Chareidi parties back into the right-wing bloc. But senior Chareidi officials now say Netanyahu has been weakened by tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump and is too distracted to deliver on their legislative demands.

The Knesset dissolution bill has already passed its first reading, though it still requires final approval before elections are formally called. October 20 has emerged as Netanyahu’s preferred election date, giving him time to reunite the bloc and prevent the Chareidi parties from reopening questions about their political alliance with Likud.

At the same time, the Chareidi parties appear to be heading toward elections without major achievements. Their demands included Basic Law: Torah Study, daycare subsidies for families of those learning in yeshiva, and a bill to stop arrests of Chareidi yeshiva bochurs who have not reported for military draft procedures. But coalition officials have said the daycare bill does not have a majority, and the Knesset may be dissolved without passing the arrest bill.

Senior Chareidi officials quoted by B’Chadrei Haredim/Kol Barama said Netanyahu has “lost his self-confidence” because of the crisis with Trump. They claimed he is focused almost entirely on preventing Trump from forcing Israel into a withdrawal from southern Lebanon, where Israel says it must maintain a security zone as long as threats from Hezbollah remain.

The officials also sharply criticized Netanyahu’s office, calling it “broken apart” and saying the people around him are not suited for their roles. Still, the Chareidi parties face a familiar problem: anger at Netanyahu is growing, but they have no clear political alternative outside the right-wing bloc.

Former President Joe Biden has gained a temporary legal victory, winning an additional three weeks to prevent the release of audio recordings and transcripts connected to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation. A federal judge granted a temporary injunction, allowing an appeals court time to review Biden’s challenge before the materials can be made public.

The disputed recordings originate from Biden’s interviews with Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter behind his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, issued an injunction pending appeal. The ruling temporarily blocks the Justice Department from releasing the records while the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reviews the case. The decision followed Friedrich’s earlier denial of Biden’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have halted the release indefinitely.

The outcome of the case may ultimately decide whether the public ever hears recordings that played a role in Hur’s decision not to pursue criminal charges against Biden regarding classified documents. The recordings have attracted significant attention because Hur cited concerns about Biden’s memory when explaining why prosecution was not warranted.

Although the Justice Department previously made public recordings from Biden’s interviews with Hur, the materials at issue in this dispute involve separate discussions between Biden and Zwonitzer.

Hur’s 2024 report repeatedly cited Biden’s recorded conversations with Zwonitzer. In the report, the special counsel characterized portions of the exchanges as “painfully slow” and noted instances in which Biden appeared to struggle with recalling events and conveying information. Those observations fueled debate over Biden’s cognitive fitness during a presidential election year.

The Heritage Foundation and its Oversight Project, led by Mike Howell, have spent more than two years attempting to obtain the recordings and transcripts through Freedom of Information Act requests.

Representatives of the Heritage Foundation have argued that the public deserves access to materials referenced extensively throughout Hur’s report. They contend that transparency is especially important because Hur relied on those recordings when explaining his decision not to file criminal charges.

Meanwhile, Biden has sought to prevent the release of recordings that critics argue could prove politically damaging.

After Judge Friedrich rejected Biden’s request for a preliminary injunction on Friday, Biden’s legal team quickly filed for emergency relief in an effort to maintain the current status of the records while the appeals process moves forward.

In their emergency filing, Biden’s attorneys argued that releasing the materials before appellate review would effectively resolve the dispute before higher courts could consider the underlying legal issues. They asserted that any privacy protections would be irreversibly lost once the recordings became public, rendering much of the appeal meaningless.

The filing further emphasized that the FOIA case has already remained active for more than two years. Biden’s lawyers argued there is no pressing public necessity to immediately disclose conversations that took place roughly a decade ago between Biden and his ghostwriter. They also pointed out that Biden is now a private citizen who neither holds public office nor is currently seeking one.

The Justice Department originally withheld both the recordings and substantial portions of the transcripts under various FOIA exemptions. Earlier this year, however, the department changed its position, concluding that the records could be released with appropriate redactions. Officials cited a substantial public interest in understanding evidence that Hur relied upon during his investigation.

Following the department’s announcement that it intended to release the recordings, Biden filed a lawsuit in May seeking to block disclosure. He argued that the audiotapes contain private conversations that should remain confidential and that releasing them would violate the Privacy Act.

Biden’s legal team further contended that the Justice Department’s decision represents both a violation of the Privacy Act and arbitrary agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Leading the legal challenge is Amy Jeffress, a partner at the Washington-based law firm Hecker Fink and a former national security official within the Justice Department. Jeffress has served as Biden’s primary attorney in the matter and signed the recent emergency filing requesting that disclosure be paused during the appeal.

Jeffress has also attracted attention because she is married to U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. Cooper recently ruled against the Trump administration in a prominent dispute involving the Kennedy Center. Some Trump allies and conservative commentators have cited the relationship between Cooper and Jeffress as a potential conflict of interest, though no formal finding has been made regarding the matter.

Former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef said in his weekly shiur that President Donald Trump’s accommodating stance toward Iran is a punishment from Hashem over Israel’s treatment of yeshiva bochurim who have refused IDF conscription.

“The Torah protects us,” Rav Yosef said. “Trump turned against us because of the persecution of yeshiva bochurim by this wicked Izevel,” the Rav, who is the spiritual leader of the Shas party, said.

Rav Yosef’s reference to “Izevel” was directed at Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has pressed both the Supreme Court and police to take a harder line against draft refusers and has moved to strip yeshivos of tax benefits, even as secular pacifists who likewise do not enlist have largely avoided similar treatment.

Rav Yosef also criticized police conduct toward chareidi protesters demonstrating against the draft. “Police officers filled with hatred for Torah learners beat and humiliate them,” he said, adding that the hostility is not universal among officers but reflects the influence of “a group of police officers” shaped by the Attorney General’s posture.

Rav Yosef closed his remarks by addressing the broader Jewish people, describing secular Jews as tinokos shenishbu — Jews raised without exposure to Torah knowledge through no fault of their own. “The nation of Israel, in its core, is good,” he said. “The People of Israel, the Nation of Israel, today, in our generation, the vast majority are considered to be as a person raised in captivity among the nations.”

Six IDF soldiers fell, Hy’d, in two incidents in southern Lebanon over Shabbos as the military exchanged heavy fire with Hezbollah terrorists following what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire.

The deadliest incident occurred when Hezbollah carried out a coordinated assault — combining anti-tank missile fire with an explosive drone — against an IDF tank operating in the Kfar Tebnit/Ali Taher Ridge area, south of Nabatieh, as part of an operation by the 36th Division under the Givati Brigade Combat Team. The tank was first struck by anti-tank fire, after which an armed drone entered through the rear opening of the vehicle and detonated inside, killing five soldiers.

Among the fallen was the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, Hy’d, 32, of Beit HaShita, who led the 52nd Battalion, 401st Brigade. LTC Ben Simhon had assumed command on April 20, about a week after the previous commander was severely wounded in combat, and led the unit through two months of fighting. He was married and the father of two daughters. He came from a family of soldiers — he and four brothers served in the 401st Brigade, while another brother served in the Golani Brigade. His wife serves as a combat officer in the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps and Border Defense Corps.

Also killed in the strike were Staff Sergeant Yoav Klein, Hy’d, 21, of Herzliya, and Staff Sergeant Liav Kababia, Hy’d, 20, of Hod Hasharon, both of the 52nd Battalion. Two additional soldiers from the same incident had not yet been cleared for publication.

In a separate strike roughly four hours after the tank attack, an explosive drone struck Commando Brigade troops in the Beaufort area near Tebnit. Five soldiers were wounded, one of them severely.

In a third, distinct incident, Sergeant First Class Nir Ben Ari, Hy’d, 21, of the moshav Kerem Maharal, was killed while serving with the Maglan Unit of the Commando Brigade. Two additional soldiers were severely injured and an officer was moderately injured in the same incident. Ben Ari, who served as a logistics officer in his company, had been scheduled to begin his discharge leave at the end of the month and was to turn 22 in nine days.

His family described him as someone who “loved life, his family, and his friends,” with a special bond to his siblings Guy, Shay, and Shir. A family friend, Nir Baruch, said Ben Ari had a motorcycle test scheduled and a flight booked to Thailand for mid-August, but chose to return to his unit and re-enter Lebanon just a day before he fell.

Assaf Izak, head of the Hof Hacarmel Regional Council, called him “a young man of values who excelled in his studies, an athlete, a fighter, and a commander.” Alfa Weinberger, principal of Kfar Galim High School, where Ben Ari completed his studies in 2022 focusing on biology and physics, noted that the school lost another graduate, Staff Sergeant Noam Hamburger, Hy’d, last month in a similar drone attack in southern Lebanon — calling it “a second and unbearable loss for our community.”

President Isaac Herzog called it “a very difficult and painful morning,” noting that Ben Simhon took command after his predecessor was severely wounded two months earlier and “led his soldiers at the front with determination and responsibility.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the IDF to strike Hezbollah “with force” in response to what he termed a ceasefire violation. The IDF struck more than 80 terror targets overnight, killing dozens of terrorists, and followed up Friday morning with strikes on Hezbollah command posts in the Beqaa Valley. “Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks,” Netanyahu said.

Conflicting signals emerged from Iran on Friday regarding the status of the Strait of Hormuz, with one Iranian military message warning of a renewed closure even as Tehran simultaneously promoted a 60-day transit fee waiver under its memorandum of understanding with Washington.

According to a broadcast attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) on maritime frequencies near the strait Friday morning, Iran warned all vessels not to attempt passage, citing Israel’s refusal to withdraw from southern Lebanon and ongoing Israeli strikes there. The Panamanian-flagged container ship Muara, which departed from Hamad, Qatar, using the Iranian traffic separation scheme, was reported as the last non-Iranian-linked vessel to transit the strait outbound before the warning.

The broadcast stated that “Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, the complete lifting of the naval blockade, and the withdrawal of American… forces from the Persian Gulf and the region” were among the core conditions of the agreement between Iran and the United States, and that the strait “will remain closed until these conditions are met.” It further warned that “all ships are requested, for the sake of their security and safety, not to approach the Strait of Hormuz,” with some reports indicating that vessels defying the directive would be targeted.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, however, pushed back on reports of a closure. Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Friday that Iran has taken the necessary steps to ensure the safe passage of merchant ships through the strait in accordance with the memorandum of understanding ending the broader conflict, and that maritime traffic continues uninterrupted. Baqaei’s statement came in response to international media reports suggesting Iranian authorities were restricting passage.

Adding to the murky picture, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) announced separately on Friday that no transit fees will be charged on shipments through the strait for the next 60 days, with Tehran covering related safety and insurance costs that would otherwise fall on shipowners. Vessels are required to submit passage notices 48 hours in advance, and coordination of designated routes and scheduled passage times remains mandatory due to mine-affected areas in the strait.

The fee waiver follows the memorandum of understanding signed remotely Thursday by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries and reopening the strait, with a 60-day window set for further negotiations on a final settlement, including Iran’s nuclear program. Washington lifted its naval blockade on Iran following the signing.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime choke points, carries roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments along with significant volumes of liquefied natural gas, and any disruption to traffic through the narrow waterway carries the potential to affect global energy markets.

Baqaei said negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program will take place within the 60-day window established by the agreement and will depend on Iran’s compliance with the accord’s terms. He said the current status of Iran’s nuclear program remains unchanged, and that the International Atomic Energy Agency will not inspect newly established facilities during the negotiation period. Any future changes to inspections or nuclear activities, he said, will depend on the progress of the talks.

Iran will also continue separate discussions with Oman regarding the long-term administration and maritime services of the strait, in consultation with other Persian Gulf states.

The conflicting reports out of Tehran on Friday underscore the volatility surrounding implementation of the new US-Iran agreement, even as both sides publicly affirm their commitment to its terms.

The Military Rabbinate is sharing the story of Elyashiv, a soldier serving in the Rabbinate, whose eruv installation at a northern military outpost may have prevented a serious injury or death when an explosive drone launched from Lebanon became entangled in the wire and detonated harmlessly.

According to the Rabbinate, Elyashiv installed the eruv at the outpost near the Lebanese border about a month and a half ago as part of his military duties.

A few days after the eruv was put up, an explosive drone was launched from Lebanon toward the area. The drone became caught in the eruv wire and was unable to continue on its trajectory. As a result, the drone detonated on the wire itself rather than falling to the ground. No one was injured in the incident.

Israeli forces struck approximately 150 targets in southern Lebanon and killed dozens of Hezbollah terrorists, the IDF announced Friday, even as a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took force.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has remained mum on the details of the new truce, put out a statement on his personal social media accounts touting the operation, crediting the IDF’s actions to his own directive. “Just as I instructed,” Netanyahu wrote, referencing the strikes.

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Friday that Israeli troops retain “full freedom of action” to act against any threat in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire. He said troops continue to operate in the Beaufort Castle area and the Ali Taher ridge, working to demolish major Hezbollah tunnel systems that serve as what he described as the terror group’s “central command centers.”

“Hezbollah is fighting a defensive battle to prevent our forces from completing the destruction of these infrastructures,” Defrin said. He placed the blame for the renewed fighting squarely on the terror group. “Hezbollah is the one that violated the ceasefire. It is trying to defend the capabilities it built over the years,” he said.

Defrin emphasized that the IDF’s mandate in the area remains unrestricted. Troops “have full operational freedom of action, to remove threats in any area,” he said, adding, “There is no limit [concerning] removing threats.”

A Gulf diplomat, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, confirmed that the ceasefire was brokered by Qatar, the United States, and Iran.

According to the latest toll released by the Lebanese health ministry, Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people and wounded 97 others in Lebanon on Friday. The dead included at least seven women and two children. The health ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The toll was released amid the new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The strikes and the resulting casualties come as Israel has maintained that it is not bound by the broader memorandum of understanding between the Trump administration and Iran, which, in addition to halting U.S.-Iran hostilities, calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. said Thursday that Jerusalem is instead committed to a separate ceasefire agreement with Beirut, brokered by Washington.

In a Thursday interview after making major concessions to Iran in his MOU, President Donald Trump insisted there are “no limits” to his presidential authority.

In a Thursday interview with Axios following his signing of a deal with Iran that fell short of the US’ stated goals, Trump rejected the idea that the Iran war exposed any constraints on his power, saying instead that his influence remains effectively unrestricted.

When asked what he learned about the limits of presidential authority, Trump responded: “There are no limits.”

“I haven’t learned that lesson yet. I know there are, but there are no limits,” he continued.

Trump also claimed the US achieved overwhelming military success in the conflict, saying: “we defeated them totally militarily,” and suggesting the resulting memorandum of understanding “probably is unconditional surrender.”

He added that the operation demonstrated American dominance, stating: “Who else could have done a blockade like that? I did a naval blockade where not one ship was able to get through. Some tried. It didn’t last very long.”

He did, however, acknowledge risks of escalation, warning that continued strikes could have shut down the Strait of Hormuz and triggered a global energy crisis with potentially severe economic consequences.

Separately, CNN reported on excerpts from Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s upcoming book Regime Change, containing passages describing Trump telling reporters in March about a document he was shown that compared his global authority to leaders including Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin, Napoleon, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Adolf Hitler.

According to the authors, Trump reacted positively to the comparison, arguing that past rulers “maintained power through fear,” and asking, “Who would ever do a thing like that? Right?”

The document, initially presented as coming from a historian, was later traced to a golf associate of a sports figure connected to the event, the book reports.

Trump later posted the document online while still describing its author as a “presidential historian.”

The book portrays Trump’s second term as more expansive and less constrained than his first, highlighting aggressive policy moves, internal clashes, and an increasingly direct approach to foreign leaders and domestic officials alike.

A new academic study has concluded that some of the world’s leading artificial intelligence systems repeatedly generate patterns aligned with centuries-old antisemitic stereotypes.

The paper, titled “From Myth to Model: Representation of ‘The Jew’ in Generative AI’” and authored by Israeli researchers Michael Gilead and Gal Gutman, argues that historical antisemitic tropes appear to be embedded within modern generative AI systems.

To test this, the researchers used a methodology designed to uncover implicit associations within large language models. They built chains of prompts intended to surface underlying representations of “the Jew,” examining how models respond when asked to infer traits indirectly. Their focus was ChatGPT-4 Turbo, which was instructed to generate lists of Jewish and non-Jewish American names across a wide age range, producing 252 names in total, split evenly between categories and genders.

Among the generated examples, Jewish names included Ethan Katz, Noah Weiss, and Gabriel Horowitz, while non-Jewish names included Tyler Johnson, Kyle White, and Dylan Wilson.

For each of the 252 individuals, the model was then prompted to produce a brief 100-word biography, with instructions to behave like a novelist selecting names that align with character traits.

Religious identifiers were later removed, after which the researchers evaluated how the model assigned personality and social characteristics to each fictional figure.

The study reports that AI-generated portrayals associated with Jewish names were repeatedly rated as higher in competence, dominance, privilege, and obsessive tendencies, while scoring lower on likability, warmth, and collectivist traits.

These results were also reproduced when the same methodology was applied to other models, including DeepSeek-V3 and Mistral.

The researchers further found that Jewish-associated profiles clustered consistently in a “high-competence, low-warmth” category, a pattern they noted is similar to stereotypes historically applied to other groups such as East Asians. Across datasets, Jewish-coded biographies were repeatedly described in terms associated with intelligence, efficiency, and assertiveness, but also marked down in friendliness and perceived warmth.

The authors link these patterns to broader historical narratives, noting that antisemitic discourse has often depicted Jews as disruptive forces undermining social cohesion and traditional structures. They argue that this association may persist in modern datasets, becoming encoded within machine learning systems.

The study also suggests that rising anti-modernization sentiment — including backlash against industrialization, capitalism, and technological change — could coincide with renewed antisemitic framing in digital discourse.

The researchers conclude that their findings demonstrate how entrenched prejudice can persist within AI systems through complex trait associations rather than explicit language, emphasizing that bias detection must go beyond overt stereotypes to include more subtle structural patterns embedded in model behavior.

A federal grand jury has indicted a 27-year-old Gainesville, Florida man accused of allegedly planning a mass shooting targeting Jewish employees at a pro-Israel nonprofit organization.

Forrest Kendall Pemberton is facing federal hate crime and firearms charges following an investigation into an alleged plot that authorities say was discovered before an attack could take place.

According to court documents, the alleged incident occurred on December 23, 2024. Prosecutors claim Pemberton armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle fitted with a silencer and traveled to the offices of a nonprofit organization that advocates for support of Israel.

Authorities allege that Pemberton intended to carry out a mass shooting against the organization’s employees specifically because they were Jewish.

The indictment includes three charges: attempted hate crime, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a short-barreled rifle.

If convicted, Pemberton could face severe penalties. The attempted hate crime charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, while the firearm charge could result in a mandatory additional sentence of up to 30 years. The short-barreled rifle charge carries a maximum penalty of five years.

The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley.

The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, led by the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. The FBI Miami Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Office, Gainesville Police Department, and Tallahassee Police Department also assisted in the case.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie D. Waxman of the National Security Division for the Southern District of Florida, along with Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Manpreet “Monica” Uppal-Gupta of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

As anxiety mounts across Eretz Yisrael and the broader Jewish world over the agreements between the Trump administration and the Iranian regime, many are recalling a shiur delivered two years ago by one of the most prominent poskim of our time, HaGaon Harav Moshe Shternbuch, shlita, Raavad of the Edah HaChareidis.

The remarks, shared by a grandson of Harav Shternbuch, were delivered to a distinguished gathering of prominent businessmen and wealthy individuals who had come from abroad to meet with the Gadol. The occasion was the period immediately following Donald Trump’s election to his second term — a moment when, as the grandson described it, most of the Klal, including much of the frum political establishment, was celebrating, viewing the incoming president as a steadfast friend and reliable protector of Jewish interests.

It was precisely into that atmosphere of euphoria that Harav Shternbuch chose to deliver a sharply worded rebuke.

Making a point of speaking in English — so that his words would penetrate directly into the hearts of his listeners — the Posek began:

“Today there are many people who rely on the new President of the United States, completely confident in their hearts that he’s the one who’s going to help us. But we have to know and internalize — these people, who are placing their trust in humans, are delaying the arrival of Moshiach! Only when we truly and sincerely understand that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the only Power that can help us, and that there is nothing else besides Him — only then will we merit the yeshuah.”

He then pressed further, cautioning against the seductive illusion of worldly power:

“No one can help us — only Hashem alone. The President of the United States won’t bring our yeshua. The future Geulah will happen only when we recognize that any direction of thought about a big army, a powerful air force, or boasting that ‘we are very strong’ — has no substance to it whatsoever, and nothing good can come of it. The only thing we have in this world is the Ribono Shel Olam, and when Klal Yisroel recognizes that there’s no other way except the way of Hashem, we will merit the final geulah.”

Words that at the time struck some listeners as removed from political reality have since taken on a chilling resonance. “Ruach HaKodesh spoke from his throat,” people across the Torah world are now saying, as the very scenario the Rav warned against — reliance on an American president as savior — appears to be playing out.

The pasuk the Rav invoked captures the eternal lesson: Al tivtechu bindivim, uv’ven adam she’ein lo teshuah — “Do not rely on nobles, nor on a human being who holds no salvation” (Tehillim 146:3).

The grandson who shared the account noted that the words were not delivered as political commentary, but as a call to emunah — a reminder, in the Rav’s own words, that ein lanu al mi lehisha’en ela al Avinu shebashamayim.

For months, Donald Trump spoke about Iran and Hamas in the language of force, deadlines and destruction. Iran’s nuclear facilities were “obliterated.” Hamas would face “hell to pay.” The hostages would be freed, Hamas terrorists would be crushed, and America’s enemies would learn quickly that Trump was back.

Now Israel is facing a much less dramatic reality. The Iran deal has not closed the Iranian nuclear file, but pushed key questions into another round of negotiations. Hamas has not been wiped out by American pressure, or even disarmed. Hezbollah remains a central threat in Lebanon. And instead of Washington giving Israel a blank check to finish the job, Israel may now find itself under pressure from the same president whose threats once sounded like a promise of full backing.

This is the growing gap between Trump’s words and Trump’s policy. Israel heard obliteration, while Iran got a deal. Israel heard pressure on Hamas, while Hamas survived the deadlines. Israel heard that Iran’s nuclear program had been finished, but now the world is back to discussing oversight, uranium and how to remove it.

Trump threatens first, escalates loudly, creates fear, then cuts a deal. His threats are often not meant as literal promises, but as leverage. Maybe Trump is bluffing Iran now. Maybe he is trying to draw Tehran into a trap. Maybe he wants the uranium issue exposed before he acts again. But Israel cannot build national security policy on maybe.

The Hamas example should have been a warning. Trump repeatedly issued harsh threats over the hostages and spoke as if Hamas could be forced quickly into submission. But the war did not end in 24 hours. The hostages were not all released by his threats alone, even as he took credit for progress. Hamas terrorists were not destroyed by a deadline from Washington. Israel remained the country fighting on the ground, managing international pressure and carrying the burden of a war America could not resolve.

Iran is an even bigger test. Trump’s “obliterated” language suggested the nuclear threat had been decisively handled. But if Iran’s program was truly destroyed, why does the new deal still require negotiations over nuclear material, inspections and compliance? If missiles were part of the threat, why are they now treated as negotiable? And if Hezbollah and Lebanon are folded into a broader framework, Israel may be asked to restrain itself against the same Iranian-backed threats Trump once vowed to crush.

This is where Trump’s broader style becomes relevant. Greenland would be acquired. Canada could become the 51st state. Some of it may be joking or negotiation, but the pattern is clear: Trump often speaks in maximalist outcomes long before the reality exists.

For most countries, that kind of speech can be dismissed as antics. For Israel, it is different. When an American president threatens Iran, Israel listens. When he says Hamas will pay, Israeli families of hostages listen. When he says nuclear sites were obliterated, Israeli officials, soldiers and citizens weigh that statement against the risk of the next war.

That does not mean Trump is anti-Israel or that every threat was meaningless. His willingness to use force, impose pressure and break diplomatic taboos has often helped Israel. But the Iran deal is exposing a harder truth: Trump’s strongest words are not always a policy commitment. Sometimes they are a negotiating position or a headline. Sometimes they are a way to project strength while preparing to compromise.

That is the danger now. Israel may discover that the same words that once reassured it can later be used to restrain it. Trump can praise Israel one day and pressure Netanyahu the next. Maybe this is a genius plan. Maybe he is setting a trap. But a country facing Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran across the region cannot afford to confuse dramatic language with strategic certainty.

Trump’s big threats are catching up with Israel because they created expectations that reality is not meeting. The lesson is not that Israel should ignore him. It is that Israel must read him carefully.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit cleared for publication on Thursday that Master Sergeant (Res.) Alexander Filin Hy’d, 29, from Haifa, a combat soldier serving in the 36th Division command post, was killed after an explosive device detonated in southern Lebanon.

Filin was killed while operating with IDF forces in southern Lebanon. The explosion also left an IDF reserve officer and another reserve soldier moderately wounded. A combat NCO, two reserve soldiers, and a female reserve soldier were additionally injured lightly in the incident.

The wounded soldiers were evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment, and their families were notified.

The attack took place at approximately 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, as a combat team was conducting a foot patrol in the Litani area. During the patrol, an explosive device was activated against the forces.

Earlier Wednesday morning, five IDF soldiers were wounded in two separate attacks involving Hezbollah explosive-laden drones. One soldier was seriously injured, two suffered moderate injuries, and two others sustained light injuries.

The first drone attack occurred around 6:00 a.m., when an explosive drone struck near a tank belonging to Givati Brigade combat forces operating in the Tibnin area of southern Lebanon. Four soldiers were wounded by shrapnel and were evacuated by helicopter to hospitals.

A short time later, a second explosive drone detonated on an evacuation vehicle, injuring another soldier. IDF forces responded by launching artillery fire toward terrorist infrastructure in the area.

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The United States and Iran have signed their memorandum of understanding to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with both parties completing the agreement ahead of the originally planned Friday signing in Switzerland, Axios reported Wednesday.

President Trump signed the agreement and later confirmed it publicly. French President Emmanuel Macron shared video on X of Trump signing the document during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles, saying the deal “paves the way for lasting peace and allows the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.” Trump could be heard saying as he signed: “This was not easy, I can tell you.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on X that as a first step, Iran would “instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz” while the United States would “immediately lift the naval blockade.”

The decision to sign early came after discussions about accelerating the timetable to reopen the strait before Friday, a diplomat from a mediating country told Axios. There was also mounting political pressure on the White House to release the text of the memorandum, though a source familiar with the discussions said it was Iran that had insisted the text not be published until the formal signing.

A senior administration official read the agreement to reporters Wednesday in a briefing call, ending days of confusion about its contents.

Adding to the intrigue, a senior administration official said the deal had actually been signed electronically on Sunday by Trump, Vice President Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — though a diplomatic source denied that account. A second source said the Sunday signing did occur and described it as a “second signing,” though the reason for two signings remains unclear.

The Friday meeting in Switzerland between delegations led by Vance and Ghalibaf is still expected to proceed as planned, with discussions set to focus on launching negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

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Masked burglars broke into the Chernobyl beis medrash on Chavakuk Street in Bnei Brak over Shabbos and stole silver keilim used by the Rebbe Shlita at his tish, in the latest incident in a recent wave of break-ins hitting the city.

The thieves timed the burglary to coincide with the Rebbe’s absence — he had traveled to Yerushalayim for a Shabbos event dubbed “Lev Yerushalayim,” attended by roughly 100 Chernobyler chassidim, which included a fundraising campaign for a new beis medrash being built in the capital. The burglars broke into the room housing the safe and made off with the silver keilim inside, leaving behind silver-plated items — a detail that suggested prior knowledge of which pieces were genuine silver.

The thieves arrived wearing masks and used a special spray to prevent leaving fingerprints. The chassidus estimates the loss at tens of thousands of shekels. A police complaint was filed and detectives visited the scene Wednesday to collect testimony.

The US Department of Justice has charged Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, with allegedly providing material support to Hamas.

Sabassi, a San Diego resident, was arrested Wednesday and faces charges including terrorism-related offenses, sanctions violations, wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements, according to prosecutors.

Authorities allege that Sabassi used online fundraising platforms to collect money for Hamas through a charity organization identified as The Arab Charity Foundation, Inc.

Prosecutors say that between December 2023 and early 2024, Sabassi raised approximately $600,000. They allege that about $116,000 was transferred to a Hamas member, while another $382,000 was being converted into cryptocurrency with the intention of sending it to the terrorist group.

Hamas is designated by the US as a terrorist organization, and providing material support to the group is prohibited under American law.

The United States is working to move as much oil as possible through the Strait of Hormuz to rebuild global reserves in case President Donald Trump decides to restart military operations against Iran, a senior American official said.

The official said Washington believes it is taking limited risks by agreeing this week to a memorandum of understanding with Tehran, because most sanctions relief would only be provided if Iran agrees to concessions during nuclear negotiations expected to take place over the next two months.

“In the meantime… we’re working to get as much oil out of there as possible and to let everyone restock global supplies and help everyone get into position for if Iran misbehaves and there has to be another round of efforts,” the senior US official says during a briefing with reporters.

The official said representatives from both sides are expected to meet this weekend in Switzerland, where the MOU is scheduled to be formally signed Friday. The meeting, he said, “will be quite critical in order to see how we get to the next phase.”

The talks will take place at a Swiss hotel owned by Qatar, which shares a major gas field with Iran, the official noted.

“It will be a very good illustration to show that with the money that comes out of this gas field, [it] can either be used to buy great properties that give you cash flow and returns to reinvest in your population… or you could fund terrorism, which basically has led to destruction and devastation that makes them much worse off,” the senior US official says.

The official argued that the United States entered negotiations from a stronger position following the war, while Iran has been significantly weakened.

“If we think that they’re just dragging us along and bullshitting us, then we’ll be very quick to pull the plug on it and go back to tightening the screws on them very, very aggressively,” the US official says.

The official also said new direct communication channels have been created between senior Trump administration figures and Iranian officials, including IRGC leaders and religious figures, “who have opened up channels of communication expressing the desire to do something different than what they’ve done before.”

US officials had previously confirmed direct contacts with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, but this appeared to be the first public acknowledgment from a Trump official of communication with IRGC representatives or Iranian clerics.

Asked to explain Trump’s earlier statement that the MOU was not final, the senior US official insisted that the agreement itself is finalized, suggesting the president may have been referring to the larger nuclear agreement that still needs to be negotiated.